Daily Devotions

As we journey through life, we often face challenges that test our faith. Remember that God\'s plans for us are always good, and He works all things together for our benefit.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

One of the ways you can tell that God has truly gotten hold of someone's heart � that they are broken and surrendered, is that thanksgiving becomes the language of their soul. Gratitude flows, not just when things are going well, but even in pain, disappointment, or delay.

The church today is often full of people making constant demands on God, but very few are intentional about cultivating a heart of gratitude. Many believers tie thanksgiving to external circumstances � when things go well, they praise; when things don't, their words shift. But we are reminded: In everything, give thanks � because gratitude is not based on what we see, but on who God is.

The difference between the hope of the believer and that of the unbeliever is this: our hope is surrounded with joy, because it is founded on God's unchanging Word. What we are hoping for already exists in the spiritual realm. It's real, but just not yet visible. That's why we sustain an atmosphere of joy and thanksgiving �not because we see the answer now, but because we know it cannot fail.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for. It doesn't deny facts, but it doesn't call things that are not as though they are. And thanksgiving is what keeps that faith strong, alive, and active. It is the attitude that sustains hope � even when circumstances seem impossible.

As you go through your day today, choose to speak words of thanksgiving. Let gratitude be your first response, not your last resort. In doing so, you align yourself with God's will and open the door for His peace to guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

Prayer is not just a one-time event but a continuous conversation with God. When we persist in prayer, we demonstrate our faith in His timing and sovereignty. The parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18 teaches us that God honors our perseverance.

Many Christians give up too soon in prayer. We live in an instant society where we expect immediate results, but God works according to His perfect timing. Persistent prayer builds our spiritual muscles and deepens our dependence on Him.

When you feel like giving up, remember that every prayer is heard by our Heavenly Father. He may answer in ways we don't expect, but He always answers according to His perfect will and timing.

In a world filled with anxiety and uncertainty, God offers us a peace that surpasses all understanding. This peace is not dependent on our circumstances but on our trust in Him. When we fix our minds on God and His promises, we can experience perfect peace even in the midst of storms.

Peace is not the absence of trouble but the presence of God in the midst of trouble. It's a supernatural calm that guards our hearts and minds when we choose to trust in the Lord with all our hearts.

HOW TO BE FRUITFUL.\r\nThe Lord is intentional about each of us to become fruitful continuously.\r\n\r\nII Peter 1:5-8 NKJV “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith\r\nvirtue, to virtue knowledge, [6] to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to\r\nperseverance godliness, [7] to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness\r\nlove. [8] For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor\r\nunfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”\r\n\r\nThe above scripture gives us nine remedies to barrenness or unfruitfulness. A person\r\nwho is equipped with all can never lack fruit. Let\'s discuss some of these here.\r\n\r\n1. Diligence.\r\nTo attract plenty in our lives, we must be diligent in what we do. Even God rewards\r\nthose who diligently seek Him.\r\nProverbs 21:5 NKJV “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of\r\neveryone who is hasty, surely to poverty.”\r\n\r\n2. Faith.\r\nFaith requires that beyond believing, you take certain actions that aid fruitfulness. A\r\nfarmer apart from praying for rain will need to go till the land and plant certain crops for\r\na harvest. By faith a mustard seed grows into a giant tree. Matthew 13:31-32\r\n\r\n3. Virtue.\r\nVirtue attracts fruit, it\'s one sure way of casting lack from your home. Be a man or\r\nwoman full of good character and integrity and you will attract lasting fruit.\r\n\r\nProverbs 31:10-11 NKJV Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above\r\nrubies. [11] The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.\r\n\r\nISI DEVOTION 046/25\r\n\r\nIron Sharpens Iron Ministries - Raising a Generation after God\'s heart.\r\n4. Knowledge.\r\nYou want fruit, acquire knowledge until you are a master into that subject. Stand out in\r\nknowledge in a certain area of life and increase will definitely come your way.\r\nProverbs 24:4-5 NKJV By knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and\r\npleasant riches. [5] A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;\r\n\r\n5. Self-control.\r\nSelf-control preserves fruit and positions you to be more fruitful. On the other end, lack\r\nof self-control can be very destructive.\r\nScripture declares in Job 31:12 AMPC “For [uncontrolled passion] is a fire which\r\nconsumes to Abaddon (to destruction, ruin, and the place of final torment); [that fire\r\nonce lighted would rage until all is consumed] and would burn to the root all my [life\'s]\r\nincrease.”\r\n\r\nRemember self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, allow yourself to grow into it.\r\nMay the Lord help us to Cultivate diligence, faith, virtue, self-control, and acquire\r\nknowledge in this season.\r\nAmen

Fruitfulness is the state of being extremely productive, profitable and being able to bring\r\nforth results.\r\nOne of the mandates that God gave to man was to be fruitful.\r\nAnd God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas,\r\nand let birds multiply on the earth.\" Genesis 1:22\r\n\r\nEven after the floods that destroyed almost all humanity save Noah and his family, God\r\nstill gave the same mandate to man.\r\n...and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” Genesis 8:17\r\nThe thing is, it is in your DNA to be fruitful. You ought to be productive and fruit should\r\nbe evident in every area of your life.\r\nJesus said, “Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” Matthew 7:20\r\n\r\nFruit is what identifies you. A tree is identified by the kind of fruit it bears. It is what\r\nseparates you from others.\r\nThey can doubt you, overlook and under look you, but they can\'t deny your fruit. Don\'t\r\ntry to prove yourself, let your fruit speak for you.\r\nYour life ought to be a living epistle!\r\nThe question is; \" how can I be fruitful?\"\r\n\r\n1. Abide in the Lord.\r\n\r\nJohn 15:4-5; Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless\r\nit abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine; you are\r\nthe branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you\r\ncan do nothing.\r\nTo abide is to \" continue to be present.\" If you really want to see results in your life, you\r\nmust learn to continue stay in the Lord. What that simply means is to stay in His\r\n\r\npresence continually. You must learn to come into His presence daily. Get addicted to\r\nHim!\r\nTruth is, you can never achieve much minus Jesus. The things that you achieve without\r\nHim, can only last but for a time! They are bound to expire if they are not in Jesus!\r\nLife is a struggle outside of Jesus!\r\nThe things that you do without Him, you have to sustain by toiling. The relationships you\r\nbuild, the businesses that you get engaged in, even the small decisions that you make,\r\nif they are without Jesus, you are going to struggle to sustain them and they will only\r\nleave you tired and frustrated!\r\n\r\nWithout Him, you can do nothing!\r\nThat is why Moses told the Lord...\r\nIf your presence doesn’t go with us, we shall go nowhere.\r\nMoses understood that they would be headed for disaster if the Lord didn\'t go with\r\nthem.\r\n\r\n2. Allow the Lord to prune you.\r\nJohn 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch\r\nthat bears fruit, He prunes, that it may, bear more fruit.\r\nPruning is the removal of parts of plants, cutting out diseased or broken parts, to\r\nincrease the quantity and quality of fruits.\r\nWhen Jesus prunes us, He cuts off parts of our lifestyle that saps away our attention or\r\nenergy that can be better channeled to bearing fruits for Him.\r\nSometimes we get caught up in doing things, in relationships, in lifestyles that only drain\r\nus.\r\nIf you abide (continually stay in His presence), God begins to cut them off.\r\nYou want to see results, allow God to prune you.\r\n\r\n3. Let the Word of God consume you.\r\nPsalms 1:2-3; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day\r\nand night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit\r\nin its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.\r\nThe word of God has power to cause you to be productive. You want to bear fruit,\r\nmeditate (focus on the Word of God. Let God\'s word saturate you. Eventually, it will\r\ntransform you from the inside out.\r\n\r\nShalom!\r\n\r\nIron Sharpens Iron ministries - Raising a Generation after God\'s Heart.