The Flourishing Tree
Psalm 1 gives a beautiful picture of a flourishing tree. A flourishing tree that is steadily supplied by a steady flow of pure refreshing water flowing from nearby streams of water. A tree that is healthy. A tree that is fruitful. A tree whose leaves do not wither.
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This tree bears fruit and its leaves remain healthy even through ice, snow, storms and even predators.
What a beautiful picture of an abundant life. John 10:10 says ‘the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
What does this abundant life look like that Jesus talked about? It’s not an easy life but it is abundant. It looks like the tree in Psalm 1: a healthy tree, that is constantly supplied by a steady flow from streams of living water – a picture of the Holy Spirit. It looks like a tree that is healthy and bears fruit in season.
This abundant life looks like a tree whose leaves do not wither.
In Psalm 1 we are given a beautiful picture of the abundant life Jesus wants for you. Yet it also details who gets this type of life. It reveals 2 ways to live. 2 ways to walk. 2 paths to choose from. It contrasts those who follow God’s ways with those who choose their own path.
One path leads to an abundant life like the flourishing tree and the other path leads to collapse and destruction. Jesus said there were 2 options. His way or the thief’s way. One way leads to life in abundance. The other way leads to loss, death and destruction. It reminds us of the wise and foolish builders who built on sand or rock. Only 2 ways again. One way led to a thriving and strong house that stood strong through storms and gales and the other way led to destruction again.
In this message you will hear how you can experience an abundant life and how your life can be like the flourishing tree.
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Gospel-grounded repentance
“In a January 9, 1738, letter to a friend, GeorgeWhitefield laid out an order for regular repentance. (He ordinarily did his inventory at night.) He wrote: God give me a deep humility and a burning love, a well-guided zeal and a single eye, and then let men and devils do their worst!” Here is one way to use this order in gospel-grounded repentance.”