Seeds Sown Shall Sprout

When we hear the word: “Seed” most of us immediately think of money, especially in church. We think of sowing seed for God or for the man or woman of God, but we often forget that in all of life we sow; in all we do, we sow. We sow good seeds or bad seeds; we sow on good ground or bad ground; we sow with a good or bad attitude. We sow seeds in many ways: In our service in departments in the house of God, we are sowing seeds. In encouraging others, in writing articles, songs, books, in helping others, in showing kindness, in studying hard in school, in showing respect to elders, we are sowing seeds.  In practising your musical instrument, or at work you sow seeds which could be poor or excellent or mediocre.

Singing, getting up early to read and study and meditate on the word, interceding for others, showing good example to others, cleaning, taking care of your health by sleeping well but not oversleeping, taking exercise, drinking water, taking people out for meal, visiting friends, relatives, respecting the elderly, taking care of them or your parents, visiting the sick in hospital, eating healthily, spending wisely, improving yourself in taking a course that will add to your employability, counselling people well to improve their lives, avoiding bad habits, taking care of your children, making, phone calls to encourage, writing a letter or sending a text to cheer are all seeds you sow.

Type of Harvest So one thing we are sure of is, even as we are sure that we sow in all we do:

 A harvest will come from what we sow. In other words, we will reap what we sow. If we sow banana, we will not reap peanuts but banana. If we sow in a good soil, then our harvest will be a good harvest. But how good the harvest is will again depend on how good the land is.

 

“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.”

Mark4:13-20

Therefore we need to be careful as to ensure we plant goods seeds on very good grounds as to expect a great harvest. It is God who gives good seeds to the sower. (Isa55:10 )

¹⁰     ” For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,

       And do not return there,

       But water the earth,

       And make it bring forth and bud,

       That it may give seed to the sower

       And bread to the eater,

Isa55:10

 

Source of Seeds

 Let’s take our seed from His Word. Anything contrary to His Word is a bad seed and comes from the adversary. And we should have nothing to do with sowing bad seeds. The fruit of the spirit are all good seeds. God wants each one of us to produce good fruit and much of it so that He will be glorified. He wants fruit that will remain, endure and even spread. He wants the seeds we sow to become trees of righteousness and for the trees to become forests.

 

¹     “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.³ You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.⁴ Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

⁵     “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.⁶ If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.⁷ If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.⁸ By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

John15:1-8

²²        But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Gal5:222-23

So when you think or hear of a seed next time, don’t be narrow-minded. See the bigger picture and sow a good seed, sow joyfully and bountifully; be a good land, sow with expectancy-great expectancy. You will not be disappointed.

 As we have seen  in the parable of the sower, there are good soils and bad soils in which people sow. In the parable of the sower, the Lord identified four different types of lands we can sow in. There is the wayside, the stony ground, the thorny ground and then the good ground. Even the good ground has different levels of productivity depending on how fertilised it is, hence the harvest may be 30, 60 or 100 fold.( Mark4:13-20 )

Therefore we need to watch out for the land we sow in. We also need to make sure we represent a good soil that others can sow in. For instance if some does not take counsel, that person becomes a bad soil to sow counsel in; whereas the person who readily takes godly counsel will be a good ground to sow counsel in.

Hence we need to be discriminatory as to what seed we sow and where we sow our seed. In regard to the example given about the stubborn person and the seed of counsel, instead of counsel, we can sow prayer to soften their hearts to receive. Also by being patient with them and persevering whilst praying until they become receptive, we are sowing the seed of patience.

So in all we do, we are sowing. The question is: is it a good seed or a bad one? Also in what type of land are we sowing? Is it a good one or a bad one? And if it is good, how good is it. How are we sowing. Our attitude is as important as the seed we sow; and our attitude will determine our altitude. Are we  sowing excellently, bountifully or carelessly, or grudgingly? Are we sowing with faith and expectation or sowing with fear and not expecting?

Seed Time and Harvest Time

After sowing, there is watering and tending the seed we have sown before the harvest comes. Some seeds sprout in no time whilst others take time. For instance if you plant an oak tree, it will take a while to grow and be Again as we sow, whether or not we like it a harvest time will come.

 

⁶     Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.

⁷          Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.⁸ For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.⁹ And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.  Gal6:6-9

⁵ Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.

⁶          But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.⁷ So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.2Cor2:5-8

 

The Harvest will Come.  Are you ready for it?

 

²²     ” While the earth remains,

       Seedtime and harvest,

       Cold and heat,

       Winter and summer,

       And day and night

                Shall not cease.” Gen8:22

A Promise out of Context is a Pretext

Paul, writing to the Philippians, commended them for how they supported his missions and assured them that “ my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. Often we use this scripture out of context. A Promise taken out of context is a pretext.

¹² I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.¹³ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

¹⁴        Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress.¹⁵ Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.¹⁶ For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.¹⁷ Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.¹⁸ Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.¹⁹ And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.²

 

^{Wait for your Due Season}

¹     Blessed is the man

     Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,

       Nor stands in the path of sinners,

       Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

²     But his delight is in the law of the LORD,

       And in His law he meditates day and night.

³     He shall be like a tree

       Planted by the rivers of water,

       That brings forth its fruit in its season,

       Whose leaf also shall not wither;

        And whatever he does shall prosper.

Ps1:1-3

Notice that there is a due season for the harvest. Be patient. Be not weary in well doing. Sow good seeds. Sow on good soil. Sow bountifully and joyfully.

 

 

song

They Will Doubtless Return

 

Those who sow in tears

shall reap in joy.

Those who go out weeping

bearing precious seeds to sow

They will doubtless return

They will doubtless return

They will doubtless return

With joy and with a great harvest.

The rod of the wicked

Shall not rest on the plot of the righteous

The lines have fallen for me

In pleasant places

So I will doubtless return

I will doubtless return

I will doubtless return

with joy and with a great harvest.

Gen8:22 Luke6:38 Phil4:12-19 2Cor8:9

 

 

Seeds Sown Shall Sprout

 

Seeds sown shall sprout

In due season

Seed time and harvest time

Day and night

Summer and winter

Shall not cease.

So sow good seeds

Sow on good ground

Sow cheerfully

Sow bountifully

Sow with a good motive.

Sow and water the seed sown.

Then wait patiently

For a great harvest.

 

 

Let us pray

Father I thank you for opening my eyes to many-faceted dimension of sowing. Help me Lord to be conscious in all I do that I am sowing a seed. I pray that I will sow a good seed, sow joyfully, sow bountifully; sow in a good soil, sow expectantly of a great harvest and be patient for my due season to come.

I thank you, Lord for the seed you give me to sow. Help me Lord to know the difference between a seed and a harvest and not to eat my seed, in Jesus’ name. Amen.