Scripture's Seed

As we conclude our glimpse (because that's all this has really been) of the various roles the Bible plays in the life of the Christian, we move on to the most recent discovery the Lord has shown me. At first, I found this to be a rather odd way of looking at the Scriptures. Having grown up all my life in the church, I had never heard the Bible put this way - even though Jesus Himself called it such. The Word of God is a seed. The Bible is a big bag of seeds. I found that to be a very odd way of putting it until I realized that is exactly how Jesus considers it:

•  "The sower sows the word" (Mark 4:14)
• "The seed is the word of God" (Luke 8:11)

People who are attempting to be overly spiritual have botched up the parable of the sower by adding funny meanings that Jesus never mentions. I had a pastor tell me that the seeds that sprouted and withered in the heat were "fake Christians" - folks who were never saved in the first place. ...??? Um, pastor, Jesus said the seed was the Word and the ground was the person hearing the Word. The plant that withers is God's Word dying because the individual stopped tending it. I guess that guy can't read... I also read an author who expressed that this parable is about Christians who do or do not neglect Jesus' teachings. Jesus didn't say the sower was Him, He simply said that the sower sows the Word - whoever preaches/teaches/speaks the Word of God is a sower; whoever hears it is the ground. Honestly, just read it. 

So what do we do with this Seed? We put ourselves in a position to receive it, and then we guard it. Jesus explains that the Word is sown into our hearts, and Proverbs 4:23 instructs us to "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the issues of life." Jesus echoes that instruction in Matthew 12:34-37,

For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an account for it in the day of judgement. For by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned.

Comforting thought, isn't it? In order to have a "treasure" of God's Word, we must be diligent in storing up His Word in our hearts. Give attention to the Word as often as you can. If you go back and read the parable of the Sower (Matt 12; Mark 4; Luke 8), you will notice that the devil's first tactic is to steal the Word of God the moment you receive it. If that does not work, He will bring pressure upon you to make you quit on it before His promises come to pass. However, you will also notice that he may not need to do much work, because you are doing it for him. The things of this world can cause some people to become unfruitful in what God has spoken to them. That is all the more reason to guard your heart with all diligence. 

Every situation we face is addressed somewhere in the Word of God. It is vital that we find these promises and meditate on them, so that they take root and become fruitful in our lives. If God has promised you something and you have yet to see it come to pass, take stock of the "garden" in your heart. Have the stresses of life caused the Word to wither? Has the devil been able to sneak in and take it (meaning you lost focus and have forgotten)? Or perhaps you have let the "stuff" of life choke out the place God's Word in your life? God likens His Word to a seed; so remember seeds take time to grow. Jesus wasn't being cute when He gave us this teaching. He wants us to understand that we must cultivate His Word in our lives and give it time to take root and grow. Meditate on Scriptures of healing, prosperity and freedom, allow them to reside in your heart, so that when pressure arises you will not spout off words of doubt and unbelief. Jesus said these will lead to condemnation.

There's my weekly "schpeal" on the Bible. Hopefully it will help us all begin to understand that the Scriptures are much more than mere religious text. We do not sit and analyze it as ancient writings, but as the spoken Word of the Living God directly to His children (you and me) right here and now. Use it. Understand it. Speak it.