The Fruit of the Spirit

TODAY’S VERSE
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Galatians 5:22 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. What a list. It is easy to focus on each attribute and begin to feel overwhelmed by the challenge to master each one. But that is not what today’s verse is suggesting. Rather, it is saying that the list of attributes is the result of living in the Spirit. It’s the Spirit’s fruit. In nature, if we want fruit, we have to nourish the tree it grows on. Fruit is only produced when the tree is healthy. Likewise, when we fellowship with the Spirit, live in harmony with His direction and follow His leading every day, the Spirit’s fruit will be produced in our lives. As the Holy Spirit instructs, rebukes, guides and comforts us, and if we respond to His voice, we will experience His fruit.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Holy Spirit, I want Your fruit to grow in my life. I know that is only possible through letting You guide my life. Help me hear Your promptings. Let me experience fellowship with You today. Guide me in all things. Fill me, Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, I ask it.
AMEN

______________________________________

CLICK HERE to send this to a friend

You can get this Daily Devotional sent to your e-mail as “Moment In the Word”. CLICK HERE to have this Daily E-votional sent to your e-mail

Do You Know What Your Spiritual Gifts Are?
Now You Can. CLICK HERE to Get your FREE Spiritual Gifts Survey

Do you want to know how to be a Child of God? CLICK HERE to find out how

Great Advice

TODAY’S VERSE
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.
James 1:19-20 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
How many times have we regretted something we said or did? We were too hasty, reacting before we could think. How much pain have we caused acting out of anger not concerned of the consequences? James admonishes us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. How different would our life be if we would follow this simple advice? How more effective would we be in our job, ministry or dealing with those in our family? What opportunities to heal and bless others would be ours if we would submit to this behavior code? Today, we can make a choice. Choose to listen. Choose to think before we speak. Choose to pray before we act out our anger. With God, all things are possible.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Heavenly Father, I ask for Your help this day to watch my tongue and emotions. Help me to really listen to others. Help me to be careful before I speak and help me control my temper. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so I can be more like Your son Jesus.
AMEN

______________________________________

CLICK HERE to send this to a friend

You can get this Daily Devotional sent to your e-mail as “Moment In the Word”. CLICK HERE to have this Daily E-votional sent to your e-mail

Do You Know What Your Spiritual Gifts Are?
Now You Can. CLICK HERE to Get your FREE Spiritual Gifts Survey

Do you want to know how to be a Child of God? CLICK HERE to find out how

Increase Your Inner Strength

TODAY’S VERSE
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.
Ephesians 3:16 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Two thousand years ago, Paul the Apostle prayed this prayer for the church in Ephesus. He prayed that God would use His mighty resources to strengthen them with POWER in their INNER BEING. Can you think of anything that we need more than that? All around us, there is strife, stress, conflicts, and confusion. We often find ourselves going up and down emotionally. It is easy to get sucked into this world’s problems and forget that there is a God who cares, who loves us and who can strengthen us. In order to make it in this world, we need a mighty reservoir of strength on the inside, where we really live. And how does God impart His strength into our life? Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. According to Paul, it is the job of the Holy Spirit to give us the internal strength we need. This same Spirit that intercedes for us. This same Spirit that leads us into all truth. This same Spirit that is our comfort. The Holy Spirit will give us the strength we need on the inside. Ask Him to strengthen you with His power today.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Holy Spirit, I know You are real. You are our Holy God’s Spirit, that comes and takes residence in us upon our conversion. I confess I have ignored You. I repent and ask Your forgiveness. I ask You now, O Holy Spirit, to come in all Your power and give me strength today in my inner being. Might I live in the fullness of Your power even now. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

______________________________________

CLICK HERE to send this to a friend

You can get this Daily Devotional sent to your e-mail as “Moment In the Word”. CLICK HERE to have this Daily E-votional sent to your e-mail

Do You Know What Your Spiritual Gifts Are?
Now You Can. CLICK HERE to Get your FREE Spiritual Gifts Survey

Do you want to know how to be a Child of God? CLICK HERE to find out how

Confidence In God’s Help

TODAY’S VERSE
So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
Hebrews 13:6 (NIV)

TODAY’S MESSAGE
Have you ever said anything with confidence? It is different than saying “I think so,” “Perhaps,” “Maybe” or “We’ll see.” Confidence connotes a certainty, an assurance that what we believe is true. Because we believe in a God that will never forsake us, a heavenly Father who will never abandon us, we can have confidence that this same God is our helper, our strength, our shield, our shelter in the storm, our rock of ages, our mighty fortress, our protector, our hope, our Savior. Yes, we can say with confidence, “Today, I will not be afraid!”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Thank You, Mighty God, that You have chosen to be my helper. You have reached down to me and have assured me that You care, that You will always have my soul in Your hand. I thank You with confidence in my heart that what You say is true and every thought, fear, apprehension, and doubt that stands against this confidence is a lie. I accept Your help today. I will trust You and not be afraid. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

______________________________________

CLICK HERE to send this to a friend

You can get this Daily Devotional sent to your e-mail as “Moment In the Word”. CLICK HERE to have this Daily E-votional sent to your e-mail

Do You Know What Your Spiritual Gifts Are?
Now You Can. CLICK HERE to Get your FREE Spiritual Gifts Survey

Do you want to know how to be a Child of God? CLICK HERE to find out how

Search Me

TODAY’S VERSE
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

TODAY’S MESSAGE
Who are we? Who are we that the God of the universe would be interested in a relationship with us? Yet, this is exactly what today’s passage implies. It is an open invitation to you and me to sit before God and pour out our heart. David knew how prudent it is to let God search our most inner thoughts, emotions, and imaginations. We can come to God without reservation and trust that He cares; that He is interested; that He is able to show us any correction that we need. And the good news is that through this process of being transparent with God, He will lead and direct us. Do you have that kind of relationship with God? If not, you can start today. He stands at the door of your heart and knocks. Open it, invite Him in so He can know you and lead you in the way you should go.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, it is so hard to say, “Search my heart.” I don’t want to slow down. I don’t want to be vulnerable. But, if I cannot trust You with my heart, who can I trust? Forgive me for running from You. Help me be still. Lord Jesus come, search me, know my thoughts and lead me in the way You want me to go.”
AMEN

______________________________________

CLICK HERE to send this to a friend

You can get this Daily Devotional sent to your e-mail as “Moment In the Word”. CLICK HERE to have this Daily E-votional sent to your e-mail

Do You Know What Your Spiritual Gifts Are?
Now You Can. CLICK HERE to Get your FREE Spiritual Gifts Survey

Do you want to know how to be a Child of God? CLICK HERE to find out how

Here Am I

TODAY’S VERSE
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 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 9:35-38 (NIV)

TODAY’S MESSAGE
Matthew 9 reads like a journal on supernatural power. Jesus heals a paralyzed man, raises a dead girl and gives sight to two men. He is exhausted feeling cramped in by all the throngs of people coming to Him for help. Even after all this, Jesus goes from town to town teaching, preaching and healing every disease and sickness. But then there is a dramatic shift in strategy – Jesus sees all the people harassed, helpless and needing help and then tells His disciples to pray that God would send you and me to help Him do His work. Do you get it? Jesus didn’t come here to help and heal everyone by Himself. He came to redeem mankind, begin the process of helping mankind find the way, truth, and life and then commissions you and me to take His power and ministry to the whole world. He has empowered you and me to aid Him in bringing His message of salvation and healing to a desperate world. The world where you and I live out our existence. In the Old Testament God asked His people, who will go share with the people? Isaiah said, “Here am I. Send me!” Might our response be the same!

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Lord, I thank You for Your tireless mission of love that reached out to me. Today, I hear Your voice saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go?” How else can I respond to Your love but say, “Lord Jesus, I want to join You in Your work. Here am I. Send me!”
AMEN

______________________________________

CLICK HERE to send this to a friend

You can get this Daily Devotional sent to your e-mail as “Moment In the Word”. CLICK HERE to have this Daily E-votional sent to your e-mail

Do You Know What Your Spiritual Gifts Are?
Now You Can. CLICK HERE to Get your FREE Spiritual Gifts Survey

Do you want to know how to be a Child of God? CLICK HERE to find out how

What Have You Asked For?

TODAY’S VERSE
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
John 16:24 (NIV)

TODAY’S MESSAGE
I’m not sure which is sadder: a person who never gets a chance to have what he or she desires or a person who had all the chances in the world and never took one? Here we are with a God who is all wise, all powerful and all loving. We also have Jesus Himself saying, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” And yet what do we do? What have we asked for lately? Jesus is not talking about a magic lamp that we rub three times and make wishes for our own pleasure. We aren’t to ask God for things with wrong motives. Instead, Jesus is suggesting that we have a fellowship with His Father which is so rich and deep, that we end up aligning our will with His. When we know His will, it will bring us deep joy and great pleasure to ask God for it. We will be about the business of making His will done on earth as it is in Heaven. What at home, work or in your church can you ask God for? What can you ask for your family, friends, and co-workers that would be in alignment with His will? Pray that God would give you insight into His will and a Holy boldness to ask for it. When you do, Jesus said, “You will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I ask You to help me know what to pray for. Help me to know how to pray for my family, friends, and co-workers. Help me pray about my relationships, career, and ministry. Speak to my heart and then give me the faith to ask You. Help me not to be like the person who had so many chances in life but never took one. Help me to ask You for something special today! In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

______________________________________

CLICK HERE to send this to a friend

You can get this Daily Devotional sent to your e-mail as “Moment In the Word”. CLICK HERE to have this Daily E-votional sent to your e-mail

Do You Know What Your Spiritual Gifts Are?
Now You Can. CLICK HERE to Get your FREE Spiritual Gifts Survey

Do you want to know how to be a Child of God? CLICK HERE to find out how

Staying On Course

TODAY’S VERSE
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.
II Timothy 3:16 (NIV)

TODAY’S MESSAGE
God has not left us alone to wander through this world as helpless victims. He has given us His word to instruct and guide us. God does not wait until we make a mistake and then discard us. He has given us His word to rebuke and correct us. God does not leave us the way we are. He has given us His word to train us. Life is like a journey. There is a trail we can follow that will get us through the wilderness. Through His word, God shows us the trail to go on. His word also lets us know when we wander from the trail. The Bible shows us how to get back on the trail again. Finally, the scriptures show us how to stay on the trail and not wander off in the first place!. Read His word. Make it a part of your daily routine. Through it, He will teach you everything you need to know about living this life.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I thank You for Your word. Please help me understand what the scriptures are saying. Help me apply it to my life. Holy Spirit, use the Bible and teach me, rebuke me, correct me and train me. Help me be the person You desire me to be. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

______________________________________

CLICK HERE to send this to a friend

You can get this Daily Devotional sent to your e-mail as “Moment In the Word”. CLICK HERE to have this Daily E-votional sent to your e-mail

Do You Know What Your Spiritual Gifts Are?
Now You Can. CLICK HERE to Get your FREE Spiritual Gifts Survey

Do you want to know how to be a Child of God? CLICK HERE to find out how

Baby Steps

TODAY’S VERSE
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
II Peter 1:5-8 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Have you bought the lie? Do you sit around wishing there was something you could do about your spiritual life? Do you feel helpless to live the kind of life that Christ has asked you to? Well, there is good news! You and I do not have to be a victim of satanic attacks or the pull of our old nature. God in His word has suggested a better way. He tells us to make every effort to “add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.” Every effort, I can live with that. Every effort means that we really try. It acknowledges that there may be set-backs but that is okay. Get up and make every effort again! That is what Peter means when he writes that we need to possess these qualities in increasing measure. He is talking about baby steps. We make every effort, fall down, get up and make every effort again. When we do, look at the hope, look at what God promises. He says if we make every effort to increase our faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love in baby steps, that it will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our Christian walk. Today, you can claim this promise for yourself. Don’t buy the lie. You can live for God today. You can make a difference, one baby step at a time.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear God, I want to live for You, but I acknowledge that I keep tripping up. Help me take my faith and add to it goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love in baby steps. Holy Spirit, convict me, guide me and give me the discipline to begin living for You today. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

______________________________________

CLICK HERE to send this to a friend

You can get this Daily Devotional sent to your e-mail as “Moment In the Word”. CLICK HERE to have this Daily E-votional sent to your e-mail

Do You Know What Your Spiritual Gifts Are?
Now You Can. CLICK HERE to Get your FREE Spiritual Gifts Survey

Do you want to know how to be a Child of God? CLICK HERE to find out how

Re-Correct Your Course

TODAY’S VERSE
That is why the LORD says, ‘Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.’ Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
Joel 2:12-13

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Attitudes and behavior. How easily they can get us off course. Left unchecked, we can find ourselves far from where we wanted to be. It is like that in sail boating. You don’t get to the other side of the lake in a straight line. Storms, waves, the wind . . .  all send you off course. Instead, you have to constantly readjust your sails, re-correct your course, in order to reach your destination. In life, it is our sinful behavior and attitudes that separate us from God. It was this way in the parable of the Prodigal Son. It was the son who decided to leave home and rebel against the father. But there is hope. Jesus said that the son was at a low point, feeding the pigs and “then he came to his senses”. He thought of his father’s love and mercy and decided to go back home. God, through the prophet Joel, says that we can do the same thing. “Turn to me now,” God says, “while there is time.” Do you feel far from God today? Do you feel off course? Who moved? Come to Him, come in repentance, come in true sorrow, ask for His forgiveness, ask Him to help you re-correct your course. When you do, listen to the promise Joel makes, “He is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, You know my attitudes and behavior. You know how I have wandered off, far from You. But today, I have come to my senses. I want back. Thank You for Your forgiveness and unfailing love toward me. Holy Spirit, help me to re-correct my course. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

______________________________________

CLICK HERE to send this to a friend

You can get this Daily Devotional sent to your e-mail as “Moment In the Word”. CLICK HERE to have this Daily E-votional sent to your e-mail

Do You Know What Your Spiritual Gifts Are?
Now You Can. CLICK HERE to Get your FREE Spiritual Gifts Survey

Do you want to know how to be a Child of God? CLICK HERE to find out how