Seed, Feed, & Weed!

There is a story in Matthew 13 that Jesus talked about a farmer who planted a crop. Jesus explained the meaning of the parable with the point being, the farmer planted in four different fields, but three produced absolutely nothing. Some seeds fell on the roadside, some fell on rocky ground, and others fell in the thorn bushes. None of these produced anything.

Only one field brought a return on his investment (ROI), because it had good rich soil with no weeds. Some gave him a 30% return, some gave him a 60% return, and others as high as a 100% ROI! That field was the Sweet Spot! I would be investing all my time, money, and energy in that field, wouldn’t you? I imagine if he had planted one or two fields at a time, he would have been extremely discouraged at reaping 0% return on his investment! He would have “struck out” if it was a baseball game, right?! That is a 75% Loss! How could you even keep going after such a defeat? I think I would have given up and went to find “another” way to invest my money to put food on the table, with what little bit I had left.

But this man didn’t give up. He kept planting… and this time was different!

SOIL #1: The birds (enemy) didn’t confiscate (steal) his seed. This is what happens when we let the devil steal the Word of God away from us before it has a chance to land in our hearts and take root. Our Mind (intellect and reasoning) can reject God’s Word as nonsense and discard it.

SOIL #2: The heat and (peer) pressure didn’t burn it up because it was not shallow but rooted and grounded (in God’s Word and Will). We are not moved by circumstances or other people, or do not cave in and burn with lustful cravings to lure us away. Our desire is to do the Will of the Father like Jesus. We seek to please Him and not our Self. We love Him more. Our god is not our belly. (Philippians 3:19)

SOIL #3: Worry and anxiety, being over-worked or on over-load didn’t overwhelm his Emotions. Distractions didn’t detour him to chase after other things and choke out his good seed. We recognize a python spirit sent to squeeze life out of us and suffocate us. We are in control of our own lives and stay focused, not frazzled.

SOIL #4: His seed just kept coming back up… fighting for its life, determined to break-through that soil. Something was drawing it up, pulling it up higher. It was the warm glow of the sun – God’s LOVE tugging on its HEART strings that was irresistible! So those little seeds would not be denied, and they just kept pushing through all the obstacles that were trying to keep them buried in the ground and die. This man wouldn’t quit, and his perseverance paid off!

That’s the kind of garden I want to plant. Don’t you? This is the only ground that produced anything, because it was good soil… soil that had been cultivated, watered, softened, weeded, cleared out, tilled and turned over, etc. The first 3 soils were based on the Soul, which is man’s effort and produced nothing. But the rich “Spirit” soil #4 produced abundantly, because it was fertile ground!

Growing up on a farm and having to feed the animals twice a day, having to always prepare the ground, open the rows, plant the seed, water and fertilize, pull up the weeds, pick off the worms or spray pesticides, chase away the varmints trying to steal our crops… it was a lot of work! And that didn’t include cooking and canning the food once you harvest it. This little country girl has turned into a city girl. I like the “done for you” life! LOL! 😉

Teamwork Makes It Happen

We have to do our part, and God will do His part. We do the cultivating and breaking up the hard ground part, the planting, watering, weeding and watching over our crop. God provides the warm sunshine and rain to make it grow and produce. We can’t make anything grow; only God can.

We do the planting; He does the growing!

Have you noticed that good seeds have to be planted, but it seems that bad weeds just pop up automatically all by themselves? We have to actually do the work to plant the seeds of God’s Word in our hearts. Jesus said later in that chapter that the enemy plants them (when no-one is watching). Here are a few good reasons why you want to do the work to get the perks:

• Joshua 1:8 so we will be prosperous and successful.
• Psalm 119:11 so we won’t sin against God and destroy our lives.
• Romans 12:2 so our lives can be transformed and upgraded, enjoying a happy ending.
• Isaiah 30:21 so we will have a built-in GPS system guiding us and never make a wrong turn.  

God gave us His “bag of seeds” in the Bible. We have to pull those verses out and plant them in the soil of our hearts. Then consistently keeping them in front of our eyes to remind us (Deuteronomy 11:18), and daily watering them with living water or words of life and not death (Proverbs 18:4, Ephesians 5:26). We have to constantly be watching over them to pull up and remove any weeds (evil thoughts, beliefs, desires, or feelings) that the enemy has planted, so they won’t choke out our good seed… and one day will come. Our harvest will be ready, and ripe for the picking.  

We have to be listening and follow the Holy Spirit’s direction… to plant when he says plant, what he says plant, where he says plant, and how he says plant. If we follow his instructions, we will get a bumper crop because he’s the one that makes it grow, remember? Isaac is a good example who reaped 100-fold during famine (Genesis 26:12). It does not matter what our circumstances say, even if everything else looks dismal. If God says to plant now, the return on investment is not our problem, it is God’s problem and responsibility. We are just the employee working His vineyard and following his instructions.

That brings up the point that we plant what we want to receive. If we want corn, we plant corn seeds. If we want tomatoes, we plant tomato seeds. Likewise, whatever we need from God is what we plant. If we need extra finances, we plant money into someone else’s need or ministry. If we want a family, we plant into other people’s children and family. There again, we are always following the Holy Spirit’s direction because we have to plant in fertile ground in order to reap a harvest. We don’t just plant anywhere. We ask… then do.

Also, when we plant, we expect to harvest something, just like any farmer. We are not just sowing seeds and wasting time but following through until we reap the harvest. We are doing it for a reason.  Likewise, when we sow the seed of God’s Word in our hearts, it is not pointless and wasting time. It is for a purpose… to reap a harvest. When I needed healing, our debts paid off (including our mortgage), or a better paying job, I have sown seeds and watered them daily, weeding out the enemy’s lies that were trying to steal my seed. Every single one of those prayers were answered and I harvested what I planted. I am living proof the Word of God works when you work it!

Seed, Time & Harvest

It does not happen overnight. We live in an age of instant gratification, but growth is slow and requires time… two words that we don’t like. That is not saying that God’s Word does not work like Miracle Grow, because it can and does. God is light and works at the speed of light, but He also has a time for everything (see Ecclesiastes 3). We just have to be diligent and faithful to work our seed and keep working until it is time to harvest.

We have to be ready to reap the harvest when the harvest is ready to be picked. Growing up on a farm I understand this principle very well. It is all hands-on deck, and it is a short window of time that you have to harvest your fruit or vegetables. If you pick them too early, they will be green and not mature enough or sweet enough to eat yet. People will not want to buy what you have labored so hard to grow. If you are busy and distracted with other things and are not paying close attention every single day for the perfect timing to pick and harvest your fruit or vegetables, you will have waited too long and will lose everything you worked so hard for. So, we need to pay close attention during harvest season, because we want to eat and get a good return on our investment.

Patience and Diligence

The other problem we need to address is the worms, deer, raccoons and many other varmints, also know when your harvest is ripe. So, you have to be very diligent to keep them out of your garden. It’s the same way spiritually. I have learned that the closer you get to your prayers being answered, the harder the devil works to stop you from possessing and enjoying what you’re working for. He will try anything to sabotage your efforts. It takes a lot of work tending to the garden of your heart, just like it does tend a physical crop. Although “work” may be one of those dirty four letter words, we work if we want a paycheck, right? It’s the necessary evil… the Pain before the Gain! So our harvest or payday keeps us going and doing the hard thing now, so we can enjoy desert later, and a happy ending!

The next step, once you get your harvest, is you have to do something with it. If you just gather it into baskets or barrels you will lose all of it, because it will rot and stink up the place if you do not use it up quickly or store it. There again, all your hard work will be for nothing. So, eat some, share some, package some, and sell some while your window is open. Then, you can enjoy the fruit of your labors.

Do you see the pattern now? Your work is never done because there’s always a next step. As long as we are living here on earth, we just keep walking no matter how long the road.😉 Just get moving… Movement is medicine as they say. It will get the ball rolling and make the next step easier. God gives us grace for today and hope for tomorrow. Luke 21:19 says, “In patience, possess your souls.” When we keep our purpose for working (our why), and our end results in mind, that gives us the fuel and focus to keep going and keep working, because it has lasting value. We are making a difference!

Practice Makes Perfect

Don’t forget, that just because you try and fail the first time and do not produce a crop or you do not harvest in the right window when it is ready, do not give up…but try again. Perseverance pays off. Just like in the natural world, many people who made it to the top of their field did so by trial and error. Failing Forward lets you know what “didn’t” work, so you are one step closer to knowing what “does” work. Colonel Sanders got about 100 “nos’” before he got 1 “yes” to sell his “Kentucky Fried Chicken.” He was persistent until he got that yes, and it paid off.

Likewise, we have to be determined, persistent, and patient to get everything that God has given us. Just like the Children of Israel, we too have to kill some giants before we take possession of our inheritance (we forget that part!). That takes guts, grit and endurance. We have to keep getting back up and not let the devil detour us and keep us down. We have to take it by force (Matthew 11:12). Just get back up… one more time, like a running-back carrying the football for a touchdown. Never Quit! Yes, we get tired and weary, working and waiting, but it will be more-than-worth-it in the end, over and above all we could ask or think! (Ephesians 3:20)

“Consistency is the KEY to your break-through,” i.e. the “Daily Disciplines.”

Focus:

1. What are you growing on the inside… seeds or weeds? What are some weeds (lies, false beliefs, negative mindsets or emotions) that need to be uprooted in your life?

2. Which “Soil” (#1, #2, or #3) do you recognize in your life that needs improvement, so your heart soil can become fruitful and productive?

3. Are you doing Your job? Are you trying to do God’s job for Him?

4. Are you aware of what “season” you are in? What are you supposed to be doing in this time and season? Pray and ask God the Holy Spirit and He will tell you.

5. Do you need to develop more patience, perseverance, or endurance in your life? What are some areas that need some attention in your heart?

Helpful Resources:

“Today Matters,” by John Maxwell

“Discipline: The Path to Potential,” by John Maxwell

https://www.maxwellleadership.com/blog/discipline-the-path-to-potential/

“House of David” on Amazon Prime (Season 1, Episode 8) is a great example of what it looks like to have the boldness and courage to face our giants, even when all the odds are against us. You will be on the edge of your seat, holding your breath. “If God be for us, who can be against us?” No-one!