Spiritual Gardening...it’s Your Responsibility!

Luk 8:4-15 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: 5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. 8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? 10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

GOD HAS SET IN MOTION A LAW THAT WILL REMAIN AS LONG AS THE EARTH REMAINS.

He said: While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Gen 8:22

Look at some verses concerning sowing and reaping:

Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. Job 4:8

He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail. Pro 22:8

For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up. Hos 8:7

Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men. Hos 10:13

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Psa 126:5-6

The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. Pro 11:18

Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. Hos 10:12

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Gal 6:7-8

The SEED

Luke 8:11, "...The seed is the word of God."

Some interesting facts about the SEED - The WORD of GOD.

1. IT IS INCORRUPTIBLE, AND IT LIVETH AND ABIDETH FOREVER

1 Peter 1:23, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."

Luke 21:33, "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away."

2. IT IS POWERFUL

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Heb 4:12

3. IT IS PURE

Psalms 119:140, "Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it."

Proverbs 30:5, "Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him."

So here we have a very special kind of seed. It is incorruptible, powerful, pure, and it lives and abides forever. The result of planting such a seed can be quite special!

Some interesting comparisons of the WORD as seed.

1. EVERY GOOD SEED HAS WITHIN ITSELF THE POTENTIAL TO DEVELOP INTO A PLANT.

The life resides in it ready to develop given the right conditions.