SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/13/2021 9:41 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
PT-5 “Differences”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matt.
7:24-27
Message of the verses: “24 “Therefore
everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a
wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 “And the rain fell, and the floods
came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did
not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 “Everyone who hears these
words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built
his house on the sand. 27 “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds
blew and slammed against that house; and it fell — and great was its
fall.’”
I
have to say that I am not sure how long this section on “differences” will
take, but we will keep on going until it is finished, and pray that the Lord
will use it to His glory as there certainly many wonderful things being taught
in the final part of this prayer.
We
want to begin by talking about the word superficial and what this word means as
the foolish person, the one who likes the easy way of doing things is
superficial as he requires little planning, little effort, little care to
detail, and little concern for quality or standards. Superficial:
“(of a person) never thinking about things that are serious or important.”
This quotation comes from the Cambridge Dictionary.
MacArthur adds “The person who is
superficial looks for what is pleasing rather than for what is right, for what
is enjoyable rather than for what is true, for what satisfies himself rather
than what satisfies God. He looks to
Christianity for instant results, instant pleasure, and instant rewards. He
cares much about spiritual ‘highs’ but nothing about spiritual ‘depts.’”
MacArthur then quotes Charles
Spurgeon:
“Want
of depth, want of sincerity, want of zeal in religion—this is the want of our
times.” (Spurgeon lived in the mid to late 1800’s.) “Want of an eye to God in
religion, lack of sincere dealing with one’s soul, neglect of using the lancet
with our hearts, neglect of the search warrant which God gives out against sin,
carelessness concerning living upon Christ; much reading about Him, much
talking about Him, but too little feeding on His flesh and drinking of His
blood—these are the causes of a tottering profession and a baseless hope.” (Cited by Pink in An Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1974], p. 423).”
I wonder what Spurgeon would think
about the times we are living in as when Spurgeon wrote this there were many
great preachers preaching and many people getting saved from their sins. D. L. Moody is an example of a great preacher
during that time period.
Let us look at Matthew 13:20-21 for
a moment: “20 "The one on whom seed was sown
on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately
receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only
temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately
he falls away.” This comes from the
parable of the sower which Jesus spoke of the person who, as stated here “hears
the word, and immediately receives it with joy; het he has no firm root in
himself.” What Jesus is talking about in
this parable He is also talking about when He talks about people who are
building their lives on the sand. Again
the word superficial comes into play here.
Whenever
Jesus demands one to do something the “foolish man” always has an excuse. Jesus spoke of this in other places in the
gospels. 57 As they were going along the
road, someone said to Him, "I will follow You wherever You go." 58 And
Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have
nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." 59 And He said to
another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, permit me first to go
and bury my father." 60 But He said to him, "Allow the dead to bury
their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of
God." 61 Another also said, "I will follow You, Lord; but first
permit me to say good-bye to those at home." 62 But Jesus said to him,
"No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for
the kingdom of God’” (Luke 9:57-62).
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I have to say that this word “superficial”
has stepped on my feet greatly today as I have always one to be in a hurry, and
yet since the Lord has laid on my heart a concern to pray for revival, I have
not been in a hurry to get our prayer group starting to pray about it as He
continues to show me things about revival, thinks like books to buy for the
group and sermons to listen to, things like that and for that I am so very grateful,
grateful for the Lord’s longsuffering.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I desire to continue to trust the Lord as He
continues to work in my heart for revival.
3/13/2021 10:09 AM
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