The Acorn

Week Forty-Eight, 2018

By John Grant

A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Matthew 7:18

Right after we built our home nearly fifty years ago, my wife decided we should have a big tree in our front yard. In a small pot she planted a single acorn. As the sprout grew, it was transferred to a bigger pot and finally into the ground. It grew and grew and grew until it reached adulthood and topped over our two-story house. It was always her favorite tree.

Trees, like people have an expiration date. Our tree began to age, with rot and falling limps. Like an old dog, it was time to go, so we secured an arborist who agreed and proceeded to level the tree.

As I watched the tree go down limb by limp, I could not stop thinking of the day we planted that acorn. It was a journey from a small seed to a giant oak. We are like that, beginning with a small seed, but the rest is up to us. How will we grow, like a giant oak or an acorn that stays on the ground and rots?

“From little acorns mighty oaks do grow” is an enduring proverb that gives believers hope for their future in God’s Kingdom. We should all strive to become the uncommon acorn—the one that develops into a majestic oak with limbs reaching out to a hurting world.

Max Lucado writes: There’s an oak within every acorn. One little acorn, with time, can also be the start of a whole forest of mighty oak trees. The acorn is the seed of the mighty oak tree; therefore, it symbolizes potential and strength. … The acorn is the youth of a mighty oak tree. As Christians, we should continue to grow until our expiration date.

What characteristics are evidence of Christian growth? The evidence of Christian growth can be broken down into three main areas: hunger for God’s Word, confidence, and obedience. These three characteristics are based on love. The work of the Holy Spirit and God’s grace within us, help us to grow and start to display evidence of Christian growth.

God is not done with his work when we first believe and are saved. He intends day by day to make us into what we already are in Christ. Spiritual growth is not optional or marginal in the Christian life. Every person that truly believes in Christ is increasingly transformed into his likeness.

What will you be an acorn or a tree?

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

What do you believe about God? Salvation? Sin? Ethics? And the Bible?

According to a recent survey conducted by LifeWay Research based on interviews with 3,000 people, American evangelicals are “deeply confused” about many basic Bible doctrines.

Their conclusion, that is “overall, US adults appear to have a superficial attachment to well-known Christian beliefs.” While the majority believed that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, 6 in 10 Americans think “religious belief is a matter of personal opinion [and] not about objective truth.”

▪ A majority of US adults (59%) believe the Holy Spirit is a force and not a personal being.

▪ 58% don’t see regular church attendance as important.

▪ 69% are not bothered by “small sins” as being condemned by God.

▪ 51% agreed that God accepts the worship of all religions.

▪ Incredibly 78% believed that Jesus was a created being.

The problem, cites the survey, is the impact of “relativism” on religion. Today’s culture, however, looks at truth as being “relative.” It says, “What is truth for me, may not be truth for you. And what truth is for you, may not be truth for me” This philosophy can be summed up in two words: “No Absolutes!”

This philosophy spouts off phrases like “It doesn’t matter what you believe (or do) as long as you’re honest and sincere.” “It says there are no absolute truths in life.” Of course, this is ridiculous. That statement in itself is an absolute. Preacher Man

— o —

Italian Tomato Garden

An old Italian lived alone in New Jersey. He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground was hard.

His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament:

Dear Vincent,

I am feeling pretty sad, because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.

Love, Papa

A few days later he received a letter from his son.

Dear Pop,

Don’t dig up that garden. That’s where the bodies are buried.

Love,

Vinnie

At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left.

That same day the old man received another letter from his son.

Dear Pop, Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That’s the best I could do under the circumstances.

Love you,

Vinnie

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

God doesn’t need a majority; he needs a remnant. PS 105:17

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. Robert Brault

When Facing Something New, Follow Someone Old

The Most Fearful Times Can Be The Most Fruitful Times

***

THE ACORN

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

After you've read "Saving Jesus," please give me your feedback. Thanks!