Planting a Better Seed For
a Bigger Harvest - Part 3
Reasons why people quit
on their relationships:
1.They do not want to commit and pay the price for intimacy.
2. The relationship has become too one-sided and the
person does not feel appreciated anymore.
3. They are frustrated, angered and emotionally
exhausted - (They are sick and tired of being sick and tired).
4. They do not know how to relate to the other person
anymore.
5. Other interests have distracted them from
investing in the relationship the way they should.
6. They fear being hurt and let down.
·
All mature
followers of Christ have learned the secret to relational success: perseverance
through the storms and rough weather.
·
In order to
have healthy relationships with others, we must first have a healthy
relationship with God and understand something about how God works.
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT:
·
GOD CREATED
THE UNIVERSE AND EVERYTHING THAT LIVES IN IT!
Genesis 1 says:
1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT:
·
PEOPLE ARE SPIRITUAL
BEINGS WHO LIVE IN A HUMAN BODY.
·
You are not a
human being having a spiritual experience.
·
You are a
spiritual being having a human experience for a season.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
says:
16Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple
and that God's Spirit lives in you? 17If anyone destroys
God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are
that temple.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
says:
19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the
Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your
own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God
with your body.
2 Corinthians 6:15-17
says:
What agreement is there
between the
17"Therefore come out from them
and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you."[c]
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT:
·
THE PHYSICAL
BODY OUR SPIRIT LIVES IN IS TEMPORARY AND GIVES OUT EVENTUALLY - LIFE HERE ON THIS EARTH
IS VERY SHORT LIKE A “BREATH” OF AIR AND
LIKE A FLOWER THAT IS HERE TODAY AND GONE TOMORROW”.
Psalm 39:4-5 says:
4 "Show me, O LORD, my life's end
and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting is my life.
5 You have
made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before
you.
Each man's life is but a breath.
Job 7:7-21 says:
7 Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath;
my eyes will never see happiness again.
8 The eye
that now sees me will see me no longer;
you will look for me, but I will be no more.
9 As a cloud
vanishes and is gone,
so he who goes down to the grave [a] does not return.
10 He will
never come to his house again;
his place will know him no more.
11
"Therefore I will not keep silent;
I will speak out in the anguish of my
spirit,
I will complain in the bitterness of my
soul.
12 Am I the
sea, or the monster of the deep,
that you put me under guard?
13 When I
think my bed will comfort me
and my couch will ease my complaint,
14 even then
you frighten me with dreams
and terrify me with visions,
15 so that I
prefer strangling and death,
rather than this body of mine.
16 I despise
my life; I would not live forever.
Let me alone; my days have no meaning.
17
"What is man that you make so much of him,
that you give him so much attention,
18 that you
examine him every morning
and test him every moment?
19 Will you
never look away from me,
or let me alone even for an instant?
20 If I have
sinned, what have I done to you,
O watcher of men?
Why have you made me your target?
Have I become a burden to you? [b]
21 Why do
you not pardon my offenses
and forgive my sins?
For I will soon lie down in the dust;
you will search for me, but I will be no
more."
1Peter
23For you have been born again, not of perishable seed,
but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24For,
"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of
the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25but the word of the Lord
stands forever."[a] And this is the word that was preached to
you.
James 4:13-16 says:
13Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we
will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make
money." 14Why, you do not even know what will
happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little
while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say,
"If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.
·
The Bible
says that our lives are like a breath.
·
The Bible
says our lives are like a rain cloud that is here today and gone tomorrow.
·
The Bible
says that our lives are like a flower that is here today and gone tomorrow!
·
The Bible
says our bodies will last only a short time on this earth, but that our
spirit/soul will live forever!
·
Here today
gone tomorrow - life changes. One day we received 8 inches of snow and right
now it is melting fast. This is a great reminder that our problems seem so real
and so irritating today, but they will soon be gone like the melting snow
tomorrow!
·
In fact, the
Bible says people are "like a blade of grass, a flower that is here today
and gone tomorrow, like dust in the wind".
·
There is no
permanence to this world we live in: EVERYTHING IS IN A STATE OF
·
Though we can
keep our problems around longer than they need to be through our negative
thinking, even the biggest cynic and negative thinker cannot keep their
problems alive forever!
·
You may be
good, but your not that good. Truth be told, your
problems will not out live you and you will not live on this earth forever.
·
You and your
problems are very temporary like snow that is here today and melts tomorrow.
The only thing that is permanent and unchanging in this Universe is God!
·
So cling to
the consistency and permanence of God and you will eventually find that your
impermanent, unstable problems will leave you one by one just like everything
else in the Universe.
·
People
change, circumstances change and problems change. Only God stays the same so
focus on him and not your ever changing life circumstances and you will be
richly blessed! Hebrews 13:8 says: "Jesus Christ is
the same yesterday and today and forever".
·
THE BIBLE
SAYS THAT OUR SPIRITS ARE ETERNAL AND TO LIVE FOREVER WITH GOD IN HIS KINGDOM,
I NEED TO RECEIVE HIS WORD INTO MY HEART.
Luke 8:4-15 says:
4While a large crowd was gathering and people were
coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5"A
farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along
the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered
because they had no moisture. 7Other seed fell among
thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8Still
other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times
more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has
ears to hear, let him hear." 9His disciples asked
him what this parable meant. 10He said, "The
knowledge of the secrets of the
" 'though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.'[a]
11"This
is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12Those
along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away
the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy
when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the
time of testing they fall away. 14The seed that fell
among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are
choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and
good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
·
God’s word is
the seed that leads to spiritual maturity.
·
The seed sown
along the path on the hard soil will not grow – this seed represents the devil
snatching the seed away from the person’s heart.
·
The seed that
fall the on rocks will not grow – this seed represents the person who hears
God’s word receives it with joy, but since he has no root falls away when
trouble or persecution comes.
·
The seed that
fell among the weeds and thorns will not grow – this seed represents that
person who hears the word but the worries of life and the deceitfulness of
wealth choke it and it bears no fruit.
·
We must
prepare the soil by taking out the weeds, rocks and breaking up clumps of hard
dirt.
·
We must
protect and guard the seed and keep varmints out by building a fence.
·
Only the last
seed, the seed that fell on good soil is the person who hears the word and
understands it – this person produces a crop that outlives them and produces
others fruitful seeds and harvest.
Luke 8:4-15, Jesus told a story about
perseverance using the analogy of four seeds:
·
Seed # 1 –
The "uninformed” seed. It never has a chance to grow and live.
·
Those along
the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the
word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved". Vs.
11-12
·
It is
impossible to have a relationship with a person until you know what can
potentially kill that relationship and then guard against it.
·
Seed # 2 –
The "negligent” seed. It grows initially, then dies quickly.
·
Those on the
rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they
have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing. They fall
away". V. 13
·
It is
impossible to have a relationship with a person without commitment.
·
Seed # 3 –
The "distracted" seed. It dies a slow painful death.
·
The seed that
fell among the thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way
and are choked by life's worries, riches, and pleasures, and do not mature".
V. 14
Even Christians can be distracted by:
A. Anxiety and worry.
B. Fun and pleasure.
C. Selfishness and greed.
·
It is
impossible to have a relationship with a person without boundaries that keep
secondary issues from getting in the way of top priorities.
·
Seed # 4 –
The fruitful seed.
"But the seed on
good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word,
retain it, and by persevering produce a crop". V. 15
·
It is only
possible to have a fruitful relationship with a person when both people work at
keeping intimacy alive.
In order to persevere and have a
fruitful relationship with God and others:
1. I need plenty of water which is God's love and
grace.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 says:
"Love is patient, love is kind. It
does not envy, it does not boast. It is not proud. It is not rude; it is not
self–seeking. It is not easily angered; it keeps no records of wrongs. Love
does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects,
always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails".
I receive God’s love by:
B. Surrounding
myself with mature “Christ Followers” who know how to give and receive love.
2. I need plenty of fertilizer, which is God's
promises.
·
To receive
God’s promises, I must read the Bible daily and pray that the promises become a
part of my life.
3. I need plenty of sunlight, which is God's instructions/commands.
·
To receive
God’s instructions, I must read God's word daily and pray that the instructions
become a part of my life.
4. I need regular and consistent pruning which is
God’s guidance/wisdom.
John 15:1-3 says:
"I am the true vine, and my father
is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while
every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more
fruitful". John 15:1-3
·
To receive
God’s guidance and wisdom, I must be open to it.
Proverbs 2 says:
1 My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 turning
your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding,
3 and if you
call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you
look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you
will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the
LORD gives wisdom,
and from his mouth come knowledge and
understanding.
7 He holds
victory in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is
blameless,
8 for he
guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.
9 Then you
will understand what is right and just
and fair—every good path.
10 For
wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your
soul.
11
Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you.
12 Wisdom
will save you from the ways of wicked men,
from men whose words are perverse,
13 who leave
the straight paths
to walk in dark ways,
14 who delight
in doing wrong
and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
15 whose
paths are crooked
and who are devious in their ways.
16 It will
save you also from the adulteress,
from the wayward wife with her seductive
words,
17 who has
left the partner of her youth
and ignored the covenant she made before
God. [a]
18 For her
house leads down to death
and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
19 None who
go to her return
or attain the paths of life.
20 Thus you
will walk in the ways of good men
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the
upright will live in the land,
and the blameless will remain in it;
22 but the
wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the unfaithful will be torn from it.
5. I need tough weather which is adversity.
1 Peter 4:12-17 says:
12Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful
trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of
Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are
blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15If
you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of
criminal, or even as a meddler. 16However, if you suffer
as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God;
and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey
the gospel of God?
·
To receive
adversity, I must be alive in Christ and follow Him!
The benefits of adversity:
1) Adversity develops maturity.
2) Adversity creates resilience.
3) Adversity creates new and exciting opportunities.
4) Adversity teaches me about God, life, people and
myself.
5) Adversity makes me stronger when handled
appropriately and prepares me for the next victory.
"What kind of man would live
where there is no daring? I don’t believe in taking foolish chances, but
nothing can be accomplished if we don’t take any chances at all." Charles
Lindbergh
"Security is mostly a
superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a
whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright
exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing". Helen Keller
"Everything in life brings risk.
It’s true that you risk failure if you try something bold because you might
miss it. But you also risk failure if you stand still and don’t try anything
new. The less you venture out, the greater your risk of failure. Ironically the
more you risk failure – and actually fail – the greater your chances of
success". John C. Maxwell
John 15:5-8 says:
"I am the vine; you are the
branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart
from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a
branch that is thrown away and withers…If you remain in me and my words remain
in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s
glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples".
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 says:
"May God himself, the God of peace,
sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept
blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful
and He will do it".
·
THE PARABLE
OF THE FOUR SEED DEMONSTRATES THAT EITHER YOUR HEART IS SOFT OR HARD – EITHER
YOUR CONSCIENCE IS SENSITIVE TO GOD, OR CUT OFF FROM GOD.
TO KEEP YOUR HEART SOFT AND
CONSCIENCE SENSITIVE TO GOD:
1. READ THE BIBLE MORE!
Hebrews 4:12-14 says:
12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper
than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit,
joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight.
Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must
give account.
2. OBEY THE BIBLE MORE!
John
23Jesus
replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will
love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He
who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my
own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
NOTE: WHEN THE SOIL IN THE HEART IS GOOD
AND SOFT, GOD GROWS THE SEED INTO SOMETHING BEYOND COMPREHENSION TO BE USED FOR
THE KINGDOM!
Mark 4:26-29 says:
26He
also said, "This is what the
Luke 13:18-19 says:
18Then Jesus asked, "What is the
·
God is the
one who waters the seed and grows it to fruition.
·
GOD ALONE IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RESULTS – HE WILL GROW THE KINGDOM INSIDE OF US TO FULL
BLOOM!
Philippians 1:1-6 says:
3I
thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my
prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because
of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you
will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
·
JESUS GIVES
NEW SUCCESSES WHEN WE TAKE OUR DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE FROM HIM.
John 21:1-11 says:
1Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by
the
4Early in
the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that
it was Jesus.
5He called
out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?"
"No," they answered.
6He said,
"Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find
some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the
large number of fish.
7Then the
disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as
Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer
garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full
of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.[b] 9When they landed,
they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
10Jesus said
to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught."
11Simon
Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish,
153, but even with so many the net was not torn.
·
Some of us
work hard, but do not see any fruit from our labor, because we are trusting our
own wisdom, our own methods our own strength.
·
When we
finally surrender our wisdom to God, He gives us the secret for success in our
endeavors.