WATER

 “Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)” ‭‭John‬ ‭7:38-39‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Wisdom

Authenticates 

Transformation

Encouraging

Regeneration 

It is so difficult to know what to say and when to say it. Recently I was attending a midweek Bible Study. The presenter was going through the lesson and as she was teaching a thought kept running through my mind. I was concerned about a point that I thought she was missing, but didn’t say anything because, I never want to be seen as “that guy”, you know the one. The know it all that can’t allow others to grow at their own pace.

Keeping my mouth shut was a hard lesson that I didn’t learn until college. My classes at that point were all Theology and Religion, mostly New Testament, Pauline epistles. One afternoon I was half asleep during a presentation, when the professor asked me a question. As I proceeded to answer him and cut through what I considered a waste of time, he took that opportunity to teach me a lesson. He said, “Russ, your mind makes leaps. You cut to the answer before the rest of us are finished discussing the question.”

“The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. … Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun. … The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭19:1, 4, 7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In the case of the midweek Bible Study, the presenter eventually got to the point I thought was being missed. The essential question was, “Who is Jesus, and what are you doing with your relationship to Him?”

“Look, a righteous king is coming! And honest princes will rule under him. Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a parched land. … For fools speak foolishness and make evil plans. They practice ungodliness and spread false teachings about the Lord. They deprive the hungry of food and give no water to the thirsty. … But generous people plan to do what is generous, and they stand firm in their generosity. … Justice will rule in the wilderness and righteousness in the fertile field. And this righteousness will bring peace. Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭32:1-2, 6, 8, 16-17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Planting the seed of God’s plan of salvation is a process. Watering that seed with vital refreshment of wisdom brings us into an authentic righteous relationship with Jesus. As we grow in that relationship, there are actions and attitudes we must get rid of in order to serve God’s purpose in our lives. Our natural reactions undergo a transformation.

“But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. … Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. … Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. … Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:8, 10, 12, 14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Getting rid of our old nature is more difficult than it sounds. Old habits die hard! Just when we think we have everything under control, life brings us back around to the very thing we, moments before, were convinced we had moved past. 

As we plant, water, tend and harvest in God’s garden of individuals we are often reminded of the struggles we have overcome and we realize that the love of God is the only thing holding us together. Don’t be afraid to plant seeds of faith along your journey. Water those seeds with mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience! Never forgetting where we have come from or the things we have overcome by the power of God’s love, will strengthen our confidence as well as encourage others to experience the grace of God through the power of regeneration.

“Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But— When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” ‭‭Titus‬ ‭3:3-7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Lasting growth takes time. The development of spiritual fruit requires submission to the Holy Spirit. Wisdom only comes with experience. Our responsibility is faithfulness to the message of salvation. Planting seeds of faith is hard work, and watering those seeds takes commitment.

When my wife and I moved into our home, there was a budding lemon tree in the backyard. Not having a green thumb, I neglected that poor tree for months. My in-laws came for an extended visit, and my father in-law nursed that tree back to health. By the end of their visit the tree was flourishing, but when they returned the next year the poor little tree was DEAD. 

The world we live in is a desert if we do not intentionally, purposefully, and regularly water those seeds, they will go the way of my little lemon tree. Natural lessons have a spiritual application. We may not have “green thumbs” when it comes to nature, but God has called us all to be workers in His vineyard. The rewards of a job well done will also grow with our faithfulness.

“The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭3:8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

PLANT

 “This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: “Plow up the hard ground of your hearts! Do not waste your good seed among thorns.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭4:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Primary

Learning

Aligning

New Testament 

Theology

God has revealed His plan for us through many great themes and stages in His word. One such theme is the opposing Kingdoms of Light and Darkness. The Kingdom of Light is holy and righteous, but the Kingdom of Darkness is pure evil in all its forms.

According to scripture, we are born into the kingdom of darkness, but what is the process of transferring our citizenship into the Kingdom of Light?

“There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” …  Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” … Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’” ‭‭John‬ ‭3:1-3, 5, 7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus’ words, “born again” inform us that the Kingdom we are all citizens of from the start is the Kingdom of Darkness, but further into the New Testament we see that a change in citizenship is not only possible, it is preferable.

“We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:11-14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The question still remains, how do we join the Kingdom of Light?

The answer can be found in the stories Jesus told to illustrate His mission. The parables reveal the plan God has to bring us all into His glorious Kingdom. 

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed.” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭4:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This should be a familiar parable, so we won’t retell the whole story here. The point of the story is the representative meaning of each image. The farmer, the seeds, and the places the seeds land are paramount to understanding how our citizenship transfers from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Light.

“The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭4:14-20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

These parables were a primary, or first level, training course for the disciples. Jesus told them:

“You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭13:11-12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Listening and learning to apply the message, principles, and authority of the Kingdom of God in our daily lives will advance, grow, strengthen and establish God’s purpose in us and on Earth. We study to understand and apply the New Testament theology to every area in every situation we face. Planting is an active process. The soil has to be ready to receive the seed.

In the parable it sounds as if the Farmer just went out and tossed the seed as far as he could throw it, but think about farming. It’s an intentional profession. I can’t think of any farmer wasting seed by just tossing it away. Picture a field in your mind. They are always surrounded by field roads, hard, rocky, unprepared ground, and sure some seed may fall there by accident, but that’s not where the farmer invests the majority of the seed. There is almost always wild growth around the outskirts of the field, but generally the farmer works at keeping those areas cut back, and does not toss his precious seed into those areas.

We need to dig into the primary lessons of Jesus’ bedrock teachings, learn to align our practices with the truth of New Testament theology and expect God to bring growth to His Kingdom. This year’s theme at my current home church is, Back to the Basics. What is more basic to understanding the way God has revealed Himself than the teachings Christ offered His disciples?

Theology is the study of Who God is and what He has done. Before we can learn to PLANT, we must allow God to develop His root system in us. Before we can plant, we must be planted in sound doctrine or correct theology.

“Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly.” ‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4:7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2:15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Have we allowed ourselves to be planted in God’s word? Only then will we be given the good seed to plant in the lives of others.

BOLD

 “So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭31:24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Balanced 

Obedience

Leveraging

Destiny

Boldness is a concept we’ve heard a lot about. We hear about bold new flavors. There are bold adventures as we take vacations, and just outrageously bold people we encounter in life. No doubt we all have a picture in our minds that sums up what we think it means to be bold - that in your face over the top, borderline arrogant behavior.

But, is that what God really expects from His people? We are called to be BOLD. What does that look like in the church, our homes, our jobs? What does it look like in our lives?

We’re all hungry for a move of the Holy Spirit. Personally I want to see God move the way He did when I was a child. I grew up in Full Gospel/Pentecostal churches. The Holy Spirit was active. Believers were bold. God did miracles. His presence was awe inspiring! What did they have that seems to be missing in our lives today?

“I trust in the Lord for protection. So why do you say to me, “Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety! The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right. The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?” But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. … For the righteous Lord loves justice. The virtuous will see his face.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭11:1-4, 7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What did they have that seems to be missing in our lives today? That question has consumed hours upon hours of my time. Right now, the church I attend is about halfway through a season of fasting, and I am beginning to see boldness in a new light.

“Then he said, “Son of man, go to the people of Israel and give them my messages. I am not sending you to a foreign people whose language you cannot understand. No, I am not sending you to people with strange and difficult speech. If I did, they would listen! …  But look, I have made you as obstinate and hard-hearted as they are. I have made your forehead as hard as the hardest rock! So don’t be afraid of them or fear their angry looks, even though they are rebels.”” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭3:4-6, 8-9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Being BOLD has more to do with having a balanced perspective of who we are in Christ than it has to do with overcoming fear. In my high school years I was a swing-shift manager for McDonald’s. One night working the closing shift I had an encounter with a person I believe was, if not possessed, at the least, he was influenced by demonic forces. I’ve been thinking about that encounter for a few days now and trust me, I’m a long way from my high school self.

The encounter went like this: The man was harassing customers. As the manager it was my job to get him to leave. I walked over to him and said, “Sir, I’m asking you to leave now.” He turned, looked at me and said, “You’re afraid of me.” I said again “Sir, I’m asking you to leave now.” At that point I was praying inwardly, and he said, “You’re afraid of me, and you don’t even know who you are!” He looked at me, said, “I can’t mess with you.” As he walked out laughing,”You don’t even know who you are!”

Being BOLD begins with balance. Knowing who we are in Christ gives us the sure foundation to stand on in any situation. Balance moves us into obedience. 

“Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation. Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. … Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold. Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. … My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace. They keep you safe on your way, and your feet will not stumble.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:3-6, 13-15, 21-23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Knowing our feet will not stumble gives us the confidence to step out in faith to do whatever God’s Holy Spirit directs. God knows the end from the beginning and He will work out the details. He is calling us into eternal life with Him in glory. We have a destiny.

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:28-30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

From Balance and Obedience we learn to Leverage our Destiny. Invest the time, energy, and spiritual dedication to recognize who we are in Christ. The faith to move mountains comes from the realization that Christ in us is the hope of glory. Our destiny is to share the divine nature of Christ in glory. That knowledge will produce the boldness in us that allows us to move in the power of the Holy Spirit.

“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.” ‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭1:3-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Know who you are in Christ. Embrace your destiny. Be BOLD!