Bringing Your Faith to Harvest

The key to success in life is "living by faith"!  The Bible is constantly encouraging us in this, with the assurance that the children of God "live by their faith"!  And in these past few weeks we’ve discussed your “Now Faith”, and the “Quality Decision” that it takes to “activate” it!  We also discussed “Living By Faith”, a lifestyle that is “advanced living”!  It requires new thinking, and placing a watch over your words, to ensure that you are always speaking “in-line” with your faith.  This week we are going to discuss “Bringing Your Faith to Harvest”!   

Mark 4:14-20  [NASB] 
The sower sows the word.  And these are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them. 

And in a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away. 

And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, and the worries of the world , and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it, and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.

  
Your Heart Condition Is Vital to Your Success! 
Notice that, in each of the examples above, the “heart condition” (in other words the condition of the soil) was extremely important to the final outcome of the seed!  In example #1, the heart (soil) was not at all prepared to receive the seed, and the seed itself became prey – it was “eaten up” by the devourer – those nearby.  This could be birds, animals, etc. but the real issue is, the seed did not even take root! 

In example #2, the roots never got a chance to take hold.  You see the heart (soil) was polluted with other things that are contrary to the Word of God and His ways (rocks).  The heart was “hardened” by these things, and like the rocky soil, the seeds had very little chance of success. 

In example #3, the heart had other things in it’s life that were just as important, some maybe more.  These things were already established (pre-existing) and therefore had an advantage over the new seed, and they choked it out! 

In example #4, however, the seed fell onto a heart that was well-prepared for the word of God (good soil)!  It has been meditating the Word of God, and in fellowship with the Father.  Notice also, that the results varied!  Some produced 30, some 60, and some 100-fold!  That means that the “degree” of time you spend in the Word of God, in prayer, and in fellowship with the Father, have a great deal to do with not only “whether” you get a harvest but “how much” you get IN your harvest! 

John 8:31-32  [King James Version] 
If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;  and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 
Jesus told His disciples, and those around Him that He was teaching, that they were only His disciples “if” they would continue in His Word!  Are you a disciple of Jesus today?  Are you in regular meditation of His Word?  Do you skip meals regularly?  Then why skip your “spiritual meals”?  Your spirit man needs food just as much as your physical man does.  And don’t forget the caveat (bonus, special treat) that Jesus mentioned!  He said that by meditating in His Word, we would then “prove” ourselves to truly be His disciples, and that we would “know the truth” and that very “truth” that we had learned would set us free! 

I think we’ve all got some work to do … so, let’s “get busy” and prepare that soil for harvest!