This morning we continue our series entitled, “Refined Focus”, by getting back to the parable of the sower. Let’s get back to it today. Jesus said:
“The farmer is like someone who plants God’s teaching in people. Sometimes the teaching falls on the path. That is like some people who hear the teaching of God. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the teaching that was planted in them.
Other people are like the seed planted on rocky ground. They hear the teaching, and they quickly and gladly accept it. But they don’t allow it to go deep into their lives. They keep it only a short time. As soon as trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching they accepted, they give up.
Others are like the seed planted among the thorny weeds. They hear the teaching, but their lives become full of other things: the worries of this life, the love of money, and everything else they want. This keeps the teaching from growing, and it does not produce a crop in their lives.
And others are like the seed planted on the good ground. They hear the teaching and accept it. Then they grow and produce a good crop—sometimes 30 times more, sometimes 60 times more, and sometimes 100 times more.” (Mark 4:13-20 ERV)
Before I took my break we were focused on the rocky ground. This will be our focus this morning. This soil represents people who, as Jesus said, “They Hear the teaching, and they quickly and gladly accept it. But they don’t allow it to go deep into their lives. They keep it only a short time. As soon as trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching they accepted, they give up.” Today I will key-in on the words, “They Hear the teaching, and they quickly and gladly accept it.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Jesus said the people who are likened to rocky ground not only hear the Word of God, but they quickly and gladly accept it. The issue is not whether or not they rejected the Word. On the surface they did the right thing. They accepted what God said and they accepted it with a smile on their face. However, that’s all they did. Because they failed to allow the Word of God to “go deep into their lives”, it did not produce a harvest (life-changing results). Don’t make this mistake.
2. Receiving the Word with gladness on Sunday is good, but it is just the beginning. High-fiving your neighbor, taking good notes while your Pastor is preaching, and leaving church with a smile on your face BECAUSE of the Word is all good, but what happens after you leave church is more important. Once you have the Word in your heart, you have to decide what you are going to do with it. The potential of the Word of God will attract opposition and if you don’t allow that Word to go deep into your life, you will quickly give up when trouble and persecution comes BECAUSE of the Word you received.
3. What to do so you DON’T become the rocky ground Jesus described:
a) Receive the Word with gladness. Appreciate what God is saying to you through your Pastor or while you read the Bible. Get excited about what God said. This is the first step, but even the “rocky ground” believers do this.
b) Allow the Word to go deep into your life. Jesus highlighted this as the mistake “rocky ground” believers make. After receiving the Word, you must meditate and medicate on it. Nurse-it and rehearse-it. If it was good to you when God said it, it will be good to you as you repeat it over and over in your mind.
c) Don’t get moved by opposition. Jesus taught that trouble and persecution will come BECAUSE of the Word of God. The Word itself will actually attract opposition from the enemy. So don’t be surprised when opposition comes. Don’t’ get frustrated if things get more challenging before you experience breakthrough. Focus on the Word. Meditate what God said. Don’t allow yourself to be moved. Don’t allow what you see to change what you said. And no matter what, don’t give up! Jesus said the “rocky ground” believers give up when trouble and persecution comes. Don’t let that be you! You stand strong on what God said. When opposition comes, you keep standing. When it feels like you can’t go any further, lift up your eyes to God, tap into the power of the Holy Spirit, and keep standing – with supernatural strength!
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I bring my life into focus in 2016 by giving careful attention to Your Word. I meditate and medicate on Your Word day and night. I know the purpose and potential You placed IN me, along with the purpose and potential found in Your Word, will attract trouble and persecution. That’s okay. I shall not be moved. I shall not be shaken. I shall not be swayed. I keep my heart and my mind fixed and focused on You. I allow Your word to get deep into my life and it produces Godly change. Even if the devil cranks up the heat on me, even if he intensifies the pressure, I refuse to quit. I am focused and I will remain that way all the days of my life! No devil, demon or demonic influence can derail me from my destiny! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
