In a vision, I saw a number of people in their living rooms and kitchens. As I watched, they went outside and some of them went and inspected gardens in their back yards while others went out and checked large fields near their homes. The gardens were tilled, and the fields were all plowed and waiting, but they were barren — nothing was growing in them. When the people came back inside, I noticed that the ones who had large fields also had large sacks of seeds in their homes, while the ones with the gardens had small seed packets. Again and again they went back out and checked for growth always checking their seed as they returned. In all, the people went out to inspect their fields or gardens seven different times, each time making certain to check on their seed when the returned home. They were diligent in keeping watch over their fields, but nothing was happening. There was no sign of life.

Suddenly I heard the people talking to each other saying, “Are your crops coming in? Is your garden producing anything?” Yet their was still nothing growing in any of their fields or gardens. Then I heard the Lord say clearly and emphatically “The seed must be planted!”

No matter how good the soil or how great the seed it must be planted if we want it to reproduce. Jesus told us that “…unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain” (John 12:24). If we hold onto the seed we have it will never produce anything, but if we will plant it there will be a harvest. God is calling us to be like Jonathan Chapman — spiritual Johnny Appleseeds. As Jonathon Chapman journeyed across America, he planted apple seeds everywhere he went. Years later, many fruitful orchards were scattered across this country because he was willing to plant seeds wherever he journeyed. That is what God would have us do; be sowers. In Luke 8:5 Jesus said, "A sower went out to sow his seed," and Jesus is saying the same thing to us today, "Go out and sow the seed I have given you."

Every believer has been given good seed — the good seed of the Word of God and the good seed of the testimony of what God has done for us, and we need to plant this seed in the earth — into the lives of those around us. Some of you have great seed indeed. Your lives are filled with it, and the Lord is saying it needs to be planted. It needs to get worked into the soil of this world. Some of us have been given so much from God, as far as knowing His Word or possessing testimonies of His faithfulness, we literally have spiritual storehouses full of the good seed of the kingdom of God. But seed left in the storehouse eventually rots and becomes useless. Seed is not meant to be stored. It is meant to be planted and reproduce.

Like spiritual Johnny Appleseeds, every believer needs to plant the good news of Jesus everywhere they go. This doesn't mean you have to stand on a soapbox and proclaim that “The end is near!” Remember, seeds are small things; easily overlooked. Planting seed is declaring the truth of the Bible when others are bent to the ways of the world. Planting seed is when you uphold godly principles not because you are such a wonderful person, but because that is the way God told us to live our lives. Every testimony of God answering prayer or changing your character more like Christ's is a seed planted in the soil of this earth. The seed is good, and the soil is more fruitful than we realize. So, let us plant the good seed God has given us into the soil of this world and leave the rest in His hands. He will use it to produce a harvest. It is time to plant your seed!