Good morning Lord Jesus, breath the breath of Your Spirit into my body and renew my spirit.
“He told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground where they did not have much soil. They sprang up quickly because the soil was not deep. But when the sun came up, they were scorched, and because they did not have sufficient root, they withered. Other seeds fell among the thorns, and they grew up and choked them. But other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. The one who has ears had better listen!” (Matthew 13:3-9)
As I read the parable of the Sower, I could discern on the different soil types like many sermons do, and reflect on what is the soil condition of my heart?
Am I that thorny person? Am I that Rocky or Shallow hearted person?
Am I the hard hearted person? Or am I the good soiled person?
When Jesus talks about this parable and our lives: I could also take the Pharasitical approach:
Well I thank God I am not like that hard hearted person over there. I may have a few briars, but I thank God I am not like the thorny persons over there. Or even worse, I thank God I have a perfect heart.
Well if I took a spiritual snap shot of your heart right now, a spiritual photo, I guess it could be true that at this current moment perhaps you heart is hardened on some point or another. Or at this moment in time you may have a rocky heart, or a thorny, choking heart now, or a good heart now.
But life is not a static snap shot is it, it is a moving picture. There are times in our lives that we can’t hear God’s word, sometime we won’t hear it. Sometimes we hear it, and we lose it. There are times that anxieties and fears choke it. Sometimes we receive it with Joy..
See, When I hear this parable and read the story about the seed that falls one the path and is eaten up, when I read it you I say, That’s me!
When I hear about the story of how the seed fell on rocky places and there was shallowness, and the first time, persecution or suffering comes they fell away: I say that’s me too!
When I hear the story about how one receives the Word and lets the worries of the world and materialism choke it away, I say: That’s me too!
And when I hear the story of the seed falling on the good soil and it produces fruit 30x, 60x, 100x, you I shout out praise God that’s me too!!!
It's a great reminder that today or any given day doesn't define me. I will have bad days and even bad weeks but with Christ sowing in my heart, I can overcome! For you see this parable has never been called the parable of the soils. It is a parable of the Sower. It is a parable about the Sower. God is sowing his seed into the world! His sowing was behind all the past saints, and behind the present and future saints which are you and me, sowing into the world. It is a parable of God's never ending, wild, persistent sowing! The point of the story is that God’s sowing is more consistent than the Devil’s snatching. God’s sowing is more powerful than the devil’s eating. God’s sowing is more enduring than the devil’s tribulation. God’s sowing is more persistent then the devil’s choking. The real good news of this parable is that God is the great extravagant sower in all the world.
My family, I pray we actually formed a church who’s heart breaks for the lost, and that was concerned that one marvelous day, when we stand together in the new earth among the millions before the lamb and worship him, that because of our extravagant sowing into their lives, our neighbors, classmates, co-workers, family members, and others in our communities are there as well, alongside us praising and proclaiming:
God’s sowing is more consistent than the Devil’s snatching!
His sowing is more powerful than the devil’s eating!
His sowing is more enduring than the devil’s tribulation!
His sowing is more persistent then the devil’s choking!
By, through and In Jesus’ name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
As we read through the New Testament, I can not post a reflection on an entire chapter, but what verses stood out to me. I would love for you to post what stood out to you or your thoughts/reflections from the days chapter reading with myself or others using the comment box below. Thank you!
Begin 2025 by resolving to partner with us!
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
We started January 1st the journey of reading through the New Testament in a year. This plan has only one chapter to read each weekday. There are no assigned readings on the weekend. The plan we will use is from Bibleplan.org. Click the button below to go to the site, enter the starting date January 1, 2025, enter your email, and a time you want to receive an email reminder, then click subscribe. Then you will receive an email confirmation to click on. Every weekday then you will receive an email reminder of the chapter reading for that day.
