Fallow Ground

The following comes from my husband’s blog, “No Grey Areas.” He is not the only one who has been thinking of this lately. . .

Fallow Ground

“Much food is in the fallow ground of the poor, and for lack of justice there is waste.”  Prov 13:23 (NKJV)

I have been thinking much about this passage lately.

Fallow ground may be fallow for a good reason: it could be a sabbatical year for that field; it could be plowed up for weed control; or, it could be fallow because I am not making the best use of my resources.

In other words, fallow ground is a potentially productive asset that is not producing any return on investment either by deliberate choice or because of neglect. I want to focus on ground that is fallow by means of neglect.

In our urbanized society, we don’t often think of fallow ground yet we have much of it.  We often have fallow ground due to our failure to recognize a valuable asset and/or because we are unwilling to do the necessary labor required to make that asset productive.

To put fallow ground to work requires a minimum of two components. First, we need to discern that there is a productive asset in our lives that is, in fact, fallow. Second, we must be willing to do the work necessary to bring that ground into production. If it is a “field” that has been fallow a long time, or never been in production at all, it will take a lot of work.

This work can not be ignored, Jesus said… “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it.”—  Luke 14:28 (NKJV)

What fallow ground in your life is not productive for the Kingdom of God?

What are you doing with your greatest asset–your time? Paul tells us to “redeem the time.” Are you redeeming or wasting your time?

How could you advance God’s Kingdom if you were to put this fallow ground (time) into productive use? This takes serious work and commitment. Odds are good your friends (and maybe even your family) will think you have gone “off the deep end.” You’ll have to exchange non-productive uses of time for the hard work of using time in a productive manner. This may mean hours and hours of study and preparation prior to even the start of “plowing” your field.

Are you willing to pay the price? Bill Gates and Warren Buffet won’t have one minute more than you at the start of each day. Will you use your time as efficiently for God’s Kingdom as they do for building wealth which is temporary?

As Christians in today’s world, we are NOT using our time to advance God’s Kingdom.  Jesus is not subtle on this topic. We are admonished more than once to put His Kingdom FIRST–everything else in our lives is commanded to come after His Kingdom.

If life ends, and eternity begins, in one of those moments today, will you be found a good steward of using your time to advance God’s Kingdom?

Are you willing to repent and change priorities?

What say you?

“Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12 ESV

Copyright © 2013 by Charles L. Johnson
All rights reserved

Used with permission

Reconciling Differences

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.” Psalm 62:5-7, NIV

The following post is the first my daughter ever wrote for her blog, “My Soul Found Rest.” There is much wisdom to be found here; some we should all take to heart.

Reconciling Differences

I always wanted to have siblings when I was a child. If I could have made a perfect family for myself, I would have added an older sister and brother. Unfortunately for me, my parents were unable to have any more children after me, and the three adoptions we attempted were unsuccessful. I used to dream of having perfect relationships with my imaginary brother and sister; we would never fight and would always be best friends and playmates.

Any of you who have siblings knows that is far removed from reality. Siblings fight, quarrel, and occasionally even break windows! Contrary to my dreams, they don’t always become best friends and often spend little time with each other, especially in today’s hectic lifestyle.

In fact, they aren’t the only ones that don’t get along. Pope Pius II, in his letter to Leonardo di Bentivoglio, complained bitterly of the lack of cooperation between the European countries. If they would only unite, he said, then surely Christians would be able to conquer the Turks and regain the Holy Land. Christians united, after all, are much stronger than Christians quarreling.

I don’t know what effect, if any, his letter had. I do know that the nations of Europe continued in their wars, as always. In fact, the church today is doing exactly what the Renaissance church did; we bicker amongst ourselves and cause many to question not only our devotion to Christ, but also the efficacy of the gospel itself. For if Christians cannot even show love to each other, then how are we supposed to show love to the world?

I believe that Satan takes special delight in causing the Body of Christ to fight within itself. Luke 11:17 says, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.” He knows perfectly well that if we are preoccupied with what is going on within the church, then we will not have the strength or power to fight him and his work. We only play into his hands when we allow petty details to interfere in our relationships with each other. Just as parents counsel siblings to be unselfish and let someone else’s needs come before their own, so the Lord counsels us to do the same. “To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!” (1 Corinthians 6:7-8, ESV).

In the Body of Christ, all are our brothers and sisters. Even though our relationships with our biological siblings can be rough at times, we are connected through that bond of blood and make things work as best we can. We must remember that every single Christian is our blood brother or sister through Christ, and we should not be estranged from one another. Just as the Lord gives us grace in our immediate families, He will give us grace with the church. Only when we lay aside our bickering and petty feuds and stand united against evil will we be able to effect and fulfill all that the Lord has called us to do on this earth.

Copyright © 2013 by My Soul Found Rest–Used with permission.

What Sort Of Tale?

Sean Astin As Samwise Gamgee in The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy

My husband and I are currently re-watching the The Lord of The Rings movies. My favorite character has always been Samwise Gamgee. I admire his faithfulness, courage, loyalty, steadfastness, and absolute perserverance–character traits I wish I had more of. Below are a few of my favorite quotes from the books and movies. They encourage me every time I read them or hear them. I hope they will do the same for you.

Sam: It’s like in the great stories Mr. Frodo, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn’t want to know the end because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end it’s only a passing thing this shadow, even darkness must pass. A new day will come, and when the sun shines it’ll shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something even if you were too small to understand why. But I think Mr. Frodo, I do understand, I know now folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going because they were holding on to something.

Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?

Sam: That there’s some good in the world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.

*******

“But I suppose it’s often that way. The brave things in the old tales and songs, Mr. Frodo: adventures, as I used to call them. I used to think  that they were things the wonderful folk of the stories went out and looked for, because they wanted them, because they were exciting and life was a bit dull, a kind of a sport, as you might say. But that’s not the way of it with the tales that really mattered, or the ones that stay in the mind. Folk seem to have just landed in them, usually–their paths were laid that way, as you put it. But I expect they had lots of chances, like us, of turning back, only they didn’t. And if they had, we shouldn’t know, because they’d have been forgotten. We hear about those as just went on–and not all to a good end, mind you; at least not to what folk inside a story and not outside it call a good end. You know, coming home, and finding things all right, though not quite the same–like old Mr. Bilbo. But those aren’t always the best tales to hear, though they may be the best tales to get landed in!  I wonder what sort of a tale we’ve fallen into?”

*******

“I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you.”

By J.R.R. Tolkien; The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy

Original Content: Copyright © 2013 by Susan E. Johnson
All rights reserved

Decorating

Reblogged from sfnowak:

My wife is decorating.

I know what you're thinking, and no, it's not nesting and we're not expecting.

However, the experience is interesting.

I've lived in houses, apartments, hooches, tents, pods and whatever. As a guy my criteria is quite different from hers. I've slept with 40 of my best friends in a tent in some God-forsaken country. Her? Hasn't happened.

Read more… 272 more words

The difference between living in a house and going home. . . From my blogging friend Steve Nowak.

No Other Stream

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38 (NKJV)

“ARE YOU NOT THIRSTY?” said the Lion.

“I’m dying of thirst,” said Jill.

“Then drink,” said the Lion.

“May I— could I— would you mind going away while I do?” said Jill.

The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience… The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.

“Will you promise not to— do anything to me, if I do come?” said Jill.

“I make no promise,” said the Lion.

Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.

“Do you eat girls?” she said.

“I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms,” said the Lion. It didn’t say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.

“I daren’t come and drink,” said Jill.

“Then you will die of thirst,” said the Lion.

“Oh dear!” said Jill, coming another step nearer. “I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.”

“There is no other stream,” said the Lion.

By C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair

Source: https://www.facebook.com/#!/CSLewisOnStage

What would Jesus eat?

Reblogged from the daysman:

It’s becoming a trope among Christian food writers to wonder what Jesus would eat at a church potluck.

Would He eat the raspberries, flown from somewhere in Central America and picked by underpaid laborers? What about chicken injected with hormones? A meal like this is filled with ethical and nutritional landmines.

And Jello? Really? Would the creator of the original garden, and every garden since, eat something that doesn’t even resemble food as He imagined it, in color, texture, taste or benefit?

Read more… 396 more words

Words of wisdom from The Daysman, Dr. Wally Metts.

Double Destruction

Matthew 10:24-28 states, “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Jesus told us that because the Kingdom was here, where healthy fear should be accurately placed. He said not to fear those who kill the body, but rather Him who can kill the soul. Fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. The Kingdom has a judicial section, and when that judicial section is accessed, those who set themselves against God’s purposes will face the Ultimate Judge, where their life hangs in the balance. Jesus could have put it this way, “He is the God of double-destruction.” Killing someone the first time is not the worst thing that can happen. It is the second death that hurts the most because it is eternal.

From Rev. Al Houghton of Word At Work Ministries

Small Things

“For who has despised the day of small things?
For these seven rejoice to see
The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.
They are the eyes of the Lord,
Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.” Zechariah 4:10 (NKJV)

The following was written by my daughter last week as she was nannying the little boy mentioned in this post. We all search for purpose in our lives. We want to know that the legacy we leave behind will have enduring value. It is sometimes easy to lose sight of that purpose in the midst of what we do. We get caught up in the repetition of mindless tasks. We forget that, if we are living to please the Lord, each day, each task can have eternal value. God takes even seemingly inconsequential events and builds them into the blocks of a sure foundation. We are reminded in Scripture to “never despise the day of small beginnings.”

More Than A Season

“It is not our part here to take thought only for a season, or for a few lives of Men, or for a passing age of the world. We should seek a final end of this menace, even if we do not hope to make one.” –Fellowship of the Ring, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Purpose. A common theme among those my age is that of purpose, and I confess I feel it too. I want my life to mean something, to change the world, to see grandiose results from everything I do. Teach a class? My students should become instant virtuosos. Babysit a child? He should go from learning his abcs to writing an essay by the time I leave. But it doesn’t work like that. The problem with looking for purpose, and assuming my life has none because I don’t see instant results, is that results aren’t instant. A lot could be said about our “instant” culture, but it’s already been said; here, it suffices that, while expecting some things to to be quick is fine, expecting others to be so is not. In fact, it is totally unrealistic.

Take an example from my own life. Right now I’m nannying a ten-month old boy, which has its challenges. It is easy to get caught up in the fact that I am spending seven hours a day with this little one, doing… what? Playing with blocks? Going outside? What’s the point? I feel like I should be leaping buildings with a single bound and rescuing orphans on five continents simultaneously. It sounds ridiculous, but it should also sound familiar, especially to other young people. Stories abound of young adults doing marvelous things in countries around the world, and I sometimes feel very much like a lesser person because I am not, it seems, doing “marvelous things.”

But what counts as a marvelous thing? What counts as having purpose to my life? The obvious answer of “serving the Lord” comes to mind, which is true, but I mean practically. Does something not have purpose because I do not see the results right away, if ever? By no means! Colin Harbinson, who used to be Dean of the Arts at the university I currently work at, said that the Lord spoke to him once and told him that he would never see the fulfillment of his dream. Dr. Harbinson has worked for probably thirty or forty years to repair the breach between Christians and the arts. So does the fact that he will never see the true fulfillment of his dream mean that his results are worthless? Does the fact that I will almost certainly not know the little boy I now nanny when he is an adult mean that what I do is pointless? No.

Understanding the true concept of purpose takes a willingness to step back, humble oneself, and look at the big picture. Dr. Harbinson is not singlehandedly changing the face of Christian art, but he is a part of that. His work in establishing the arts’ departments at my university means that I and hundreds of others have graduated from university with the beginnings of an understanding of the complexities of the intersection of worldview and art and the means to do something with our knowledge; and this university is only one part of his ministry. I am not singlehandedly changing this little boy’s life, but I am one person to help surround him with caring people who will intertwine love and discipline so that he will grow up mature.

Purpose is long-term. Results are rarely instant. Rather, let us look at our day-to-day activities like building a wall—one brick (or block, if you’re a ten-month old) at a time. Eventually there will be a wall, even if right now there is only a brick. The lack of a current wall does not negate the responsibility to build each brick to the best of one’s ability, because only with individual, well-made bricks will the wall stand.

Copyright © 2012 by My Soul Found Rest
All rights reserved
Used with permission

Restraining Evil

English: Worshiping the golden calf, as in Exodus 32:1-35, illustration from a Bible card published 1901 by the Providence Lithograph Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1 Samuel 3:11-14 says, “Then the Lord said to Samuel: ‘Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.’”

It is interesting the price Eli paid. The chief issue God had against him was in verse 13 – he refused to restrain the evil. He refused to confront, rebuke or raise up a plumbline. Eli was the second seeker-sensitive priest in Scripture.  The first seeker-sensitive priest who refused to restrain evil was Aaron. When Aaron’s hands helped fashion what the people wanted – the golden calf emerged, costing 3,000 people their lives. Do we recognize today’s golden calves?  We may well be parking our car and walking into one on Sunday morning. It is the compromise in refusing to confront sin and restrain evil that transforms the altar of a church into a golden calf.  The gold of the calf is the size of the church that looks successful and instills great pride!  “Look at our huge church,” we have all heard people say. If the pulpit never restrains sin, you may be sitting in a golden calf. If where you visit every Sunday morning, or what you watch on television gives mostly happy messages rarely restraining evil, then you are in a golden calf!  May God, help us! This abomination is neutering the church. Where are we spending our Sundays?  Are we parked in a golden calf or are we getting the Word coming from a pure altar?

Rev. Al Houghton
Word At Work Ministries
https://www.wordatwork.org/

The Care And Keeping Of To-Do Lists

“A merry heart does good, like medicine. but a broken spirit dries the bones.” Proverbs 17:22

My daughter posted this last summer. I remember reading it and laughing out loud because it so reminded me of myself. When I was talking to my daughter this week about my woeful lack of time and inspiration for this blog, she most graciously told me: “Use something of mine, Mom.” I remembered this one and told her I was thinking of using it, to which she replied: “You need more humor. That would be a good one.” I have a wise daughter. She’s right. I need more humor as I have been way too serious of late. I hope this will make you smile. Just re-reading it brought laughter to my heart.

The Care and Keeping of To-Do Lists

Please note that I do rely on to-do lists almost daily. Sometimes, however, I can get a little frustrated with both my own procrastination and the feeling of a mounting pile of work. Here is my humorous take on what happens when my desire to relax and need to be productive clash!

To-do lists can be scary creatures. They have tremendous effects on our psyches. Without them, contentment and relaxation reign supreme. But with them, disastrous effects can occur. Observe a normal day at home without a to-do list:

Wednesday morning:

9:30 a.m.

Wake up leisurely. Thoughts of reading, movies, and general relaxation produce quiet satisfaction.

11:15 a.m.

Read book.

1 p.m.

Continue reading book.

3 p.m.

Still reading book.

5:30 p.m.

Watch movie.

8 p.m.

Netsurf.

11 p.m.

Read.

12 a.m.

Bed.

To-do lists are often introduced by well-meaning persons that believe they are the key to productivity. However, when not properly looked after, they can produce chaos and disillusionment. Observe:

Wednesday, 8:30 p.m.

Sheer optimism takes hold of unsuspecting to-do list creator. Creator bounces enthusiastically around house as grandiose plans to complete entire to-do list form in head. Work hopes for Thursday: 113%

8:35 p.m.

Remember cavity filling next afternoon. Work hopes: 87%

Thursday, 10:05 a.m.

Sleep in. Work hopes: 60%

2:15 p.m.

Work begun. Work hopes: 63%

4 p.m.

Take short break from work. Work hopes: 62%

5:15 p.m.

Still on break. Work hopes: 46%

6 p.m.

Chill. Watch movie. Work hopes: 37%

7:45 p.m.

Brief burst of work, accompanied by enthusiasm. All work will still be done!!!! Work hopes: 79%

8-9:30 p.m.

Procrastinate on Facebook. Work hopes: 25%

9:31 p.m.

Realize work, if completed, would last till midnight. Work hopes: 10%

9:33 p.m.

Guilty conscience throws temper tantrum. Attempt to soothe guilty conscience. Fail miserably. Give up on work. Work hopes: 0%

9:40 p.m.

High to-do list to time ratio creates panic.

9:41 p.m.

Begin to create elaborate, color-coded plan to accomplish to-do list.

9:43 p.m.

Cynicism sets in, followed by despair. IT IS HOPELESS!!!! NOTHING WILL EVER GET DONE!!!!

9:45 p.m.

Creation of Facebook note alleviates tension by introducing humor, but fails to create permanent solution.

9:47 p.m.

Completion of Facebook note reintroduces feelings of productivity. Rationalization sets in. I don’t really HAVE to stretch/research/clean today. And I’ll have plenty of time to clean/work/sort papers/write senior project proposal/research production/sort clothes tomorrow.

9:50 p.m.

Soothe guilty conscience by insisting to self that Friday will actually be productive, and thus bring a happy conscience.

9:51 p.m.

Determination sets in. I’ll finish this to-do list if it’s the last thing I do!!

9:54 p.m.

Friday’s work enthusiasm tempered by Thursday’s failures (and Monday’s, and Tuesday’s, and Wednesday’s), as well as by looming to-do list. Friday’s work hopes: 55%. Friday’s work enthusiasm: 5%.

Day without to-do list satisfaction rating: 95%

Day with to-do list satisfaction rating: 37%

Conclusion: All to-do lists require special care. Shredding may be enough for smaller ones. For larger ones, burning at the stake is recommended.

By “My Soul Found Rest”
Copyright © 2011
Used with permission