Good morning -
There is nothing quite like the smell of a freshly-plowed field on a spring day. I grew up in the Midwest amidst some of the richest farmland anywhere, and in my mind I can still see and smell the rich, black soil freshly turned by a plow. The soil would later be disced and then planted, in anticipation of refreshing rains and eventually a bountiful crop.
"Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD Until He comes to rain righteousness on you." (Hosea 10:12)
Spiritually there are times when breaking up our unplowed ground is necessary. Our lives can become hardened and the word of God is unable to penetrate and bring forth productive growth. Apathy and sin harden our lives, and we need to be broken open for a fresh planting of God's Word.
Now is the time to break up our unplowed ground. Through humility and brokenness we are ready to receive God's word as we discipline ourselves through Bible reading and study. We read and study with "a view to righteousness"; not losing sight of the purpose of a lifestyle of faith and good works.
When we have plowed our unplowed ground, and sown God's word through Bible reading and study, we wait in faith for the Lord to "rain righteousness on you". The refreshing rain of His Spirit comes through the disciplines of Bible study and prayer. Jesus reminds us,
"But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come." (John 16:13)
Many people long for a dynamic experience through God's Holy Spirit, and seek it in a variety of ways. If the Spirit of God can rightly be called "the Spirit of truth", then there is an inseparable connection between that Spirit and God's word of truth. God's refreshing Spirit is vitally connected to His word. Therefore, the fullness of the Spirit is found through the discipline of Bible reading and study with a view of living what we learn.
It IS time to seek the Lord. We sometimes settle for so much less that what the Lord desires for us because we do not wholeheartedly seek Him. 'You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
May our search for the Lord today be as focused and energetic as if for the world's richest treasure - because it truly is!
Pastor Steve
There is nothing quite like the smell of a freshly-plowed field on a spring day. I grew up in the Midwest amidst some of the richest farmland anywhere, and in my mind I can still see and smell the rich, black soil freshly turned by a plow. The soil would later be disced and then planted, in anticipation of refreshing rains and eventually a bountiful crop.
"Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD Until He comes to rain righteousness on you." (Hosea 10:12)
Spiritually there are times when breaking up our unplowed ground is necessary. Our lives can become hardened and the word of God is unable to penetrate and bring forth productive growth. Apathy and sin harden our lives, and we need to be broken open for a fresh planting of God's Word.
Now is the time to break up our unplowed ground. Through humility and brokenness we are ready to receive God's word as we discipline ourselves through Bible reading and study. We read and study with "a view to righteousness"; not losing sight of the purpose of a lifestyle of faith and good works.
When we have plowed our unplowed ground, and sown God's word through Bible reading and study, we wait in faith for the Lord to "rain righteousness on you". The refreshing rain of His Spirit comes through the disciplines of Bible study and prayer. Jesus reminds us,
"But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come." (John 16:13)
Many people long for a dynamic experience through God's Holy Spirit, and seek it in a variety of ways. If the Spirit of God can rightly be called "the Spirit of truth", then there is an inseparable connection between that Spirit and God's word of truth. God's refreshing Spirit is vitally connected to His word. Therefore, the fullness of the Spirit is found through the discipline of Bible reading and study with a view of living what we learn.
It IS time to seek the Lord. We sometimes settle for so much less that what the Lord desires for us because we do not wholeheartedly seek Him. 'You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
May our search for the Lord today be as focused and energetic as if for the world's richest treasure - because it truly is!
Pastor Steve
posted by steve @ 9:41 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home