Before you can plant, you must till the fallow soil. The ground may be hardened and full of weeds and rocks, but if the soil is well turned, the seed will grow and the rains will be able to soak in. As it is with our hearts…now is the Season to seek Him and to plow up the fallow areas of our hearts. Allow the showers of righteousness to soften your heart so that the fruit of the Spirit may flourish there.
Tag: christianity
Psalm 40:6 ” Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.”
When a slave had fulfilled his servitude, but wanted to remain in the household, they would pierce his ear with an awl against the doorpost. This was a sign that he was now a permanent slave, staying by his free will. The Lord doesn’t desire animal sacrifices and offerings from you, what He wants is the total surrender of your heart and life to Him. The pierced ear of the permanent slave was an outward sign of an inner commitment to his master… have you made that same commitment to your Master?
Philippians 4:9 ” And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
We look at this verse and suddenly we’re a little kid looking through the Sears Christmas catalog exclaiming…” I want this, and this, and this, OH, and this!!” It says that God will fully supply all your needs, but what we think are needs and what He thinks may differ greatly. Our needs could be just selfish wants, therefore, if we allow the Lord to supply all our needs we will lack nothing in accordance to His kindness and patience towards us. These magnificent riches of His glory will be made known to us, and we shall not want.
Proverbs 31:1 ” The sayings of King Lemuel – an oracle his mother taught him.”
The virtues of a “Proverbs 31 Woman” King Lemuel had learned from his mother. She instructed him as a young boy in the God-inspired virtues of a woman he should look for as a wife. She taught him though to honor and respect all women. A Godly woman’s influence over her young son will shape his character forever. It will determine how he treats girls in school, at work, in public and private. It is a sobering responsiblity raising boys in the world today. With all the negative and debase attitudes they see on TV, and hear in music lyrics, a Godly mother’s positive influence will shape her son’s views of women for a lifetime.
Isaiah 32:17 ” The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.”
Righteousness is “Right Living” in this Unright world populated by many Unright people. Living a righteous life day after day is frankly a challenge, but Isaiah wanted us to be encouraged by the incredible benefits that we could gain from living a righteous life. The result of this right living will be a sense of total well-being in your life. The culmination of this righteousness will be tranquility knowing that your relationship with God is secure. It may not be the easiest, but the bottom line is that discipline produces righteousness which produces peace.
Romans 4:18 ” Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him,’So shall your offspring be.’ “
Have you ever been in Abraham’s sandals? God has given you a promise which you have fervently held on to, maybe for a long time,but it continues to look so hopeless. It says that Abraham also realistically knew that he and his wife were way beyond childbearing age, yet he neither weakened or waived in his belief that God would come through somehow. And so I encourage you today…regardless of what the situation looks like, know that God is in complete control and has the power to do what He has promised, for with God ALL things are possible.
Acts 21: 12-13 ” When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered.’Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’ “
Paul’s friends were beseeching him not to go to Jerusalem and certain arrest. His friends reactions were very human and kind of selfish…they wanted Paul safe. But the Holy Spirit was also speaking to Paul, and he knew this is where he had to be.
Sometimes the Holy Spirit will speak things into our lives that we absolutely know are true, but when we share them with others they discourage and plead with us to reconsider. At that point you have to make the decision of who you will listen to ..God or man. Therefore, Listen carefully, if you know it’s from the Holy Spirit, don’t allow others to dissuade you from fulfilling your ministry.
Lamentations 3: 31-33 ” For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love. For He does not willingly bring afflication or grief to the children of men.”
The term “willingly” comes from two Hebrew words which mean- from His heart. God doesn’t want to bring hardships into our lives, but He may do so in order to teach, convict, and bring us into a right relationship with Himself. We, unfortunately, have to live with the circumstances of wrong choices we’ve made. But the wonderful news is that despite how much we mess up, the Lord’s great love for us never ends…it is new every morning!
Acts 4:31 ” When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled,ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”
The Jewish Leaders were taken back by the Apostle’s confidence and boldness in speaking of the risen Jesus. Their outward appearance was that of unskilled laborers, but the Jewish Leaders quickly realized that these were no ordinary men. It says that. . “they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” That word “with” holds so much more meaning than just hanging out with the Lord…it means relationship, and companionship. Peter and John had a deep abiding relationship with Jesus and it showed in how they spoke and conducted themselves. What would men say about you…have you been with Jesus?
Safetypinlove 