Vian Baptist Church

2 Peter 3:17-18 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, be —- ing led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. Way back when, I thought that all that was needed to grow something was soil and water. Well, that is quite all that is needed and it isn’t all that easy to get things to grow. When I finally hooked up with people like my  brother-in-law, I found out several things I needed to do even before I put the seeds in the soil.

The seeds needed to be prepared for planting. Some of the old timers use lye water for about an hour to soak the seeds before they plant them. I have never tried it because I have never had any lye to use, but they swear it is wonderful in getting the hardened seed cover to loosen up so it will sprout.

Then there is the soil itself. I bought 16 tons of “top soil” two years ago. I’m not sure where he got it, but first rain made that stuff set up like concrete. Instaead of the rich dark soil I had invisioned, he delievered yellow clay. That stuff is ridiculous to try to get anything to grow in it. And if you do, it does not the nutrients it needs to grow and plant and get it to blossom.

Then you need to have the soil a certain temperature for the seed to germinate. The seeds like 68 degrees uo to 86 degrees to germinate correctly. I bought a grow lamp. I found out the hard way that grow lamps do not produce heat.

Then I discovered “Vitagrow” to mix with my water. Too strong and you get all stems and no flowers.

Now my question became who often do you water these thiings and every package of fertilizer gives you different directions.

Then there is the matter of how much sunlight for each plant. Some like to grow in the shade. Some like direct sunlight. Some wither quickly when they lack water even for a little while. Some thrive in drought-like conditions. Arrrrg!

I have finally hit on my personal solution. I am taking my seeds over to Mark, my brother-in-law and letting him start them for me!

Trying to grow in grace is just as complicated. Some people read their Bible almost constantly yet they never seem to grow more spiritual. Some are very active in the church, yet they still aren’t that spiritually minded. Well, all the same principles apply to growing in grace as it does to planting seeds.

God must prepare the seeds. God uses several methods but they are based in Jesus Christ. 2Peter 1:3 “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:” God initiates the seed to prepare it for the soil.

We all know the soil is important. Jesus taught a parable that covered it quite well. Luke 8:1115 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

These are the three states of our soul. Rocky soil grows little except wicked little plants that like rocks, like cactus. Thorny soil are choked out. I love to plant but I hate to weed. Many of my plants are chocked to death by weeds. Then we have good ground, some with more nutrients than and they produce more.

I am pretty sure that God prepares the seed and man needs to prepare his heart to receive it. IChronicles 22:19 “Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God;” Many places in scripture it talks of God preparing the heart to listen to His Word in the Old Testament. We of the New Testament have the indwelling Spirit of God, but the Bible still talks about us “quenching the Spirit” I Thessalonians 5:19 or “grieving the Spirit” Ephesians 4:30.

To grow like we should, we need to believe that the Bible is God’s Holy Word completely and does not need to be corrected, especially by so called scholars. We need to prepare our heart and mind to receive the seed of God’s Word and expect it to change our life.

Paul writes: Colossians 1:5-6 “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:” The whole purpose is not just to grow, but to produce fruit. The sharing of the gospel is a sure sign of spiritual growth and brings forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

What Peter said is what I wish for you… But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.