On Spiritual Growth

The Lord liked to use the analogy of seed planting to describe for us the sort of growth a person will experience contingent upon the type of ground (heart) in which seeds (the Word) are planted.

We are familiar with His examples, of course. But, as Paul wrote, "to write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe." This, then, is to remind us, lest we let them slip.
  • Some seeds fall by the wayside, the fowls come and devour them.
  • Some fall upon stony places, where they haven't much earth or deepness of earth. When the sun is up, they are scorched; and because they have no root, they wither away.
  • Some fall among thorns; and the thorns spring up, and choke them
  • Others fall into good ground, and bring forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
This is he that received seed by the wayside. When a person hears God's word, and doesn't understand it, then comes the devil (hidden, perhaps, in a vain philosophy), and catches away that which was sown in that person's heart.

He that received the seed into stony places, is the same as he that heard the word, and immediately with joy receives it. But, because the soil is shallow (very little preparation of the heart), the word does not take root in him, but instead lasts for a short while. For when God sends cirumstances to try that word, the person becomes offended, and tosses the truth aside.

He that received seed among the thorns hears the word, but the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches are able to choke the word, making him unfruitful.

He that received seed into the good ground is he that hears the word, understands it, and bears fruit at varying degrees.

Sadly, the latter portion of Jesus' parable has been so very overused by the prosperity pushers as to confine its reach and influence. "Increase" now relates more to financial gain, to the giving of money to get money, rather than spiritual growth.

In fact, real growth in the Lord is to the degree that we have learned to decrease, not increase. When the word takes root, we should sense a drawing to do as Paul wrote, "die daily." Isn't that amazing? We are increased spiritually by decreasing and denying ourselves.
 
The Lord liked to use the analogy of seed planting to describe for us the sort of growth a person will experience contingent upon the type of ground (heart) in which seeds (the Word) are planted.

We are familiar with His examples, of course. But, as Paul wrote, "to write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe." This, then, is to remind us, lest we let them slip.
  • Some seeds fall by the wayside, the fowls come and devour them.
  • Some fall upon stony places, where they haven't much earth or deepness of earth. When the sun is up, they are scorched; and because they have no root, they wither away.
  • Some fall among thorns; and the thorns spring up, and choke them
  • Others fall into good ground, and bring forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
This is he that received seed by the wayside. When a person hears God's word, and doesn't understand it, then comes the devil (hidden, perhaps, in a vain philosophy), and catches away that which was sown in that person's heart.


He that received the seed into stony places, is the same as he that heard the word, and immediately with joy receives it. But, because the soil is shallow (very little preparation of the heart), the word does not take root in him, but instead lasts for a short while. For when God sends cirumstances to try that word, the person becomes offended, and tosses the truth aside.

He that received seed among the thorns hears the word, but the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches are able to choke the word, making him unfruitful.

He that received seed into the good ground is he that hears the word, understands it, and bears fruit at varying degrees.

Sadly, the latter portion of Jesus' parable has been so very overused by the prosperity pushers as to confine its reach and influence. "Increase" now relates more to financial gain, to the giving of money to get money, rather than spiritual growth.

In fact, real growth in the Lord is to the degree that we have learned to decrease, not increase. When the word takes root, we should sense a drawing to do as Paul wrote, "die daily." Isn't that amazing? We are increased spiritually by decreasing and denying ourselves.

Yes sir. I also think that the words SUBMITT and HUMILITY should come in there some where. Those are teo wualities that seem to be a long way off these days.
 
What is the fruit to be produced?

And what does it look like?

Paul said "die daily" to people who were not changed yet. He talked to the meat eaters, those changed, differently than the milk drinkers, those changing.

Paul was done dying daily, he said as much.
But to get where He was, maturity wise, YOU/WE have to die daily....
 
Speaking of humility, St. Augustine wrote, "The sufficiency of my merit is to know that my merit is not sufficient." Charles Spurgeon once said, "Humility is to make a right estimate of oneself."

Another quote I have is from Samuel Tilden which I believe speaks to anyone seeking or in church leadership. "It is far more difficult to hold and maintain leadership than it is to attain it. Success is a ruthless competitor, for it flatters and nourishes our weaknesses and lulls us into complacency. We bask in the sunshine of accomplishment and lose the spirit of humility which helps us visualize all the factors which have contributed to our success. We are apt to forget that we are only one of a team, that in unity there is strength and that we are strong only as long as each unit in our organization functions with precision."
 
Back
Top