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)
Jesus described three types of weeds in the thorny ground: the cares of this world, the love of money and everything else people want. We have already covered the first two. Yesterday we began looking at the third. The King James Versions calls it a “lust for other things”. As I prayed over what to share with you this morning, the Father led me to discuss the fear of losing out.
Many people, believers and non-believers alike, know what the Bible says about certain things. But they choose to either ignore or flat-out disobey God’s teachings, because they don’t want to “lose out” on whatever their heart is set on at the time. They place their desire above God’s instruction, because they fear that obeying God will be less desirable or less enjoyable than pursuing their own lusts. This is unquestionably a mistake.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. If you know what the Bible says about something, but then choose to disobey it in pursuit of a selfish desire, you are placing self over God, pride over purpose, and temporary over eternal; and you will have to reap the harvest of your shortsighted decision.
2. Walking with God often means you take the “long view” in life. Living a life pleasing before God may cause you to avoid shortcuts, to deny yourself of quick and ill-gotten gain, and to choose hard decisions that build character over easy ones that eat-away at it. But in the long run, living this way will produce a life that is fulfilling, rewarding, and life-producing both for you and for all those who come in contact with you.
3. You are never “losing out” when you choose God’s will over a selfish or worldly desire.
a) Anything you sincerely sacrifice for God (placing His will above your own), becomes a seed that will produce a Godly harvest.
b) Don’t ever think you are losing out when you are placing God first. God will never be in debt to you.
c) You cannot ever lose [anything] by choosing God and giving Him first place in your life.
d) God will see to it that every decision you make that aligns with His will winds up producing His results. And believe me, His results will always be much greater than yours.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I bring my life into focus in 2016. I place Your will above my own. I give You and Your Word first place in my life. I yield to Your Spirit. I die to self and selfish desires. I submit to You in all my ways. I will my will to choose Your ways above my own. I live a submitted life. Therefore, I declare, that You see to it that my life produces Your fruit. I prosper in all my ways, because my decisions are Your decisions, my will is Your will, and my life is in Your hands. I never lose out placing Your will above my own, because You see to it that I reap a harvest on every seed sown! I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
