This morning, we continue our series on “The Parables of Jesus.” We will seek to glean “Pearls from the Parables.”
Before we get to the parable, let’s look at a scripture we have been looking at all year. This is something I believe the Lord wants us to meditate on.
(Psalm 126:4 TPT)
Now, Lord, do it again! Restore us to our former glory! May streams of your refreshing flow over us until our dry hearts are drenched again.
This is a season of refreshing and restoring for us.
Last week, I introduced you to “The Mother of All Parables.” Let’s get back to it today. Jesus said:
(Mark 4:13-20 ERV)
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.
We have been looking at the rocky ground.
Jesus identifies three issues with these types of people:
(1) They do not allow the Word of God to go deep into their lives.
(2) They keep it only for a short time.
(3) As soon as trouble or persecution comes (because of the Word), they are quick to give up!
All of this happens after, as Jesus said, “they quickly and gladly accept it.” Today I will talk about what you should do after you accept the Word of God.
So what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. Jesus said the people who are likened to the rocky ground hear the Word of God and 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 received what God said, and they did so 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,” and because they did not act on it, the Word did not produce a harvest (life-changing results). Don’t make this mistake.
2. Receiving the Word with gladness on Sunday or during the Today’s Word broadcast every morning is good, but that’s just the beginning. High-fiving your neighbor, taking good notes while your Pastor is preaching, and leaving the church with a smile on your face BECAUSE of the Word is all good, but what happens after you leave the church is more important. Or, in the case of Today’s Word, it is what happens after you leave this screen that matters.
When the Word is embedded in your heart, it is up to you to determine how you will act on it. The vast potential of God’s Word will inevitably draw opposition. If you do not allow that Word to take root in your life, you may become discouraged when faced with adversity or persecution (as a direct result of the Word you have received).
3. Receiving the Word of God, when you hear it, as something that got you “fired up” is great. But if you don’t embrace the Word of God as a life-changing force, it will not transform your life. So you have to go past just receiving it (initially) with gladness. You must seek to apply it with consistency. That’s how the Word will produce change IN YOU and fruit FROM YOU!
4. Develop a consistent practice of meditation and reflection on the Word. To avoid being like the rocky ground, make a deliberate effort to allow the Word to go deep into your life. Meditate on it day and night, allowing it to shape your thoughts, beliefs, and actions.
5. Resist the urge to give up when faced with opposition. Understand that trouble and persecution may arise because of the Word you have received. Instead of being discouraged or overwhelmed, stand firm and unyielding. Keep your focus on the Word and refuse to be moved by external circumstances. Live by the UNSEEN and not by the SEEN (2 Cor 4:18).
6. Maintaining a strong connection with the Holy Spirit is vital for those of us who are dedicated to a life of faith. By engaging in prayer and meditation, we can discern the divine impulses of the Holy Spirit. As a result, we will be equipped and empowered to overcome challenges and endure. The Holy Spirit gives us the supernatural strength and divine guidance necessary to remain steadfast in our commitment to the Word. Let us all pursue a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit, allowing His power and presence to manifest fully in our lives.
7. I keep bringing up how important it is to surround ourselves with people of like-precious-faith. When you surround yourself with like-minded believers, you receive strength in numbers. Divine fellowship provides you with a venue for accountability and support. You need both on this faith journey because there will be moments when you “don’t feel like it” and when you want to give up. You need someone around you who will encourage you and remind you of what God said!.
8. Declaring the Word of God is important. As you do this, and your spirit hears the Word of God from your own voice, coming back into your ears and getting down into your heart, you are affirming the Word over yourself! This is super-important because no one’s voice matters in your life more than your own.
You should speak the promises of God over yourself and your circumstances. Let your words align with the Word you have received, and stand on the authority and power of God’s promises. This is why I wrote the affirmations books that I did. If you don’t have those, here is the link to get them:
150 Bible Affirmations For Women: https://bit.ly/affirmationsforwomen
150 Bible Affirmations For Men: https://bit.ly/affirmationsformen
9. You activate the Word through obedience. It is not enough to simply receive and meditate on the Word; it must be put into action. Faith is an action word. Act upon the truths and principles you have learned, aligning your choices and behavior with the Word of God. By obeying the Word, you position yourself to experience its full life-changing power.
10. Seek divine understanding and revelation. Pray for God to open your spiritual eyes and ears to fully comprehend the depth and richness of His Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth, illuminating the Word (flooding your eyes with divine light) and enabling you to grasp its hidden treasures. There are levels of revelation in the Word, and when you get insight from the Holy Spirit that is beyond the surface level, it will impact you in ways it never did before.
11. Meditate on God’s faithfulness and the unchanging nature of His Word. Even amid challenges and uncertainties, anchor your faith in the reliability and constancy of God’s promises. The world is constantly changing, but you can remind yourself that God’s Word is truth; it never changes and will never fail. He is the only constant in this ever-changing world, so you can place your confidence in Him and in His ability to bring His Word to pass in your life.
12. What to do so you DON’T become the rocky ground Jesus described:
a) Receive the Word with gladness. It’s okay to be happy about the Word you just received.
b) Allow the Word to go deep into your life. 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 the 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 the opposition comes.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, this is a season of refreshing and restoring for me! I boldly declare:
The Word of God has the power to transform my life. I receive it with gladness, but that is just the beginning. I then intentionally apply the Word daily, even in the face of opposition and persecution.
The Word of God shapes my thoughts, words, beliefs, and actions, producing transformational change IN ME and fruit FROM ME!
I meditate and medicate on God’s Word day and night. It penetrates deep into my heart, aligning my mind with God’s truth and activating its power within me.
I refuse to be moved by external circumstances or opposition. I will keep my focus on the Word and stand firm, relying on the supernatural strength and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
I declare the Word of God over me, my family, and every area of my life. My own voice affirms the promises of God in my heart!
I activate the Word through obedience. I align my choices and behavior with God’s truth.
Living this way, I know GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
