Break your fallow grounds - Open heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ps 37 -39
BREAK YOUR FALLOW GROUNDS Sunday, September 26, 2010
MEMORIZE: “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:12) READ: Philippians 3:12-14 Your deeds, words, conduct and attitude can either attract positive or negative change. In the parable of the talents documented in Matthew 25:14-30, the man who had a change for increase got there by dint of hardwork. He was given five talents and he processed them through labor to obtain five more. If you want God to give you increase, you must be prepared to labor. It is unfortunate that many people who claim to be believers in Christ are fast losing touch with hardwork. They desire to increase by doing nothing or through wishful thinking. Come off it! Every gift, talent, skill, ability or resource that was either acquired or innate is given to you to process through labor. Without doing so, there can be no increase. Similarly, the servant with one talent who refused to process it with labor, paid dearly for it. He lost it to somebody else. He also lost his freedom. He became an enemy of his master and was bound and thrown into hell. It is a terrible thing to have a decreasing change! Some people think that the Lord will not do anything about the talent they refuse to develop and invest into God’s Kingdom. Oh, what a deception! The Lord will do something about it. And this is a frightening issue. If you fail to discover some of your talents or you bury them like this man, on the day of accountability, the Lord will do something about it. (NB: That is why want you to support the www.10millionexercisebooks.com project, a christian initiative towards eradication of illiteracy). A minister of the Gospel whose work was being celebrated around the world and was feeling contented, got a shocker one day. The Lord told him he was far from reaching his optimal level and that he had many talents he was yet to develop. The Lord sounded quite disappointed that he was getting carried away by the applause of men and had to show him his score-card. How disappointed he was! Never let the praises of men pull wool over your eyes in any area. At best, they will get you blinded to your fallow ground. What talents are you not developing? What resource are you not processing into a change in increase? Immediately rise up and do something about it. Always adopt the attitude of Paul, who, inspite of his outstanding accomplishments never saw himself to have apprehended. You have not reached your peak. Except for self deception, there is still space for you at higher levels. Move up and fast today! ACTION POINT: Prayerfully identify your fallow grounds and ask God for the wisdom and grace to develop them.