Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord, Til He comes and rains righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12

 

When I was a teenager growing up on the farm, I recall a time when the government paid farmers not to plant grain in portions of their fields to control the abundance of corn that was driving the market price down. As I watched acres of unplanted land (fallow ground) grow nothing but weeds and grass, I thought what a waste of good soil. . Thankfully that program dissolved and fields once again are growing corn to help feed the world!

 

As Christians, we oftentimes can get caught up in the things and people around us (social media, hobbies, relationships) and don’t utilize the talents God has provided. These “things” appear good and use up our time, money and we even pour more of ourselves into them, yet when you look back, you see no spiritual yields, just a barren period of time, gone to waste. God never intended for your life to be without a harvest.

 

Take a few minutes, maybe even the rest of today, and ponder your pursuits. Is God a part of your daily life? Do you set aside time for Him and involve Him in the decision-making process? Do you see lives changed around you, for the better, as you pursue your passions? If not, maybe its time to make some changes with your time and financial resources to align your efforts with God’s will.

 

Trust me friend, when you allow God to be the focus of everything you do in life, abundant blessings and a rich harvest will accompany your efforts. You will never have fallow ground when you pursue a life honoring God in everything you do! God bless!  

 You are free, but still you are God's servants, and you must not use your freedom as an excuse for doing wrong. 1 Peter 2:16

 

You might remember the “hall pass” in school? This was a pass given to a student to freely walk in the hallway to access either their locker, restroom, another classroom or the office. This pass was given with the understanding it would be used wisely and the student would avoid getting into trouble with their freedom to leave the classroom.

 

Today’s verse is a good reminder that as a Christian you have a hall pass to walk through this life with all the freedoms God permits. At the same time, He makes it clear, in His word, the boundaries of your freedom to keep you honest and a living example of His character and love for mankind. It’s up to YOU in what you do with that pass of freedom.

 

Take some time today and evaluate your life, your behavior, your thought patterns, your words, your beliefs. Do all of these things line up with God’s standards? Are there areas within your freedoms that fall outside His will for your life? Pray and ask God to filter out the bad and replace it with more of His presence.

 

Your hall pass will expire one day. Come into the Father’s presence with a welcoming….”well done my good and faithful servant.” God bless!

 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

 

The other day at work, I had the unfortunate task of scooping up goose poop on a public beach. I had a rake and a long-handled container I could scoop it into. One thing I noticed, the poop that had been there for days, stained the sand and spread out like a mud puddle. It was a nasty sight, but thankfully I got it cleaned up for others to enjoy.

 

If you think about it, sin is like that goose poop on the sand. Left unchecked, it stains your mind and heart. Before too long it’s an ugly, stinky mess and its continued presence will bring more sin into your life.

 

As a Christian, your sins are forgiven. But that doesn’t excuse you from acknowledging those sins and putting forth the effort to halt mind-sets and behaviors that encouraged the act of that sin. Seeking forgiveness cleans up your mind and heart, relieving you of the guilt and shame you feel.

 

Seeking forgiveness is necessary for you to live a life unhindered by your past. Clean up your life today by asking God to forgive you for the sins of yesterday and seek after Him as you walk the narrow pathway through life. God bless!    

 

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 1 Cor 5:17

 

Repurposed, it’s taking something and using it for something other than its intended use. Lol, no joke, my town has repurposed many buildings. A famous food buffet restaurant is now a funeral home, a drive-in restaurant is now a car wash and another food establishment is a title pawn shop.

 

As Christians we are repurposed. Up until we received Christ, we were living our life as we intended, locked in a certain mind-set with behaviors that were not pleasing to the Lord. Others may even know you as a wild partier or living on the edge.

 

But once Christ came into your life, He came to change everything about the way you talk, think and act. He wants to make you a better person and one that models after His character. But the only way change will occur is if you are willing to allow those changes. It takes time and oftentimes can feel painful as He slowly removes the old, sin-stained patterns. But with time and your obedience, He will make something amazingly NEW in your life.

 

 As a Christian, how’s that remodel job coming? Can you see your new purpose in life? Seek after Godly wisdom and His direction as your repurposed life becomes a blessing to God and those in the world you live! God bless!