The Garden of Your Heart
May 2015
“ One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted! This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word."
Luke 8:4-8,11 NLT
Heyyy friends! I pray all is well with each of you. About a month of ago, during my quiet time with the Lord, He led me to Luke 8. The Lord then began to minister to me about the importance of not only sowing the Word into our hearts/spirits, but also being sure that we are sowing into good ground and cultivating what we sow.
In this parable, Jesus describes four types of heart gardens, one of which produces a harvest. Today we will focus on just three of these gardens.
1. Luke 8:13 represents "rocky soil".....the second garden.
It says, "And those upon the rock (are the people) who, when they hear (the Word), receive and welcome it with joy; but these have no root. They believe for a while, and in time of trial and temptation fall away (withdraw and stand aloof)." (AMP)
Picture two gardens, two farmers, and two of the same seed.
One farmer daily watches and cultivates his seed by making sure that the soil is exposed to proper sunlight and water; the other farmer just sows/plants the seed. He doesn't watch over it, cultivate it, nor does he make sure that it is daily exposed to sunlight or water. As time goes by, the farmer that daily cultivated his soil, watches as his seed grows into a tall, strong tree, but the other farmer's seed doesn't grow as tall or strong. Bad weather comes or the wind starts to blow and the strong, tall tree may sway a little, but nevertheless it continues to stand. But the weak tree has a hard time withstanding the weather and eventually becomes wilted. Were different seeds planted? Nope.
So then what made the difference? One word: Cultivation.
Are you asking yourself what this has to do with your heart? Colossians 2:7 says, "Have the roots (of your being) firmly and deeply planted (in Him, fixed and founded in Him), being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving." Friend, once we hear the Word, receive and welcome it with joy, we must allow it to take root in our hearts/spirits. When that Word takes root we will be able to stand in the midst of great trial and temptation without "falling away," withdrawing or standing aloof. How do we allow the Word to take root?
By cultivating the soil of our hearts through intimacy with Jesus.
As blood bought believers it is vital that we attend/join a church that is teaching the Word and is helping us grow spiritually, but we can't be solely dependent on our Pastor/First Lady to be our only source. In order for the Word to take root we must cultivate the soil of our hearts by daily spending time with Him in the Word and in prayer. With adequate exposure to sunlight and water, trees grow effortlessly and bear fruit. Likewise, the Christian who is exposed to "Son-light" and the living water of the Word will bear much fruit effortlessly and will be able to stand firm in the midst of great trial or temptation.
2. Luke 8:14 represents "thorny soil,"...... the third garden.
It says, "The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity." The AMP version says, "And as for what fell among the thorns, these are (the people) who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked and suffocated with the anxieties and cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not ripen (come to maturity and perfection)" So many Christians are going to church, spending time in the Word and in prayer, but aren't experiencing true growth. Again, the problem is not with the seed, it's with the soil. Your heart soil is full of the worries, cares, and anxieties of life. Not only that, but often times thorns of fear, pride, jealousy, envy, un-forgiveness, resentment, etc., are also hindering the seed of the Word from taking root, developing and growing into maturity. This results in the blood bought believer not growing/maturing in the things of God or doing what God has really called and anointed them to do. So how do we get these thorns out of our heart garden? We first acknowledge that they are there and cast them at the feet of Jesus. So many times we know that the thorn of fear, worry, anxiety, jealousy or un-forgiveness is in our hearts because the Holy Spirit is constantly tugging on us to surrender that concern, "feeling," or hurt to Him; so that He can have room to truly move in and through our lives the way that He desires. Second, we stop watering the things (fear, worries, jealousy, envy, un-forgiveness, etc.) that were never meant to grow in our lives. How? We stop listening to and entertaining the lies of Satan!
Hear this with your heart friend: With God's help you can walk a fearless, faith-filled life! You are not a failure. Everything that God promised you will manifest in due time. You don’t have to be jealous of anyone else’s life or blessings, because God desires to and will bless you too! And yes, they may have hurt you, but offense, un-forgiveness, and resentment are only hindering you, not them! Let it go! And third, we keep sowing.
We continue to cultivate and water our heart garden through prayer and the Word.
Which leads to........
3. .....the good soil that is described in Luke 8:15.
It says, "And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God's Word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest." The MSG version says, "But the seed in the good earth----these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there's a harvest." And my favorite, the AMP version says, "But as for that (seed) in the good soil, these are (the people) who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in a just (noble, virtuous) and worthy heart, and steadily bring forth fruit with patience."
Luke 8:4-8,11 NLT
Heyyy friends! I pray all is well with each of you. About a month of ago, during my quiet time with the Lord, He led me to Luke 8. The Lord then began to minister to me about the importance of not only sowing the Word into our hearts/spirits, but also being sure that we are sowing into good ground and cultivating what we sow.
In this parable, Jesus describes four types of heart gardens, one of which produces a harvest. Today we will focus on just three of these gardens.
1. Luke 8:13 represents "rocky soil".....the second garden.
It says, "And those upon the rock (are the people) who, when they hear (the Word), receive and welcome it with joy; but these have no root. They believe for a while, and in time of trial and temptation fall away (withdraw and stand aloof)." (AMP)
Picture two gardens, two farmers, and two of the same seed.
One farmer daily watches and cultivates his seed by making sure that the soil is exposed to proper sunlight and water; the other farmer just sows/plants the seed. He doesn't watch over it, cultivate it, nor does he make sure that it is daily exposed to sunlight or water. As time goes by, the farmer that daily cultivated his soil, watches as his seed grows into a tall, strong tree, but the other farmer's seed doesn't grow as tall or strong. Bad weather comes or the wind starts to blow and the strong, tall tree may sway a little, but nevertheless it continues to stand. But the weak tree has a hard time withstanding the weather and eventually becomes wilted. Were different seeds planted? Nope.
So then what made the difference? One word: Cultivation.
Are you asking yourself what this has to do with your heart? Colossians 2:7 says, "Have the roots (of your being) firmly and deeply planted (in Him, fixed and founded in Him), being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving." Friend, once we hear the Word, receive and welcome it with joy, we must allow it to take root in our hearts/spirits. When that Word takes root we will be able to stand in the midst of great trial and temptation without "falling away," withdrawing or standing aloof. How do we allow the Word to take root?
By cultivating the soil of our hearts through intimacy with Jesus.
As blood bought believers it is vital that we attend/join a church that is teaching the Word and is helping us grow spiritually, but we can't be solely dependent on our Pastor/First Lady to be our only source. In order for the Word to take root we must cultivate the soil of our hearts by daily spending time with Him in the Word and in prayer. With adequate exposure to sunlight and water, trees grow effortlessly and bear fruit. Likewise, the Christian who is exposed to "Son-light" and the living water of the Word will bear much fruit effortlessly and will be able to stand firm in the midst of great trial or temptation.
2. Luke 8:14 represents "thorny soil,"...... the third garden.
It says, "The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity." The AMP version says, "And as for what fell among the thorns, these are (the people) who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked and suffocated with the anxieties and cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not ripen (come to maturity and perfection)" So many Christians are going to church, spending time in the Word and in prayer, but aren't experiencing true growth. Again, the problem is not with the seed, it's with the soil. Your heart soil is full of the worries, cares, and anxieties of life. Not only that, but often times thorns of fear, pride, jealousy, envy, un-forgiveness, resentment, etc., are also hindering the seed of the Word from taking root, developing and growing into maturity. This results in the blood bought believer not growing/maturing in the things of God or doing what God has really called and anointed them to do. So how do we get these thorns out of our heart garden? We first acknowledge that they are there and cast them at the feet of Jesus. So many times we know that the thorn of fear, worry, anxiety, jealousy or un-forgiveness is in our hearts because the Holy Spirit is constantly tugging on us to surrender that concern, "feeling," or hurt to Him; so that He can have room to truly move in and through our lives the way that He desires. Second, we stop watering the things (fear, worries, jealousy, envy, un-forgiveness, etc.) that were never meant to grow in our lives. How? We stop listening to and entertaining the lies of Satan!
Hear this with your heart friend: With God's help you can walk a fearless, faith-filled life! You are not a failure. Everything that God promised you will manifest in due time. You don’t have to be jealous of anyone else’s life or blessings, because God desires to and will bless you too! And yes, they may have hurt you, but offense, un-forgiveness, and resentment are only hindering you, not them! Let it go! And third, we keep sowing.
We continue to cultivate and water our heart garden through prayer and the Word.
Which leads to........
3. .....the good soil that is described in Luke 8:15.
It says, "And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God's Word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest." The MSG version says, "But the seed in the good earth----these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there's a harvest." And my favorite, the AMP version says, "But as for that (seed) in the good soil, these are (the people) who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in a just (noble, virtuous) and worthy heart, and steadily bring forth fruit with patience."
As you continue to sow the Word each and every day into your heart/spirit, making sure there are no thorns, the Word promises that it will produce a huge harvest. Even if it seems like nothing is changing and/or happening, keep sowing! Know that the seed grows down deep before it grows up to where it can be seen. "Become skillful in waiting with patient endurance! Just as a farmer must wait after sowing his field before harvesting his crop, so there is a process to faith that demands a period of waiting before harvest time. To avoid frustration and the temptation to quit, remember that there is a due season and an appointed time for every harvest." As you continue to sow and cultivate the Word seed and walk in patience, "your roots are growing deeper and stronger in Him! You are being built up in Him and increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith" (Colossians 2:7 AMP). Don’t be weary in well doing or lose heart and courage! Cling to the Word, stick with it and remain patient!
Your seed will grow and produce a harvest that is a hundred times greater than what you planted!
Your seed will grow and produce a harvest that is a hundred times greater than what you planted!