More From the Garden -- Part 4

More from the Garden Part Four

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.” Luke 8:11-15 (ESV)

In yesterday’s Freedom Fighter I told you I would get into the place where most Christians hope they are…the good soil!! It is where the seed (The Word of God) will fall on it will yield a harvest at least hundredfold and with all the fruits of the Spirit. “But the seed in the good earth-these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there’s a harvest.” (Luke 8:15) The Message. But what will be harvested here has lasting effects besides the fruits to enjoy.

We all know that we as Christian men (and women) are to bear fruit. But it is not enough to just forth fruit but to bring it must be brought to perfection and it has to be fully ripened. Now it is at this point where in the message that I heard Dr. Earl Johnson give based on this parable the idea of “germination” comes in. You see I always thought I needed to great my ground good so when the seed falls on me (I hear, receive and do the Word of God) I will bear the fruits of Christendom and all will see Christ in me. BUT…this is where that old idea gets a RE-VISION!!

You see I am at point in my walk where I need to hear a matured Word. I can be told to toss all the fruit around I want and still not be challenged enough to be brought forth to perfection. If I am not germinating any seed for others to sow into their life I am falling short of what God is sowing into me. If I keep going around listening to milky sermons I will not be challenged and I will show no growth in my life or in my walk with Jesus.
If I don’t toss the rocks out, do the weeding or till the seed into my soil I might as well go and worship a block of wood. What good will a block of wood do for me when I need encouragement?

So my soil (heart) needs to honest and good. It has to be ready to receive instruction and commandments. It has to be free from sinful pollution. It has to be tender and upright. It must tremble when the seed goes in deep for the planting. It must understand and keep the seed well. It must stay freshly watered. It must be ready to be tested and tried and at times burned. It must have the patience to suffer tribulation and persecution because of the seed.

“Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” Heb 2:1-4 (ESV)

This warning is from one of the toughest books in the New Testament (at least to me) and it don’t matter what version you use this warning is still the same. Pay closer attention to what you have heard because if you sow it into bad soil your harvest will be wrong and what will germinate from it will be as equally wrong. As for me and my little plot of FARMVILLE; we will sow the seeds that Jesus would sow, will you? -- Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent contributor to Freedom Fighter. Thanks, Chris, for this four part series!

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 17; Nehemiah 7-9; Acts 3

Dig This Quote: “Our minds and memories are like a leaky vessel, they do not, without much care, retain what is poured into them. This proceeds from the corruption of our nature, temptations, worldly cares, and pleasures. Sinning against the gospel is neglect of this great salvation; it is a contempt of the saving grace of God in Christ, making light of it, not caring for it, not regarding either the worth of gospel grace, or the want of it, and our undone state without it.” Matthew Henry Concise

Determined Digging: Level 1: Proverbs 16:7; Level 2: Psalm 92-1-4