10/15/19 | PLOW IT Sc​ripture Challenge

​Hosea 10:12 Amplified Bible (AMP)
12  Sow with a view to righteousness [that righteousness, like seed, may germinate];  Reap in accordance with mercy and loving kindness.
Break up your uncultivated ground,  For it is time to seek and search diligently for the Lord [and to long for His blessing]  Until He comes to rain righteousness and His gift of salvation on you.

I can't believe how emotional I feel about this verse - maybe it's because of how God gave it to me.  Or maybe it was this overwhelming sense of gratitude that I actually personally know what plowing is.  What it looks like.  To see the beautiful rich dirt that's brought to the top or even the smell of dirt - did you know that I love the small of dirt?  Especially after it rains.  

So, how did this verse come to me?  This morning in my "God time", I was walking by a small stack of books that God has me reading - I'm at various places in each of them.  I stop reading when He says stop & I start reading when He gives me these prompts to pick it up.  That's what it was this morning.  The book is "Storming the Gates of Heaven" by Anne Graham Lotz.  It was well over a month ago with Chapter 4 that I had read it.  So this morning 2 HUGE things came from my reading - One was this verse.  Truthfully the human side of me is saying, "but Lord... it's such a LONG verse - are You sure it's the one?" Then, I realized how wrecked my heart feels & I KNOW it's the one.  

What is it?  Well, God has been preparing me to teach on the righteousness of God.  Why?  Because to understand the true, biblical sense of God's love - one must first understand His righteousness.  Just as God's righteousness is no silly, whimsical version that we can ignore - neither is His Love and yet, that is what this world seems "hellbent" on proclaiming - NO!  This phrase keeps swimming in my head - "are we willing to "love" someone straight into hell?"  We have GOT TO start proclaiming the righteousness of God - it's imperative to survival.  

Then, there is the phrase, "break up your uncultivated ground" - hearts have hardened.  Our conscious has so consistently ignored the prompting of the Holy Spirit that we are drowning in license & the swamp of the flesh.  We have got to break it up, stir it up & reveal Truth.  Before revival there must be a preparation of heart, mind, body & soul.  We need revival.  But how many know that?  

Then it's this great reminder that it is time to seek and search diligently for the Lord.  For how long?  UNTIL He comes to rain righteousness and His gift of salvation.  Which all in all, is about this call He has on my life.

I have come to have a very clear understanding of my calling - my mission - at least for right now.  God has charged me to lead and encourage others to recognize and pursue the knowledge of Truth with the purpose of producing disciples of good character whose lifestyle identifies them as true Christ followers  - believers who live lives with a purpose that reflects true spiritual maturity. ​

​The rain of righteousness is coming.  Are we ready?  This post isn't meant to be depressing but rather a spur to remember why we are here.  Which leads to a small portion of the second impact of my reading today - It's several pages about self-reflection & sin that might actually be lurking below the surface in all of us.    One of the questions was to consider this:

Lack of Concern For The Souls Of Others. Standing by and watching friends, neighbors, coworkers, and even family members on their way to hell, yet not caring enough to warn them or pray for them or even admit that's where they will end up if they don't put their faith in Jesus.  Have I become so politically correct that I don't apply the gospel to those I know and love? pgs 73-76

I know that's a LOT to chew on.  May God stir your heart to restlessness until you pay attention.
​Cheryl

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