The Ground

The Ground


There are many types of soil and conditions that affect the way a plant will grow and produce. There is sandy soil that has a lot of rocks. Some soil may have clay mixed in it. The soil may have a high ph level in it. Some may have high or low levels of potash. Some soil may have a lot of peat moss in its content. The list can go on and on.

There are many ways to test the soil in which you will be planting your seed or plants. One of the most informative and effective ways is to take a soil sample to your local Agricultural agency, and have them test the soil. The biologist in that area will also know the type of soil in your area, and can help you to determine the best type of action to take in helping you to become a successful Gardner.

As a child of God it is important to know the condition of the ground, and the proper steps to take in having a successful harvest of our life. Many times we go unprepared to the field and the crop fails. The most important information available to us is right at our fingertips. It is the word of God. It will help you in becoming the most successful planter and producing the quality of fruit that will reflect the type of seed that is in a child of God.


A. Unprepared

1. Not tilled

Matt. 13:4, Mark 4:4, Luke 8:5
This seed fell by the wayside. This was untilled ground. It had not been prepared. ( a harden heart)
PP. Matt. 13:19, Mark 4:15, Luke 8:12


2. Walked on

Matt. 13:4, Mark 4:4, Luke 8:5
Were the seed fell here the ground was packed and always trodden down. This can represent a soul that is beat down by the world, and never given a chance.
PP. Matt. 13:19, Mark 4:15, Luke 8:12

3. Venerable to attack

Matt. 13:4, Mark 4:4, Luke 8:5
Notice the fowls of the air came and devoured it. This is a type of Satan and his devices. (friends, loved ones, other peoples actions)
PP. Matt. 13:19, Mark 4:15, Luke 8:12


B. Partly prepared

1. To rocky

Matt. 13:5, Mark 4:5, Luke 8:6
Notice that the ground was to rocky, shows that the ground was along the area that was tilled but it was the area that was along the path and the dirt that is thrown to the outside.
PP. Matt. 13:20, Mark 4:16, Luke 8:13

2. No support

Matt. 13:5, Mark 4:5, Luke 8:6
Notice that this part of the ground has no depth. Therefore it does not support the plant very well in the minerals that it needs.
PP. Matt. 13:21, Mark 4:17, Luke 8:13

3. Burns easily

Matt. 13:6, Mark 4:6, Luke 8:6
This plant is burned easily and withers up because of its lack of depth of roots.
PP. Matt. 13:21, Mark 4:17, Luke 8:13


C. Unkept

1. Not weeded

Matt. 13:7, Mark 4:7, Luke 8:7
The seed that fell here fell among thorns. When it tried to grow it was choked out and did not produce.
PP. Matt. 13:22, Mark 4:18-19, Luke 8:14


D. Well prepared

1. Plowed

Matt. 13:8, Mark 4:8, Luke 8:8
This seed fell among good ground.
Good ground must first be prepared by turning the earth or bring the good moist earth up and turning under the old.
PP. Matt. 13:23, Mark 4:20, Luke 8:15

Heb. 4:12
The word of God is sharp.

John 14:26
The Holy Ghost will teach you all things and help you to remember the word of God when needed.

Deut. 11:18-20
Hide the word of God in your heart, mark them on your hands, and keep them in the forefront of your mind. Mark them in your house.

Rom. 10:17
You can build you faith by hearing the word of God.

Luke 11:28
God blesses those that hear and keep the word of God.


2. Good nurturance

The ground in which a seed is planted cannot produce good plants or fruit unless it has the proper balance in nurturance. As a child of God it is important to keep ones self in good spiritual balance.

Some of the things that are mentioned in the following subtopics may sound redundant, but the go hand in hand and are inter woven in a child of Gods life.

Here are just a few items that a child of God will need to maintain a balanced spiritual life.

• Pray without ceasing. I Thes. 5:17
• Study the word. II Tim. 2:15
• Hide the word that you might not sin against God. Ps. 119:11
• Meditate on His Word. Ps. 1:2, Ps. 63:6, Ps. 77:12


3. Watered as need

A plant needs a lot of water while it is growing. Without enough water it will die. Some need more water than others. As a child of God we need plenty of water in our life to produce the type of fruit that is pleasing to God and his work.

Ps. 1:3
We need to be like the tree that is planted by the water.

Ps. 42:1
Our soul should have a great desire for the Lord.

Isaiah 58:11
The Lord will guide continually, satisfy in time of drought, make us fat, and be like a well-watered garden whose waters never fail.

Eph. 5:26
The water cleanses us from sin.

I Thes. 5:17
The water is an example of prayer. We need to pray without ceasing.


4. Weeded daily

If we let the weeds of this world come into our heart. Then we will become unproductive.

Rom. 6:12
Don’t let sin reign in you body.

I Cor. 15:34
Live righteous and sin not. Be alert.

I John 2:1
The word of God is written to us so that we do not sin. If we sin we can go to Christ Jesus.

I John 1:9
If we sin we need to confess our sins to God. Talk about Round Up.

Ps. 139:23
Ask God to search you and show you yours sins. He knows better than you do if sin is in your heart.


5. Produces

Matt. 13:8, Mark 4:8, Luke 8:8
A well maintained garden produce abundant fruit.
PP. Matt. 13:23, Mark 4:20, Luke 8:15

Prov. 11:30
The fruit we bare is a tree of life and will win others to Christ.

Matt. 7:17
A well maintained tree produces good fruit.

The preparation of the sower

C. The preparation of the sower

1. Must have good seed

Matt. 13:24
Notice the sower was sowing good seed. If we are to know anything about what type of seed is good we must know how to tell its quality.

2. Must know his seed

Matt. 13:37
Here we see and recognized seal of approval, the Son of man.

3. Must prepare his seed.

Matt. 17:21
Preparation of the seed many times comes by prayer and fasting.

Acts 27:33
The results of a good seed many times come with much trouble and strife.


Ill. Prayer is the bow, the promise is the arrow: faith is the hand which draws the bow, and sends the arrow with the heart’s message to heaven. The bow without the arrow is of no use; and the arrow without the bow is of little worth; and both, without the strength of the hand, to no purpose. Neither the promise without prayer, nor prayer without the promise, nor both without faith, avail the Christian any thing. What was said of the Israelites, “They could not enter in, because of unbelief,” the same may be said of many of our prayers: they cannot enter heaven, because they are not put up in faith. (6000 Sermon Illustrations pg. 512)


4. Must prepare the ground.

Prov. 18:24
Show yourself friendly; you will be surprised by what you may receive.

Luke 10:33-34
Have compassion on those around you. Some may be hurting on the inside and not showing on the outside. Only God knows the heart of a person.


Luke 15:20
Have compassion on those we love, no matter what failures were committed in their lives.

I Peter 3:8
We should have compassion on our brothers and sisters in the Lord. This will generate blessings from God.


Ill. A pious man of rank was in the habit of associating intimately with pious poor people. A worldly friend of his rallied him on the subject of his associates, and expressed his surprise. The noble Christian man replied, that, as he could hardly hope to enjoy so elevated a rank as they in a future world, he knew not why he should despise them in the present. (6000 Sermon Illustrations pg. 70)

The Source of the Sower

B. The Source of the Sower

1. The word of God

Ps. 119:11
It is important that a child of God hid the word of God in his heart. That will help us often in times of need. It can keep us from doing those things that are not pleasing to God. And it will help us to maintain a good testimony.

Ps. 119:105
God’s word will help up along the way. It will give us direction, security, and peace of mind.

Ps 119:9
The word of God will help a child of God to keep his way clean, if we take heed unto it.

Ps. 119:50
The word of God is a comfort in the time of affliction. It will make you come alive

Ps. 119:89
A child of God can know with out a doubt, that Gods word is established in heaven and will not changed.

2. The house of God

Heb. 10:25
A child of God needs constant fellowship with Gods people. Even so more as it gets closer to the Lords return.

3. The man of God

I Pet. 5:2-3
The man of God has the responsibility of the care of Gods people. So he should most knowledgeable about God and his word

4. The people of God

Acts 2:42
A child of God should have fellowship around Gods people and his word.

II Cor. 4:16
A child of God can only have fellowship with Gods people.

I John 1:3
The fellowship of Gods people is truly around one another and the Son of God.

The Sower "Who is the Sower"

The Sower


Ill. One day, the master of Lukman, an Eastern fabulist, said to him, “Go into such a field, and sow barley.” Lukman sowed oats instead. At the time of harvest, his master went to the place, and, seeing the green oats springing up, asked him, “Did I not tell you to sow barley here? Why, then have you sown oats?” He answered, “I sowed oats in the hope that barley would grow up.” His master said, “What foolish idea is this? Have you ever heard of the like?” Lukman replied, “You yourself are constantly sowing in the field of the world the seeds of evil, and yet expect to reap in the resurrection-day the fruits of virtue. Therefore I thought, also, I might get barley by sowing oats.” The master was abashed at the reply, and set Lukman free. (6000 Sermon Illustrations pg.603)

A. Who is the sower

1. Christ

Matt. 13:3 Mark 4:3 Luke 8:5
Here we see mentioned that a sower went out to sow

Matt. 13:37
Here we see the one that soweth the good seed is the Son of man.

2. The child of God

Matt. 13:38

Here we see that the good seed are the children of the kingdom;

Ps. 126:6
Here we see that we are to go forth and bear precious seed then will we see reward.




II Cor. 9:10
The writer implies that not only dose God supply the seed for us to sow, but also supplies the food needed and will increases what you sow.


Ill. Mr. Chapman was born in Leominster Massachusetts in 1774 around the time of the battle of Bunker Hill. Mr. Chapman, not like most men. He had a big heart. During his adult life he would go from the east in Pennsylvania and travel west planting his crops in the states of Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana. When he saw travelers heading west he would give them seed to plant on the homestead that they would settle.

Mr. Chapman even when faced with the dangers of the Indians, had such a reputation of a man with a different heart, that the Indians would give him safe passage across their land.

Mr. Chapman spent 40 years of his life traveling looking over the fruit of his labor. He was an unusual man. You would often see him with a tin pot for a hat, and old cloth sacks for clothing. Many others have enjoyed the fruit of his labor, in his life and ours

Mr. Chapman later died in 1845 at Ft. Wayne Indiana. You see Mr. Johnny Chapman was his name given by his parents, but we know him as Johnny Appleseed.

His Legacy not only left for all to enjoy the fruit of his labor. But it also left us with one of this nations greatest folk hero.

As a child of God we to can leave a legacy for others to enjoy and bear the fruit of our labor.

Fruit of the Spirit Introduction

Introduction


In our daily Christian walk do others see us as Christ like? Christ instructed us that we were to be like him. We should share his love. We should be joyful, gentle, kind, longsuffering. Have a life of meekness, and temperance.


Many times we can look at things and determine what they are. You can look at a tree that has apples and immediately tell it is an apple tree. You may see a tree bearing things that look like apples but feel soft and fuzzy and tell it is a peach tree. Why is it we can tell what these things are? Is it because of what we have been taught by our family, peers, and teachers?


Can a child of God live a life that is pleasing to Him? Can the world look at us and tell that we are Christians? As we study the fruit of the spirit in the word of God, we will see how Christ, which dwells in us can produce a life full of Godly fruit.

Fruit of the Spirit (outline)

Outlines


I. The sower

A. Who is the sower
1. Christ
2. The child of God

B. The source of the sower
1. The word of God
2. The house of God
3. The man of God
4. The people of God

C. The preparation of the sower
1. Must have good seed
2. Must know his seed
3. Must prepare his seed
4. Must prepare the ground


II. The ground

A. Unprepared
1. Not tilled
2. Walked on
3. Vulnerable to attack

B. Partially prepared
1. To rocky
2. No support
3. Burns easily

C. Unkept

1. Not weeded

D. Well prepared
1. Plowed
2. Good nutrients
3. Watered as needed
4. Weeded daily
5. Produces


III The Husbandman

A. Who is the husbandman
1. The Father

B. What is His Duty
1. To remove unproductive branches
2. Prunes productive branches to produce more fruit
3. He waits for the labors of his work

C. What is his reward
1. The fruit


IV The plant

A. It’s origin

1. From the original seed or producer

B. It’s growth
1. Must be planted or die
2. Put off the old covering
3. Begins new birth



C. The root

1. The receiving room of the factory

2. The growth of a root

D. The stem or vine

1. Supported by the roots

2. Made of several layers

3. The growth rings

E. The Branches

1. Sustained by the vine

F. The leaf of leaves

1. The backdrop fro the beauty of the plant and its fruit.


V. The Fruit

A. Love

1. Agape Love

2. The character of agape love or charity


B. Joy

1. The character of Joy






C. Peace

1. Source of peace

2. How was peace brought to us

3. When is peace given


D. Longsuffering

6. Examples of longsuffering

7. Instructions regarding longsuffering


E. Gentleness

1. Examples of gentleness

2. Exhortations concerning gentleness

F. Goodness

1. Examples of goodness

G. Faith

1. Types of faith

H. Meekness

1. Types of Meekness

I. Temperance

1. Examples of temperance



2. Types of temperance

Fruit of the Spirit Blog Bible Study

I apologize for the delay in posting for the bible study. There were some unexpected events that happened in my with my family. All is OK and the Lord is working all things out.

In this blog bible study we will be looking at the "Fruit of the Spirit." This is one area of my life the the Lord so graciously dealt with me in my life. It has been a great influence in my walk with the Lord.

Many of the class members that I shared this with were very thankful for what they have learned from it also. I hope it will be a blessing to you in you life as you grow and walk with the Lord.

I will post an outline of the study as well as the complete bible study on a weekly bases. Your input is greatly appreciated and it will help me in knowing its effectiveness in the work that I am doing for the Lord.

Thank you and may God bless you in your study.

Louis