When Seeds Sprout -- A Picture of The Resurrection!

In South Texas we are fortunate that our climate allows us two gardening seasons – one in the spring and another in the fall.  The spring and summer weather here is conducive to growing almost anything, but some things grow better here in the fall and winter.  Now is the time to plant carrots, onions, garlic, and anything in the cabbage family like broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts.   They will begin producing before the weather gets too cold.  Our winters are usually mild compared to other parts of the country so many crops, like my strawberries, winter over quite well, growing deep roots, ready to produce a big crop of berries in the spring.

Every season when I plant seeds in my garden I am amazed at the fact that I can take an old, dry, shriveled seed, place it in the ground, water it, and just a few days later it will come to life again, eventually producing many, many more seeds just like the one that was planted.  I read somewhere a long time ago that seeds that were found in the pyramids in Egypt, seeds that were over 2,000 years old, sprouted and grew when they were planted in fertile soil. 

Paul wrote in his first letter to the church in Corinth about that very thing.  He said that when a seed sprouts it is a picture of resurrection.  I hope you will read for yourself the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 15.  I will point out a few verses here, but you will be blessed if you will read the entire passage.

First of all, Paul compared our bodies to the old, dead seed.  He said that because of the sin nature that we all have, our bodies will grow old, get sick or injured, and die.  Just like the seed must die before it can grow into a new, healthy, productive plant, our bodies must die before we can be given new, heavenly bodies that will live in eternity in Heaven with Christ.

But someone may ask, “How will the dead be brought back to life again? What kind of bodies will they have?” What a foolish question! You will find the answer in your own garden! When you put a seed into the ground it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it “dies” first. And when the green shoot comes up out of the seed, it is very different from the seed you first planted. For all you put into the ground is a dry little seed of wheat or whatever it is you are planting, then God gives it a beautiful new body—just the kind he wants it to have (1 Corinthians 15:35-38a).

Paul made it clear that when we die, we do not become angels.  Some people may find some form of comfort in thinking that their loved ones are now angels, but I’m afraid that is a misconception.  I am comforted knowing that someday I will exchange my old, aching, overweight body for a brand new body that will never get old or feeble, and that I will see my son who died over 20 years ago, and I will recognize him in his new, heavenly body!  Our new bodies will be made to live forever with the angels, but we will not become angels:

The angels in heaven have bodies far different from ours, and the beauty and the glory of their bodies is different from the beauty and the glory of ours (1 Corinthians 15:40).

In the same way, our earthly bodies which die and decay are different from the bodies we shall have when we come back to life again, for they will never die. The bodies we have now embarrass us, for they become sick and die; but they will be full of glory when we come back to life again. Yes, they are weak, dying bodies now, but when we live again they will be full of strength.  They are just human bodies at death, but when they come back to life they will be superhuman bodies. (1 Corinthians 15:42-43).

When Jesus rose from the grave that first Easter morning, He showed us that we would one day rise from the grave also! 

But the fact is that Christ did actually rise from the dead and has become the first of millions who will come back to life again someday (1 Corinthians 15:20).

Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be frightened!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified, but he isn’t here! For he has come back to life again, just as he said he would. Come in and see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and that he is going to Galilee to meet them there. That is my message to them (Matthew 28:5-7).”

It was early on Sunday morning when Jesus came back to life, and the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene—the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons . . . Later that day he appeared to two who were walking from Jerusalem into the country, but they didn’t recognize him at first because he had changed his appearance . . . Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their unbelief—their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him alive from the dead (Mark 16:9, 12, 14).

And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day (Luke 24:46).”

One of the disciples, Thomas, “The Twin,” was not there at the time with the others. When they kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord,” he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands—and put my fingers into them—and place my hand into his side.”  Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them and greeting them.  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger into my hands. Put your hand into my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”  “My Lord and my God!” Thomas said. Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. But blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway (John 20:24-29).”

This talk of resurrection and new bodies may be a new concept to you.  It may even sound like science fiction.  But I promise you that it is absolutely true.  Better than that, God’s word promises us that it is true.  As a matter of fact, He tells us that if it is not true, then we are foolish and our faith in Him is worthless:

For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ must still be dead. And if he is still dead, then all our preaching is useless and your trust in God is empty, worthless, hopeless; . . . And if being a Christian is of value to us only now in this life, we are the most miserable of creatures. (1 Corinthians 15:13-14, 19).

My prayer this week is that you will be like those Jesus mentioned above in John 20:29.  He said that those who believe in His resurrection, not having seen Him like Thomas did, would be blessed.  My prayer for you and for me is adapted from 1 Corinthians 15:57-58.

Dear Heavenly Father, How (I) thank (You) for all of this! It is (You) who makes us victorious through Jesus Christ our Lord!  So, (Father God), since future victory is sure, (please help us to) be strong and steady, always abounding in the (Your) work, for (we) know that nothing (we) do for the Lord is ever wasted as it would be if there were no resurrection.

All Scripture references are from The Living Bible.

Dewberries vs. Strawberries -- Choosing Excellence Over Good Enough

A bee pollenating the dewberry blossom

If you have always lived in the city, you may not know about dewberries.  They are related to blackberries, but grow wild in most of the northern hemisphere, on a low, trailing bramble, close to the ground, not on high arching canes like blackberries.  They have nasty thorns, so you need to wear gloves when you pick the berries.  The sweet dark purple, almost black, berries are smaller than blackberries, and they appear for only a couple of weeks in the spring.  I remember picking dewberries at my grandmother’s house in the country when I was just a little girl.  As a girl of no more than six years old, I was not so concerned about the thorns or the wild nature of the dewberry vines.  All I knew was that they were yummy and my grandmother made wonderful jelly from them.

Strawberry Harvest

I have strawberries in my garden that are better than the ones you find in the grocery store.  They are a variety called Sequoia, and they taste like strawberry candy! Some strawberries produce for only a short time, like dewberries, but this variety produces berries all summer long – they are the best!

But now I have wild dewberries that have invaded my strawberry beds.  I am working to eliminate the dewberries from my garden, getting rid of the good dewberries so that I have more room for the best strawberries.  At first I thought I could have both dewberries and strawberries.  But I soon found that the dewberries take up a lot of space and produce very few berries.  In the same amount of space, I could grow a lot more strawberries.  Dewberries are invasive and would eventually take over the entire garden.  Even though I love dewberries, they are not the best use of my limited garden space.

Dewberry Vines

What does God's Word have to say about prioritizing, choosing God’s best for our lives?  

Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord (Psalm 27:14, King James Version)!

David wrote this when he was being assaulted by his enemies, not during peace time.  When we are battling any issue or challenge in our lives, or when we have an important decision to make, we need to wait for God. Don’t try to get ahead of God.  His timing is perfect.

While we are waiting, we should listen & learn.  We need to wait with anticipation.

Oh, that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes (Psalm 119:5, King James Version)!

We should wait expecting to learn.

Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You (Psalm 119:11, New King James Version)!

And we need to wait for God’s best.

The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver (Psalm 119:72, New King James Version).

Yes, we should wait, but we need to be ready to get moving when the time is right and when God has shown us where He wants us to go. 

A large, out of control dewberry vine
on the vacant lot next to our house

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105, New King James Version.)

I waited for over sixteen years before I wrote my book about choosing joy.  I knew God wanted me to write it, but I waited until my pastor’s sermon series convicted me to live life at a higher level.  But I still was not a writer.  I had no idea how to start, even though I felt like He was telling me that I had waited long enough.

I am Your servant; Give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies.  It is time for You to act, O Lord (Psalm 119:125-126a, New King James Version).

Are you afraid of what God is telling you to do?  What are you afraid of?  Take a deep breath, and get to work!

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still (Exodus 14:13-14, New International Version).”

Just as in the Nike ads, “Just do it!” Take the first step, let God do the rest.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on (Exodus 14:15, New International Version).

My strawberry plants after removing the dewberries

So, I sat down at the computer, asked Him to help me, and I just started writing.  Not trying to be a writer, just telling my story.  Each week when I write this blog, I do the same thing.  I seldom know what I am going to write ahead of time, I just sit down, trusting God, asking Him to help me and to teach me.  It’s hard work.  Sometimes, just sitting down, just being obedient is the hardest work of all.  But hard work pays off in the long run.  So, when God gives you a job to do, whatever it is, work hard, using all He has taught you.

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15, New King James Version).

Work every day, and develop a pattern of work.  If you ever get confused or get off track, go back to square one & wait, listen, and then act. When I was writing my book, I would sometimes get “writer’s block.”  I had to do the same thing, waiting for God’s direction.

Be still, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10, American Standard Version).

Get help, and listen to advice.

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed (Proverbs 15:22, New International Version).

When I was writing my book, I had a few trusted friends that agreed to be test readers.  One of them recommended that I change the entire format of my book.  I took her advice, and that is what I’ve had the most positive feedback on.  I had another friend who was an English teacher.  She helped me with phrasing and making my study questions more challenging.  Without asking for help, my book would not have been as good.  But by asking for help, I had to be vulnerable.  I had to be willing to admit that I needed help.

What is God asking you to do?  Are you willing to change what you are doing that may be perfectly good and acceptable in order to do what God wants you to do?  When we let Him produce fruit in our lives, it will be the best fruit, rather than the acceptable fruit that we may be producing without following His direction.

In a wealthy home there are dishes made of gold and silver as well as some made from wood and clay. The expensive dishes are used for guests, and the cheap ones are used in the kitchen or to put garbage in. If you stay away from sin you will be like one of these dishes made of purest gold—the very best in the house—so that Christ himself can use you for his highest purposes (2 Timothy 2:20-21, The Living Bible).

Is your work like the strawberries or the dewberries; the gold and silver utensils or the cheap ones?  As God’s children, He has promised to bless us with His riches in glory.  So let us never settle for anything less than the best.  Make your work, whatever you do, the very best it can be, to bring glory to God.

Whatever you do, do it from the heart for the Lord and not for people. You know that you will receive an inheritance as a reward. You serve the Lord Christ (Colossians 3:23-24, Common English Bible).

My prayer for you and for me this week is the same prayer for excellence that Peter prayed for us (see 2 Peter 1:2-8):

May grace and peace be lavished on you as you grow in the rich knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!  I can pray this because his divine power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness through the rich knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence. Through these things he has bestowed on us his precious and most magnificent promises, so that by means of what was promised you may become partakers of the divine nature, after escaping the worldly corruption that is produced by evil desire. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith excellence, to excellence, knowledge; to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, brotherly affection; to brotherly affection, unselfish love. For if these things are really yours and are continually increasing, they will keep you from becoming ineffective and unproductive in your pursuit of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ more intimately.  

Weeds

Hybrid Morning Glory

When I first met our neighbors, they were just beginning to build their house next door to ours.  I was in the yard, pulling weeds, which seems like an endless chore.  That day I was tackling an invasion of wild morning glories that were growing on the fence between our house and our neighbor’s.  When I mentioned the morning glories to my neighbor, who was moving here from out of state, his comment was, “How pretty!”  I suppose he imagined the beautiful hybrid morning glories that you might plant from seed.  I’ve seen those morning glories – dark blue blooms the size of saucers.  But my new neighbor was not familiar with the wild morning glories that are nothing like those you deliberately plant in your flower garden.  The wild morning glories have lavender blooms that are not much more than one inch in diameter, their vines are very long and invasive, and they are just about impossible to kill without using chemicals.  Even though they look delicate, even pretty, when they first begin to appear in the spring, they will soon take over the landscape.  The vines will wind around the landscape plants, completely covering them, and eventually killing them. Their roots are thick, long, and succulent, branching underground to create more of the stubborn plants.  After they bloom, they produce many, many seeds which further enable them to multiply rapidly.

Just like the wild morning glories that creep into my flower garden, some things can creep into our lives that may appear to be harmless, perhaps even lovely or enjoyable.  But if they are allowed to grow, they can soon take over like weeds.

Think about habits or hurts that might have taken over your life.

He told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow… Other seeds fell among the thorns, and they grew up and choked them… The seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth choke the word, so it produces nothing (Matthew 13:3, 7, 22).”

Wild Morning Glory, Covering My Palms

Are there habits that first appeared to be small and harmless, but now have grown and taken over your time or your health?  Many people are addicted to their electronics.  I will admit that about a year ago, I broke the screen on my iPad and sent it off to be repaired.  No big deal, right?  It should not have been a big deal, but I found that I really, really missed my iPad!  Some people cannot have a meal without checking their phones to see if they have a message, or to send a text.  Phones and iPads, in and of themselves, are not bad.  No, they are a convenience that most all of us enjoy because they make our lives easier.  But to some people, they have become like weeds.  They have taken control of their lives.  Other people might have a habit of drugs, alcohol, shopping, overeating… the list goes on and on.  Any habit that we abuse and take in excess might be considered a weed in our lives.

For I don’t understand what I am doing.  For I do not do what I want—instead, I do what I hate … For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For I want to do the good, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but I do the very evil I do not want! ... Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 7:15, 18-19, 24-25a)!

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires, and do not present your members to sin as instruments to be used for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead and your members to God as instruments to be used for righteousness. For sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:12-14).

Some people are harboring hurts, sometimes inflicted many years ago.  They are allowing a negative comment to keep them from achieving success because they are convinced they are inferior or inadequate.  Others are angry, unwilling to forgive a wrong done to them.  Those hurts that have not been allowed to heal are also like weeds.  These weeds will continue to grow unless they are uprooted by forgiveness and by trusting that God has a better plan.

I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing. I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me (Philippians 4:12-13).

‘For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope. When you call out to me and come to me in prayer, I will hear your prayers. When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul, I will make myself available to you,’ says the Lord (Jeremiah 29:11-14a).

You must put away all bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and slanderous talk—indeed all malice. Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you (Ephesians 4:31-32).

Wild Morning Glory, Completely Covering My Hedge

Weeds can be just as destructive when they grow in our churches.  False doctrine is a weed that we really need to watch out for and eliminate before it grows out of control.  We need to be careful to remember that we were created in the image of God, and we cannot create a god in our image, to suit what we might think he should be.  For example, I hear a lot of people say that God is love, and He would never send anyone to hell.  That sounds nice, but it is false doctrine. 

The one who believes in Him is not condemned. The one who does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God (John 3:18).

Another weed of false doctrine is when people say that Jesus was a good man, a prophet, but they deny his deity. Jesus said that He and The Father are One.  So He was either a lunatic, a liar, or He was who He said He was.

Jesus replied, “I told you and you do not believe. The deeds I do in my Father’s name testify about me. But you refuse to believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them from my Father’s hand. The Father and I are one (John 10:25-30).”

The way to know false doctrine when you hear it is to compare it to what the Bible says.  We know that the Bible will never contradict itself, and that is why we use scripture to interpret scripture.  If you read a passage that you do not understand or that confuses you, look for more scripture on the same subject to clarify what you have read.  If you still have trouble understanding, talk to your pastor, Bible study teacher, or a trusted mentor.  Ask God to clarify it for you.  He wants you to understand His word, and He will help you to grow in the knowledge of His word.

But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him (James 1:5).

In my heart I store up your words, so I might not sin against you (Psalm 119:11).

Your word is a lamp to walk by, and a light to illumine my path (Psalm 119:105).

Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

I hope this week you will spend some time pulling the weeds from your “garden.”  Jesus said, “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted (Matthew 15:13).  Jesus was talking about the Pharisees who took such pride in their religious rules, but who didn’t recognize the Son of God when He was in their midst.  They let the weeds of religious habits overrun the gardens of their hearts to the point that they could not even see their long-awaited Messiah when He was standing right in front of them!  Take the time to look at the things that are overrunning your spiritual life.  Are they keeping you from seeing what God has planned for you?

My prayer for you and for me this week is taken from Matthew 13:8-9, 23 --

Dear Heavenly Father,
(Help us to be the like the)“… other seeds  (that) fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. (Give us ears to) listen! (Help us to be those) who hear the word and understand. (Cause us to) bear fruit, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.”

All Scripture references are from the New English Translation.

A Parable of the Blackberry Bush

Before

When I planted blackberries about four years ago I didn’t know a thing about growing them.  All I knew was how much I like eating them.  So I went to the internet and found a page that told me the best varieties to buy, how to plant them, and how to care for them.  I learned that once they finish producing berries each summer, the canes that had produced berries should be removed.  There are new canes that grew this spring, but it is the previous year’s canes that produced this year’s berries and that need to be cut out.  For, you see, these canes will not produce fruit again.  Next year’s fruit will be produced only on the canes that grew this year.

Before

When I learned about removing the blackberry canes, I was reminded of what Jesus taught his disciples.  His followers lived in an agrarian society, so they knew about unproductive branches and what needs to be done with them:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. . . By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples (John 15:1-5, 8).”

Good Fruit

Jesus was telling His followers that those who have truly given their lives to Him (those who abide in The Vine) will bear good fruit, because He will give them the ability to bear fruit.  The Bible goes on to tell us what good fruit is and how we can bear good fruit:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25).”

After

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God . . . Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord (Ephesians 5:1-2, 8b-10).”

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace (James 3:17-18).”

The instructions I found about my blackberries went on to say that once the unproductive canes are removed, they should not go into the compost pile, but should be burned.  Apparently, the older canes are susceptible to disease that can spread to the newer canes, as well as to the rest of the garden.  The same holds true in God’s garden.  Those who are not producing fruit will be cut off and thrown into the fire to be destroyed.  They cannot be allowed to remain, or their sinful lifestyle can infect those who are younger, weaker, and easily deceived:

“If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned (John 15:6).”

The Old Canes, Ready to be Burned

“But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them . . . Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. (Ephesians 5:3-7, 11-12).”

“And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15).”

My prayer for you and for me this week is adapted from Philippians 1:9-11 –

(Dear Jesus,) it is my prayer that (our) love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that (we) may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through (You,) Jesus Christ, (My Lord), to the glory and praise of God.

All Scripture references are from the English Standard Version.