THE LORD SPOKE (June 17)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: I Chronicles 18-20

Any man who "defeated the Philistines" (18:1; 20:4-8) would go down in history forever as one of Israel's greatest heroes. Many before had tried and failed. Most lost their lives in the attempt. But David also "defeated the Moabites" (18:3) and "the Arameans became subject to him" (18:6). They were quickly followed by the Edomites (18:11-13) and a mop-up campaign against Saul's old foes, the Amalekites (18:11). As if that wasn't enough, when the Arameans tried to put together a coalition with the Ammonites, David trounced them all too (19:1 - 20:3) and, when the dust settled, "he and his entire army returned to Jerusalem" (20:3b).

What we're not told in the chronicler's record is recorded for us in II Samuel 12. It's subtly hidden in the words of I Chronicles 20:1: "In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab [the general, not the king] led out the armed forces...but David remained in Jerusalem." We too wish we could forget the vision of a conniving king, slouched on the couch in the royal palace, plotting adultery and murder.

Did you notice that twice earlier (18:6 & 13) the text said that "the Lord gave David victory everywhere he went"? The time he should have gone out (20:1) but didn't, he got in trouble. That thought probably shouldn't be pressed too hard, but this should: "Idleness is the devil's workshop." When David stopped fighting the Lord's battles, he opened himself up to the Enemy's attack and Satan is a master at finding the weak moment, the unguarded flank, or the dulled defense system. How are your defenses today?

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:10-18)

New Testament: Galatians 6

Principles of Spiritual Farming

1. You get what you plant. If you plant tomatoes, you won’t pick zucchini. Spiritually, if you “sow to please [your] sinful nature” you will reap just what you sowed (Gal. 6:7-8). What you put into the ground is what you’ll get out; what you do in your life will return to haunt you or to bless you.
2. You get more than you plant. Farming would never work if it was just one for one. Again, this works both ways. A little evil will result in a lot of bad just as one little good deed will bring a lot of blessing. Once planted, whatever it is, the seed multiplies and you get back more than you had at the beginning.
3. You have to wait for the right time. Indiscriminately scattering seed won’t bring the desired results. Planting must be planned for the proper season. It must be done when the combination of soil, sunshine, and water is just right. Spiritually also, there is “a time to plant and a time to uproot” (Eccl. 3:2).
4. You can’t ever stop weeding. Ever since Adam’s sin, weeds have been introduced both in the ground and in man’s life. The Enemy delights in sowing weeds in good fields (Mat. 13:24ff). If allowed to increase and continue, they will eventually choke out all the good produce. The weeds must be continually uprooted and destroyed.
5. Pruning will produce more fruit. It seems painful at first, but cutting back the branches will eventually produce more fruit, not less. The same is true in our lives and God prunes unfruitful branches so that good branches may be more productive. It hurts but is for our own good.
6. The hard work is rewarding. “At the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:9). It’s perhaps nowhere more evident than in child-raising but it’s a principle of life. God is pleased with consistency and faithfulness.

Jesus once said:

No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (Lk. 6:43-45)