Sow and Reap

30 Bible Lessons and Bible Journaling Ideas with Freebies!

If you have ever gardened you know the pleasure the flowers or vegetables bring as a result of labor.  Hours spent in the physical garden have a therapeutic effect on both the body and soul. The hours spent planting, potting, weeding, raking, watering, fertilizing, and harvesting pays off in many ways. Flower gardens with many colors, smells, sounds, and textures bring delight and pleasure to the senses. Vegetable gardens can feed us. In the same way, your time in these lessons will pay off in many ways, bearing the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, and self-control.

In these 30 lessons, we will examine several metaphors, analogies, and parables of sowing and reaping. As we study, we are planting God's word in our hearts. (The seed is the word of God and the ground is our hearts, Mark 4:14–15).  God created us to bring forth fruit when his word is planted in them. Just as a seed has to remain in the ground over time to germinate, so the word of God has to abide in us. There is a germination process that takes time. It heals the broken spirit.

Prayer

Join me in praying for all those taking this class:

Help us, Lord, to grow closer to you, that we would bring forth the sweet fruit of your Spirit. We want to renew our hearts and have your Spirit guide and lead us in all ways. Give us wisdom as we study your word. Help us make time with you a priority in our day. Fill us with your Spirit and the fruits to overflowing so that we exhibit those fruits to those around us. Help us remain in you, that the seed of your word may grow in each of us. Father, help us develop your character: compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. Give us the insight you want us to have and remind us of any repentance we need to make. Do not let anything stand in the way of us growing closer to you; amen.