Fruitful Thought

  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16   What is the greatest gift you received from God? I’m sure you are like me; you can’t just name one because God gives the greatest gifts. From the beginning, God proved himself generous by creating us in His likeness and image along with a world of abundance. Although we may have a list of answers for this question, we all would say “The greatest gift God gave to us was Himself.” God’s example of generosity so selfless, an act in human history so important: Jesus’ died on the cross for us, what love. There is nothing in the world more important than the unity of people and God, bringing eternal abundant life and promising that we are never alone. Sometimes we do not honor God as we should, in his unbounded generosity, he gave his best and most valuable, the only thing he had only one of – his Son. Instead of aba...

  But generous people plan to do what is generous, and they stand firm in their generosity. Isaiah 32:8 NLT. This verse is part of a comparison of mindsets (character) within the chapter. The previous verses in the chapter talk about fools speaking foolishness and making evil plans. Also, how they practice ungodliness and spread false teachings about the Lord. But the generous, some versions use the word noble, people plan to do what is generous or noble. Generous people think about being generous. They look for opportunities to bless others. How can I make someone else’s life better? It’s not self-serving. Unlike the persons in the previous verses who plan foolishness and spread false teachings about the Lord. Planning to bring deception into the lives of others. The second part of that verse says, “they stand firm in their generosity.” Generous people do not waver and are not moved by what others may think or say, and they have a made-up mind. This is important because peop...

  Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44 NLT The story of a poor widow woman is great reminder about being a generous giver despite your circumstances. The woman in this scripture described as a poor widow instead of by her name did just that. I often wondered why in certain books of the bible the author chooses to be so descriptive of a person oppose to using their name. As I study the scriptures for understanding I realize that the description gives more depth of the evidence of the nature of God and allows you to see beyond the obvious. ...

  The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself . Proverbs 11:25 NKJV. Dictionary.com definition of generosity states: readiness or liberality in giving. That says to me, being ready to give without restrictions, freely or abundantly. What this verse says to me is, the person with a soul of generosity, meaning that inner core, the heart to give generously¸ that person will always have it to give. Here’s why, the second part of that says the waterer will be watered. So that person will always have more than enough to give. I also believe when it talks about “ being made rich ,” it’s not just talking about monetarily. How about our gifts and talents. God gives us gifts and talents and I believe as we use them to benefit others, He will increase them. Let me share an example. I have the gift of evangelism. When I initially started evangelizing, I was nervous and unsure if I could speak to people. I would go with the evangelism team but wou...

  Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38 This scripture is often taken out of context. It is usually a scripture read before collecting offering in church. As I was researching scriptures for this blog, I was surprised to see this one regarding generosity. I read the two verses prior to get the context of this scripture. 36  Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 37  “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.   There are so many ways in life to be generous, aren’t there? Like give mercy oppose to judgement, ( generosity of spirit ), give a break oppose to condemnation ( generosity of love ), give forgiveness oppose to grudges ( generosity of your heart). The holiday season enhances a spirit o...

  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1Thessalonians 5:18 NLT This verse of scripture has been in my face so much in the past few weeks, I had to write about how it has touched me. My wife used the same scripture a couple of weeks ago and I didn’t want to be redundant, but I had to use it again. I believe being thankful starts with a grateful heart. I’m learning to show gratitude by giving thanks in whatever situation I’m in. It is about my perspective. How do I see things? I turned 60 years old this month, and that was one of those milestones that made me reflect. As I reflected, an overwhelming feeling of gratitude took over me. A part of that reflecting time was remembering the things I went through, ( we all can go back there from time-to-time, right? ). That feeling of gratitude prompted thanksgiving. I started thanking God for those circumstances, those challenging times. It was not always that way for me. There wer...

  All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.   2 Corinthians 4:15 As I celebrated my husband's 60 th  birthday with family and friends, a spirit of gratefulness filled my heart. It was so amazing to see everyone so excited to celebrate a person who loves people and loves encouraging them. I call him my “social butterfly” because he sows seed in everyone he meets and at times God allow him to receive a harvest of seeing or hearing the impact it may have had in their lives. This was one of those days. I refer to my husband as my good and perfect gift from God. I am so grateful that God chose me to do life with such an amazing spirit-man. My heart was overflowing with gratitude towards God for choosing to give me such a special gift of a spirit filled man that represent Gods character in every encounter he is afforded. I know the word of God say’s a man finds a wife, but G...

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness. Let the entire world know what He has done. 1 Chronicles 16:8 NLT This scripture puts my everyday life into perspective. It helps me get back on track when I derail. Let me explain. Stuff happens every day. From the time we wake up, until we lay down for the night. Each day has its own challenges and if we’re not careful, they can consume our thoughts and influence our behavior. This scripture is a great example of showing gratitude. It’s David giving Asaph and other Levites a song of thanksgiving to the Lord. That is the first step. Giving thanks redirects our thinking and let’s God know that we appreciate everything he has done and what He continues to do. It cultivates a heart of gratitude. As a parent, when my children show me that they’re grateful for something I’ve done for them, it blesses my heart. It also shows me how they see me. Not as a genie, but someone they appreciate and can trust in. David also said to procla...

  Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.                                 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Hello November or should I say Hello “Grateful” month! Have you notice how we get in the spirit of gratitude in November? It is amazing how we attribute an attitude of gratitude to November because of Thanksgiving. Gratitude is an expression of thankfulness and praise. The Bible teaches about the power of having a grateful heart. It tells us to be thankful in all circumstances good and not so good. Also, it is a positive emotion that involves being thankful and appreciative and is associated with several mental and physical health benefits. When you experience gratitude, you feel grateful for something or someone in your life and respond with feelings of kindness, warmth, and other forms of generosity. Gratitude honors God and it is His will for us. Wh...

  He who watches the wind [waiting for all conditions to be perfect] will not sow [seed], and he who looks at the clouds will not reap [a harvest]. Ecclesiastes 11:4 AMP How many people do you know that are waiting for the perfect conditions before they attempt to do something? Maybe it’s you. I know I have been there before. We say, “I’ll start working-out next month when I have more time, or “I’ll start saving when I make enough money.” How about this one, “when I get myself together, I’ll give my life to Jesus.” The next month comes, and still no time to work-out. You get an increase in salary and still don’t save. Also, if we could get ourselves together, we would not need Jesus. These are, the so called, perfect conditions. They’re really excuses to keep us from doing what we need to do (procrastinating). Procrastination will keep us from sowing, doing the work required to receive a harvest. I can say that because I was a fully vested member of the Perfect Condition/Procra...

Now he who supplies seed to the Sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 2 Corinthians 9:10 We are currently experiencing an inflation in every area of life. The increase of prices for basic needs like food and shelter are a concern across the globe. This issue was most common to the less fortunate, those on a fixed income or no income at all. Now no one is exempt from this issue. It has caused us all to be conscientious and aware of how we spend and buy. However, God is still in control and is not surprised by what is happening in the world. This scripture tells us that the Lord is our supplier, provides increase and enlarges our harvest of righteousness. We must reframe from complaining about the increase of things we need like gas or food and recognize the blessing to pull up to the gas station or grocery store to get what we need despite the price increase. Also, when we see others in need or ...

Then He said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field." Matthew 9:37-38 NKJV Harvest time is the season when ripened crops are gathered, implying there’s a certain time that is best to do it. When I travel a few miles from my home I see just that. Each Spring they start to plant, and by the fall, the crops are ready for harvest. The time is right. Jesus recognized the same thing when he viewed a crowd. The time is right! He made that statement after viewing the crowd and having compassion for them. The bible says, “He was moved with compassion because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” He recognized that the time was right to harvest. His statement is still relevant today, “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” There are so many people that are weary, lost, like sheep looking for a shepherd. The field (this world) is r...

So, let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:9 The harvest has always been a beautiful and important part of life on earth, the time when the year’s work bears fruit, and the people are fed.   One of my favorite scriptures about harvest is Galatians 6:9. When I read this scripture, it gives me hope and encouragement to keep moving. Especially when you face challenging times and people. But when I meditate on this scripture, it reveals so much more. It is an opportunity to get in God’s presence to gain understanding during processing cycle.   It reveals in the practical sense that you are like a farmer that sow seeds and reaps a harvest. This concept leads to me asking questions like; “Am I sowing seeds?” “What kind of seed am I sowing?” “What kind of harvest am I expecting?”   These questions are valid because they will determine the cycle that takes place in reaping a ...

  Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Romans 12:2 MSG I love the Message version of this scripture because it makes it plan. Paul is writing to believers in Rome. He is cautioning them not to get so accustomed to the values and practices of the world that they fit in without even thinking about it. Sometimes we can get so used to something, we cannot tell when it is no longer benefiting us. We start blending in so much it becomes second nature. We adjust to the environment we are in. When that happens, it is difficult to change. Paul gives them an alternative. He tells them to replace the behavior of fitting in by fixing their minds on God. Paul understood it would take changing their thinking to avoid giving in to the culture or the worlds way of doing things. He also knew that if they did this, God would change them from the inside out. Paul’s w...

  Sometime later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals.   Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda [ a ]  and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades.   Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.   One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.   When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him,  “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” John 5:1-7 This story is a notable example of making the choice to change or not. Although it is referring to healing, the principle is still the same, a change needs to take place. But the choice lies with the individual alone. This pool of water was known to heal peop...

  For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? Isaiah 43.19a NLT When God says He’s doing something new, that implies that the present state is about to change. In fact, the process has already begun. You see, it’s not new to God, just us. It was already in His plans. The question is are we ready for the change? Here’s the thing, whether we are ready or not, if God says it’s coming, it’s coming. Not only is it coming, but it’s also already begun. How do we typically respond to change? For some of us we get so comfortable with our current situation, that we either do not want to change or do not recognize when the change is taking place. Some recognize the change and get excited about it initially, but do not see it happening fast enough and throw in the towel. Others recognize it, understand that it’s a process and embrace the journey. I remember when God spoke to me about ministry. He showed me that it was going to be different than what ...

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest   and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.   As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.   He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him,  “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”   “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,”  he replied.   “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.   Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes, he could see nothing. So, they led him by the hand into Damascus.   For three days he was blind and did not eat or drink anyt...

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life]. 2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP I used to look at this verse as just a person becoming new through accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior. But, after I spent more time meditating on it and understanding what it takes to become new, now my perspective is different.   Change means to make (someone or something) different; alter or modify, Merriam-Webster . A synonym for change is convert. Salvation takes place instantly, but change can take a lifetime as we learn to think, Romans 12:2, and act like our Heavenly Father.  What I realized is the change, the conversion, described in this passage speaks to something that takes time. The Amplified bible describes it a...

  Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, Ephesians 3:20 Do you believe God wants us to live in abundance? Do you believe there is an overflow of abundance available to you? The answer is a resounding YES! According to 2 CORINTHIANS 1:20 “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.” All throughout scripture it talks about abundance and the overflow that is available to us. It doesn’t just limit abundance to our finances, but it overflows into all areas of our lives like Health (3 John 1:2), Peace (Matthew 6:33-34), and Growth (Psalm 115:14). We are often distracted by what we see which limits us to our own ability oppose to accessing the ability that is available to us in God. I believe we must be intentional about setting our minds to align with what God says. Ultimately having the mind of Christ with a more positive and optimistic perspecti...

  One day the widow of a member of the group of prophets came to Elisha and cried out, “My husband who served you is dead, and you know how he feared the Lord. But now a creditor has come, threatening to take my two sons as slaves.” “What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” “Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied. And Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors. Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.” So, she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another. Soon every container was full to the brim! “Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons. “There aren’t any more!” he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing. When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, “Now sell the oliv...