Lent Day 13...Day 183 (Proverbs 31; Luke 13)..."Fruitfulness or Else!'

We may read the gospels with an attitude we can be fruitful if we want to as disciples. Actually, we are called to bear fruit...or else! When we do not bear fruit we are taking up good soil in building the Kingdom. (This theme actually comes up in Matthew 25 with the parable of the talents and in Luke 15 with the vine and branches) Here is what is included in today's text...

"A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. He said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'

" 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "

Lent Day 12...Day 182 (1 Samuel 30,31; Proverbs 30; Luke 12)..."How to be Rich!"

Today, in Luke 12, we have a less familiar parable but one with great meaning. We have a teaching to be rich for God. An obedient and generous person can be rich. This means anyone can be rich...toward God. In this economy today, this is a wonderful message. Here is the parable...

And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'

"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '

"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."

Lent Day 11...Day 181 (1 Samuel 28,29; Proverbs 29; Luke 11)..."A Life Changing Passage"

One of my life changing passages is in today's proverb...

"Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law."

In the KJV are the more familiar words..."where there is no vision the people perish."

Vision is one of the essential elements needed in every generation. What is an attribute of great leaders? Vision. The ability to see things that can be that are not yet. When we seek God's vision, we walk by faith.

In one of my favorite metaphors in the Bible , we must do something with our conversion. Jesus warns against idleness following conversion. This is illustrated with a house cleaned left empty for evil spirits) Our conversion leads to discipleship, so our spiritual house will not remain empty and be filled with good habits of the Lord.

Lent Day 10...Day 180...(1 Samuel 26,27; Proverbs 28; Luke 10)..."What Precedes the Parable of the

Most everyone in the world is familiar with the Good Samaritan but does anyone in the world know what passages lead up to the parable. It may be surprising to see some very famous words. In fact, they add such meaning to the parable of the Good Samaritan...

"He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

When we read the two together, the meaning of both is elevated! Such is the power of the Scripture.

Lent Day 9...Day 179...(1 Samuel 24,25; Proverbs 27; Luke 9)..."Passages to Live By"

Today's reading has several passage to live by...

"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth."

"As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man."

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?

"No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

These teachings do jump off the pages and have immediate impact, inspiration, and remind of the importance of the soul. We remember God hold's tomorrow and He desires our obedience.

Lent Day 8...Day 178 (I Samuel 22,23; Proverbs 26; Luke 8)..."How to End Gossip!"

How do you end gossip? You do not contribute. Here is what the passage from Proverbs says...

"Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down."

How about this quick method of squelching gossip! Do we add wood or work toward allowing the fire to die down.

Lent Day 7...Day 177...(1 Samuel 20, 21; Proverbs 25; Luke 7)..."The Power of Words"

The Bible is filled teaching about the power of words. Jesus says..."By your words you will be justified and condemned." James three devotes a whole chapter to the dangers of words. One of my favorite Proverbs deals with words and is found in chapter twenty-five. There are truly some people gifted with words of grace that bring healing and hope. Who can measure the value of a timely word? Here is the Proverb...

"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver."