2014-05-04 Faith Talk A Tree By the River
The tree is often used as a symbol in God’s word. One of my favorite passages is Psalms 1:1-3:
Read Psalms 1:1-3 (NKJV) 1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path
of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates
day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose
leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
Discuss: What is our attitude toward reading the Bible? Does “Delight” come to mind when we consider spending
quiet time reading God’s word? Do we view spending time with God, reading His word, listening for His message
for us as something we crave, look forward to, fit in when we can, or really need to make time for…someday?
When we spend time with God reading His word do we read it like a text book, a newspaper, or a love letter or
card from someone we cherish? Are we anxious because we cannot wait to, or cannot seem make the time to?
Consider: God gave us His Holy Bible. In it God tells us Who He is, How much He loves us, What He did for us, How
to have eternal life, and How to live lives that please Him. In God’s word are personal messages He wants to share
with each of us. Think about what you we feel like if you spent time picking out the perfect birthday card for
someone you love, you took the time to write a very personal note inside, especially and exclusively for the
intended recipient, you strategically placed the card where it would be seen as a pleasant surprise. Now imagine
what you would feel like to have the card go unnoticed, unopened, never read or acknowledged. Is God’s word any
less of a special effort on His part reaching out to communicate His love to us? How is our response to reading
God’s Word any different or less important than the response to the card I just described? Consider God’s feelings.
Notice: According to David, meditating on God’s Word brings blessings. When we meditate on God’s word we are
like a tree planted by a river. Nourished continually by the water that seeps into the ground from the flow going
by, a tree planted by a river never suffers drought, never withers and always produces fruit. Pay careful attention
to the last phrase of the passage, “And whatever he does shall prosper”. Spending time with God, delighting in His
Holy Bible, meditating on God’s Word to us, and bearing fruit is PROSPERING. How could we dare miss spending
time with the Holy God we call Father? What blessings are we missing when we do not spend time with God?
Read Matthew 12:33-37 (NKJV) 33 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its
fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of
the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart[7]brings forth
good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle
word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified,
and by your words you will be condemned."
Compare: David told us how to make the tree good. By delighting in our time with God, reading and meditating on
God’s Holy Bible, we make our tree and our fruit good by storing up within our hearts the good treasure Jesus
refers to here. God’s word hidden in our heart brings forth the good things God desires. Anything else stored in our
hearts diminishes the heart’s capacity for storing God’s treasure, and gives opportunity for evil things to be stored
and to come out. Jesus called the Pharisees a “Brood of Vipers”. Jesus said they were evil. Jesus warned of the day
when men will give an account for what they said, how they chose to spend their time. How do we spend our time
now? Do we spend our time in idle or productive pursuits? What words do we speak? What is treasured in our
hearts?
Heart Check: All alone, take a minute to carefully consider your heart. For your benefit alone, honestly describe
your attitude toward your time spent reading, delighting in, and meditating on God’s word.
2014-05-04 Faith Talk A Tree By the River
Challenge: Confess the results of your heart check. Ask God for new determination to be obedient. Begin this
afternoon, if you are not already doing so, to delight in God’s word. Find the quiet place where you, like the tree
planted by the river, can sink your roots deep into the PERSONAL nourishment God only provides through
individual time spent delighting in and meditating on His Word. Go and spend time there; open the card God
prepared for you, begin to develop a craving for His Word and enjoy the blessings you receive when you dwell
there…be sure to repeat daily. Omit what stands in the way. Let me know how that works for you.
Love, Tom