The good soil...

Luke 8:15  "But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."  (NIV)

The good soil is good because it produces.  The good soil does the job it was intended to do.  It allows the seed to grow and develop and produce a crop.

Noble and good hearts---ones that understand the message and purpose of the word and then use it to produce fruit.  The fruit comes from the seed, itself, not the soil.  The goodness and love is found in the Word, the soil provides an atmosphere where it can be nourished and grow and spread.

 

We must have nobleness and goodness in ourselves (the soil), before we can produce nobleness and goodness in others by sharing the word of God's love (the seed).

Thank you Father for your Word, the seed we plant in the soil.  Help us to be well prepared soil that will encourage the growth of the seed and produce a harvest of goodness and nobleness in others.  The fruit we grow can only come from the good seed of your Word.  The fruit we produce is to bring glory to you, the Father!

Deliverance...

 

Psalm 3:7-8  "Arise, O LORD!  Deliver me, O my God!  Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.  From the LORD comes deliverance.  May your blessing be on your people."  (NIV)

We know that vengeance and judgement aren't ours to deal out, but who among us doesn't enjoy this idea of God giving evil people---the truly wicked who oppress innocent people and hurt them---a good sock on the jaw that would break their teeth and render them harmless?

Like in an old western, the "good guy" slugs it out with the "bad guy" and always wins.  We all desire to see a good "sock on the jaw" administered to terrorists, and people who harm others who have done nothing to deserve it.  We want to see their teeth broken so they no longer can bite and tear at the fabric of our society!

We have to be careful desiring vengeance and justice because we will find that we deserve it, too.  We all sometimes need a sock on the jaw---it is just more obvious with some evil doers than with ourselves.  God will bring justice on all in the end.  We can cry out to him against evil oppressors and injustice in this world, but Christ has already won the victory over Satan and his end is ordained.

We can rejoice in the Lion of Judah, the Lamb who has overcome, and know that ultimate victory is assured in Jesus Christ, our Coming King, who will reign forever when this world ends.  Our Deliverer is here and now and has blessed us by his victory!  Thank you, Jesus for your victory over Satan and evil and for delivering us from all sin and death!

Your law is my delight...

 

Psalm 119:174-175  "I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight.  Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me."  (NIV)

We don't often think about "law" as something to delight us.  But God's law is all of who and what he is.  God's law is the reigning rule of everything---the creation, our lives, his kingdom of heaven.  

When we delight in his law and ask him to sustain us by his law, we are seeking harmony and peace with our Father, the God of all things.  His law is his words to us, and his greatest Word to us is Jesus Christ.  I delight in Jesus Christ and need him to sustain me at all times.

"Let me live that I may praise you."---this is the cry of the heart and life that abides in God and allows him to sustain it!  We praise you!  We love you!  We delight in you!  Thank you, LORD!

God gives life to the seed...

 

1 Corinthian 3:7  "The planter and the waterer are nothing compared with him who gives life to the seed."  (Phillips)

Sometimes we feel unsatisfied with the work we do for God.  We feel either that we are under-appreciated, ill equipped, not effective enough, or a failure in some other way.  We give our part in the work too much attention and give too little credit to "the one who makes things grow."

God's word is a seed.  We have no control over the make-up of the seed or its vitality.  We can only plant it and water it and sit back and let God do the rest.

Growth is God's work.  Success is God's glory not ours.  If we are faithful to do our best to plant and water we can trust God to be faithful in his part.  

We may never see the growth.  

Some soil is more fertile then other.  Sometimes seed is slow to sprout.  We may be only the planter and the seed will require water from someone else.  But all working together, we can do the prep work, so God can make the seed grow.  God's word is full of life and it will accomplish God's purpose in God's time.  (Isa. 55:10-11)

Thank you Father, for your word, the seed that we need to sow and water so others will come to you.  Your seed is good.  Our work is to distribute it.  Please bring growth from the seeds of faith that we plant.  Complete the work that we begin.  You are the "one who makes things grow".  We trust you to bring forth fruit.  amen

God's rest...

 

Psalm 62:1  "My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.  (NIV)

(God's rest)  "It is the rest of confident faith in the faithfulness of God."   by Charles Stanley

Matt. 11:28  "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  (NIV)

I like Stanley's description of God's rest.  Our rest can only be sustained by our faith and God's faithfulness.  Jesus told us to come to him for rest. 

 Human rest is often not very restful and certainly not long-lasting.  We are lucky if we find a brief respite from our daily anxieties.  Unless we can come to Jesus, we won't find true rest.

Without faith in his faithfulness, we won't find the peace that is part of who Christ is.  God's peace is a peace of wholeness and harmony.  This is true "rest".  It is a rest based in relationship.  The relationship is one of trust and hope in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Thank you Lord, for the rest we receive in you.  You are our source of true rest, peace and wholeness.  You bind up our wounds and heal our brokenness and take away our anxieties when we give them to you.  We trust in your faithfulness!  

Christ the foundation...

 

1 Corinthians 3:11  "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ."  (NIV)

"The foundation is laid already, and no one can lay another, for it is Jesus Christ himself."  (Phillips)

In my mind I hear the great hymn, "The Church's one foundation , is Jesus Christ her Lord,...."  The Church can exhibit herself in many ways and denominations, different music, different traditions, different ways of spreading the gospel, but the message itself never changes---Jesus Christ is Lord!"  This is the basic creed of the Church on which all of the Christian faith stands.

If you move away from this foundation, you are no longer part of the Christian Church.  It starts with Christ and ends with Christ.  Jesus is the Church.  He can't be demoted or pushed aside, or asked to share the top billing.  It is his Church!

Thank you Jesus for being our foundation and our cornerstone.  You are the stone the Church is built on.  You are the basis of all we believe.  You are Lord and Savior!  One God, one Lord, one Church.  Thank you for the firm solid Rock we stand on.

God's words are a precious treasure...

 

Psalm 119:11  "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."(NIV)

"I've banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won't sin myself bankrupt."  (MSG)

"I treasure your word above all else; it keeps me from sinning against you."  (CEV)

Matt. 6:21  "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  (NIV)

What we treasure in our heart is what is most important to us.  We tend to tuck away things we love---our deepest treasures.  We put pictures of wonderful memories into albums and picture frames so we won't forget special moments.  We store up trinkets and objects that we love and that have pleasurable associations to us.  We keep letters and notes from loved ones.  We buy and keep beautiful things from exotic trips.  We are hoarders by nature of the things we love.

The psalmist writes of his love for God and God's word, and God's promises.  He wants these precious words stored in his heart.  He knows they will comfort him, keep him safe, keep him on the right pathway in life.  They will keep him close to God the Father.

God's words are the most special treasure of all the many things we keep and remember!  They are our treasures for heaven.  We will never be bankrupt if we have God's words in our heart!

Deut. 32:47  "They are not just idle words for you---they are your life."  (NIV)

Thank you, LORD, for the treasure trove of precious words and promises that you have given us.  Thank you for the true life found in your words. amen

A God who loves us...

 

Jonah 4:2  "I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity."  (NIV)

A wonderful description of our gracious and loving God!  Yet to Jonah this was a reason to be resentful and complain.  He didn't want God to love and save the people of Nineveh.  They were his enemies, a cruel and savage people.

I feel like I hear an echo of the older brother in the prodigal son story---he resented his father's forgiveness and lavish grace to his wayward brother.  Or the Pharisees who resented Jesus spending time with sinners and tax collectors and prostitutes, when they were the ones who had been obedient to God's law.

While we welcome God's grace in our own life, we may selfishly wish to deny it to others we consider "unworthy".  Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.(Matt. 5:44)  This is what makes us "sons of your Father in heaven" (v.45)  

If we have God's love in us, we can't deny it to others, because God doesn't withhold his love.  Grace is for all who ask for it.

Heavenly Father, help me to never withhold grace from anyone, to forgive just as you forgave me.  We are blessed with a gracious God who is slow to anger and abounding in love.  Thank you!

Maintain the habit of prayer...

 

Romans 12"12  "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."  (NIV)

"Base your happiness on your hope in Christ.  When trials come endure them patiently; steadfastly maintain the habit of prayer."  (Phillips)

The Phillips version here uses 20 words to say what the NIV says in 10 words.  Usually I like things short and simple, but other times the meaning comes through more clearly with more words.  Using more than one translation of the Bible almost always makes Scripture clearer to me.

Here I think it is important to understand that it is hope in Christ that causes us to rejoice.  And the phrase "steadfastly maintain the habit" certainly gives greater meaning to the idea of the importance of being faithful in prayer.  

The joy we have in our hope in Christ added to our steadfast prayer habit act as anchors to the Christian life.  They make it possible to be patient in any trial that comes our way.  it all works together for a strong Christian life.

Lord, may I always be joyful in the hope I have in Jesus Christ.  Give me patience in all my trials.  Help me to always maintain a steadfast, faithful prayer habit.  A habit requires daily maintenance.  Thank you, for your faithfulness to hear us and answer our prayers.  We trust in you always!  amen

Your word lights up my pathway...

 

Psalm 119:105  "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."  (NIV)

I tend to think of a lamp as a necessary thing for my hands---for what I am doing.  I do a lot of reading, hand sewing, puzzle working that require good light so I can see what I am doing.

But this verse has your Word shining its light on our feet, our pathway---where I am going.  This is our first and foremost need---guidance on where we are going in our lives.  

Your Word lights the way to eternal life.  It is the beam that shows us the way to heaven.  If I'm headed in the right direction with a good light along the way, then my doing will also be lit up and illuminated by your Word and will show me your will and your plans for me.  

Thank you, Lord.  Keep my feet in the light of your Word and my pathway headed towards Heaven!  Only your Word, Jesus Christ will show me the right way.  amen

Choices...

Lamentations 3:19-23  "I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.  I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.  

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:  Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."  (NIV)

This verse is popular with many people.  The scriptures are loaded with gems of hope and reminders of God's faithfulness and mercy.  We seek to know God in his words of scripture.

We can allow ourselves to be beaten by our circumstances or we can choose to "call to mind" words that bring hope.  We can choose to remind ourselves of God's great love, his unfailing compassions, his daily mercies, his forever faithfulness. 

 Much about life and how we handle it is in the choosing.  We choose a God to trust and hope in.  We choose an attitude with which to confront every problem.  We choose to seek God and his help rather than trying to battle alone.  We choose to see every day as "God's day" and a new beginning for us filled with his mercy and compassion.  We choose to recognize his faithfulness in our lives.

Thank you, Father God, for your compassions and new mercies every day.  You are a good and faithful God and we thrive in your love for us.  Thank you for your faithfulness each and every day.  We count on you and your unfailing love.  amen

The unfolding of your words...

 

Psalm 119:130  "The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple."  (NIV)

"Understanding your word brings light to the minds of ordinary people."  (CEV)

"Break open your words, let the light shine out, let ordinary people see the meaning."  (MSG)

A beautiful image!  I can imagine a book opening and the light pouring out or a flower unfolding its petals. Your word is meant to be understood by ordinary people.  Jesus as, the Word, and the Light of the world, combines this idea of all that is holy and of God being unfolded and displayed for all to see and know found in Christ Jesus, the Word.

When we know Jesus and understand his teachings, these flowers of light burst open all around us and we say---Yes!  Amen!  So be it!  God is good!  Praise the LORD!  Understanding comes in the light of Jesus Christ, God's Word for all the world!  Thank you!

Psalm 119:144  "...give me understanding that I may live."  (NIV)

Our prayer to you, O LORD!  Our life is in Jesus Christ, the Light of life!  amen,

The lavish gifts of God...

 

Ephesians 1:7-8  "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding."  (NIV)

1 John 3:1  "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God.  And that is what we are!  (NIV)

I looked up these two scriptures because they have the word "lavish" in them.  I had seen a definition for lavish in a word puzzle that read:  "bestow without limit".  I immediately thought of scripture and knew I had seen verses with "lavish" in them.

These two are great verses to illustrate the idea of "bestowing without limit."  That is basically the very definition of Christian grace.  God bestowed his love on us without limit, even to sacrificing his Son to do it.  Wow!  Our redemption through Christ's blood is God's riches lavished on us---grace!

God did this with "all wisdom and understanding".  He didn't begrudge his Son to us, he gave him in wisdom and understanding.  He bestowed him---gave him as a gift.  This gift allowed him to forgive our sin and redeem us.  

How lavish is the Father's love!  Which brings us to the second verse.  It's as if the writer can't find big enough words to describe this act of God's grace---"How great"---"lavished"---all in one description.  The result?---we are children of God!  I will write another translation of these two verses just to put it in even different language---all the more to drive the point home of how lavish God's love is for us.

Eph.1:7-8  "It is through him, at the cost of his own blood, that we are redeemed, freely forgiven through that free and generous grace which has over-flowed into our lives and given us wisdom and insight."  (Phillips)

1 John 3:1  "Consider the incredible love that the Father has shown us in allowing us to be called "children of God"---and that is not just what we are called, but what we are."  (Phillips)

Thank you, Father for your lavish gifts of love and grace through your Son, Jesus Christ!  amen

In the morning...

 

Psalm 5:3  In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation."  (NIV)

"...direct my prayer to you, and look up."  (KJV)

Psalm 90:14  Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days"  (NIV)

Psalm 143:8  "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love for I have put my trust in you.  Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul."  (NIV)

"In the morning..."---This indicates we trust God to bring another day.  We expect safety through the night and look forward to the dawn of another morning.  We know we can lay our requests before him and wait for his answer.

In the KJV for Psalm 5:3 it reads "...and will look up".  I like that image of lifting our face towards God and waiting for the answers that his unfailing love will bring us.

Thank you, LORD for letting us lift our faces to you in prayer and know that you will answer, that you are in charge, and nothing is too much for you to handle.  amen

Condemnation or mercy?...

 

(Read John 8:1-11---the woman caught in adultery)

Jesus was in the temple courts teaching the people when the teachers of the law and the Pharisees drag in the woman caught in adultery.  They demand that Jesus make a ruling against her, trying to trap him.  They seem to assume he will act compassionately and not follow the law, which says to stone her.

Jesus was teaching the people, but these men felt their agenda was more important.  They drag in a subject important to them, only because it was a "hot topic" that might weaken Jesus' so-called authority or make him look bad and themselves look good.  They wanted to stir up trouble for Jesus, not for the woman. 

 I'm sure she was well known and they could have condemned her anytime, but that was not important to them.  She was not their focus, nor were they really concerned about her sin.  All they wanted was to trap Jesus by his answer, so they could accuse him of breaking the law or not following it according to their standards.

The woman was a sinner, but Jesus refused to let them use her sin for their own purposes.  He forces them to look at their own sin instead, which is what each of us must do.  "If anyone of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." (v.7)

How could anyone react to that challenge with a stone?  Even the self-righteous Pharisees were aware of their own sins in their hearts.  If anyone of them had picked up a stone, I'm sure others would have been quick to point out their sin.

It is always easier to see the sins of others and always more pleasant to discuss their faults then our own.  None of us, no matter how good we appear on the outside, could admit to having no secret win, to having made no small slip.  None are brave enough to stand before God and say, "I have never sinned".  The men realized their trap had not only failed to catch Jesus, but had backfired against themselves.  So they went away.

(v.11) "Then neither do I condemn you...Go now and leave our life of sin."  (NIV)

Jesus had not forgotten the woman.  Where Jesus does not condemn, he does still rebuke and correct.  He tells her to leave her life of sin.  This is what he tells all of us.  Although we escape condemnation through Jesus, we still owe God our obedience and a recommitted life that rejects sin.  

Sin isn't easy to avoid or to turn our backs on. Life's circumstances make sin easy and irresistible.  But if we have encountered Jesus and felt his love rather then his condemnation we should rejoice in being saved from our sure death and be ready to live a new clean life.  Following Jesus is a choice to "leave our life of sin".  We choose God's grace instead.

Thank you for your mercy rather than condemnation, so that we may rejoice and learn to leave our sin behind and follow you.  amen

Doing good each day...

 

Galatians 6:9-10  "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people especially to those who belong to the family of believers."  (NIV)

The phrase "as we have opportunity" leaped out at me.  We can't help everyone or do all the things that need to be done, but each of us has opportunities each day to touch the life of someone else in Jesus' name. 

 It may be as simple as a phone call or sending a card, a quick visit, a kind word, a helping hand, or a listening ear.  Opportunities aren't measured by size or importance.  Each one is important to someone.  Doing good is always the right thing to do.

Thank you Lord, for the opportunity to do your will each day and to bless someone else with the love you have shown to me.  Help me to be a blessing to someone today.  amen

The light shines on...

 

John 1:5  "And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it.]  (AMP)

"The light still shines in the darkness and the darkness has never put it out."  (Phillips)

I've read this verse many times, usually in the NIV (The Light shines in the darkness").  When I read it in the AMP that one little word---"on"--- or in the Phillips---"still"---made a huge impact on my mind.  The Light has never stopped shining.  It shines on---still shines---ever since Jesus came to earth.  He is the Light of life, the Light of the world.  We never walk in darkness when we have Jesus with us.  He makes the darkness light for us....always.  Shine Jesus, shine!

  Thank you for lighting up our darkness with your light of life!  amen.

God is our master...

 

"Religion divorced from morality, words without deeds, creeds that satisfy the head but never warm the heart are vain.  The wisdom that they exhibit is of the earth; the fire that kindles them is the fire of human pride."....R.V. Tasker in "James" commentary

This is the message James preaches in his letter.  This message is still needed today.  Much of this seems to result when we try to divide our life into sacred and secular compartments.  We try to apply two standards---the world's standard, so as not to offend anyone, and God's standard so as not to offend God by our sin.

Jesus said we can't serve two masters and James is backing that up with his teaching.  Everything we think, say, and do has to please and serve one Master only---God.  We very well may offend the world, because the world does not accept Jesus Christ or obey him.  Jesus is our Master and Savior, the one we serve.

God has to be the uniting factor between religion and morality, between words and deeds, and between a heart-faith and a head-faith.  If the love for God is not present, neither will real love for our neighbor be present.

Lord, help me to love you whole-heartedly and serve you by loving others with real love that comes from my heart.  Thank you for your love for us that allows us to know how to love others.  amen

"The word of the LORD is right and true"...

 

 

Psalm 33:4-5  "For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.  The LORD loves righteousness and justice, the earth is full of his unfailing love."  (NIV)

Philippians 4:8-9  "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, ---if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--- think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me---or seen in me---put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you.  (NIV)

In Philippians 4:8-9 we are told to "think about" whatever is right and true.  Here we see that the "word of the LORD" fits that criteria.  We also know that Jesus is "the Word".  So, it is fitting for us to think about Jesus and the scriptures at all times and put what we learn into practice.

Paul tells us in Philippians that thinking about such things and putting them into practice will result in "The God of peace will be with you."  We find peace in knowing God's word and obeying it.  We find peace is following Jesus, the Word.  This keeps us in right relationship with God.

This righteousness is God's desire for us.  He "loves righteousness and justice."  He shows us this through his "unfailing love".  This phrase is used often in Psalms and to me equates to the NT idea of grace.  God's unfailing love is shown to us through the unmerited grace we received through Jesus Christ.  When the Psalms praise God for his unfailing love, it is similar to our praising him for the grace that saves us. 

Thank you, Father for your unfailing love, your grace, given to us through your, Son, Jesus Christ.  You and Jesus are One, so when I count on Christ I count on your unfailing love.  amen

God's spirit in us...

 

2 Timothy 1:6-7,9  "...stir up that inner fire which God gave you at your ordination through my hands.  For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but a spirit of power and love and a sound mind."..."For he has saved us from all that is evil and called us to a life of holiness---not because of any of our achievements, but for his own purpose.  Before time began he planned to give us in Christ Jesus the grace to achieve this purpose"  (Phillips)

v.7  ...a spirit of power and love and self-discipline."  (NIV)

"...bold and loving and sensible"  (MSG)

"...strong, loving, wise"  (NAB)

The Spirit that God gives us is meant to benefit our character in a strong, useful way for the purposes he has for us.  As a timid person I feel drawn to this encouraging note that Paul writes to Timothy, who apparently was also timid at times in his work.

Not all Christians are bold and strong by nature.  Not all are natural leaders or teachers or missionaries.  If we feel God's call to one of those purposes, but it goes against our natural nature, we have to remember that God will equip and empower us for whatever he calls us to do.

Paul's words to Timothy give encouragement for all timid Christians.  We must trust the Holy Spirit to provide the power, love wisdom, self-discipline, etc. that we need.  His authority will over-rule our feelings of timidity if we open up to him to work through us.

Thank you Father for sending us the Holy Spirit to empower and equip us for your work even when we don't feel adequate to do all things.  You provide what we need if we trust you.  amen.

Undivided hearts...

 

Matthew 5:8  "Blessed at the pure in heart for they will see God"  (NIV)

"In Jesus, God makes Himself visible.  But His identity remains hidden to those with divided hearts.  Only those whose hearts are purified by faith "see" Him as He really is.  To know Christ is to know God and to "see" Him."....    Sinclair B. Ferguson

We praise and thank Jesus because he saved us from our sins and death, but we also should praise him for showing us the Father.  Through Christ's life and teachings we "see" the Father in ways no one ever had before.  He became a visible representation of the invisible God.  When we listen to his words, observe his actions, take his yoke and learn from him, we draw closer to the Father.

Those with "divided hearts" are the opposite of the "pure in heart" who "see God".  If we are trying to divide our loyalty between God's way and world's way we will never truly see God for who he is.  We are trying to drag him down to our level and make God in our image instead of being willing to let him make us in his image as he intended in creation.  Seeing God means also following him.

Seeing God involves whole-hearted allegiance.  We accept his word and adjust our own behavior and attitudes accordingly.  Christ gives us the clearest image of God that we can find to focus on and follow.

Thank you Jesus for showing us the Father!  We see him all you are and all you teach us.  Help me to follow you whole-heartedly that I might truly see God in all that he is.  amen