"18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God's word, 19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. 20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God's word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!" (Mark 4:18-20)
Jesus told the parable of the seeds, a parable about the different responses to the preaching of the gospel. There were four kinds of reactions. The first was no response (the hard ground). The second is those who immediately get excited about the gospel but fade away (the rocky ground). The other two are listed above.
How easy it is to allow the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things to keep us from bearing fruit. Life can become so all-consuming that we lose sight of the eternal nature of our lives. This is the challenge to "seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness." We must constantly work at making first things first, or life will be out of balance, or we might drift from the faith.
Look at your heart today. Who or what has captivated it? If it is something or someone other than the Lord, you are in grave danger. Keep the main thing, the main thing.
The Worries of Life 10.13.21
"18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God's word, 19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. 20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God's word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!" (Mark 4:18-20)
Jesus told the parable of the seeds, a parable about the different responses to the preaching of the gospel. There were four kinds of reactions. The first was no response (the hard ground). The second is those who immediately get excited about the gospel but fade away (the rocky ground). The other two are listed above.
How easy it is to allow the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things to keep us from bearing fruit. Life can become so all-consuming that we lose sight of the eternal nature of our lives. This is the challenge to "seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness." We must constantly work at making first things first, or life will be out of balance, or we might drift from the faith.
Look at your heart today. Who or what has captivated it? If it is something or someone other than the Lord, you are in grave danger. Keep the main thing, the main thing.