Ezekiel 17

It had been planted in good soil by abundant water so that it would produce branches, bear fruit and become a splendid vine.’ v8

Again I see a reference to growth in fertile soil and near a source of feeding.   We must separate ourselves in the same way - find fertile soil and feed ourselves.

This is also referenced in Matthew 13.

²⁰ The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. ²¹ But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. ²² The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. ²³ But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” v20-23

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, I have seen with my own eyes how You have produced fruit in me and others by planting them in good soil and feeding people.  You are a great God full of mercy, compassion, kindness, etc.  I am not worthy of such love and blessing but You provide it anyway.  Thank You Jesus!  Please forgive me for my lack of boldness and courage (in fact I am stingy with Your good news!) to spread the good news of Jesus.  Please help me be more bold, courageous, and less stingy.

Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.

Mark 4

Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown. v20

I desire to bear fruit - to be good soil - and desiringGod.com indicates that with respect to the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8), there is only one good soil where faith takes root, and that for faith to take root - we must be authentic and real in our faith.  For others to see us as real we must bear fruit (see Matthew 7:15-20, see New Testament references here).

While a fruit-bearing faith requires many sources of nutrients, relationships are key - check this out.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who died for me; I know that You are always with me - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love - I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my faith towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.

Mark 4:1-20

But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold. Mark 4:20

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on a commentary-assisted review of Mark 4:1-20, moving to vv13-20 which is the text for the third (of three) division per the commentary. Excerpts from the commentary's third division:  

• "[Jesus] starts with a mild chiding. His words note the essential and foundational nature of this parable. If they do not understand this one, they will struggle to understand the others."
• "The sower in this story is Jesus, or anyone who shares the gospel, and the seed is the Word of God. The path represents hard-hearted or tough-minded individuals. The Word comes to them, and “immediately,” as soon as they hear it, Satan snatches it away. They are resistant and thus unresponsive. They suffer from what might be called “gospel deafness.” Like skeptics, they dismiss the Word without giving it careful consideration."
• "The next soil is welcoming but not substantive enough to maintain the growth of the seed. The people represented by this soil hear the Word and receive it with joy. They endure for a while and even show signs of maturity, just as the plant sprouts quickly, grows well at first, and looks promising. However, these people are shallow and have no roots. Soon tribulation and persecution—seen in the “sun” of Jesus’ parable—come because of the presence of the Word. When (not if!) oppression comes, these people “immediately” fall away (4:6,17)."  
• For the next group, "they eventually get distracted by worry, wealth, and craving for other things. Theirs is a partial commitment, which is, in reality, no commitment at all. This present life is more important to them than the life to come, and stuff is more important than the Savior."  
• "The final soil is noticeably different from the first three. It represents those who hear the Word, accept it, and bear fruit. Tribulation and persecution do not deter them. Worries, wealth, personal desires, and sinful cravings do not distract them. Their hearing is active, not passive. They aggressively pursue the Word, allow it to take root, and then rejoice in its abundant growth."  
• To emphasize the promise is v20, we are referred to John 15:5 where Jesus shares how we will bear fruit of we abide and remain in Him as He is the True Vine.  The stark truth from the commentary is that if we are not producing fruit we are not connected to God's Word.   

We should develop a hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6) so we can claim the promise that we will be satisfied.  Of course at the same time we should time to time, perhaps with the help of a spouse, family, member or brother/sister in Christ, assess whether we are truly bearing fruit.  If not, this is a wake up call because we must avoid not being connected to the True Vine - Christ. We don't want to be tossed about during a storm of persecution, hardship, or suffering.  We seek a firm foundation - to build our house of faith on the Rock of Christ.   

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God You are an awesome God that provides Your Word and the Holy Spirit to enable us to read the Bible supernaturally - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation, Your Word, nor how You help me understand Your Word.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

"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."

Luke 8

"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." v15

I do thirst for God's word, not only to hear it, but to retain it, apply it and to be strengthened by it.

The parable of the sower here is echoed by James:

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror. James 1:22-23

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, there is no doubt that Your Word is truth and the only truth for me...it has already given new life to me and life in abundance.  Yet I am not worthy of such love and blessing.  I am lazy, prideful, and I fail to glorify You with my service in this world through my earthly masters at work.  Thank You that You love me anyway but PLEASE forgive me Jesus.  Help me turn and overcome this sin.  Help me be the man You intend for me.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.

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.

Luke 8

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. v15

This morning I started my day somewhat weighed down by a concern that I am failing to be who God intends for me.  Yet I am uplifted and encouraged by The Parable of the Sower and Jesus' use of the word "persevere".  While I consistently practice spiritual disciplines of study and prayer, there are other disciplines which I fail to study consistently and I often feel like I am not growing and maturing into the disciple God desires for me.

I am reminded of a John Piper post I read recently:
Trust the Process: God's at Work in Your Lowest Times 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:1-2

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves and who helps carry my concerns and burdens for me - thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of all the blessings You pour out for me.  I gossip, and I am harsh with my words and actions - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

Matthew 13

But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. v23

Jesus wants us to take what He provides to us - His Word, the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, etc. and put them to good use for His glory, bringing others to Him.

See also

See also post here.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:22-25

 

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has provided me with so much - Your Son, salvation, the Holy Spirit, Your Word, the church, brothers and sisters in Christ, spiritual gifts, etc. - thank You Jesus for how You have richly blessed me!  I am not worth such love and blessings.  I worry. Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Help me be in action.  Please provide wisdom and strength to Lisa and myself.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.

Mark 4:1-20

And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold. Mark 4:8

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on an unassisted review of Mark 4:1-20, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary. Observations of the text based on the Sword Bible Study Method: 

Here Jesus teaches us the Parable of the Sower - also found in Matthew 13 and Luke 8.  

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: God seeks a relationship with us, so He gives us His Word and provides teachers for us to know God and to build a relationship with us.  V1 describes how God prioritizes teaches and emphasizes that when He is with the lost, yes He seeks to heal physically and draw people to Him, but most importantly He is seeking believers and followers who know, follow and are obedient to Him.  God is also compassionate and patient in His teaching helping us understand, recognizing that it often takes time to comprehend what He is teaching - our journey with God is one of steps over a lifetime as a believer.  
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: People can be wooed by signs and wonders but this must be followed by faith and belief in God such that we ask God into our hearts to cultivate and fan the flame of faith such that we grow closer to Him through daily study of His Word, corporate worship, prayer, service, and other spiritual disciplines.  Satan and sin can distract us (v15), weak faith fails us during periods of persecution/hardship (vv16-17), and desires/cares of this world "choke the word" (v19).  We are told to build our faith on solid rock to withstand storms (Matthew 7:24-27, Luke 6:47-49) and to not become friends of the world (James 4:4).
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey)?: As previously stated we should build our house on rock by cultivating strong spiritual disciplines and avoiding friendship with the world (or allowing sinful desires and influences from overcoming us or choking the word).  If we cultivate these spiritual disciplines we are promised to bear fruit (vv8, 20).  See also John 15:1-10. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God You are an awesome God who loves me and who gives me Your Word, the Holy Spirit, the church, and so much more so that I can know You, love You, grow closer to You, and to further the sanctification process bringing about greater obedience.  Thank You!  I am not deserving of my salvation, nor any of the other unbelievable blessings You pour out for me. My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

.."Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

Mark 4

^..."Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.” v20

Our relationship with Jesus is threatened by:

• lack of a firm root system where the Word can take hold; this includes a desire for God to grow in our heart
• Satan and our ability to resist Satan's temptations
• Examples of Satan's temptations in the form of earthly and worldly matters that Jesus refers to here as "...worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word"

 I desire to create a firm foundation upon which God can grow in my heart.  I desire to grow a bountiful crop in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God.  You have produced crops that feed and sustain like no other.  There is no equal - You are the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings, the Name Above All Names.  That You suffered an excruciating death then rose again so that I could have life - abundantly - is a blessing of which I am not worthy.  I worry...many times greatly.  Thank You for Your love Jesus but please forgive me.  Help me turn from such sin and help me be the man You intend for me.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Mark 4:1-20

And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Mark 4:9

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on a commentary-assisted review of Mark 4:1-20, starting with vv1-9 which is the text for the first (of three) division per the commentary. Excerpts from the commentary's introduction to vv1-20 and the first division:  

• "Main idea: Jesus calls His followers to hear, respond to, and share the gospel, while sin, the cares of this world, and opposition hinder kingdom growth."
• "Mark 4 teaches us there also is a spiritual connection between the heart and the ear. In verse 3 Jesus says, 'Listen!' In verse 9 He says, 'Anyone who has ears to hear should listen!' In verse 12 He speaks of those who 'may listen and listen, yet not understand.' And in verse 20 He speaks of those who 'hear the word, welcome it, and produce a crop.'"
• "(1) Parables provide insight into the nature, coming, growth, and consummation of the kingdom of God. They give us pictures of this kingdom that “has come near” (1:15). (2) Parables are by design provocative and surprising. (3) Parables are used to stimulate thinking and cause the hearer to contemplate what they are hearing. (4) Parables use everyday objects, events, and circumstances to illustrate spiritual truth, usually with a new twist. (5) Parables reveal more truth to those with receptive ears, and they hide truth from others. This is critical to understanding 4:10-12. (6) Parables make up 35 percent of Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels. (7) Parables usually, but not always, focus on a single truth. We should not allegorize them seeking a meaning for every detail. (8) Parables in the Gospels ultimately draw attention to Jesus as God’s Messiah and call us to make a personal decision concerning Him."
• "The parable begins with a challenge for Jesus’ hearers to pay careful attention. A spiritually alert heart and hungry mind are needed to understand what He is teaching. The message of the parable for Christians is clear: we must sow the seed of the gospel that others might hear and respond. Responses will vary, but that is not our concern. Our assignment is to sow and sow generously, even promiscuously! God is responsible for the harvest (1 Corinthians 3:5-9)."  

The commentary also suggests the name of the text here should be the Parable of the Soil vs the Sower as the takeaway we should get is that good soil is key.  We should strive to prepare our hearts and mind to hear, receive and respond appropriately to His Word.  That is why we should pray for the Holy Spirit to help us before we read scripture.  I recommend reading John Piper's Reading the Bible Supernaturally. At the same time, as the commentary states, we should in response to God's Word and what is doing in our own hearts and lives - sow and spread the Good News generously as we should feel as Peter did in Acts 4:20 as "we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard." 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God You are an awesome God who loves me and who gave me a heart inclined to hear Your Word and accept You as my Lord and Savior.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You softened my heart and saved me. My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family,  my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

Mark 14

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over. v10-11

In this passage when a sinful woman (Mary) anoints Jesus with very expensive perfume, Judas objects, claiming the money "wasted" could be given to the poor.  Judas had already betrayed Jesus in his heart much earlier and now he was just being a poser - faking his faith and finding contentment not in Jesus but in money.  See also reference to same story in Matthew, Luke, and John.

Paul writes to his protege Timothy warning him how the love of money and the world corrupts us: 

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:6-10

John Piper and his team at DesiringGod.com also warn us.  Watch these: Video1, Video2, Video3. Read this - from this post is this gem by C.S. Lewis:

Meanwhile, where is God? This is one of the most disquieting symptoms. When you are happy, so happy that you have no sense of needing Him, so happy that you are tempted to feel His claims upon you as an interruption, if you remember yourself and turn to Him with gratitude and praise, you will be — or so it feels — welcomed with open arms. But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence. . . . Why is He so present a commander in our time of prosperity and so very absent a help in time of trouble?

If we focus on a wordly definition of contentment then we fail to cultivate good soil and our relationship with Jesus Christ will be obstructed and we cannot expect Him to bear fruit in our lives.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an amazing God You are that You have come to save me and provide life - and life to the full!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such blessings.  I worry.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven....Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Matthew 7

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven....Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. v21, 24

As Jesus proclaims in 7:15-23, there are both false prophets and false disciples.  The broader point I see is the superficial nature of our faith.  Verse 24 reinforces this point by stating that faith is built upon a strong foundation of practicing spiritual disciplines, such as Bible study, prayer time, fellowship with other believers, service, corporate worship, etc.  We must not have paper thin faith.

This is demonstrated further in the Parable of the Sower which stresses the need for "good soil".

I know the dangers of building a house on sand - I've done it myself.  

Jesus, please help me build my faith on a strong foundation.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has given me faith, and helped strengthen my faith.  You have transformed my heart and life and I experience life to the full - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and blessing.  I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

Hebrews 10

 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. Hebrews 10:39

I continue my study of Hebrews, and this morning my focus is Hebrews 10:26-39, and and I am assisted in my understanding by the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary Series for Hebrews. The commentary outlines three divisions for this text:

I. A Fearful Warning (10:26-27): Here the commentary shares how believers are warned against apostasy where "if you continue in sin and definitely refuse to repent, then you essentially reject the gospel and willingly walk the path that leads to destruction."  We are referred to Matthew 13 and the Parable of the Sower where Jesus described "gospel seed falling in shallow soil and showing immediate signs of life but dying out when persecution came. The initial sign of life does not describe regeneration, only spiritual interest. The regenerated life, by contrast, is transformed, bears new fruit, and has a lasting eternal impact."  We are also referred to 1 John 2:19 where we are warned to not love the world and to be "of the world" but instead to identify with Christ. The commentary also shares how this division is one of the most sobering warnings in all of scripture. 

II. The Judgment of God (10:28-31): The commentary continues in its warnings by referring to the Old Testament and the Mosaic Law.  It refers to the rejection of the Father (breaking the 1st commandment or the most important commandment), rejection of Jesus and His crucifixion and the role of His blood and our salvation, and rejection of the Holy Spirit. References to the Old Testament are important because as the commentary shares "[w]e must not fall into his hands the way Israel did....[and]...[w]e must not trifle with God."

III. The Faith of Those Who Endure (10:32-39): Finally, the commentary uses the remaining division and text to encourage believers to endure, seeking the better possession and focusing on the eternal.  It shares: "[w]e may lose possessions, friends, family, and the comforts of this life, but we have a better and abiding possession waiting for us in our heavenly city. As with the believers in the book of Hebrews, what we gain when we endure persecution can never be taken away from us....These warning passages keep the believer from spiritual complacency.

Be encouraged, endure, and stay near to God as He is faithful to fulfill the promise He gives us with our salvation!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are good and Your Word is good as is the Holy Spirit which You give us as our Advocate and Helper as we know You are with us at all times.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You are with me at all times...my sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?

Luke 13

For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil? v7

Once again, Jesus preaches on the command that we are to be fruitful and productive with the time, treasure, and talents Jesus entrusts to us.  We exist to glorify God.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who provides for all of my needs - apart from You I have no good things.  Thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of all the blessings You pour out for me.  I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Romans 1:18-32

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. Romans 1:24-25

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I moved on with a review of Romans 1:18-32.  Here, Paul pivots from righteousness to the fate that awaits the unrighteous, and he describes how the unrighteous got there, including how they knew God but did not honor or thank Him (v19-21), and how the exchanged the glory of God for idol worship (v22-23).  We also see how God hardened hearts (v24-28) as he did with Pharaoh (Exodus 8-9).  Finally, we see descriptions of unrighteousness (v29-32). 

My commentary is much more pointed in its view of these verses pointing out to the depth of human depravity, with the implication that no one is righteous (Romans 3:10, 23, 1 John 1:8) and we all need a savior. It describes with 1:18:32, Paul has "mainly the Gentiles in mind" and how with 2:1-3:8, Paul "has the Jews primarily in mind." We are shown how Paul ultimately wants to get to the "good news" starting in Romans 3:21, but we must first get through the bad news in 1:18-3:20. The section for today in my commentary (1:18-32) is entitled Judgement and the Gentile.

In looking at the bad news we are encouraged to appreciate how "God's wrath is not a wild, emotional outburst.  God is 'slow to anger,' but he does not wink at sin."  His anger is both righteous and holy - we are to tremble at God's wrath and be thankful for our Savior. God's deliverance is described as having its roots in the Old Testament and how it cuts two ways, on some occasions Israel was delivered from the hands of its enemies, on other occasions it was the opposite, and how yet other times there is an awakening such as the prodigal son. We are also reminded that, sadly, "some never turn to God in repentance".  My reading from John Piper's book Providence makes it clear (as does the Bible) that faith is a gift from God. 

In looking at the causes of sin, my commentary indicates that "the whole array of sins that characterizes humanity has its roots in the soil of idolatry... [and] [s]in problems are worship problems."  It also states that "everyone has suppressed the truth (v18)", that the "whole world has natural revelation of God (v19)", and that "apart from divine grace, they do not respond rightly to it."  While creation reveals a "sense" of God but that believers are to preach the good news to provide a "specific revelation" or explanation of the gospel.

My commentary looks closely at idolatry and writes that Paul describes a "movement, madness, and misery of idolatry."  Believers enjoy the joy and satisfaction that only God provides.    

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who rescued me from my sin - thank You Jesus!  Yet I am undeserving because of my and because my sin continues - please forgive me Jesus for my worry and other sins.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.

Leviticus 27

A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. v30

The chapter of Leviticus closes with a command on tithing.

We are to tithe for a variety of reasons, and I believe a few of the most important reasons include one practical and two spiritual and these are not listed in order of importance:

1. Because God commands us to
2. Because we must care for the church and for those who are in need (and the church does this on our behalf); tithing should not limit our giving as cheerful givers we should give more than a tithe.
3. Because as cheerful givers we must recognize that every good and perfect gift comes from above (James 1:17) and we are simply stewards of the treasure provides for us - it does not belong to us and we must allow it to flow from our hands to God and for those in His care 

Lord - please help me be a cheerful giver.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You provide abundantly for all of my needs.  Thank You Jesus - I am not worth such provision.  I am harsh with my words.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the LORD of hosts.

 Malachi 3:10-12

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the LORD of hosts. Malachi 3:10-12

I return to my study of the last four books of the Old Testament, having already covered Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and most of Malachi.  My study leans on the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series volume which covers these books. This morning my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Malachi 3:10-12. 

Excerpts from the commentary for the following two divisions and for the conclusion to the commentary's chapter covering Malachi 3:6-12:

• God’s Challenge for Israel to Test His Immeasurable Generosity (Malachi 3:10-11): The text includes "the only time in the Bible where God actually permits one to test Him in the area of finances....The temple’s storehouse was made up of numerous rooms that contained grain, oil, and various other supplies for the well being of the priests. It was the requirement of God that the people give money and supplies for the preservation of the Levites. God, who knows intimately the hearts of men, anticipated His people saying, “We can’t give ten percent.” So God said, 'Test Me.' They thought, 'We can’t afford to give.' God corrects them, 'No, you can’t afford not to give. Test Me.'...God appears to be saying, 'No matter what happens to you, when you are financially faithful to Me, I will provide for you. I will protect you.'"  
  
• God’s Blessing upon Israel Will Result in a Good Reputation among the Nations (Malachi 3:12):  God promises to make Israel (and His people) a great nation.
  
• Conclusion: Two lessons: (1) "if we obey the mandates of God in humble and faithful service, we can expect reward. This does not mean that reward is immediate, or even that we will ever receive it on this side of heaven. But we are guaranteed to experience God’s blessing, either here or in the coming kingdom"; (2) "what defines us is not what we have or what we think we have earned. Rather, it is what we do with the resources God has provided....God is always faithful to His covenant, even when the people are not. Israel would fail again, but in Christ we see the One who gave generously of Himself, even unto death, out of obedience to His Father. And in His sacrifice He also became the generous outpouring of heavenly blessing that God bestowed on all people."

I recommend a listen to this session of Ask Pastor John on DesiringGod.com where John Piper nets it out for believers seeking an answer to whether believers - based on the New Testament - are commanded to tithe. The answer is no but at the same time, those who truly love God as their highest treasure should think to themselves "why would we give anything less than a tithe (10 percent)?"

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me...blessing me beyond what I ever imagined You could provide...and Your fountain of grace never stops flowing.  I am not deserving of course.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.