
Chanukah Self Control
Once again I give credit to Restored Ministries for the opportunity to write for them. This series on Chanukah was written in 2019. Chanukah Self-Control Self-control... the last fruit of the Spirit. If you think of progressing through emotions and actions, to be honest, I find this one the most challenging. People respond positively when we show love, or joy, or kindness. When we move to matters of the heart, people don’t often comment that we have shown great faithfulness o

The Fig Tree
Matthew 21:18-22 18 The next morning, on his way back to the city, he felt hungry. 19 Spotting a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. So he said to it, “May you never again bear fruit!” and immediately the fig tree dried up. 20 The talmidim (disciples/students) saw this and were amazed. “How did the fig tree dry up so quickly?” they asked. 21 Yeshua answered them, “Yes! I tell you, if you have trust and don’t doubt, you will not only d

Turn the soil...
Matthew 13:18-23 18 “So listen to what the parable of the sower means.19 Whoever hears the message about the Kingdom, but doesn’t understand it, is like the seed sown along the path — the Evil One comes and seizes what was sown in his heart. 20 The seed sown on rocky ground is like a person who hears the message and accepts it with joy at once, 21 but has no root in himself. So he stays on for a while; but as soon as some trouble or persecution arises on account of the messag

Speak GOOD fruit...
Matthew 12:33-37 33 “If you make a tree good, its fruit will be good; and if you make a tree bad, its fruit will be bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 You snakes! How can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what overflows from the heart. 35 The good person brings forth good things from his store of good, and the evil person brings forth evil things from his store of evil. 36 Moreover, I tell you this: on the Day of Judgment people will have to give

What Fruit do they have?
Matthew 7:15-20 15 “Beware of the false prophets! They come to you wearing sheep’s clothing, but underneath they are hungry wolves! 16 You will recognize them by their fruit. Can people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every healthy tree produces good fruit, but a poor tree produces bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, or a poor tree good fruit. 19 Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire! 20

Stay united with Me...
Our family read through the tiny book, “Secrets of the Vine” about a month ago. Today when the verse from John showed up… John 15:5 “I am the vine and you are the branches. Those who stay united with me, and I with them, are the ones who bear much fruit; because apart from me you can’t do a thing. (CJB) Today I had to stop and think about WHO is in control. WHO am I listening too? WHO do I depend on? The next question is... WHO do YOU want to stay united with? We all know tha

He PRUNES...
My verse today was inspired by a song that a friend sent me. It is about new wine. I looked at all the verses concerning wine/new wine… nothing really caught my eye (although there are MANY great verses for me to share about). Then I looked at verses about pressing and crushing, which brought up the verse about pruning. John 15:2 Every branch which is part of me but fails to bear fruit, he cuts off; and every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, so that it may bear more fr