Notes from Tuesday, October 21, 2003
by Pastor Brian Greene
Mark 4:26-28: And Jesus said, "So is the Kingdom of God, as if a man SHOULD cast seed into the ground; (27) And SHOULD sleep, and arise night and day, and the seed SHOULD spring and grow up, he knoweth not HOW. (28) For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself."
On Sunday, we spoke about the danger of our need to know "HOW" God is going to do something in our lives which can hinder the harvest that "SHOULD" take place. A harvest for our lives can come in the form of people becoming born-again (Matthew 9:37-38); an increase in income (Luke 6:38);an increase in friends (Proverbs 18:34), or any other areas of increase. Harvest indicates increase- not decrease. We plant apples seeds not simply to get more apples, but more apple trees. This indicates increase.
Today we want to discuss THREE PRACTICAL WAYS TO SOW & CULTIVATE SEEDS in order to enjoy the harvest God has planned for our lives.
The FIRST thing you must do in order to have a bountiful harvest is to ANNOUNCE your seeds. Declare what God has said to you. This is the "Thy Kingdom Come!" portion of our praying. For example: When our congregation was predominantly black, Caribbean's from the Island of Barbados, we began announcing that "we are a multi-cultural, multi-generational, and multi-racial church." The result of that announcement was God changing our congregation into the very thing we announced ourselves to be. This announcing of the seed is really the sowing or casting of our seeds.
It would be wonderful if "announcing" the existence of your seed was enough. It is not! The SECOND step you must take is to cultivate your seed. How? You accomplish this by ADORING your source. Paul said, "I may plant the seeds, Apollo may water the seeds, but only God can make the seeds grow." (1 Corinthians 3:6). Worshiping the Lord of your Harvest is like cultivating your seeds. This is the "Hallowed be Thy Name!" portion of your prayer.
Worship is an attitude of the heart which exudes faith. Jehoshaphat received a powerful prophecy (seed) that God would fight Israel's battle for them. However, he instructed the nation to cultivate that seed by "appointing singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness..." (2 Chronicles 20:18-21). The seeds of faith grow better in an atmosphere of worship & praise as opposed to an atmosphere of anger, frustration, discouragement, impatience, jealousy, etc.
The THIRD step you must take to insure a good harvest is that you must ACT through your soil. Your soil is your heart. Faith without works is dead (James 2:21). Even when it comes to salvation, Romans 10:9 & 10 states that, you must "believe in your heart!" Proverbs 23:7 states, "...as a man thinks in his heart, so is he..." It's great to announce your seed, your gospel, or your good news. It's wonderful to praise and worship the one who makes the seed of your harvest grow for after all, He is the Lord (controller) of the Harvest.
However, sooner or later, you and I are going to have to "act" on what we really believe. The Bible states that we walk (an action) by faith, not by sight (simply observing). So the question is this: What will you do on earth in 2004 to convince heaven that it ought to respond to your request (announcement)? (See: Matthew 16:18-19) Keep acting on your seeds by faith! Sooner or later heaven will respond by giving you your harvest.