64. A Walk With Jesus pt 10b

The Second Seed
"Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away." Mark 4:16-17

Life brings about many trials of its own, but when the trial comes, will we stand the test? Perhaps the stony ground reflects the nature of the mans heart, he hears the gospel message, he understands his sins are forgiven and he has peace with God, but it is all emotional and superficial at best, there are no roots and eventually when the emotions are gone and the high settles than the follower walks away. Often this analogy is applied to non believers, but i see the same truth come forth even in the life of true believers, even in myself. To receive God's word with joy only to return to my sinful state, i thank God that He is patient with me and gives me many more chances than i deserve.

The Third Seed
"Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful" Mark 4:18-19

The love of riches, the love of family, the love of self, any love for the things in this world will always compete for our love for Jesus. Our dear affections poured out on the things we desire in this life leave us less than fully committed to the Lord. We begin to want more of our will and less of Gods, we want to satisfy the cravings of our flesh instead of our Lord, when this happens we begin to live for self and self produces no fruit. It is only by abiding in and being one with the Lord that we are ever fruitful, all good deeds and charitable love comes from the Father, apart from Him we are fruitless. I wonder out loud, where do our passions lie?

The Fourth Seed
"Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown." Mark 4:20

The good soil represents the one whose hearing produces acceptance, whose acceptance produces obedience, and whose obedience produces fruit, more than that which was planted; fruit to be shared with all. Doers of the word and not hearers only, obedient to our Lord and master, motivated by love, because He first loved us. We are obedient to demonstrate our love for the father, it is an outward act of the internal gratitude and emotions that captivate our thoughts and stir our minds to react in humble obedience to the only One worthy of our devotion. God be praised, in our life, God be Praised!