Of the four soils that Jesus described in his parable about receptivity to God’s Word, the thorny soil probably best resembles American hearts. There has never been a generation so blessed with access to the Bible and the gospel message. Yet, American believers have a stunted spiritual maturity. They spend their days distracted by so many things that they fail to focus on the important. Are you cultivating the seed of God’s Word or is your spiritual life getting lost in the weeds?
The Lord warned the Israelites not to forget Him after they possessed the promised land. As long as they were wandering in the wilderness, they were dependent on God, but soon they would have houses, lands, vineyards, flocks and wealth. Would God’s blessing actually result in them forgetting the One who gave them this bounty? Yes. Within a generation after those who had experienced Egypt and the wilderness had died, they forgot the Lord (read the book of Judges). Can you think of a nation that has experienced more of God’s blessing in modern history than ours? Where is the generation that remembers from where this blessing came? Do you remember?
Every day we awake to a new day never expecting otherwise. Yet, we have no control over the sun’s rising nor setting. We haven’t even any authority over our heart’s beating or lung’s breathing. Even the faithless atheist counts on such things remaining constant, setting his alarm and marking his calendar as if there were some galactic guarantee. But the Psalmist “blessed the Lord,” recognizing that it is God who gives us life and daily sustains us, awakening us to a new day.
Near the end of his days, Moses reminded the Israelites of all that the Lord had revealed and done for them since bringing them out of Egypt. He explained that God wanted a people that “might know” Him, a people confidently convinced of His existence and trustworthiness. Moses also made it clear that they were from that day forward accountable for this knowledge. How has God made Himself to known to you? How have you responded to God’s revelation?
This is from Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain, describing the new economy of the kingdom of heaven. Instead of reciprocal response, the believer is to respond out of a new spiritual character, as God does. God’s kingdom people are to “love, do good, bless and pray” because this is what’s in them to do regardless of how others treat them. God’s people are revealing His character to the world by this. Jesus’ sermon is subversive to the world’s economy which says to respond in kind. Jesus says that we are to “love, do good, bless and pray” no matter how we are treated. The Jesus’ Way turns the world upside down.
The one who opens one hand to the Lord, and the other hand to those in need, finds that God’s blessing flows both to and through them. When God finds a giver, He entrusts them with a surplus knowing that they are trustworthy to keep on giving. But a miser never has enough. Misers are miserable, while givers are full of grace and joy.
The more that crowds gathered around Jesus, the more often He would “withdraw” to pray. Jesus modeled an important rhythm between doing ministry and personal devotion. We recognize the need for food and rest for our physical bodies after exerting work, but we often overlook the need for our souls to be replenished after doing ministry. Do you ever withdraw to pray?
Moses kept a journal of their journey and all that the Lord had done for them. In this, their story was preserved for the generations. Keeping a spiritual journal is faith-building because we can see what God has done in our lives over time.
Jesus answered all three of Satan’s temptations with Scripture. Luke gives a shortened version of the Deuteronomy 8:3 passage, which Matthew’s gospel quotes fully: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt.4:4). Ironic that both the Luke and Matthew passages should have the same reference. Jesus overcame Satan with the power of God’s Word. We have this same Word available to us.
David knew how to get alone with God and find hope and encouragement from Him. He was careful to silence his own self-talk and listen for the voice of the Lord. When we allow the voice of worry (anxious self-talk) to fill our heads, discouragement abounds. At times like this we can say to ourselves, “Be quiet soul, wait and listen for God to speak.”