1 Corinthians 3:11 "For no-one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ."
This is how Farming God’s Way and Foundations for Farming has come about. The Lord has shown Brian and Cath the captivity of the poor to their poverty, and that the Lord has the complete answer to their deliverance in His infinite knowledge base. Brian and Cath became poor themselves and they went to another farm, which was also in serious financial trouble. It was there that they saw how poor the workers and the people in the communal land near them were, and then later the Lord showed them the extent of the poverty in the whole of Africa.
They had been seeking the Lord’s answer to this poverty for many years, hopefully with all of their hearts. In seeking the Lord’s perfect knowledge, Brian had tried to keep Proverbs 3: 5-7 uppermost in his heart: “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favour and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.”
None of us ever do these things perfectly on earth, but Brian had noticed that if we set our hearts towards doing everything God’s way, God sees that intent in our hearts and pours in His grace and people begin to say, “Yes, what they say and do is right,” and God’s knowledge of the answer and solution goes forth to stop the perishing of His people.
They had been seeking the Lord’s answer to this poverty for many years, hopefully with all of their hearts. In seeking the Lord’s perfect knowledge, Brian had tried to keep Proverbs 3: 5-7 uppermost in his heart: “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favour and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.”
None of us ever do these things perfectly on earth, but Brian had noticed that if we set our hearts towards doing everything God’s way, God sees that intent in our hearts and pours in His grace and people begin to say, “Yes, what they say and do is right,” and God’s knowledge of the answer and solution goes forth to stop the perishing of His people.
Verse 8 of Isaiah 58: “and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.” This is something very beautiful and sometimes causes Brian to weep with joy: The Lord receives all the glory, because it is entirely His plan and nothing of man! This little phrase is particularly precious to Brian because this whole adventure in God of Farming God's Way/Foundations for Farming started one night in March 1980 with the Lord’s words from 1 Corinthians 10: 31, “Whatsoever ye do, do all to the Glory of God”
It is also very significant that the Lord says that His glory will be our “Rear Guard”. This is very assuring and comforting because when God’s plans, through His people, begin to bear the amazing fruit that we see, the Evil One also sees that his diabolical plans to keep God’s people in captivity to poverty, and to degrade and ruin God’s creation, are being thwarted.
As a result of this the devil then focuses His resistance and attack on us. He is a cunning enemy, who usually attacks obliquely and from behind. We know that the Lord goes before us and with us as Jehovah Shammah, and here in verse 8, He assures us of His all round protection. His glory that shines forth from His plan for the poor through the Gospel of the Good News of His precious Son goes with us and keeps us safe!
It is also very significant that the Lord says that His glory will be our “Rear Guard”. This is very assuring and comforting because when God’s plans, through His people, begin to bear the amazing fruit that we see, the Evil One also sees that his diabolical plans to keep God’s people in captivity to poverty, and to degrade and ruin God’s creation, are being thwarted.
As a result of this the devil then focuses His resistance and attack on us. He is a cunning enemy, who usually attacks obliquely and from behind. We know that the Lord goes before us and with us as Jehovah Shammah, and here in verse 8, He assures us of His all round protection. His glory that shines forth from His plan for the poor through the Gospel of the Good News of His precious Son goes with us and keeps us safe!
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