Word shared on 5th of Jan 2026. Fasting prayer .
Happy and Prosperous New Year Greeting to my beloved brothers
and sisters.
“Times and Seasons” is the theme for the year and we will look at Ecclesiastes
3:11 as a verse for reference.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time”
For those of you who know Neela and me, know that we are very fond of
plants. It is really fascinating to see new leaves shoot up, then flowers and
to see new fruits or vegetables grow till they are harvested.
Tamil Nadu and most parts of India are getting ready for the harvest
festival in about two weeks of time. For the harvest to happen, there was a
season of sowing that took place some months ago.
I will be sharing today about the season of sowing.
All of us want to grow in life both physically and spiritually. One of the
most critical spiritual seasons is the season of sowing. It is often quite
demanding and requires faith. We need to keep in mind that the season of sowing
always precedes the season of harvesting.
In the world around us today, we are talking about instant foods, delivery in 5 minutes, etc. But in the kingdom of God, there is no harvest that happens without a seed and without a seed being sown. Also there is no harvest that happens without a period of waiting.
There will be no increase without
investment and no breakthrough without obedience.
Let us open our Bible to the Gospel of Mark 4: 26–29
The Parable of the Growing Seed
1. GOD
WANTS YOU TO GROW
God expects us to grow both in our personal
lives and as a body of believers. In many of the parables taught by Jesus, He
constantly asks us to grow and not remain as babies.
Children grow, plants grow. The process of
physical growth requires material for it; it is already provided inside each of
us by the Master Creator. Therefore, we should urge each of you to ponder over
the question:
In 2025 where did my spiritual growth lead
me to?
Where should I be growing this year?
If we need to grow, then we need to sow the
seeds for growth.
2. Sowing
is a divine principle instituted by God
Genesis 8:22 – This is the promise by God to
Noah that there will be seasons of sowing and harvesting.
This sowing principle exists around us
In Nature around us.
In the relationships that we cultivate.
In our finances, our character and in out spiritual growth. We have to sow the seeds
to see growth.
You are constantly sowing seeds intentionally or even unintentionally
3. A seed will bring forth of its own kind
Genesis 1:11–12 – God at the time of creation
gave seed plants and trees the ability to produce seed of its own kind.
When you see a paddy field or an orchard full
of mango trees, you know someone planted and tended it . It did not just come
up on its own.
In Mark 4, 26-29 - the parable notice that it is said someone had to
scatter the seed for it to grow.
Question
yourself:
- What are the seeds you are planting?
- What seeds are you allowing others to plant into you?
Both of these are very important. Today we are
bombarded with a lot of data and we should be able to control the things we
see, the things we hear, for it is all influencing us and affecting every area
of our life.
The people we associate with, it is not only
your family, friends, co-workers; each of them are also planting their seeds
into your life.
In order to know the seeds planted, you should
check the fruits that are coming forth. Are they good or bad, beneficial to you
or others?
Make this a season of planting something good
in your life.
Every new habit that you start will yield
fruit in its time.
Every seed you plant into nurturing your
relationship with your spouse and children will yield its fruit.
Even a financial discipline that you start today will yield its fruit in 10–15 years
4. Sowing
requires faith & sacrifice
John 12:24
a) A seed has no power until it is planted.
I had some time ago bought some water Lilly seeds for my garden, but I could not enjoy their flowers why ??
Simply because I did not plant them. There
is no power in the seed unless it is buried and allowed to die to give way to
a new plant.
What do I need to do today to get to where I
want to be tomorrow?
- Physically
- Mentally
- Spiritually
Plant a tiny seed today — take the first step ,start a new habit. You are not going to see change overnight.
b) The time
of planting involves hard work & sacrifice.
A farmland does not produce a paddy field.
A farmer spends a lot of time into making the field ready for sowing. He starts by clearing the
land, tilling it, fertilizing it, and preparing it with the right kind of manure, and then only does he plant the seeds in the
soil.
Once the seed is planted, the farmer protects
it from pests and also removes the weeds.
Planting any kind of seed is an act of faith.
Sometimes a farmer faces situations of
drought, excessive rain, etc. But like the farmer, trusting God to protect his
crop, we should also protect the seed that is sown.
True sowing strengthens you.
It is in times like this that we are called to obey God even if the outcome is not visible.
5.You will always reap what you sow.
Galatians 6:7–8 reminds us: that we will reap according to what we sow. Whether it is sowing to the flesh or sowing to the Spirit.
What are the seeds you are planting today?
If you sow seeds of Obedience you will reap a Blessing.
If you sow seeds of Prayer you will reap a Spiritual strength.
If you sow seeds of Kindness you will reap a Favors.
BUT If you sow seeds of Compromise you will reap its Consequences.
Also remember that the harvest always produces more
than the planted seed. You should be careful about the seeds that you are
planting in your life.
6. Sowing is often hidden but never forgotten
In Mark 4 it says the farmer plants the seed
& no matter whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts.
The seed is planted into the earth and it is
underneath the soil for some time before you see a shoot appearing. The process
is quiet, unseen & uncelebrated. But it is in this time that the plant is
growing its roots deep under the surface:
- for searching for the right nutrients
- for getting its roots deep into the soil so that it can withstand
any storms that come its way
Your sowing season may be invisible to the
outside world, but it is definitely visible to God.
It is in this time that we should deepen our
relationship with God. Get our roots so strong that nothing can pull us down.
God is working in you deep beneath the
surface.
He never forgets a seed planted in faith,
obedience, or with sacrifice.
7 Finally, harvest comes in God’s appointed time.
Galatians 6:9 — Let us not grow weary while
doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
The harvest is promised to each of us if we
have planted a seed. It will grow, produce fruit & eventually harvest.
But like different plants, each seed has a
harvest time.
A rice plant can be harvested in a few months,
but a mango tree will produce its first fruit only after a couple of years.
We have planted seeds and we should wait with
perseverance.
While waiting we should not be pondering over
the losses of the past.
While waiting we should also be removing the weeds that sprout up from time to
time — the devil brings in his distractions which will take our focus away from
God.
Psalm 126:5–6 — Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. Those who go forth weeping, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing.
God is using the sowing season of your life
to:
- Develop your faith
- Bring in more discipline
- Build your trust in Him
Our obedience to God will bring forth a
plentiful harvest.
In this season remind yourself
•
God wants you to grow
•
Sowing is a divine principle
•
A seed will bring forth after its kind
•
Sowing Requires Faith and Sacrifice
•
You Always Reap What You Sow
•
Sowing Is Often Hidden, but Never Forgotten
•
Harvest Comes in God’s Appointed Time
Father
We pray and ask for your hand of guidance over the season that we are going through now. We pray and ask that you will enable us to remain steadfast holding on to your word and not be swayed by the devil. Give us wisdom, knowledge and more importantly your presence with us daily.
All this we ask in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen
