Recently, I was sitting with my brother and his little three year old son, Pierce.  While my brother and I were talking we could not help but notice that Pierce was struggle to get his toy to work properly. Regardless of how many times my brother or I would try to help him by showing him the way the toy was to operate, he would just push us away.  He wanted to figure it out on his own.  Although we could of saved him a lot of time and even some pain, he was content to independently handle it on his own. God's children can be a lot like that. God has provided us with many blessing so that we can experience the abundant joy that He wants for us.  However, there are times when we fail to understand the proper place for blessing in our life. Like pierce we struggle along trying to figure it all out on our own, only to fail again and again.  

The prophet Jeremiah makes a powerful statement in Jeremiah 31:33 "......I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I WILL BE THEIR GOD."  Can you hear the longing inside of God for us to treat Him as God?  To depend on Him and not our own independence? To lean on him for everything? To live a life that revolves around Him?  God says, There will be a people that will completely abandon their independence in order to live a life solely dependent on God (Abba Father).  Ask yourself this question, "What arena of my life has the spirit of independence caused me to avoid total dependence on God?"  Once the Holy Spirit shows you that area, immediately repent, don't wait, and began the steps of surrender.  When you let go you will began to recognize changes in your life that can only occur because the Hand of God will pick up what you let go.

Isn't it interesting that you seldom, if ever see any commercials about the water company? The Richfield water authority isn't on the television or radio trying to convince people that water is relevant for today.  You don't see them marketing city water because water will always be relevant in peoples lives.  You never see the electric company trying to sell the relevance for electricity. Electricity will always be relevant.  The same is true with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  There are all kinds of books and magazines whose authors are trying to convince people that the gospel is relevant for their life.  They try to sell the gospel like a salesmen pointing out all of the grand benefits without ever mentioning the many sacrifices.  However, it has produced more people in the Kingdom of God so it must be right.  Really! Is the size of the audience proof that something is right or is it merely proof that it was easier to get to that place?  Friend, the Gospel of Jesus Christ does not need to be sold.  It will sell itself.  The Gospel does not need a makeover to be relevant because the true untouched gospel of Jesus Christ never stopped be relevant.  People just stopped serving it in exchange for a cheap imitation that is void of love, humility, power, and transformation.  That kind of gospel will never be irrelevant.

A few months ago I was driving through the countryside when I came along a tractor pull a manure wagon through a field.  Quickly I rolled up the window because I knew it would not be long where I would catch a scent of the appealing smell of manure.  Of course there is nothing appealing about it at all.  Yet this farmer understood something about the benefits of spreading cow waste all over his field.  Manure serves as a nitrate that puts nutrients back into the field and actually causes the field to become more fruitful and productive.  Even though at the time it is spread it can be messy and stinky, when the harvest comes it is worth it.

It is important to recognize a principle that can relate to our lives.  You don't have to live long to find that there are all kinds of people who are spreading their manure over us.  It stinks and it is messy, not to mention it is a very unpleasant process to go through.  Many times we cry out to God for him to stop those who are being critical of us, making accusation and even lying about us.  Yet it continues and we wonder why God allows it to happen, when all God has to do it zap them with a lightning bolt.  Well it is probably better that God is not tossing lightning bolts on those who deserves them.  I might just find my name on that list.  Rather it is important for you to recognize that like a father God is allowing the criticisms, accusations, lies to become like manure that will in the end produce a great harvest.  A great harvest of souls, miracles, and revelation in your life.  So the next time you smell something in your life that is reminiscent of manure thank God for the fertilizer and know he is just preparing your field.