Prayer ~ Lord, give us joy—joy deep down in our souls that bubbles up and overflows to those around us.
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your
way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your
faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when
your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing
nothing. James 1:2-4
Meditate. What does it take to make you grow—to have joy despite troubles?
Spring is here! The trees and flowers are blossoming,
growing, as they get ready to create fruit. Our lives are similarly the same. We
grow and produce fruit, too. Of course, spiritually we think of the Fruit of
the Spirit…
But the Holy Spirit
produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against
these things! Galatians 5:22-23
 |
| Hoping for a good crop of grapes! Jesus is the vine. We are the branches. The fruit comes from the Spirit. Love - Joy - Peace |
Yes, I am the vine;
you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much
fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me
is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered
into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you,
you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce
much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. John
15:5-8
This is also the end of the winter season when the workers in the
vineyards have completed their pruning. They are cleaning up the piles of vines
that have been removed so that the new fruit gets all the energy the plant has
and the fruit can grow to be the biggest and best. Juicy grapes. That is just
what the viticulturists want. That’s what God wants in our lives, too. Produce
lots of fruit for Him. How? Jesus also told His disciples…
You have already
been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I
will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the
vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. ...I have loved you
even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my
commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments
and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled
with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other
in the same way I have loved you. John 15:3-4, 9-12
Troubles in our lives might reveal that pruning. Then joy
can come to us as we love and know God. Love is the key—the integral part—of building
a relationship with Him. The love of God might not remove the troubles, but God helps us endure them. He can give us joy even in the midst of trials. I know that God has given me joy during low and even despairing times. What creates joy in your life?
Verse of Salvation ~ "Open up, O heavens, and pour
out your righteousness. Let the earth open wide so salvation and righteousness
can sprout up together. I, the LORD, created them. Isaiah 45:8
Memory Verse of the Week ~ And we know that God
causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are
called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28
© 2022 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All
rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless
otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale
House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
Books by Mickey M. Hunacek
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