Planting

Judge this day not by the harvest but by the seeds planted.

FEBRUARY 6 – PLANTED NOT POTTED

FEBRUARY 6 – PLANTED NOT POTTED

1 Chronicles 17:9  Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more as at the beginning, 

God has a promise for David. God begins by reminding David that he was taken from among the sheep as a shepherd and that he could lead Israel. God has taken a humble shepherd and make him a great and powerful man. This man would wield great influence, not only over Israel but also over neighboring nations as well. Very significant is the promise to ordain a place for Israel. Then we have that promise to plant them. Notice the permanence here. They won’t be potted so they can be moved here and there. They will be planted so that they can send down roots and gain nourishment.

Another thing that is interesting to me is the thought my wife gave me when I said I was going to make her some planters to put in front of the house. Here was her reply, “If you do, you will be the one to go out there every day to water them.” Now that was said in no uncertain terms. As I thought, I came to realize what she was saying. Potted plants have a limited place to grow. Therefore the roots cannot grow deep enough to supply water and therefore the need for continual maintenance. We have church members that are high maintenance because they are potted instead of planted. We also have preachers in the same condition.

I prefer to be planted. I want my roots to go so deep that nothing can shake me. I want to be so watered in God’s Word that my roots will spread and I never let go of any part of The Word. I do not want to minimize anything of what Jesus had done. I want to be strong in every aspect of what Jesus taught. His death, burial, and resurrection I always want to hold securely and high for the world to see. I also do not want to minimize anything about the Church. Jesus built the church the way he wanted it. He put the offices in the Church that He wanted there. He put two ordinances there also. I have no right to change it.

Mark 14:24 Jesus said, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. I do not think that those that would read this post would remove the death of Jesus from the gospel. I also do not believe anyone would want to remove His burial and resurrection from the Gospel. I believe the reason would be that Jesus shed His blood and therefore the gospel is precious. Consider this – Acts 20:28 instructs us that the Church Jesus built was purchased with his own blood. Jesus died for His Church. Bride or not, the blood– bought Church is precious to Jesus and we have no right to change or minimize anything about it.

May we become planted and drive our roots deep.

A GREAT MAN ONCE SAID:

It is for us to dig the well, it is for God to send the rain and the water.

It is for us to plant the seed; it is for God to make it sprout and grow.

It is for us to cultivate the field, it is for God to give the harvest.

It is for me to witness, it is for God to give the increase, to save the soul.

When I have done the best I can, then God must do the rest, and He will.

 

Unknown Author

He that planted the Vine—Samuel Adams

THEY WERE BELIEVERS, SAMUEL ADAMS

To G W. (of London), Boston, November 13 1765

Sir

At the request of Mr J. M. I have joined with T. C. Esquire in a Letter to you which goes by this Conveyance. I have long been convinced of your Good Will to Mankind & your particular Regards for New England. The free Access which I am informed you have with some eminent Personages, may put it in your Power to do us Offices of singular kindness. New England has had the Misfortune of having many Enemies, but He that planted the Vine, seems hitherto to have had a watchful Eye over it. It must be confessed we are greatly degenerated, may the Head of the Church hasten the happy Time of reformation. …

Samuel Adams

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Source: Samuel Adams Papers, Volume I, p. 35. Spelling modernized by The Moral Liberal. Emphasis added.

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THEY WERE BELIEVERS is a project of Steve Farrell and The Moral Liberal. Copyright © 2014 Steve Farrell and The Moral Liberal.

BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED

William Andrew Dillard

BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED
Parson to person
Never before has the world been so filled with transient folks. Modern transportation and international trade seems to have shrunken the world significantly. Nowadays, one may eat breakfast in California, lunch in New York and dinner in Europe or vice-versa. It is reported that Wal-Mart’s 747 is furnished with beds. Executives may board in late evening in northwest Arkansas, retire, then deplane refreshed and ready for business in the morning in Europe. Just think about it!
Interstate movement multiplies that potential exponentially. The matching of skills and jobs often take one far and wide before retirement age. Then there are those who are given to repeatedly jumping on the moving trains of commerce and opportunity because they feel their life is cast in a day of small things, and they must move on to achieve their potential. Moreover, there are plenty of clichés that speak to that mindset. “A sitting hen lays no eggs,” “The moving wheel has the cargo;” The rolling stone admits no moss;” “The grass is greener on the other side of the fence;” on and on they go. But wait just a minute!
Whatever happened to the idea of “Bloom where you are planted?” Insatiable desires for fame and fortune most often have a disappointing end. Notice how the traveler always wants to be “home” for important occasions? But if everyone became nomadic in the present carousel world, where would home be and who would be there? Additionally, it is most often those who plant deep roots who are able to bloom the longest, and bear the most fruit. It is they who create stability. This principle is definitely applicable within the Lord’s churches. Travelers (missionaries) are scriptural and needed, but what are they, and how shall they proceed minus a base, Rom. 10? Folks should not be afraid of a little responsibility, but “brighten the corner where they are!” This means going beyond normal efforts to enhance the reputation of their God-given church as a spiritual institution in the community. Causes to run away at the slightest challenge to be responsible will always find them. But such challenges are actually marvelous opportunities to shine; to “bloom where they are planted,” and that really counts!