Do you want to grow in love that cannot fail?
God is true love.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from God.
“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7
Hosea 10:12
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| Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. Hosea 10:12 |
Uncultivated fallow ground is hard thirsty soil. By itself, it is unfruitful. Harsh thorny weeds poke, scratch, hurt, dehydrate and kill tender plants.
“By nature we are dead in sins, unable to help ourselves.” Rev. Herbert C. Mueller, LW
Irrational thinking, excessive entitlement mentality, and arrogant attitudes—unchecked—lead to damaging behaviors. Toxic actions choke out voices of others in an attempt to control them by insensible manipulation, unjust punishment, and unrelenting rigid harshness.
Foolishness carelessly twists truth to avoid responsibility.
Personal wrongs are minimized or rationalized—unrealistically and carelessly understated as not so bad, good, excusable, or someone else’s fault. Defamation is output. Various forms of abuse covered by a pile of lies, suffocate life out of self and others. Such tricky deceit may be obviously seen in others, yet, is difficult to recognize or admit in self. Like famine which cause crops to wither and die, human resilience wears down, confused by sins from which we cannot free ourselves. Stubborn, prideful refusal to humbly repent as well as unwillingness to forgive, result from failure to gratefully receive and practice God’s gracious gift of Truth.
Even so, God’s steadfast love remains available throughout the seasons we are in until His final harvest on the Last Day!
People look at God’s gift of faith from vantage points such as these…
- Egotism prevails over receiving insight on matters of salvation. The choice to not rely on Christ is made based on refusal to believe a Savior is needed.
- Unbelief that Jesus has done all that is necessary for salvation, some people falsely think their own decision, obedience or achievements play a part in their deliverance. Gifts don’t make sense when falsely believing that pardon is earned by self.
- Believers in God’s true love are able to trust Jesus by the faith—the gift given in baptism and by strength given in the Word. They learn to become meek, honest and brokenhearted about their own failures and weaknesses. Extremely grateful to be redeemed by Christ’s blood which gives righteousness, they live joyfully in grace, sharing God’s mercy and peace with others.
Even before God created us He knew our name. Knowing we would fall short of the perfection He designed for us, He had a merciful plan to save us. The Holy Spirit is available to all and is present within believers here and now.
Jesus will return, in person, to judge. Those who believe in Him alone for salvation, His faithful people, will be restored to perfection and joined together with Him to live forever. Those who reject Him, unbelievers, will suffer forever separated from Him.
Freedom is complete dependence on Jesus who cancels the debt of sin.
This is wonderful Truth!
“We cannot produce the fruit of holy living on our own anymore than we can turn a radish seed into a radish. Only God can make the soil productive. Only He can send the rain. Only He can warm our hearts with the life-giving Son-shine of His love. He wants to do that. He wants us to have the joy of harvesting acres and acres of righteousness in our lives. … Like that runaway, we come with empty hands and an empty heart. We bring only words—the words Hosea recommends: ‘Take away all iniquity; accept what is good’ … We need not try to earn our Father’s favor by proving we’re sorry enough—we can never be sorry enough. We need not offer to make up for the pain caused—we can never make it up. We simply admit our responsibility and our need. God will do exactly what He has promised—He will heal us and love us freely. … He will refresh us. … He will make us beautiful and stable and fruitful. … What promises! What are you waiting for?” Jane L. Fryar, Today’s Light Devotional Bible
The seed farmer prepares soil by plowing, cultivating and applying fertilizer. When we dig deeper and apply the inspired Scripture, we acquire a warm heart toward others. God allows us to live safely among “weeds” which are motivated to take over and ruin our faith. Under His care, we participate in opportunities to grow in His Word.
The Holy Spirit encourages and helps to:
- plant kindness, fence out cruelty
- maintain carefully, not disengage
- cooperate, not estrange
- grow, not stagnate
- bear fruit, not poison
- lift up, not devastate
- share, not isolate
- enjoy, not discontent
- be peaceful, not unfriendly
- have compassion, not slander
- graciously forgive, not condemn
- trust, be grateful, be loyal to our Creator—not doubt, complain or be unfaithful
“If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:10
Repentance and growth in the faith are from our Creator. Even while we are sinners, He desires everyone to receive Water and Light. We have freedom to absorb or repel the gifts He provides.
To overturn our sin, the devil, the world, and death, God lowered Himself to become human. Jesus lived perfectly, suffered, died and rose to save us from punishment we deserve.
Soil which is cultivated is tenderly tilled and turned over. Likewise, Scripture shows us our sins and shows us our Savior. It prepares us sinners for repentance so that we may to turn to Jesus and ask for mercy He supplies for salvation.
To thank God, we confess to Him and people we’ve hurt. A confession might sound something like, “I did [this bad thing] and I didn’t do [that good thing]. I’m sure I don’t even realize how sinful I am. Thank you for caring enough to help me learn. I am responsible for myself—I do not blame you or anyone—there is no excuse for my failure. I need help to overcome temptations. I need guidance into proper ways. I need to be surrounded with people who can help me. Gracious Lord, deliver me from evil.” We pray and go to the Church to receive guidance and sacraments for forgiveness and to be transformed by grace.
“But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.” Romans 11:24
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11
We thrive on life-saving nutrition faith feeds us in the work of Christ’s unfailing love. God reveals Himself in His unchanging inerrant Word which does many wonders for making us grow and live forever!
God…
- picks rocks—removes the stony heart and replaces with a heart of flesh
- plants tiny seeds of faith, then perfects it
- records truth in the Bible
- plows reproof and turns us back to truth
- produces wholesome growth and fresh livelihood
- adopts us and calls us His own
- grafts branches into the tree of life
- uproots and transplants
- bled, died and rose to save us from being burned with weeds
- prepares our dirty soil to trust that Jesus provided perfect humility for us because we cannot
- knows our limitations, weaknesses, and sin committed against us
- grieves with us
- prunes to promote fullness
- transforms us by the renewal of our mind
- tests that we may discern what is His will, what is good and acceptable and perfect
- produces a humble, gracious, healthy attitude
- mulches to protect from wind and inhibit weeds
- manages predators and pests
- covers sin with forgiveness
- cultivates us that we confess our sin and forgive others
- applies His balm of peace to soothe and heal blisters, callouses and scratches
- motivates to aspire to live quietly and mind our own affairs
- establishes work for our hands to earn a living and leave a portion for others
- sings over us
- delights in us
- provides confidence He fully covered our insufficiency to save ourselves so we don’t unrealistically demand perfection of others
- cleanses us and give us a pure heart—in, with, and under Christ’s Divine Gifts mercifully given for us at the Church’s worship services
- blooms contentment
- blossoms patience
- works out our salvation for us
- disciplines carefully and lovingly
- offers forgiveness and absolution
- redeems us in safety from oppression, violence, transgressions, and the pit
- begins wisdom
- encourages us to gently love each other
- brings insight to resist temptation, apathy, ignorance, and rejection of the faith
- wants a relationship with us
- reconciles us with Himself
- allows whatever He chooses to help us become teachable and hungry for the Word
- carries our burdens and helps us imitate Him for others
- instructs for physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual healthy living
- hydrates us with energy
- fills us with trustworthiness
- compassionately warms hearts
- increases grace and rich benefits
- comforts when we need Him the most
- heals wounds
- restores vitality
- empowers joy
God promises to keep loving and healing us!
“It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever; and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever; he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.” Psalm 136:23-26
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