BIBLE BREAKFAST (#342) 03/01/20 (eng)
“Why does good soil have different yields…”
? Matthew 13:23 “But he who recieved seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces; some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
▪️If the ground is good quality, the sower is correct, and the soil is good, why are there such different results: “some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty”?
▪️It’s understandable to have that with hard soil near the road, or with rocky places, or among thorns. In those places, there is no fruit, but even if there was, it “withered away “. Why then does good soil, even though it is good, produce such different results?
▪️If all of us honestly asked ourselves this question, “what result do I have more often than not: 100, 60, or 30 fold?” how would we answer? (I hope that about the 3 previous types of soil there isn’t even a question…)
▪️Now, what happens to the seed in the good soil that influences the drastic difference in results?
▪️Apostle Paul wrote, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase… Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” (1 Corinthians 3:6,8). Even though in this context it is talking about a different kind of sowing, the result is the same.
▪️Paul writes in order for the fruit to be cultivated, you need not only to plant or to sow the seed, but it also requires further nurturing- watering it, which to a large extent depends on what kind of result you will have, “100, 60, or 30 fold”.
▪️We hear God’s word very often and I hope that the seed falls onto the good soil in our hearts. However, it is very important to then nurture that seed which fell into our hearts through hearing the Word.
▪️The seed has been planted; God has spoken to us. It is important to honestly evaluate ourselves and check ourselves and ask, “is everything okay with me in regards to what God is saying?”
▪️If everything is not okay, it is important to honestly admit “this is what I’m lacking” or “this is my problem”. Or, if there is a necessity to repent or to fix something, to do so. Also, make a specific decision how to continue on and pray about it.
▪️All of this is nurturing the seed which fell. Depending on how thorough and serious our attitude towards this is will determine how great the fruit will be.
▪️Of course, the context here is a seed planted in “good soil”. If, all of a sudden, there is a problem with the soil itself, not even talking about “30, 60, or 100 fold”, but there wouldn’t even be 10 fold. You need to first get busy with the soil.
▪️As an example: this whole month we have been discussing prayer day in and day out. There have been many seeds planted. What kind of result this will have in my prayer life, “30, 60, or 100 fold”, depends on not only what I have heard or read, but how I have accepted it, how I mixed it with my faith, how I applied it personally in experience and in practice. What kind of decisions have I made and what have I started doing? “For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.” (Hebrews 4:2)
? Have a good Sunday and a heart with good soil and with it, the ability to nurture it! (With prayer, Valeriy Bayko).
? P.S. If needed, share this with others. Thank you for the re-post.