theology September 17, 2021

Preparing the Ground

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PREPARING THE GROUND – Ray E Horton

“I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

Paul understood that we all have a role to play in reaching the lost, but it is God who does the saving. However, there are some additional things we can do. As we read in the Parable of the Sower, there are hearts that are closed to the Gospel, and others get ripped off easily, but the Word planted in good soil bears much fruit (Matthew 13:3-9, 18-24).

Encouraging good soil

Our pre-evangelistic mission is to love and pray for the lost to help prepare the soil of their hearts

So, how do we encourage that good soil? I see that as our pre-evangelistic mission of loving and praying for the lost. Pray behind the scenes, and the love and acceptance of people as they are, opens hearts.

That’s why an important part of our ministry of reconciliation begins in the prayer closet and the secret place of our own hearts. That’s before we ever get to the streets or our places of influence. We seek to reconcile people to their God, whom they do not know.

Sensitive to the Holy Spirit

They need to know we care and are not just doing our Christian duty

If we are to be effective, before we ever share the Word in one-on-one situations, we need to know that they will receive from us. We must be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit to know how to act and what to say in each instance.

They need to know we care and are not just doing our Christian duty. Let the Lord’s love shine through you and let them see His light within you. As their heart softens toward you and they don’t feel threatened or defensive, the walls will usually come down. Then you can plant some scriptural truth and/or water what may have been planted before. Remember, you aren’t doing the saving, “it is the Lord who brings the increase.”

Faith works by love

We are told in 1 Timothy 2:1 first of all to pray for all men (and women), and not only those in authority. Let us do that. And remember, faith works by love (Galatians 5:6). Let us love our neighbor in the way they specifically need to be loved, as revealed by the Holy Spirit. I see that is the fertilizer that prepares and softens the ground of their hearts to receive Jesus.

Ray E Horton

Serving the Lord as encourager, reconciler, intercessor and prophetic teacher of God's Word, primarily in person and on Facebook, as well as writer and editor. Beyond, or as part of, the Ministry of Reconciliation that we are all called to, I am serving the Lord and His people as a minister of prayer at a local church, and encouraging the brethren locally among people I know, and worldwide on Facebook

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Did Mary actually leave Elizabeth before John was born?

When Mary heard from the angel Gabriel that Elizabeth was in her 6th month of pregnancy, Mary quickly left to join her. As the two greeted and the baby John leaped for joy in her womb, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and couldn’t believe Mary would come to her that she exclaimed

Luke 1:42-45 “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

After noting the three had all that excitement and gratefulness, we soon read the following verses in an interesting order:

Luke 1:56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about 3 months and then returned home.

Luke 1:57-58 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

Q: When Mary left to go home, Elizabeth would have been in about her 9th month of pregnancy (6th month + “about 3 months” she stayed). With the author having written verses 56 through 58 in that order, was he saying Mary actually left Elizabeth before John was born?