Farming……

1 Peter 1:7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

This morning I was thanking God for a victory yesterday, starting my day in praise for a victory only we know about, but one that I praise him for I understand the weight of it. I also was reflecting on an interaction with another contractor regarding the Cross on my shirt that is part of our business logo. He came across very harsh early that morning as he said something along the lines of, “That cross is why we are having all the problems we are having.” It caught me off guard at 8am and I blurted out “now just wait a minute right there.” I think he knew he had offended me and changed gears somewhat; as I defended my faith, I still struggle to understand exactly what he was trying to say. I struggle with those that say they believe, but fail to witness or share their supposed faith with the rest of the world. When we are called to share, or called to defend, do we remain silent? Do we really have real faith if we cannot defend or witness of it? Would that not mean that we are denying our faith before men? Matthew 10:33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

For over a week now life has seemed to point me to the Parable of the Soils; the time in God’s Word has pointed me there from multiple passages. Do you understand that parable? Jesus explains it very clearly in Matthew 13:18-23. If you are a believer, or even begin to think you may be, you fall into one of those categories. If the gospel has no meaning to you, if God’s Bible is just a book to you, you are eternally lost. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.If you claim to be a Christian until it gets hard to be a Christian, you are not a Christian at all; Matthew 7:22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!‘ If you call yourself a Christian but only give him one hour of your life a week, pursuing all the pleasure of the world and living for it, you are not a Christian at all; Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. But, look at the promise to those who live their lives with an eternal focus! Those who recognize their need for Christ and the promises of eternity with him, sacrificing themselves for their short time here to reap the blessing. Listen how Jesus started explaining this parable to his disciples; Matthew 13:16 “But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Psalm 44:21 Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. God knows every reason behind every thing you think and do in your life. He knows your sin, he knows your faith, he knows if you are genuinely a Christian or just putting on facade. My prayer is that you know God has allowed everything in your life to draw you closer to him, and to build your testimony to him; he has not given you any reason to deny him. This world needs you to live your life for Jesus and let him produce fruit through living your life for him. What a joy it will be in heaven when we see the people we never knew that God used us to reach. Can you imagine sitting at His feet one day as he showed you how he used your life for his glory in a magnitude your mind cannot comprehend? Matthew 13:8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”