{"id":1191,"date":"2013-06-10T21:02:03","date_gmt":"2013-06-11T01:02:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/stephen-jordan\/?p=1191"},"modified":"2013-06-10T21:02:03","modified_gmt":"2013-06-11T01:02:03","slug":"preparing-the-soil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/stephen-jordan\/2013\/06\/10\/preparing-the-soil\/","title":{"rendered":"Preparing the Soil"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Rice<\/a>
Rice field during dry season<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Where we live in the Philippines, we have a dry season that lasts up to six months.\u00a0 During this time, the wells will dry up and the ground will harden like a rock.\u00a0 Truly, one can break his shovel if he tries to dig in this dirt.\u00a0 The rice fields almost look like a desert.\u00a0 Usually in the month of May, the rains return.\u00a0 Farmers are anxious to get out there and starting plowing.\u00a0 However, they still need to wait a little longer until their fields are flooded with rain water.\u00a0 What once was hard dirt is now slick mud.\u00a0 These Agutaynen farmers will prepare their fields, not in days, but in weeks.\u00a0 They will till the earth, remove weeds, repair the walkways around the fields and remove snails.\u00a0 Then they will sow the seed in the prepared soil.<\/p>\n

\"Agutaynen<\/a>
Agutaynen plowing his rice field<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In many ways, the hearts of the Agutaynens are like the hard, dry soil of the rice fields during dry season.\u00a0 Their worldview and superstitions have been like the hot sun that hardens their hearts.\u00a0 But, as we teach them, starting with Creation and progressing through the Old Testament stories, the soil of their hearts is being softened and prepared.\u00a0 Prepared for what?\u00a0 Jesus, God\u2019s promised Savior!\u00a0 By the time we arrive to the New Testament, they see clearly how Satan has tricked them and they see that salvation is not something they can earn through good works or through sufferings.\u00a0 The Agutaynens are then ready to receive the wonderful news of salvation which is completely provided through the work of Christ on the cross.\u00a0 This wonderful news has been hidden from them for generations.<\/p>\n

\"Agutaynen<\/a>
Agutaynen man currently attending Home Bible Study<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Please continue to pray for the Agutaynens currently attending Home Bible Studies.\u00a0 As of two weeks ago, two of Stephen\u2019s Home Bible Studies have finished the Old Testament.\u00a0 This past weekend, Stephen and his Agutaynen helpers taught on the birth of John the Baptist.\u00a0 At the end of the lesson, Stephen said that Zacharias was probably asking himself: \u201cWhy didn\u2019t I believe the good news?\u201d\u00a0 And then Stephen asked the Agutaynens if they will be like Zacharias and not believe the Good News of the promised Savior.\u00a0 The soil of their hearts has been prepared and we believe they are ready to hear the wonderful news of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

After sowing the seed, rice farmers need to spray fertilizer and guard the rice from greedy birds.\u00a0 Likewise, as we teach through the life of Christ, we need be on guard against Satan\u2019s attempts to prevent the Agutaynens from hearing the message.\u00a0 You too, stand guard with us through your prayers.\u00a0 Lord willing, in the months to come, we will see a harvest for God\u2019s glory amongst these Home Bible groups.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Where we live in the Philippines, we have a dry season that lasts up to six months.\u00a0 During this time, the wells will dry up and the ground will harden like a rock.\u00a0 Truly, one can break his shovel if he tries to dig in this dirt.\u00a0 The rice fields almost look like a desert.\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":232,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1191","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized","7":"entry"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/stephen-jordan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1191","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/stephen-jordan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/stephen-jordan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/stephen-jordan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/232"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/stephen-jordan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1191"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/stephen-jordan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1191\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/stephen-jordan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1191"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/stephen-jordan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1191"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/stephen-jordan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1191"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}