Eh? Oh...

Eh? Oh...

by David Brenneman 

“Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.” Matthew 13:18-23.

This parable hasn't changed a bit since Jesus taught it the first time. 

Even in our world today people can have something explained to them and in as clear a way possible yet within seconds the explanation is lost.  

To learn something requires diligence in doing so. Many in our world today want microwave results...and even then it's not fast enough. Impatience rules the day. 

It takes diligence to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. 

It takes diligence to keep making sure that the whole armor of God stays in place. 

It takes diligence to pursue a life in Godliness in Christ Jesus. 

Decades ago there was a song with a line in it of looking for love in all the wrong places, looking for love in too many faces.  

Our world is seeking but refuses what the Creator God of everything is saying.  

Living for Jesus a life that is true. Striving to please Him in all that I do.  

These are lines from another song.

There's not anywhere near enough people seeking to really understand life and what's going on in the world. They just want their world to be just so.  

They don't want to hear that the Word of God is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 

They crave useless information and literally treat that useless information as the gospel. They're more enraged at people misspeaking a statistic than educating themselves and others on the truths found in the Word of God that are indeed necessary for daily living. 

The seeds of God's Word should be sprouting, growing, reaching new heights everyday. There should be evidence of growing in Christ.  

While I know a lot about a lot of things...it's a waste because none of it grows me in Christ like being in the Word of God.  

Substitutions. That's what Satan offers in our world. Substitute your time with Jesus with this or that. Substitute your prayer time for a game, for a book. If at all you find yourself remotely considering "if I do this, watch this, etc. it will be ok I'll still have a few minutes to pray before..." then you're in trouble. 

Does the Sovereign Lord and Savior Jesus Christ deserve a few leftover minutes out of your day, your week or your month?  

Are you gathering things that indeed choke out the Word of God and make you unfruitful to the work of God?

Are you at all thinking of ways to minimalise your time with Jesus because of work, or hobbies or even people?

“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it." Matthew 10:37-39.

"And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:37-39.

All that we grasp for in life will turn to ashes if it's not going to benefit us in growing in Christ. We may not see it immediately but eventually the luster is going to tarnish. Sadly, many won't understand how much they wasted their lives on until they stand before Jesus to give an account of their lives. The waste will go unnoticed until then.

Are you really planted deep?

Are you really self-deceived?

Are you at all really growing in Christ? Are His attributes evident in your life?  

Do you make it a point to remember Jesus in your life? Some people don't until the storms of life happen.  

Is time with Jesus something that you look forward to or is it something that you dread? 

Have you told Jesus lately that you love Him? If not, why not? 

Spring cleaning doesn't have to wait for Spring to get here. You can start right away at ridding your life of thinking and things that are interfering with your life in Christ. 

It likely is going to be painful for a long time. You might even try to stretch out the process by thinking you can make a quick buck off letting go. My Dear Reader...you're not going to find that that is Biblical. If something is a sin we're told to cast it away. Toss it. Get rid of it. In some cases, burn it, destroy it.  

How important is God’s Word to you? This will tell you where you are in that parable we read earlier. 

Everyone is in one of those places. 

Clear off everything and start a new with prayer. Meaningful prayer. Not the rough standard that never changes. Jesus doesn't want useless repetition. He died for you. Took your beatings. Took your stripes from being whipped in your place. Took your nails in His hands and feet. Doesn't He deserve more of you than what you toss Him?

Oh. So now is this making more sense? That maybe you're really not on the right track after all if Jesus isn't your most important part of your life? How you treat the Word of God and prayer says everything.

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.