Fall 1993

Cultivating The Soil of Our Heart
Wade E Taylor

"Behold, a sower went forth to sow ... and when he sowed,
some seeds fell by the way side ... some fell upon stony
places ... and some fell among thorns ... but other fell
into good ground" Matt 13:3b,4a,5a,7a,8a.

"When any one heareth the Word of the Kingdom, and
understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and
catcheth away that which was sown in his heart" Matt 13:19a.

"He that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth
the Word (of the Kingdom) and understandeth it; which also
beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundred fold,
some sixty, some thirty" Matt 13:23.

The Word of God relates to us on two different levels of our spiritual experience. The first is the quickened, anointed Word that applies to our salvation. It edifies, gives meaning to, and sets standards for our spiritual life and walk. On this level, the emphasis is upon our knowing Jesus as Saviour and receiving all that He gained for us through His atonement upon the Cross. Here, we freely receive all that is available to us. "Salvation" - "I have Jesus."

The second level begins with our dealing with the wayside, stony places, and the thorns that hinder our spiritual growth. It relates to our cultivating "good ground" in our spiritual experience. The emphasis is upon the quickened, anointed "Word of the Kingdom" which requests our submission to His governmental rule in our lives. "... If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it" Matt 16:24-25. Here, we take all that we have received, plus ourselves, and give it back to Him, submitting to His unconditional Kingdom authority over our lives as we follow Him. "Kingdom" - "Jesus has me."

"Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them
to continue in the faith, and that we must through much
tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God" Acts 14:22.

As we grow spiritually, in unfolding, developing layers of understanding, theWord of God will progressively guide us into the fullness of all that He has made both available (Salvation) and attainable (Kingdom) for us. Salvation is a gift; the Kingdom is not.

The thirteenth chapter of Matthew can rightly be applied to our salvation experience, but it more fully sets forth the principles that lead to our growth into a Kingdom relationship with the Lord.

"And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery
of the Kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these
things are done in parables" Mark 4:11.

Thus, the "good ground" represents our having an experientially established and tested commitment to the "Word of the Kingdom." Good ground does not just happen; it is the result of an intensive time of cultivation and preparation which produces within us a sensitivity to the workings of the Holy Spirit and a capacity for a deeper understanding of His ways.

The "seed" falling into good ground refers to our hearing, understanding, and receiving the anointed, quickened Word. This seed is the "substance" of the Word which becomes within us "creative life" to bring forth and accomplish the will and purpose of the Father.

Our part is to allow the Holy Spirit the complete freedom to do whatever is necessary, both within us and through the circumstances of our lives, to prepare the "soil" to receive the seed. Once the seed (potential) is planted, it must be left within the ground, buried and out of sight. As we die to our own ways while the elements (circumstances) work upon the soil that holds this seed, these together cause its release up into our spiritual experience and understanding. Then we are birthed into His higher calling and purpose where Jesus will be seen through every aspect of our lives.

This seed will then bear fruit that will be in one of three dimensions, depending upon the level of our obedience to, and cooperation with the gardener, the Holy Spirit. It will be harvested as either a thirty, sixty, or a one-hundred fold increase. As we submit to this processing, we are partaking of the workings of the Kingdom of God in its present power and expression.

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field;
the which when a man hath found he hideth, and for joy
thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that
field" Matt 13:44.

In the Song of Solomon, the Bride is twice exhorted to "Rise up and come away" SS 2:10b and 2:13b. Much is available to us through the free gift of salvation, but there is a present working of Kingdom truth that is hidden from open view, which is reserved for those who are willing to come apart and respond to His higher calling.

"Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man,
seeking goodly pearls" Matt 13:45.

The Lord sees the pearl, that portion of Himself which is within us. He is the One who is able to bring this treasure to the surface of the soil of our spiritual experience. Thus, if we will sell all that we have and give our ALL to the Lord, He will work in us to bring forth an abundant harvest. This can only take place as we die to our own ways.

"The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed,
which a man took, and sowed in his field: which indeed
is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is
the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that
the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches
thereof" Matt 13:31-32.

There is much that the Lord can and will do, even though we may feel that we have little of His Word within us. As insignificant as His Word within us may appear to be, the Lord will mature us if we will patiently cultivate the "little" that we have, and then wait upon Him.

The birds represent those who are spiritually needy. As the presence and anointing of the Lord increasingly develops within and rests upon us, those who are spiritually hungry will come and lodge in the security of our "branches"(spiritual experience) for the available shelter and aid they receive. The quality of our spiritual experience will attract others.

"Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of
heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the
wheat, and went his way" Matt 13:24-25.

We must not only be receptive, but we must have careful discernment to know those whom we allow to walk through our "garden" (life experience) while it is being tilled and fertilized. The quality of the harvest can be secured as we diligently protect it from "weeds," yet give the Holy Spirit adequate access and time to cast in more seed. We fertilize the soil by setting apart time for a rich exposure to the Word, and by fellowshipping with the Lord and with those who truly know Him and have experienced His ways.

This is the day of preparation. It is the time in which we receive the "seed" that will find its full fruition and outworking in the Kingdom age. All this is dependent upon our responses in the present hour. Those who have an eye and ear for spiritual understanding will pay the price, whatever the cost may be. And with the Apostle Paul, they will say,

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this
one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind,
and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I
press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus" Phil 3:13-14.

Truly, "the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" Rom 14:17.