Need for Seed

Need for Seed

2 Corinthians 9: ⁶ Remember that the person who plants few seeds will have a small crop; the one who plants many seeds will have a large crop. ⁷ You should each give, then, as you have decided, not with regret or out of a sense of duty; for God loves the one who gives gladly. ⁸ And God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause. ⁹ As the scripture says,

 

“He gives generously to the needy;
    his kindness lasts forever.”

 

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Both of my grandmothers were not the best cooks, but were always willing to give me food in their house where I borrowed a bed for the time I was there. They weren’t rich, in fact, quite the opposite. But they gave GOD to me in generous doses.

 

• I complained about their food.
• I complained about their bug laced homes and horrible water and discomfort.
• I complained about their constant mentions of JESUS.

 

Paul speaks about a different currency, namely “seed.” This is GOD’s currency and HE is the benefactor who supplies HIS seed. Paul suggests that everyone who takes GOD’s currency and spreads it around generously will grow a large crop.

 

My Observations

• There is a huge need for GOD’s seed and HE wants me to provide it.
• Everyone may not have money but GOD gives them and me, seeds to plant in other’s hearts.
• Seeds and bread seem to be highly important to GOD.

 

When I am greedy, I only see “giving” as a transfer of “my” money to an organization. I mean, I look at my bank account as a measure of how “generous” I can be. I then hear messages about “faith” being based on money amounts given. BUT GOD sees currency differently.

 

HE sends comforters to crying people, joyful to the hurt, peaceful to the angry, loving to the lonely, patient to the impetuous, good to the bad, gentle to the rough, self-controlled to the wild, faithful to those who give up easily and lastly, kind to the unkind. GOD sees and appreciates HIS seeds planted; and grows a rich harvest. I am glad HE provides the right seeds at the right time.

 

Challenge

• What do you think the writer means about a “small” and “large” crop?
• If you had no money, what can you give generously to someone?
• Will you use your GOD given gifts to spread the Good News about JESUS in a way that only you can deliver it so HIS kingdom will grow a large, rich harvest?

Patient Fruit

Luke 8: ⁹ Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?”

¹⁰ And He said, “To you it has been given to know the ^[f]mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that

‘Seeing they may not see,
And hearing they may not understand.’

¹¹ “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. ¹² Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.¹³ But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. ¹⁴ Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. ¹⁵ But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

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“When will I ever be respected?” I said frustrated. I mean every word I said seemed to be stolen by someone in the room and credited to them. I decided I had enough. “I quit” was my solution to the situation. My patience had grown thin.

• Sometimes I want what I want, when I want it.
• Sometimes I get frustrated by circumstances out of my control.
• Sometimes I lose my patience for things going on around me.

JESUS explains the parable of the sower. HE sums up all of life in a few brief sentences. HE basically says that life will have temptations, interruptions, difficulties OR fruit. It is my choice.

• GOD says to me “Bear fruit with patience.”
• GOD says to me “Hear MY word and place it in your heart.”
• GOD says to me “Ask me for a noble and good heart.”

My selfish heart has more statements that revolve around me. The more I’m focused on me the more life can beat me up. GOD wants me to see more than me. HE wants to remove my blindness so I won’t fall into life’s holes so easily. HE gives me patience to not only endure trials, but to accept grace HE has for me and those who are disgusted with me. HE loves my fruit.

• Are you bearing GOD’s fruit?
• Are you so focused on yourself that no one else matters?
• Can you have patience through trials and with “that” person today?

Overcoming Barriers

Mark 4: ¹³ And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? ¹⁴ The sower sows the word. ¹⁵ And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. ¹⁶ These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness;¹⁷ and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. ¹⁸ Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, ¹⁹ and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²⁰ But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

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Station four was my nemesis. It was the part of the obstacle course that I could not overcome. The gym teacher required that I do ten pullups before moving on to the rest of the course. “Ten? I can’t even do one!” I said to myself.

• Sometimes life feels like a huge obstacle course.
• Sometimes life has big things in it that seem hard to overcome.
• Sometimes life deals out difficulties that seem impossible to overcome.

Ailments, broken relationships, poor grades, job pressures, job loss and death of loved ones are a few obstacles that have kept me from shouting from the mountain that GOD is awesome! I mean how awesome is HE when I am standing out in the rain, getting soaked waiting on a bus? GOD wants me to get stronger.

• GOD wants me to open my eyes to see Satan trying to steal GOD’s promise of peace and his attempt to replace it with worry.
• GOD wants me to open my eyes to understand there will be tribulation and persecution so I need to prepare myself.
• GOD wants me to open my eyes to know I am susceptible to lust of money, lust of power, and lust in general.

When I feel scared, worried, lustful or judgmental, GOD wants me to get my answers from HIM instead of acting on impulse. HE enables me to see that in the middle of a trial, I can still bear fruit for HIM. HE wants me to quiet down, seek HIS face for direction and actually go where HE leads me. There is where I will find fruit for HIS kingdom!

• Have you given up on GOD?
• Do you feel more worried than full of praise?
• Can you look at what GOD has said about your situation in HIS word and act accordingly?
• Will you accept HIS message of peace for you today?

Spinning the Spinners

Mark 4: ¹⁰ But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. ¹¹ And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, ¹² so that

‘Seeing they may see and not perceive,
And hearing they may hear and not understand;
Lest they should turn,
And their sins be forgiven them.’”

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In an effort to make the situation better, my bosses told me to “Update the message to make it more palatable.” In other words they wanted me to put “spin” on the message. Instead of saying “This flat out does not work” they suggested “At this time, certain features are being reviewed.” I wonder if I try to “spin” the explanation of JESUS.

• There were times when I used “spin” to make the story easier.
• There were times when I used a more palatable story to explain things.
• There were times when I would take a lie and try to spin it to “a” truth that was close enough.

JESUS saw through the hearts of those who would never believe in HIM. HE spoke in parables because speaking in direct terms to someone who would never believe in HIM would be a waste of HIS time. HE wants me to believe in HIM whether HE speaks directly or indirectly to me.

• JESUS speaks to me through written history and letters compiled in a Bible.
• JESUS speaks to me through humans who speak highly of HIM.
• JESUS speaks to me through circumstances that only HE can orchestrate.

Amazement can happen on a daily basis if I allow it. I mean I could walk out my door and be absolutely amazed if I were to open my eyes and ears to what GOD is doing. Unfortunately the worries of the world blind me at times to the amazing things around me. GOD says “Relax. Let ME guide you with MY plan.” When I allow HIM to be GOD I can truly “perceive” and “understand.”

• Are you confused about something?
• Do you have a very specific answer for your problem that you are not getting no matter how hard you try?
• Will you open your eyes and ears to GOD so you can see what HE is doing in your life today?

Motivation

Mark 4: And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. ² Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:

³ “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. ⁴ And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. ⁵ Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. ⁶ But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. ⁷ And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. ⁸ But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

⁹ And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

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“I wanna go!” was my immediate response when I heard that my siblings and some neighbors would possibly travel to the local amusement park. I just knew it would be fun and I imagined myself on all the rides. I also said “I wanna go” on vacations, restaurants visits to relatives and recreation.

• Sometimes I am motivated by getting something that I will enjoy.
• Sometimes I am motivated to work hard so I can get to some place where I can relax.
• Sometimes I am motivated to endure life’s trials so I can eventually reach society’s utopia.

Where there was fun I wanted to be there, but what about GOD? I mean HE has stuff for me to do as well right? Yes, but sometimes I am not motivated to do HIS work. I was quite amazed at the beginning of the parable. “A sower went out to sow.” What motivated the sower?

• GOD wants me to be motivated to seek the lost because HE sought me.
• GOD wants me to be excited to spread HIS Gospel because HE saved me with it.
• GOD wants me to be inspired to seek HIS kingdom first then HE will add to me what HE pleases.

Saving people from eternal death was the motivation of the sower. HE created me and does not want me to be lost. HE gives me seeds of wisdom, knowledge and understanding and it is up to me to allow them to grow. HE wants me to do the same to others.

• Are you stuck?
• Do you feel like hiding instead of running out and shouting in praise?
• Can you come out of your hiding place to serve JESUS today just because HE loves you?

Guarding the Fruit

Matthew 13: ¹⁸ “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: ¹⁹ When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. ²⁰ The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. ²¹ But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. ²² The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. ²³ But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

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People got on my nerves discussing the Bible. I had not read it and did not understand what was said in it. “Trust in the LORD” people would quote. “What about my needs right now? I would quote back this was a bad path.

Every once in a while I would attend church, especially when things were going wrong. I would hear some music, cry a little and feel better after service only to disappear for months on end. This was rocky ground.

When I started attending church regularly, I finally fit in. I would sit and listen for a couple of hours but would act different on the very next day, sometimes the next hour. My worries about finances and other aspects of life would creep in and there was no way I would talk about CHRIST.

• GOD wants me to seek not only HIS word but HIS SPIRIT.
• GOD wants me to plant my roots deep in HIM so my relationship with HIM is everlasting.
• GOD wants me to clip the thorns of life on a daily basis by quieting down and listening to HIM.

Yielding fruit is the most important thing I can do, according to this passage. It requires understanding and purposeful relationships that bring people to GOD.

• Do you lack understanding of GOD?
• Do you pop in and out of church, meanwhile wondering why your life is not on track?
• Do you worry about life’s difficulties or financial woes?
• Can you stop your lack of understanding by seeking GOD’s kingdom to purposefully bring people to HIM?

Becoming a Farmer

Matthew 13: ³ Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. ⁹ Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

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Overlooked in this passage is the farmer. There are many qualities of the farmer that stick out to me.

• The farmer had a purpose, namely to sow as many seeds as he could.
• The farmer did not care where he spread the seeds because he had plenty to spread.
• The farmer had seeds of potential that could produce huge crops from only a few.

JESUS was so busy explaining what the seeds were for that could not get to the point where HE revealed HIMSELF as the farmer.  HE had plenty of seed to spread but sometimes I could not allow them to grow in my life. BUT GOD did something wonderful in my life.

• GOD tilled my rocky soil heart to become softer.
• GOD fertilized my barren heart to become ready.
• GOD watered my dried up heart to grow HIS seeds.

Farming is the example in this parable that is often overlooked. GOD wants me to spread HIS seeds wherever I go.

• Does your life have purpose?
• Can you stop caring about who you spread GOD’s message to and go where HE sends you?
• Will you take one “seed of potential” and place it in someone today to grow GOD’s kingdom?

What Goes Around Comes Around

Psalm 7: ¹⁴ Whoever is pregnant with evil
    conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.
¹⁵ Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
    falls into the pit they have made.
¹⁶ The trouble they cause recoils on them;
    their violence comes down on their own heads.

¹⁷ I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;
    I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.

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“I’m gonna tell” were my words to my brother. We had gotten into an argument over something trivial and my method of resolution was to bring in the judge.  Moments into court my expectations of a favorable ruling turned into dismay when I realized I was now on trial. My parents quickly cross examined my motive and sentence was passed. We both got it!

• When I sow seeds of discord I reap discord.
• When I sow seeds of discontent I reap discontentment.
• When I sow seeds of disruption I reap disruption.

Looking back, GOD thwarted my evil plans every time. It seemed like other people could get away with things but when I tried I would get caught. When I would get mad at someone I was the one who had to bring peace otherwise I would fall into a hole.

• GOD says to me “Vengeance is MINE, I will repay” so I can’t repay evil with evil.
• GOD says to me “Love one another” so my evil plans will fall apart if I am not acting in love.
• GOD says to me “Whatever you sow is what your will reap” so my evil seeds will grow along side of my good seeds.

GOD is not a “respect of persons”, in other words HE is not prejudiced at all. HE does not like evil from me or anyone else. HE puts me in the same pot with others when I think I should be in the “special” pot. But then I realize, this is a good thing. HE sees other people as righteous just as HE sees me. HE gave HIS SON to all who believe and it is my job to sow the seeds GOD gave me.

• What seeds are you sowing into the lives around you?
• Are you sowing seeds of grace or complaint?
• Have you complained about “that” person to others?
• Will you begin to sow the seeds of “Love” “Hope” and “Grace” into people?

What kind of person am I?

Matthew 13 – The Parable of the Sower explained.

Rocky Heart

¹⁹ When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

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This is when I flat out don’t believe what GOD says. In salvation I believe in JESUS, but sometimes I don’t think there will be any consequences to my sinful actions. GOD says different. HE wants me to transform my heart that hates my enemies into a soft graceful one.

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Muddy Heart

²⁰ The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. ²¹ But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

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This is when I hear a message on Sunday but never take time to apply what was said. GOD may tell me to make a change in my life but I keep going the way I want to instead of paying attention to HIM. GOD wants me to learn about HIM daily and apply HIS word to my unclean heart.

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Misguided Heart

²² The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.

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This is when I worry about having a job and then I worry about not having a job. I worry about having bills then I worry about not having the latest thing. I worry about being sick then I worry about maintaining health. GOD wants me to give my worries to HIM by trusting in HIS plan.

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GOD’s Heart

²³ But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

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This is when I humble myself and admit to GOD that my heart is stony, muddy and misguided and only HE can soften, clean and put it on the right path. Once I believe HE is the only way then HE can use me to bring HIS humans back to HIM.

• What kind of person are you?
• Are you seeking to serve GOD or has life’s worries got you down?
• What are you doing to serve GOD?

Is "your" heart soft enough to receive the message?

Matthew 13:19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

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This set of scripture is from the parable of the sower. JESUS spoke in parables to fulfill scripture and letting the blind remain blind to HIS truths. I use this set of scripture to pattern my life.

I read this many years ago and thought I only had to focus on the end where the seed fell in good soil and produced a large crop of their own. I ignored the other seeds that were scattered on the path, rocky places and in thorns.

So I went on my merry way. I would boldly speak to people about CHRIST and life was good. Hey, this Christian thing is easy... Just tell people about CHRIST and they will believe and life would be good! "If a person doesn't believe then they must have a hard heart", I thought to myself.

Then "trouble and persecution" came. I stopped going to church and wanted to just lie around. Wow, that was quick! My zealousness for CHRIST was zapped away so quickly. When times got rough, GOD was no longer powerful in my eyes. Fortunately for me HE is extremely patient! HE enabled me to get through the pains of my youth and move on.

This time I would do things right and a little wiser. As I got a little older I faced more of life's pains. "I'm not going to fall away this time", I said to myself. As the issues of life kicked at me, I held firm, well at least for a week. Then the "worries of life and the deceitfulness of wealth" came in and kept me from telling people about my issues.

Pride and shame ensued and my testimony became nil. I was the strong one! I was the rich one! Problems don't happen to me! But they did and GOD stepped in again and with extreme patience brought me through yet another storm.

Well, today many, many storms have come and gone and many more are on their way if GOD leaves me here. The storms of life have softened my heart to hear GOD a little more. HE has shown me that I will always be "a work in progress" as long as I am hear on this planet.

• The storms of life wound the heart
• The storms of life open good soil
• The storms of life make us pray
• The storms of life strengthens us

I have finally stopped reading the Bible and applying it to someone else. GOD is only speaking to me when I read. I need to have "my" heart ready to hear what HE has to say.

• Is your heart ready to hear GOD today?
• Is your faith easily uprooted from HIM because of what you are going through?
• What worries are stopping you from serving HIM the way you used to?
• Where is your daring, exciting behavior that has "NO FEAR?"
• Are you ready to produce a crop of one hundred?