A Prayer about Growing FruitBy Jessica Van Roekel “But the fruit of the Spirit is love‚ joy‚ peace‚ patience‚ kindness‚ goodness‚ faithfulness‚ gentleness‚ self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23‚ ESV) Snow-covered fields‚ leafless trees‚ and skies laden with steel gray clouds describe the view out my window. It's wintertime‚ and frost covers everything. It penetrates the ground‚ and farmers discuss how deep the frost line goes and how it impacts next spring's fieldwork. The wind drives snowflakes like tiny needles piercing the sky. The cold reaches deep into my bones‚ and I struggle to stay warm. If I were a bear‚ I would sleep away winter. But I am not a bear. I am a human‚ designed to live and bring glory to God through every season. The power of winter in the physical world allows the ground to rest so that in the growing season‚ it can do what God designed it to do-produce life. We also produce life. We can speak life with our words and bring life with our actions. But there's a season for rest too. Too often‚ we view the beginning of a new year with an eye to growth and transformation. While this is a noble pursuit‚ we also ebb and flow with the seasons. Sometimes‚ we have seasons where it doesn't seem like any growth or change happens. Our lives look barren. The landscape in our hearts reveals desolation. We can try harder and work smarter‚ but the emptiness remains. The emptiness can frighten us if that's the only thing we focus on. We give up on our transformational journey too soon because we don't see the results we want to see as quickly as we hoped. But just as winter reveals a tree's branches‚ our personal winters reveal our structure too. This can make us feel vulnerable‚ which is why we sometimes shy away from spiritual winters. There is a time to bear fruit and there is a time to harvest fruit. There is also a time of rest so that more fruit can grow. The Fruits of the Spirit are the characteristics of a God-centered‚ spiritually focused lifestyle. The Holy Spirit produces and develops this fruit in Christians who surrender to the direction and influence of God. Through the Spirit's power‚ we can enjoy the benefits of our personal relationship with him. Sometimes surrender means we enter a winter season where our hearts experience a preparation for the fruit God will grow in us. These character qualities-love‚ joy‚ peace‚ patience‚ kindness‚ goodness‚ faithfulness‚ gentleness‚ and self-control-take time to develop. They grow as we practice them over and over. Love looks like a willingness to make personal sacrifices for the cause of Christ and the benefit of others. What can you do today to show that kind of love? Joy is the inner sense of gladness not based on feelings but based on the love and grace given to those who belong to Christ. Peace is the inner calm and contentment of a right relationship with God and knowing that God has everything under control. Patience is the ability to wait without becoming angry or upset. Kindness involves active consideration for others. Goodness is a trait that causes someone to do what is right and beneficial for others. Faithfulness is unwavering loyalty and devotion to following through on one's commitments. Gentleness acts mercifully and appropriately. Self-control is the discipline of mastering one's desires and emotions. We will have seasons where we feel as though we're missing this fruit in our lives. Instead of gentleness‚ we respond with harshness. Rather than self-control‚ we choose to self-indulge. Peace disappears in the face of worries. It can feel like our previous growth faded like autumn colors giving way to the monochromatic colors of winter. In these moments‚ we can pause. We can rest and trust that God hasn't given up on us. He still has fruit to grow in us. When we choose to rest and trust‚ God works in the soil of our hearts to prepare us for the next harvest of fruit. A Prayer about Growing Fruit Oh Lord‚ you are the one in whom my soul finds its delight. You place your Holy Spirit within me so that I can be a light to those around me and bring glory to you. Sometimes it feels like my heart is as desolate as a barren‚ windswept winter field. But I choose to trust you. I choose to believe that even if I can't see growth‚ you are growing fruit in me so that you can use me to bless others. I give you glory‚ and I wait on you in this season.In Jesus' name‚ Amen Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Tatiana Dvoretskaya Jessica Van Roekel loves the upside-down life of following Jesus as she journeys to wholeness through brokenness. As an author‚ speaker‚ and worship leader‚ she uses her gifts and experiences to share God's transformative power to rescue‚ restore‚ and renew. She longs for you to know that rejection doesn't have to define or determine your future when placed in God's healing hands. Find out more reframingrejectionbook.com You can connect with her on Instagram and Facebook. Teach Us to Pray is a FREE prayer podcast hosted by iBelieve writer Christina Patterson. Each week‚ she gives you practical‚ real-life tips on how to grow your faith and relationship with God through the power of prayer. To listen to her episode on What to Pray in the Morning for a Worry-Free Day‚ click below! Now that you’ve prayed‚ are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below! Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content. The post A Prayer about Growing Fruit – Your Daily Prayer – January 28 appeared first on GodUpdates.

1624 - Sir Thomas Warner founds the first English colony in the Caribbean‚ on Saint Kitts. 1855 - The first locomotive runs from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean on the Panama Railway 1939 - Australian Championships Men's Tennis: Australian John Bromwich wins his 1st Australian title; beats doubles partner Adrian Quist 6-4‚ 6-1‚ 6-3 1954 - 1954 NFL Draft: Bobby Garrett from University of Stanford first pick by Cleveland Browns 1978 - Ted Nugent autographs a fan's arm with his knife 1979 - Arthur Kopit's play "Wings" premieres in NYC 1985 - Charity single "We Are the World" recorded by supergroup USA for Africa (Michael Jackson‚ Lionel Richie‚ Quincy Jones‚ Bruce Springsteen‚ Stevie Wonder‚ and other pop stars) 1986 - Space Shuttle Challenger explodes 73 seconds after liftoff from Cape Canaveral‚ killing all 7 crew members‚ including Christa McAuliffe who was to be the first teacher in space 1986 - Angolan revolutionary and leader of UNITA‚ Jonas Savimbi visits Washington‚ D.C. 1990 - "Independent on Sunday" begins publishing in London More Historical Events »

You were designed to represent God and act on his behalf in this world. You were created to display God's character and nature to the world in desperate need of him.

When God sees His people‚ He doesn’t see our sin. Instead‚ He sees us clothed in the righteousness of Christ.

The power of winter in the physical world allows the ground to rest so that in the growing season‚ it can do what God designed it to do—produce life. We also produce life. We can speak life with our words and bring life with our actions. But there’s a season for rest too.

When I first met Julie‚ she was carrying snack bowls from the nursery‚ helping the kitchen volunteers‚ and keeping track of her children. When she saw me‚ however‚ she paused it all to give me a warm hug. Her husband‚ the pastor‚ also greeted me‚ welcoming me to the church. They were happy to hear a college student was interested in joining the congregation. I told them I would love to but wasn’t sure how I could‚ since it was 40 minutes away from the school and I didn’t have a car. “Oh‚ don’t worry about that. I’m sure we’ll find people who can bring you‚” said Joseph‚ the pastor. Julie nodded‚ “We’d be happy to bring you!” From that first moment‚ Julie began showing me the gospel through her service. Serving Through Listening That semester‚ Julie picked me up outside my dorm every single week. It was over 20 minutes out of her way in each direction—meaning she had to get her family up and ready to leave early—but she was glad to do it for me. Our drive to church was always a blessing because she’d ask me about school and life and how she could pray for me. As she listened‚ she encouraged me to remember that God will direct my steps (Prov. 16:9) and that in the meantime‚ I should be faithful where God had me. Each week she challenged me—whether directly or not—to share God’s love with the people he’d placed in my life by sharing his Word and serving them practically (Gal. 6:10; Heb. 10:24). Serving Through Actions No matter how early we arrived for the service‚ some issue always came up. Because the church was small‚ Joseph was busy every Sunday morning as the worship leader‚ preacher‚ shepherd‚ and friend. So Julie was usually the one with the solution—typically with a child or two tailing her. When the printer broke‚ she ran to the store 10 minutes before the service started to print copies of the bulletin. When the alarm in the hallway wouldn’t stop going off‚ she was the one to jump up and turn it off repeatedly. Each week she challenged me—whether directly or not—to share God’s love with the people he’d placed in my life No matter how busy she was‚ she always stopped to hug people and ask about any health or family prayer requests. Joseph and Julie often had me over for lunch after church‚ and I spent many relaxed Sunday afternoons with them and their four boys. As we sat around the table for lunch or in the living room for a game of Codenames‚ Julie would slow down to play with her kids. I watched as she snuggled with her little boys while the older two explained to her the rules of a new game or what had happened in the Dude Perfect video they just watched. I watched her patiently serve her children and noticed that the warm hospitality she displayed at church started in her home. Serving with Love As I got to know Julie better‚ I told her I admired how quick she was to fix a problem or fill a need while still taking time for individual people. I was surprised when she confessed it didn’t come naturally. It was easy for her to get caught up in the details or try to do too much. She was still learning to trust the Lord with the things she couldn’t get to. Sometimes‚ she said‚ the Lord wanted her to stop focusing on the tasks that needed to be done and start focusing on the people in front of her. It reminded me of the first time I met her. What struck me that morning wasn’t her act of service in cleaning the bowls but her act of love in hugging me. I know Julie finds tremendous joy in serving others‚ but the most important part of her ministry is when she slows down to genuinely care for people with the love of Jesus. Most people never know about the broken printers or the malfunctioning alarms‚ but they see the care Julie has for people. Most people never know about the broken printers or the malfunctioning alarms‚ but they see the care Julie has for people. They know she cares enough to spend an extra hour in the car every Sunday to get a college kid to church. They know she cares enough to learn Spanish so she can better communicate with church members. They know she cares enough to remember what they’re going through and to check on them. Julie and I have had many good conversations in which she’s taught me from God’s Word. She’s reminded me to love those in front of me the way God does and to trust him to lead me to the places where I can best do that. But even more than the conversations‚ she’s shown me what it looks like to be the hands and feet of Christ and to pursue loving others as a way to love him.

Joe Rogan tore progressive policies to shreds during a recent episode of his massively popular podcast. The prolific podcaster blasted members of the left as a "cult."This week‚ Rogan welcomed fellow comedian Bobby Lee to "The Joe Rogan Experience." Rogan attempted to sell Lee on the idea of him moving from California to Austin‚ Texas. Rogan explained all of the advantages of living in Austin versus Los Angeles – the move that Rogan made in 2020. "It's a great place tax-wise‚ it's great place traffic-wise‚ it's a great place‚" Rogan said of the city of Austin. "The most important thing is people-wise. The people here are so friendly. Austin people are great people. They're really nice. They're nice. They're not s**theads‚ they're not Hollywood people. They're not lost in this fake world of leftist ideology that everybody's trapped in. They're just people‚ they're just regular people‚ man. And those people exist outside of these‚ these blue bubbles where everyone's gone insane."Rogan admitted that he used to be part of the blue bubble. He confessed that he was "100% a left-leaning person who lived in Los Angeles" and never voted for a Republican in his entire life.However‚ Rogan slammed the progressive policies of California and declared the state had gone "full communist." Rogan rattled off a list of the "insane" policies in Democrat-controlled areas of California that have had significant consequences – including the defund the police movement‚ Proposition 47 that made theft under $950 a misdemeanor‚ the zero-bail policy‚ and progressive district attorneys releasing criminals who committed violent crimes.Rogan said San Francisco is "non-existent." "Most of San Francisco is emptied out of like big chain stores and big department stores‚" he added. Lee chimed in‚ "I won't even do stand-up there anymore. They ruined it." Rogan recommended that San Francisco needs "some hardcore Rudy Giuliani type motherf***er to come in there and knock heads."Despite saying he was left-leaning‚ he said the extreme policies of the Democrats have now forced him to "the middle" politically. Lee agreed‚ and also said that he is in the middle now‚ and it "only happened in the last year." Rogan said the left is now a "cult‚" and anyone who criticizes the cult will be attacked for it. He continued‚ "It gets into these weird gray areas‚ like‚ trans people in women's bathrooms. Like‚ says who? Says who? How do you know that's a real trans person? How do you not know that's a f**ing creep that wants to pull his d*** out in front of kids?"Rogan said if you even question if someone is a legitimate transgender individual or a sexual pervert‚ you'll be "excommunicated" from the cult and get "treated like you're a Nazi."The UFC commentator told Lee‚ "So over time‚ you and I who used to be on the left‚ are now like‚ 'Where's the left? Where are you guys? You guys are so far away. I can't even see you. You're out of you're mind'""You're f***ing chopping d***s off and giving little kids hormone blockers. You have no idea what the long-term consequences are. You're ignoring the health risks. You won't even talk about the health risks‚" Rogan passionately ranted. "You use things like gender-affirming care. What are you saying?"Rogan believes that many liberals don't actually believe in these ideas but think they'll be seen as a "noble thing to blurt out so everybody goes‚ 'You're on the right team."(WARNING: Explicit language) — (@) Lee asked Rogan if he gets nervous when he points out the destructive policies of the left. Rogan replied‚ "No. I live here. This is Texas – 99% of the people agree with me. Even the left-leaning people here are way more reasonable."Lee explained that if he tells a certain joke in a liberal city it "dies‚" but he did the same joke in Texas and it "killed." Rogan explained that his Comedy Mothership in Austin is "specifically designed and nurtured just for what's funny" and not for virtue-signaling. Rogan bashed musicians who spout lectures about climate change in the middle of a concert‚ "Shut the f*** up. Shut the f*** up and play the song‚ entertain me."You can watch the entire "Joe Rogan Experience" episode below.Like Blaze News? Circumvent the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

While playing Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth‚ you will come across quite a few different Jobs that you can acquire. These Jobs will change the way that you play your character and can change your Stats and Attack Types.