What's Growing in Your Garden?

I love this time of the year! Yards, flower and vegetable gardens are alive with color and vibrancy! I love working on planting, and mowing, and weeding; yes, all of the work is worth it! I love to see what new plants and flowers have grown up since last fall.

Sometimes I am amazed at new flowers or plants that I forgot that I planted. Funny thing is with gardens is that I have certain plants because I planted them, like roses. And, I don’t have certain plants, like orange trees because I didn’t plant them.

Some of you are thinking; “It took you how long to figure this out?” Actually the Apostle Paul communicated it before I did in his letter to the Galatians. Paul was talking about doing well to all people when he wrote in Galatians 6:7-8 “Do not be deceived; God is not mocked for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” (NKJV)

Why is it that we understand this spiritual principle in the natural with things like gardening, but can’t seem to apply it all areas of our lives? We plant tomatoes and yet we don’t even think of looking for potatoes to come up in place of the tomatoes. We diet and exercise and are usually not shocked when we lose weight and gain strength. We read the Bible, and we get filled with the wisdom of God’s Word.

Why is it that we think that we can plant ideas, thoughts, lusts, time, attention, etc. to our days and think that we will get something other than what we have sowed to or given our time to? Why are we always shocked when sin gives way to compromise and then grows a harvest of sinful behavior which eventually leads to death? Why do we think we can compromise in what we look at or spend time with and not think that it will affect our lives in any way?

James 1:15 says; “Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” (NKJV) My friends, we must pay more close attention to what we are sowing; what we are giving our time, thoughts, energy, attention to. Jesus isn’t going to be mocked; whatever we sow we will reap.

His plan is that we have fruit (that honors Him) fruit that remains: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” John 15:16 (NKJV) John 15:1-8 (New King James Version) 1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will[b] ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
Mocked: μυκτηρίζω [“muktērizo” pronounced:̄ mook'-tay-rid'-zo] (From a derivative of the base word that means snout, as that whence lowing proceeds from); to make mouths at, that is, ridicule: - mock.);