What fruit do I produce?

    The fruit of the righteous is like a tree producing life, and the one who wins souls is wise.

    Proverbs 11:30 NET


for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth – trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
Ephesians 5:9‭-‬11 NET
Today I'd like to debunk a common phrase that's popped up in our modern vocubulary and its derivative train of thought: you only live once. And since you're only around on this earth for a short period of time, why don't you spend your time living for yourself?
The problem with this sort of thinking is that it has resulted in an entire generation seeking only to please themselves. But, my dear brothers and sisters, we are not to follow in this practice of pleasing ourselves. We are to find out what pleases God. The central focus of our lives must be centered on Him. The thoughts we allow to pass through our minds have implications on the lifestyle we choose to participate in. The fruits of our thoughts are demonstrated in our actions. And our actions have eternal implications and consequences even though we might not recognize them. When was the last time you stepped back from a situation that you found yourself in, and viewed it with eternity in mind?
The verses above encourage us to cultivate truth, righteousness and goodness in our hearts, which is life giving to everyone around us. We find truth only in God's word. Our society has so distorted the truth. Beloved, we must develop a hunger for the truth and stand up for it. Today, let us ask Jesus to broaden our perspective on the challenging circumstances of life.
Steven Wong, Malena Meazell and 1 other

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