Sat Apr 15, 2017

Bible reading: Genesis 1:21-25.

Memory Verse: Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Matthew 7:17-18

A man was preparing to speak at a conference and he decided to bring an orange to the stage with him as a practical for the lecture. He opened a conversation with a bright young fellow of about twelve who was sitting in the front row.

“If I were to squeeze this orange as hard as I could, what would come out?” he asked him. He looked at me and said, “Juice, of course.”“Do you think apple juice could come out of it?” “No!” he laughed. “What about grapefruit juice?” “No!” “What would come out of it?” “Orange juice, of course.” “Why does orange juice come out of an orange?” he asked. He may have been getting a little exasperated with him at this point. “Well, it’s an orange and that’s what’s inside.” he snapped.

“Let’s assume that this orange isn’t an orange, but it’s you. And someone squeezes you, puts pressure on you, says something you don’t like, offends you. And out of you comes anger, hatred, bitterness, fear. Why? The answer, as our young friend has told us, is because that’s what’s inside.”

This is one of the great lessons of life. What comes out when life squeezes you? When someone hurts or offends you? If anger, pain and fear come out of you, that’s what’s inside. It doesn’t matter who does the squeezing—your Parents, your siblings, your boss, or the government. If someone says something about you that you don’t like, what comes out of you is what’s inside. And what’s inside is up to you, it’s your choice.

When someone puts pressure on you and out of you comes anything other than love, then there is a problem.  Take away all those negative things you don’t want in your life and replace them with love, you’ll find yourself living a very happy life. In life, you can only give what you have.

Quote:  Conquer yourself then you can conquer the world.

Prophetic Word: May you never fail the test of character, in Jesus name.

Prayer Focus

1. Holy Spirit, deliver me from every work of the flesh in my life, in Jesus name (Gal. 5:16-21)
2.  My Father, uproot every weakness in my life, in Jesus name.
3. Holy Spirit, nurture the fruit the Spirit daily in my life, in Jesus name.