The Garden
This morning I opened the curtains to see the rain! My eyes scanned the land, another blessing from the Lord. Over yonder, beyond the home, is the garden spot. A place designated especially and only for that purpose, a garden. Now is the Winter season. The garden ground lies dormant and empty and is rather strange looking. It has had time to rest (by our choice) from its production of harvest last Summer. Where rows once stood erect and upright, they now have fallen down one toward another. Where the earth around each perfect produce plant was clean and grass free, now its covered with grass and twigs. where once lush healthy harvest was , now it's nothing but a bare empty patch that we still call the garden. Why is it that way? Simple. We didn't plant anything! We could have, but we didn't! We could have planted Fall plants, like collard greens, green onions, etc. but that's beside the point. The point is, nothing was planted!" When anyone plants nothing they reap nothing! Nothing from nothing leaves nothing! The sowing and reaping process applies also to our spiritual lives. In Luke 8:4 "And when much people were gathered together, and were come to Him (Jesus) out of every, He spake a parable: A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock and as soon as it was sprung up it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns and the thorns sprang with it and chocked it. And other fell on good ground and sprang up and bare fruit an hundredfold, and when He had said these things, He cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear! And His disciples asked Him saying "What might this parable be? And He said, "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not understand." Now the parable is this: V.11 THE SEED IS THE WORD OF GOD. Those by the way side are they that hear then cometh the devil and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they which when they hear receive the word with joy and these have no root which for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among the thorns are they which when they have heard, go forth and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life and bring No fruit to perfection....but that on good ground are they which in an honest and good heart having heard the word, KEEP IT and bring forth fruit with patience.
WELL, THERE YOU HAVE IT! THE SEED IS THE WORD OF GOD! Not my word, not friends word, not even the preachers word......but THE WORD OF GOD. Sowing and reaping... Question:
What have you planted in your spiritual garden of life? Is THE WORD planted? What's growing and producing in your life? Galatians 6:7 says "BE NOT DECEIVED GOD IS NOT MOCKED; FOR WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH, THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP."
Proverbs 18:21 says ," DEATH AND LIFE ARE IN THE POWER OF THE TONGUE AND THEY THAT LOVE IT SHALL EAT THE FRUIT THEREOF." Who knew?
What's planted in your garden? Luke 4:4 says, (Jesus told the devil) "MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE BUT BY EVERY WORD OF GOD."
What is sustaining you today? Bread, money, your livelihood? A job?
Where did it come from? Psalm 24:1 says "the earth IS the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein."
Seems like God planted us here in this life. You know, the devil TRIED to kill Jesus and plant Him but, where life is death cannot abound! We are responsible for our garden, our production, our fruit. Matthew 7:20 says , "wherefore by their fruits, ye shall know them."
What seeds are you planting? What do you say daily? If God's words are seeds, and we belong to God then our words must be seeds also! Which garden did you plant in the devil's or God's. JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. God said in His word, "If you curse what I've blessed, I'll curse you with a curse!" Who knew? Is your garden of life cursed or blessed?
NOT A POPULAR MESSAGE, nevertheless...It IS what God said! And...maybe it's not the normal message you'll hear preachers preach. Makes you go huuummmmm...wonder why?
People we're coming up on "Resurrection Sunday" what the world deems EASTER! CHRIST AROSE! He's NOT dead and neither should the things in our "garden of life" be! It's time to be hot or cold for Christ, Revelation 3:15-16 "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou are LUKEWARM and neither cold nor hot I will spue thee out of my mouth."
What's in the heart of your garden of life?
I say it's almost Spring, time to spring into action and begin to plant...and when you do
GUARD YOUR GARDEN. For remember "John 10:10 that old devil comes to steal, kill and destroy, but (Jesus said, "I am come that they might have LIFE and that they might have it more abundantly!"
He is the MASTER GARDENER and He's the one who can help you get going and get things "growing" in your life and in the life of your children, (which are.......by the way) your seeds!
May God's Bless Your "Garden"
FROM HIS FIELD
HIS SERVANT MAIDEN ( AND HIS SEED SOWER)
REV. JAN WHEELER
BEACON OF HOPE MINISTRY
