What Kind of Fruit Are You Bearing?
Jesus explains in the bible in Matthew that a tree is known by its fruit. Whereas a diseased tree will bear bad fruit, a malnourished or immature tree will not bear any fruit at all. This can also apply to our daily lives. Our thoughts bear fruit whether we realize it or not. If you have good thoughts, your outlook on life will be good. Just as if you think bad thoughts, your outlook on life will soon follow in a negative fashion.
If you look closely at people around you, you will know what thought process is driving their life. If they have a terrible attitude, you know they can’t have pleasant thoughts rolling around in their head. If you see a person that is sweet, kind, and caring, you know the thoughts they are having must be really good ones because it shows in their actions towards others.
People are watching you whether you take notice or not. They are noticing everything that you are doing and what example you are setting for those around you. If you say one thing but live in a different fashion, they will notice immediately.
Something that has struck me is conversations people have about Christians. I’ve heard it said that people will not want what we have (God) if we are constantly walking around with a sad look on our faces. Likewise, who will want to live like us if they hear nothing but negative things coming out of our mouths? If we are Christians, WHY the bad attitude? I realize that things won’t always be joyful and happy in your life. Things happen, and we are just forced to deal with them the best way we know how at times. God is right there with us through it all, though, and our strength comes from Him. We are to praise Him in all things. That is so hard to do when you’re walking through a valley in your life, but your attitude and mindset can shift if you just lift up your voice in praise to God. What you’re going through is temporary. It will soon pass. Maybe not as fast as you’d like it, but it will. Try shifting your focus to Him through it all.
Stop for just a moment and think on this question: What type of fruit are you bearing?
Take an honest look in the mirror and answer truthfully. Do more negatives tend to come out of your mouth than positives? Do you mullygrub (as I heard a country pastor describe it once before) about all the things that are wrong in your life? Are you honestly bearing bad fruit at this point in your life? You know you can make a change. Decide today that you no longer want to live defeated, depressed, and in a negative mindset. Begin finding something positive in the situation that you’d normally complain about and watch how things improve in your life. Even if it’s just your outlook that changes, it has to have an impact on those around you, too. They will begin seeing different fruits coming from your tree of life. Then they will want what you have, and ultimately that is our goal: to draw people toward CHRIST!
Think about it!
Who Do You Think You Are?
As we begin today with this bible verse, read it slowly and allow it to soak in completely:
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he …
Proverbs 23:7 NKJV
Just who do you think you are? Honestly, what type of opinion do you have of yourself? If you have low self esteem and low self confidence, you will most certainly be down on yourself a great deal. If you are a perfectionist, you will feel as if you cannot do anything right because of the pressure you are putting on yourself. Maybe you have had a long, hard road in life that has left you a little bitter. The thing is not to stay there! Bad things happen to good people. We have already established that. Just because you’re going through trials does not mean that you have to remain in a negative mindset.
Change your thoughts, and you can change your life.
If you are constantly in a negative frame of mind, you will be down and no one will want to hang around someone that is always down in the dumps. If you flip that switch in your brain and try to look at the positives in the situation, it will literally change your outlook and your life! People will be drawn to you because of the change that you’ve made and how upbeat you now are.
God does not want you to live a life of negativity. You are to guard your heart and your mind. Realize that if your thoughts are full of negative things or if you’re full of greed, jealousy, or lustful thoughts, you’re not following the path that God would have you on. You have taken a detour some where along the way if your thoughts go to things of that nature. Repent, turn from your ways, and get yourself back on track. Then you can focus on God’s plan for your life.
So just who do you think you are? I know that you’re one of God’s chosen ones. God loves you completely and unconditionally no matter what you’ve done or how low you have gone in your life. Without a shadow of a doubt, I know there is hope for you to make a lasting change. I believe in YOU. Now it’s time for you to believe in yourself. You are a child of God!
Vow today that you are going to change your thought process. No matter what happens, try to find some small positive in the situation. It’s hard when we’ve been blindsided by things in this life, but pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and turn to God knowing that He works everything for the good of those that love the Lord and believe in Him.
A Winnable War
You may be in battle right now with thoughts in your head, but you are also in a winnable war. Let that sink in for a moment. Yes, you have all of these thoughts that rush in taking you on a negative path. You spiral down and feel out of control at times. You’re tempted and feel weak in the flesh. BUT take heart … God is right there beside you to ensure that you are not tempted beyond what you can handle. He is there to ensure that you can maintain your composure and self control so that you do no fall into sin.
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.
And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.
But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out.
1 Corinthians 10:13
Even Jesus was tempted, but He did NOT give into temptation. So don’t give me the excuse that you couldn’t control yourself. YES YOU CAN! You just have to choose to do the right thing no matter if you’re in plain sight or where you think no one can see you. Know this: GOD SEES ALL!
Fight the good fight and resist temptation. You CAN win this war. The battle that is going on between your ears in that head of yours, it IS a winnable war. Ask God to help you when you stumble into a situation where you are tempted so that you resist sin, maintain your integrity, and are a person of good morals, value, and character.
