No Rainy
Days 03-18-16
Philippians 3:12 (ESV) 12 Not that I have already obtained
this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ
Jesus has made me his own.
A word I came across this week in the
Scriptures spurred this message. The text (Romans 11:24) isn't a part of the message, but, I include it
here so you can have a look see.
Romans 11:24 (ESV) 24 For if you were
cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature,
into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be
grafted back into their own olive tree.
The word being cultivated. A past tense
of the verb to cultivate. That word means to "foster the growth of" or "to
develop for growing" You know don't you? All you green thumbs out there, of
which I am most definitely not, know exactly what "to cultivate" means. More on
that shortly.
Allow me please,to take a round about
approach to my point today.I am oft reminded of a Tiger Woods commercial for
American Express about rainy days. In the video ad, a camera is panning around a
room or rooms of Tiger's home, telling us of all the diversions that he
can attend to during a rainy day. You know...a day off if you will.The room is
open to the outside by windows and glass doors, and from this vantage point we
can see that is deluging outside. Raining very steadily and hard. All the
different activities, watching television, being a fan of a favorite sports team
or just being lazy and doing nothing are offered as alternatives for just
relaxing on a dreary, rainy day. Then all of a sudden the camera pans outside,
and in the driving rain we see Tiger, driving a golf ball off of a practice tee.
It pans to a close up of Tiger swinging in the downpour and Tiger makes this
statement," ...problem is...there are no rainy days...my life is about never
settling..........."
That commercial resonated in my spirit as
I thought about a spiritual application of that word cultivate. The Apostle
Paul, well before Tiger Woods, recognized the danger in ignoring or neglecting
to cultivate a relationship with God didn't he? You see, in the spiritual realm
of this life, we never arrive do we? There is never a time in this life, that we
can "settle back" and relax is there? Now, be it known, there IS a time
approaching when the toils and burdens of this life are going to be lifted. Oh
yes! Praise God! One day soon and very soon, the Lord Jesus is gonna bust
through that eastern sky and take us all home with Him. Absolutely!! But, BUT,
that time has not arrived yet and to repeat myself, neither have we. You feelin'
me here? Why is that Ronnie? Simply this.
1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) 8 Be sober-minded;
be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking
someone to devour.
We have an enemy out there dedicated to
our destruction. That's as plainly as I can put it.The enemy wants to devour you and me. Not only
that, he wants to devour all that belongs to you and me. Children, loved ones,
material wealth, health and any of the countless other blessings that the Lord
God has given us. That's his one purpose,... to make our lives as miserable as
possible and kill us if he can. I wish it weren't so, but it is.
Look at that once more.
Philippians 3:12 (ESV) 12 Not that I have already obtained
this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ
Jesus has made me his own.
Back to those green thumbs. You know how
it is when you plant a vegetable or flower garden don't you? First, you till the
soil and break it up to make it easier for the seed to germinate and grow. Then,
upon the first sign of growth, you tenderly and faithfully attend to the
seedling with fertilizer, water and whatnot. As the plant grows on to maturity,
you make sure that no weeds are allowed to take hold. Many a backbreaking hour
has been spent on pulling the choking weeds out of a garden. On top of all that,
you make sure that the plant has plenty of sunshine and nutrients, etc., etc.,
In short you CULTIVATE the seed all the way from dropping it in the ground until
it provides a bloom or a harvest as the case may be. You seein' that here? You
have taken of your time and resources, both physical and material, to foster the
growth of that seed. You have done all that you can do to develop the soil
and the seed for growth. And if you do that..if you cultivate that tiny seed and
don't ignore or neglect it; that seed will grow and mature. It will strengthen
to weather the weather. And eventually, if you keep at it, that tiny seed will
grow into a mature plant that produces fruit.
That's precisely what the Apostle Paul is
saying to us here isn't it. We have not yet obtained. We are not yet perfect.
But, if we will cultivate. If we will take some time with God. If we refuse to
"settle." If we don't ignore and neglect our relationship with the Lord
Jesus...The Apostle calls it "pressing on." Then we will be strengthened to
weather the storms and adversities of this life. If we nurture our relationship
with the Lord, He will empower us to resist the devil, not only for ourselves,
but for those that we love. If we ignore or neglect that relationship, we put
ourselves at risk of falling to the schemes and attacks of the enemy.Just as in
the Tiger commercial, there are many diversions that seem very attractive. But,
remember this.. in the spiritual battles that rage around God's elect,you and
me, there's only one problem..... there are no rainy days.
Psalm 1:1-3 (ESV) 1 Blessed is the man who walks not in
the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of
sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight
is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a
tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all
that he does, he prospers.
God Bless
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