Vegetable garden faith is something I have been giving a lot of thought to lately. Faith that is real and works, faith that feeds us and meets our everyday needs. Faith that requires seeds to be sown around and in our lives. Some pollute the thought of seed to only mean finances but Vegetable garden faith applies to a whole well rounded diet. Vegetable garden faith is something that brings a security that when you plant according to God’s principles for life there will be a harvest that will feed and take care of us in every area of our lives.
The gospels have the parable of the seeds that are sown:
Luke 8:4 And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8 But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
The Parable of the Sower Explained:
11 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.”
Having worked in ministry for many years I can say I totally agree with this parable and how it applies to people, how it applies to you and me. Firstly you have to ask the question why are the seeds being sown by the wayside, on stoney ground and amongst thorns?
As followers of Christ it is our job to sow seeds everywhere we go and not to be concerned with how they will grow. The Scripture tells us to not grow weary in well doing and it is important to understand what happens with seed that is sown otherwise we will become weary.
Seeds fall on the wayside and the devil or his demons come and trample down those seeds. It is obvious these ones are people who just do not see the value of heavenly seeds and disregard them. Not to say they do not deserve the opportunity to have seeds sown into their life but understand our job is only to sow not to determine how growth happens or if it happens. Some people are just not in a place to understand an opportunity missed and these are such.
The stoney ground is a deceiving place for a sower to sow as often this is the place that stops further seeds going out as fast. You see the person that is stoney ground receives the word with joy but after a time it withers as there is no depth. In my experience people that suffer with addiction often respond in such a way. They are touched by the power of God and receive it with joy but they are so used to a quick high that there is no depth and they are off looking for the next quick high. I guess they treat Jesus like a drug wanting a rush now or whenever they snap their fingers. They follow the rush of the joy and when that subsides so do they.
Unfortunately many sowers are distracted by such people. We all love someone who is excited about their new found faith and it can be very refreshing to try and help one who is like this. Until they wither and die and then it discourages the sower as they failed to understand what soil the seed was growing in. A stoney ground believer has no depth and so they will always look for someone to attach to they are not interested in putting in the hard miles to develop a deep and meaningful relationship with Jesus of their own. They just want the quick results.
I believe much of the current methods of man attract this type of believer and of course we must sow the seeds but when we attract people through emotions, music or feelings we always have passing results. I love music, feelings and some emotions but it is not what should be used to keep people around.
The third type mentioned is the seed in the thorns. To sow a seed in the thorns is a disaster and when you read about this type of believer you start to understand they never had a work of sanctification in their life. You see one can add Jesus to their life to help in a time of trouble but unless one allows a work of being set apart or sanctified in life then ultimately the thorns will choke.
The Scripture likens the thorns to the cares of the world and it says because of the deceitfulness of riches they become unfruitful. I will continue to say any life that has made a focus of financial blessing will ultimately die spiritually. The Bible has very few kind words to say about the rich so why is it so many have a faith that revolves around riches. I believe in wealth in a whole and complete way in life, a vegetable garden wealth. A wealth that is based in Christ dependence not in self dependence.
The passage talks about the desire for other things entering in. Friend if there are thorns in life that have grown up with the gospel seed then they too will grow. Pride comes up with people thinking they have the answers or have arrived on some level of greatness in their faith. As mentioned, money and the love of it raises up and the gospel becomes about lusts being met. I am sure we can all think of things that enter in. Many times they grow out of a lack of sanctification in our lives. We fail to deal with the old man inside. Maybe it was a sexual area or a guilt or fear or shame. If we have carried something over from before we knew Jesus then that is where the thorns grow. Sanctification is a powerful and liberating experience that few talk about or walk today. We have a video on our website about sanctification if you are interested further.
A whole or complete faith is something we never completely obtain this side of heaven but plant your vegetable garden of faith and you will be amazed what will grow.
