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.
We have been looking at “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.
For days, I have been focusing on the line “the worries of this life.” Other translations read “the cares of this world.” Please take a moment to picture the visual Jesus gives in this parable. The sower takes it upon himself to sow seed in the soil. Why? Because HE is looking for results. The same sower provides the same seed to four different types of soil, and he gets varying results based on the soil. In the case of the ground with thorny weeds, Jesus paints the picture of weeds actually growing alongside the good seed. The problem is that the weeds are fed more than the seed. So the strength of the weeds eventually overpowers the good seed and keeps it from producing a harvest. This is exactly what happens when you allow the cares of this world to choke-out the Word from producing in your life.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. God actively pursues you to sow His Word in your heart. Why? Because He is looking for a divine harvest in and from your life. However, when you focus more on the cares of this world, the love of money, and selfish desires, you end up feeding the weeds instead of the Word, and the Word fails to produce. Not because of God, but because of you!
2. By prioritizing the cares of this world, the love of money, and selfish desires, over the Word of God, you may inadvertently work against God’s plans for your life. Some do it on purpose, knowing that they are making their lives ALL ABOUT THEM. But others, who genuinely love God, don’t realize that they are feeding the wrong things in their heart. Whatever you feed will grow!
3. You have the power to choose where you direct your attention. Just as Jesus compared the cares of this world to weeds and His Word to seed, your focus can either feed the weeds or nurture the Word. If you give more attention to worldly cares, the weeds will overshadow your life.
4. Through consistent meditation and application of God’s Word, you align yourself with His purposes and allow Him to freely operate in your life.
5. Make a firm decision to immerse yourself in meditating and medicating on God’s Word. By doing so, you feed your faith and starve your doubts, allowing God’s Word to grow and produce a bountiful harvest in your life.
6. Your focus determines your reality. If you feed your mind with the worries of this world, you will experience a life overshadowed by fear and anxiety. But when you shift your focus to God’s Word and promises, you invite faith, peace, and supernatural breakthroughs.
7. Don’t allow the temporary cares of this world to overshadow the eternal promises of God. Whatever “big” problem you are dealing with right now will seem like a small one looking back. But when you give more attention to the passing concerns, you limit the impact of God’s Word in your life. Instead, choose to magnify His Word above all else and watch as it brings forth change and blessings.
8. Just as a farmer tends to his crops, you must tend to the garden of your heart and mind. Weed out negative thoughts, worries, and distractions, and diligently nurture the seed of God’s Word through meditation, confession, and application. This intentional cultivation leads to a life of abundance and victory.
9. The cares of this world may try to capture your attention, but you have the power to redirect your focus. When you have the discipline to get into God’s Word every day, pray without ceasing, and live with an attitude of worship, you feed the seed of God’s Word in your heart. As a result, it will become the dominant force behind your thoughts, words, and actions.
10. Remember that the cares of this world are temporal, while God’s Word is eternal and unchanging. Choose to invest your time and energy in what truly matters–feeding your faith, cultivating a mindset of victory, and nurturing a close relationship with your heavenly Father. In doing so, you position yourself to experience the abundant life He has prepared for you.
Whatever you feed will grow!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, this is a season of refreshing and restoring for me! I boldly declare:
I choose to nurture the seed of God’s Word in my heart and reject the weeds of worldly cares, the love of money, and selfish desires!
My focus determines my reality—so I give my attention to Your Word and promises, inviting faith, peace, and supernatural breakthroughs.
I prioritize Your Word above passing concerns, magnifying Your truth above everything else in my life.
I tend to the garden of my heart and mind, weeding out negativity and nurturing the seed of Your Word through meditation, confession, and application.
As I intentionally meditate and medicate on Your Word day and night, I redirect my focus from the cares of this world to what You have spoken over me. This helps feed my faith and starve my doubts.
Your Word is the foundation for my thoughts, words, and actions.
I experience the life You destined me to live as I place You, Your Word, and Your promises above the cares of this world, the love of money, and selfish desires!
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!
