Fruitful Thought

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience , kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Galatians 5:22 NLT One area I recognize I need development (spiritual growth) in is patience. My wife and mother can attest to that. It’s an area the Lord has been working with me on for a while. I know I’ve been a difficult student. God’s patience with me is a good example for me. The scripture says the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit. As I meditated on that, I asked the Lord “W hy am I having such a challenging time with patience ”? He showed me a couple of things; it was learned behavior and I am comfortable with it. I learned it as a child being around an impatient person and as the years went by, I got comfortable with it. Even now, I’ll catch myself in that moment of impatience and notice how easily it pops up. It’s amazing how God will use the very area we’re struggling in, to produce growth. For example, when I’m behind someone driving slowl...

  For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. - Romans 7:18b-19 Every day we are face with the choice of doing right or wrong in life. It is no getting around the fact that we often make the wrong choices. We justify our choices based on what we believe to be true or what we believe best in the moment. Often, we take for granted that God knows our heart. The truth of the matter is that that is true. Therefore, when you deliberately do what is wrong and know it, God knows it too. He may not come in and put the hammer down so to speak. But beware of the changes in and around you. In the scriptures above Paul is merely telling the facts that we all face, which is the threat of practicing or engaging in sin is always within us. Also, that the ability to do what’s right is not always so easy in our own strength. But God said, “ we can do all things through Christ ...

  We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. Romans 5:3-4 NLT Growth is a process and spiritual growth is no exception. Each one requires a desire to want to grow. As I write this I am reflecting on my spiritual development over the years. It was a roller coaster ride. One minute I’m up and the next I’m down. But as I made up my mind to be intentional about my growth, the ups and downs were further apart. I also learned that the downs, or the valley experiences were an opportunity for development. Like it says in the scripture verse, when trials come, it helps develop our endurance.   But if we have the wrong mindset, we will avoid the trials not realizing we’re hindering our growth. Spiritual maturity is recognizing that problems are an opportunity to develop our character and knowing that it takes time a...

  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. - Romans12:2 NKJV Are you a Conformer or Transformer? If we are honest, the more someone tells us not to do something the more curious we are to do it.  Eventual the things we do become a conformity lifestyle. To conform to something means to adhere to what is commonly accepted. The pattern of this world belongs to Satan, but the world belongs to God and the fullness thereof (see Psalm 24;1). Therefore, we need to know who we are and whose we are. If you belong to God, then you are not common and should not be living commonly. Living commonly is doing what you want to do when you want to do with no regards to who you are or to whom you belong. It is living recklessly and making justification of it by saying “ everybody is doing it . I know you have heard your mother say this – “ If ev...