Time To Go Weeding

Scripture:

Matthew 13:1-9 (NASB)

That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach.

And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.”

Matthew 13:18-23 (NASB)

“Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is onlytemporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”

Devotional:

If you have ever planted a garden you have enjoyed the pleasure of weeding.  When I was in high-school I took a plant biology class.  As a part of the class I had to start a small garden.  I found a corner by the front between the sidewalk and the house.  It was there that I decided to make my garden.  The first thing was to decide what to plant.  Picking out the right plants for the specific environmental conditions is critical for the success of the garden.  Once I knew what I wanted to plant I had to prepare the soil.  All the grass and weeds had to come out.  Left with the rich black dirt I planted my seeds.  It didn’t take long before the flowers sprouted up and grew.

Jesus even used sowing seeds as a comparison to spiritual growth.  We can be like the rocky soil and nothing will grow.  We can be like ground was for my garden, full of unwanted plants.  In this case there is no room for healthy spiritual growth.  We will hear God’s word but be quickly choked out. 

Farmers prepare their fields every year for new crops.  Gardeners constantly tend their gardens pulling out weeds and other unwanted plants.  Our spiritual growth and health is the same.  We must nurture what is planted in our hearts.  We must actively weed out the bad or unwanted things.  This will give room for the good things, the Holy Spirit.  What is in your heart?  Is it full of weeds?  Is the soil rich and ready for a bountiful crop?  Seek God to change your heart and help you prepare your heart for Him.  He can help you weed out the bad to make room for Him.

The Good Ole Days

Scripture:
Psalm 32:1-7 (NASB)

How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!

When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all day long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah.
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.
You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.

Devotional:

Each and every person has made mistakes in life.  Some people look back on life and are full of regrets.  Other people don’t even look back.  There are times when we feel the weight of the world resting upon our shoulders.  Like King David we groan under the weight pressing in.  We feel drained or sapped of all strength.  In high school I loved to run.  My freshman year I ran cross country.  I was one of the most improved runners on the team.  For several reasons I never ran cross country again after that year.  I have always regretted not running on the team again.  Other regrets in life are from bad choices I have made.  Looking back over your life I am sure you will find your own closet full of skeletons.

Regardless of our decisions of the past we do not have to live a life looking back over our shoulders.  We don’t have to live with the weight of regret and sin bearing down upon us.  Confessing our sins to God will lift that weight right off our shoulders.  We do not have to live in the past wishing our lives away over decisions made decades ago.  Ask God for forgiveness and then move on.  We don’t have to forget but we do need to get over it.  God has forgiven us.  He remembers our sins no more.  That isn’t because He is forgetful but because He chooses not to remember.  Psalm 103:12 (NASB) “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

Do not pine your life away reminiscing of the past.  It seems that each generation looks upon its past as the so called “good ole days.”  If you keep your focus on God no matter what you are going through today can be “the good ole days.”  Confess your sins and mistakes.  It doesn’t matter how far back you have to go ask God to forgive.  He is a merciful God willing and waiting to do so.  All you have to do is ask.  Then let the weight fall off…

A Car Can't Clean Itself

Scripture:
Hebrews 10:19-25 (NASB)

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Devotional:

Confidence, we can have confidence in Christ.  It is through Him that we are cleansed and purified.  We cannot become prideful though.  It is not by our own might, works, or good deeds that cleansed us.  Nothing we can say or do will ever make us righteous.  It is only through Christ that we are cleansed and become righteous.  

Take a car for example.  On the parking lot it sits there all clean and shiny.  The inside even has that new car smell, OK I love that smell.  Sitting there over time if left alone the car will become dirty.  Once driven mud and dirt will start to cover it.  What can the car do to clean itself?  Can it wash its own tires and scrub the mud off?  No there is nothing that the car can do to clean itself or make itself look new again.  However, with the loving hands of an owner the car can be scrubbed clean and waxed.  The inside can be wiped down and vacuumed.  The car is made clean again.

On the Cross Jesus took our sins upon himself.  He washes our sins away and we are cleansed, made spotless.  Let us go forth sharing the Gospel so that other people can come to know Jesus and they too can be cleansed.  Let us hold one another up in encouragement and support.

Finding Contentment In All Things

Scripture:
Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV)

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Devotional:

One of the hardest lessons I am learning is being content with where I am at now.  Too often I look at what I don’t have and what I want.  It could be that new car or better job, or even a tablet or iPad.  It is way too easy for me to look at what others have and not be content.  

God has been working on my heart, helping me to realize I do have all I need.  He is sufficient for me.  Paul tells us that he is content regardless of his circumstances.  How can he be?  Because he put his focus on God and not on himself or his circumstances.  He received God’s joy and fulfillment.  “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure” Psalm 16:5 (NIV).

There are times when we will be in need.  We will have wants and desires.  We will also look for the new and better.  There is nothing wrong with this, unless we make it our priority or focus.  When we forget God or put these things first we lose our contentment.  We start to feel inadequate.  We let our circumstances dictate how we feel.  Instead keep your eyes focused on God.  Keeping Him first and foremost in our lives is key to finding contentment and joy wherever we are.  Paul figured this out and is a great example for us to follow.  Remember that Christ gives us strength.  We can do all things and have His peace.  The Holy Spirit fills us and enables us.  I encourage you to travel this road with me.  Let us find our joy that comes from God.  Let us become content in all things through Him that enables us.

Yes I Can

Yes I Can

Scripture:
Philippians 2:3 (NIV)

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

Devotional:

If we are not careful we can take being humble too far.  People will think you have a self-confidence issue.  On the other hand people can hide their lack of self-confidence through too much humbleness.  We are to be confident without being prideful.  For some of us that can be difficult.  Times in my life I struggle with being too humble or in reality low self-confidence.  Philippians 4:13 (NIV) states “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.” 

There were times when Paul boasted but it was always not of himself but of God or what God does in or through him.  Look at how you view yourself.  How does other people view you?  Are you humble or do you struggle with self-confidence.  We can be confident in all things because of Christ in us.  The next time you think I can’t simply remember that Christ can and He is in you.