“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven”
(Ecclesiastes 3:1, NLT)
Faithfulness brings fruitfulness!
God has assigned to us… Plowing seasons, Planting seasons, Watering seasons and Harvest seasons. When we are in the plowing seasons ‘The Holy Spirit’ brings light on life issues that we need to deal with.
We have just acquired a small lot in NC with sandy soil. It has been farm land for many years. We want to now turn it into a beautiful grassy yard with little flowers, trees and shrubs to beautify a building. It is laden with sand spurs ready to grow with a peak of the sun. I have been told by my brother, an experienced farmer, that it is plowing season and I need to get my land plowed to be ready for planting. And, he advises me to be ready very shortly to plant with a certain type of grass and then water in order to assure me of a harvest of grass and not sand spurs.
I know I do not want those sand spurs. They hurt badly when they get you. And, get you they will if you walk through or in them. And, if you don’t get rid of them with proper care you will have many, many, many of them.
It is the same way in our life cycle if we want a good harvest we need to abide by the farmers almanac from God’s Word and move forward. God has promised in due season we will reap a harvest.
As I process our little plot of land with proper care, help and advise, I ask myself some life cycle questions while walking through sand spurs. Do I want to rid them from my life? If so, plow them up, plant another seed and water generously with the Word of God. And Harvest from the good seed will surely come.
Are you feeling the prick of sand spurs? Have you ever felt them? Let’s be good farmers and help one another through seasons of life.
My Faith says, “Faithfulness brings fruitfulness!” Are we farmers?
thedailylily.com 
I don’t like sand spurs. I remember when I was a little girl I would take my shoes off and run freely through the grass. I would sometimes step on a sand spur which would stick in my bear feet and stop me in my tracks. I would stop running because of the pain. I would pick the spurs out of my feet and hop over to my shoes and put them back on. Even as a little girl, I remember not liking those sand spurs. I wanted to run without shoes but those spurs always made me put them on. Sometimes the pain of life situations can stop us in our tracks and alter our path of running free. We must understand, that this pain is for a season and relly on the Lord and His Holy Word to get us through the sand spurs of life. If we allow Him, He will be like the shoes protecting our feet from the spurs. So, as an adult, when I feel the painful sand spurs of life that stop me in my tract, I run put on the armor of God to protect my weak body. Everything has a season….FAITHFULNESS BRINGS FRUITFULNESS….
I’ve certainly felt the prick of sand spurs physically and emotionally. They are very hard to get rid of and even when you try to detach them from your socks or shoes they hurt your hands or in emotions they hurt your heart. Digging and getting to the root of emotional sand spurs is time consuming involving numerous people who wise as to how to expose/shed light on the attachment that brings the pain of the spur. In my life the big umbrella of fear (which is not of the Lord) brought forth a harvest of prickles – fear to confront, causing addiction to buying and sometimes food. Most people think of addictions of alcohol or drugs, but surely the devil has a whole host of delectable treats to entice you to destruct at anytime to keep you from doing what God called you to do with your life for HIM. Looking at the sand spur without doing anything about it like Sara says does nothing but bring on more and more spurs. It seems to take a whole community of wise Christian people and a lot of persistent steps to rid yourself of the spurs. The result will be a field that is faithful/focused and fruitful to God. A field of flowers and not spurs.
Hey, CF and Rena love your expression of those pesky painful spurs. I read your comments on returning home from going with a relative to a Dermatologist. They had a laser treatment on their face, elective. Now they thought it was going to be quick, easy and pain free. And, it was in part. But, when they came out they had two big ice packs and saying it was burning and painful. They were holding the ice packs and saying omgosh, omg, this is painful. As we approached the elevator I saw a lady smiling, she said, “be patient, it should only be ten more minutes. ” She worked in the office but they had failed to tell the patient while in office it would pain for a short period of time. Interesting, after hearing 10 more minutes it started the relief. I thought, only a season and the great harvest will come.
Winter is only a season and spring will come!
Once you are moving forward and have your good grass growing you then have to have maintenance and prevention so the sand spurs don’t return. I recall Sara telling me that if you have a nice grassy lawn growing with no sand spurs, they can still fly in on the wind from a neighboring field that has them and sprout in your yard. If you have a protective boundary of trees or solid fence this can stop the reinfestation.
I think maintaining boundaries of the company we keep, the thoughts we think, the conversations we listen to, the words we speak, etc. will help keep the lawn weed free.
In a time of famine, the Word of God says, ” Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the LORD blessed him.” Genesis 26:12 NLT And, take a guess on what happened next, ““The Philistines hated Isaac.”
OK, friends, when you get blessed don’t look round but look upward! Keep aiming and keep going! When we act on a spiritual principle and receive the Spirits blessings remain spiritual. Don’t look or turn back. Many times it seems we get a little relief and we run back. Maybe we like the pain and not the gain!
I’d like to share the footnotes, from my Bible for verse 1-8, in Ecclesiastes 3. Read with me, “Solomon’s point in this section is that God has a plan for all people. Thus, he provides cycles of life, each with its work for us to do. Although we may face many problems that seem to contradict God’s plan, these should not be barriers to believing in him, but rather opportunities to discover that, without God, life’s problems have no lasting solutions! Timing is important. All the experiences listed in these verses are appropriate at certain times. The secret to peace with God is to discover, accept, and appreciate God’s perfect timing. The danger is to doubt or resent God’s timing. This can lead to despair, rebellion, or moving ahead without his advice.”
Those last few words in Needles comment above will warm the house. Maybe I should have said warm the blood!!!!!
Being a northern girl, I never knew much about sand spurs except that when I moved south I found out that they are not only “NOT VERY PRETTY”, not like wild violets or daisies that might grow wild in the fields, but they HURT,too!! Even the thorn of the rose is at least worth a little pain because of the glory of the bloom. But a sand spur??
In Sara’s Book, DESIGNS OF ONE’S HEART (c) she teaches about the season of Winter. I like to refer to it as, “the winter of our discontent”
” Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this son of York;
And all the clouds that low’r’d upon our house
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.”___Wm. Shakespeare in RICHARD III
Sara teaches that the seasons of one’s spiritual walk is likened to the global seasons and each season delivers its message and measuring from the Lord concerning our spiritual walk. I believe that sometimes we go through a seasonal repeat when we miss the lesson of the SEASON. Sara writes that WINTER TELLS US; it INSTRUCTS US as to our spiritual positioning, the reflection of our hearts revealing true motives; also Winter season is the time of pressure. The Olive Press, the oil press. Jesus went through that Olive Press in the Garden, the Olive Garden. This is the season we share in the afflictions of our Savior, the sacrificial offering up of our SELVES AGAIN!! maybe on a higher level but nonetheless more and more giving up of self and selfishness when we observe in the reflecting pool of the Water of the Word our hearts and just what motives lie within them.
The seasons, like the cycles Needles wrote about, come and go but Winter’s promise as Shakespeare wrote is glorious summer. Albert Camus a French author wrote, “In the midst of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.”
And finally, in keeping with the “pain only lasts for a little time” Sara writes in her book on the winter season….”Winter is about to end. Why, I hardly even knew when it began . And I’m Seeing the end.” Amen!
And “seeing the end” of Winter heralds the ‘invincible summer’ that Camus speaks of and the ‘glorious summer’ that Shakespeare writes of and the Summer that maintains us, sustains us and preserves us that Sara teaches in the Summer season in her book DESIGNS OF ONE’S HEART. It is the FRUITFULNESS that comes forth from our remaining in FAITHFULNESS through the Winter of our discontent. It has brought forth the ” peaceable fruits of righteousness.”
This statement in Needles footnotes, “The secret to peace with God is to discover, accept, and appreciate God’s perfect timing” reminds me of an expression my mother used to say. She would comment about persons (including her daughter) that put on summer clothes when it was still the middle of winter…”Aren’t you trying to rush the season?”. That was always a reality check to get my emotions and wishes back under control and dress and live for the season.
Thanks MG for putting winter in its perspective.
“A time to give birth and a time to die;” My beautiful faithful Christian cousin, Becky, died yesterday. She was dressing in the am for a scheduled Dr.’s appt. Her daughter came to take her for her appt. But, Becky had another appt.
Becky truly was a lady of integrity, love and compassion. She covered the spectrum of Proverbs 31. She had an appointment with God. She truly will be missed by her church, family and friends. Love you, Beck!
Debi, you Mother sure gave you some good advice. Live in the moment and enjoy your season. She sure had lots of wise sayings to generously give you and others.
May the Lord embrace Becky’s family and those who loved her with His comfort and love at this time and with a joy in knowing that she lived such a Godly life.
Our hearts go out to Becky’s family, her lovely sisters and her children. You are right, Sara. The verses of Gwen Shaw’s song ring clear as I think about Becky and the circumstances that seem to apply so succinctly:
“You have an appointment with God
He’s here to meet you, my friend.
THIS IS THE MOMENT THAT YOU’VE WAITED FOR
You have an appointment with God.”
Truly, to dwell in the house of the Lord. That’s the appointment that Becky had kept and now God will keep her, forevermore.
May the peace that passes all understanding mount garrison over the hearts of her children and her siblings….in Jesus’ Name.
Thanks to all of you.
“Faithfulness brings fruitfulness.”
Faithfulness brings fruitfulness. By our fruits they shall know us. Sara wrote above about, “in the time of famine Isaac planted his crops” To sow in famine is a great act of faith(fulness).
The Lord God is a wise Farmer. In Isaiah 28: 24-29, the Lord shows His skill in farming, and instructs us, knowing the land and how to plant the different seed. He tells how to level the ground and CAST seeds of dill and fennel but to SCATTER cumin and put the wheat in rows, the barley in a certain area and place spelt along the borders. He goes on to tell how to thresh and harvest, etc. and I am in awe of these instructions and in the end Isaiah says, “This comes from the Lord of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom AND EFFECTUAL AT WORKING”…(which should warm Sara’s heart about the WORKING part)
“He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126:6 AND
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
From these instructions I understand that there is a way to PLANT, (seed, the Word of God, Kingdom, Jesus) in every situation. These procedures, like the planting of physical seeds, may vary from soul to soul. Not so much the soul who is witnessing or planting the seed, but more as to the one receiving the ministry of the Word. Not every situation is the same. We must approach
each individual within whom we wish to instruct, disciple, witness to, speak to with the wisdom that GOD shows when HE plants seed. We can only know this by the leading of the Holy Spirit. Each one may be different.
In Joshua 7, the Isrealites acted UNFAITHFULLY and they were defeated at AI because they thought they could conquer the same old way they had done before. The fruit of their unfaithfulness was sore defeat. Only faithfulness bring the fruitfulness and the planting of the Lord must be followed closely to reap a godly and goodly harvest.
In order to be faithful to their land and crops, farmers have to be dedicated and steadfast and stay diligent to see things through to production. That’s not easy but the Lord promises reward.
“It is the hard-working farmer [who labors to produce] who must be the first partaker of the fruits.” 2 Tim 2:6
Interesting to me how farmer is one of life ‘s vocations used to pattern all parts of life after. Wonder how many of us own that pattern ?
The reaping of a good harvest DOES FIRST bless the “farmer” who plants in the PROPER season “for in DUE season he will reap”. I think of the Scripture that says, “Do not muzzle the ox while he is treading out the corn.” Does God care only for oxen? NO, He uses that as an example to show us His great generosity, compassion and mercy. Even while the laborer “labors” he is to partake of the fruit of his labors.
If we are good farmers, dedicated and steadfast as Debi describes above, we will have more than enough for our sustenance (spiritual and temporal) and we will be good fruit to those who labor in this world in spiritual famine without Jesus Christ.
Maybe I am a lousy farmer? Oh, I think the word is lazy!!! That farmer might be way of out touch.
The True farmer is a spiritual teacher of men (and women). The True farmer shepherds well and guards vigilantly the sheep the Lord has put into his/her fold. The True farmer plants the Word wherever she goes and speaks truth at her own risk of rejection. The True farmer sows hope when there is a famine of encouragement; sows joy where there is gloom and discouragement; sows faith by speaking the word of Truth so that the hearers might HEAR and receive and bear fruit from the constancy of the Word given over and over. The True farmer sows in expectancy that the Lord is faithful in that His word will not return void but return a harvest of souls, or even one soul saved from the fires of hell, and brought into the Kingdom of Light. A True farmer will see the rewards of her labor and she will come rejoicing bringing in the sheaves.
I don’t think you are out of touch for you sound like that TRUE FARMER I described above. Farmer, Laborer, worker, YES!! Lazy you are NOT!!
I think it’s so amazing how some seed can lay dormant in the dark soil for so long…even years…until one day the soil is plowed or disturbed and that seed springs to life because of light. I can relate this to what MG is saying about the True farmer. It seems that a True farmer is also someone, who through wisdom, is able to bring light to something that may have laid buried in the dark of our hearts. Maybe it is anger or a wrong or hurtful motive that that we don’t yet see because it hasn’t been exposed to the Light of the truth of God’s word. But when light hits it, it grows and we see it for what it is and can overcome it with God’s help and provison.
A weed not removed is a fruit to bear!
And the fruit of weeds and thorns and tares are to be gathered up and tied in bundles and Burned with unquenchable fire.
When you think of fruit in that light and then think on “Faithfulness brings fruitfulness!”, it makes you realize that whatever you water, feed, and spend time tending to and growing is what you get in return. Matt 12:33 tells us what we make will produce good or bad fruit.
I pray God will comfort Becky’s family. I did not know your cousin, Sara, but praise God….it sounds as if she has made it to her heavenly home.
“A weed not removed is a fruit to bear!”
Debi, can you elaborate on how weeds take over, in a garden or flower bed, when they aren’t removed properly?
Sara, I am agreeing with Needles’ prayer to comfort Becky’s family.
Needles, a good example of how weeds take over is this statement from Sara’s blog above, “And, he advises me to be ready very shortly to plant with a certain type of grass and then water in order to assure me of a harvest of grass and not sand spurs.” She mentioned that sand spurs are ready to grow with a ‘peak of the sun.’ Now my understanding, like her brother says, is that a healthy, dense stand of grass grows up and shades those weed seeds so no sun can get through. No sun, no growth and the weeds can’t take over…the healthy, strong grass wins the battle. This is being pro-active with the weeds rather than having to come back after they are growing and try to kill them with chemicals.
Thanks, Debi, point made.
Thanks for the prayers for Becky’s family. Truly, a season of life!
That means: that which you reap will be what you have sown. If we sow to the flesh then we will receive a temporal and corrupt harvest. But who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Sara taught, one Sunday, in 3 simple words ; “It’s your choice.” I see every day, really every moment, that I always have a choice. Some choices may be simple…Chocolate or vanilla? Some choices may be harder than others. Should I humble myself? Should I keep my mouth still even tho I want to desperately say something? Shall I ignore a put-down knowing that the Lord God will take care of everything justly? Or do I resist the prompting of the Holy Spirit and blow it and let off steam and put my foot in my mouth, thus committing just as big a gaffe as the person who makes a jibe? No one is pushing me. God is not hitting me on the head saying that I must do this or that and dictating my life. He purely presents His Word to me. And I get to choose.
We must see the difference between eternal life in the presence of a glorious and gracious Bridegroom and the low-life existence of feeding fleshly desires which never are satiated and lead to addictions…more, more, more!
Freedom of choice can definitely provide opportunity for us to pave out a road to travel on. One road may be bumpy, twisting and difficult but lead to Life…the other may be as smooth and wide as an airport runway but take us ultimately to a crash landing.
I like the way the Message puts it: So, since we’re out from under the old tyranny, does that mean we can live any old way we want? Since we’re free in the freedom of God, can we do anything that comes to mind? Hardly. You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it’s your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you’ve let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you’ve started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom!” (Romans 6:15-18) “But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.” (Romans 6:22-23)