PLOWING AND PLANTING

“For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns!” (Jer. 4:39 NKJV).

In calling the men of Judah and Jerusalem to repentance, Jeremiah is using a farmer’s language. Here he speaks both of plowing and of planting.

Plowing - “Break up your fallow ground.” It is common knowledge that before you can plant seeds in the ground, you need first to break up the ground. In farming terminology, this plowing the field. An unplowed field is hard, and is very difficult or near impossible to plant seed where it will grow. Spiritually speaking, the heart needs to experience the plowshare of repentance for the good seed of God’s Word to be sown and bear fruit. Plowing the hard heart with confession of sin will be painful, but if there is no repentance, there will be no revival.

Planting - “Do not sow among the thorns.” There are two thoughts here: the work of sowing and the warning in sowing. First, the work of sowing - “Sow.” After plowing the field, there has to be the sowing of the seed. Just plowing the field is not enough. Similarly, it is not enough to just repent of our sins, but we must also sow good seed of God’s Word in the repentant heart. Second, the warning in sowing - “Do not sow among thorns.” The smart farmer will rid the soil of thorns so as to promote the growth of the seed. Good seed will not thrive among the thorns. And what are these thorns. The Lord Jesus Christ tells us what these thorns are - they are the “cares and the riches and pleasures of this life” (Luke 8:14). And as thorns take nutrients from the soil, so the thorns of life drain away energy and interests so that there is little time left for spiritual pursuits. We need to remove the thorns out of our lives by putting priorities on spiritual matters.

(Adapted from Butler Daily Bible Reading)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“God has promised forgiveness to your repentance, but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination!”

Augustine of Hippo (354 – 430)

Theologian and Philosopher

Word Study

Dissipation

In Gal 5:19-20 we read, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies!” (NKJV).

Dissipation is the Greek word asōtia (ἀσωτία = as-o-tee'-ah). It is made up of two words: “a” the negative particle, and “sozo” which mean save. The word describes something devoid of saving quality, indulgent or wasteful living, especially excessive drinking. Strictly speaking, asōtia describes behavior which shows lack of concern or thought for the consequences of an action as seen with senseless or reckless deeds.

In classical Greek, asōtia describes someone as incurable or hopelessly sick. In the Septuagint, asōtia carries the idea of frivolity or a lack of seriousness. In the New Testament, asōtia is used to denote a loose or wild life and carries the idea even of rioting. It was commonly used to describe drunken revelry at pagan festivals. Asōtia describes a life-style which no Christian should be guilty of.

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – Messiah was thought to be cursed by God (Isa. 53:4)

New Testament Fulfillment – Matt. 26:66; 27:41-43

Did You Know…

In the Bible it states that everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to the Lord Jesus (John 6:45).

Bible Quiz

What amazed Jesus upon revisiting His hometown?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: Where did Job live? “In the land of Uz” (Job 1:1)

Names of the Lord Jesus Found in the Bible

“Everlasting Father”

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace!” (Isa. 9:6 NKJV).

1. Meaning – The Lord Jesus is forever.

2. Insights – The Lord Jesus has no beginning and He has no end. He is the source of time, space, and all creation.

3. Related Titles – Beginning/Ruler of the Creation of God (Rev. 3:14).

Did You Know – Christian History

Cyrus Ingerson Scofield was born August 19, 1843 in born in Clinton Township, Michigan. He was an American theologian, minister, and writer whose best-selling annotated Bible popularized futurism and dispensationalism among fundamentalist Christians.

As a boy, Cyrus had a thirst for knowledge and was exceedingly thorough in his investigations. Although his parents were Christians and the Bible was read in the home, Cyrus didn’t consider it a book for investigative study but one to enjoy merely for its stories. Cyrus did not receive a formal college education due to the Civil War.

When the war was over, Scofield studied law in St. Louis, then moved to Kansas, where he was admitted to the bar in 1869. He later returned to St. Louis and re-entered law practice. During this time, he began to drink heavily. However, his passion for drink was completely removed when he received Jesus Christ through the efforts of Thomas S. McPheeters, a YMCA worker.

Scofield immediately became active in Christian work. He was ordained in 1863 and became the pastor of the First Congregational Church, Dallas, Texas. Through the influence of Hudson Taylor of the China Inland Mission and a book by journalist William Eleroy Curtis, Scofield felt God directing him towards missionary activity in the Central American region. As a result the Central American Mission was born in 1890.

As a result of diligent and systematic study of the Scriptures, Schofield produced the Scofield Reference Bible and the Scofield Bible Correspondence Course. As the author of the pamphlet “Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth,” Scofield soon became a leader in dispensational premillennialism. His Reference Bible which was presented to the public in 1909 became the most influential statement of dispensational premillennialism. Hundreds of thousands now appreciate and use his famous Scofield Reference Bible.

Scofield later moved to the New York City area where he supervised a correspondence and lay institute, the New York Night School of the Bible. In 1914, he founded the Philadelphia School of the Bible in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (now Cairn University).

In reflecting upon his own lifetime Scofield recalls the two great epochs of his life: “The first was when I ceased to take as final human teachings about the Bible and went to the Bible itself. The second was when I found Christ as Victory and Achievement.” Scofield died on Sunday July 24, 1921, at Douglaston, Long Island.

A Little Humor

During the pastor’s sermon, a large plant fell over right behind the pulpit, crashing to the ground. Acknowledging his reputation for long-windedness, he smiled sheepishly and said, “Well, that’s the first time I actually put a plant to sleep.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Live today as you will wish you had lived when you stand before God!”