There was a remarkable contrast between the glory following Jesus’ baptism and the challenge to be tempted by the devil.

• At His baptism, Jesus enjoyed the cool waters of the Jordan; now with His temptation Jesus faced the barren wilderness.
• Then there were huge crowds; now there was solitude and silence.
• Then the Spirit rested like a dove; now the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.
• Then Jesus heard the voice of the Father called Him “Beloved Son”; now He heard the hiss of Satan the tempter.
• Then Jesus was anointed; now He was attacked.
• Then the water of baptism; now the fire of temptation.
• First the heavens opened; now it was as if hell opened.

Here’s one point to draw for servants of Jesus to draw from the life of our Savior:

Each season was led by the Holy Spirit and was in the will of God.

Don’t think that a hard season means you’re out of God’s will or no longer in step with the Spirit.

Blessings to you in Jesus’ Name – David Guzik

Most of us won’t experience the same kind of violent crisis that prompted this psalm, but we have our own burdens and wounds. There are more than a few pains to carry when you give yourself to serve God, His people, and a needy world. No matter what weight you’re under, this is for you to say in the name of the God you serve:

I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God.

The traumatic events David responded to happened at the tabernacle (1 Samuel 21:1-7). Maybe when David was there, he saw a healthy green olive tree that was even more blessed because of where it was planted (in the house of God).

David said, “No matter what I’ve been through, I’m going to be like that green olive tree. I’m going to flourish as I trust in the mercy of God, and God helping me I do so forever and ever.”

All the wicked and those who set themselves against God’s work will one day pass and perish. Be encouraged that by God’s mercies, you can be like the green olive tree in the house of God – flourishing, growing, fruitful, life-giving, vibrant.

Ask God for this mercy today – and walk in it forever and ever.

Blessings to you in Jesus’ Name – David Guzik

The book of Amos is filled with many strong warnings to God’s people. In their prosperity they forgot God, but God did not forget them. He sent prophets like the simple farmer Amos to turn the people back. God knew that they would not turn back and He said so through Amos. Nevertheless, God would not abandon His failing people, and He promised an ultimate restoration. Here, in the rich images that came easily to a farmer like Amos, God promised remarkable reinvigoration of the nation.

He announced that The days are coming and under God’s inspiration, the prophet Amos ended his words to the nation on this note of high hope, looking forward to a day of great prosperity and abundance in Israel. Under the reign of Jeroboam II, they had material abundance, but not in the Lord. God promised to restore them to prosperity from Him and in Him.

Indeed, the days would come When the plowman shall overtake the reaper. With this phrase, Amos described how miraculous and amazing God’s blessing and restoration would be.

First, when God releases blessing and restoration, fruit comes abundantly. Normally, the plowman and the reaper work apart, their effort separated by many months. But under these unique seasons of blessing and restoration, those normally separated seasons bump into each other. The crops were so big that the plowman and the reaper didn’t have time to let the other finish their work. We should pray for such seasons of abundant fruit.

We also see that when God releases blessing and restoration, fruit comes from unexpected places. Normally, grapevines don’t grow well on mountains or high hills, but in the days of Israel’s restoration even the mountains shall drip with sweet wine and all the hills shall flow with it. We should pray for such seasons of unexpected fruit.

When God releases blessing and restoration, fruit comes with great quality. Amos looked forward to the day when the wine that came abundantly and from unexpected places would be sweet wine. Without being a wine connoisseur, Amos used this phrase to describe good and high-quality fruit from the work. We should pray for such seasons of good fruit.

When God releases blessing and restoration, the work is blessed – but it is still work. The plowman, the reaper, the treader of grapes, and him who sows seed still had their work to do. God doesn’t just do it all for them, but under God’s blessing and restoration the work is done with energy and joy. The plowman doesn’t just wait around; he gets busy even if he starts bumping into the reaper.

These seasons of unexpected blessing do not mean that God’s people sit on their hands and do nothing. There is still work for the plowman and the reaper, but it is glorious, blessed work.

The great English preacher Charles Spurgeon described this kind of blessed work: “I meet with my brethren in the ministry. who are able to preach day after day, day after day, and are not half so fatigued as they were; and I saw a brother minister this week who has been having meetings in his church every day, and the people have been so earnest that they will keep him very often from six in o’clock in the evening to two in the morning. ‘Oh!’ said one of the members, ‘our minister will kill himself.’ ‘Not he,’ said I, ‘that is the kind of work that will kill no man. It is preaching to a sleepy congregation that kills good ministers, but not preaching to earnest people.’ So when I saw him, his eyes were sparkling, and I said to him, ‘Brother, you do not look like a man who being killed.’ ‘Killed, my brother,’ said he, ‘why I am living twice as much as I did before; I was never so happy, never so hearty, never so well.’”

Even when we are not in such blessed times, the work of God deserves our energy and effort. We don’t work for God only when it seems glorious, but even when it is more difficult. We are ready in season and out of season. Yet without apology we look forward to and enjoy special seasons of God’s blessing – and especially, we pray for them.

Blessings to you in Jesus’ Name – David Guzik

It took many years, but eventually David became king over all the tribes of Israel. The elders of Israel received David’s leadership because he was an Israelite himself. They said, “We are your bone and your flesh.” Not long before this, David had lived as a Philistine among the Philistines. The elders of Israel put that away and embraced David as one of their own.

They also told David, “You were the one who led Israel out and brought them in.” The elders of Israel received David’s leadership because he already displayed his ability to lead.

Finally, the elders of Israel received David’s leadership because it was evident God called him to lead. They recognized that the LORD had said to David, “You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.”

If God has given you any kind of responsibility to lead among God’s people, ask yourself. Am I really “among” those I lead, sharing life with them? Have I given others a reason to trust my leadership? Can other people see that God has called me to leadership?

Of course, all of these are perfectly fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the greatest leader. Yet, these three characteristics should mark anyone who leads God’s people.

• A leader must belong to God’s people in heritage and heart.
• A leader must demonstrate capability to lead.
• A leader must have an evident call from God.

Ask God to grow you in these areas – and honor the called, godly leaders God has placed in your life.

Blessings to you in Jesus’ Name – David Guzik

God blessed Ruth and people were generous to her. At the same time, she did work hard, and she worked all day long. It wasn’t easy to follow the reapers of the harvest and carefully search for every remaining stalk of grain, carefully picking up even the small pieces left behind. It was work that demanded a lot of focus, attention, and searching.

We should use Ruth’s example to glean everything we can from the word of God:

• Ruth worked hard – we should work hard in studying God’s word.
• Ruth had to stoop to gather every grain – we don’t have to explain every “grain” when we preach and teach, but we can gather the “small grains” for ourselves and benefit from them.
• Ruth could only pick up one grain at a time – we should think through what we learn from the Bible, piece by piece.
• Ruth had to hold on to each grain, and not immediately drop it – we should mentally “hold on” to truth, to meditate on it and benefit from it.
• Ruth took the grain home and threshed it – the benefit from our gleaning in God’s word should first be a blessing to our home.
• Ruth took the threshed grain and winnowed it – what we glean in our study must be carefully prepared to have the most benefit for those who will receive it.
• Ruth was nourished by the grain – we must be nourished by God’s word, and not receive it as only truths to tell others about.

This week, may God bless your gleaning in His word!

Blessings to you in Jesus’ Name – David Guzik