Dr Paul Allen

English: Two cedars on Hardwick Heath Two cedars of Lebanon (Cedrus libani) on Hardwick Heath. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) "The cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted."  Psalm 104:16 Lebanon's cedars are emblematic of the Christian , in that they owe their planting entirely to the Lord. This is quite true of every child of God . He is not man-planted, nor self-planted, but God-planted.  The mysterious hand of the divine Spirit dropped the living seed into a heart which he had himself prepared for its reception. Every true heir of heaven owns the great Husbandman as his planter. Moreover, the cedars of Lebanon are not dependent upon man for their watering; they stand on the lofty rock, unmoistened by human irrigation; and yet our heavenly Father supplies them.  Thus it is with the Christian who has learned to live by faith. He is independent of man, even in temporal things; for his continued maintenance he looks to the Lord his God, and to him alone. The dew...

Our Lord Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully.” ( 2 Corinthians 9:6 ) As John Calvin pointed out long ago in expounding this key passage, “We are not giving, but sowing ” when we contribute of our financial means to the work of the Lord, for it miraculously is considered by the Lord of the harvest as seed sown in the soil of the hearts of men. And it is a rule of the harvest that, other things being equal, the more seed planted, the more harvested. He who is deficient with his seed must necessarily anticipate a meager crop. Of course, a bountiful harvest presupposes not only an abundance of seed, but also good soil, properly prepared, watered, and cultivated. It is no good simply to give money to anyone or any cause, any more than it is good simply to throw a seed on a rocky slope or city street or weed-infested yard. One is responsible to give wh...

Mosaic of the 12 Tribes of Israel. From Givat Mordechai synagogue wall in Jerusalem. Top row, right to left: Reuben, Judah, Dan, Asher Middle: Simeon, Issachar, Naphtali, Joseph Bottom: Levi, Zebulun, Gad, Benjamin (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem , Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns." ( Jeremiah 4:3 ) Fallow ground is ground that has been plowed and readied for sowing, but then is withheld and allowed to lie useless and unproductive. God , through His prophet, had to rebuke His people, not only because they had left their prepared ground unused, but because they were actually sowing their seed on thorn-choked ground. That is, they were turning to idols and forsaking God. The word "fallow" occurs one other time in the Bible and to the same effect: " Sow to yourselves in righteousness , reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righ...

"In the morning sow thy seed , and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good." ( Ecclesiastes 11:6 ) In the Bible, the common occupation of sowing seed is frequently used as a symbol of witnessing for the Lord. Unlike an actual farmer, however, Christian seed-sowers are to engage in their occupation perpetually, day after day, morning and evening, everywhere they go. "Cast thy bread upon the waters," the wise preacher said, "for thou shalt find it after many days" ( Ecclesiastes 11:1 ). The sowing is often difficult, but is necessary before the fruit can grow, and the promise is that "they that sow in tears shall reap in joy" ( Psalm 126:5 ). Often others may reap the fruit of our seed-sowing labors (or we may reap the fruit of theirs), but that is all right, for Christ Himself said that "One soweth, and another reapeth" so ...

Image via Wikipedia "It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body ; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." ( 1 Corinthians 15:43-44 )   In this portion of this great chapter on the resurrection--first that of Christ , then the future resurrection of the redeemed--death and resurrection are compared to seed- sowing and harvest.  When a seed is planted in the ground, it is as though it had died and is buried.  For a long time after its "death," the seed cannot be seen, but finally it rises again as a beautiful flowering plant, or sheaf of grain, or even a lovely tree.   Jesus made this same analogy. "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" ( John 12:24 ; note also  Mark 4:26-29 ).  Our human bodies , because of sin and the curse, eventually die an...

Image via Wikipedia "So also is the resurrection of the dead . It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption." ( 1 Corinthians 15:42 )   When a believer's soul and spirit leave the body and return to the Lord , it is significant that the New Testament Scriptures speak of the body, not as dead, but as sleeping.  For example, Jesus said, "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep" ( John 11:11 ). This state is not " soul sleep " as some teach, for "to be absent from the body, |is| to be present with the Lord" ( 2 Corinthians 5:8 ). The body is sleeping--not the soul.   Similarly, when the believer's body is laid in a grave, Paul speaks of this act not as a burial, but as sowing! "But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?  Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that sh...

Image via Wikipedia Through the Global Financial crisis , when the idols of our materialistic culture lie shattered on the floor, like Dagon before the ark of the Lord, and Australia's sense of security is in jeopardy, God has given the church an opportunity to demonstrate to the world that allegiance to Christ results in a distinct set of values and priorities that frees men and women from debilitating worries about money, an insidious slavery to the world’s goods, and most important, a sinful orientation of the heart that worships and serves “the creature rather than the Creator” ( Rom. 1:25 ).  Our perception and response to this global economic meltdown ought to be different because we are a peculiar people, a people who no longer belong to this world but to God. Jesus taught that if we love only those who love us and fail to love our enemies, we are no better than the pagans.  Likewise, if we are generous and cheerful in our giving only when times are good and our ba...

Image via Wikipedia Through the Global Financial crisis , when the idols of our materialistic culture lie shattered on the floor, like Dagon before the ark of the Lord, and Australia's sense of security is in jeopardy, God has given the church an opportunity to demonstrate to the world that allegiance to Christ results in a distinct set of values and priorities that frees men and women from debilitating worries about money, an insidious slavery to the world’s goods, and most important, a sinful orientation of the heart that worships and serves “the creature rather than the Creator” ( Rom. 1:25 ).  Our perception and response to this global economic meltdown ought to be different because we are a peculiar people, a people who no longer belong to this world but to God. Jesus taught that if we love only those who love us and fail to love our enemies, we are no better than the pagans.  Likewise, if we are generous and cheerful in our giving only when times are good and our ba...