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)
We have been dealing with the thorny ground for days. These are people who receive the Word of God, but their lives become “full of other things”. These “other things” wind up choking-out the Word. Yesterday I shared a message entitled, “Declutter your heart and mind”, and it struck a chord with lots of people. I think we can all acknowledge the fact that we are too busy and if we are not careful, we can allow our hearts and minds to be “full of other things”, and as Jesus taught, this is NOT the optimal environment for the Word of God to grow. With that in mind, today’s message will flow in the same vein.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- Give yourself the license to release your “to do” list and every nagging thought from your mind. It’s okay. Learn to enjoy a Sabbath rest.
- People acknowledge how important it is to declutter their home or workspace, but many of those same people fail to even consider the benefits of decluttering their hearts and minds.
- You must establish a time when you can rest in the presence of the Lord without emails, text messages or “to do” lists on your mind.
- People today are so busy that they even feel guilty (as if they are doing something wrong), when they clear their schedule and take time meditate and rest. You were not designed to work without rest. Rest is spiritual. Many acknowledge the need for physical rest, but it is even more important to rest your heart and mind in the presence of the Lord.
- It’s okay to slow down long enough to spend time with God. I know it sounds awkward, but many people today have to be told that it is OKAY to give yourself the approval to rest. And not just one day a week. You must find time EVERY DAY, even if it is only for a few minutes, to REST in the presence of the Lord.
- When you slow down and rest in God’s presence, you are giving Him a chance to speak to you, you are giving yourself a chance to listen, and you are giving the Word space to work. If you don’t slow down, if you don’t enter into God’s rest, if you don’t declutter your heart and mind, your life will continue to be so “full of other things” that the Word will not work for you.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I bring my life into focus in 2016 by slowing down long enough to hear from You. I enjoy a weekly Sabbath rest and I also make time daily to rest in Your presence. I don’t want my life to be “full of other things”. I want my life to be full of You. So I make time to spend time with You. I give myself license to release myself from email, text messages and my “to do” list, long enough to sit, rest, meditate and listen in Your presence. As I do, I declare that You speak, I hear, and I receive the insight, wisdom, knowledge, revelation and understanding I need to become the person You sent me to this planet to be. So as I enter this day, I also enter into Your rest. I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
