“Gleanings from the Garden”
Introduction
A great deal of information can be discovered about a person by examining the things they have made or created. Whether a building, painting, music, sculpture, a meal, a garden, a model, a poem, a person’s personality generally shows up in their work. Everything created by God illumines and points to the character of God and principles of life. God uses nature and animals to illustrate difficult or unknown principles all through the Bible. God regularly illustrates a spiritual reality in the physical realm first. Jesus used agricultural allusions a great deal. There is a significant correlation between the physical and spiritual worlds. Early science studied the nature of things in order to better understand the nature of God. God incorporated spiritual realities into all of His creation. The closer we look at nature the more we are able to observe that close association with Biblical truth. I like to garden as a past time.
As I share tips from God’s “Better Homes and Gardens” listen to what he has to say to you. Plan to go over the principles here this week and listen even more carefully.
1. Soil preparation & cultivation
Any garden must have soil in which to grow. The soil must be prepared in order to best germinate the seed and sustain the plant. Good seed planted in good soil facilitates fruitful plants. Jesus drew some vital teaching using the lessons from the soil. Matthew 13:1-31
The Parable of the Sower illustrates strongly the necessity of sowing seed in good ground.
The Seed is the Word of God which brings growth and life change.
The ground or soil is the life into which the seed of the Word of God is sown.
• Seed by the road -- birds ate the seed
These are those who hear but don’t really understand or take it to heart and Satan snatches away the truth before it can be assimilated. Let the seed of God’s word be sown into the fertile areas of your life where it makes a difference. Many never let the seed get past the intellect. Many never apply God’s word to the vital areas of your life.
Relationships, tongue, attitudes, finances.
Don’t plant seed in the road, be specific about where you invest your time and energy and the precious word.
• Seed in rocky soil -- Sprang up but withered because there was no depth of soil.
These are those who get excited at hearing the truth but have not had a core change (no root in them) and they fall away when tough times hit. Obstacles in the garden and rocks hinder good growth. What are the rocks in your soil that divert the seed and prevent good rooting in your life?
• Thorny soil -- sprang up and choked out by the thorns.
Those who hear and the seed takes root but gets choked out by worry and the deceit of riches so that there is no opportunity for fruit. Worry and materialism choke out spiritual fruit.
• Good soil -- plants grew and produced fruit at varying degrees.
“Plant in well cultivated soil” is written on every seed package. When we ignore the instructions we will get less than desired results.
Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. James 1:21
For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, "Break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns. Jeremiah 4:3
Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness;
Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD until He comes to rain righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12
God speaks much about a hard unbelieving unrepentant heart. The first generation of Israelites was not able to enjoy the Promised Land because their heart was hard. They refused to hear and obey the voice of God. The writer of Hebrews warns us not to follow in their same way.
Repentance softens our heart so that the Word can affect the changes we need. Repentance breaks up the hard heart. Prayer brings about repentance and a soft heart to hear God. I believe it is humble prayer that best cultivates the soil of our life and the lives of those we want to see God’s Word grow.
A soft, well cultivated soil not only facilitates good germination but also makes weeding a breeze. Hard ground makes weeds hard to pull and you end up just breaking off the top the shows which leaves the root to keep propagating itself. A soft heart toward God makes dealing with the sin issues a way of life. If we have been resistant obeying what God has told us we will be resistant dealing with the sin that chokes out the effectiveness of the word in our life. Plants best germinate and thrive in good soil so take the time necessary to cultivate the soil and perhaps even add the nutrients necessary for good growth. (Fertilize)
How is your soil this morning? When you hear the truth of God how do you respond? If your life is not changing perhaps your soil has become too hard to allow the seed of the Word of God to grow and bring about the intended fruit. Time to pray?
2. Seed
• Good plants come from good seed so be careful what you plant.
God’s truth is the good seed. God’s truth can be mistreated and distorted so that it will not germinate properly. Be careful not to mess with the seed too much. Be careful to use only the best. Know what seed produces what plant and sow accordingly. The world’s thinking and philosophies are bad seed. Bad seed produces bad plants.
Galatians 6:8 For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.
An idea heard, a philosophy pondered, a behavior observed, a standard modeled all become seeds that bear fruit in the garden of your life. We were all born with the seed of the world scattered throughout our life.
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. Ephes. 2:1-3
We are to receive the Word of God implanted in the weed-free soil of our life and experience the life giving fruit that results.
“Watch over your heart with all diligence for from it spring the fountains of life.” Prov 4:23
"For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit; nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. 44"For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. 45"The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. Luke 6:43-45
• Old seed brings fewer results so use only fresh seed.
Don’t wait too long until the seed gets too dried out. The Word of God must be fresh in your life if it is to be fruitful in the lives of others. It must be real and vital.
• Seed must die to produce fruit so yield yourself fully and continually to God.
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. John 12:24
We must allow the word to germinate in our life. That means the self-life must die to our own ideas and sprout with God’s thinking. He who would save his life shall lose it. He who would lose his life for my sake shall find it. He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.
• God is the abundant supplier of seed so place your orders with Him.
Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. 12For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. 2 Cor. 9:10-12
Are you low on seed to sow in the lives of others? Go to the Master Gardner and supplier of seed and truth that will bring great harvest.
3. Planting
• Plant according to the seasons designed by the master gardener.
If you miss the opportunity, you get limited results. God may have called someone to cultivate the soil for planting. We have the privilege of planting but fail to respond.
The results will be limited.
What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 1 Cor. 3:5
So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. Galatians 6:10
If we delay planting there may not be enough time for development before adverse weather hits. Some plants may stop producing when the heat hits. Pay attention to the seasons. Look for where God is working. The right season is when God tells you to plant.
• Sow righteously because we reap only what has been sown so
I didn’t get corn this year because I didn’t plant corn. Sometimes a volunteer may come due to the strength of last years planting. But unless we plant we will not reap. Also be careful what you plant.
• Sow generously because we reap in proportion to what we sow.
I didn’t get that many beets because I didn’t plant that many beets.
Sow your seed in the morning, and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good. Eccles. 11:6
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. 2 Cor. 9:6
Is occasional ministry to others for a few minutes Sunday morning enough planting? If that is all the harvest you want. Sowing only on Sunday may not produce enough seed to even sustain a continued harvest. Our life must be a life of continual sowing of the seed God abundantly provides us to plant.
• Sow continually because crops must be planted fresh every year.
We can’t depend on last year’s crop to carry us over. We must sow continually. We can’t afford to stop preparing the soil and planting new crops or there will be no next year’s harvest.
The sluggard does not plow after the autumn, so he begs during the harvest and has nothing. Pro 20:4
4. Watering and Feeding
• Keep on soakin’em and feeding well because plants need continual attention.
We are called to water one another. Some plant, some water. Some plant and water.
In Biblical symbolism both seed and the water is the word of God. Give each other the refreshing water of the Word. Give one another the overflow of the waters of life from the indwelling Spirit of God. Share the nourishing food of the Word of God.
Reflect the warmth and marvelous light of the indwelling Christ. Meditation on the Word is like being planted by canals of running water (Psalm 1) which continually nourishes and waters the tree and stimulates a good root system. Without the Word continually implanted in the soul we become like a bush the desert subject the ravages of the scorching wind and dry sand. People need encouragement and care. Some plants are fragile and need more care than others. Some are hardy and can operate on less. But all need care of some kind and God has given us responsibility to work in the field.
5. Working & Waiting
• Don’t get weary in working hard and well because God promises we will reap in a different season than we planted.
And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. Gal 6:9
Fruit sometimes takes time. In the meantime the plants still need care and work and labor.
It is hard work. It is not always comfortable. The conditions are not always optimum and enjoyable. Proverbs draws lessons from the lazy person.
I passed by the field of the sluggard and by the vineyard of the man lacking sense, and behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles; its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction.
"A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,"
Then your poverty will come as a robber and your want like an armed man. Proverbs 24:30-34
This law concerning a delayed harvest can be devastating when we have sown bad seed to the flesh and discover that crops have suddenly come due at a time unexpected. All the more reason to be careful what you sow. You may not think it has any effect but a harvest will come. Don’t think you can sow wild oats and then pray for crop failure.
• Look forward to harvest but don’t miss the joy of the work in between.
6. Weeding
• Weeds rob nutrients from the plants so keep the garden clear.
• Weeds have healthy roots so get the whole weed.
• Some weeds look just like the plants so be careful in your weeding.
7. Pests from the outside
• Bugs kill plants so be alert and keep fighting to protect the plants.
Some attack only the leaves and fruit. Some attack at core which kills the plant or prevents the fruit.
8. Bearing Fruit & Growth
• Focus on planting and water because it is God who brings the growth.
No matter how good all the other elements, ultimately it is God who causes the growth or withholds the growth.
What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. 1 Cor. 3:5-9
Too often we fret over the growth part and neglect the watering part. When we do our part, God does his part. God may decide to suspend growth for reasons known only to Him. God may decide to suspend growth for disciplinary reasons.
He controls the growth.
if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, 16I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that shall waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you shall sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies shall eat it up. 17'And I will set My face against you so that you shall be struck down before your enemies; and those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when no one is pursuing you. 18'If also after these things, you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. 19'And I will also break down your pride of power; I will also make your sky like iron and your earth like bronze. 20'And your strength shall be spent uselessly, for your land shall not yield its produce and the trees of the land shall not yield their fruit. Leviticus 26:15-20
• Keep connected to the root because good fruit is a by-product of a healthy root.
Good fruit comes from good root
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so 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, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6"If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. 8"By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. John 15:4-8
• Submit to God’s discipline because pruning is necessary for greater fruitfulness.
"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 it, that it may bear more fruit John 15:1-2.
• Keep trusting because fruit comes during particular seasons directed by God.
• Put the fruit to good use because fruit must be used at its optimum time.
We sometimes let fruit rot on the vines because we have not put it to use.
If we fail to use it we will lose it. (Parable of the talents)
The obedient will continue to bear fruit even in old age.
The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, he will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God.
They will still yield fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap and very green, to declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Psalm 92:12-15
9. Harvesting
• Give God the first-fruits because He is the one who granted the growth.
• Rejoice in the harvest because God intended us to enjoy the benefits of harvest.
The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. 2 Tim. 2:6
• Pray for laborers to harvest ripend fields pointed out by God
Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. "Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." Matthew 9:37-38
Look for where God is pointing to ripe fruit ready for harvest.
