Weeds

Luke 13:6-9 NASB

And He  began  telling this parable: "A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any.  And he said to the vineyard-keeper, 'Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?'  And he answered and said to him, 'Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer;  and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.'"

For two years after our house was built we didn't have a lawn. The house ended up costing more than was expected and so we had to save up to complete the work. Last fall we finally planted the lawn.

We fertilized the lawn in the spring and I expected it to take off but it didn't. Instead it barely grew and began to take on this unhealthy looking yellow colour. This became even more obvious when my neighbour fertilized his lawn and there was this stark difference in the colour of our lawns. Added to this problem was we have a small strip of unfinished lawn at the back of our yard near the back fence that is full of weeds. The weeds were spreading out of that area into my sparse, unhealthy, stunted lawn.

Now I know we're supposed to pray for great things like healing for a friend, for God's will in our lives and for the peace of Jeruraslem but sometimes I catch myself praying for trivial things like for God to remove the weeds from my lawn. I'm not talking about dandelions and clover I'm talking about horsetail and thistles and weeds I've never seen before.

The way God answered my prayer was to tell me that the weeds are growing because there is room for them, there's room for them because my lawn isn't growing, my lawn isn't growing because it's not healthy, its unhealthy because its starving.

This made me think about my spiritual life and the question that my pastor asked in a sermon.

"Are you stunted or are you growing?"

This was a really good message for me right now because I was feeling a bit stunted and if I think about the root cause it was that I wasn't reading God's word enough. I was spending too much time doing other things. I'll give you a picture that I shared in Kid's church some years ago. We set up a glass of water in the sink and I let a few drops of food colouring fall into the glass.

Can you imagine what that would look like?

If you want to get that colouring out of the water without dumping the glass of water I am only aware of one way. I was hoping to find a drop of some chemical that would instantly change it clear again but as far as google is aware that chemical doesn't exist.

We put the glass under the faucet and ran clean water into the glass. It takes a lot longer than you might think to change that water to clear again.

The question I have is if I account for the hours in my day and the days in my week how much time do I spend putting things in my heart that are not helpful and how much time do I spend reading God's Word and in prayer?

Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, His good, pleasing and perfect will - Romans 12:2

Guard your heart for it is a wellspring of life.

Veritas

How important is it that we debate some doctrines?

I understand that there are certain essential doctrines such as the Deity of Christ and that the bible is the inspired word of God but what about, for instance, pre-destination and free will?

In my experience a lot of people are willing to vigorously debate these two topics and I wonder if it's fruitful?

I heard about a young girl who goes to a Christian school and one of her teachers was so focused on proving one side or the other of the pre-destination / free will debate that now this young girl has questioned her faith and says she no longer believes. I realize there are a lot more contributing factors to consider but it raises the question.

To what end?

I don't think it's possible to find two Christians who believe exactly the same way about every single topic so that means either we are all wrong about something or we are all wrong about something except for one single Christian who is right about everything. I'm sure we'd all like to believe we are that one perfectly correct individual but I've come to grips with the fact that its not me.

I'm content to know the One who is the Truth and that His Word is Truth.

And that He was crucified for me so that one day I will know just as I am known.

The idea formally known as "love"

Do you know that there is no english word for the idea of love?

Now that might seem like a strange thing to say because I just used an english word there but if I was to use that word in a sentence you would have no idea what I was talking about without reading the context.

For example you might say you love your best friend or your wife or husband or your mobile phone. As an aside, if you do love your mobile phone I would prefer you don't use the word "love" instead say "luv" or simply use a little heart icon that way everyone will know what you are talking about and that you are thirteen years old.

Anyways, that's not the idea I'm talking about, I'm talking about unconditional love. Do you think you love anyone unconditionally? If you said "yes" without much thought I submit you have no idea what I'm talking about.

If the object of your love wronged you, hated you, dreadfully mistreated you and selfishly used you and still you held out your love receiving nothing in return that's what I'm talking about. That's how God loves us.

God doesn't love us more when we feel like we're good or obedient. He doesn't love us less when we've messed up. He loves us exactly the same.

Unconditionally.

In fact "God demonstrates His love for us in this, while we were still sinners Christ died for us". If God has poured out His love in our hearts like that what should we do with it?

Midnight

An elder in our congregation spoke recently on the parable of the ten virgins. I am familiar with the parable so I thought it would be nothing new but he highlighted something I have never noticed before.

I've always noticed the difference between the wise and foolish virgins but I missed what was the same.

Can you guess?

They were all asleep.

Matthew 25:1-13 NIV
"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish and five were wise.

The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.  The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.  The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'  Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.  The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'  'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'  But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

Later the others also came. 'Lord, Lord,' they said, 'open the door for us!'  But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I don't know you.'  Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."

In this time and place, could it be that we are asleep? If so, it doesn't sound like a bad thing as long as we're ready.

What are the jars of oil?... What is the lamp?...  How is it filled?... And what is trimmed away?...

True forgiveness

Why didn't Jonah want to go to Nineveh?

I always thought he was scared or lazy but the real reason was because he didn't want God to forgive the Ninevites.

Jonah 3:6-10 NIV
When Jonah's warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 

This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh:
"By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish." 

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

So at this point you 'd think Jonah would be happy. He preached the word the people listened and repented and God showed grace and compasssion.

Nope. Jonah became angry.

Wait... What?

Sure, take a look...

Jonah 4:1-3 NIV
But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord , "Isn't this what I said, Lord , when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, Lord , take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live."

I've often introspected how I forgive. If someone does me wrong. there is a temptation to hold a grudge. To get back at that person but instead I forgive and smile a little bit when I think "Vengeance is mine, I (God) will repay" and then I am able to move on and turn that person over to the vengeance of God.

Kind of like when someone tailgates you then burns by you and gives you a dirty look or worse and speeds off into the distance. That dark place we don't like to talk about hopes that we will see lights around the next corner and that same speeder being patted down on the hood of his car by an officer of the law.

That would be AWESOME!

But that's not forgiveness. We need to forgive as Jesus Christ forgave. When someone hurts us we need to pray for them. To pray that God would forgive them for their sin against us and bless them. This is easy to say and hard to do because we know that God is a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.

Matthew 6:14-15 NIV
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Luke 6:27-28 NIV
"But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

This is the cure for the root of bitterness.

Requiem for a plant

Isn't it interesting how much we care about meaningless things?

Maybe I shouldn't pull anyone else under the bus with me... It's interesting how much I care about meaningless things.

Sometimes I pray for help to get to work on time or help with a project. Now I'm not saying that I shouldn't pray about everything but I find it awkward whenever I hear something like, "... and then I prayed and miraculously there was one parking spot left right in front of the store!"

I caught myself praying for my favourite sports team to win a playoff game and when they didn't I was really disappointed.

Really disappointed.

I know I'm not alone and here's the proof...


Jonah 4:5-11 NIV
Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 

Then the Lord  God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah's head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, "It would be better for me to die than to live." 

But God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?"

"It is," he said. "And I'm so angry I wish I were dead." 

But the Lord  said, "You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?"


Jonah got so wrapped up in himself, in his comfort and enjoyment that he lost the plot. He cared more for a plant than 120,000 lost souls. There's nothing wrong with enjoying the good things of this life or taking some refreshment but that's not the mission its extraneous and if left uncontrolled can easily entangle us.

I found mumbo jumbo

I never thought I could trust the label
Expired three ninety-five
Living on canned food and cable
There's a channel looking fine

I found mumbo jumbo
And he's right on my back
I found mumbo jumbo
No mistaking that

It's remote control nirvana
Anything you want you'll find
500 preset real life dramas
Remember when it was only 99?

I found mumbo jumbo
And I've lost something here
I found mumbo jumbo
Make it all disappear

I found mumbo jumbo
Somehow Lord, it's not right
I found mumbo jumbo
Someone turn on the light

Its sad that many Christians, myself included, often spend more time being influenced by the world than by Jesus Christ.

When we do that it's probably hard to take us serious if we exclaim, "I found Jesus!" when our somniloquoy goes something like the lyrics above.

Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, His good, pleasing and perfect will - Romans 12:2

What did Jesus say?

He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water - John 7:38

The believer has the Holy Spirit in his heart and He changes our heart into a good spring. How much more then should we guard what we put in our heart and mediate on day and night.

Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life - Proverbs 4:23