Category: QuietTimes

One of the passages I have spent time in over the last 2 weeks (and coming back to it today) is the Parable of the Sower. A contemplation of the types of soil that the seed of God’s Word are distributed, and their explanations is a great study.

“A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it.  And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it.  And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Luke 8:5-8 [ESV]

Meaning of the Parable:

Parable Item	Meaning
Sower	God
Seed	God’s Word
The Path	Represents those who never really ‘took’ the Word. They heard but they did not heed. Satan whipped it away before they believed.
The Rocks	Those who are happy to hear the Word but there is no depth in them. In time of testing they fall away…they have not roots to hold them down.
The Thorns	Those who have potential for Spiritual advance but they fill their lives with so many ‘GOOD’ things that there is no room for spiritual fruit.
Good Soil	Those who bring a good and honest heart to the hearing of the Word. They retain the word, and in adhering to the Word they bring forth fruit.

Some people identify more with sowing the seed and this is an often ‘preached’ approach to this passage. However, I think that this is much better applied to ourselves and also as a way of ensuring that we don’t get out of our lane. So, when applied to myself the question I need to ask is what soil am I? If I identify with the good soil, am I bearing spiritual fruit? Is there an aspect of my spiritual walk that is more thorns than good soil? What about the Rocks in my life where I tend to fall apart when in certain circumstances? I know that ‘the Path’ is not reflective of anywhere in my life as I find my solace in God’s Word and His instruction is the life blood of my existence here on earth. I must be honest with myself on these other areas though and ensure that I am cultivating the areas of my life that are not yet ‘Good Soil’.

As for the ‘getting out of our lane’ aspect of this parable…I think that we all too often grade ourselves on who and how many of those we share the gospel with actually accept Jesus and are transformed. But God is the Sower; He alone knows where the seed falls. The bible also says that God is the One Who calls individuals to Himself. He already knows those who have good soil that will result in a fruitful spiritual life. When I start to feel like I can change someone’s heart condition relative to the acceptance of the gospel, I am getting out of my lane. I need to stay in the state that I am…a state of freedom that allows me to share the gospel broadly and rest in the knowledge that God will do the work of calling. I can rejoice and glorify God when I see that He has allowed me to participate in the calling of someone to Himself when I have shared my witness/testimony with them. We just need to share Jesus and let others see Jesus in us…and then let God do the rest.

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye. Luke 6:41-42 [ESV]

As I read through Jesus’ teaching to the masses (this one likely the Sermon on the Mount – Luke calls it the ‘Sermon on the Plain’), I am constantly convicted by the instruction of Jesus to the people who wish to learn and follow Him. This passage I know so well but how little do I apply it to my own life. Essentially, I have a lumber lard in my eye…

When I look at my ministry as an Elder, a Life Group leader, counselor, husband, and father, I feel so short of achieving where I need to be in my walk with others when it comes to admonishing and encouraging those in the faith. I can’t go 4 steps without being able to point out my own short comings…yet, God still uses me. How much more effective might I be if I were walking even more upright? With what I just said there – we must tread carefully. That can quickly delve into a ‘works-based’ approach to our Christian walk.

Rather, our focus needs to be on the worship of our God and King. Through worship the ‘Lumber Yard’ will start to dissipate. Not that this frees us up to find and call out the specks in other believer’s eyes; no, it only grows our heart more fondly toward our Creator and makes us more aware of what He is laying in our path to grow His Kingdom. It also draws us closer to His Spirit that resides in us, to the point that our worship branches out into forms of service that become more effective, like being an Elder, a Life Group leader, counselor, husband, and father.

"give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

I am taking my time in pouring over the sermon Jesus taught in Luke 6 and making sure I understand all the nuances of the examples and analogies He uses.

This one today is “Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap”. The analogy here is in regard to the grain sellers in the market. When you would go to the local market in New Testament times and want to buy grain for baking, you would buy by amount and not always by weight. In some cases, a shady or rushed seller would lightly fill a measuring container before dumping the contents into the storage container the buyer had brought to bring their grain home. I generous seller would fill the measuring container to the top, then tamp it down, tapping the container on a surface to settle the contents, and then add more to fill to heaping before pouring into the buyer’s container. This is how Jesus wants us to be with our giving…and He says that when we do so, we receive the same measure back to us.

There are many examples and analogies that Jesus uses to communicate this same set of points but this is the first time I have finally been able to wrap my brain around this specific one.

Application:

Am I giving of my time, energy, resources, and money in this way? Is it just enough to tick the box or am I considered a ‘Generous Giver”?

…love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:35-36[ESV]

Today was a day filled equally with stress, productivity, rest, and relaxation. I call that a good day. It ended with a trip to the Relaxation Station with Marianne for a 60 min massage. At $45 it is hit and miss but tonight for both of us it was a hit! All around a wonderful end to a good day.

This passage today felt very appropriate for not only me in this season but also for several dear sets of friends we have that are going through tough trials in their marriages or with their kiddos. The ending of the passage is the hardest to implement -> Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Being merciful like the Lord has been merciful to me, is outrageous! He has given me so many chances, so many second starts, and even in the depth of my sin He sent His Son to die on a cross for me. When I look at how my internal dialog goes when I am faced with a situation where I have an opportunity to show mercy, I am mortified by my rigid alignment to my malformed justice. I find myself sometimes seething at someone’s choices or treatment of someone else…but I have been guilty of the SAME THING…but God has been merciful to me anyway.

When you look at all the things Jesus called out before the end of this passage, the call to be selfless is clear. Lord Jesus please lead me in my sanctification in this area of my husbandhood, fatherhood, and friendships.

I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.  To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.  Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.  And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. Luke 6:27-31 [ESV]

This is one of the hardest things for me to do. I am a regimented, right vs wrong, and very principled person. My tendency is to let a person get what they have coming to them. I am a heavy proponent of just law and order. Listing to this segment from the sermon from Jesus shows me how far I have come, yet at the same time reveals how much further I have to go.

At work I have really made good strides at loving on, praying for, and encouraging those I don’t get along with. Just recently (if you have been following me here), I had to eat crow by apologizing to a co-worker for getting angry with them. Since this episode, we have worked well together, and I have even been sending them prayers of mine over text for their mother who has brain cancer. I am so much more lenient with people who are crazy on the road. Thanks be to the Lord God Almighty, I am in much better control of my anger towards people who don’t like, abuse, or combat me.

However, I have so much more I can do. I need to open my hands more to those who are destitute or in need of help/assistance. More importantly I not only need to be listening to God’s direction toward these people….I need to be seeking them out. I want to increase my tolerance, grow my giving, and widen my forgiveness. Just as I have stated above, in moments where I extend grace to those who have come at me, I have found some of them seeking me out for advice and to work more closely with me on projects. To God be the Glory.

What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way. Luke 6:22-23[NLT]

Wow, is the message appropriate for me in this stage in life and career. I have so many opportunities at work on a daily basis to represent and show my faith in how I present and handle myself. In the past several years, I have increasing confidence that the way I’ll be let go from my job is because people will learn that I am a devote follower of Jesus.

Our culture has developed a perception that Christians == homophobe, transphobe, and racist…which is the farthest from the truth for a genuine believer and follower of Jesus. When a person is living an obedient life to the teachings of Jesus, there is no greater lover of souls than those people.

I needed to be reminded today that living my life sold out to Jesus may impact my livelihood. When or if it does, I can walk with my head held high and with joy that I have been persecuted in His name.

And solemnly lifting up His eyes on His disciples, He said: Blessed (happy—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, apart from your outward condition—and to be envied) are you poor and lowly and afflicted (destitute of wealth, influence, position, and honor), for the kingdom of God is yours! Luke 6:20[AMP]

When I read this verse that comes out of my passage today, I find myself wanting what they (the poor) have. And what is it that they have? Well, the amplified version tells us -> “Destitute of wealth, influence, position, and honor“ Ok, none of us probably want that; but what does it mean that they have because they are in the situation that Jesus calls out here?

Quite simply, they don’t have earthly things, so they cling to spiritual things. I’m going to have to look up where, but there are other places in God’s word where it talks about the fact that when we seek to people please, the recognition that we get when we do (here on earth) is a receipt of the reward we are looking for (paid in full). So, like that reward, the security of money, influence, position, and honor fulfill a need that we… we are not looking for the spiritual comfort and peace that God can give us when we are destitute.

QUESTION: Am I living a life in my job security, worldly possessions, and comfort that have me leaning into the Lord like I need to? If I’m answering honestly, probably not. Do I need to lose all of these things in order to attain a closeness with the Lord that he desires for me? I don’t think so, but it means that I have to be prepared to lose everything, to give everything away if I don’t feel like I am getting as close to the Lord as I should, while having all of these things. This has kind of rocked me today… and I’m still processing.

But He was aware all along of their thoughts, and He said to the man with the withered hand, Come and stand here in the midst. And he arose and stood there.
Then Jesus said to them, I ask you, is it lawful and right on the Sabbath to do good [so that someone derives advantage from it] or to do evil, to save a life [and make a soul safe] or to destroy it? Luke 6:8-9 [AMP]

As I was reading this passage today, the thing that jumped out to me the most was “He was aware all along of their thoughts.“ All too often I tend to focus too much on exhibiting the right behavior once I have thought about going in one direction or another. I forget that Jesus knows my thoughts. It’s my thoughts and my heart that Jesus is concerned with, not so much of my actions. In fact, the Bible says that obedience is better than sacrifice. Obedience starts in the heart.

The next verse concerns what Jesus had to say to these Pharisees, who were challenging Him about healing on the sabbath. “Is it lawful and right on the sabbath to do right or to do evil. To save a life or to destroy it?” Jesus already knew that in their heart they were leaning towards evil because they were already in fury debating within their own hearts/minds how to stop Him from doing what He was doing and saying.

What is super convicting is that my heart is often times just like the Pharisees’, but in the normal walk, situations, and circumstances of my life. Whether it’s how I’m feeling towards a coworker who is challenging me on a direction we should go, or that person who cut me off on the freeway, or the annoyance that I have with those in our world who are pushing social agendas that are against the word of God. It’s that evil condition in my heart that I feel so convicted by when I read my quiet time today. Lord God forgive me for the evil that is deep inside me. Help me in my sanctification to be more like You; to overcome and have victory over this aspect of my flesh.

And Jesus said to them, "Can you make the wedding guests fast as long as the bridegroom is with them?
  But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; and then they will fast in those days." Luke 5:34-35 [AMP]

Have you ever fasted? If so, why did you do it? What is it about fasting that petitions God to act? I have fasted many times in my Christian walk and there are several reasons why you might do it. One of them is given right here. Jesus is pretty much telling the Pharisees that challenged Him, that fasting serves a purpose in the absence of the physical presence of Jesus. Jesus tells them that when He is taken from them (in this case ascended into Heaven) that they will fast then. Quite simply, in this instance, fasting is appropriate preparation for a special imparting of the Spirit.

When I fast, I am depraving myself of sustenance that makes me hungry; when I feel a hunger pang, I dive into prayer for the thing I am fasting for. Usually, it’s over a decision where I am beseeching the Lord for His wisdom and maybe even a confidence in the Spirit that I am moving in the right direction. Other times I am fasting in prayer for someone and asking for an imparting of the Spirit in their circumstance. Normally I fast from sundown to sundown and relegate myself to liquids only (Coffee, Tea, or Water).

Fasting is powerful and it is important to fast in private (as to not be tempted to boast). Additionally, fasting should cause joy and anticipation for what God is already doing to answer your prayers…no moping around because you are hungry. Using the hunger pangs as a instigator of prayer is super effective. If you have a big decision to make in your family, our you have someone in your life group who is going through a struggle and they need wisdom…think about fasting in those circumstances.

When we are caught up to Heaven, fasting will no longer be necessary for we will be united with the Bridegroom and fasting will once again lose its necessity.