For the past few months, I've been part of a mime called "The Great Saga." It's an Easter passion mime based on the life and purpose of Jesus' life down here on earth. This year, my director focused a lot on how God Reigns...and this year He surely did.
We have had numerous distractions ranging from personal injuries, emotional burdens, and family crisis. NOTHING got in the way. God reigned in the performances and He used our bodies despite the distractions. That's only a glimpse of how good our God is...that's nothing compared to what He actually endured for us. We tried to show it.
Isaiah 53:5 says "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."
Many times we feel that Jesus died for us...well, He did die to save us...but Jesus died because His Father wanted Him too. Yes, Jesus loves us, but John 17 shows where Jesus heart really was. Where Jesus needed to look in order to withstand the cross and our sins. Jesus is our bridegroom...but this is the fine line of the Trinity that we won't ever grasp. Because God and Jesus are one, He loves us just as much as God the Father does...but His focus was not fully on that. God loved us, and sent His son to save us. The Son obeyed the Father's commands, but His purpose was not to love us...that was the Father's desires. It's hard...my mind and heart are at peace, with this, but that doesn't mean I fully understand it. It just means I've submitted to letting that piece of the puzzle go. Either way, I am GREATLY loved!
In the mime, I played a bad dude. Simple right? I was pretty stoked. I was good last year, and the scene that always struck me hard was when I played the adulterous woman. It hit home...it showed that my past didn't define me. That Jesus reached out to those people. He did not come to heal the healthy, but the sick. (Matt. 9:12)
This year, there were three roles that God really took me and dropped me into hardcore, both emotionally and physically. At the beginning, I played a girl who was insecure about herself (sound familiar? pretty common). I have struggled with this...how many girls don't at some point? It's tough to deal with and get over. Thankfully, I have been stronger and more pleased in the woman God has made me to be...and I try to give Him the credit so I don't sink into vanity. I still have my moments, but others around me are quick to rebuke me. Thanks guys. I know I'm beautiful.
Either way, Wednesday night, I got a dream that crushed me...but also made this character come alive more inside me. I dreamed that something I was promised was taken away and given to someone else...to the girl who was in the beginning scene with me. At first, I was haunted by this. Then a good friend reminded me that I was feeling jealousy, and this jealousy is a glimpse of how God feels when we stray to other idols. Knowing this, I took that and asked God to make this dream, this fear, a reality for His glory. And He did. The last two scenes happened, and God put me back in my dream. I was that girl who wasn't as pretty, as attractive...because I "didn't get who I wanted," this other girl before me did. And I hurt. I hurt more than I did before. And it worked for God's glory.
As a bad dude, I played a demon and a guard. I have to tell you..I don't feel that I am a very mean person...or manipulative person. It was HARD to find what this was like...but by last night's show, I have never felt so much hate and disgust in my heart. As an angel who rebelled, I heard whispers in my heart like "you were banished...you will never be in my glory again." And I was pissed. I would watch the creation scene, and when Adam and Eve were created, I heard "They are my beloved...not you." And that did it. I wanted them dead. I wanted to destroy God's unity with man. And when the Fall of Humanity happened, I did just that. I was a demon, and I hated both the humanity characters...pure hatred. It scared me at first, but now I have a better understanding of what those demons are like around us...how they lurk for us to make a mistake...to give them a foothold, then they dive and attack all over us...and push us around and tell us how worthless and weak we are for giving in. I understand this better now...
This same reaction happened with Jesus. For the garden scene, when Jesus is praying His last prayer, He reaches up and asks God for strength. My hatred and determination to make Jesus crumble was overwhelming, but when He overcame us, I was more pissed. When I turn from demon to guard, I am thinking "This is the way you want to be? You're going to get it." And I wanted Him to SUFFER. As a guard, my heart felt no compassion, no love, no mercy. I wanted to kill Jesus so bad...I have never felt such hatred inside me. It was tough to grasp, but when I got it I wanted more. I wanted to show more. This feeling didn't stay. I love my Savior. I really do...and last night I reflected in more depth what all Jesus did, and the role I played in His crucifixion...and I cried. I cried and sobbed last night when I got alone. I hurt...because I felt a portion of what it was like to kill the beautiful Son of God.
Thankfully, He didn't stay dead. That's what this season is all about! How our Jesus conquered death! How Satan's grasp on us is broken! But...He didn't do it right away. He didn't die on the cross and instantly rise.
Jesus waited three days. Remember how he foretold all these things to His disciples? Sometimes Jesus does that with us too...He makes promises...some specific and some not so specific, but He promises to fulfill them in His timing. Three days may have seemed like an eternity for the disciples....but Jesus kept His promise.
It may take longer than three days, but if God reveals a promise to you, you can believe He will make it happen! Praise God for His fulfilled promise of raising from the dead! If you are still in the waiting period, in the mourning period, just you wait and see. It's going to be glorious when God fulfills His promises to you. Even when all hope is gone...God will be glorified. If Jesus can raise himself from the dead...he will fulfill your needs and his promises to you. There is nothing our God can't do!
As we sit in the waiting period, praise Him for the works that He will fulfill, and the one that He already has...our eternal salvation.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Wrapped in His Arms
"A woman's heart should be so lost in God that a man must seek Him in order to find her."
Author: Unknown
When my future husband finds me, this is how I want him to find me...wrapped in His arms.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M24Wb6aBuhs
"Wrapped In Your Arms"
Is this the whole picture
Or is it just the start?
Is this the way you love me?
You're capturing my heart
I used to try and walk alone
But I've begun to grow
And when you tell me just to rest
I'm finally letting go
I let go
And I'm here to stay
Nothing can separate us
And I know, I'm ok
You cradle me gently
Wrapped in your arms.... I'm home
I'm seeing so much clearer
Looking through your eyes
I could never find a safer place
Even if I tried
All the times I've needed you
You've never left my side
I'm clinging to your every word
Don't ever let me go
Don't let go
And I'm here to stay
Nothing can separate us
And I know, I'm ok
You cradle me gently
Wrapped in your arms.... I'm home
I'm home...(ohoh ohoh ohoh ohoh)
I'm wrapped in your arms.
And I'm here to stay
Nothing can separate us
And I know, I'm ok
You cradle me gently
Wrapped in your arms
And I'm here to stay
Nothing can separate us
And I know, I'm ok
You cradle me gently
Wrapped in your arms.... I'm home
I'm home
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Transformed, not Conformed
Yesterday, I was trying to blog, but I couldn't. My mind was so cluttered that I couldn't focus. I had a hard heart all day, and I was trying to find out why. I think I do now...I feel God revealed it to me...I remember saying a phrase last night that brought me complete peace...except the anxiety I created within myself because of fear of that statement. I thought about it and prayed about it.
Today, God told me to run outside. So I ran. He told me to run to one of my spots to sit and listen to Him...so I ran to the bridge on Bremer. As I sat and listened, I stood on the waters alone again. I stood there, asking God to reveal himself. Asking for wisdom. Asking for God to tell me what He wanted to tell me.
Jesus appeared, and split the waters between us. He told me to jump. So, I jumped. Jesus split a bigger gap between us, and said the same thing. I prepared a running start, and jumped...barely making it that time. Again, Jesus split a bigger gap and said, "Jump." I couldn't do it on my own...but I prepared myself, and took a flying leap toward Jesus...and I "soared on wings like eagles." (Isaiah 40)
God calls us to take risks, and sometimes He may not reveal Himself until after we take that plunge of trust. We don't know what He is doing, but in His time He will reveal it to us. (I John 3:2) It's our job to answer Him and obey Him WHEN He calls...not later. (Matthew 8:21-22) He is always knocking to get our attention (Revelation 3:20) He wants to renew our minds and hearts so we can have hope in the unseen...not what is seen. After this transformation, then we will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing, and perfect will. (2 Corinthians 4:18 & Romans 12:1-2) This is my biggest lesson right now...my mind is being renewed and transformed. God is showing me what it looks like to be a living sacrifice. He is getting rid of more clutter in my heart.
In an inspirational handout a friend gave us tonight in prayer group, I was taken by a few quotes that popped out: "Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks....expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Enjoy the journey. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away."
"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God." Philippians 1:9-11
Today, God told me to run outside. So I ran. He told me to run to one of my spots to sit and listen to Him...so I ran to the bridge on Bremer. As I sat and listened, I stood on the waters alone again. I stood there, asking God to reveal himself. Asking for wisdom. Asking for God to tell me what He wanted to tell me.
Jesus appeared, and split the waters between us. He told me to jump. So, I jumped. Jesus split a bigger gap between us, and said the same thing. I prepared a running start, and jumped...barely making it that time. Again, Jesus split a bigger gap and said, "Jump." I couldn't do it on my own...but I prepared myself, and took a flying leap toward Jesus...and I "soared on wings like eagles." (Isaiah 40)
God calls us to take risks, and sometimes He may not reveal Himself until after we take that plunge of trust. We don't know what He is doing, but in His time He will reveal it to us. (I John 3:2) It's our job to answer Him and obey Him WHEN He calls...not later. (Matthew 8:21-22) He is always knocking to get our attention (Revelation 3:20) He wants to renew our minds and hearts so we can have hope in the unseen...not what is seen. After this transformation, then we will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing, and perfect will. (2 Corinthians 4:18 & Romans 12:1-2) This is my biggest lesson right now...my mind is being renewed and transformed. God is showing me what it looks like to be a living sacrifice. He is getting rid of more clutter in my heart.
In an inspirational handout a friend gave us tonight in prayer group, I was taken by a few quotes that popped out: "Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks....expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Enjoy the journey. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away."
"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God." Philippians 1:9-11
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Faith
In a shorter blog, I want to share a couple scriptures with you about what Jesus says about faith and how this spoke to me recently.
Mark 10:13-16
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
What does it mean to receive the kingdom of heaven like a child? In 1 John, we are called children of God. Because of this, we must have a child-like faith. When I was young, my dad could and was my superman. When I got older, I realized more that my Dad wasn't immortal. I wasn't as eager and excited, and I surely wasn't naive anymore. I was more aware of the worries in life as I got older.
Jesus is not telling us to be immature, nor is he telling us to stay naive about the troubles of today. What I feel he is saying is that we need to believe that God is capable of doing anything despite our worries and doubts. My dad could do ANYTHING when I was a child. I got older and "outgrew" that. Jesus never wants us to "outgrow" the possibilities God can do for us. He thrives in situations where it seems hopeless.
In Matthew 9 Jesus heals two blind men, and says that their faith (in his ability and authority) healed them. I want that faith to heal me. I want that faith like a child in her heavenly Father. I want that "anything is possible" attitude. I pray you do too.
I currently have a few things in my heart that I have been earnestly praying for because I know God is promising prosperity and blessings in these areas of my life. He may be telling me that my faith in His ability and authority will grant me my requests. One I will share briefly because it is a huge burden to me.
I work at a nursing home in Cedar Falls. I have been working as an activity planner for a while, and even though I love the job, it isn't providing. God whispered to me one morning a few weeks ago "I am going to do something big. Just you wait and see." Shortly after that, my director announced her resignation. I remember saying "Well, that's awesome God, but I don't see how this really helps me." I took a chance, and being compelled by the Holy Spirit, I put my name in for the job. I didn't get it...but guess who did? The Music Therapist. (Remember what I went to school for?) Right now, I am waiting to see if I get accepted as the full-time Music Therapist at my job site. God has been keeping me at my job for a reason...I felt Him keeping me there. I had also been trying to make other arrangements for roommates and cheaper living, but God has literally put all those on hold by giving me NO response from ANYONE I'd been contacting...He is calling me to "Just wait and see." I really feel like a child in the corner, trusting my Father has this awesome gift to give me...I just can't peak or take it before He is willing to give it. But because He is my Father, I know He will give me what He promises.
Humble yourself and act like a faithful child, your Father wants to bless you today.
Mark 10:13-16
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
What does it mean to receive the kingdom of heaven like a child? In 1 John, we are called children of God. Because of this, we must have a child-like faith. When I was young, my dad could and was my superman. When I got older, I realized more that my Dad wasn't immortal. I wasn't as eager and excited, and I surely wasn't naive anymore. I was more aware of the worries in life as I got older.
Jesus is not telling us to be immature, nor is he telling us to stay naive about the troubles of today. What I feel he is saying is that we need to believe that God is capable of doing anything despite our worries and doubts. My dad could do ANYTHING when I was a child. I got older and "outgrew" that. Jesus never wants us to "outgrow" the possibilities God can do for us. He thrives in situations where it seems hopeless.
In Matthew 9 Jesus heals two blind men, and says that their faith (in his ability and authority) healed them. I want that faith to heal me. I want that faith like a child in her heavenly Father. I want that "anything is possible" attitude. I pray you do too.
I currently have a few things in my heart that I have been earnestly praying for because I know God is promising prosperity and blessings in these areas of my life. He may be telling me that my faith in His ability and authority will grant me my requests. One I will share briefly because it is a huge burden to me.
I work at a nursing home in Cedar Falls. I have been working as an activity planner for a while, and even though I love the job, it isn't providing. God whispered to me one morning a few weeks ago "I am going to do something big. Just you wait and see." Shortly after that, my director announced her resignation. I remember saying "Well, that's awesome God, but I don't see how this really helps me." I took a chance, and being compelled by the Holy Spirit, I put my name in for the job. I didn't get it...but guess who did? The Music Therapist. (Remember what I went to school for?) Right now, I am waiting to see if I get accepted as the full-time Music Therapist at my job site. God has been keeping me at my job for a reason...I felt Him keeping me there. I had also been trying to make other arrangements for roommates and cheaper living, but God has literally put all those on hold by giving me NO response from ANYONE I'd been contacting...He is calling me to "Just wait and see." I really feel like a child in the corner, trusting my Father has this awesome gift to give me...I just can't peak or take it before He is willing to give it. But because He is my Father, I know He will give me what He promises.
Humble yourself and act like a faithful child, your Father wants to bless you today.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Abide With Me
I want to share lyrics to a song that was shared with me. This is called Abide With Me, and it's one of those good old hymns that I personally haven't heard before.
To share something awesome (maybe more for me at the moment), I was helping with my nursing home's Hymn Sing, and heard God whisper this old hymn to me. I tried to flip to the table of contents to check and see if this song was in there, but God answered my request faster than I could and the first flip of pages I made happened to land right on this song...so I requested it and we sang it all together.
The song is so beautiful, but I love to read the lyrics to myself as a prayer. I hope you all find your heart longing to abide with Christ. Pray this prayer today.
To share something awesome (maybe more for me at the moment), I was helping with my nursing home's Hymn Sing, and heard God whisper this old hymn to me. I tried to flip to the table of contents to check and see if this song was in there, but God answered my request faster than I could and the first flip of pages I made happened to land right on this song...so I requested it and we sang it all together.
The song is so beautiful, but I love to read the lyrics to myself as a prayer. I hope you all find your heart longing to abide with Christ. Pray this prayer today.
1. Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide. When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me. 2. Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day; earth's joys grow dim; its glories pass away; change and decay in all around I see; O thou who changest not, abide with me. 3. I need thy presence every passing hour. What but thy grace can foil the tempter's power? Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me. 4. I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless; ills have no weight, and tears not bitterness. Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if thou abide with me. 5. Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes; shine through the gloom and point me to the skies. Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee; in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Ready to Kick Butt
I am mad, passionately angry.
Satan is known as the father of lies...he twists truths to make us believe we are worthless.
I see Satan enabling people, tearing them down, making them feel less than they really are. My heart cries out to them. It burns for the day where Satan will have his moment at Judgement.
The following visual was shown to me tonight, and I want to share it:
We are standing on earth. There is a huge overcast of clouds above us. And behind that, the sun is shining. We can't see the sun with all the clouds in the way, but it is still shining. Some times, it breaks through and we can have a clear day, or a very very cloudy day with little to no sunlight.
Our clouds contain all our troubles, worries, anxieties, negative feelings of doubt and fear...anything that can be used to distract us from the sunshine. God is the sun. He is always on His throne, in control. The sun is always shining. Our worries just get in the way of seeing that.
The trick is to look beyond the clouds. Realize and believe that even though we can't see it, the Son is shining. He is always working. The Father is Sovereign and completely in control at all times.
Satan wants to keep you cloudy. He wants you to forget the sun is there. This is what angers me. All that I have gotten today while talking with a dear friend was verses about how Jesus is our shepherd and he tends to his flocks, he heals the brokenhearted and carries us. If we are called to be like Jesus, I am called to do these very things...which is exactly what was placed before me.
I heard a quote, that may become my new personal motto: "Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders & says...'Oh shoot...she's awake!!'" He has made me so angry, I want him to shudder. He has no grip on me. Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world!
My friends, I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to spoil Satan's plans on your life. God reigns higher than what you are seeing before you!
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." Matthew 6:19-20
"The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." Romans 16:20
When you have a cloudy day, rejoice! Acknowledge the Son behind those clouds.
"But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." 1 Peter 4:13
Romans 5:1-5
We are in a constant war between ourselves, the enemy, and God. Thank God today that He won the war, but pray for strength and endurance throughout your various battles you still face. I don't know about you, but I refuse to sit back while the enemy continues to put a cloudy day over the day that the Lord has made. I encourage you to join me.
Satan is known as the father of lies...he twists truths to make us believe we are worthless.
I see Satan enabling people, tearing them down, making them feel less than they really are. My heart cries out to them. It burns for the day where Satan will have his moment at Judgement.
The following visual was shown to me tonight, and I want to share it:
We are standing on earth. There is a huge overcast of clouds above us. And behind that, the sun is shining. We can't see the sun with all the clouds in the way, but it is still shining. Some times, it breaks through and we can have a clear day, or a very very cloudy day with little to no sunlight.
Our clouds contain all our troubles, worries, anxieties, negative feelings of doubt and fear...anything that can be used to distract us from the sunshine. God is the sun. He is always on His throne, in control. The sun is always shining. Our worries just get in the way of seeing that.
The trick is to look beyond the clouds. Realize and believe that even though we can't see it, the Son is shining. He is always working. The Father is Sovereign and completely in control at all times.
Satan wants to keep you cloudy. He wants you to forget the sun is there. This is what angers me. All that I have gotten today while talking with a dear friend was verses about how Jesus is our shepherd and he tends to his flocks, he heals the brokenhearted and carries us. If we are called to be like Jesus, I am called to do these very things...which is exactly what was placed before me.
I heard a quote, that may become my new personal motto: "Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders & says...'Oh shoot...she's awake!!'" He has made me so angry, I want him to shudder. He has no grip on me. Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world!
My friends, I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to spoil Satan's plans on your life. God reigns higher than what you are seeing before you!
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." Matthew 6:19-20
"The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." Romans 16:20
When you have a cloudy day, rejoice! Acknowledge the Son behind those clouds.
"But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." 1 Peter 4:13
Romans 5:1-5
We are in a constant war between ourselves, the enemy, and God. Thank God today that He won the war, but pray for strength and endurance throughout your various battles you still face. I don't know about you, but I refuse to sit back while the enemy continues to put a cloudy day over the day that the Lord has made. I encourage you to join me.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Spiritual Fruit
While Bible studying with a few amazing girls tonight, I came across a concern that I wanted to dig at more with them. We are going through Matthew, and tonight we were on Matthew 7. Let me highlight the section we were digging deeper into:
Verses 15-20
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them." (my emphasis added)
By their fruit...what does good fruit look like? How is bad fruit different? What should we be looking for in a true teacher or prophet in our day today?
Galatians 5:22 Lists the fruits of the Spirit.
If you see the following as a result of some sort (or a nourishment to produce more fruit) then you can be pretty safe that you are following a fellow Follower: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Also, John 15 says that Jesus is the true vine. He needs to be our source in order to make fruit. Instead of going to the thorn bushes for grapes, we have the True Vine to provide the nourishment and energy we need to make fruit.
Some of you may be out of home already, some of you reading this may still be living at home and getting ready to start life away from home. I encourage you right now to ask God for discernment. Ask Him to show you what false teachers are around you. Who is producing bad fruit? How can you produce good fruit? Chances are, you have resources living around you. Use them now while you have them. When you live on your own, you may find yourself stumped because you didn't build a foundation strong enough for you to make your faith your own. It's harder to build your foundation outside of your trusted resources. Build it now.
I would love to share personal examples with anyone if they want that to better understand what good fruit can look like, but I won't take up the space to put that here unless God really places it hard on my heart. Right now I want to speak His words. My life is pretty much an open book, ask me whatever you want and I would love to share it with you.
Know your fruits of the Spirit, and be on your guard against ferocious wolves trying to lead you astray.
Verses 15-20
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them." (my emphasis added)
By their fruit...what does good fruit look like? How is bad fruit different? What should we be looking for in a true teacher or prophet in our day today?
Galatians 5:22 Lists the fruits of the Spirit.
If you see the following as a result of some sort (or a nourishment to produce more fruit) then you can be pretty safe that you are following a fellow Follower: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Also, John 15 says that Jesus is the true vine. He needs to be our source in order to make fruit. Instead of going to the thorn bushes for grapes, we have the True Vine to provide the nourishment and energy we need to make fruit.
Some of you may be out of home already, some of you reading this may still be living at home and getting ready to start life away from home. I encourage you right now to ask God for discernment. Ask Him to show you what false teachers are around you. Who is producing bad fruit? How can you produce good fruit? Chances are, you have resources living around you. Use them now while you have them. When you live on your own, you may find yourself stumped because you didn't build a foundation strong enough for you to make your faith your own. It's harder to build your foundation outside of your trusted resources. Build it now.
I would love to share personal examples with anyone if they want that to better understand what good fruit can look like, but I won't take up the space to put that here unless God really places it hard on my heart. Right now I want to speak His words. My life is pretty much an open book, ask me whatever you want and I would love to share it with you.
Know your fruits of the Spirit, and be on your guard against ferocious wolves trying to lead you astray.
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