“July Spiritual Botany” As you probably know, July is our hottest month of the year in the Twin Cites with the average temperature for the month being over 83 degrees. We can often experience several weeks in July of above 90 degree temperatures with little or no rain. Botanists (those who study plants) tell us these conditions can be very hard on plant life. Our lawns, the farmers’ crops, flowers and other vegetation can be greatly stressed by the weather conditions of July in Minnesota. Several things are crucial for plants’ survival in our July environment: the quality of the soil, proximity to a lake, pond, river or stream, the depth of the plant’s roots, and access to irrigation. If a plant has one or more of these things going for it, its chances of surviving and producing abundant fruit rise dramatically. But without access to any of these things, a plant can easily shrivel up and die in July. Did you know that there are similarities with what plants face with our July weather and our spiritual life? Look at Jeremiah 17:5-8, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the LORD. 6They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. 7But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. 8They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit’” (NLT). The prophet Jeremiah compares our spiritual condition to plants. If our hope and confidence is rooted in humans or things, if we turn away from God - the true source of life and nourishment, we become like unproductive, dried up dead plants. God calls such people “cursed.” He says they have “no hope for the future.” But if we put our hope and confidence in God, we are like plants by a river. Our roots go deep and we are not bothered by the heat or drought the evil one brings our way. We produce abundant fruit for God and His kingdom. Are you feeling spiritually far from God? Are you feeling spiritually dry and lifeless? Are you bearing little or no fruit for God? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, take a lesson from the plants this July. Pause for a moment and see how some plants seem to be doing fine and others are wilting under the heat and dryness. Use the plants as a reminder of your spiritual life. Are you placing your life’s confidence in God or in other people or things? Don’t wither and die spiritually like an unwatered plant in the dry July heat. Put your hope and confidence in God today. Draw spiritual nourishment from prayer, bible reading, discipleship, and attending and participating in the life of church. If you do, God promises that no matter the heat and dryness life throws at you, you will prosper spiritually and bear much fruit for our God!

“Making the Most of Summer!” It’s June and summer is finally here. Many of us in Minnesota look forward to summer all year long. We Minnesotans get three months of warm weather to enjoy the outdoors. We tend to make the most of these three months by diving into vacations, BBQs, picnics, camping, going to the lake or river, fishing and various outdoor sports. Summer here is so short lived that many of us try to hang onto and savor every moment. But inevitably, before you know it, September is upon us and soon after that we know the snow will be flying. Many of us feel a sense of sadness and disappointment that the excitement and anticipation of summer has passed so fast. Recently I read Psalm 37:3-4 which says, “Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart” (NKJV). God will give you the desires of your heart! How could anyone not be drawn to such a promise? The promise of summer often leaves us disappointed but God never does. I think there are several important lessons in these two verses that we need to apply to our lives. If we do, we’ll find the keys to contentment and fulfillment in our walk with Christ. The first lesson is to “trust in the Lord.” In good times and bad, in peace or in strife, don’t fail to trust God for every need whether it’s big or small. Trusting in yourself or your finances or in your family and friends will eventually fail you. But if your trust is in the God who created the universe and who loves you more than you can imagine, you will never be disappointed. The second lesson is to “do good”. An old hymn does a good job of putting this second key together with the first. It states, "Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus." In addition to trusting the Lord in good times and bad, if we want to live a contented Christian life, we must obey Him and do what we know is good. This secures for us a closeness in our relationship with Him which is a wonderful blessing. The third lesson is to “dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.” We must abide in Him, determined to dwell where He has placed you, and be satisfied there. Know that He is with you, wherever He has placed you, and choose to be content in that for as long as He keeps you there. While "in the land" that He has given you, enjoy the blessings of God. Feed on His faithfulness in protecting you and providing for your every need. Give thanks always to Him for that faithfulness, provision and protection. The fourth lesson is to "Delight yourself also in the Lord." As you truly delight in the Lord, He transforms the desires of your heart so that they’re in line with His heart. Many Christians are thankful to the Lord for His presence, His protection, and His provision, yet they have not learned to delight themselves in the Lord Himself. The result is that their joy becomes increasingly dependent on their circumstances and on how much comfort they can acquire. But those who worship - those who adore the Lord so much that they long to be in close fellowship with Him, admiring Him and praising Him just for who He is, in good times and bad - they have a source of delight that never fades. This summer, may God help us to always trust in Him, to obey Him, to dwell in the security of being where He want us, to feed on His faithfulness, and to take sheer delight in Him. Then He will grant us the desires of our hearts. - Pastor Dan

SPIRITUAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES:
Once there was this young couple in their early thirties. They had two children, good careers, had just bought a home and were settling into middle class American life. Soon they began to think about investing for their future so they would have money set aside for college for their kids and for their retirement. As they researched investments, it came down to two choices: one offered a quick and big return on investment but a sketchy long-term return and the second offered a modest initial return but a huge guaranteed return after retirement. What will this young couple do? Which option will they choose? Which one would you choose if you were this couple?
This investment scenario can be looked at as a parable for our lives on this earth. Our lives can be viewed as an investment strategy. How we choose to live shows which investment strategy we have taken. Like in the story, we also have two basic choices on how to invest our life. The first investment strategy belongs to the world. The world dangles tantalizing and tempting returns if we go for its quick payoff. It tempts us with things like materialism, success, pride, knowledge, sex, fun, popularity, etc. We invest in the world’s strategy by giving in to its values and spending our gifts and talents pursuing its returns. The problem with the world’s investment strategy is that it is a ponzi scheme! It promises a big payoff, but you end up bankrupt and losing everything, including our eternal destiny. Jesus said in Luke 9:24-25 “Any of you who try to save the life you have will lose it. But you who give up your life for me will save it. 25It is worth nothing for you to have the whole world if you yourself are destroyed or lost” (ERV).
However if we choose the second investment strategy, the outcome is entirely different. The second strategy is God’s. He invites us to give up the things of this world and the temporary payoff they offer and invest our time, talents and treasure in the Kingdom of God. At first glance, giving up the quick payoff of the world seems too much to ask for many people. But even this is a deception. Yes the Christian life is full of hardships. We have to take stands against the evil of this world that can bring ridicule and persecution. We make difficult choices like going to church and Bible studies, giving our tithes, and using our gifts and talents to glorify God that the world simply doesn’t understand. But God offers us an inner peace and joy in this life that the world can’t offer. So in reality, the payoff in this life for the Christian is better than what the world offers. And then there is the big payoff at retirement time (when we leave this life) with God’s investment strategy – eternal life in God’s presence with the curse of sin and all the evil that comes with it removed forever! It will be so much more incredible than any of us can image. Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-21 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (NLT).
Which investment strategy are you currently enrolled in? Maybe you are in the “in-between strategy” where you are trying to get the best results from both investments. Bad news – this never works. You will end up with the benefits of neither and the consequences of the world’s strategy – eternal destiny in hell! If you need help with your spiritual investment decisions you can always call your spiritual brokers at the investment firm of New Heights. Their names are Pastor Dan and Pastor Sherry. We are always willing to give wise spiritual investment advice. May today be the day you become a wise investor of with your life.