Deep Root System

Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. (Matthew 13:5)

• This is The Parable of the Sower.


• The seed is sown. Some fall on stony ground, where there is not much earth. Immediately they spring up. Soon they die in the scorching sun.


• Many people are like that. They receive the gospel quickly. But the message doesn’t take root. When trouble comes, they fall away eventually.


• Many claim to be Christians. They show up for church, and participate in its activities. They are so real and true, sincere and earnest. But time proves them wrong; they are never a genuine believer in the first place. They don’t have any personal relationship with God. They know about God, but never want to submit themselves to Him as their LORD. It is a privilege to know God. But it is also our responsibility to believe in Him.


• Developing a deep root system through compacted soils will ensure our survival and well-being. Developing a personal relationship with God through faith will make us grow stronger and bear much fruit.


• Having a deep root system in God is truly the best thing in life.

God's Gift of Sleep

It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep. (Psalm 127:2)

• Sleep is essential for good health. When we don’t get enough sleep, we put ourselves at risk of premature aging, weight gain, and diseases ranging from colds and flu to cancer.


• What God accomplishes in our bodies while we sleep is nothing short of miraculous. God replenishes our energy, rebuilds and restores our cells, and reorganizes information in our brains.


• There are many reasons for not getting enough sleep. But overwork should not be one of them. Sleep is a gift from God that we should receive with gratitude. If we are not getting enough, we need to find out why. Are we working too hard to earn money to acquire things we don’t need? Are we doing it because we think no one else is capable of doing?


• Sometimes we are tempted to believe that the work we do when we are awake is more important than the work God does while we sleep. It is not good to refuse God’s gift of sleep. God does not want us to be a slave to work. He wants us to enjoy His gift of sleep.


• Do enjoy enough sleep to be fresh everyday. You need enough sleep to have a nice day, to remain active the whole day, and to do work with zeal.

Home in Heaven

In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:2-3)

• Anyone who has been deprived of home will understand the comfort Jesus’ disciples drew from His words when He promised that an eternal home awaited them.


• Then, to make their joy complete, Jesus told them He would prepare and guide them to that home, and He would be there too.


• For Christians, the greatest comfort of this life is: Jesus promised that one day we will go home to be with Him.


• Heavenly Father, we praise You for these words from Jesus that touch the deepest longing in our soul, the hope and comfort of home. We want to be with You. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.


• There is no place like home, especially when home is heaven.

God's Strength in Our Weakness

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

• God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness, says the apostle Paul.


• When we are weak in ourselves, then we are strong in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we see ourselves weak in ourselves, then we go out of ourselves to Christ, and are qualified to receive strength from Him, and experience most of the supplies of divine strength and grace.


• Some of us are able to create an illusion of strength and self-sufficiency. We think we are strong and able to take care of ourselves. But sudden loss of health, employment, or a treasured relationship is a startling reminder of our total dependence on God. Vulnerability is the key to an intimate relationship with God, being able to come to Him with all our insecurities and sin laid bare.


• When we experience the fiery furnace of suffering, whether physical or emotional, whether persecution from without or humiliation from within, God’s loving purpose is to make us pure and strong. God uses testing in our lives to rid us of impurity, and teach us that our strength is in Him and not in self-sufficiency.


• Suffering is the fire that God uses to purify and strengthen us, to make us more usable in God's service and more like Christ.

The Worthless Dust

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7)

• God chose dust as His medium to create Adam. He took the worthless dust and made it into something priceless; He made the first man from the worthless dust. He then used the bone of the first man to make the first woman.


• You, and I, and every other person, are made from the same worthless dust and to the worthless dust we will return. Yet God has made something beautiful from the worthless dust of our lives.


• The fact that God used the worthless dust to create humans should make us think twice before labeling someone as failure, loser, worthless, incompetent, unlovable, stupid, useless, and the likes.


• Remember, any person who may annoy or irritate you, whom you may eagerly want to get rid of, is made by God out of the worthless dust to display His glory.


• Oh Lord, all too often we want to quickly ignore or dismiss difficult people around us. Help us to be open to learn from You through them and to see Your glory.


• Let us be merciful and just to others, since we all come from the same worthless dust. From dust we came, and to dust we will return. Yet God has made something beautiful out of our worthless dust.

Dealing With Difficult People

Now for a time of about forty years He put up with their ways in the wilderness. (Acts 13:18)

• Today let us reflect on how our loving heavenly Father provides for His rebellious children.
  
  
• The Israelites grumbled and rebelled against God throughout the exodus. They constantly murmured and disobeyed Him even though they saw all the miracles. They had crossed the Red Sea and saw the Egyptians drown within it. They had eaten manna, drank water from the rock, and caught the quail God provided. But they never stopped complaining about food and drink all through the exodus.



• God was angry with the Israelites for not trusting Him, and for constantly sinning and rebelling against Him. But He put up with their ways in the wilderness for 40 years. He patiently bore with them. He provided for their needs despite their ungrateful response. He continued to lead them and watched over them. Despite their stubbornness and obstinacy, He treated them with grace and mercy at all times.



• Some people may not react favorably to our efforts to show care and concern. They may grumble and complain against us. When this happens, let us remember that God is patient with us, and He has given us His Spirit to help us respond with love to those who are hard to love or who are ungrateful.



• May God give us patience for anyone in our lives who is difficult to love; may He help us to sweetly bear whatever comes our way; and may He help us patiently endures the wrongs that come from our enemy or friend.



• Oh! It is never easy to deal with a difficult person. But let us be as patient with others as God has been with us.

Struggling With Our Vision

While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)

• Christians who have known the Lord for a long time or who have gone through great trials seem to have a better heavenly vision.

• Their eternal eyesight has gotten better and their close-up earthly vision is diminishing.

• The apostle Paul had that type of eternal vision.

• And he encouraged the church in Corinth with these words: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Cor. 4:17-18).

• Many of us are struggling with our eyesight.

• There is a tension between enjoying all that God has given us in this life, and working hard for the future.

• But seeing God will bring us perfect vision.

• Our life on earth is but a moment compared to eternity. Let us enjoy the time we have been given, and tell others of God’s love and goodness, until that day when we see God.

• Let us keep our eyes fixed on the prize.