The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse passage – Luke 8:1-15 (day three)

“Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.”

What happens when heaven and earth meet? Well, the Bible’s whole content is the exact answer to that question. Journey and suffering and joy and sorrow and redemption and damnation and pain and blood and rescue and loss and wonder. In the course of the Bible’s narrative, priceless treasure is cast aside while empty promises enthrall hearts and minds. The parable of the sower and the seed captures that whole story in a few lines. Don’t be surprised, the Bible instructs us, when people reject God. The witness of scripture is clear: weeds grow; darkness misunderstands; people hide. Seeds fall on stony ground. It happens, and it will happen. But some seeds will germinate. Be ready to respond. Lift up your eyes to the fields ready for harvest.

Re:Verse passage – Luke 8:1-15 (day two)  

“Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.” vs. 11

So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11

Do you do any investing? I confess that this is not an area that I have great knowledge of, but I am grateful for individuals who help me make wise choices. Whether you are investing your finances or into an individual or project one thing that you always hope for is a good Return On Investment. You want to know that your resources have been well spent and that you haven’t squandered your time on something that ultimately won’t bring great yield.

The Kingdom of God does not work in this way. While we are to be good stewards of what the Lord gives us, his Word is a different matter. Our mindset should be to spread the gospel wherever we go, wherever we are, with whomever we meet. We are to be faithful to that call, and then by the miracle of the Holy Spirit, the Word will accomplish what it sets out to do. On that you can be sure. Invest in the Word, invest in people, and let the Lord deal with hearts.

Re:Verse passage – Luke 6:46-49 (day seven)

“…who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock.” vs 48

Have you ever had your foundation repaired on your home? It can be an aggravating experience.  Your house may look beautiful from the outside, but a small shift in the soil can cause extensive damage to the integrity of the home. Even a well laid foundation is susceptible to damage if the ground surrounding the foundation is not properly cared for. Well cultivated grounds reinforce the structure of the foundation.

This is the same for many Christians as well. They laid a great foundation in their younger years, but over time they began to neglect their faith, placing too much trust in their foundation alone. Neglect allows for the ground to shift, and shifting left unattended leaves their faith vulnerable. Heroes of faith are those who continually nurture their theology, thus reinforcing their foundation. What are you doing to cultivate your faith and reinforce your foundation?

Re:Verse passage – Luke 6:46-49 (day six)

 I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. Luke 6:47

Stop for a moment and give these words some thought, “when someone comes to me.” Jesus, the Son of God, creator of the heavens and earth, holy and true, purer than the fiercest fire, God with us, says, “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden.” Come to me.

Who exactly? Any of us and all of us. Not just squeaky clean, lovely kind of people, but the broken, fractured, disfigured-by-sin kind of people. Jesus is eager to receive all, if we would only come to him.

In our world, the more powerful you become the less accessible you become. Not so with Jesus. His invitation to come to him is the very heart of his mission.

Is your life characterized by coming to him? Have you taken his invitation for granted? I know I do from time to time; maybe even last week. And even still, he says come to me.

How about you?

Re:Verse passage – Luke 6:46-49 (day five)  Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like.
Jesus concludes His lengthy sermon with a parable. He brilliantly places humans into 2 groups. Wise builders and foolish builders. Don’t miss what He is teaching. Every person is a builder. To live is to build. And construction happens every day. Each life is a house- values, priorities, character, temperament, perspective, choices, dedication, determination, and decisions.  All of these can be formed and framed by obedience to the Lord as a result of an intimate and vibrant relationship with Him (Lord, Lord). Jesus also teaches not only are we are all builders, but the storms of life hit all of us too- trials, tragedy, temptation. They’re Sudden. Intense. Forceful.
We all will experience and feel the storms. Yet in a life (house) whose foundation is built on the Rock, there is a sense of safety, peace, hope, and strength (during and after the storm).  Takes time and work (like digging)- Listening, Learning, Obeying.   We must build daily and regularly.
Slowly and surely, the house comes together.

Re:Verse passage – Luke 6:46-49 (day four) 

This week’s passage is the final parable in the Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus had preached the lengthy discourse to the Jewish people.  Many of the Jews led very devoted lives.  They loved Jehovah and ordered their lives according to the Mosaic Law.  Jesus made this very clear contrast to a life obedient to God and the life that did not have a foundation built upon Him (Christ).  The interesting element to this story is that the same torrent burst against each house.  It was the house with a strong foundation (Jesus) that stood.  The other house failed.  Until the torrent came, it was not evident which house would weather the storm.

Where is your life founded?  Have you built your life upon the Solid Rock?

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ the solid rock I stand

All other ground is sinking sand.

All other ground is sinking sand.

Re:Verse passage – Luke 6:46-49 (day three)

“The torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”

How does one become a good person? That question has a long pedigree. The Greeks, who knew nothing of Moses, asked it before Christ walked the earth. The addressing of that question, as those same Greeks knew and Jesus repeatedly asserted, requires nothing less than a devotion to the re-ordering of one’s whole life. But that is hard (see Jesus’s words on the narrow way), and the temptation is strong to condense that transformative quest into a multiple-choice exam to which one must give the right answer in order to obtain eternal life. A right answer is what the Pharisees sought, and still their house fell. Right living, on the other hand, is possible only by apprenticing oneself to the Lord Jesus, the sure foundation.

Re:Verse passage – Luke 6:46-49 (day two)  

“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” Vs. 46

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.” Matthew 7:21

Lip service is not heart service. Everyone of us, to some degree or other, finds ourselves in this situation. We give deference to whomever we are speaking with, and then act in a manner that is contrary to those words. It is often easier to just say what people want or like to hear in their presence. To honor them with titles, platitudes, or promises only to do whatever is truly dwelling in our hearts. Jesus, however, doesn’t operate on that level. His concern is for what lies buried in your heart. He is not  convinced by your words. Oftentimes it is easier to say what people want to hear, but if we form that habit with people what does that say about our relationship with Jesus? As James would remind us from our last study; let your yes be yes, and your no be no. You will never have to second guess what your promised if it is always the truth.