{"id":29384,"title":"Environment is Everything - the BELIEVE Blog","description":"I was leading worship in our church last Sunday with one of my younger sisters. A song that she had picked out was about growth and spoke prophetically about how each of us are gardens that the Lord is working on.\n\nAs I sat down for the teaching, the Holy Spirit brought to my mind the words, \u201cLet the earth bring forth its fruit\u2026\u201d","content":"

\"vzleuua7a9ky2rqdm6vv88kago6tz2ockhdcthh1op9jjx7m.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=auto\"\u201cThen God said, \u2018Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth\u2019; and it was so.\u201d Genesis 1:11<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>

The cotton we use in our t-shirts and hoodies is not easy to produce. Like with most plants, it\u2019s all about the environment. For good quality cotton, the preparation of the soil is the most crucial step<\/strong> and this has taught me something truly valuable, if a little obvious.<\/p>

I was leading worship in our church last Sunday with one of my younger sisters. A song that she had picked out was about growth and spoke prophetically about how <\/span>each of us are gardens<\/span><\/strong> that the Lord is working on.<\/span><\/p>

As I sat down for the teaching, the Holy Spirit brought to my mind the words, <\/span>\u201cLet the earth bring forth its fruit\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>

In this moment, I saw the vision of a seed being planted deep in soil. <\/span>The seed did nothing but rest and await its transformation<\/span><\/strong> in the care of the soil. It was the soil that was doing all the work, bringing out the fruit and new life within the seed.<\/span><\/p>

It was like God was saying, <\/span>\u201cEnvironment is everything. Without the envelopment of the life-giving soil, that seed would never see the potential that I put in it.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>

Each and everyone one of us are seeds and <\/span>God\u2019s Word is the soil<\/span><\/strong>. The deeper we are \u201crooted and grounded\u201d in the love of God, the stronger our growth.<\/span><\/p>

Sure enough, Psalm 67:6 says, <\/span>\u201cThen shall the earth yield her increase\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>

Without the correct environment and nurturing, cotton seeds have no hope of ever sprouting. The earth is what <\/span>\u201cyields increase\u201d<\/span><\/em> and <\/span>\u201cbrings forth\u201d<\/span><\/em> fruit. <\/span>Cotton seeds can do nothing to cultivate themselves<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>

Jesus used some powerful parables using the widely understood principles of agriculture to demonstrate principles of growth within the Kingdom. We are all familiar with the story of the sower in Matthew 13 and how <\/span>different environments determined the growth<\/span><\/strong> of seeds.<\/span><\/p>

Jesus also said in John 15:5 that we are simply branches that protrude from Him, the vine. He concludes with, <\/span>\u201c...he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>

We can do nothing!<\/span><\/p>

The only way that fruit will begin to grow and ripen in your life is when you <\/span>stop trying to produce it yourself<\/span><\/strong>. You must let the earth do the work. <\/span>Just be a seed<\/span><\/strong> planted deep in the Word of God.<\/span><\/p>

So, where are you right now? What environment are you putting yourself in? God is so desperate to begin bringing out <\/span>the potential He put in you<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>

Jacob Shepherd<\/span><\/p>

CEO & Co-Founder | Revival<\/span><\/p>

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Follow us on instagram - <\/span>https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/revivalforeveryone\/<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>","urlTitle":"environment-is-everything-the-believe-blog","url":"\/blog\/environment-is-everything-the-believe-blog\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/environment-is-everything-the-believe-blog\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/revivalforeveryone.com\/blog\/environment-is-everything-the-believe-blog\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1688470944,"updatedAt":1688595594,"publishedAt":1688595594,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":233745,"name":"Revival"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/37g0cmshnkqinkr19xdxe2fmju7hoqslo4onlsu29qybntpn.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/37g0cmshnkqinkr19xdxe2fmju7hoqslo4onlsu29qybntpn.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/37g0cmshnkqinkr19xdxe2fmju7hoqslo4onlsu29qybntpn.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"","metaDescription":"","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":22316,"title":"I Lift My Eyes - The BELIEVE Blog","url":"\/blog\/i-lift-my-eyes\/","urlTitle":"i-lift-my-eyes","division":233745,"description":"There was a time when my oldest son was very young, Jed worked long hours in the city and I was far from my own family. And, though I had support around me, I often felt alone. I was striving to be who I thought others wanted me to be and always feeling that I fell short of that mark.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/k1gvcc4hiejdybzkjauuoc6aj003k1pfamkzkuvbv01ikk2l.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855&z=1.9&fx=0.5174039877714&fy=0.26315789473684","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/k1gvcc4hiejdybzkjauuoc6aj003k1pfamkzkuvbv01ikk2l.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440&z=1.9&fx=0.5174039877714&fy=0.26315789473684"},"hidden":0},{"id":39075,"title":"The Way He Sees Us - The BELIEVE Blog","url":"\/blog\/the-way-he-sees-us-the-believe-blog\/","urlTitle":"the-way-he-sees-us-the-believe-blog","division":233745,"description":"I was 20 years old, just married and enjoying my last day on the southern coast of Turkey. My honeymoon was ending and real life was just around the corner.\n\nI had a pretty decent headache (Turkish coffee and a lot of sun) while heading back to the harbour on a yacht with my wife so at her suggestion I lay down for a little while with my hat over my eyes. Though sleep would have been welcome, I found my mind becoming overwhelmed by what I was going home to.\n\nBut that\u2019s when He came...","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/6tv3jungive18emjuowlg1zvxrojvmtrx8iosedca0j3csbc.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/6tv3jungive18emjuowlg1zvxrojvmtrx8iosedca0j3csbc.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":48848,"title":"Not Peace, but a Sword! - The BELIEVE Blog","url":"\/blog\/not-peace-but-a-sword-the-believe-blog\/","urlTitle":"not-peace-but-a-sword-the-believe-blog","division":233745,"description":"\u201cBut wait,\u201d I find myself saying, \u201cDidn\u2019t Jesus come to bring peace?\u201d\n\nWell, yes and no.\n\nThe question to ask is, \u201cWho did Jesus enable peace between?\u201d\n\nThe death and resurrection of Christ gives us the too-good-to-be-true option of being restored with God the Father. The wrath of God was poured out onto Jesus, His only Son, as He became sin itself.\n\nWith the wrath of God now forever fulfilled, whoever accepted this beyond profound sacrifice would be atoned for. And whoever was atoned would have peace with God.\n\nSo, in other words, Jesus never came to bring peace...","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/8gqwln1wj6pmacaejibij4eue5bli5wakqokjsax4z2lqumr.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/8gqwln1wj6pmacaejibij4eue5bli5wakqokjsax4z2lqumr.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}