Breaking Open the Seed Coat

We have been studying the seed to gain appreciation, understanding, and wisdom for what happens in the spirit when God’s word is planted in our hearts. By gaining this understanding, the percentage of us “staying the course” and receiving a harvest increases dramatically. No one will want to get to heaven one day and find out they could have received so much more, if only they had persisted in the growth process and not quit. Not only do you desire a harvest, but others who you haven’t even met yet desperately need you to receive your harvest in order for them to receive a blessing. I’m not talking about just finances, but all aspects of life. The lessons you learn and the transformation that takes place in you during the growth process will be nuggets of gold to the impoverished and a cup of cold water to the thirsty. It is imperative that you do not quit! Others will be greatly affected, either positively or negatively depending upon the decision you make.

Last time, we discussed how the seed coat needs to allow water in so that the water can bring life to the embryo. Likewise, we need the Holy Spirit to come in and bring life to us. The problem, at times, is that the seed coat is too hard and the water cannot enter. This means no life will begin to emerge from the seed. This is the time when the seed needs a little help to imbibe or soak up water.

Master gardeners and horticulturists will help break open or soften the seed coat allowing the water to flow in and begin the process of germination. This is called scarification. Some of the methods used include soaking the seed in hot water, rubbing the seed with sandpaper, or cracking the seed with a press or hammer. (I hope you have a sense of humor as you read this and see the ramifications in the spirit.) We, at times, can be a little hard and crusty with the Lord, especially as He begins to touch some areas that we would rather He leave alone. He allows circumstances or people in our lives that do not line up with what we desire. It could be sandpaper relationships at work, tight financial situations, or situations that require much emotional, mental, and spiritual stamina. As we go through these hard times, God is doing a work in our hearts, softening us to prepare life to grow within and eventually, flow out of us. There was a season in my life that was an irritation and discomfort to me.  I had desire in my heart that was not coming to pass. During prayer with a friend one morning, the Lord spoke to me and said, “The bread cannot be distributed to the multitude unless it is broken.” The outside of bread can have a crust, but the inside is soft and enjoyable. (Even children know the inside is better than the crust!) The Lord was basically saying that I was a little crusty and He needed to do some breaking of pride and independence to prepare me for a place of ministry. Only then will people be able to receive something from you that will feed their spirits. As it says in 2 Corinthians 4, we are only jars of clay but the treasure on the inside of us is what is valuable.

There is a natural process of scarification also. Hard seed coats can be worn down by rodents chewing on the seed (sounds like enemy opposition to me) or as the seed is carried by the wind or water, seed coats rub against rocks that wear them down. You will have the attacks of the enemy. He is real and he is playing for keeps. But God is always with you and is using the attacks of the enemy to bring greater strength and wisdom to you. The very thing you see as bringing harm right now is actually part of the answer to release the life of God into your situation. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “You have to fight the good fight and stand firm.”¹ In the midst of warfare, God is pouring into you the good things of His Spirit, wisdom, and strength to win this battle and prepare you for future assignments. Continue to stand on the word of God, be persistent in prayer, and rely upon the Spirit.

Some seeds in the natural cannot be broken open even by the aforementioned processes. The only thing that can break them open to receive water and germinate is fire. The chaparral seed can lie dormant for 20 years or more. Once the fire hits this seed, they open and begin the germination process. This can leave a puzzling picture in nature as there is evidence of fire in the landscape, but then beautiful flowers emerge from the dreariness of the remains. We will walk through fire in our lives, but if we walk with God, He will bring beauty out of our ashes. You may be in a period of fire right now and do not see any evidence of the handiwork of God. That is ok. The work of God is not as external right now as it is internal – doing work in you that will last for eternity. The internal work of God is not easy for us to see. We may feel like we are dying in the midst of the fire. “How can God be in this? God is far from me!” These may be some of the things we are saying to ourselves. It is usually later, after the fire that we begin to get a glimpse of the work of God in our hearts. But even better, is that God can get a clearer glimpse of Himself in our hearts. When He is able to do this, then we are prepared for more of His will in our lives which brings about the harvest we are seeking.

You may be a crusty loaf of bread that looks beautiful on the outside; but if that bread is never broken, then people will not be able to appreciate the valuable nutrients of the soft, luscious goodness inside. You may be walking through fire currently, but God wants to bring forth a beauty out of you that you cannot imagine right now. You may not understand what God is doing, but you can rest knowing that He is the good Shepard. The seed coat has to split so water can enter in and life spring forth. It’s not only for you, but it is for a host of people around you that desperately need you to receive your harvest!

1. 2 Tim. 4:7 & Eph. 6:13

Will You Imbibe?

Last week we considered dormancy of a seed.  Dormancy is the period of time when a seed is at rest, inactive, and seemingly lifeless. Often we mistake dormancy for the absence of life, but as we now know the seed is alive and is awaiting optimal conditions to bring forth visible life. We have to know that dormancy is meant to be broken.  A dormant seed is like “Sleeping Beauty” who is supposed to be awakened. Dormancy is not meant to be forever. If you are feeling dormant right now in your spiritual life and in God’s will, be encouraged because it is not permanent! Spiritual dormancy is only a step in the process of obtaining your harvest. Remember, life is in the seed!

The next step in the process is germination. Germination is dependent upon three factors: first, the embryo has to be alive; secondly, any dormancy requirements that prevent germination must be overcome; lastly, proper environmental conditions must exist for germination.

The hardness of the seed coat, the outer layer of the seed, is one of the dormancy factors that affects germination. Water must be able to reach the embryo of the seed to bring life forth.  If the seed coat is extremely hard, then water is not able to easily pass through to the embryo. On the other hand, if the seed coat is very thin and permeable, then water is able to easily pass through and begin the process of germination.  The seed coat can be compared to our flesh or stubbornness to the Lord and His will. The Pharisees are a great example of people who had a hard seed coat. They were full of the Old Testament word, but when the Word of God, Jesus, was before them, they were not able to discern Him because of their hardness of heart. Jesus sternly rebuked them when He said, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”¹ The Pharisees held to the tradition of men and refused to have their eyes opened by the Holy Spirit to whom and what they were seeing. Unfortunately, new life was never able to spring forth in their lives because of their hardness of heart.

Unlike the Pharisees, we need to diligently lift our hearts to the Lord to ask for a soft, teachable heart that holds no grudges, unforgiveness, and bitterness. These issues are sin and harden our hearts to the Lord and His will, as well as make it difficult for the seed planted within us to bring forth the life we greatly desire.

In the natural, a seed forms a specialized structure called the “water gap” to allow water into the seed so the process of germination can begin.  At this point, the seed begins to imbibe or soak up water resulting in the embryo swelling and splitting the seed coat. The new seedling starts to grow roots into the soil. The best thing for our flesh, that part of us that does not have the divine influence of God, is to get in the presence of God and soak up His Spirit. By positioning ourselves in His Presence, we form a “water gap” to allow the Spirit of God to move upon our hearts. This imbibing of the Holy Spirit is biblical as Ephesians 5:18 commands us to be “filled with the Spirit.” The Spirit of God hovered over the depths of the earth and began to bring about the implementation of God’s plan of creation.  He will also do this in our lives as we open our hearts to Him and to the truth He brings. New life will spring forth in us, the seed coat will split, and new growth will come into being as evidence of the internal work of God in our hearts. 

Next week, we will look at God’s ways of dealing with a hard seed coat so that we can imbibe of His Spirit.

1. John 5:39

Dormancy

A team of archaeologists in 1963 discovered Judean date palm seeds at King Herod’s fortress in Masada near the Dead Sea. The seeds were dated approximately 2000 years old – the time of the Roman Empire! The seeds were stored for a while until a team of scientists could study them. Eventually, they planted one of the seeds. The seed germinated and began to grow, much to the surprise and delight of the scientists.¹ The period of time starting with the mature seed to the germination of the seed is called dormancy. This is the time when the seed is at rest or inactive, seemingly lifeless.    

There are different types of dormancy for a seed, but the two main dormancies are internal and external. Internal dormancy is caused by the conditions within the seed that prevent germination. External dormancy is caused by environmental factors that are not optimal and do not allow the seed to germinate. Dormancy, however, is a vital component for a seed to grow into a harvest.  If a seed germinates too soon without optimal conditions, it will likely perish.  Dormancy is an internal clock for the seed that allows it to germinate at the right time so that it will survive and grow.

As mentioned before in this series, the Son of God had seasons of dormancy that He went through. The last time we see Jesus as a boy in scripture was when He was 12 years old speaking with the teachers of the law in the temple. The next time we see Him, He is approximately a 30 year old man beginning His public ministry. What happened during this time? We can only infer from scripture that He “grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”² The bible says much, though, through its silence about these years of Jesus’ life. 

There will be seasons of dormancy in our lives also. We, like Jesus, need to grow in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man.  Any person who has accomplished anything with the Lord has gone through times of dormancy. It seems the Lord particularly enjoys these times to prepare His vessels for future assignments. Dormancy is not a lifeless place. It is actually quite the opposite. Dormancy is teeming with an incredible learning experience, even if we are oblivious to the lessons at the time we are experiencing dormancy. It is a time when the lessons we need are being taught and the godly character we desperately need is being formed within us. God does not waste time, but He is patient in His preparation. He is getting you to a place where your character is catching up with the word He gave to you. Joseph was a man destined for a great role in God’s history, yet he lacked character and would have to experience a couple of dormant seasons before he fully stepped into the place God had for him. During these seasons, the seed he had received through prophetic dreams tested him.³ Joseph surely had days where he wanted to throw those dreams out the window, because what he was living was not anywhere near what had been promised to him. You will have days of feeling this way too, but such is the season of dormancy.

Our problem is that we mistake dormancy for lifelessness. When we receive words from the Lord and don’t see any progress with them, we determine the words were false, irrelevant, or dead. Often the case, just like Joseph, our circumstances progress in the opposite direction to the word we have received. It is during this time that we need to remind ourselves the seed is not dead; it is alive! Just like the natural seed that is sown in darkness and no progress is seen for a season, the promises we have received are not dead; they are just experiencing dormancy. The timing and the conditions are not present for the germination of the seed, but they will be if you continue to walk with the Lord. You may feel like a 2000 year old Judean date palm seed, but your germination is coming. Remember, in dormancy, life is in the seed! 

1.http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2008/06/12-01.html 2. Luke 2:52  3. Psalm 105:19

The Size of the Seed

After the Lord flooded the earth and dry ground appeared, Noah made a pleasing aroma to God by sacrificing an offering unto the Lord. In response to this, God said He would never curse the ground of man again. God does not end there, but adds a promise also. He said, “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest…will never cease.”¹ God put his name on the line by stating He would never curse the ground again and that certain cycles in the natural would never end. Seedtime and harvest have been established in the natural since the beginning and will continue until a new heaven and a new earth appear. Since this cycle is important to God, then it behooves us to learn as much as we can about this process of seed maturing to harvest.

One aspect of a seed that determines its purpose and destiny is its size. Some seeds are very large, such as the coco de mer – a type of palm, which has seeds that weigh over 40 pounds. Other seeds are very small which may have millions of seeds in just a fraction of an ounce. A large seed has more energy reserves to produce larger, but fewer, seeds which require a longer germination period. Often, these seeds are waiting for ripe conditions to germinate and produce growth over a longer period of time. Smaller seeds don’t have as much energy reserve, but produce many more seeds. They are not as resilient but can germinate quickly given the right conditions. The famous mustard seed of the bible, an annual plant, is a type of small seed that grows to heights of 10 to 12 feet. Jesus referenced this plant because of the smallness of the seed and the prolific growth it exhibits.

Jesus had both sizes of seeds within Him. First, he was called as a carpenter. His dad was a carpenter and raised him to learn the trade as well. This was Jesus’ profession during the “silent years” of the bible. This may be considered a minor seed compared to the major seed of ministry and becoming the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”² Jesus experienced seedtime and harvest in His life before the major seed began to germinate and become public to the world. Seeds were planted in Jesus while He spent time with his dad, Joseph, to learn carpentry work. Harvests included completing his first carpentry project by Himself to gaining new clients and increasing revenue for his family. Was He oblivious to the major seed within Him? No, His heavenly Father had planted this seed within Him, but the right conditions were not present yet for fruit to come forth. During this time of “waiting,” He continued to grow in the natural and the spiritual. He walked with the greatest of integrity, workmanship, and customer service in the business world, but He never disregarded His heavenly Father in relationship and communion.

We are no different. God has planted smaller seeds within us that have germinated, grown, and produced a harvest. These we rejoice in and enjoy the harvest. Then there are larger seeds which are still waiting for the right conditions to germinate and come forth. Some conditions include preparation, character development, and opportunity that bring life from the seed and propel us further into our calling. Like Jesus, who “grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men,” we need to continue growing in the natural and the spiritual. God may have a mighty calling on you to reach thousands, yet you are laboring in an obscure position in a small company. Use this time to your fullest advantage. Learn how to walk in integrity, control your tongue, and possess a good attitude, because these traits are highly prized in God’s kingdom and by your heavenly Father. There is no “waiting” period in the kingdom, only preparation time.

Do you have promises that have not yet been obtained? Then you have larger seeds within you that still need to develop. Usually, the great thing about these harvests is that they are larger and have a sweeter taste! Don’t give up, don’t give in, harvest is coming your way as you continue to walk with Jesus. He is the master gardener!

1.Gen. 8:22  2.Jn.1:29  3.Lk 2:52

How the Seed Comes

Let’s explore how the word of God comes to us. To be spiritually strong, we need to feed on God’s word daily. Most likely, if I am not ingesting God’s word, then I am ingesting something else that is not as good for me spiritually, such as, my own thoughts, news, or hearing about other people’s bad reports. We need the bible because it is packed with good seeds to plant daily within our hearts. If you have been walking with the Lord for a while, then you should be like the woman in the Song of Solomon who is “a whole orchard of succulent fruits.”¹ You have already brought forth harvests, to the delight of the Lord, you, and others. However, you need to continually keep planting to reap new harvests in the future.

Occasionally, God plants within you a seed that gives vision, direction, purpose, calling, or destiny. We will consider how these seeds come to us, especially one way that is often overlooked.

God can speak directly to your heart as in the case of Abraham or Jeremiah. Joseph received his destiny seed through prophetic dreams the Lord gave to him. Joshua received his calling of succession to Moses because he was under God’s training serving the current leader. God still impacts people with dramatic encounters such as Moses or Paul experienced. David received his calling through the prophetic acts and words of the prophet, Samuel. Solomon was chosen by God through his father because of his heart and he was David’s son also. Ezekiel and Isaiah received visions from the Lord. Daniel came to his place of ascendency in Babylon because of circumstances beyond his control and the favor of the Lord. These are all valid today. 

Frequently, we look for the dramatic or sensational from God to assure us of our direction and confirm his will. When our expectation for the dramatic does not come to pass, it can leave us bewildered and feeling abandoned. What do we do then? Is God not speaking? Sometimes, we need to be still and give God time to move. Or maybe He is speaking, but we are missing His voice because it is coming in a manner different from our expectation.

Consider Nehemiah. When he heard the devastating news about the state of Jerusalem, he mourned, fasted, and prayed for days. He was deeply touched by what happened in his homeland. We eventually see Nehemiah go before the king and ask to be released from his position in order to bring restoration to Jerusalem. How audacious of this man to presume that God wanted him to do this! He did not have a word from God, a dramatic encounter, or a prophetic dream. Do you know what he had? He had a burden or desire in his heart that was just as valid as any other form God could have used to speak to him. God moved deeply within Nehemiah’s heart in the form of a desire to bring aid to his countrymen. Nehemiah went, God showed up, and the rest is history.

Often, the very thing God wants you to do is already in your heart. Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” As we delight in Him, not only does He bring fruition to our desires, but He also plants new desires within us that spring up. Bill Johnson in his book, Dreaming with God, says,

           “A good way to remember the intent of the word desire is to break it down by syllables.  ‘De’ means ‘of.’ And ‘sire’ means ‘father.’ All desire is ‘of the father.’ The question should not be, ‘Are my desires from God?’ The question should be, ‘With what, or with whom have I been in communion?’”

This is the intimacy that I spoke of last week. When we get intimate with God, He plants seeds within us to direct our walk in this life.

My wife and I counseled a successful financial advisor about some changes in his career. He planned on leaving one firm and joining another, but he agonized over if this was the Lord’s will or not. He is a person that truly spends time with God and wants to do His will, but he had not clearly heard from the Lord. We asked him what his desire in this situation was. He wanted to go to the new place, but he did not trust that his desire was from the Lord. We counseled him to trust his desire as being from God. Eventually, he did go and it worked out well.

Proverbs 16:9 states, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” For years I thought this was a proverb of opposites. Essentially, man could not trust his heart to set his course, and the Lord is the only one who will direct your steps. When I started receiving revelation about guidance, I found out it was a proverb of continuation. As I plan my general course of where I think I need to go, then God steps in and determines the very steps I need to take. In this situation, we are partners together in the journey He has for me.

As you commune with the Lord, He puts new desires within you. As you pursue those desires, God will determine your steps. This partnership will bring life to your life and freedom to your walk with God!

1. Song of Solomon 4:13 (The Message)

Intimacy and Seed

The bible uses common imagery and illustrations to teach us about spiritual truths. The bible tells us that the natural comes first and then the spiritual.1 Jesus, a master storyteller, often used in His teachings natural imagery such as the farmer and the seed, fishermen, and wind to convey deeper spiritual truths. The Old Testament is filled with like illustrations. Proverbs tells us to consider ants to learn life lessons. Isaiah speaks of eagles. Psalms conveys spiritual truths through trees. The whole earth is full of God’s glory,2 thus giving us many life lessons if we choose to heed and learn. We will consider the natural seed to learn spiritual truths and gain understanding into God’s ways.

There are three essential components to any seed. First, there is an embryo or the beginning of a new plant. Secondly, there is a food source the new plant uses before the growing roots become operable. Lastly, there is the seed coat which is the outer layer that we see.

Seeds are the product of sexual reproduction. Most terms that are associated with human reproduction are also used for seed reproduction: egg, sperm, fertilization, embryo, food supply, and placenta. Human reproduction, if enacted according to God’s design, involves the physical intimacy between a husband and a wife. A seed is planted and a new life begins to grow, which definitely brings about change for the wife and eventually the husband.

What is the spiritual parallel? If you want God’s seed to be planted in you, get intimate with Him! (Remember, if you want a harvest, then the seed needs to be planted.) The Lord does not have a problem with intimacy, nor does He have a limited supply of seed. He delights in being intimate with us and has a multitude of seed that He wants to sow in us. God has had the desire for intimacy with His people since the beginning of time. We are the ones who have a problem with intimacy, just like the Israelites at Mt. Sinai who drew back from the presence and voice of God. They called for an intermediary, Moses, for God to relate with, instead of knowing and hearing God for themselves.3 Now through Christ, the perfect mediator, we each can have intimacy with the Lord and receive His seed, if only we will draw near.

If it makes you uncomfortable that I am writing about God, intimacy, and seed (especially for men!) that is ok. As you spend more time with Him, intimacy will become something natural and desirable. God is love and loves to see you come into His throne room. Just as a parent has a different relationship with each of his children based upon the personality and uniqueness of the child, God knows how to specifically relate to you! You get to have your own, distinct relationship with Him by just being yourself. Don’t get caught in the traditional thought of intimacy being gushy and mushy. R.G. LeTourneau, the founder of Caterpillar which makes large, earth moving equipment, received the vision for his company through a dream which the Lord gave to him. Without intimacy with the Lord, LeTourneau probably would not have received this vision. God knows you and will relate to you in a way that is life-giving and fulfilling. Be yourself and spend some time with Him today!

1. 1 Cor. 15:46 2. Is. 6:3 3. Ex. 20:19

Working with the Word

Every good farmer spends a large quantity of time preparing the soil to receive the seed he will plant. Last week, we looked at some steps that help us to prepare our heart soil to receive the incorruptible seed of the living God. Preparing our heart soil is the first step in receiving our harvest. Next, we are now ready to sow, but are there any steps in the sowing and growth of the seed we need to take into consideration? Yes. We will examine three distinct actions outlined in scripture that we need to do with the seed. These are not complicated actions, but if we are ignorant of them, then we will not see our harvest come into existence.

The first key action we need for the reception of the word is to “accept it.” The preceding step to this, which is fundamental, is to “hear the word.”1 If we don’t hear the word, then we will never be able to accept it. There is a difference between the two. Many sound waves can bounce against our ear drums, even the ear drum of our hearts, but this doesn’t mean we accept everything that does. Have you ever had anyone say something foolish to you? “You will never be able to accomplish that.” If you want to achieve your dream, you won’t accept what the pessimist has said. In your heart you say, “I don’t accept that.” Acceptance is an active, intentional reception that includes faith. In Hebrews 4:2, the word of God did not profit the hearers because they did not mix it with faith. Faith is a key ingredient in accepting the word and is a fertilizer for the growth of the seed.

The second action after accepting the word is to “retain it.”2 Retain means to seize something and to hold onto it. What does this imply? It implies that someone or something will try to steal the word from us. The truth is we have an enemy and as the parable of the soil in Mark 4 points out to us, he will immediately try to steal the word from us.3 He knows the seed, if received correctly, has great power to inflict irreparable damage to his kingdom. To counteract the enemy’s plot, we have to hold the seed as valuable and see the potential in the seed for a great harvest. If we are able to do this, then we will be diligent in guarding the seed and will not allow the enemy to steal what the Lord is trying to grow in our lives.

Lastly, we have to persevere with the seed.4 Persevere means that we have to bear up under circumstances that are not desirable to us. This could mean that we will face trials because of the word5 or this could simply be the length of time between planting and reaping. Some of the circumstances and issues of the heart we experience happen because we are doing the “right thing.” We have accepted the word; we are retaining it, and now are experiencing trouble as a result of the word. During the all-important time of maturation of the seed into fruit, the enemy uses two weapons against us. First, he tries to discourage our soul in order to have us grow weary and quit during the process. Secondly, he tries to distract us with the baubles of the world; whereby, we forget what is important in life and therefore neglect the seed. In either case, the end result will be an aborted harvest. Clearly, the enemy does not want you to receive a harvest in your life because he knows the tremendous importance of it for you and for the kingdom of God.

Let us be a people who accept, retain, and persevere with the word of God. God has the timing for each of our harvests. During the process, we are to keep trusting in Him and walking with Him to receive our harvest. We do this by giving attention to God’s word and allowing the Holy Spirit to minister to us. If we lean to our own abilities and reasoning, we will surely fail. Put no confidence in the flesh, but walk in the spirit. We will see our harvest in due time. Remember, accept, retain, and persevere!

1. Mk. 4:20 2. Lk 8:15 3. Mk. 4:15 4. Lk. 8:15 5. Mk. 4:17

Soil Preparation

I started this series on the nature of the seed because most of us do not understand the process of starting with a seed and ending with a harvest. As a result of this ignorance, many are not seeing and enjoying the harvest we should in our lives. There is a definite process of growth with any type of seed, but many times we short-circuit the process, minimizing the harvest or not receiving one altogether. Remember, the promise given to Abraham was obtained through faith and patience¹. Patience is a powerful spiritual force that God uses to purify our faith and helps us receive a biblical harvest. God does some of His best work in the “patience time,” which you will see as we continue this study.

 In Mark 4:15, Jesus explicitly states that God’s word is the seed that is sown. The variable in this parable is the soil, not the seed. The quality of harvest then lies within what type of soil a person has in his heart, not the quality of the seed. God’s word is 100% weed free. It is of the highest quality with no mixture and no defects. “The words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.”² It is also an “imperishable seed,”³ incapable of decay or destruction. Jesus went so far as to say that heaven and earth would disappear before the smallest stroke of His word would disappear.⁴ God’s word is a “living and active word”⁵ that is “at work in you who believe.”⁶ It is the “word planted in you, which can save you.”⁷

One of the most important steps in planting seed to reap a harvest is soil preparation. If I plant a seed in dry, compact soil and do not eliminate weeds growing near the planting site, I could safely say that my chance of seeing the seed grow and produce fruit is drastically reduced. But if I plant the same seed in an area where I eliminate all weeds surrounding the planting site, turn over the soil and add some peat moss, water the soil, then I raise the probability of growth dramatically. The soil in our hearts is no different. We need to take heed to our hearts to ensure a good, suitable environment exists for the reception of the seed. Consider Mary. As stated last week, Jesus was “sown” into the womb of Mary. Why did God choose Mary? Look at her response to the angel, Gabriel. “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”⁸ What wonderful heart soil Mary carried! She was perfect soil for such an awesome privilege and responsibility.

What are some of the preparatory steps we can then take to ensure that we have good heart soil? James tells us in his letter that we need to “get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent.”⁹ This admonishment was preceded by stating we need to be people that are slow to anger because our anger does not bring about God’s righteous life.¹⁰ We become a people who are living for the Lord by separating ourselves from the world’s practices. Secondly, we turn the stoniness or hardness of heart into a receptive place for seed by coming to the Lord and allowing Him to replace those areas with a heart of flesh. We do this by lifting our hearts to the Lord and allowing the Holy Spirit to minister to us. Lastly, we need to weed out the “worries of this life, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desire for other things,” which, if allowed to grow, will choke out the word of God.¹¹ Jesus instructed us not to worry about our lives in Matthew 6. We are to consider the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, which cannot provide for themselves, but trust in the Lord for provision. We, as God’s children, are much more valuable than the birds or the lilies. We should therefore “seek first the kingdom and his righteousness.”¹² He already knows what we need anyway. These steps are easier said than done, but with practice and the Holy Spirit’s ministry, as we approach God’s word, we will improve the quality of our heart soil and increase our chance of a biblical harvest. Good sowing ground is the first step in a bumper crop! We will look at receiving the word of God next week.

 1. Heb. 6:12, 2. Ps. 12:6, 3. 1 Pet. 2:23, 4. Mt. 5:18, 5. Heb. 4:12, 6. 1 Thes. 2:13,7. James 1:21, 8. Lk. 1:38, 9. James 1:21, 10. James 1:20, 11. Mk. 4:19, 12. Mt. 6:33

Jesus is The Seed

If we are going to study the seed, then we need to consider the sublime seed, Jesus Christ. By considering His life, we see a divine pattern that we can learn from. My goal is not to explain every detail of what the life of the Divine Seed means for us, but to show that Jesus is a pattern from which we can gain understanding and wisdom. In future articles, I will reference back to Jesus to illustrate what the different phases of His life mean to us in the growing process and pursuit of a biblical harvest.

Scripture makes it clear that Jesus is the Seed that comes from God. In Galatians 3:16, it states that the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. This seed is not plural, but singular, referencing the coming of Christ in whom all promises are brought to fruition.

Jesus was actually sown twice as seed during His time on earth. First, He was sown by the Father into the womb of a woman. He was taken from a princely position in heaven with divine authority and rule and was, at the beginning, planted as a single cell in Mary’s womb. He then begins the process that all babies go through by growing until the time of delivery. We must note that although the Seed had been planted, there was a time of no visible growth, even to Mary. This was the first time in history that the Father and the Son had no means of communication and fellowship. After his delivery and ensuing growth, we have no other instances of him maturing as a young man, except for one time; he was twelve years old in the temple engaged in conversation with the teachers. After that, we do not hear of anything of Jesus for approximately 18 years. He then begins His public ministry which is the fruit of His life for the past 30 years.

Secondly, he was sown at the time of his death. Jesus referenced this in John 12:24, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” His life was given as a ransom in order that many after Him would come to have eternal life and He would be the “firstborn among many brethren.” Once again, there was a period of three days where it seemed as if nothing was going on with the Seed, but He was raised with victorious power to life and great fruit has been born throughout all the earth.

In Jesus’ life, there were seasons of privacy and dormancy. There were also times of publicity and vibrancy. Both of these seasons go hand in hand like tit for tat or peanut butter and jelly.  If Jesus had to experience these types of seasons, then we too will experience them. There may be some promises that have not seen the “light of day” yet or maybe the calling has not come to fruition because there is still the season of preparation. No matter what the season, we can gain hope and inspiration to continue on the path the Lord has for our lives as we continue to look at Jesus and study the seed. Next week we consider God’s word as seed.

Harvest is the Intention

            My main goal in writing about the seed is to engender hope, faith, and understanding. Too many people have given up and have not reached their destiny simply because they have grown weary and have quit their pursuit of God’s best for their life. The life of a true Christ follower is not for the faint of heart.  Without Him we would all quit! All we need to do is ask, and He alone will give us every bit of courage we need to walk this life in Him and to fulfill the destiny He has on our lives.

            There are seeds of significance in each person’s life. God does not make people simply to have them exist, but He creates them with purpose and dignity. It is our responsibility to walk out this significance every day of our lives. Unfortunately, sin, the world, and the enemy are constant obstacles that obscure our attainment of this significance. No one aspires to be mediocre, irrelevant, and unproductive in life. On the contrary, every person has a desire to be great at something. Every person has a dream. If we don’t understand the nature of seed, then it is likely that we won’t reap a harvest. In biblical terms, harvest is really what we desire to achieve.

            A foundational truth is that God wants us to reap a harvest in our lives, not only to produce fruit in the Kingdom of God, but also to be a blessing to us. He so identifies with harvest that Jesus referenced himself as the “Lord of the harvest.” He did not reference himself as “Lord of the stalk” or “Lord of the unripened fruit.” God has his heart set on harvest for His kingdom and for our lives. In John 15, Jesus says that He has chosen us and appointed us to bear much, eternal fruit. This provides proof that we are His disciples and brings glory to God the Father. Notice this is not just any type of fruit, but eternal fruit. And how do we bear such wonderful fruit? By abiding in Him, the One who is the master gardener. This fundamental truth of God’s desire to bring harvest into our lives must be deeply rooted in our hearts in order to carry us through the times of barrenness that we experience. He is intent on bringing harvest into our lives and we should be too.

            What does this have to do with seed? We must posses the end result in our minds first; otherwise, the seed looks quite pitiful and lonely. I can look at an apple seed and not think much of it, but if I focus on the many, juicy apples that I can enjoy in the future; the seed takes on a totally different quality in my mind. Remember, the end is harvest – a harvest of ripe fruit. Harvest masquerades itself as seed for a season. If we don’t understand the significance of the seed, then we are prone to fail.