Sowing the Seed

Spring is finally here and with it comes the seasons of sowing seeds, planting, watering and gathering in the harvest – it happens in the natural and in the Spirit

At the Foundation the seasons for planting, watering and harvest begin in earnest in April until the end of October.

We begin with spiritual seeding, and also physical seeding.

The foundation has a food bank and right now it is low so we are starting our food security system with sowing our seeds and Sister Chris and Bergen have allowed us to rent some land for a Church and community Garden.

We are so thankful for this.

Tonight though I want to discuss spiritual , sowing, watering and reaping.

Just a the natural kitchen cupboards are bare, so also are the pews.

It is time to begin a great spiritual harvest of precious souls.

It starts with sowing the seed

Jesus spoke of it this way…

The Parable of the Sower

(Matthew 13:1-9; Mark 4:1-9)

Luke 8:4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:

5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?

10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

 

So it is time to prepare our soil, and the soil of our community through prayer and reflection – that begins with us – where do we fit in this scenario that Jesus spoke of… each of us has responded to the seeds that were planted in us but how are we doing do we hall into one of the categories

1. The wayside – the place where the Word didn’t even get to take place because the soil was so hardened that the birds got to the seed first.

2. The rocks – the seed died because a lack of moisture

3. The thorns – cares of this world – worry and care.

4. The good soil

In order to sow the seed we must first look at our own soil conditions and begin to break up our own the fallow ground before sowing the seed and helping our community.

Jeremiah 4: 3 For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.

Hard ground, no moisture, full of rocks we need to get the soil fixed, before we can sow the seed and help others we need to get the soil ready.

1) Hard ground – got to add some sand and manure and water it, even add in some peat moss. Do whatever it takes to allow the seed to grow and become fruitful.

2) Rocky ground – stones, rocks, even some boulders- they have to go for the seeds to grow.

3) Thorny Ground – so many thorns and weeds – time to clean them out to create good clean soil ready for the Word.

4) Good Soil  – we are looking for good soft loam, with proper moisture, free from rocks and stones, weeds, and thorns.

Lets check or soil  for stones

How do we know if we have rocks in our soil?

Unforgiveness

INABILITY AND/OR UNWILLINGNESS TO FORGIVE OTHERS:

If I am to love others ―as I love myself,I’‖ then the inability or unwillingness to forgive others their faults, mistakes, actions, etc. is a demonstration that the person with Rocks in our soil is not willing or able to forgive themselves for the same.

King James Bible
Matt 6;15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

LAODICEAN SPIRITUALITY

This condition is characterized by the  debilitating spiritual symptoms whose existence are denied by the saint as having and Rocks in their soil.

Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

FEAR and NAKEDNESS

 Let’s consider in depth the symptom of nakedness by itself. Nothing more closely illustrates the (Emotional) feeling of Rocks in our soil than the thoughts, emotions, etc. of being naked in public.  Throughout the Bible, nakedness and Rocks in our soil are constantly and directly connected.

Genesis 3:8-11

8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was na[1]ked; and I hid myself.

11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

2 Corinthians 5:2-3

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

CONFUSION

CONFOUNDED and REPROACH: Mental, Emotional, or Spiritual Disorientation, caused by sin and disobedience.

Jeremiah 3:25 We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.

James 3:14-16 (New International Version)

14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.

15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.

16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

HYPOCRISY

Rocks in our soil causes a person who feels inferior or fears rejection to pretend to be someone or something he is not in order to attempt to avoid rejection.

2 Corinthians 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

Secretive

ROCKS IN OUR SOIL CAUSES A PERSON TO BE SECRETIVE FOR FEAR OF BEING DISCOVERED TO BE A PERSON WORTHY OF REJECTION.

Ps 19:20

New Living Translation
How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults.

JUDGMENTALISM

Rocks in our soil frequently creates a very critical, judgmental view  of others. This is caused by the fact that they have this same attitude towards themselves inwardly. No matter how well they hide from the view of others, the person with this Rock in their soil sees them selves in a very negative light most of the time.

Do Not Judge

(Matthew 7:1-6; Romans 14:1-12)

37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.

NEGATIVE ―SELF-TALK

 The things that we say inwardly to ourselves about ourselves, especially when we have disappointed ourselves or ―failed again are very indicative of our  feelings about ourselves. The great majority of people with Rocks in our soil would NEVER allow anyone to speak to them with the words, manner, anger, and attitude that those with Rocks in our soil regularly speak to themselves. THIS IS NOT HARMLESS OR ―NORMAL from either a spiritual or natural perspective. I cannot ―love me while I am ―cursing myself!

2 Cor. 10:5 King James Bible
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

LIVING IN OR CONSTANTLY RE-LIVING THE PAST

This is an inability to look to or forward to the future because of the inability to let go of the past. This is usually accompanied by pain, sorrow, and/or anger over the past. In addition, this preoccupation with the past significantly affects our perceptions of ourselves in the present and our ability to see ourselves doing anything of value in the future. This is ―paralysis by the past. It is impossible to have hope for  the future if we are constantly grieving over the past.

Eph 5:8 King James Bible
For ye were sometimes darkness, but NOW are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Control

THE NEED TO BE IN CONTROL Those with Rocks in our soil especially those who have had their person violated (ie – sexual and/or physical abuse, etc.) almost always have a fear of life and circumstances being out of control. They feel vulnerable — exposed — when they are not in control; so therefore, they attempt to exercise control over everyone and everything around them. This is NOT a product of ― personality; it is a product of Rocks in our soil!

Prov. 3: 3-6 King James version

3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Perfectionism

OBSESSION WITH PERFECTION

This ― perfectionism is similar to in some ways to J. above. But it also carries with it the desire to do things right to prove oneself and others that they are NOT messed up inside.

Phil.3.7-11 King James Version

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Finally add in some fertilizer

1 Peter 1: 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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