I am one of those people who thoroughly enjoys gardening. Because of that, my heart has a special place for the spring planting season. I love to watch the miracle of a seed turning into a plant and then producing its fruit. It is interesting how much of a difference the quality of soil makes. Good seed in good soil will produce a great harvest, but good seed in bad soil will grow very little or sometimes nothing at all.

So what makes soil suitable for growing a crop? To answer this question, we must first understand that good soil is not an accident; it requires effort. First, good soil is plowed or cultivated because it softens the ground and brings the rocks to the surface so that they can be removed. Also, good soil needs to be well-watered and fertilized to have all that it needs to grow and produce fruit.

Jesus, when speaking about the miracle of seedtime and harvest, said that its principal was so important that if you didn’t understand it, you would not understand any parable and, therefore, not understand the kingdom of God. Jesus, when speaking of the parable of the sower, sowing the seed, said, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? Mark 4:13 In other words, understanding the principle of seedtime and harvest is necessary to understand how the kingdom of God works. In order to obtain the benefits the kingdom of God offers, we must apply the principle of sowing seed in good soil and then reaping the harvest.

In the kingdom of God, the Word of God is both the seed, water, and the fertilizer necessary for growth, and the soil is our heart. God uses the difficult things in life to plow or cultivate the soil of our hearts to break down the hard places of self-trust, pride, bitterness, resentment, and the like. When our hearts have been thoroughly prepared, they become receptive to the Word of God and able to produce its fruit. Pay close attention to how Jesus describes the different soils of a person’s heart.

Matthew 13:18-23 “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 his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the Word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the Word, he quickly falls away. 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the Word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the Word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.”

Many times, people don’t realize that the Word of God is God himself.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word; the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Through the Apostle Peter, the Bible teaches us that teaches that the word of God is seed for he says, “For you have been born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible seed through the living and enduring Word of God.” 1 Peter 1:23

Within the seed of a tree are the DNA and genetic codes for not only a tree but for a continent or even a world filled with trees. Like a natural seed, the Word of God is the DNA and genetic codes of God. Just as the seed of a tree is not a tree in all of its fullness, yet is the fullness of the tree, so, the Word of God is not God in all of his fullness (for that would consume all of eternity, space, and time) yet is the fullness of God.

The Word of God is extremely powerful – within the revelation of its truths is the power to produce God himself in you. Wow! This is truly profound and amazing! Since the word of God is gone, you can be sure that the Word of God is looking for good soil right now! Are you ready for God to prepare your heart for greatness? God is counting on you, and you can be sure…

Your Soil Matters