Getting Water in the Desert

Luke 5:16. Yet He often withdrew to deserted places and prayed.

Even being the Son of God Jesus understood the importance of getting away from the noise to spend time with God. Many times we find that Jesus went away from everyone and everything so He could completely focus on God.

It is important today that we get away from the noise of life to find the source of life. We say we give God control of our lives, then we let our lives control us. One of our goals (or resolutions) should always be to get away from the noise - get away from everyday distractions and talk to God. Not only talk to Him but meditate and wait for him to speak. For me I do not just want to make good decisions, I want to make spirit-led decisions.

Snowballs and Goats

Gen 27:20 But Isaac said to his son, "How did you ever find it so quickly, my son?" He replied, "Because the Lord your God worked it out for me."

This is the story of Isaac's family and the meal that he asked Esau to prepare for him. A meal for Isaac to bless him. We find that Jacob finds out from his mother that this blessing is about to take place (vs. 6) and he searches out goats then he prepares a meal for Isaac first. Then as the story is told Isaac blesses Jacob because of deception (vs. 23).

I see here one lie turns into another lie and another lie and it begins to snowball. First, Jacob lies about who he is then further lies to say that God has worked it out for him to find the meal for his father. This can be a reminder to us to be sure that our intentions and actions are pure and holy. Later we find that it catches up with Jacob and he is deceived by Rachel's father. I sum it up with this if there is something you want pursue it wholeheartedly and do not deceive lie or steal to get it. Work hard. Otherwise it could come back to bite you or it will take you twice as long to get.

Lord, help me to keep my motives pure and holy. Help me to do things out of my love for you and not for the sake of man or to seek approval of others. Help me to share this truth with others that they can make the honorable and right decision as well.

Plant the Seed

Luke 4:30 But He passed right through the crowd and went on His way.

While Jesus was in Nazareth he read the scroll written by the Prophet Isaiah. During his time there he began to tell the people truths about about history and the people did not like it. He was driven out of town for what he was speaking then they were about to push Him off of a cliff but then we find verse 30 when he passes through them and goes somewhere else to speak the truth.

The truth is not always popular. The truth is not always the thing everyone want to hear. But just as it is written in Luke 4. We must speak the truth and be on our way. In other words, plant a seed but move on and plant the next one. If the farmer stands and waits to see the one seed grow he will not have time to plant the rest of his crop and will not produce a great harvest. People might not always want to hear the good news of Christ but it must be shared and instead of debating and arguing we must know what we believe, plant the seed and be on our way.

Lord, help me to know the right seed to plant and when to plant it. Help me know to belabor Your word but be willing to plant the seed and move on. This year help me to be more bold in my faith to share it with others. Help me to speak the truth with out exaggeration or manipulation.