But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Matthew 13:23 

Believers who produce spiritual fruit aren’t like the seeds sown on the wayside that Jesus spoke of in the .

These symbolize people who never seem to grasp the Word of God. Nor are they like the seed sown on rocky soil, representing those who are rootless, allowing emotions to overpower obedience. Nor are they like the seed sown among thorns, signifying those who hear God’s Word and plan to keep it, but gradually let worldly pursuits choke it out.

True believers hear God’s Word and keep it. They respond decisively and promptly to what God shows them. They hear the message, internalize it, and make visible changes in their lives.

Outward changes don’t save us, but if we really are saved, there will be changes. Works don’t save us, but if we really are saved, there will be works. And if there are no changes in our lives outwardly, then there have been no real changes inwardly.

Have there been changes in your life? By “changes,” I don’t mean having a number of Bibles in your house in various colors to coordinate with different outfits. Nor do I mean having a bumper sticker with a Christian slogan on your car or a collection of church bulletins. What I do mean are changes to the extent that someone could look at your life and recognize you as a Christian.

If people were to look at your life today, what would they see? Would they see evidence of Jesus Christ living inside of you? Or would they see the same old you? The choice is up to you.

The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”  Matthew 25:16, 19, 21

All of us have been blessed by God with certain resources, gifts and talents. Some of us have huge piles of those blessings; others have small piles. But no matter how many we have, we can’t afford to let them go to waste. We are called to care for and invest the things that God has entrusted to us, so that we can have even more to give back.  It’s selfish to take the blessings of God and simply sit on them. We are asked to use the blessings of God to glorify him and to bless others. As you use your gifts, abilities and financial resources within the context of the local church, the interest is compounded exponentially, making an even bigger difference for God’s kingdom in heaven. 

One day, we are all going to stand before God and be held accountable for what we have done with our time, talents and resources. And at the end of our life here on earth, our goal is to hear from our Father in heaven, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Dear God, I know that one day I will stand before you and be held accountable for what I have done with everything you have given me. Please help me to leverage my life, and all that you have given me, in such a way that I can be that “faithful servant” and share in your happiness. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Build houses and settle down…seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you…Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.  Jeremiah 29:5, 7

We live in a fast-paced, move-it-or-lose-it society. We don’t like to slow down, because we think we’ll miss out on the next big thing or incredible opportunity. But when we fly through life like that, we often miss the most incredible opportunities of all time—to bless those around us.  God wants to bless you. And he wants you to use those blessings to bless others. That’s not something that can happen if you’re flying through life at breakneck speeds. 

Don’t go through life overlooking the people and opportunities God has placed in your path. Take the time to settle down and take note of those around you. Ask God to show you chances to share your blessings with those people. Remember, God blesses us so that we can bless others. Because when we do, we will experience the true power and excitement of living in God’s perfect favor.

Lord, It is so easy to get caught up in this fast- paced society. Help me to establish meaningful relationships with the people I come in contact with everyday, and help me to recognize opportunities to bless them with what you have given me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. Matthew 13:19

The book of Acts describes the transformational moment when Saul of Tarsus met Jesus Christ on the Damascus road. The Lord told him, “I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:17-18).

They told me I couldn’t do that anymore, because I was letting him run wild. They said, “The problem is that he is too ‘doggy.’ ” They went on to explain how he needed to be reminded of who his master was. They said I needed to get him on his leash and use a muzzle device. I started using it, and I found that it did work. I would just pull on his muzzle a little bit and he couldn’t go after that rabbit. He had to go where I wanted him to go.  After awhile, I took the muzzle off. Now he no longer needs that device. I am the master, and he is the dog. He just goes where I go.

We can be like that with God. We say, “Here is what I want to do, Lord. You come with me.”  But God says, “That is not the way it works. I want you to be more like Me. I want you to get in step with Me. I want you to go where I am going.” When we do, we are living the Christian life to its fullest.

Be of good courage . . . all ye that hope in the Lord.  Psalm 31:24

Meditateing on a verse of scripture and listening for God’s word is a step toward becoming a new creation. God created us through the word; God’s message in the Bible also recreates us.  However, when I sit quietly, meditation often puts me to sleep. But when I was hiking in the woods, I experience the blessings of meditative prayer.  I used to spend time hiking on the Appalachian Trail. Each morning before I began my hike, I chose a verse of scripture. For several days, I pondered the words of just one verse, Psalm 31:24, and waited to hear what God would say to me through them. I heard God saying to me that courage is being scared of something but acting anyway. This was wisdom I needed to take to heart.  I had plenty to be afraid of. I’d never camped by myself. I’d never carried a heavy backpack. I’d never made a campfire. Could I do this? The Spirit said within me, “Face your fear and try.” So I did. When I failed, I learned from my mistakes and tried again. With each new challenge, my heart grew stronger. By the grace of God, I was and am becoming a new creation.

God, grant us the courage to do what you ask us to do and to try what seems impossible. We ask through Jesus Christ, who had the courage to face the cross and was raised to new life. Amen.

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”   Malachi 3:10

Most people would agree that they want a close relationship with God. We want to hear from him and know his direction for our lives. And the greatest way for that to happen is to obey God’s Word.  We can’t say, “I want to grow spiritually, but I don’t really want to do what God tells me to do.” Yet, too often, that’s exactly what many of us try to do when it comes to God’s commands. This is especially true when it comes to our money.

Our money matters to God. In fact, the area of money is the only topic in Scripture in which God tells us specifically to test him. The reason is because God wants to bless us so much that we don’t even have enough room to store it all!  If you are hoping and praying for that close relationship with God; if you are looking for his direction and purpose for your life, make sure you are being obedient to God in every area, including your money. Because when you are, you will be able to enjoy all the blessings that he has in store for you.  

Lord, I want to be obedient to you in every area of my life, including my finances. Today, I choose to put you first by bringing to you what is already yours, so that I may receive all that you have in store for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.  1 Peter 4:10

I’M not a highly-educated theologian, but I have the love of Christ in my heart, and occasionally I have some spare time. God calls on us to serve others whenever possible. So I volunteer at my church, giving clothes to the needy and food to the hungry. I feel good knowing that I am serving a vital purpose in our church community.  When we love and serve our neighbors, we show our devotion to God. Good deeds may or may not require much time. In a short time, we can be good and faithful servants. A seemingly small act may stay in the heart and mind of another person for years to come. Even more important, when we extend a hand to someone who needs help, we do the work God calls us to do.

Lord, thank you for the blessings you have given each of us. Let us open our hearts and turn to our neighbors, passing along the blessings you have given us. We give glory to you, Lord Jesus and pray as you taught us, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”*

But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.  2 Corinthians 8:7

All of us, no matter how much money we have, is susceptible to a greedy mentality. So often we convince ourselves that, though we have some, we deserve more. But that line of thinking falls miserably short of the plan God has for us—and for the blessing he has given us. The reason we have been blessed with what we have is so that we can bless others, not just so we can want more.  There’s nothing wrong with the desire to excel in our careers or enjoy nice things. But God also wants us to excel in giving. Because when we are more concerned with accumulating wealth than living the life God has in store for us, our riches actually decrease the value of our lives. 

Are you caught in the grip of greed and materialism? If so, it will end up robbing you of your true worth. Remember, God wants you to excel in life in every way possible! Start today by realizing that living a great life is not just about obtaining things. It’s about excelling in the grace of giving.

Dear God, I understand that because of grace, I have been given the greatest gift of all, which is an eternity in heaven with you. Help me to extend this grace to others so that with your blessing, I can also excel in this life you have given me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

[The Spirit says,] “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”   Revelation 2:10

When I was growing up I remember my Grandfather tell about that as a farm boy in South Dakota, he had to milk the cows by hand each day. It didn’t take hium long to appreciate being able to sit on a three-legged stool that provided a firm foundation for his labor.

As Christians, we also need a firm foundation in order to do our daily work for the kingdom of God. This foundation is our Bible-based faith. Three qualities of God make up the three strong legs of my foundation: God is love (1 John 4:8); God is holy (Lev. 11:44), and God is spirit (John 4:24).  If we put our weight upon one attribute of God to the exclusion of the others, we will surely slip and fall. Concentrating on God’s love alone may cause us to lapse into permissive sentimentality. Emphasizing God’s holiness alone may cause us to become rigid, legalistic, and judgmental. Focusing on God’s spirit alone may motivate us for service, but we may easily burn out apart from the underlying support of God’s love and holiness.  Our earthly task lasts until we die. Revelation 2:10 says, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Being supported by God’s love, spirit, and holiness will make this journey possible.

Gracious God, open our hearts each day to your love, spirit, and holiness, that we may be empowered to spread your kingdom everywhere. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.  Luke 2:52

Life is a lot like a road trip. Sometimes things run smoothly. We hit the highways and byways and enjoy the scenic view. Other times we find ourselves growing impatient, asking, “Are we there yet?!”  No matter how well life is going, it’s never bad to evaluate whether or not we’re on the right track. To do that, we have to pull out the supreme road map, the Bible, and make sure we’re headed in the right direction.  Heaven is our final destination, and Jesus Christ is the only one who can get us there. When we decide to follow Christ, it doesn’t mean the trip will be absolutely smooth. But we will find that we are headed in the right direction with the ultimate guide.  As we start this New Year, don’t grow impatient by continually asking, “Are we there yet?” Instead, rely on the ultimate road map, the Bible, and get moving forward in your relationship with God! Look to Christ as your guide and begin to grow in “wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”

Lord, thank you for providing direction for my life. I know that when I follow you I will be able to enjoy a life of growth, wisdom, and stature. Help me to live favorably in your sight as we continue this journey together. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.