Biblical Symbolism of the Fig Tree The richness of Biblical symbolism is often lost to us because we know little about the culture of ancient times. The fig tree is one such example. The nation of Israel was often compared to a fig tree. When it was faithful to God it was a fruitful tree but when it was unfaithful it was a fruitless tree. A fruitless fig tree was often cut down and destroyed as it was good for nothing. What the fig tree teaches about true faith is this: to be truly productive, we have to bear spiritual fruit. Jesus expects fruit from His true followers. In Luke 13:6-9, He uses the parable of the Barren Fig Tree to teach a lesson to His disciples. But we see references similar to this all the way back in the Old Testament. The Fig Tree in Old Testament Prophecy In Jeremiah 24, the prophet sees a basket of good figs and a basket of bad, inedible figs. The good figs represent those in exile in Babylon and repent and turn back to God. They are the faithful remnant people that God protects. The bad figs include King  Zedekiah and others who fled to Egypt or remained in Jerusalem. Their lack of repentance led to their destruction. Even though it seemed that the Babylonian captives had lost everything, God was with them and promised them a " heart to know Him. " He protected His faithful remnant. God distinguishes between the faithful and the unfaithful. To understand this better, let's briefly familiarize ourselves with how fig trees grow. This will give us a clue to their symbolic value. How Fig Trees Grow and Why It Matters It takes approximately three years before a tree produces fruit. It needs a lot of sunshine and does better when it is strategically pruned. Typically fruit trees produce two crops, one early in the year called a breba crop and one later which is the larger main crop. Both good figs and figs not worth eating can be produced. Bad figs can be unpollinated, rotted, fermented, or underdeveloped. There is also a difference between the first and second crop of figs. The first crop easily falls off and drops by the wayside. The second crop is typically considered the better of the two. How can we use these facts to help us understand the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree? Jesus used this familiar tree to illustrate a spiritual truth about repentance and judgment. The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree Explained In the parable in Luke 13:6-9, the owner of the tree is generally viewed as representing God, the keeper of the vineyard represents Jesus, and finally the tree which is producing no fruit. This tree could be Israel or could be you and I. The owner has come for 3 years looking for fruit and there is none. He tells the keeper to cut it down. It is a waste of space. Something more fruitful could be planted there. But the keeper pleads with Him to let Him fertilize it and dig around it. He wants one more year to try and get it to produce and then if it doesn't he agrees that it can be cut down. The three years that the owner waited most likely represents the three years of Jesus' ministry to Israel. Three years and they still had not repented and believed. The keeper's intercession is usually interpreted as representative of Jesus interceding for us, pleading for one more chance for us to repent. God gives us time to repent—just how much we don't know. What the Fig Tree Teaches About True Faith You and I will also face judgment if we continue to reject Jesus gift of salvation. Those of us who belong to Jesus will face the believer's judgment where our actions will be judged, not our sin (Romans 14:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:10). James 2:12 tells us to “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom. ” We serve God and produce fruit for Him because we love Him, not because we fear punishment. Our "soil" must be prepared by hearing, obeying, and understanding the Word of God. If we are never in the Word, how can the Holy Spirit teach us what we must know? We, like fig trees, benefit from pruning. Hardship produces faithfulness and character. It tests our faith to see if it is real. We need water to produce fruit. That is the living water that only Jesus can provide. We need sunlight to grow. The light of Christ shines on us and removes us from the darkness. In the parable, the owner of the tree grants one more year. How much time have you been granted to repent and produce fruit? We don't know when we will be cut down. We don't know if the Lord will continue to be patient with us or if He will say "enough is enough." The parable of the barren fig tree in Luke highlights God's mercy. He delays judgment, intercedes through Christ, and offers one more season to repent and bear fruit. Yet Jesus doesn't leave the warning abstract. Just days before His crucifixion, He acted it out dramatically by cursing a fig tree (Matthew 21:18–22). This was a clear picture: the time comes when looking good on the outside isn't enough if there's no real fruit inside. The Cursed Fig Tree and the Danger of Empty Religion In this rather unusual story, Jesus is hungry and sees a leafy fig tree. A fig tree with leaves should have breba figs on it (the first crop), but this tree was barren so He cursed it and it withered instantly. The disciples were amazed, yet again, at this demonstration of His power. But what did this story represent? The fruitless fig tree was unrepentant Israel and those today who say they are Christians but have no proof, no fruit to show, for what they say they are. Judgment comes to us all. We can't just look religious, full of leaves but no fruit. We can't put on a show for others. Are we a fruitful tree or one with a lot of showy leaves, but no real fruit? John 15:8 says the proof that we are His disciples is that we " bear much fruit ." Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruit we should see growing in our lives: love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This fruit doesn't appear overnight. Fruit is cultivated over time, much like a fig tree's progression from early breba crop to the fuller main harvest. In the beginning of our walk with Christ we may see little fruit, sort of like the first fruit put on by the fig tree. Our walk may be easily disturbed, we may be swayed to sin easier, we may forget to love as we should, but as time goes on we should see, like the second crop on the fig tree, more and better fruit. As we spend more time with our Lord we can grow to become more like Christ , living more and more in His will. When Jesus curses the fig tree He demonstrates His power to judge. He agrees with the owner of the fig tree in Luke 13 that it was time for it to be struck down. Jesus would soon go to the Cross after this story and He knows it. All of the religious pretense would be removed and the blood thirsty crowds would show their true hearts. That's why a changed heart is what the fig tree teaches about true faith. God Is Patient — But the Time to Repent Is Now Only Jesus can judge our hearts. He calls us with much patience and love to come to Him in repentance for our sin and acknowledging Him as the Messiah, our Savior, the only One who can restore our lost relationship with our Father. This relationship with our Father allows us to live, finally, a fruit filled life that gives Him the glory He so rightly deserves. Together, these two fig-tree accounts, Luke's parable of extended mercy and Matthew's enacted judgment, urge us not to settle for leaves alone. Repent now, abide in Christ , and let the Holy Spirit produce lasting fruit before the season ends.

The Vine and the Branches What keeps a Christian life from becoming dry, weak, or fruitless? Why do some Christians grow stronger and more fruitful in their faith while others seem to struggle and remain spiritually weak? The word abide means to continue a lasting, active relationship with God. Jesus uses the example of a vine and its branches to teach His disciples about the importance of abiding in Him in John chapter 15. He tells them that they can only bear fruit if they remain in Him, just as a branch can only bear fruit if it remains in the vine. He also tells them that the Father is the vinedresser who prunes the branches so they can bear more fruit and grow into stronger disciples. Abide in Christ What does it mean to abide in Christ? Sinclair Ferguson puts it this way: " In a nutshell, abiding in Christ means allowing His Word to fill our minds, direct our wills, and transform our affections. In other words, our relationship to Christ is intimately connected to what we do with our Bibles! " How much time do we spend studying God's Word? We need to know that God has spoken to us. As I used to tell my Sunday School children, "The Bible is your instruction manual for life, have you read it?" Abiding Leads To Bearing Fruit Jesus elaborates on what it means to abide in Him in John 15:5 where He tells us that if we abide in Him, we will bear much fruit. We are nourished by the vine. So the way we know that we are abiding in Him is that we are bearing fruit. This means we are growing in holiness and becoming more like Christ. Jesus goes on in verse 7 to say that if we abide in Him and His words abide in us whatever we desire will be done for us. If we are truly abiding in Christ then our prayers, our requests, will be aligned with the will of God. God's desires will be our desires. We won't ask amiss as James 4:3 tells us. Pruning Leads To More Fruit When Jesus says He prunes the branches to bear more fruit (John 15:2), He is speaking about the process of spiritual growth. Just as a gardener prunes a fruit tree to remove dead or diseased branches, so God prunes us to remove the things in our lives that are preventing us from bearing fruit. This pruning can be painful, but it is necessary for our spiritual growth. What does pruning help a grape vine to do? Pruning creates maximum yields of high quality grapes. Also it creates an overall healthier vine that is not as susceptible to disease. Interestingly, this pruning needs to take place every year. It is an ongoing process, not "one and done". God prunes us so that we can bear more fruit. When we are pruned, we are made more dependent on God and more open to His will for our lives. We are also made more sensitive to the Holy Spirit, who can help us to grow in the fruit of the Spirit. We Are Pruned Because We Are Loved No one wants to be disciplined (pruned). But the Bible tells us that the Father does this because He loves us, just as we discipline our own children because we love them. The purpose of loving discipline is to train our children, so the Lord also trains us. " And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?" Hebrews 12: 5-7 Jacob Was Disciplined An example in the Old Testament of someone who was disciplined is Jacob. Jacob was a deceiver, a trickster. There are consequences to our decisions . As you read the story in the book of Genesis you see that Jacob himself was later tricked by his father-in-law Laban. Jacob was even deceived by his own sons who lied to him about what had happened to their brother, Joseph. These events were difficult for Jacob to endure. This chastening by God eventually transformed Jacob into a new man. Even his name was changed. God tells Jacob his name was now Israel. God Uses Right Judgment In the Psalms, David tells us how to respond to chastisement from God. He doesn't complain, he doesn't become bitter, he acknowledges that God's judgments are correct, and that they have happened to him because God is faithful to him (Psalm 119:75). There are many things in our lives that can prevent us from bearing fruit. These things can include sin, selfishness, pride, and fear. When we allow these things to grow in our lives, they choke out the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Life Lived Abiding In Him In John 15:8, Jesus explains the goal of abiding in Christ: it is to glorify God by His disciples bearing much fruit. What a better world we would live in and how much more peaceful a life we would live if only we bore the fruit that our Father desires us to. We would be true witnesses to the world of what a life can be like when it abides in Christ. A branch cannot produce fruit by effort alone; it must remain connected to the vine. In the same way, the Christian life cannot be sustained by good intentions or religious activity. It requires a continual dependence on Christ. When we remain close to Him through His Word, through prayer, and through obedience, the life of the vine flows into us. The result is a life that reflects His character and brings glory to the Father. Abiding in Christ Yields Good Fruit

God’s Surprising Plan Begins in Nazareth Our God is a God of surprises. He doesn't rely on our understanding. His ways are far above ours. When Jesus began his public ministry it was in his hometown. Here He announced His purpose and who His mission was for. The people of Nazareth were in for the shocks of their life. Nazareth was where the surprising nature of God's plan first became obvious as He explained the unexpected grace of God. Jesus Announces the Unexpected Grace of God Nazareth, Jesus' home town, was the place where He and his earthly father were carpenters, building furniture for the townspeople. He returned to this place, Luke tells us, after teaching and healing in Galilee. Upon arriving, He went to the Synagogue to read and teach the Scripture. Here He was handed the scroll of Isaiah and, opening it, He read, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19 Who Are the Poor, Brokenhearted, and Captive? Who are these poor, brokenhearted, captive, blind, and oppressed people? They are those who are poor in Spirit, who will have the Kingdom of Heaven. They are not arrogant. They are aware of their spiritual poverty. They know that without God, they have nothing. But they can also be economically poor and socially outcast. Why are they brokenhearted? Because they know there is no hope for them without God. If they stay in this spiritual state they are doomed. But it is Jesus who heals the brokenhearted. He gives them a new heart of flesh to replace their heart of stone (Ezekiel 36:26). What are they captive to? They are captive to sin. They are quite literally slaves to sin (John 8:34). But John 8:36 tells us, " Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. " His audience would have been reminded of the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25), a time when slaves were freed and debts were forgiven. Who are the blind He gives sight to? He heals and gives physical sight to many but more importantly He heals spiritual blindness. To be spiritually blind is to have a lack of wisdom and understanding. It is an inability to perceive truth, a hardness of heart and a rejection of God’s revelation. He is our light in the darkness; we go to Him like a moth to a flame and reflect His light to the world. And finally, how are we oppressed? This is not just a promise to those who are physically oppressed but also to those who are spiritually oppressed. Who is it that makes one feel doubt and fear? Who is it that whispers to us that "God doesn't love you." It is the father of lies, Satan, himself. He oppresses us, but God delivers us, as Acts 10:38 says, "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." But oppression can also be caused by the sin we live in. It can smother us and make us feel hopeless. Jesus gives us liberty in Him. Jesus removes the oppression and replaces it with the joy of salvation. His audience knows these Scriptures. They are waiting to hear what more Jesus has to tell them. The Crowd Amazed but Uncertain You can almost feel the excitement in the room: " all eyes were fixed on Him. " Those in the crowd knew of the miracles He had performed in Galilee. They knew this was no ordinary man. And then He spoke the words they were stunned by, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” This Scripture was well known. It was a prophecy of words that the Messiah would bring upon His coming to Israel. They were amazed at the authority with which He spoke. " They all spoke well of Him. " But they also had trouble reconciling this authority and power with which He spoke and the fact that He was a simple town boy, " Joseph's son " (Luke 4:22). It's like a President coming back to the hometown he grew up in as the son of an unimportant laborer. When Expectations Replace Faith But then the mood of the room changed as He addressed what many were thinking. He acknowledged their doubts about who He claimed to be and told them He knew they expected Him to perform signs and wonders there as He had done in Capernaum. They needed proof that this carpenter boy was who He said He was. They had no faith, so they believed He had to perform for them. Jesus was about to show them that God had often bypassed unbelieving Israel. They are not so different from us. We often have a particular set of expectations of how God will work in a given situation. When He doesn't do it the way we think He should we have doubts. Have you seen people, after many decades away from them, who are serving God faithfully but you doubt them because you remember them "back when?" Have you missed out on blessings because of a lack of faith, just as the Nazarene's did? Or perhaps have you spoken up for God and truth and been rejected for it, just as the ancient prophets and Jesus Himself were? Grace Beyond Israel: The Examples of Elijah and Elisha At this point Jesus proceeds to tell them the story of Elijah and Elisha to help them understand. Elijah in the midst of a terrible drought was not sent to the suffering of Israel, but to a non-Jew and a woman. She lived in Sidon which was famous for its Baal worship. Israel was being punished for her lack of faithfulness, but the woman Elijah goes to is promised bread that will never fail. A bread that foreshadows the Bread of Life Jesus would later promise, not just to the Jews, but also the Gentiles. And Elisha, instead of healing a Jewish leper, heals Naaman, a Syrian. This story was a clear example that God chose who to extend grace to—even to Gentiles while Israel remained unhealed. Naaman and his fellow lepers showed faith and obedience to the prophet's commands. These two qualities are important when we expect to see God's blessings in our lives. Why the People of Nazareth Became Furious His point is that He has not come just to them, but our gracious God has also come to the world. And not as the political liberator they had expected. This made them so angry they rose up and tried to kill Him but in some supernatural way He managed to escape them. This great promise of a Messiah could not possibly be for anyone but them, they believed. They had everything figured out, or so they thought. Be careful to be humble in discerning the ways of the Lord. This was the beginning of His public ministry. It's as though to the spiritually arrogant who thought they were fulfilling the will of God, He had thrown down a gauntlet at the very start. As though He were saying, "You, you who think you are so righteous are nothing but filthy rags." To them, the ones who killed the prophets and rejected the cornerstone, to them He was as direct and plain spoken as possible. Today, we have choices to make. We can think we are just fine and in need of nothing, or we can see our brokenness and blindness. We can realize we need to stop being sin's slave . We need to become poor—poor in spirit before the Holy Spirit. When we seek Jesus with a broken and contrite heart we will find Him and we will be made free. When God’s Grace Reaches the Unexpected Today Does God reach out to people you never imagined? Are you surprised when the homeless drug addict finds God? Do we think it is unfair when someone close to death becomes a Christian? Are we stunned to see " that person " teaching a Sunday School class? We cannot put God in a box. Softening of a hardened heart is what His Spirit does. The unexpected grace of God means He extends grace to whom He will. We thank God for every soul that has been set free.

Our Hope is Our Faith What is the hope that "is in you" ? The Bible tells us in Hebrews 11:1, that faith is the evidence for things we hope for. Our hope is our faith, but what is the reason for our hope? The indwelling of the Holy Spirit and His effect on our lives is the reason we have hope. We see His actions daily. Sometimes we may say something has happened because of luck or happenstance, but that should not be the response of a Christian. "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed." 1 Peter 3:15-16 The Hope That Is In You It is so sad to be approached by someone who wants to know about God and we have little to say. Imagine someone asking you, "Why should I want to be a Christian?". How would you reply? 1 Peter 3: 15-16 implies that people will see in us a hope in Christ and will want to know why we have it. Do people see hope in you? When the world seems to be falling apart, or we are facing suffering or persecution, what do others see in you? Do they see a calm and quiet hope or do they see someone as fearful and uncertain as they are? We must be ready to give a defense humbly and lovingly, with sanctified hearts. Fear God We should be aware that the Holy Spirit wants to work on us to make us more Christ like, to change us, to sanctify us. We sanctify the Lord in our hearts by being aware of His holiness and our lowliness. The Lord promises us that we will be rivers of living water. The blessings of the Holy Spirit are not just for us, but for those around us. We can't truly defend our faith until we are sanctified. When we fear God, we don't need to fear people or what they think of us. What Has God Done For You? When someone asks us why we have faith, why we have hope, we should be able to look to the events in our own life, the actions of God, to give them an answer. To be able to do this though we need a good conscience. A conscience that tells us we have, and are, seeking to do God's will. Because if that is not the case, as one Bible commentator once said, "Consciousness of impurity of life shuts a man's mouth from defending Christian morality." It can be embarrassing trying to witness to others when they can see the sin in our lives that we have not asked forgiveness for and repented of, so embarrassing that it can "shut a man's mouth". Meekness and Fear When we speak to others about our faith, we should not be boastful or proud. We should speak with meekness and humility of the great blessings that knowing Christ has given us. Our humility comes from knowing that God sent His Son to die for us while we were still sinners. We should have fear of the Lord, awe, respect for His power and authority over us and our lives. Recently, at a state college, a demonstration was held by " Christians ". They were calling on God to send homosexuals a disease. They were saying these things with anger and haughtiness, as if they were no longer in need of forgiveness themselves. This attitude is not of God. Why? Because it was without meekness and fear. Good Conscience When we defend our faith and are persecuted for doing so, if our conscience is good, if we know we have been acting rightly; then, even if we are called evil or accused of wrongdoing, our accusers will be ashamed because they will know in their hearts that it is not true. Our conscience is good when we know that we haven't been offensive to others or to God. When we approach people with gentleness and respect we can be bold and confident in defending our faith. Persecution Because men "call evil good and good evil " there is no doubt that we will be persecuted for believing and speaking the truth. As I Peter 3 goes on to say in verse 16, that if it is the will of God for me to suffer, it would certainly be better if it was for doing good instead of doing evil. Love Over All In 1 Corinthians 13:13 we read that three things always last - faith, hope and love. But of these three things the most important is love. Our faith and our hope are intertwined. One cannot have one without the other, but overarching both of these is love. Our testimony, our defense, must show love or it is no defense. The love that Christ has for us, and the love that we show to others because of this, has to be present. Without love all we are is a " noisy gong or a clanging cymbal ".

Never Forsaken The book of Psalms has a lot to say to us about trusting God. God is our ultimate source of trust. He blesses us when we place our trust in Him. We know He will never let us down. Psalm 9:10 says when we know God, we will trust Him because He has never forsaken those who search for Him. Trust God Not Princes Psalm 118 teaches something very important. In verse 9 it says this, "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes." When times are bad, uncertain or dangerous where do we put our trust? When we trust someone, we believe they have our best interests at heart. We believe they will do what they say they will do. We believe they are honest. We trust in the Lord because He is faithful and true . What He says He will do. We know He loves us with an everlasting love. We don't need to place our trust in governments or kings, but in the One who sent His Son to die for us. We Are Blessed Who Trust God Again, in the Psalm of David chapter 40:4 we read, "Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies." Those in authority over us should be prayed for but they are not the source of our confidence. God is. When we see a prideful person, David says we should not respect that person. When we know someone lies, they are not worthy of our trust. Only our Father is worthy of our trust. When He is our trust, then we are blessed. Trust God When You Are Afraid Psalm 56:3 specifically tells us that when we are afraid, that is when we should place our trust in God. The world fears because they don't trust; or if they do trust it is in things of this world. The world trusts in princes, the prideful and liars. The Psalmist continues and asks, "What can flesh do to me?" Indeed, what can this world do to us when our hope and faith, our trust, is in God! Psalm 112: 7 says that a righteous man won't be afraid of bad news. Why? Because his heart is steadfast in the Lord and He knows God is trustworthy. Trust God and Do Good The Psalms also tell us that while we trust God there is something we must do. Psalm 37:3 says we must do good. This is not a complicated command. It is a choice we make everyday. Trust God and do good. The Psalm continues by saying that our delight should be found in God. How do we do this? By getting to know God and spending time with Him. When we do this, our heart's desires will be God's desires. When we are aligned with Him, then verse 4 says God will give us our heart's desires. Trust God's Lovingkindness In Psalm 143:8, David asks God to make him hear about God's lovingkindness in the morning. Shouldn't we all pray this? How much better would it be to wake with thoughts of God's care and love for us than the worries of the day? In this Psalm, David pleads with God to show him the direction his life should go. He reminds God that he trusts Him completely by lifting up his soul to the Lord. What does it mean to lift up your soul? It means that we are directing our innermost will, as much as we can possibly can, to focus on the glory of God. Trust God to show you His lovingkindness. God Our Refuge and Fortress Psalm 91:2 reminds us, "I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” At the end of this Psalm we are told that God will answer, deliver, satisfy, honor and be with those in trouble who set their hearts on Him. This is why we trust our loving Father. He is a refuge in times of trouble and he is a fortress that will protect us. Trust God At All Times Psalm 62:8 says that God should be trusted at all times. We can pour out our hearts to Him. Don't you often long for someone to whom you can tell anything. Someone to whom you can share your innermost feelings and know they won't be used against your somehow? God is that trusted refuge that we can run to and share our heart. Trusting His plan for our lives can bring us peace. Trust the whole Bible , which is God's word to us, to bring you comfort your darkest times. Surrounded By Unfailing Love Psalm 32:10 makes a promise, "Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him." Don't we want God's unfailing love to surround us? If you do, trust Him! Trust God and Be Blessed

What Does It Mean to Delight in the Lord? What do you delight in? The Bible uses the phrase, " delight in the Lord ." This isn't something we say much anymore so, what does it mean to "delight in the Lord"? When we delight in something it brings us great pleasure, joy, or satisfaction. In the modern world we often look at the rich and powerful and find our delight in them. We see them as successful, which they are as far as the world views success. We see they have influence. We often model ourselves after them as much as possible. But do we delight in God? Where We Misplace Our Delight We may spend time finding out about the people we admire and "delight" in by reading the latest news online or watching videos. We may see what new things they are into so we can be on trend. We can't wait to hear what new things they have to say or movies they are in or songs they are singing. If we have similar aspirations to theirs, we may see what we need to do or change to follow a path like theirs to success. Delighting in God will lead us down a different path. Delighting in God’s Ways When we delight in God, we will do many of the same things we might do for a famous person in whom we delight. In Psalm 119:35 the psalmist asks God to " make me walk in the path of your commandments for I delight in it. " If God says to do something the psalmist is intent on doing it because God is his great pleasure and joy. Because we have a natural tendency to be sinful and go astray, the psalmist recognizes his need for God's help. Turning Our Hearts Toward God In Psalm 119:36-37 he continues and asks God to " incline his heart " not to " covetousness " and " worthless things " but towards God's holy ways. He wants to have a heart for God, not for money or power or pleasure. He knows that God will help him do this when he is sincere in his request. He wants God to " turn away " his eyes. Looking on sin often makes us more easily desire it. We have a choice what we look at. Being reminded of God and His presence should make us desire to turn away from looking at temptation or sin. Think of an alcoholic seeing a friend with a drink or a married man stumbling on pornography online. God please turn away our eyes. To live a righteous life in Psalm 119:40, he says he has " longed for His precepts ". This means his desire is to obey the commandments of God or His instructions for conducting a righteous life. Just as Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:6 there are those who " hunger and thirst after righteousness ." They will be filled and blessed with a desire for holiness and justice. The psalmist asks God to " quicken me in Your righteousness ", in other words make me alive in You, Oh God. Because this is the only place there is true righteousness. This Delight in the Lord Devotional reminds us that true joy and satisfaction come only from walking closely with God. When we delight in Him, He shapes our desires to align with His will, filling our hearts with peace and purpose. The Blessings of Trusting and Delighting in God There are rewards for delighting in the Lord. Psalm 37:4 tells us, "Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." So you may be thinking, "All right! I want a new house, a great spouse, a new car, and a great vacation, Lord. You said you would give me the desires of my heart." But didn't we just read in Psalm 119 a prayer to incline our hearts from covetousness, which is an excessive desire for worldly possessions? You see when we truly and totally delight in the Lord the desires of our heart will be spiritual ones. We will desire to know Him better, to be more obedient to His will, and to be content with what we have. Psalm 37:5 promises that when we are committed and trusting in the Lord, He will act on our behalf to give us our desires. Those desires are not the same as worldly wants. In the world however, reality often shows that the most powerful and successful people are also evil. They have gotten to their position by unscrupulous means. They have used and abused those around them, especially the poor and unimportant people in their eyes. Psalm 37:16 explains that though the righteous may have very little, what they have is better than the wealth that many wicked people have. This Psalm explains the wicked will be judged for their ways but Psalm 37:17 says the righteous will be upheld by the Lord. They may stumble we are told, but they will not fall (Psalm 37:24). Psalm 37:18-20 tells us the inheritance of the blameless will last forever, but the wicked will perish, be consumed, and go up in smoke. Those whom God curses will be destroyed (Psalm 37:22). But for those who delight in Him, He will provide security and guidance (Psalm 37:24). David relates in Psalm 37:25 that, though he is an old man at the time of this writing, he has never seen the children of a righteous person have to beg for food. Although this may not be your experience, it is generally true that those who delight in the Lord tend to be wiser in their financial decisions, harder working, and less prone to purchasing frivolous things that waste their money. David's observations are more of a principle than a promise. Psalm 37:26 says that the one who is righteous is generous and gives freely to those in need. Generosity flows naturally from a person who delights in the Lord. They have been blessed by their Father, not necessarily with money, but with grace and are willing to give to others as He has commanded them to do. He says their children will be blessed by God. The friend of the father is the friend of the family. The God of Abraham is the God of Isaac and of Jacob. As David continues his psalm he tells us to depart from evil, do good, and wait on the Lord. Before we rely on ourselves to make decisions, we patiently wait on God to act in his perfect timing and fulfill his promises for us. We know God has a plan for us and it is good. We rely on God. Our future is peace, he tells us, and our salvation comes from the Lord alone. He is our strength and our deliverer because we can trust in Him. David wasn’t the only one to speak about delighting in the Lord; the theme continues in Psalm 112. Again and again we read about the blessings of delighting in God. Psalm 112:1 says, "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, Who delights greatly in His commandments." We don't fear God like a slave with a tyrannical master would, but like an obedient child toward a gracious and kind father. We reverence Him and don't want to offend Him. Yes, it really is possible to find happiness in being obedient to His commands. Only someone who is cheerfully obedient is truly obedient. If we only obey out of obligation or fear of discipline then it is obedience that lacks faith. And how can we obey if we don't know what His will is? We must study and work diligently to be approved (2 Timothy 2:15). Generations Blessed by Righteous Living We are reminded again that the " generation of the upright shall be blessed " (Psalm 112:2). Barnes Notes on the Bible says this, "The best security for the virtue and success of children is the virtue and the piety of parents; the surest inheritance as pertaining to happiness, respectability, and usefulness in life, is that which is derived from the example, the prayers, the counsel of a pious father and mother." This is something modern society seems to have sadly forgotten. Children model their parents. A pious parent is one who models reverence and obedience to God. To have the blessings of a " pious father and mother " helps our children live the happy and productive life of a faithful Christian. This is true success! Psalm 112 continues to describe this righteous person as gracious and compassionate (Psalm 112:4). He will be someone who is unafraid of bad news (Psalm 112:7). His heart is said to be steadfast and established (Psalm 112:7-8). He gives generously to the poor (Psalm 112:9). Such a person is not thinking about the worthless things we read about above. They are living with trust in God and delighting in Him. Think about your everyday life. How much time do we spend reading and watching things about the rich and famous that could be spent studying God's word and trying to be obedient to Him? How much time do we spend coveting what others have, wanting things we don't need and longing to be like people who are anything but a role model? Because the days are evil Paul tells us we need to be making the most of the time we have (Ephesians 5:16). Choosing the Path of Eternal Delight As this Delight in the Lord Devotional draws to a close, let’s remember delighting in God is more than a feeling. It’s a daily choice to seek His presence, obey His Word, and trust His ways. Our lives could be blessed if we turned around and looked at the other path. The one God wants to lead us down. That is a path with eternal blessings and eternal joy, not just momentary happiness that never brings us to a fulfilled life. Jesus offers us that life. Let's ask Him to help us find it.

How God Gets Our Attention We all have different stories about how we came to Christ. When we look closely, those stories reveal something beautiful about how the Holy Spirit draws people to Jesus. For some of us, we can barely remember a time when we weren't faithful followers of Jesus. For others it was only after a long and painful process of God getting our attention. "God draws each of us to Himself in ways perfectly suited to our hearts, but His call is never without sacrifice; it confronts, transforms, and demands a response." As Jesus said, “ No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him ” (John 6:44). What draws people to Jesus? Churches rightly focus on love, but sometimes it is to the exclusion of almost everything else. Certainly, God is love and Jesus does love us, but does the Holy Spirit use different means to bring us to Jesus? Absolutely He does, and some may be quite surprising. While love is central to the Gospel, it is not the only way God awakens a heart. What is Conversion? First let's talk about what conversion is not. It is not simply an agreement that God exists, it is not a detailed knowledge of theology, it is not becoming a nice person, and it is not necessarily a deeply emotional moment in time. What conversion is, is a change of heart. It is repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. The Lord looks at the heart because that is where true worship comes from. Our heart is changed so deeply that it changes our entire life and way of thinking. We become sorrowful over our sin. Not because we know sin produces unpleasant consequences but because sin hurts the heart of God. Sin sent His Son to the cross. We love others because He loved us. We see ourselves growing, perhaps slowly, to become more like Him. Our motivations change. Our desires become His desires. Because He knows us so well He knows what we will respond to. His Spirit faithfully draws and calls us to Him in all manner of ways, and we are free to respond. Something that might make another person flee from Him will cause another to desire Him. How was your call? That nudging of the Holy Spirit can begin in many ordinary ways. Perhaps you remembered an old familiar hymn from childhood that suddenly spoke to you like it never had before. Or you looked at a sunset one day and for the first time saw God's hand at work and knew He could work in your heart as well. Maybe you were on the streets, alone, strung out and at the very end of your rope, when a caring person reached out a hand to help and shared God. Each of us makes our way to the Gospel when we accept Jesus, but we don't all arrive at the foot of the cross the same way. Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:38-39 When the Call Is Confrontational For Paul, his conversion was quite different from the loving, sort of gentle Jesus. This Jesus knocked him to the ground and plainly spoke to him, " Saul, Saul why do you persecute me? " Only after this encounter did Paul realize God's love for him. The Holy Spirit knew the type of call that Paul needed to reach his rebellious heart. I believe that many people need to hear what I would call the plain truth of the Gospel. A.W. Tozer once wrote, “Christ calls men to carry a cross; we call them to have fun in His name.” In some of our churches today, the call can seem too easy, with little discussion about the change the power of the Holy Spirit should bring to our lives. The Gospel does not flatter us; it confronts us. It does not merely comfort; it calls us to repentance and surrender. Jesus tells us to " count the cost " when we follow Him because there will be one (Luke 14:28-33). Sometimes God even uses suffering and persecution to change hearts and draw people to Himself. When Suffering Becomes the Seed There is an expression you may have heard, "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." This is a quote from Tertullian in about 197 A.D. What Tertullian was saying is that the death and persecution of Christians led to conversions. The idea comes from John 12:24 where Jesus says, "Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds". Because persecution often causes the church to go underground, it spreads and springs up in new places. Also, when people see Christians facing torture and death with peace, rejoicing in their Savior, it drives people to want to know what these Christians have that they do not. Growth in the church almost always follows persecution, from the first century to today. Surprisingly, some people have even experienced hearing the voice of the Lord speaking to them. A Voice in the Garden The life of the great St. Augustine is another unusual story of conversion. He was 40 years old and had lived a life of worldly pleasures with women and wine. One day as he sat outside in the garden he noticed a Bible lying next to him. He later said he heard a voice saying, "Take up and read," which he believed was from God. Thus began a transformation that would impact the lives of millions. Questions That Would Not Go Away In modern times we read the story of Rosaria Butterfield . To quote her, "As a leftist lesbian professor, I despised Christians. Then I somehow became one." After she published an article attacking the faith, she received a reply from a pastor that wasn't hate mail, nor did it really try to defend the faith. Instead, he asked questions that made her think. She threw the letter away but retrieved it because she couldn't stop thinking about the questions it asked. Eventually she became friends with the pastor and opened her heart to Jesus. Now she is a wife and mother, having left her lesbian lifestyle behind. She travels the country speaking about this Jesus who transformed her life forever. Dreams in the Darkest Places Perhaps some of the most unusual conversion stories occurring worldwide are those of Muslims coming to Christ through dreams. Out of 600 Muslim converts, 25 percent experienced a dream that led to their conversion, according to Mission Frontiers magazine. There are thousands of these stories. Some may question their validity, but in many of these countries Christianity is banned or it is difficult to hear the Gospel. The Holy Spirit works how He will to bring people to Christ. We know faith comes by hearing the Word (Romans 10:17). These dreams commonly lead people to seek out the Gospel and many experience legitimate conversion by faith and repentance. I am reminded of Acts 2:17, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams." The Gospels have several examples of God speaking to people in dreams or visions; among them are Mary and Joseph and Pilate's wife in the Gospels, and Cornelius and Stephen in the book of Acts. One modern story is the following. An Afghan Muslim woman, living in Greece, saw a bright white light in her dream and heard these words, “My daughter, my daughter, the door is open for you. Come!” She replied, “The door is closed!” Again the voice called to her, “I am the Son of God, Jesus. The door is open for you, my daughter. I am the door!” After telling the pastor who had urged her to pray for God to speak to her, she realized that Jesus was truly alive. She shared Bibles from the pastor with her friends and insisted they read it. She wanted to share the peace and joy she had found for herself in following Jesus . How the Holy Spirit Draws People to Christ Regardless of how the Holy Spirit, moves people to come to Jesus, He certainly knows and uses the most effective tools. Perhaps it was a gentle Sunday School teacher when you were a child, devout parents, or a rousing revival service where you felt His call on your life. Or maybe it was a more unusual way, through dreams, visions, a voice, or seeing persecution. The church should be aware that all of us are not called in the same way. How did you become a Christian? Do you have a unique story? Our God knew us before we were born and loved us while we were still sinners so much that Christ died for us. When we reflect on our own story, we begin to see how the Holy Spirit draws people to Christ in ways perfectly suited to each heart. Who has a story as incredible and beautiful as that?

Imagine attending a sermon that begins with the statement, "To follow Jesus means you have to take a lethal injection." This shocking imagery serves to illustrate a profound truth. When Jesus said, " Take up your cross and follow Me, "(Matthew 16:24) He didn't mean that you should bear the burdens of life until He calls you home. His audience would have known that the cross was a method of execution, just like a lethal injection would be today. What He meant is that you must metaphorically die. Dying To Self So why would Jesus use such gruesome imagery to describe being His follower? Because in a very real sense following Jesus meant dying. Sometimes we are called to literally die for Him, but always we are called to die to self. Jesus said that the follower who was unwilling to bear his cross for Him couldn't even be His disciple (Luke 14:27). What happens when you die to self? When we become Christians, the old self dies and the new man is born. Crucified With Christ Paul said that he had been crucified with Christ, and it was Christ who was actually alive in him. Paul went so far as to say that he actually no longer lived! In Galatians 5:24 Paul says that our sinful nature has been crucified. We can't live half way in the our old life and halfway in our new one. We can't be half alive and half dead. We truly are required to live a life fully committed to being obedient to Jesus. No Longer Sin's Slave Again in Romans 6:7, Paul reminds us that we were crucified with Christ so that we would no longer be slaves of sin. If we have died with Him, then we have been freed from the power that sin had over our lives. As a slave to sin we did as our master, the Devil, commanded us. It was he who ruled our lives. It was he who told us that happiness could only come from doing what we wanted to do, no matter what that was. Satan wants to keep you enslaved. He wants you to doubt God's promises. He wants you to feel powerless to keep from sinning. Mighty In God Without God's Holy Spirit living in us we would be too weak to resist the Devil, but when God lives in us it is His power that will fight the battle against sin. John 15:5 reminds us that apart from God we can't do anything. A Christian who has died to self is incapable of doing anything without God. That Christian is dead to the old life, but renewed by Jesus into a meaningful, purposeful life with Him. To fight the battle against sin we need all the weapons that our Lord provides us. We need His truth, His word, and His salvation. We need faith, righteousness and prayer (Ephesians 6). In Ephesians 6:13, we are told to use the " whole armor of God ", not just some of it. Each piece plays a crucial role in fighting our battle against sin. Our weapons are " mighty in God " according to 2 Corinthians 10:3-4. Dying To Self - Living For Others John 10:10 tells us that Jesus gives us life, His life, and when we have His life that is when we truly live. We are commanded to love God and others above all. We aren't commanded to love ourselves, contrary to what some popular television evangelists might have us think. As we become less like ourselves and more like Christ, as we die to self daily, then we will find it easier to live for others and serve them just as He did. This is what taking up our cross really means. As Somesh Ambhore once said, " So life is not about us becoming all that we can be, but it is about Christ being all that He already is in and through us. " Take Up Your Cross When we fail to take up our cross, we fail to love God as should. We fail to love others as we were meant to. We choose sin instead of God. We choose lies instead of truth. We choose doubt instead of faith. We have to take up our cross daily by serving God as He has asked us to and by serving others. We should no longer try to control our lives but willingly give that control to God. Just as Jesus was the obedient Son, even to death on a cross, so we are also called to be obedient. If we could just understand that to die to self means that we really haven't given up anything, except sin and death, but we are gaining more than we can even imagine (1 Corinthians 2:9). 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us that we are a new creature, the old one is gone and all things are new. This new creature wants to do God's will and with God's help he will be able to, maybe not every time, but the will of God will gradually become the only desire of your heart. Hope In Christ Our hope is never in ourselves but it is always in Christ. Galatians 2:20 says that the life we live now is lived by faith in the Son of God. Without Christ there is no pleasing God. Paul reminds us in Romans 12:12 that we should, " Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. " Are You Dying Daily? By dying on the cross and rising again Jesus conquered sin for us. By sending His Holy Spirit to live in us, He gives us the ability to conquer the sin that is present in our lives. Are you dying to self daily? Ask yourself these questions: Do I worry about myself first before I try to be obedient to God? Do I fear stepping out of my comfort zone and daring to serve as He served? Do I worry about what others will think if I am truly obedient to God? Do you worry about losing your friends if they see you dying to self? Do I look back on the old days, the old life, and miss them? In conclusion, we need to focus less on ourselves and more on pleasing God. By doing so, we can agree with Paul's declaration, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21

Each of us is one day closer to eternity when the sun rises in the morning. Our old lives, the ones before we became a Christian, recede further and further into the rear view mirror of our lives. Those old dark days don't define us anymore. That doesn't mean they don't cause trouble for us now and then. We walk each day realizing that the darkness we came from can creep back in if we aren't careful. The battle between darkness and light is ongoing, and Scripture calls us to put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12-14). How do we cast off the works of darkness and walk in the light of Christ daily? Let’s explore what Paul teaches about spiritual warfare, Christian transformation, and living in the light. "The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." Romans 13: 12-14 The Day Is At Hand This passage from Romans 13:12-14 reminds us of the urgency of our spiritual journey. We are called to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, preparing for the day that is at hand. How do we do this? By walking in the light of Christ and making no provision for the flesh. Romans 13:12 begins by saying, " The night is far spent, the day is at hand: ". This phrase can be either speaking of our growing nearer to death, or it may be referring to the return of the Lord, because " the day ", is often spoken of as " the Day of the Lord " (2 Thessalonians 2:2). In either case, we understand this to mean that our time of joining the Lord is sooner rather than later. Because of this the time is short. It is time to be awake and we have work to do. Now is the time to be warriors for God. Cast Off Darkness Paul continues and says, " Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness ". We are to cast off the works of darkness like old clothes. Those works of darkness we used to participate in need to be thrown off without delay. Just as in today's society, the Roman Christians lived in a pagan, godless culture. The converts to Christianity in the Roman church may have found it difficult to completely separate from that culture, just as Christians today do. Paul goes on to say, " let us put on the armor of light ". The new creation that we have become needs new clothing - an armor of light. It takes light to fight darkness. Jesus shines light in the darkness. Armor Of Light In the day time we fight as warriors of light. Armed, yes, with truth. This is not the wimpy idea that somehow we just magically become sanctified and holy when we receive the Holy Spirit. Truly without Christ we can do nothing. It is His light that we put on, His light that is our armor against the forces of Satan. Fighting with courage, respect, loyalty, competence, obedience and effort was required of Roman soldiers (according to Cairn International ). Christians must show the same virtues. We are no match for the darkness without our armor. It is a life's struggle to become holy, to become like Christ. In Ephesians 6: 10-18, Paul describes in detail the whole armor of God. Paul also reminds us in I Thessalonians 5: 5-8, that as Christians we are sons of light and sons of the day. We no longer belong to darkness or night. He says that we should not sleep but be soberly watchful. He says that as sober people of the day we should be " putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation." This is our armor of light. Walk Properly Now that we have our armor, we can walk in the light as we should. In Romans 13:13, Paul says, " Let us walk properly as in the day; ". At night, in darkness, is where much evil is done. In the daytime, in the light, we know others see us. People can see who we really are. Paul wants us, at all times, to live as if we were in the light of day. And notice that we are not sitting still. Paul calls us to walk. When we walk about, we are doing work, not lying around uselessly. Don't Live In These Things Paul lists six things that we should not be living in: revelry and drunkenness, lewdness and lust, and strife and envying. The ISV translation translates the list like this: wild parties, drunkenness, sexual immorality, promiscuity, quarreling, or jealousy! These are words we are more familiar with. As a Christian are some of us still getting drunk at parties, engaging in sex with whoever, getting in fights, or jealous or envious of what others have? Paul says this should no longer be happening. What should we do? Put On Christ In Romans 13:14 Paul tells us what we should do. " But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, ". This means, quite literally, to wear Christ as one would wear a suit of clothes. We are to put on the new man (Ephesians 4:24). It is He who will be our garment eternally. Greek writers would sometimes use the expression to "put on" someone, meaning to copy their example, to strive in all ways to be like them, to use them as your instructor. So in this case we are to imitate Jesus, obey Him and learn from Him. His characteristics need to become ours. No Provisions For The Flesh Then Paul says to, " make no provision for the flesh, ". In this verse, the word provision means the act of preparing for future needs. We are not supposed to make provision for our flesh, our sinful desires. Our fleshly desires are to be denied. We aren't supposed to do anything that would help us, or prepare us, to sin. For example, if drinking is a problem for you, don't go to drinking parties. If sex is a problem for you, don't plan a romantic night alone at your apartment with your boyfriend or girlfriend. Our provision comes from God. He provides for our real needs. He provides our armor to fight our battles. Lust Of The Flesh Paul concludes this verse by saying, " to fulfill the lusts thereof ." Roman society focused on gratifying the sins of the flesh. In Roman society they lived by the same motto many do today, "If it feels good do it." Christians are supposed to be a separate people. We are supposed to understand what it really means to love someone and that doesn't mean to use them for sexual gratification. Galatians 5:16 reminds us that if we walk in the Spirit we won't " fulfill the lust of the flesh ". Temptation Can Affect Anyone Paul's warnings were to us all. No matter how 'good' a Christian you are, no matter how sanctified you may have become, no matter how Christlike, we must always remain vigilant against temptation. Just look at some of the prominent Christian preachers who have fallen to temptations that have destroyed their lives and their ministries. We Must Fight So Paul is saying the struggle is real. Being a Christian isn't easy. But God in His mercy has given us an " armor of light " to fight the battle with. We can't fight our battles by being complacent, or lazy, or expecting God to just fill us with holiness while we do nothing. The ancient church father, Augustine, was moved by this passage. He realized that he could live a different, separate life from the world, but only with God's help. But to do that also required something of him. He had to fight. Today we also have to be diligent Christians who put on the " whole armor of God ". We have a job to do and the day is at hand!

Small beginnings don't mean small endings. A favorite story of mine is the feeding of the 5,000 miracle (John 6:8-11). This miracle is found in all four gospels; it is of such great importance. The Boy with Barley Loaves: Faith in Action A young boy had come to listen to the new teacher, Jesus, preach. The thronging crowd was hungry. He happened to be there with his basket that contained five barley loaves and two fish. This was probably enough to feed his family, but certainly not 5,000 people. The disciples brought the small amount of food to the Lord who blessed it. They then distributed and fed everyone. They even had leftovers! His small offering was turned into a miraculous meal for thousands. In our lives today our small beginnings can have huge outcomes if the Lord has His hand in it. What the Kingdom of God Is Like: Parables of Growth The Lord shares two parables in Luke 13:18-21 in which He explains what the Kingdom of God is like. From the humble beginnings of a tiny mustard seed, a large tree develops; so large, birds nest amongst its branches. Jesus gives another example in the Parable of the Yeast (Leaven). Both the mustard seed and yeast demonstrate how small, humble beginnings can lead to extraordinary outcomes when God is at work. Yeast changes dough. Without yeast bread doesn't rise much. It is more like a flat cracker. But with a little yeast added to the dough we can have a large loaf of tasty bread. Yeast appears insignificant when first added to dough, as does the tiny mustard seed when it is planted, and yet both grow and become something useful and quite magnificent. Small Beginnings, Big Impact: Luke 13: 18-21 The kingdom of God is this way. The church began in an insignificant Roman province of Judea. Its founder was an itinerant preacher who was deemed a criminal and executed. And yet, from the people in the Upper Room in Acts 1:13, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the gospel message of Jesus and His death and resurrection for our sins has spread throughout the world. These small beginnings made a big impact as Jesus explains in the parables of Luke 13:18-21. Encouragement in Trials: Eternal Glory Awaits We may not always see the impact we make. We may sometimes feel like we do very little for the Lord, but we can't let ourselves get discouraged. Our encouragement comes from keeping eternity in our minds and hearts. 2 Corinthians 4:17 tells us that we may have " light and momentary troubles," but they are achieving an eternal glory that is so much more important. Psalm 126:5 echoes this when it says, "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy." The Power of the Holy Spirit: Transforming Lives And in 1 Corinthians 15:32-44, Paul describes the resurrection of the body: sown perishable/raised imperishable; sown in dishonor/raised in glory; and sown in weakness/raised in power; from something unimportant to something of supreme importance—all of this by the power of the Holy Spirit. Those disciples in the Upper Room were afraid. They were few in number, weak, unsure of the future. They had no real power until that moment when the Holy Spirit fell on them. The Holy Spirit enabled Peter to preach to a crowd of thousands and see 3,000 come to faith in Christ. The unimportant fisherman became the tool that the Lord used to build His church. Growing in Grace: A Lifelong Journey of Faith When we first become Christians, we may believe that we have great faith and courage, and indeed, maybe some do, but for most of us we are but babes in the Lord. We understand little, like a child learning to speak or someone learning a new language. We are learning the ways of the Lord. We are learning to trust Him. Our faith grows, our courage grows, our understanding of God grows over time. As 2 Peter 3:18 says, "But continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." From a small thing, over time we become filled with the knowledge and power of the Lord, like the seed that becomes a tree or the small lump of dough that becomes a large loaf of bread. The Mustard Seed and the Birds: Resting in God’s Protection In this parable, the mustard seed grows into a tree where birds lodge. The birds most probably represent the people of God—those who have believed in Him. They don't just take a rest on a branch of the tree but they lodge there. They build their homes there in the tree. They feel safe enough to want to stay. The tree protects them. Our Savior is our safe place where we also want to stay. He is our home where we rest in His arms of protection. The prophet Ezekiel tells us, "On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches" Ezekiel 17:23. This scripture is often interpreted as a prophecy of the coming Messiah. Being Salt, Light, and Yeast: Transforming the World Where the parable of the mustard seed was mainly talking about the missionary growth of the church, the Parable of the Yeast refers also to the effect the church has on the world. We are the salt and light. We are agents of change in the world. We are the ones whose task it is to spread the love of Christ to all. When we do this, the world changes. The more light there is, the less dark there will be. The more love there is, the less hate there will be. The more God that we show, the less Satan will be seen. Although Christians may be few in number, our effect on the world should be disproportionately large. Just as yeast comes into contact with all parts of the dough, causing it to rise and grow in size, so we are to cause change when we come into contact with the world. They should see Jesus in us. Will they always? No, sadly probably not. However, if the overall experience others have with us leads them to say, " I want what they have ," then our effect will be like the yeast in the dough. Like the words of a recent hymn, "I just want to speak the name of Jesus, over every heart and every mind." (1) Do we really want to do this or do we just say we do? Faith in Action: Living Out the Gospel As a church, we spread the gospel of Christ because this is what He told us to do. But also, very importantly, we live out our faith in action. The book of James makes this very clear. In James 2:17 he says, " Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. " Is our faith dead or alive? As Christians, we are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, take in the stranger, and visit those in prison (Matthew 25:35-45). This is us, as yeast, acting on the world. Through our small actions, individually and together, we will show people the love of Christ and change the world. We don't just convert the hungry and then leave them starving—we feed them. We don't just speak Jesus to the sick—we provide medical services or show them we care by being there for them in their suffering. We tell the homeless about Jesus—but then help them find shelter. We aren't just talk; we act! Patience in God's Timing: Trusting the Process When yeast is mixed with dough, you can no longer see it. It all seems to be the same. And yet, the yeast is what causes the mixture to rise, change, and become a loaf of delicious bread. When the yeast is added, change is happening whether you can see it or not. Eventually, you will see it. Faith, time, and patience are required. Don't give up on your work as a Christian. Be a diligent Christian —one who recognizes that, in God's time and through God's power, not our own, this world, in the end, will, with one voice acknowledge that Jesus is Lord of all. (1) I Speak Jesus by Charity Gayle. Listen to it here .

What if the lack of peace in your life is not random, but resistance? When Jesus confronted Saul on the road to Damascus, He asked a piercing question: “ Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Then He added something unexpected: “It is hard for you to kick against the goads ” (Acts 26:14). Jesus was showing Saul that the unrest within him was not righteousness, but resistance. Resisting God damages our own peace. And often, the struggle we feel is the result of pushing back against the very One who is calling us to Himself. Kicking Against The Goads You and I might be puzzled by the expression our Lord uses when He says, " It is hard for you to kick against the goads. " The word goad is sometimes translated "pricks". The meaning of this phrase was well known to the people of the time. A goad was a tool, much like a cattle prod, that was used to keep oxen in line. Sometimes when the oxen would protest against the goad they would kick. In kicking they only made the pain worse. So what is Jesus actually saying to Saul (Paul)? Saul Persecutes Christians God knew from the moment of Saul's birth that he would become Paul, the great missionary for Christ to the gentiles (non-Jewish people). Saul had been raised as a devout Jew. Well educated, he thought by persecuting Christians he was being faithful to God. But Jesus lets him know that by persecuting Christians he is really persecuting Jesus Himself. At this point in Saul's life he has confidence in his own ability to keep the law and be righteous (Philippians 3: 4-6). Later, Saul will know that only the righteousness of Christ will save him. Apparently, God had been at work in Saul's heart for some time. The goads Jesus referred to had been working on Saul. He had seen Christians, like Stephen, accept their deaths with calmness and peace. Participating in the deaths of Christians like Stephen probably made him feel powerful but instead he was powerless to stop the growth of Christianity. He was powerless to defy, successfully, the will of God. What Were The Goads? The 'goads' were the unrest and conflicting emotions that Saul knew when he persecuted Christians. The contrast between their peace and his inner turmoil must have been stark. Where was Saul's peace? In Acts 9:1(b) we are told that Saul was threatening the disciples of the Lord to the point of murder. Saul thought he was behaving righteously but something in his spirit, those goads, were trying to help him see another way. They were pointing him in the direction they wanted him to go; to a meeting with Christ Himself on the road to Damascus. How about you and I? Do we ever " kick against the goads "? I know many people who grew up as Christians, abandoned their faith and then after many years of misery and unhappiness, returned to their Savior. What goads had they experienced? Failing to find peace , true joy, or meaning in their lives, they remembered back to their faith in Christ and returned to find their hope. Jesus Calls Saul and Us Just as Saul was addressed by name by Jesus on the road to Damascus, so today He addresses each of us by name. He knows us. He knows our destiny. He knows what our lives can become if they are grounded in faith in Him. The promises of Christ, the love of Christ is not just some vague nicety that is for everyone, no, it is specifically for YOU. Jesus Asks Why? What does Jesus say next? He asks Saul a simple question, " Why? " Why Saul do you persecute me? To this question, Saul had no reply. What could he say? This Christ who Saul thought was moldering in a tomb was now revealed to him plainly as the Son of God who was and is and is to come. What do we say to Jesus when He asks us this question? "Why" do we live our lives without Him? Why do we hate the light and love the dark? What does it gain us? It's Hard To Kick Against The Goads And finally Jesus makes a statement of fact, " It is hard to kick against the goads. " It is certainly a futile life that is lived in opposition to the will of God. Our sins have consequences, often heavy ones. We only harm ourselves when we go against the will of God. Haven't you heard that inner voice saying, "Don't do it?" Yet, after having done it anyway, knowing the haunting feelings of remorse. There is another metaphor the Lord uses about oxen, that Jesus's yoke is easy and His burden is light. In Him we find our rest. Our Joy Is Christ Pastor Charles Stanley had this to say about Paul, “ he [Paul] was unworthy of salvation and undeserving of mercy or favor (1 Timothy 1:15-16). It was gratitude for salvation that fueled his devotion and dedication to the cause of Christ." After Saul becomes Paul, he goes on to be a great ambassador for Christ. Ultimately Paul's joy and ours is found in Christ. Or are you still " kicking against the goads? "

What We Must Do First The Lord requires things of us. His blessings are promised many times but often we must do something first. Do you want your joy to be made full? Do you want God to draw close to you? Do you want the desires of your heart? Do you want God to direct your paths? Only He shall sustain thee is what Scripture promises. Of course we all say we want these things, but first what do we have to do? Ask. Draw close to God. Delight in the Lord. Acknowledge Him. We like to focus on the wonderful promises God has made for us without acknowledging that we must do something first. While God’s promises are waiting for us, they remain inaccessible unless we choose to obey and seek Him. We need to live a life of expectancy, a life expecting the blessings of God, which only comes through obedience. We live a life of hope because our God has promised us His favor. Scripture consistently shows us the actions we must take to unlock God’s promises. Scripture Promises In the following Scripture passages, we read about just some of the wonderful promises God has made to us. He is faithful and true in all He says and does. We can rely on Him! Matthew 7:7 tells us if we knock, ask, and seek, then things will be opened, given to us, and we will find what we are looking for. Have we prayed persistently? Consider praying with others, fasting, and believing that God will do what He has promised. Do you want to be full of joy then ask God and you will receive it(John 16:24). This isn't talking about possessions, this is spiritual fulfillment God wants to give us. Have we sought God's will? Don't give into the devil. Fight against him, resist him, and he will run from you (James 4:7). Have we resisted the devil? Jesus did that by quoting scripture. Everyone says they want to be closer to God. His promise is that if you get closer to Him, then He will get closer to you (James 4:8). Have we tried to grow closer to God through Bible study and praying the will of God ? Tell God your sins. Yes, He already knows them but He wants you to acknowledge them to Him. If we do this, because He is faithful and just, He will forgive us and cleanse us (1 John 1:9). Have we consistently confessed our sins? Not just some vague, "I am sorry, God," but specifically with the intention to not do them again? God should bring us delight. He promises to give us our heart's desires when we do (Psalm 37:4). “ Delight yourself in the Lord ” doesn’t mean God hands over whatever desires we already have. It means as we delight in Him, He shapes our desires to match His heart. Do we delight in God or do we feel like we must do our duty? Is He our joy or are we growing weary of God ? God will stand by us with justice and our righteousness will shine before man when we trust Him and commit ourselves to His ways (Psalm 37: 5-6). Are we truly committed to Him, trusting in Him for our needs? When we patiently wait on the Lord and walk in His ways, then the Psalmist says we will be exalted by Him and we will have our inheritance (Psalm 37:34). Have we been patient, and while we wait, have we been obedient ? We always ask ourselves, "I wonder what God wants me to do. If only He would tell me." According to Proverbs 3:6, if we acknowledge Him for who He really is, then it is He who will direct us in the way He wants us to go (Proverbs 3:6). " Acknowledge Him ” means recognizing Him in all our ways. We should submit our plans to Him, not merely mentally acknowledging our dependence on Him. “ He will make straight your paths ” means He will direct and smooth the way in alignment with His wisdom, not necessarily make life easy. Have we acknowledged our need for God in every plan we make? The plans we should make will be clear to us, if our actions are committed to God (Proverbs 16:3). “ Established ” does not always mean “made successful” in worldly terms. It means made firm, ordered, or aligned under His sovereignty. Have we committed ourselves to the Lord fully and tried to understand the plans He would have us make? It is God who will lift us up and sustain us when our burdens are placed on Him, according to Psalm 55:22. Have we trusted that He will care for us when our burdens are heavy? Have we laid them at His feet? Do you actively trust God with the desires of your heart? What specific steps are you taking today to draw closer to God? Living in God's Will We often overlook that God's promises are not just guarantees; they are invitations to engage in a deeper relationship with Him. Our faith requires action: obedience, trust, and surrender. While we eagerly await His blessings, we must also align our hearts and actions with His will. This means seeking Him daily, resisting the distractions of the world, and being steadfast in prayer. God’s promises are not passive rewards but active outcomes of a faithful life lived in pursuit of Him. When we draw close to God, He moves closer to us, transforming our lives in ways beyond our understanding. It is through this divine partnership that we experience the fullness of God's abundant blessings . He Shall Sustain Thee Have you experienced this in your life? Do you want to experience more of God's promises? Do we remember to be thankful for all our blessings? Are we obedient? God’s promises are abundant, but they require a heart aligned with His will, a life of expectancy, and active obedience. When we seek Him earnestly, He is faithful to fulfill every promise. He shall sustain thee, because that is His word to us. Praise to the Lord who sustains us! O Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my foes; Make Your way straight before me. Psalm 5:8