The Truth Will Change You!

Week 13, Day 4 Reading: John 17:1-26

John 17:17  Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

If you ever wondered, "Should I make the effort to read the Bible on a regular basis?" Here is your answer - straight from the lips of the Lord Jesus himself. In this passage, Jesus is praying to His Father the night before His crucifixion. In the prayer, Jesus is asking on behalf of this small group of followers that he is leaving behind .... AND those who will one day believe in Him through their word (in other words, Jesus is praying for His Church ... which would include all of us who have chosen to follow Him). 

In the midst of this prayer for His Church, he asks the Father to sanctify them. This word means to "make separate" ... "to make holy." So Jesus is praying that God would make us different from the world in which we live (which we know from other Scripture, that means to make us like Jesus - see Romans 8:28-29). The key to this sanctification process is God's truth ... which Jesus identifies as God's Word. 

Now ... if you want to become more like Jesus, I can guarantee you that it will ONLY happen as you saturate your mind and soul with His Word. This is what the Spirit of God will use as His divine instrument to cultivate in us His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). 

As you dig into the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit will use THE TRUTH (God's Word) to change you! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj

Don't Forget!

Week 13, Day 3 Reading: Luke 11:1-13

Luke 11:9-10  And I tell you,ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Today's reading is very rich with truth and insights into prayer. I could easily have written an "Hour Devotional." But, since I want to stay on track with my promise of a "Minute Devotional," I decided to zero in on the two verses above. Here Jesus makes the straightforward promise that if we ask, seek and knock ... we will receive, find and encounter open doors!

Wow! This is a promise of which we all need to keep reminding ourselves. It is so easy to get discouraged as we are bombarded by need after need. And there are times when this parade of needs just keeps marching on, never missing a beat. We get knocked down and worn out. And all too often we can develop the attitude, "Does God even care?"

The answer to this is "YES!" He cares ... and cares deeply. But he knows what is always best for us. This means that there are times when he wants us to keep coming to him (as, in the parable Jesus tells here in this passage, the man boldly came to his neighbor late at night to ask for bread for his unexpected visitors). For God knows that if all we ever experienced were sunny days and warm breezes - our hearts would be tempted to lose sight of HIM ... the giver of those sunny days and warm breezes (see Deuteronomy 6:10-12). And we can ill afford to do that!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

A Call to Pray ... A Call to Go!

Week 13, Day 2 Reading: Luke 10:1-24

Luke 10:2  And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

Here is a call to pray that is just as much needed today as it was when Jesus gave it. He had just selected a group of seventy-two individuals to go out before him into the towns and villages he was planning to visit. Jesus wanted this group to realize that they were heading into God's harvest field AND that harvest was too huge for them alone! 

Wow! That's an encouragement. Although it might seem that God is doing little in our world today, we can take heart that God is NOT done with his harvest. There are still more souls to be won to Christ! We need to pray that God would raise up more who are willing to go into the world to do God's work. And like any prayer, we must realize that we can (and should) be part of the answer to this prayer. Remember ... the mission field is not simply lands that are far away spiritually dark places. The mission field is all around us! Let's respond as Isaiah the prophet responded when God asked, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah replied, "Here I am, send me!" (Isaiah 6:8)

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj

Make Time!

Week 13, Day 1 Reading: Mark 1:29-39

Mark 1:35  And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 

No one familiar with the gospel record would ever accuse of Jesus NOT being busy. As his fame spread, crowds were constantly pressing upon him, demanding his time. Yet even in the midst of his very full schedule, he found (no, better said "MADE") time to be alone with His Father. My friend, there is a powerful lesson in this for every single one of us. Yes, we live in a very busy world. Most days all of us have places to go, people to see, things to do. The carousel of life never seems to stop. BUT ... stop we must unless we want to fall apart as the pressure of daily living mounts.

SOOO ... do you MAKE time to spend with God? Taking as little as 15 minutes each day to get into His Word and pray ... can be the difference maker in your day. And I am guessing once you experience the joy and benefits of a daily quiet time with God (even if only ten minutes) ... you will want more!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

PowerPoint for The Parable of the Soils

Here are the slides for Sunday, February 24th .... enjoy!

The parable of the soils mark 4 - 1-20 - feb 24, 2013 from John Smith

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

I Am the Resurrection and the Life!

Week 12, Day 5 Reading: John 11:1-45

John 11:25-26   Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 

I find these two verses to be among the most powerful in the entire gospel record. Jesus is speaking these words to Martha, whose brother Lazarus had just died. Martha rebuked Jesus for not coming sooner, as seen in her words, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Jesus went on to assure her that Lazarus would indeed rise again. And even though Martha thought he was referring to the final resurrection, Jesus went on to show he had something more in mind than that when he raised Lazarus from the dead!

Jesus' statement, "I am the resurrection and the life" is the fifth of seven "I am" statements made by Jesus. And in stating, "I am the resurrection and the life" he was indicating that there is NO resurrection and life outside of himself. It is only through HIM that we can ever hope to conquer death! The Apostle Paul understood this as writes the following as he closes out the great "Resurrection" chapter of the Bible: "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:56-57). 

Yes. Let's join the Apostle Paul and spend some time THANKING our merciful God. For in Him and Him alone we grasp our hope of resurrection and eternal life !

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj

P.S. ------ "Do YOU believe this?" 

Just a Simple Touch!

Week 12, Day 4 Reading: Mark 5:21-43

Mark 5:24-29   And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him.  And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment.  For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.

The woman Mark describes for us was a desperate woman. For twelve very long years she had suffered from some sort of blood disorder. Heaped on top of this suffering was all the physicians had put her through  in their vain attempts to heal her. So ... I am guessing you can feel some of her pain and frustration. And that desperation drove her to Jesus. She had heard reports of what he was capable of doing. And she "knew" that if she could get close enough to touch just his garments ... that she could be healed. So in spite of her apparent weakness, she fought her way through the crowd and touched him. Instantly she was healed!

In a very significant way, that woman is EVERY PERSON. For each one of us is desperately ill. We all suffer from a spiritual ailment that impacts every arena of this life .... and, if left unchecked, will doom us for all eternity. This condition is "sin." Unless we come to Christ, asking for his forgiveness and "healing" we will never be made whole ... and we will be lost for all of eternity.

Friend, if you have never come to Christ ... do so TODAY (Two ways to live: a choice we all face). And if you have ... then I encourage you to continue to follow this woman's example and press through the crowded corridors of your life and get (and stay) close to Jesus!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Share Your Story!

Week 12, Day 3 Reading: Mark 5:1-20

Mark 5:18-20  As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

I hope you caught the description Mark gives of this demon possessed man whom Jesus healed. He lived alone, was wild and violent, was slashing himself, and Luke in his account adds the fact that he was naked. Talk about a sorry, horrible, miserable life - this man lived it! Yet Jesus does not shy away from this man (as I am sure most people did). Instead he confronts the demons possessing him and orders them OUT! And out they went ... into a herd of pigs which the demons quickly destroyed by compelling them to jump over the cliff and into the sea (this is what demons are all about - destroying the creative work of God's hands).

This man experienced a stunning deliverance. Naturally he wanted to be with the man who had so graciously and powerfully delivered him. But Jesus had other plans for him. The instructions Jesus gave to this man .... are good instructions for all of us. After all, we too, were once in a tragic bondage to sin .. and if it weren't for Jesus delivering us, we would still held captive in our miserable estate. 

So ... like the demonic whom Jesus set free ... we too, should go to our friends and family and "tell them how much the Lord had done for us, and how he had mercy on us." We sure don't need a formal theology degree to do that! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj

Only God Can Forgive Sins!

Week 12, Day 2 Reading: Luke 5:17-26

Luke 5:24-26  "But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”

In this healing, Jesus asserts his deity. How so? He could have very easily said to the paralyzed man from the get go, "Be healed!" Instead, in verse 20, Jesus initially says to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven." He does this so that when he gets around to healing the man, the outward, visible, physical healing of the man would confirm the man's inward, invisible, spiritual forgiveness!  And ONLY GOD could accomplish that! Jesus wanted all to understand (and especially his enemies), that in forgiving this man his sins ... and then healing him, Jesus was going on record as saying in a compelling manner, "I am God!" 

How did the onlookers respond? With AMAZEMENT and AWE! I wonder if we all too easily lose our sense of amazement and awe when it comes to our worship of Jesus Christ. It's easy to do if we are not careful! Jesus is none other than GOD in the flesh! Wow! That's amazing! And he offers his forgiveness to all who come to Him in faith! Hallelujah! What a savior! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj

Blind but Now I See!

Week 12, Day 1 Reading: John 9:1-41

John 9:24-25   So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 

I just love this response of the former blind man to the Jewish leaders who were questioning him. In effect he says, "Look. I don't know who this man is. But I do know this. Yesterday I was as blind as a bat. Today, I can see!" 

All of us can relate to what this man experienced (I am speaking spiritually, of course). We all at one time were blind (2 Corinthians 4:4). Blind to the truth. Blind to our fate. Blind to the reality of God. But, because of God's great love for us, he touched us with his grace. When he did so ... the blind "eyes" of our soul were healed ... and we could see! 

The once slave trader turned pastor, John Newton understood this and cherished this truth until the day he died. His sense of gratitude can be summed up well in these words he penned that we now know as the lyrics to the wonderful hymn, Amazing Grace: 

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me. 

I once was lost, but now am found. 

Was blind but now I see!

Praise God for His AMAZING grace! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj 

The Unpardonable Sin (Mark 3:22-30)

Here are the PowerPoint slides for Sunday, February 17th. Enjoy!

The unforgiveable sin mark 3 - 22-30 - feb 17, 2013 from John Smith

Thanks for stopping by  . . .
pj

A Cursed Fig Tree

Week 11, Day 5 Reading: Matthew 21:18-22

Matthew 21:18-22  In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.
When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Many people read this and have to take pause. "Wow! This sure does not fit the mold of Jesus being the loving savior of the world!" And of course, they are right. It does not fit that mold of Jesus. But the problem is not with Jesus ... but the mold in which we have cast him. And that mold is plainly wrong!

So ... what is going on in this passage? The MacArthur Study Bible offers up this insightful explanation:

"Jesus’ cursing of the tree was a purposeful divine object lesson, not an impetuous act of frustration. The fig tree is often employed in Scripture as a symbol of Israel (Hos. 9:10; Joel 1:7)—and the barren fig tree often symbolizes divine judgment on Israel because of her spiritual fruitlessness despite an abundance of spiritual advantages (Jer. 8:13; Joel 1:12). Jesus’ act therefore illustrates God’s judgment against earthly Israel for shameful fruitlessness, exemplified in the rejection of their Messiah. One of Christ’s parables taught a similar lesson (Luke 13:6–9)."

Wow! This passage should cause every single one of us to pause and take a long, hard look at ourselves. Are we bearing fruit for God? Do we live in such a way that people see and hear Jesus in us? Can I point to a difference I have made in another's life? Hard questions to ask ... but necessary ones to answer! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj

Doubting Faith

Week 11, Day 4 Reading: Matthew 14:22-33

Matthew 14:27-31  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

It was a dark and stormy night. Well, at the very least it was a dark and windy night. As a result of these brisk winds, the boat the disciples were in would have been rocking as the howling winds pushed wave after wave up against its sides. And try as they might, the disciples could make little headway toward their destination due to this contrary and powerful wind. Into the midst of this, after quite a few hours of frustration with some fear probably mixed in, Jesus comes to the disciples WALKING ON THE WATER! It's no wonder that the disciples thought they were seeing a ghost. No mere man can do what Jesus was doing!

As soon as Peter sees Jesus coming, he blurts out his desire to walk on the water, too. And so Jesus issues the simple command to him, "Come." Peter gets out of the boat and began his journey. He was doing fine until he notices just how uninviting the weather was ... a fierce wind which was undoubtedly whipping up the surface of the sea into piles of angry waves. He begins to sink. At that point, Jesus reaches out to keep him from going under. Once he has Peter firmly in hand, he gives Peter a rather stern rebuke. “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

There are a number of lessons here for us. Here are just two. Peter got himself into trouble when he got his eyes off of Jesus ... and onto the difficult circumstances he found himself in. Once that happened, he began to sink. This is why Jesus accused him rightly of doubting. If we desire to stay on the path God calls us to walk, we must keep our eyes focused on Jesus! Yet there is comfort here. Even when we doubt, we must remember that Jesus is always near ... in his grace and mercy to rescue us! Ultimately we will stand on the final day ... not because of our strength but HIS. Praise God for such a Savior!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Feeding the Crowd!

Week 11, Day 3 Reading: Matthew 14:13-21

Matthew 14:17-21   They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.”  Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.  And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Here in one of Jesus' most familiar miracles.Sometimes when a story is so familiar as this is, we can tend to miss it's significance. But think with me. Jesus starts out with just five loaves and two fishes. After praying over the meal, he then has the disciples distribute the food. Everyone ate until satisfied. Then the disciples collected the leftovers which "just happened" to fill 12 baskets. I can just imagine Peter and Andrew each carrying a basket full and Andrew saying to Peter, "Hey bro, didn't we start with just a small lunch?" And Peter responding, "We sure did! So where in the world did all this food come from?"  And that was just it! It did not come from "this world." Jesus supernaturally created this food on the spot! How much? Well to feed (until satisfied) 5000 men, along with women and children (so perhaps as many as 15,000 people) -- would have taken approximately 2 1/2 tons of food (which would equate to each one eating the equivalence of a MacDonald's quarter-pounder with cheese)! That's a lot of food. But again, no big deal for the One who spoke this vast universe into existence!

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

When Fear is Healthy and Good!

Week 11, Day 2 Reading: Mark 4:35-41

Mark 4:41  And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

When Jesus silenced a violent storm by speaking a command, the disciples, scared one moment that they were going to die, were now even more afraid. And what caused their fear to escalate? I mean, I would have expected them to be jumping up and down and giving each other high fives! After all, their lives had been spared from almost certain drowning! But no. One moment (when their lives were at risk) they were afraid. The next moment (with their lives no longer threatened) they were EXCEEDINGLY fearful! Why?  

The answer is in their question, "What manner of man is this?" You see, they had met all kinds of men. Tall men, short men, rich men and poor men, Jewish men and Gentile men. Usually they had no problem hanging a label on the people they met. But suddenly, right there in the boat with them was a man who did not fit into any of their categories. And they were scared to death (and beyond!). That, my friend, is a great illustration of what it means to fear God. And since fearing God is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), I think all of us could stand a good dose of this kind of fear! Let's pray and ask God to help us to truly fear him (think ... a reverential awe)!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Doing Whatever He Says!

Week 11, Day 1 Reading: John 2:1-11

John 2:51-5  On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”  His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

One of the worst things that could ever happen to a host in Jesus' day was to run out of food or wine. Yet this is exactly what happened at a wedding feast that Jesus and his disciples attended. Mary, Jesus' mother, knew that her son could take care of the problem. And so she went to him to ask for help (notice how she did so ... not by asking but by simply pointing out the need). Then she told the servants to "do whatever he tells you."  They did, and suddenly the host went from having no wine to having the best wine! Not a hard task for the One who spoke the universe into existence!

That advice given by Mary and heeded by the servants ... is good advice for us as well. If we truly claim allegiance to Christ as Lord, then why would we not choose to do whatever he tells us to do? Regrettably, our sinful flesh all too often raises its ugly head and sinks it's teeth into our wills in an attempt to get us to go OUR way vs.going God's way (Isaiah 53:6).  All this to say ... as we continue to focus on Jesus and encounter his commands, let's strive to "do whatever he tells us" to do! As we do, Jesus Christ will be glorified and we will be satisfied.

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

And the Story Races On . . .

Here are the PowerPoint slides for Sunday, February 10th ... Mark chapter 3. Enjoy!

And the beat goes on . . . mark 3 7-35 - feb 10 2013 from John Smith

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Making Life Count for Jesus!

Week 10, Day 5 Reading: John 15:1-17

John 15:5  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

In this beautiful metaphor of the vine (Jesus) and the branches (we who follow Him), Jesus makes it clear that there MUST be a strong connection between us and Him. The metaphor drives this truth home. If a branch gets cut off from the vine, will it thrive? Will it bear a lot of healthy, juicy fruit? Hardly. When a branch breaks off from the vine, it becomes good for the fire and that's about it!

And so it is with us and Jesus. We can try all we want to live for him ... to serve him ... to impact our world for him. But if we are not abiding in him, we can do NO-THING!

So ... how does one "abide in Him?" In verse ten of this passage, Jesus gives us a key to abiding in him ... and that is obedience (John 15:10). And to obey him we must be in his word (so we get to know his commandments) and leaning upon his Spirit (prayerfully seeking God's grace and help as we seek to obey his commandments). SO it all comes down to living in a daily conscious relationship with Jesus, trusting him enough to obey him ... and finding the joy that only comes when we do just that! Only then will we be able to bear much fruit and make our lives count for Him!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Abundant Life!

Week 10, Day 4 Reading: John 10:1-18

John 10:10-11  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

When Jesus talks about offering to us abundant life, he is not talking about big houses, classy cars, fat bank accounts, good health and just plain "living the good life!" Rather he is talking about living a life of fulfillment and meaning. A life that brings joy and purpose as we live out that life under the favor of God our Creator AND in fellowship with him and his people.

David got it right when he wrote the following words, "The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot; The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:5-6, 11). As we pursue Jesus Christ, we will experience this abundant life promised to us by our Good Shepherd! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj

Real Faith . . . Compassionate Heart!

Week 10, Day 3 Reading: Matthew 25:1-46

Matthew 25:37-40  Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

As you read through the whole parable of the sheep and the goats, it becomes apparent that what Jesus is really saying here is that true faith results in a compassionate heart. That certainly makes a lot of sense. Consider that we (Christians) in our pre-Christ state are devoid of hope because we are without God (Ephesians 2:12). But because God does an amazingly generous thing by lavishing HIS grace upon us so that we who were once dead are now alive (Ephesians 2:1-10), it follows that we should want to be generously gracious with those around us who are in need! So ... real faith is evidenced by a compassionate heart. That said, how compassionate are you?

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Thank God for His Generous Grace!

Week 10, Day 2 Reading: Matthew 20:1-16

Matthew 20:15   "So the last will be first, and the first last.”

The note on this verse in the ESV Study Bible really captures the meaning quite well. Be sure to read the entire parable ... and then read this note.

"A disciple of Jesus should not measure his or her worth by comparing it with the accomplishments and sacrifice of others, but should focus on serving from a heart of gratitude in response to God's grace. Jesus is not denying degrees of reward in heaven (see 1 Corinthians 3:14-15) but is affirming that God's generosity is more abundant than anyone would expect: all the laborers except the very first got more than they deserved. It is probably correct also to see here a warning that Jesus' early followers (such as the Twelve) should not despise those who would come later." 

I also believe this parable shows just how deeply our sin is ingrained within us. Instead of rejoicing over the master's generosity in giving to others what they did not work for .... we complain because we feel in some way "cheated!" Yet ... the first one's who were hired got exactly what they had agreed to work for!  

Oh the sinfulness of the human heart. Thank God for HIS generous grace! 

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

Grow or Not Grow - That is the Question!

Week 10, Day 1 Reading: Matthew 13:1-58

Matthew 13:18-23  “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 what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

In this parable, Jesus describes four different soils of the heart. In each one ... the seed of the Word of God that is planted in it will respond differently. The first soil (the seed that falls on the path and the birds come and eat it) is the heart that is hardened to the truth. As the seed does not penetrate and just lies on the heart's surface, the Enemy comes and snatches it away. The second soil is rocky. Therefore, even though the seed germinates, it does not grow for it has no roots. In fact, it will die in the face of persecution or tribulation. In the third soil, the seed will germinate and begin to grow. But because there are thorns all through it, it will not bear fruit. These thorns are, in Jesus words, "the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches." They will effectively choke out the plant so it remains fruitless. Finally there is the fertile soil. Here the seed germinates, grows and bears fruit. This soil is represented by the one who hears AND understands the word. Understanding here implies "putting it into practice." For if one truly "understands" the word, this is what he or she will do.

So ... as you think of these four soils of the heart ... which is your heart most like? How you answer this question will go a long way toward determining if you live your life for God's glory or merely waste it on the "stuff and fluff" of this world!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Here Come the Pharisees! (Sunday, Feb. 3)

Here are the PowerPoint slides for Sunday, February 3rd (Mark 2:13-3:6).

Here come the pharisees! mark 2 13 -- 3-6 - feb 3 2013 from John Smith

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Slaying Pride!

Week 9, Day 5 Reading: Luke 18:1-14

Luke 18:13-14  "But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Ahhh . . . the ever presence reality of pride. We all struggle with it (if we are honest to admit to it!). In fact, it is the very essence of sin (and just what is the middle letter of that word?). And my guess is quite a few among us, moi aussi (me too!), think we are more humble than we really are! Just remember ... humility is one of those qualities that when you think you have it . . . you probably don't!

So Jesus tells us here in no uncertain terms that we need to humble ourselves. So ... how does one do this? I believe it all starts by realizing one fundamental truth about who we are in this vast universe (or in this case, who we are not!). And just what is this fundamental truth? GOD IS GOD AND WE ARE NOT! Once we realize this and live by this ... humbling ourselves will be something that we know we MUST strive to do (see Isaiah 6:1-5; Luke 5:7-9).

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj