Are We Trying To Sow In The Weeds?

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

Well maybe my post wasn't as accurate. Leaning more towards discernment and not throwing our pearls to swine type of image.

Matthew 13:3-8 New International Version (NIV)
3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

As sowers of the Word we have to have the discernment to know when to till, when to plant, when to water, and when to harvest. If the Holy Spirit isnt active and you feel like everything is in opposition then you are possibly trying to rush the work of the Lord. You may have to remove the rocks in the field, till the soil multiple times, add nutrients, know the seasons, the time to plant, how long to water and how often, does the plant need full or indirect sunlight. Then finally sow the seed at the proper depth because too shallow or too deep it could die. Then treat the area for weeds and pests. Pruning, directing, and finally after months or with some plants even years then comes the harvest. Understanding the type of soil helps to determine what and how to plant

As a farmer you know you cannot rush anything. It is a slow multi step process with many different variables that can lead to success or still lead to failure. You have to know the why for each step, be conscious of the harvest but not trying to rush to it. Understanding the individual is crucial to know what your next steps should be.

A farmer can do everything right but still have the harvest destroyed. Satan is constantly trying to prevent the harvest.

We could go many different directions but my main focus today is are you sowing in the weeds?

Is your debate truly important or are you trying to sow where fruit will not be achieved? Has the talk turned into a unproductive situation? Is it only pride or love that keeps us in the situation. Has the individual's questions and thoughts been tilled enough to even plant? Once planted are they mature enough to be harvested? Are they ready to accept Jesus Christ as Savior or ready to accept your theological view.

When is it time to walk away? Sometimes the soil is too hostile to what you are trying to plant. No need to waste much of your time. Time is spent more wisely and more productively to spend too much of our time focused on something that will not even hear the word.

In the end you feel like a fool who threw your seed on a rock or in a patch of weeds thinking it will grow. Only to waste your time with someone who the Spirit hasn't prepared.

1 Corinthians 3:6-7
6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

Again where are you trying to plant? If God is preparing the individual then they should be receptive. They themselves have become willing vessels to the Spirits guidance.

God wants everyone to hear the gospel, whether they will receive it or reject it.

Even if they reject the Gospel at one time, none of us know if and when will it take root as God prepares their spirit. I think we just can't know these things, and in general we shouldn't give up praying for people as long as they live. There's that 11th hour worker in the vineyard... you never know.

I mean, what if I died before I accepted Jesus. It was preached to me in many ways before I was ready... One example, a priest who did not know me was prompted in spirit to send me books through my dad when I was 15, a prayer book and the Gospel of Matthew, which I took with me wherever I moved and I got saved from, but 10 YEARS LATER. I did not believe Jesus then, I was still agnostic and struggled to accept something I had no proof for, but I opened and read the books.

That doesn't mean we're supposed to waste our time with someone who is presently scoffing, which is what I'm getting as the point of your post... But I think we shouldn't give up. It's not our job to proclaim who will be saved or who won't (Rom 10), and also, maybe you're the only Jesus they will ever see.

Sharing your doctrine is more to understand it better yourself, than for others to agree with you.

When you read their objections to your doctrine from the right perspective, you understand better the perspective from others and you refine your own understanding.

I think you are on a good track here. Yes we are to spread the good news and sow the seeds but sometimes the soil is not ready to be seeded and will just dry up. The thing about planting a seed is that if you plant it on soil that cannot bear fruit yet then that seed just sits in the soil and doesn't sprout no matter how much you water it or try to take care of it.

It is understandable to see someone and think I have to tell them about Jesus because I am a CHristian however if it just falls on deaf ears that is throwing your pearls to the swine. We have to wait for God to lead us to do so because if we do it on our own accord we only waste our breath. There is a reason we ( follow) Jesus and go by the spirits (guiding) on more than one occasion I have tried doing something that I wanted to do and thought it was the right the to do but I confused my will with his and my plans fail everytime I can always tell if I continue on that path that there is an opposition of some kind like a blockage it doesn't feel like there is a flow and feels forced.

But like a good soldier if I wait for the commanders order then it feels natural as if by instinct it just flows and that is always how I have seen him do amazing things

Matthew 13:3-8 New International Version (NIV)
3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

As sowers of the Word we have to have the discernment to know when to till, when to plant, when to water, and when to harvest. If the Holy Spirit isnt active and you feel like everything is in opposition then you are possibly trying to rush the work of the Lord. You may have to remove the rocks in the field, till the soil multiple times, add nutrients, know the seasons, the time to plant, how long to water and how often, does the plant need full or indirect sunlight. Then finally sow the seed at the proper depth because too shallow or too deep it could die. Then treat the area for weeds and pests. Pruning, directing, and finally after months or with some plants even years then comes the harvest. Understanding the type of soil helps to determine what and how to plant

As a farmer you know you cannot rush anything. It is a slow multi step process with many different variables that can lead to success or still lead to failure. You have to know the why for each step, be conscious of the harvest but not trying to rush to it. Understanding the individual is crucial to know what your next steps should be.

A farmer can do everything right but still have the harvest destroyed. Satan is constantly trying to prevent the harvest.

We could go many different directions but my main focus today is are you sowing in the weeds?

Is your debate truly important or are you trying to sow where fruit will not be achieved? Has the talk turned into a unproductive situation? Is it only pride or love that keeps us in the situation. Has the individual's questions and thoughts been tilled enough to even plant? Once planted are they mature enough to be harvested? Are they ready to accept Jesus Christ as Savior or ready to accept your theological view.

When is it time to walk away? Sometimes the soil is too hostile to what you are trying to plant. No need to waste much of your time. Time is spent more wisely and more productively to spend too much of our time focused on something that will not even hear the word.

In the end you feel like a fool who threw your seed on a rock or in a patch of weeds thinking it will grow. Only to waste your time with someone who the Spirit hasn't prepared.

1 Corinthians 3:6-7
6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

Again where are you trying to plant? If God is preparing the individual then they should be receptive. They themselves have become willing vessels to the Spirits guidance.

I believe preaching the gospel is the will of God. So all we can do is preach, if one not accept it, is fine, if one ask question or not agree with what we say, than we have to respon as much as we can. If they do not want to respon anymore than the only we can do is pray. But we have to do what ever we can to explain why we believe what we believe for the sake of love.

I agree not for pride but out of love. Like if we see a blind walk toward the abbys, we have to warn him as much as we can but we can not force him to change his direction.

Like if we see a blind walk toward the abbys, we have to warn him as much as we can but we can not force him to change his direction.

Yes but there comes a time we should know when to walk away. You can keep warning until your blue in the face while down road there could be people willing to respond. More broadly of course preach to the masses but speaking individually there needs to be discernment.

Yep if the Holy Spirit give us the gift of discernment and tell us to stop, then we stop, otherwise keep warn them till he die or don't want to respon or ask any more.

In cc, till he don't want to respon.

Idk if harrassment is the answer either. Is that how you evangelize? Constantly on someone? I think there is a balance.

Five Laws of the Harvest

A few years ago, when Donna and I were pastoring in the Dallas area, it was Sunday, and I was preparing to begin the Sunday morning service. It was about 10:20 a.m. One of our members, the Rev. Hal Lehman, a semi-retired, statesman missionary, walked up to me, greeted me, and asked if he could share something with the church prior to receiving tithes and offerings. I fully trusted Brother Lehman and responded quickly, “Sure, I will call on you.”

He shared a three-minute word. It was a WOW moment! He titled it The Laws of the Harvest. I would like to share it with you.

1. You Always Reap What You Sow.
Galatians 6:7 reads, “For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” You reap what you sow, good or bad. Jesus, our Lord, taught, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again”(Luke 6:38 ). Yes, if you plant cotton, you won’t reap maize. If you don’t sow into the work of God, dear friend, your harvest will be greatly lacking.

2. You Always Reap After You Sow.
Luke 6:38 declares, “Give, and it shall be given unto you.” We give by faith and know that we will eventually receive and reap the harvest. According to Galatians 6:7, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Verse 9 says, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Seed must be planted before it can germinate and become a plant and grow. Many times, the harvest will not show up for a season, but in due season, if we faint not, the harvest will come forth.

3. You Always Reap More Than You Sow.
Our blessed Lord said, and it is recorded in Matthew 13:23, that one’s spiritual harvest can be “an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” In Malachi 3:10, the prophet wrote that the “windows of heaven” will open and pour out for you a blessing “that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” God is a gracious God and still does “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20). Do you remember the story in John 6:5-14 where the apostle John revealed that the great multitude was fed that day after a lad gave his lunch to the Lord? His lunch was only five barley loaves and two small fishes. That would be five small biscuits and two sardines. He gave what he had, and God multiplied it to feed thousands. Yes, little is much if God is in it! When one gives in obedience to God, the harvest will be greater than you sowed.

4. You Must Always Give Attention To Where You Sow.
This is so important! When Jesus, our blessed Lord, gave the parable of the seed and sower, as recorded in Matthew 13, He explained that there are four types of soil. He discussed (1) the “way side” places where the soil was not protected and cultivated; (2) the “stony” places where there is no depth to sustain it; (3) seed planted among the “thorns” where the plant can be “choked” and become unfruitful; and (4) “Into good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” Where you give your tithes and offerings is very important! I can assure you, dear friends, this ministry, Jimmy Swaggart Ministries and SBN, is “good ground.” The true gospel is going forth in word and song 24/7 around the world and by now, more than 2 million Expositor’s Study Bibles have been given to ministers and lay leaders in Third World countries. Seriously pray about helping us.

5. You Always Determine The Size Of The Harvest By How Much You Sow.
Paul wrote under divine inspiration in II Corinthians 9:6, “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” Jesus said in Mark 4:24, “What measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you.” Yes, for sure, our sowing determines the harvest. If we give much, then much more will be given to us for our faithfulness. You may ask, “Is this really true?” As you and I study scripture, is it not clear that our God is a gracious and good God and always blesses us more than we deserve? Luke quoted Jesus and wrote, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.” Years ago, I heard someone say, “You can’t outgive God.” I believe it. If you have hesitated to give the work of God your tithe and offering, I urge you to begin now. You, my friend, will reap a bountiful harvest.

Dr. Don Gray