Promise for Today - The Enemies' End

They were destroyed at Endor, and their decaying corpses fertilized the soil.

Psalm 83:10 NLT

If you've known me very long, you know that I refer to the enemy's attacks on our lives as fertilizer. I was delighted to read the confirmation in this Psalm! The English Standard Version states they became "dung for the ground." 

Whatever the word, every attack by the enemy STINKS, to say the least! And only our Almighty God can take what the enemy meant for bad and turn it into good for our lives (Genesis 50:20). Just like roses need manure to bloom, we, too, shall bloom and grow as God intends, despite anything and everything the enemy tries to do to stop you or me. They were defeated at Calvary's hill, and the decaying corpses of the enemy shall fertilize our soil! 

Can you see it? Do you believe it? Can you give God praise? Can we give God thanks IN all these circumstances?

Prayer:

Father, 

          Thank You for Your Word! Thank You for the unending provision You bring to our lives - first and foremost, salvation through Jesus, Your Son. Give us eyes to see Your Glory in even the fertilizing events of our lives, and may we always look to You, the Author and Finisher of our faith, and give You praise. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Reminder to Be Dramatically Different

Some skeptic is sure to ask, “Show me how resurrection works. Give me a diagram; draw me a picture. What does this ‘resurrection body’ look like?” If you look at this question closely, you realize how absurd it is. There are no diagrams for this kind of thing. We do have a parallel experience in gardening. You plant a “dead” seed; soon there is a flourishing plant. There is no visual likeness between seed and plant. You could never guess what a tomato would look like by looking at a tomato seed. What we plant in the soil and what grows out of it don’t look anything alike. The dead body that we bury in the ground and the resurrection body that comes from it will be dramatically different.

1st Corinthians 15:35-42 The Message

Has life ever made you feel like you'd been knocked down and buried in fertilizer... that keeps getting piled on?!? That's how I was feeling when God reminded me of this Scripture.

What is planted - buried beneath mounds and pounds of fertilizer - and what grows out of it don't look anything alike! Just like you can't tell what a tomato will look like from the seed you plant, there's no telling what we'll look like, either - but the Bible says we shall be like Him!!

Can we give God praise for that and thank Him - even in the fertilizer?!?

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for loving us more than enough to give us what we need rather than what we want. Help us to understand and continue to grow in the process. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Making Good Soil

But the seed planted in the good earth represents those who hear the Word, embrace it, and produce a harvest beyond their wildest dreams.
Mark 4:20 The Message

Have you thought about a Fall garden? Here in Texas, the weather is perfect for it, but how's the soil?
Everyone knows it takes good soil to produce a good harvest. What if you don't have good soil? Do you just forget about it and give up hope for ever having a "harvest beyond their wildest dreams"? Never! Never give up! There IS a way to prepare the soil. Add lots of organic matter - compost, fertilizer, etc. It will stink to high heaven at first, but when it reaches its fullness, according to gardenorganic.org, the finished product is "dark, rich, crumbly, and sweet-smelling." And that type of rich soil will produce!

Obviously in our text for today, Jesus was teaching in story form, likening us to the different kinds of soils to receive God's Word (the seed). So, what if WE don't have good soil? What if we're lacking what it takes to produce a great harvest? What can we do? Add lots of organic matter. 

Organic matter consists of things that were once alive, but are now dead. Stuff that is no longer useful to us until the heat of the compost pile turns it into something used for good. Breaking it down to practical application. We are to be dead to sin: anger, hatred, lust, gossip, lies, etc. Whatever you struggle with - throw it on the pile. Add to that the occasional "fertilizer" of life's circumstances - throw it on the pile. When we give it to God - whatever it may be - according to Philippians 4:18, it comes before Him as "a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God."

Turn it over to God and let the fire of the Holy Spirit cook all the garbage out of it and make it useful to prepare the soil of our hearts to receive God's Word and produce a harvest beyond our wildest dreams.

Prayer:

Father,
          We welcome the work of Your Holy Spirit in our lives. Let the fire of the Holy Spirit cook all the garbage out of it and make it useful to prepare the soil of our hearts to receive Your Word so we can produce a harvest of souls for Your kingdom. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorite - Buried Alive

Some skeptic is sure to ask, “Show me how resurrection works. Give me a diagram; draw me a picture. What does this ‘resurrection body’ look like?” If you look at this question closely, you realize how absurd it is. There are no diagrams for this kind of thing. We do have a parallel experience in gardening. You plant a “dead” seed; soon there is a flourishing plant. There is no visual likeness between seed and plant. You could never guess what a tomato would look like by looking at a tomato seed. What we plant in the soil and what grows out of it don’t look anything alike. The dead body that we bury in the ground and the resurrection body that comes from it will be dramatically different.
1st Corinthians 15:35-42 The Message

Has life ever made you feel like you'd been knocked down and buried in fertilizer... that keeps getting piled on?!? That's how I've been feeling the last few days but today, God reminded me of this Scripture.

What is planted - buried beneath mounds and pounds of fertilizer - and what grows out of it don't look anything alike! Just like you can't tell what a tomato will look like from the seed you plant, there's no telling what we'll look like, either - but the Bible says we shall be like Him!!

Can we give God the praise for that and thank Him even in the fertilizer?!?

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for loving us more than enough to give us what we need rather than what we want. Help us to understand and continue to grow in the process. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Buried Alive

Some skeptic is sure to ask, “Show me how resurrection works. Give me a diagram; draw me a picture. What does this ‘resurrection body’ look like?” If you look at this question closely, you realize how absurd it is. There are no diagrams for this kind of thing. We do have a parallel experience in gardening. You plant a “dead” seed; soon there is a flourishing plant. There is no visual likeness between seed and plant. You could never guess what a tomato would look like by looking at a tomato seed. What we plant in the soil and what grows out of it don’t look anything alike. The dead body that we bury in the ground and the resurrection body that comes from it will be dramatically different.
1st Corinthians 15:35-42 The Message

Has life ever made you feel like you'd been knocked down and buried in fertilizer... that keeps getting piled on?!? That's how I was feeling when God reminded me of this Scripture.

What is planted - buried beneath mounds and pounds of fertilizer - and what grows out of it don't look anything alike! Just like you can't tell what a tomato will look like from the seed you plant, there's no telling what we'll look like, either - but the Bible says we shall be like Him!!

Can we give God praise for that and thank Him - even in the fertilizer?!?

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for loving us more than enough to give us what we need rather than what we want. Help us to understand and continue to grow in the process. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen