When I check in on how I am growing in God; I ask myself lots of questions. I don't always like the answers. But its the answers I don't like that shows me what I need to prayerfully take to God and ask for help with. Bad answers don't me give up; they mean pray, then get up and go with God.

A Prayer To Produce Good Fruit

Before Jesus came there was no good fruit in me.

Now that He is here I have fruit a plenty.

Some are unripe and some are small.

But they will grow as I listen to His call.

I prayerfully each day before Him display all that is growing.

I look to Him for source, strength, and knowing.

That my fruits may grow to glorify my Lord and King.

Holy Spirit make these fruits juicy and desirable that each day I bring.

That others may taste of them and see that God is good.

That they may know Him better and also grow good fruits as they should.

That all of us together may good fruits bring.

With songs of thanks and praise to glorify Our King.

Juicy Fruit

No this is not going to be about chewing gum. This is about a question I ask myself now and then, "Am I juicy fruit or am I a shriveled and dried up piece of fruit." I ask myself this when I check in to see how my relationship is growing with and in God. I ask lot's of other questions too but; this is the one I'm dwelling on today. (The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Galatians 5:22-23) If some one had a hidden camera on me twenty-four hours a day would these fruits be flowing with the juice (essence) of Jesus for them to see. (I am the vine you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. John15:5) What about love? Would the camera show that I love my husband or would someone watching the film have some doubt? Or would they think I love him a little or a lot? Would the camera film testify that I love God a little or a lot when no one is looking? Would their be any doubt that I love my neighbors and  Christian brothers and sisters? Would their be any sign of love towards the lost that would show I care about where they are going? How am I doing in the joy department? Am I joyful most of the time? Do I only care about my own joy or do I try to bring joy to others too? Is the joy of  my salvation and the Joy of knowing God that joy that passes understanding in times of trouble? Does that joy see me through hard times? Am I able to share my joy with others and yet be sensitive to them when they are in hard times? Is my joy contagious? Would the camera show me contented in times of  peace? Would it show a life with very much peace in it? Would it show Jesus as my source of peace? Would the camera film convict me of being a peace maker? Would it show me helping others to grab onto the peace of God in times of trouble? What about longsuffering? Would it show me with lots of patience with my husband, friends, and family? Would it show me good at waiting a long time on the Lord? What about kindness? Am I kind to everyone and myself  even when people aren't looking? What about goodness? Is there very much decency, wholesomeness and virtue in me? Do I obey God? How about faithfulness? Would the camera show me faithful to God, my husband, friends, family, and country? Am I faithful to pray for them? What about gentleness? Would the camera show someone slow to anger, soft spoken, someone who doesn't think more highly of  herself than she aught? Someone who is sensitive to others? Perhaps child like? What about self-control? Am I doing things impulsively with out thinking? Do I fly off the handle a lot? Am I disciplined enough to see things through? Am I self-controlled enough to make my flesh and mind obey my spirit? The fruits of the spirit as you can see brings zillions of questions to my mind. My answers are not always what I would like them to be; but that is part of growing up. The answers help me identify how I am doing and help me focus on areas that need improving. Then I prayerfully go to God for help with those areas. I see that with Jesus in me I have all the fruits, but some of them are small and some are unripe. Thanks be to God I don't see any of the totally shriveled up and dead yet! ( And now little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. 1 John 2:28-29 Beloved, now we are the children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1 John 3:2-3 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen)

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