07/31/2017
Luke 8:11-15 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word
of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and
takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with
joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in temptation fall
away. Now the ones that fell among the thorns are those who, when they have
heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and
bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those
who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit
with patience.”
Upon reading this passage, this verse immediately came to
mind. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take
the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26 The seed is
the word of God and the soil is our heart. I practically grew up in the church
and was told the gospel message more times than I can recall. Most would think
I’d be saved early on, but my heart was hardened. Sin, shame, and a lack of
knowledge of the Father and a true need for Him resulted in seeds that were
thrown on rock and thorns. I would listen, it would sound good for a moment, and
then I would proceed to turn my back on God. It wasn’t until I hit rock bottom
that I realized I needed a savior. The Lord stripped everything from me as I
purposed to walk with Him. I couldn’t wrap my mind around why the Lord would
take away certain friendships, my boyfriend, running, and so on. What I didn’t
realize though, was that those things were weeds. They looked pretty and green
on the outside, but in reality they destroy the good plant. These were the
cares, riches, and pleasures of life that choked me. As I began to submit
certain sins that caused my heart to harden, my heart began to soften. I began
to break in the most beautiful way known to man: broken for the cause of
Christ. That gunk became fertilizer that the Lord used and is still using to
grow me for His glory. I love how in the last verse it says the ones that fell
on good ground are those who keep it and bear fruit with patience. We press on
for the joy set before us, knowing our reward is in Christ. We bear fruit when
our lives are purposed in Him.
08/01/2017
Luke 21:19 “By your patience possess your souls.”
In context, this verse refers to the endurance needed in the
persecution of the church in the end times. Persecution was never something I
feared because it seemed like a distant reality. As we’ve begun to learn about
perseverance the Lord has placed a heavy burden on my heart for the persecuted
church. I have begun to pray for them like never before because I see the
urgency. The persecution of the church in the last century has been the
greatest ever. It assuring to know that our victory is in Christ and the cross
has the final word. It is our responsibility to walk in obedience and faith as
the Lord works out His will. We are promised in Matthew 24:13 that “He who
endures to the end shall be saved.” If I were to face such hardships, my prayer
would be to endure to the end. As Keith Wheeler would say, “They aren’t just
people, they’re kidnapped royalty.” Those that are persecuting the church
simply don’t know Christ. It is our job to pray for and love them despite
anything they say or do to us. By endurance you obtain salvation.
08/03/2017
Revelation 1:9 “I, John, both your brother and companion in
the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island
that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus
Christ.”
As I read this passage, I couldn’t help but pick out certain
actions displayed by John.
First, John experienced persecution for his faith. He was
sent to the Island of Patmos for preaching the gospel in Ephesus and the surrounding
cities. Persecution and trials are to be anticipated by believers. However,
these things should not move us. The second thing I observed was John’s kingdom
perspective. He knew that His time on earth was to be spent in expectation of
the second coming of Christ. Third, as his heart was set on Christ, he was able
to endure and persevere through persecution. This weekend I began reading a
book titled “Tortured for Christ.” It’s about a Romanian pastor that suffered
solitary confinement and physical torture in prison for 8 years due to his
faith during communism in Romania. His ability to love the prison guards and
those that were slowly killing him was a testimony to his true relationship
with the Lord. Because of the love he had, many communists came to know Jesus.
His mind through it all was that those persecuting him could potentially be
just as Saul of Tarsus. It’s hard to tell whether or not persecution to that
extent will ever be a reality to me. As I read further, I felt the Lord asking
me “Are you willing to lay down your life for me?” It is my prayer that if it
were to, I would stand strong and persevere.
Application: Monday I will run 12 laps and when I feel like
I can’t finish, I will persevere.
08/04/2017
Hebrews 6:12 “That you do not become sluggish, but imitate
those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
This week I found myself easily distracted and tired in
class, and I couldn’t understand why. I think of the verse where Paul talks
about the struggle between flesh and spirit. The spirit is willing but the flesh
is weak. I found that I had to constantly redirect my thoughts every time they
would stray. I think that when we fail to take our thoughts captive, we allow
the enemy to take a foothold in our lives. We progressively get worse or
apathetic towards the Lord. When this verse talks about being sluggish it
refers to being dull. One of my greatest fears is growing dull or apathetic in
my relationship with the Lord. I’m reminded of the time when we had a Q & A
with several different pastors. One of the questions asked was “Do you ever
have dry seasons?” Although I’m not currently in a dry season, it was
encouraging to know that those in leadership also go through rough patches.
They shone light on how they were able to overcome those times. I’m able to
look up to these pastors because I know where they stand with the Lord and they
are faithful servants.
Application: Whenever I’m feeling easily distracted or going
through a dry season I will go to a roommate or friend.
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