NOTE: Before I get started, I would like to wish my beautiful and amazing wife, Isabella, the most wonderful birthday. If you know Isabella, please share your love with her today.
This morning we continue our series entitled, “Refined Focus”, by continuing to walk through the parable of the sower. 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)
Yesterday we starting looking at the thorny ground. This ground is full of thorny weeds. What are the weeds? Jesus explains. This ground is likened to people who, “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.” My question for you this morning is, “What is your life full of?”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- Jesus explained how the seed of the Word of God cannot produce a harvest in the lives of people who are like thorny ground. The Word has the potential to produce, but after the Word is sown in their hearts these people allow their lives to get “full of others things”. Don’t make this mistake. I know we are all busy, but don’t allow your life to be so “full of others things” that you don’t even give God’s Word a chance to work.
- When your life is full of the cares of this world, the love of money and your own selfish pursuits, you can go to church and hear the Word, but you are not giving the Word a chance to work.
- Jesus likens the Word of God to seed. He also likens the cares of this world, the love of money and selfish desires to weeds. He then explains how the weeds you allow to grow in your life can actually choke the seed of the Word and keep it from producing life-changing results.
- If you don’t give the Word of God your focus, you don’t give it a chance to produce a harvest in your life. You can literally choke-out the potential of the Word by allowing yourself to get consumed with other things.
- What is your life full of? If it is full of God’s Word and His love, then you will become the man/woman God called you to be. But if it is full of the cares of this world, the love of money and your own selfish desires, you will arrive at the end of your life some day and realize you have nothing but regret.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I bring my life into focus in 2016 by giving You priority over everything else in my life. I refuse to allow any weeds to choke-out the seed of your Word. I will not allow the cares of this world, the love of money or any selfish pursuits to hinder Your Word from working in me. I yield to You in every area of my life. I meditate and medicate Your Word day and night. I give You first place, period. Therefore, Your Word works IN me and You work WITH me and THROUGH me. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
