1
00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:15,400
Speaker 1: Life Audio. Thank you for listening to your Daily Prayer,

2
00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,400
Speaker 1: a podcast dedicated to helping you find the words you

3
00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:21,760
Speaker 1: need to connect with your Father in Heaven. No matter

4
00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:24,160
Speaker 1: what is going on in your life today, you can

5
00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:27,600
Speaker 1: trust that God wants to hear from you. Right after

6
00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:30,120
Speaker 1: this short word from our sponsor, we will pray through

7
00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:34,640
Speaker 1: today's prayer to bear lasting fruit in every season. Together.

8
00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:57,040
Speaker 1: A Prayer to Bear Lasting Fruit in Every Season, written

9
00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:02,959
Speaker 1: by Emily Rose Massey read by Carrie. You did not

10
00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:07,080
Speaker 1: choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that

11
00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:09,759
Speaker 1: you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit

12
00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:13,039
Speaker 1: should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in

13
00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,800
Speaker 1: my name, you will give it to you. John fifteen,

14
00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:22,600
Speaker 1: verse sixteen. In the spring through fall seasons, my husband

15
00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:26,160
Speaker 1: and I enjoy spending our Saturday mornings taking our boys

16
00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:29,440
Speaker 1: to the local farmer's market. The whole family truly does

17
00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:32,279
Speaker 1: try our best to incorporate fruit and veggies in our diet,

18
00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:36,240
Speaker 1: and this farmer's market gives us ample options to pack

19
00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:40,039
Speaker 1: our fridge with fresh produce. During the winter months, the

20
00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:43,880
Speaker 1: market is closed, so thankfully we can still purchase our

21
00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:46,959
Speaker 1: produce at the local grocery store. But the taste of

22
00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:50,080
Speaker 1: the fruit and vechi's at this farmer's market is just

23
00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:53,960
Speaker 1: a little fresher in my opinion. Needless to say, I

24
00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:57,240
Speaker 1: eagerly await the springtime to get back to our beloved

25
00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:03,360
Speaker 1: farmer's market trips. Jesus tells us how he longs for

26
00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:06,840
Speaker 1: us to bear spiritual fruit. You did not choose me,

27
00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,919
Speaker 1: but I chose you and appointed you that you should

28
00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:13,880
Speaker 1: go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide,

29
00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:16,360
Speaker 1: so that whatever you ask the Father in my name,

30
00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:19,360
Speaker 1: you may give it to you. But what happens to

31
00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,200
Speaker 1: our fruit production when we reach a seemingly spiritual barren

32
00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:28,240
Speaker 1: place a winter season? We will all face winter seasons

33
00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:30,960
Speaker 1: in our lives, but we should never want to stay

34
00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:35,360
Speaker 1: there or make it a continuous cycle. Difficult seasons in

35
00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,440
Speaker 1: life can actually be a time of growth and maturity.

36
00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:42,399
Speaker 1: In the Lord trees, roots actually grow down deeper into

37
00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:46,200
Speaker 1: the earth in the wintertime. Instead of focusing on the

38
00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,760
Speaker 1: difficult season you are in, fix your eyes on Christ

39
00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:53,520
Speaker 1: and allow your roots to grow deeper in Him. If

40
00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:56,560
Speaker 1: we don't stay rooted and grounded in God, who is

41
00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:00,480
Speaker 1: love and the truth of His word, begins to lose

42
00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:04,800
Speaker 1: our sustaining life and our prone to depression. Instead of

43
00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:07,920
Speaker 1: yielding to despair, we need to allow our roots in

44
00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,639
Speaker 1: Jesus to grow deeper and deeper. We use those times

45
00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:15,000
Speaker 1: of trial to draw closer to the Lord and drink

46
00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:18,880
Speaker 1: deep of His goodness and faithfulness. During these dark times,

47
00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:24,519
Speaker 1: the enemy wants you to dry up and rought physically, emotionally, mentally,

48
00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:28,880
Speaker 1: and spiritually. We must remain connected to our life source,

49
00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:33,520
Speaker 1: Jesus the Fine. Over the course of my life, I

50
00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:38,040
Speaker 1: have experienced some pretty harsh winter seasons. Thankfully I had

51
00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:41,920
Speaker 1: established a solid root system in the Lord and also

52
00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:46,680
Speaker 1: surrounded myself with some mighty oaks of righteous people. If

53
00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:50,040
Speaker 1: we are isolated during these times and are not taking

54
00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:53,640
Speaker 1: in the proper nutrients from God's word, we are in trouble.

55
00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:58,240
Speaker 1: Being around other trees or fruit bearers is crucial to

56
00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:03,240
Speaker 1: sustaining spiritual health. Their root systems can get nutrients to us,

57
00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:06,560
Speaker 1: and their fruit can feed us when we are struggling.

58
00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:10,280
Speaker 1: To hang on to the vine. No matter our circumstances.

59
00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:13,960
Speaker 1: We must allow our fruit to ripen or mature, and

60
00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,280
Speaker 1: even when it may seem hopeless, if you are abiding

61
00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,880
Speaker 1: in Jesus the Vine, you will see abundance. Once again,

62
00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:24,680
Speaker 1: be grateful for the little fruit you two have, but

63
00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:28,039
Speaker 1: don't stay there. Let the vine dresser care for you.

64
00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:31,480
Speaker 1: He chose you and longs for you to bear fruit.

65
00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:35,279
Speaker 1: Just continue to abide in him. If you are currently

66
00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:38,440
Speaker 1: experiencing a winter season in life, think of a few

67
00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:41,760
Speaker 1: believers whom you can approach for accountability in your life.

68
00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:46,000
Speaker 1: Those oaks of righteousness can often spur us on our

69
00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:48,680
Speaker 1: walk with the Lord. Perhaps you can meet with a

70
00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,400
Speaker 1: friend once a week to stay encouraged or pray with them,

71
00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:54,520
Speaker 1: or meet with a few friends to study the Bible together,

72
00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:59,200
Speaker 1: connected to the vine with others alongside you. As you

73
00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:03,920
Speaker 1: see fruit grow in you and those around you, let's pray.

74
00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:08,560
Speaker 1: Dear Lord. I know your grace is sufficient and that

75
00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:11,160
Speaker 1: you are my ever present help in times of need,

76
00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:16,039
Speaker 1: but sometimes my actions do not reflect these truths. It's

77
00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:19,320
Speaker 1: much easier for me to complain about my stressful, painful

78
00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,960
Speaker 1: and difficult circumstances or trying to fix or change, but

79
00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:26,159
Speaker 1: seems to be causing me to feel overwhelmed. I need

80
00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:29,159
Speaker 1: to come to you and ask for grace when I

81
00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:31,520
Speaker 1: have reached my limit or feel like I am being

82
00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:33,400
Speaker 1: crushed out of the weight of my suffering in the

83
00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:37,360
Speaker 1: winter season. You are faithful to provide all I need.

84
00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:41,320
Speaker 1: Because you are a gracious father who cares deeply for

85
00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:44,679
Speaker 1: your children. I come to you as your child today,

86
00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:47,640
Speaker 1: boldly asking for you to help me to abide in

87
00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:51,040
Speaker 1: the vine. I trust you are faithful in every season,

88
00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:55,040
Speaker 1: even if this season of suffering doesn't have an expiration

89
00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:58,080
Speaker 1: date on this side of eternity. May you use my

90
00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:02,440
Speaker 1: life to bear your lasting fruit in every season, no

91
00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:17,760
Speaker 1: matter how difficult. In Jesus name, Amen, Your Daily Prayer

92
00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:21,280
Speaker 1: is a production of Life Audio and Sale Media. If

93
00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:24,080
Speaker 1: you haven't already, be sure to follow the show in

94
00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:27,479
Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app so you never missed an episode.

95
00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:32,760
Speaker 1: For more faith till inspirational podcasts, visit us at lifeaudio

96
00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:39,760
Speaker 1: dot com.