The last of the 4 grounds to sow on is good rich soil. If you haven’t caught up with this week’s theme of, “The Parable of the Sower” here are the links:
When there are many other grounds to sow seed on–the one that reaps the harvest and has that apparent overflow is the good rich soil. This brings the fruit …all the good fruit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
Galatians 5:22-24 [English Standard Version]
Anything contrary to that, then we understand we are falling on one of the other three grounds. That could be handled, it is not difficult and it certainly isn’t impossible. 🙂 You can find a way to get to this ground. You just need to bring an open heart to God and allow Him to do the rest.
“But some of the seeds fell onto good, rich soil that kept producing a good harvest. Some yielded thirty, some sixty–and some even one hundred times as much as was planted!”
Mark 4:8 [The Passion Translation]By verse 20 it states, “But the seed sown on good soil represents those who open their hearts to receive the Word and their lives bear good fruit–some yield a harvest of thirty, sixty, even one hundred times more than was sown!”
Verse 24 includes, “Be diligent to understand the meaning behind everything you hear, for as you do, more understanding will be given to you. And according to the depth of your longing to understand, much more will be added to you.”
God wants to increase us. And we do well with that understanding. We just need to increase in that. As we are hearing the Word, that we are doing the Word. There is a difference between, hearing, speaking, copying… and living it.
We all heard before– “That’s the real McCoy!”
This is a metaphor used to say that something is real and authentic. That can be you when you practice the Word that is heard. It is not enough for us to hear and do nothing. But to the one that hears and does something –they reap a harvest. They do something good. Even if it hurts.
I see it in the pews. I see it in the lives of young women changing. Women sacrificing and surrendering their lives to God. Men that decide to be that vessel for the kingdom. I know it is not easy for them but they do it knowing that they will reap what they sow to their spirit. They understand that sowing to their flesh brings death, darkness and destruction.
We have all been in those dark places. It is no picnic. It is torment! Why? Because of the poor choices we have made. But when we make the correct decisions and allow God to do the work then we put ourselves in a much fruitful place. We become what the Word declares–we keep producing!
They become preachers… revolutionists… world changers… pioneers!
They are that good rich soil that keeps producing a harvest. As I put the soil in the Ziploc bag, I used it as a demonstration and visual before the church. I was able to mesh it and mold it in my hands. As I did that I explained, that is the same way we are in the hands of God when we are that good rich soil. He can do exactly what He wants to us and shape us in the best way possible. But you need to let Him!
Are you the one repeatedly leaning towards a beaten path?
Are you the one still traveling on a gravel rocky ground?
Are you the one that is remaining among those hurtful thorns?
Or are you the one that is good rich soil?
You know this by the fruit produced in your life. Trials do come to us all. That is a part of life. The toughest ground to be on is not the beaten path…it is not the gravel or the thorns…it is when you are on good rich soil. That one hurts the most when you surrender your entire will over to God. But when you do it—and see the harvest, you come to realize that the pain you felt carrying and then delivering the baby was all completely worth it!
JusChrist4 
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