As the cold winds of winter begin to diminish and transition toward the warming days of spring, the thoughts of farmers and gardeners turn from survival to growth. They begin a mental checklist of the preparations needed for the upcoming growing season that will maximize their efforts for a better quality and greater quantity of crops than the year before. Do I have the best quality of seed? Have I done all I can to ready my soil for the best results? Will the rain be well-measured, or will there be floods or drought? The least of the grower’s concerns are, of course, the light. Experience has demonstrated that the sun will always shine. Finally, their hopes spring forward to a fruitful harvest, in the belief that all things will come together for the good of their families and possibly thousands of well-fed consumers.

So it is for the Kingdom of God. We are the farmers of salvation and the glory of God. We are the hands, feet, and tongues that carry the Gospel of Christ to the beloved creation of the Father who is man. The Apostle Paul explains the importance of this mandate of Christ through the Holy Spirit by proclaiming it as the fruit of our growth. “How beautiful are the feet of those that bring the good news.” (Rom 10:15) And the fruit of the good news is, as the passion translation of the Bible puts it, “Faith then is birthed in a heart that responds to God’s utterance of the Anointed One.” (Rom 10:17) The truth is the seed and is the “Good News about the Kingdom of God.” (Matt 13:19) It is the only incorruptible way to yields of fruit beyond imagination. The “overflow” that we as beloved, devoted farmers of the Kingdom seek, is only possible through the constant and consistent feeding, weeding, and nurturing of this glorious seed of faith, that our God, our King, and our Helper have called us to.

The soils of our faith are individually cultivated and nourished in harmony with the paths we choose and the purpose for which we were created. The goal of every harvest is a bountiful crop or fruit. But every harvest must begin with a well-prepared and tended soil. When the “soul-soil” is properly nurtured then we will begin to reflect and grow in the knowledge of God. “Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. Godliness leads to love for other Christians [brotherly love], and finally, you will grow to have genuine love for everyone.” (2Pet 1:6-7)

These characteristics however are virtually impossible to achieve without belief and the continuous strengthening of faith to pursue them.

Jesus describes four types of soil in Matt 13:23, but the “good soil is only found in the hearts of those that truly accept God’s message and produce a huge harvest”. A person’s “plantability” is dependent upon their reception, comprehension, and execution of the faith that we actively nurture. We are all called to a greater measure of purpose to the glory of God. Take your soul-soil into your hands and examine it closely. Is it well fed and watered by the living Word or is it beginning to dry out?

Have the rocks and weeds of the world’s distractions hindered the growth of your once fertile faith? If a farmer examines his field and finds such impediments, he would clear it, pick it, and feed it. Remove the rocks and weeds of social media and prioritize the nourishment of your faith with the “nitrogen” of God’s every word and the “oxygen” of the Holy Spirit. Breathe Him in and live Him out. There is no greater joy for the farmer than to look out upon the fields of his harvest to find an overflowing crop of abundance that is healthy, strong, and consistent.  

The farmer knows that the seed and soil alone will produce nothing without the partnership with nature. The rain and sun not only signal and awaken the germination of the seed’s growth, but they sustain it continuously through every stage and development until it is harvested. Without both components, a plant will dry up, wither, and turn to dust.

The Greek word for water is hydor. It is described as a necessity for life. It also indicates purity and cleansing. As Christians we utilize and demonstrate our acceptance of Christ’s divinity, sacrifice, and resurrection through the demonstration of water baptism as we are “washed and made new.” (Matt 3:11) John describes this water as the very divine power of God that flows directly from His throne. (Rev 22:1) Jesus further explains water as the Living Water poured out at Pentecost. (John 7:37) His prophecy is for us now, the place we are watered without interruption, having been planted by faith “like a tree by the waters” (Jer 17:8) into the Holy Spirit. The nourishing and refreshing Living Water that Jesus offers is immediate and powerful to the faithful believer. The growth it provides however is measured and proportional to the consistency of its application. If for example, the perfectly purified water, that is the Word and Spirit of God, only sits in buckets along the edges of your soul soil, like dusty Bibles on a shelf, it is worthless to you and will eventually evaporate, leaving you once again lost and feeling alone. Unless you pour the power of this divine water into the soil where your faith may soak it up, it will dry up and blow away into the whirling winds of the world's empty distractions. “For men’s hearts are just like the soils that drink up the showers that fall upon it. Some soil will yield crops with God’s blessings upon the field. But if the field only produces thorns and thistles a curse hangs over it and it will be burned.” (Heb 6:7-8)

The partnership and dependency of growth continue with the predestined need for Light. Phos, the Greek word for light is used both literally and figuratively. It can refer to the natural light that promotes a plant’s photosynthetic process or the visible light given off from an alternate source. Such as from a fire, the transfiguration of Jesus in Matt 17:2, or the sudden flash that surrounded Paul on the road to Damascus in Acts 9:3.

Phos can also be used to demonstrate the contrast between light and darkness (skotos), or good and evil, as in John 3:19-21, Rom 13:12, Eph 5:8-9, and 1 Pet 2:9. These examples describe Jesus as the “Light of the world,” (John 8:12) that came to overcome Satan that is the darkness of the world. Satan’s ultimate objective is to see us fall into useless dust by hindering in every way our growth in Christ. But if we are steadfast and fed by “trusting in the Lord with all our hearts,” (Prov 3:5) and lean into the partnership with the Light and Living Water, we will not only flourish, but we are guaranteed a victory that will see Satan’s every effort destroyed.

We will also shine and be strengthened from within that will feed the faith of others as a “light of the world, like a city on a mountain, glowing for all to see.” (Matt 12:33)

The darkness of the world cannot suppress the perfection of God’s growth for us if we choose it. The seed and soil, the water and light, all come together with the power of God’s love for us and our love for him to create the perfect environment. As Apostle Greg Bartram has taught, the term (EN) indicates to be in something so intimately that you are (in) union together. When we are truly by faith indwelt by the Holy Spirit and us in Him, “a perfect [EN] vironment is created for a seed’s growth.”

Jesus said, “The tree is defined by its fruit. A good tree produces good fruit. A bad tree will produce bad fruit.” (Matt 12:33) Though the fruits of the Spirit, (Gal 5:23) are nurtured and practiced, James explains in chapter 5 that we are like farmers that wait through the rains for the harvest to ripen. “And when your fruit is grown from righteousness it will persevere, for the righteous shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing.” (Gal 6:8) The pursuit of greater faith is paramount to our ability to impact the fields of the Kingdom of God. It is the fruits of your efforts that feed your faith and will manifest the glory of God upon your life. You have all you need for a life well lived, you need only to come to the knowledge of it. As you feed your body to provide the strength for your bodily needs, don’t forget the needs of your soul-soil. Feed your faith and starve your fears. Keep your eyes, ears, and efforts on the Lord and the practice of the righteousness you have been given. Resist Satan and the passions of the world which weaken and separate you from the source of true strength. It is only in Jesus we find the glorious growth of peace, power, and the presence of eternal joy and purpose.  

God Bless You in Jesus’ Name.

R. Parker