Today’s Encouragement is Matthew 13:23 NLT The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
Good soil –
My friends, this wonderful parable of the Sower describes the widespread scattering of the seed of the word of God, the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world. And we, those who believe, who truly hear and understand… are the ‘good soil’ of this parable! And we, who ‘hear and understand’… we shall, will, inevitably, produce a harvest! Not just any harvest… (the ESV study Bible footnote says a 5-15x harvest is normal!) but an abnormally large harvest!
What is the harvest? It must be souls… only the soul of man has eternal value. No riches, honor, nor fame has lasting value in the kingdom of heaven(v11).
This is not saying, that we must produce such a harvest to be worthy of the kingdom, nor by our own efforts and striving will we produce a large harvest… Jesus simply says… good soil will produce… a bountiful harvest. It is the ‘natural’ result of God’s supernatural work! Good seed (the word of God) planted in good soil (believers who hear and understand) results in a good harvest.
Is it possible, my brothers and sisters, that God is using your life to produce a bountiful harvest of 30, 60, or 100 times…
Examine the parable again. Of the four types of soil, only the good soil ‘hears and understands’ the Good News… the salvation by faith in Jesus… and that is you and me!
God, we thank You for the wonderful promises of Your Word. Though we may not see it, help us to know that You are working within us to grow Your Kingdom… that we each have value and usefulness to You! And you are working through us, in all things for Good!
All things
Covenant Worship
Today’s Encouragement 