Today we continue our series entitled, “Expecting the Word to Work!” This is part 30.
We have been studying the parable of the sower for a while now. Within this study we have looked at the first two types of soil and we are looking at the third: thorny weeds. Let’s get back to it this morning. Jesus said:
“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.” (Mark 4:18,19)
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. I spent time teaching on the cares of this world and the love of money, and how those things can choke-out the Word from working in your life. Today we shift to the third type of weed. When Jesus said, “everything else they want”, He was talking about people who hear the Word, but their internal lust for other things keeps them from receiving God’s desires and His best.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- The Word will work if you work the Word. But if you develop a lust for everything BUT God’s desires, the lust in your heart will choke out the Word and keep it from working in your life.
- God will never force you to accomplish His will. He will MAKE YOU be blessed. His blessing has already been stored up for you and He is trying to get you to walk in it. But if you stubbornly continue to walk down the path of selfish desires, He will stand by and allow you to reap the harvest of your decisions.
- You are not a puppet and God is no grand puppet-master. God is not pulling your strings. He has stored up your blessing. He has prepared for your success. But it is connected to your purpose. The only way to experience what God has for you is by dying to the person you became on your own. You can either die to self and live the life God planned for you (which is a great life), of you can continue to pursue life on your own terms. God will allow whatever you decide. You can choose Him or choose self. Either way, the choice is yours!
- If you choose God over self, His will over yours, and His desires of the selfish ones you came up with on your own, you will live an amazing life. I am a witness. Choose God, you will not be disappointed.
Closing Confession:
Father, this is a season of expectation for me. My expectation is tied to Your Word and my purpose. There was a time in my life when I pursued other things, when I was the captain of my own ship and I charted my own course. Those days are over. I want You! I give You first place in my life. You are my #1 priority. I pursue Your purpose. I want to become the man/woman You called me to be. I die to sin, self and selfishness. I die to selfish pursuits. I die to me, so You can live through me. And as I do, Your Word works in my life. You produce change IN me and fruit FROM me. Living this way, You get to use me to leave a mark in this world that will not easily be erased! I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
