Flourishing Like a Tree

• We will write down the reason we are missing a meal
• We will only drink herbal teas and spring/alkalize water (tap water have harmful chemicals added to it)
• We will journal any helpful insights gained from spending that extra time with God  (optional)

Today's Devotional:

We are near the end of week 7.

Congratulations! We are over the half mark for the 90 day program. I’m so glad that we are doing this together. Today we will focus on flourishing like a tree by doing today’s easy task. That is when we get hungry today, instead of feeding on food, we will miss a meal and feed on God’s Word.

It takes time to see fruit develop. It doesn’t happen fast and swiftly. If the fruit grows to fast and swiftly and out of season, it lacks flavor even though it’s accessible. As fruit develop, it is wise for the farmer to produce the healthiest fruit nature can grow. They care about the soil, the water, the environment, and if the seed is getting all the necessary nutrients. In the same way, the Lord wants for His children to produce good fruit. He wants to make sure we are getting everything we need to bear the fruit of the Spirit. God wants us to have love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). In order for us to produce good fruit in its season is by meditating on God’s Word day and night, not considering the counsel of wicked people, not walking in path of sinners and not being around negative people that put us down (Psalms 1:1-3).

1. Let us avoid cutting corners to be rich and avoid doing anything illegal
2. Let us keep our morals and not compromise values
3. Let us submit to God and do things God’s way
4. Let us feed on the Spirit of God and stay in God’s Word everyday

Remember that trees grow slowly and grass grows fast. So rapid growth isn’t like a tree and doesn’t last through seasons. It doesn’t last through storms. It isn’t strong enough to survive the strong winds. Psalms 92:7 compares wicked people to grass. Psalms 92:12 compare righteous people to palm trees.

Trees bear more fruit, but it takes time for it to product it’s fruit. It takes patience compare to herbs. Although it’s tough to see sprouting grass all around, don’t lose heart, Galatians 6:9 says you will reap in your season as long as you don’t lose heart.

In order for tree to flourish, it needs water, nutrition, the seed to die, pruning and branches to stay connected to the tree. Water represents meditating on the Word day and night (Psalm 1:2). Nutrition represents hearing and understanding God’s Word and yielding to it (Matthew 13:23). The seed dying represents produce many seeds and fruit (John 12:24). Pruning represents cutting off the branches that doesn’t bear fruit (John 15:2). Connecting to the tree represents staying connected to Jesus Christ (John 15:5).

Today’s Prayer:

God, You are our Pruner. You help us develop good fruit. Please help our fruit to develop slowly, instead of fast and swiftly. We want to have flavor. We want to produce healthy fruit. We want to grow in healthy soil, water, and environment that nourish our body, spirit, and soul. We want to develop the fruit of the Spirit. Help us to meditate on Your Word day and night. Please forgive us when we cut corners and did anything that was illegal. Help us to never consider the counsel of wicked people. Please forgive us when we didn't keep our morals and values. Help us to not walk in path of sinners. Please forgive us for not choosing to be around loving people who wants the best for us. Give us today what we need for our fruit to flourish. Help us to receive Your living water and meditating on the Word day and night. Help us to receive the nutrients we need by hearing and understanding God’s Word and yielding to it. Help us to produce many seeds and fruit by dying to our will and submitting to Yours. God take away anything that doesn’t bear fruit in our life so we can stay connected to You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Today's Scriptures: Galatians 5:22-23, Psalms 1:1-3, Psalms 92:7, Psalms 92:12, Galatians 6:9, Psalm 1:2, Matthew 13:23, John 12:24, John 15:2, John 15:5