The Sycomore Tree

Bible Reading: Luke 19:1-10

Key Verse: Verse 4  - “And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way."

Key Words: and climbed up into a sycomore tree 

The sycomore trees in the Middle East were and are often planted by the roadside.  They are planted there because they offer shade and protection from the weather to the traveler.

The trees can grow quite large depending on the soil and moisture.  The wood of the sycomore tree was often used for fire and carpentry.  While it is not as abundant as it was in Jesus’ day, you can still find many sycomore trees along the roadside of the Holy Land.

In Zaccheus’ time it was a tree that allowed him to see Jesus as His Savior.  D. M. Stearns was preaching in Philadelphia.  At the close of the service a stranger came up to him and said, “I do not like the way you spoke about the cross.  I think that instead of emphasizing the death of Christ, it would be far better to preach Jesus, the teacher and example.” 

Stearns replied, “If I presented Christ in that way, would you be willing to follow Him?” 

“I certainly would,” said the stranger without hesitation. 

“All right then,” said the preacher, “let’s take the first step.  He did no sin.  Can you claim that for yourself?” 

The man looked confused and somewhat surprised.  “Why, no,” he said.  “I acknowledge that I do sin.”

Stearns replied, “Then your greatest need is to have a Savior, not an example!” 

                                                                                    Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do: 

      ✞If you have never accepted Jesus as your Savior, do so today.

      ✞Every time you read about or hear about the sycomore tree, praise God for your salvation.

The Juniper Tree

Bible Reading:   I Kings 19:1-8

Key Verse: Verse 4 - “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down   under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O   LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers."

Key Words: and came and sat down under a  juniper tree 

The juniper tree is the tree of despair.

Have you been under the juniper tree of despair?  I am sure the answer for each of us is a resounding yes!  The problem is not when we sit under the juniper tree of despair.  The problem is when we pitch our tent there.  Despair is the product of focusing on our self rather than on God and others.

We need to be optimistic about our situation rather than be pessimistic.  A pessimist finds a problem in every opportunity while an optimist finds an opportunity in every problem.

During his days as President, Thomas Jefferson and a group of companions were traveling across the country on horseback.  They came to a river that had left its banks because of a recent downpour.  The swollen river had washed the bridge away.  Each rider was forced to ford the river on horseback, fighting for his life against the rapid currents.  The very real possibility of death threatened the riders, which caused a traveler who was not part of their group to step aside and watch.  After several had plunged in and made it to the other side, the stranger asked President Jefferson if he would ferry him across the river.  The President agreed without hesitation.  The man climbed on, and shortly thereafter the two of them made it safely to the other side.

As the stranger slid off the back of the saddle onto dry ground, one in the group asked him, “Tell me, why did you select the President to ask this favor of?” 

The man was shocked, admitting he had no idea it was the President who had helped him.  “All I know,” he said, “is that on some of your faces was written the answer ‘No,’ and on some of them was the answer ‘Yes.’  His was a ‘Yes’ face.”

So let me challenge you, do not spend your life under the juniper tree of despair, invest your life in others for God’s glory. 

                                                                             Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

       ✞Do not camp under the juniper tree of despair.

      ✞Invest your life in others for God’s glory.

      ✞Every time you think of a juniper tree, remember victory not despair.

The Oak Tree

Bible Reading:   I Kings 13:1-32                                

Key Verse: Verse 14 - " And went after the man of   God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said   unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.”

Key Words: and found him sitting under an oak 

The oak tree is symbolic of disobedience!! 

The Bible declares that the donkey stood right there with the lion, and the lion did not even try to eat the donkey.  The donkey and the lion stood looking at this dead preacher that the lion had killed.  It was then that the prophet came and took the old dead preacher and put him on his donkey and took him back into town and put his body into a strange tomb.

As you read the story of the young man of God, it becomes very clear that he disobeyed God (verses 16-17).  The principle is that disobedience will always lead to destruction.

If you will remember, it was Absalom who disobeyed the command of God to honor his father; and as a result, his hair was caught in an oak tree, which eventually led to his death.

The oak tree is symbolic of disobedience!!

In the Houston Zoo in Texas you might find an unusual phenomenon.  Although you pay to see and learn about animals, the alligator exhibit can tell you much more about people.  In every other cage you do not find a large display of scattered coins.  You see normal habitat, as you might expect, without a spattering of loose change.  So why is there frequently money in with the alligators?  Is it because there is water, and people seem enamored with throwing pocket change into water? 

There are other exhibits with plenty of water, but they do not have all the nickels, dimes, and quarters.  The reason for this abundance of money stems from a sign by the alligators.  As you read to learn more about these interesting creatures, the zoological society presents a reminder not to throw money into the water, as it only takes one coin, digested by an alligator, to kill the huge reptile.  To the chagrin of the zoo staff, coins are often thrown all around the alligators.  Whether it is coins in the alligator pit or just one tree in a garden called Eden, sinful man has a tough time obeying the rules. 

                                                                            Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do:

      ✞When you think of the oak tree, remember the importance of obedience to God. 

The Mulberry Tree

Bible Reading:  II Samuel 5:17-25

Key Verse: Verse 24 - “And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the   Philistines."

Key Words: in the tops of the mulberry trees

In our key verse, we see God advising David – do not move until you hear from Me; but when you hear the sound in the mulberry trees, that is your queue to move.  So the mulberry tree is the tree of awareness.  David was aware of the presence of God by the moving of the mulberry trees.

For some, their mulberry tree is a hospital bed; but for others, it is a revival meeting; still to others this mulberry tree may be standing in front of a casket.  But the mulberry tree is the tree of being aware of God’s presence.

A number of times in my forty-five years in the ministry, I have been keenly aware of the presence of God, but never more so than when we buried my grandson on April 17, 2004.  Our family could have never made it through such a trial if it were not for the presence of God.

One Christmas Eve the telephone rang in the office of the Pastor of a church in Washington, DC.  “Tell me, Reverend,” the voice inquired, “are you holding a Christmas Eve service tonight?”  When advised that there would certainly be a service that evening, the caller asked, “And do you expect President Roosevelt to attend your church tonight?” 

“That,” explained the Pastor patiently, “I cannot promise.  I am not sure about the President’s plans for the evening.  But I can say that we fully expect God to be in our church tonight, and we feel secure in the knowledge that His attendance will attract a reasonably large congregation.”

My prayer for you is that you desire the presence of God in your personal life, in your home, and in your church more than you desire anything else. 

                                                                            Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do:

✞Remember the mulberry tree and the presence of God.

The Cassia Tree

Bible Reading:  Psalm 45

Key Verse: Verse 8 - "All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad."

Key Words: and cassia 

The cassia tree grows ten to fifteen meters tall.  It has grayish bark and elongated leaves that are ten to fifteen centimeters long and reddish in color.  Cassia is a close relative to the cinnamon.  Did you know that most of the spice sold as cinnamon in the United States and Canada is actually cassia?

Cassia is mentioned in the Bible on three occasions.  While it is a tree or plant that grows in the Mediterranean region, it is primarily grown and harvested today in China and Viet Nam.  The cassia tree is associated with a sweet smell and is symbolic of righteousness (Psalm 45:7).

The other day I jumped in my car and was heading to make a visit at the hospital.  As I sat down in the car seat, I thought I smelled – well, a not-so-pleasant odor.  I looked around but I could not see anything that would be causing such a stench.  Eventually I became used to the odor, and it did not bother me anymore until I got out of the car and walked in the fresh air and went into the hospital.  When I came back and got back in the car, there was again a distinct odor. 

This went on for a couple of days until eventually I could no longer take it.  I began an all-out search for the culprit causing such a horrendous smell.  Finally, I saw it!  There it was – a baby bottle filled with milk (sour, corroded milk).  It looked and smelled as if - well, you get the idea.  Not only did I get rid of the bottle, I put one of those sweet-smelling car fresheners in my car.  You see, it was not enough to simply put a car freshener in the car; I had to first get rid of the cause of the odor.

When we get rid of sin and replace it with that sweet smell of righteousness, our heart can then produce a sweet smell again.  So the next time you think of cassia, think of the sweet fragrance of righteousness.

                                                                                Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do:

✞Get rid of the sin in your life and replace it with some cassia, the smell of righteousness.

Cinnamon and Appeal

Bible Reading:  Proverbs 7:1-20

Key Verse: Verse 17 - “I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon."

Key Words: I have perfumed my bed with ...cinnamon 

It is believed that cinnamon is very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.  Cinnamon is a good source of Vitamin K which helps prevent blood clotting and is a very good source of dietary fiber and manganese.

It is very obvious from our text that cinnamon is used as a perfume for drawing appeal as well.  Now cinnamon itself is not bad, it just depends on what we use it for.

It is said that visitors at Niagara Falls often have their attention called to a certain cliff over the boiling current below where a young lady some years ago lost her life.  She was delighted with the beautiful scene and eager to pluck some wild flowers from a cliff where no human hand had ever ventured.  She climbed the cliff and grasped the flowers; but as she gazed down upon the surging waters below, she became dizzy; and with a wild shriek she plunged like a falling star to her death below.

Now, the flowers were not the problem, her desire was the problem.  Our craving for things we should not crave will always lead us to destruction.

A pastor once told the following.  “My friends, the other day I was going down the street and saw a drove of pigs following a man.  My curiosity was aroused, and I decided to follow him.  This I did, and to my surprise I found he was leading them to the slaughterhouse.  I asked the man how he managed to get them to follow him.  The man answered, ‘Oh, did you not see that I had a basket of beans under my arm, and I continued to drop them along, and so they followed me?’  So it is with the devil.  He is dropping his bait, which may look and taste good to the sinner, but it will lead him to hell.”

So the next time you see, taste, or smell cinnamon, remember to keep your cravings under God’s control.  

                                                                                 Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

      ✞Get God’s wisdom from His Word, not this world!

Flax and Protection

Bible Reading:  Joshua 2:1-8

Key Verse: Verse 6 - " But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of  flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof."

Key Words:  and hid them with the stalks of flax 

Flax is said to be rich in antioxidants.  It also provides fiber, is believed to assist the body in fighting against cancer- in particular breast cancer, and tests have shown that flax has positive benefits in fighting against such things as Crohn’s Disease and colitis.  Flax is also said to help heal the inner lining of an inflamed intestine.

But in our text it is very obvious that flax was used by Rahab to hide the two Israeli spies.  Flax was used as protection.

Lorrie Anderson, missionary to the head-shrinking Candoshi Shapra Indians of Peru, was looking for a quiet place for her daily time of Bible reading and prayer, so she went down by the edge of the river.  After reading her Bible, she took up her prayer list.  Eyes closed, she did not see the deadly anaconda weaving through the water until it struck, burying its fangs into her flesh.  It withdrew its fangs only to strike again.  Then just as suddenly as it had struck, the deadly anaconda slithered off.  While Lorrie was being treated, a witch doctor from a nearby village burst into the room where Lorrie was and stared at her.  The witch doctor could not believe that Lorrie had survived the attack.  It seems that the witch doctor had chanted to the spirit of the anaconda that morning and had sent the snake to kill the young missionary. 

“I am certain,” Lorrie said, “that except for the protection of God, it would have worked.”

So the next time you hear or see or even eat some flax, think about the protection of God. 

                                                                            Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do: 

      ✞Let flax remind you of God’s protection.