BBD 08.11.08 Sowing Facts
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
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08.11.08
Sowing Facts
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will
also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption,
but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And
let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if
we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to
all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. - Galatians
6:7-10.
Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went
out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds
came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places.. And some fell among
thorns.. But other fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a
hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear let him
hear." - Matthew 13:3-9
(Read also the Parable of the Sower Explained - Matthew 13:18-23.)
The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but
while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his
way. - Matthew 13:24-25. (Read the rest of the Parable of the Wheat and the
Tares - Matthew 13:26-30.)
I used to be puzzled by what would happen after I visited people. Many times
the people that I have visited do not ever come to church but the next
Sunday other visitors that I have not visited sometimes do attend our church
services. Now I understand that it has to do with sowing spiritual seeds and
the spiritual battle in which we are engaged. If you have ever lived on a
farm you know about sowing seeds. When I was a boy I would sometimes be
allowed to sow an area with seeds. Taking a handful at a time and throwing
them out covering the entire area as thoroughly as possible. In a few days I
would be rewarded as the seeds bore fruit and the ground would be covered
with the crop.
Here are some sowing facts:
Sowing can be bad (Galatians 6:8; Matthew 13:24-25) when used by the enemy.
Sowing can be good (Galatians 6:8; Matthew 13:8) when used by the Lord.
We can sow good or bad into our own lives (Galatians 6:8).
We can sow good or bad into the lives of the lost (Galatians 6:10).
We can sow good or bad into the lives of the saved (Galatians 6:10).
The enemy will resist our efforts and each seed sown is an attack on the
enemy (Matthew 13). The enemy will try to snatch away the seeds (Matthew
13:19). The enemy will also be busy sowing bad seeds (Matthew 13:24-25).
However, the enemy does not have unlimited forces but the enemy is organized
(2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 6:10-13). The more seeds that are sown, the
more the forces of the enemy are stretched.
If we keep sowing and do not give up, we will reap a harvest (Galatians 6:9)
and we can reap a harvest in our own lives (Don't give up on yourself!). We
can reap a harvest in the lost being saved. We can reap a harvest in the
saved being moved closer to perfection and the amazing thing is that we will
always reap more than we sow (Matthew 13:23).
I took a poll of those present in our church last night of the number of
times that they had personally had someone witness to them. Only one person
had been witnessed to more than twice. In my own life, I have only been
witnessed to twice. I was witnessed to once by my wife and once in a
convenience store by a stranger. While I was in school, and since as an
adult I have never encountered anyone witnessing to someone else. When you
plant a spiritual seed in someone's life it is a rare occurrence, and it
will be remembered. God will use it.
Why not sow some seeds today?
Copyright © 2008. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
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