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?

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?

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?