Psalms 1

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭1:1-3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

When we remain close to God by being obedient to His laws and following the message of Jesus, we have lives filled with peace, prosperity and joy. The Psalmist illustrates this with a great analogy of a tree planted by the water.  The tree which grows near the water will grow and be fruitful because its roots have constant and consistent access to the life-giving water it needs to thrive.  If we stay connected to Jesus, who is our source of “living water” (John 7:38), we will also be able to grow, thrive and produce good fruit with our lives.  Jesus said “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).  What kind of fruit is Jesus talking about?  The kind found in Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…”  How do you know if you are truly being obedient and thereby staying connected to God? 

Examine your life to see if you are producing and experiencing the fruit of the Spirit!  If not, it is time to talk to God and ask Him what changes need to be made in your life so you can get reconnected with the True Source of everything good.