Summer
2004
Behold, a Sower
Wade E Taylor
“Behold a sower went forth to sow.” Matthew 13:3
The sower is God. He desires to “sow” into the
“potential” that He sees within each of our lives.
If we will take the “totality” of our life, and
lift it up to the Lord, and ask Him to bring us into the full
potential that He sees to be within us, He will sow the necessary
“seed” deep within our spirit.
This “seed” is the circumstances, which the Lord
will arrange and then guide us into, which will so affect
our lives, that we will be “made ready” to become
what He would have us to be, and to accomplish His purposes.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
to good works, which God has before ordained that we should
walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
“And have made us to our God kings and priests: and
we shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:10
This “seed” is all those things that are necessary
to bring this “potential” into its full fruition.
Paul saw this, and desired to enter into the fullness of all
that the Lord intended for him.
“Not as though I had already attained, either were
already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend
that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren,
I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing
I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching
forth to those things which are before.” Philippians
3:12-13
The Lord will invest (seed) in the potential (talent) that
He sees in us, to bring forth His highest and His best. This
seed is the “word” of the Kingdom being worked
into our lives. It is “preparation” that relates
to the Kingdom - our being prepared for our place in the Kingdom.
“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14
Each of us has our responsibilities in life, but there must
be times in which we separate ourselves from all these things
and come apart to “wait” in the presence of the
Lord. It is during these times that the “seed”
which the Lord has sown deep within us will begin to work
up into our consciousness, and give fresh direction and purpose
to our lives. Now we will be able to “apprehend that
for which we have been apprehended.”
It is during this “set apart time” that we cultivate
the presence of the Lord. When we spend time with the Lord,
we should not allow others to enter this time. This is sacred
ground.
“But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and
when you have shut your door, pray to your Father which is
in secret; and your Father which sees in secret shall reward
you openly.” Matthew 6:6
We are to prepare “good soil” (a spiritual atmosphere),
so that which the Lord sows into our lives can come to its
full maturity.
There are four things that affect the quality of the soil
- the “atmosphere” in which the Lord can work
His purposes within our lives, and in which we can come apart
to meet with the Lord and become what He would have us be.
“But other fell into good ground, and brought forth
fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.”
Matthew 13:8
1. “Good ground.” This is soil that has been
carefully made ready to receive good seed. This is the result
of a fully committed life, with quality time being spent in
the presence of the Lord. Good ground speaks of a sensitivity
to the voice and presence of the Lord.
“And when He sowed, some seeds fell by the way side,
and the fowls came and devoured them up.” Matthew 13:4
2. “Wayside.” This is soil that has become a
“pathway” to walk on. It becomes hardened and
cannot receive the good seed, which the Father desires to
sow. The “wayside” means that we are not in the
“center” of His will. It is the result of a life
that has not been fully committed to the Lord, with time set
apart for Him alone.
“Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much
earth: and immediately they sprung up, because they had no
deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched;
and because they had no root, they withered away.” Matthew13:5-6
3. “Stones.” These are weights, which hold us
from ascending up into His presence. These stones are “things”
that need to be removed, if we are to become spiritually sensitive
to His voice and presence. “Stones” are legitimate
things, but they will hinder our ability to come into the
presence of the Lord. If we are wise, we will get rid of them,
as they are the result of an attempt to maintain both a “spiritual”
and a “carnal” life style at the same time. Neither
will succeed.
“And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung
up, and choked them.” Matthew 13:7
4. “Thorns.” These are “relationships”
that are not in divine order. Roses are beautiful to look
at, but never hug a rose bush. They have sharp thorns and
will draw blood. Some people are like rose bushes. They look
good from a distance, but when you get close, their “sharp”
attitudes and opinions will damage your spirit.
If we will come to the hundred fold, in which all that is
less than His best has been dealt with, the “soil”
of our spirit will be able to receive the seed of the Kingdom,
and in “that-day,” we will hear the Lord say to
us,
“His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful
servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will
make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of
your lord.” Matthew 25:23
At this present time, the Lord is preparing a people for
His end-time purposes. He is actively looking for “good
ground” into which to sow the word of the Kingdom. If
we are wise, we will do our part so that the “soil”
of our spirit will have become so attractive to the Lord that
He will hasten to sow the seed of His Kingdom into our life
experience.