Bringing In The Sheaves

2. SOIL MUST BE PREPARED -

==> Many do not totally understand the soil and I would certainly head the list. But with my time at the Golf Course there are some things which I learned/ fertilize. If I expect the growth from the soil, it is required that help the soil be ready for the growth. This may mean that I have to use a plow, spread some fertilizer, or even water the soil. Jesus knew this and painted us a picture comparing the soil to the heart of man. Let’s take a look at 4 types of soil or heart.

==> The First soil mentioned is the Callous heart (the HARD heart)- (Read verse 4) This speaks of the path, Luke tells us that this ground was trampled down by men. If you have ever seen a path through the woods, you know that this ground is as hard as a rock. As a general rule, nothing will grow there. Watch the parallel between the soil and the heart. The path has been trampled down and hard has also been run over by man until it is calloused & hard. This ground must be "broken" or "cultivated." By the way, it occurs to me that the birds eating the seed are a picture that “any little thing” can take away the word of God from the hard heart. Callous has to be broken.

==> The next soil mentioned is what I call the cluttered heart. Watch this process. When we break up the path, the hard ground, the calloused heart, invariably we find the stones. They are always below the surface, take on many forms, and literally have to be removed by hand. I remember clearing land for a horse riding area. We cut the trees, dugs the roots, and cleared the rocks. Only then were we free to let the horses ride. May I ask what is it that is cluttering up your life? What do you have in your life that is foreign to the will of God?

==> The next soil mentioned is the choked heart (thorny) This is also very interesting because they must be removed down to the root. You can’t simply cut them down or cultivate over them must uproot & cast away or they’ll grow back. Many people today who claim to be believers are so overwhelmed by the cares of this world that the Bible has little place in their lives. Consider this, we are told in the Bible to meditate on the word at all times, how does this stack up with your life?

Bringing in the Sheaves – Pg 4

==> The next soil mentioned is Cultivated heart. (The GOOD soil) This is the soil which has been broken up, fertilized, watered, and is ready to propagate growth.

==> What does this have to do with the thought of "bringing in the sheaves"? The life of a believer is to be a life that is helping (not forcing) prepare the soil in hearts of man, making hearts ready to receive word so the Holy spirit can do His work.

3. SEED MUST BE SOWN -

==> The KJV calls us a farmer; the HCBS calls us by what our calling is to be, “a sower”. Sowing the seed of the word of God should be the most natural thing we do. Does it surprise that a "farmer went to sow seed?" Why should it surprise us that we should sow seed of God’s word? Does it surprise us that we baptize so few each year, that there is no big harvest? Here’s the question, are we sowing seed?