November 2015
Dear Friend,
I was reading Proverbs 28:19 and saw some things concerning the cultivation of our walk with God that I had not seen before:
Prov 28:19 (AMP)
He who cultivates his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless people and pursuits will have poverty enough.
When Proverbs 28:19 was written, we have to remember that agriculture was prominent in Old Testament Israel as it was one of the major ways in which they obtained their food; primarily through the process of Seed-time and Harvest. And in order to ensure that they maximized the produce, the farmers spent time and effort to till the land. This included breaking up the soil and turning it over; mixing the soil up with fertilizer and other soil amendments as necessary to provide for the seed to grow into a good crop.
I had always interpreted it as being faithful with the job that we had, and that through diligent, hard work, we would always have more than enough for our own material needs. And I also saw the result of not being diligent in the same verse.
What I saw when I read it again was that there was also a spiritual application to the verse, and it revealed some things to me about how my daily walk as a Christian should be, and how I missed it in the past, and also how I could improve further in my personal walk with Him.
In the parable of the Sower (Mark 4:3-8), Jesus taught on the seed that was sown in four different kinds of ground:
1. The wayside (verse 4)
2. Stony ground with not much earth (verse 5)
3. Ground with thorns (verse 7)
4. Good ground. (verse 8)
He then went on to explain the parable in verses 13 to 20. However, note what he compared the seed sown and the various types of ground in the parable to:
Mark 4:14-15
14 The sower sows the Word.
15 The ones along the path are those who have the Word sown [in their hearts], but when they hear, Satan comes at once and [by force] takes away the message which is sown in them.
Jesus compared the Word as to seed, and our hearts as to the different kinds of ground for the seed to be sown. Peter also alluded to this metaphor when he wrote about the Christian's born-again experience in his letter:
1 Peter 1:23 (NKJV)
having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever
What I saw in Proverbs 28:19 was this: God did His part in sowing the Seed of His Word in my heart, but I'm ultimately responsible for tilling the soil of my heart, constantly cultivating it so as to prepare my heart to receive the Word. And that as I prepare it, I allow the Word to be able to produce a crop that I need for whatever area of life I find lacking.
What I also saw was that if I didn't take the time and had the diligence to cultivate my own heart; but rather spent my time going to every Christian meeting, conference I'll more than likely end up being all the more spiritually poorer.
I am not saying that it is entirely bad to go for such conferences but I've seen people who go from one Christian convention to the next, one 'prophetic' conference after another, but still remain the same as they were before. They might get some new things in terms of knowledge but remain stuck in the same rut as they were before they went to said event. They get offended easily, lifted up in spiritual pride and unteachable. Those are the kinds of people who remain spiritually impoverished.
But the ones who took time and effort to prepare their own hearts, cultivating it before the Lord and making it good ground to receive the Word; those are the ones who'll consistently produce a good crop, who'll always be steady no matter what season they're in. And no matter where they are, they'll always receive a word in due season; the right word at the right time.
So I strongly encourage you, take time to cultivate the land of your heart. Take time to prepare it. Be faithful with the process. And you'll never lack for anything with Him.
Blessings,
Ken
1. The wayside (verse 4)
2. Stony ground with not much earth (verse 5)
3. Ground with thorns (verse 7)
4. Good ground. (verse 8)
He then went on to explain the parable in verses 13 to 20. However, note what he compared the seed sown and the various types of ground in the parable to:
Mark 4:14-15
14 The sower sows the Word.
15 The ones along the path are those who have the Word sown [in their hearts], but when they hear, Satan comes at once and [by force] takes away the message which is sown in them.
Jesus compared the Word as to seed, and our hearts as to the different kinds of ground for the seed to be sown. Peter also alluded to this metaphor when he wrote about the Christian's born-again experience in his letter:
1 Peter 1:23 (NKJV)
having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever
What I saw in Proverbs 28:19 was this: God did His part in sowing the Seed of His Word in my heart, but I'm ultimately responsible for tilling the soil of my heart, constantly cultivating it so as to prepare my heart to receive the Word. And that as I prepare it, I allow the Word to be able to produce a crop that I need for whatever area of life I find lacking.
What I also saw was that if I didn't take the time and had the diligence to cultivate my own heart; but rather spent my time going to every Christian meeting, conference I'll more than likely end up being all the more spiritually poorer.
I am not saying that it is entirely bad to go for such conferences but I've seen people who go from one Christian convention to the next, one 'prophetic' conference after another, but still remain the same as they were before. They might get some new things in terms of knowledge but remain stuck in the same rut as they were before they went to said event. They get offended easily, lifted up in spiritual pride and unteachable. Those are the kinds of people who remain spiritually impoverished.
But the ones who took time and effort to prepare their own hearts, cultivating it before the Lord and making it good ground to receive the Word; those are the ones who'll consistently produce a good crop, who'll always be steady no matter what season they're in. And no matter where they are, they'll always receive a word in due season; the right word at the right time.
So I strongly encourage you, take time to cultivate the land of your heart. Take time to prepare it. Be faithful with the process. And you'll never lack for anything with Him.
Blessings,
Ken
