Category: Monday Thursday

Rooted: MT e 72

Many years ago as a very young man I had one potted plant.  It was given to me and it went through the move each August to college and then May back to wherever I was working. What made this plant memorable is how hearty it was.

It was a very strong plant even surviving a 25 foot drop during a very windy summer rain storm. As I was picking up that plant and getting it back in order the reason it was such a healthy plant was obvious.   The soil was rich and the plant had rooted itself deeply in that soil.

Returning to Psalm 1 the writer is comparing the person who is righteous and the person who is wicked. The righteous will not walk with the wicked, stand with sinners or sit with those who ridicule.

It then says the righteous will delight in God’s word and meditate on it daily and nightly. That person is like a tree planted by the waters that yields fruit in its season.

My plant was no tree but it was so very strong.  It had very rich soil to sustain it and it was deeply rooted in that soil.

This is the visual the writer of Psalm 1 is making here. Being close to Jesus is not just an outward activity (with whom we walk, stand and sit) it is also an inward thing.

Day and night are opportunities for this person growing in Jesus to spend loving His word. This is the way to get rooted in Christ.  Deeply rooted for those moments the winds of life may knock you down.

Where are your roots? 

SDG

Grief: MT e71

Monday:

Psalm 6 has been one of those passages that off and on through the years has gotten my attention.  The descriptions there are so vivid of one who is grieving.

The source of the suffering is an unrelenting enemy. 

The grief so severe that the writer, as he is praying to God says, I am weary, moaning, I flood my bed with tears, my eyes waste away because of grief. He feels so much grief that it feels as if he has died.

“How can I praise you if I am in the grave?”  Valid point.

Have you ever felt this or at least something similar?

The Psalm resolves with this: “Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.  The Lord has heard my plea and accepts my prayer . . .my enemies shall be put to shame.”

Now, take this and think of Jesus on the cross. He said several things among which was, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” Sound similar to our Psalm?

In this moment, when Jesus said this, he was abandoned.  Because Jesus became sin, the Father turned His back.  He was abandoned to the grave.

Jesus did not receive the same resolve as the writer of Psalm 6.  Why?  Jesus was our substitute and received what we deserved.

Know this, from Psalm 6, our Father cares. 

Are you grieving now?  Have you grieved before?  You are not alone.

Jesus experienced being abandoned so we did not have to.

S.D.G.

Guard Your Heart: MT e70

In our last time together, we were looking at Psalm 1 and how the people, places and things around us can impact us. 

The phrase, “Guard your heart” was used and this will get our attention today.

Several things can come to mind when the word guard is mentioned. 

One is related to sports.  When playing defense, a person is responsible for guarding an area or even a person. 

Another is like a security detail where one is guarding a business or a house.

In each of these, the desire is to make sure something does not happen.  Gaurding in sports the effort is to keep the opposing team from scoring.  In security, the effort is to keep thieves or unwanted vandals.

The key thought is to prevent something.

Proverbs 4 says to “Guard your heart with all diligence for from it flows the spring of life.”

This reinforces Psalm 1 from our last time.  Walking not in the advice of the wicked or standing in the way of sinners or sitting with those who ridicule IS a one way to guard your heart.

By avoiding situations, people or entertainment where is a method of guarding. 

We guard the things that mean much to us.  In the life of following Christ, purity and righteousness mean much.

Guard it as if your life depends on it. Pray that our Lord may send His Spirit to keep you from harm. 

As always S.D.G.   

Broken and Healed: MT e68

If a cultural or political issue has two opposing sides, the motive to win the argument is the same for both.  The motive is to avoid utter ruin of civilization.

Both sides are convinced if their position lost, it would be the utter ruin of civilization. 

There came a point in my life where I realized that there was one moment in history where civilization was totally ruined.  It died.  It was in the fall of Adam.

The result is struggle between husband and wife.  It was the source of Cain killing able.  Most importantly and most devastating was the fact that man was in full rebellion against God.

This is utter ruin. 

Coming across Isaiah 32 we find a city in a similar situation.  Cities were locations of safety.  These were places of strength.

Not the city in Isaiah 32, it is desolate and forsaken.  The watchtower, the sign of defense, is overtaken with weeds.

The picture here is the utter ruin of humanity. 

Yet in (32:15) we see a complete change.  That which was desolate and abandoned is now fruitful and growing.  Why?  Because the Spirit had been poured from on high.

I say this to those who are in and those who want nothing to do with Christ: the only safety from devastation is God’s Spirit.

I am calling you to that place.  Not because I have mastered life but my life has been mastered. 

The only way life can be restored is life filled with the Spirit of Christ.  Faith comes . . .faith comes by hearing this.  Jesus redeems from utter ruin and saves to the uttermost.

SDG

Work Out What God Works In: MT e66

When I was much younger there were occasional summers that we as a family would go to Curie Beach in NC. One very clear memory is my mother would always get me a new plastic bucket and shovel to use on the beach. 

But there was one condition, I could not use it until we got to the beach.  I had other plastic shovels that were older but why use them if the brand new one was right here.

I had ants in my pants every time.  I could not wait to use that new bucket and shovel.

Then finally, we would get to the destination, and I would be able to work with my new tools.  I could dig and rake until my heart was content.

Philippians 2:12-13 it says, “As you have obeyed . . . continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

When it says, work out your salvation, does it mean that we are to work to gain our righteousness?  Is Scripture saying here that God does His part and we do our part?

The short answer is no. 

We are saved by grace through God’s loving kindness and mercy.  Grace means gift.  You do not work for a gift.

In the process of being saved God changes us.  It is a miraculous change of heart.

Just like the younger me with my beach toys, just itching to get busy. This is the same picture for the believer.  We are excited to get busy with our new tools that God has given us.

We are not working to gain righteousness but because we are righteous.

Believers are WORKING OUT what God has WORKED IN us.  (repeat)

This is the ongoing desire for every believer.  Keep working out what God is working in. 

Why . . .because it is for His good purpose.  Our Lord always gets the glory. That is why I say:

S.D.G.

Living Bread: MT e65

When Jesus said, “I am the bread of life,” what exactly did that mean?

This is where we were Thursday. We discussed then that When Jesus said this, the people listening to Jesus would have definitely remembered a couple of encounters that Moses had. Aside from them remembering Moses, what did Jesus mean?

Have you ever noticed ALL the places and things that we have in our culture that surround food? 

We have cookbooks by the tens of thousands.  There are countless cooking channels on YouTube. Television shows not just about cooking but also about visiting delicious restaurants and even shows that are about finding the best chefs. And this is just the beginning.

We love food.  It is great for holidays; it is great for special occasions and memories.  Even Christ himself, before he was crucified wanted to share one last meal with his disciples. 

Midst all this food, cookbooks, cooking shows and places to eat, there is something more important.  It is God’s very word.

What Jesus was teaching when he said, I am the bread of life is that just as food keeps us alive and keeps us nourished, we need more than this.  Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. 

This is LIFE!  Life that ordinary food, regardless of how delicious, can’t provide.

Food indeed does provide sustenance for living life.  But it is in Jesus we don’t just live, we have ever lasting life.  That is why partaking of the bread of life is by far our most important need.

Jesus is the bread from heaven.  Bread that gives us eternal life.

S.D.G.

Bread of Life: MT e64

Jesus said, “I am the bread of life, he who comes to me shall never hunger and never thirst.” John 6:35

What did he mean by this?  Does it imply that those who come to Christ will never get hungry?  Will they never get “hangry”?

His statement would have been immediately understood by many in the audience but many would not appreciate what he was saying.  Jesus was looking back at two events the listeners would have known well.  

The first event is Moses asking God for advice.  God wanted Moses to talk to the Pharaoh.  This would be very similar to just any common Joe going up to the President of the United States or even a governor of any state. 

There would be handlers.  There would be people you need to get through first to get on the schedule to speak to even a mayor of a city.  “Who are you?” They would ask.

Moses said, “Who will I tell them sent me?” God replies, “Tell them I am.  I am has sent you.”

What a bold statement.  Tell them, the one who exists has sent you.

The second event is the manna that fed God’s people.  Bread from heaven it is called. 

Jesus is summing up his identity and his purpose.  I am, the bread of life.  He repeats the words of God to Moses which identifies Him and points to the provision of bread which indicates His purpose.

Monday, we will unfold the implications of this statement.  What does it mean when Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.”

Until then S.D.G.

Becoming GREAT!: MT e63

I remember a lecture given by a guy named Tommy Amaker.  Most likely you have never heard of him.  Currently men’s basketball coach at Harvard.  At the time of the Lecture I attended he was playing for Duke University.

Tommy was an exceptional basketball player.  He was sharing how he achieved his skill.  How did he become great?  Time in the gym.

He said, “When everyone was at the Friday night football game in High School, he was in the gym playing basketball:  dribbling, shooting, running.” 

In his words, “It is what you do when no one is watching.”

How would you define being great?  Is it something you think about?

Philosophically Plato defined being a great person as not being driven by personal desires but by a love for what is just and good.

Socrates defined it as the cultivation of virtue through wisdom and self-knowledge.

Descartes, the highest form of human greatness is a virtue he calls generosity

How about more recently, Jordan Peterson said greatness is a combination of disciplined, voluntary sacrifice, pursuing what is meaningful, that looks out for the moral good of self and society.

Even though I would consider only one of these I have quoted is an actual Christ follower, there are bits and pieces of truth in all of these ideas. 

Jesus, with authority, said it best.  “Whoever wants to be great must be a servant. . .just as I have come not to be served but to serve and give my life for many” Matthew 20

It is the call of the Christ follower to see Christ’s example and copy it. 

Many years ago we had these bracelets that were popular that had WWJD What Would Jesus Do.  It was a fashion statement but even more, it is the beginning of being great. 

This is how you grow into greatness. Stop and consider, what would Jesus do.

S.D.G.

Where Is Your Treasure: MT e62

In Scripture, God appears to Solomon in a dream (1 Kings 3). He says to Solomon, “Ask me anything you desire, and I will give it to you.”

What would you ask for in this situation? For many it would be money. There is security and safety when there is plenty of money.

Last time we were in Matthew 6 and I was chasing money all over a parking lot. The wind was literally blowing my cash all around a very large parking lot. That mental image from so many years ago has not left me. It is what people do and have done all through time.

Jesus said, “do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steel. Rather store up for yourselves treasures in heaven; where moths and rust can’t destroy and thieves can’t break in a steel. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Jesus was not anti-savings. That is not the point of this teaching. There are PLENTY of parables and proverbs on saving and investing. The last line contains the point of his teaching. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

How we answer the question posed to Solomon reveals a lot in what we treasure. Think over it in your mind and heart. How would you answer that question?

Solomon said, “give me wisdom.” Solomon was young and did not feel wise and wanted to rule righteously. He wanted to rule and judge in a godly way.

When we come to a right relationship with Jesus we begin to have more correct views of the world. This relationship in Christ provides a change in how we look at this world.

Ask yourself these questions and they will reveal where your heart is. The answers will show if you are thinking on earth or heavenly:

1. Am I giving God at least 10% of your waking hours? (social media/entertainment etc. vs. with God in reading, prayer, study etc)

2. Am I guarding my heart from that which takes me away from God?

Be honest. Really ponder this. The answer to these will point to where your treasure is.

S.D.G.