The heart (spirit) of man is now the garden of the Lord. God will write His Words in our spirit and not on and in the unborn-again flesh of lost men. When they were under the Law, they weren't spiritually alive unto God and they had to be moved on by God from the "outside" dealing only by and with the flesh.
It was only after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that man could be born again. Now, through the new birth and the presence of the Holy Spirit, God can deal with man in their spirit. Even those who aren't born again are not exempt from His presence. Even if someone chooses not to yield to the Holy Spirit, they are not exempt.
The parable of the sower is found in Mark 4:14-19 (Amplified) and tells us that, "The sower sows the Word and the ones along the path are those who have the Word sown (in their hearts), but when they hear, satan comes at once and (by force) takes away the message which is sown in them."
They heard the Word, but didn't tend and guard their hearts or their garden. The same serpent that beguiled Eve entered the garden and took away the seed (the Word) that was sown in their hearts.
We read about another kind of soil or hearts in Verses 16-17 (Amplified) which says, "And in the same way the ones sown upon stoney ground are those who, when they hear the Word, at once receive it with joy." Verse 19 says, "And they have no real root in themselves, and so they endure for a little while; then when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Word they immediately are offended (become displeased, indignant, resentful) and they stumble and fall away,"
Remember, we are instructed to "tend, guard and keep the garden." It's our responsibility to take care of the seed of the Word. This seed that has been sown in our hearts will produce like the Garden that Adam was to watch over produced. Mark 4:26-29 (Amplified) goes on saying, "And He said, the Kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed upon the ground And then continues sleeping and rising night and day while the seed sprouts and grows and increases-he knows not how the earth (heart) produces (acting) by itself-first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe and permits, immediately he sends forth (the reapers) and puts in the sickle, because the harvest stands ready."
We learned from our own human experiences, that once you plant a seed, it stays hidden in the soil for a time. Then, it finally begins growing. It starts small and must be overseen and cared for. If it is taken care of it, then it will grow into maturity by itself. We will finally partake of the fruit from the seed we planted.
There are times when we get too busy or forget to tend the garden. We become offended or discouraged because the seed didn't mature quickly enough and then quit. We are no longer careful about what gets sown in the garden and allow weeds and briars to begin choking out the Word so that it doesn't bear fruit. Nothing is more discouraging than having a garden full of weeds. What could have been weed out fairly simply, not has become laboring and the fruit of our labor isn't what it should be.
Jesus warned in Mark 4:23-24 (Amplified) saying, "If any man has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him perceive and comprehend, And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure (of thought and study) you give (to the truth you hear) will be the measure (of virtue and knowledge) that comes back to you-and more (besides) will be given to you who hear."
We've mostly tried viewing this spiritual Word as only being a parable and not actually pertaining to gardening. Jesus brought the wisdom of the workings of the Kingdom down to the level of a man who is planting seeds in the ground. One doesn't need a college degree to plant a garden, even a country boy like me can plant one. The simplicity of Jesus' great wisdom has been overlooked by many. This is how God's garden works. This is the garden of the Lord. As you plant a seed in your heart, that seed (word) will produce what it is. Every Word of God has the ability to produce what it is.
When we heard the Word of salvation, we believed and received it in our hearts. It then, brought forth all we hoped for and we weren't discouraged, offended or disgusted because we watched over that Word. We couldn't see the seed sown in our hearts at first, but we watched over it. Finally, it became a sprout, something we could actually witness in our lives. Then, it became the ear and fruit in the ear and we can harvest and enjoy the fruit of being saved.
Each and every Word of God is Spirit and truth. When the Word of healing is taken into the soil (heart) and watched over, then it will produce something. So too, will the seeds of every promise and Word of God. It's not that the seed doesn't produce, but we don't watch over what enters into the heart (good soil) and the weeds choke it out.
We have laid blame to many things in God's Word, but the truth is, it's all His Word and all of His Words are with power, according to Galatians 6:7-9 (Amplified) which says, "Do not be deceived and deluded and misled: God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside). (He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God), For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap. For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." Verse 9 goes on, "And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint."
Everything planted in the garden doesn't mature simultaneously. Some things ripen, while other things haven't even sprouted. So too, things we've received in our hearts (which are the garden of the Lord), don't come to pass simultaneously. Some seed must be watched over and cared for longer periods of time than other seed.
We hear and receive seed in our hearts from multiple and various messages. Some are weeds that we fail to see are weeds. Some are those that require more time to produce than others. We don't see results instantly and become discouraged and allow it to be choked out.
There is more room in our hearts for more of God's kingdom to produce than most of us have allowed. 2Timothy 3:16 (Amplified) says, "Every scripture is God breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience (and) for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose and action) So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work."
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