Post by Woody Williams on Jul 13, 2008 7:23:46 GMT -5
Text for the Day -- Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
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That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake.
Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat
there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them
many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and
ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not
have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth
of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they
had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and
the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and
brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let
anyone with ears listen!’
‘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 is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the
path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears
the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has
no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or
persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately
falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who
hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth
choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on
good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who
indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another
sixty, and in another thirty.’
Devotional
----------
We all have to be aware of the soil in our lives upon which the Word
of God falls. This parable speaks not only to the certain kinds of
persons, but to certain conditions in each of us. The hard path of
cynicism and skepticism will not allow the seed to germinate, but
will reject it. The Word that is received only into our emotions will
not find itself rooted in faith but feelings that can be easily
influenced by external circumstances. The seed of the Word that is
sown in our desires or passions for this world will find itself
choked out. The soil that receives the seed of the Word in a furrow
prepared for growth will produce fruit of the Kingdom of God. Do not
listen casually to God's Word. It will fall on bad soil in your
life. Prepare a deep furrow.
Prayer
-----------
Lord, help me know what I need to do to be prepared to hear your
Word. Amen
----------
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake.
Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat
there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them
many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and
ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not
have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth
of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they
had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and
the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and
brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let
anyone with ears listen!’
‘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 is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the
path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears
the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has
no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or
persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately
falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who
hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth
choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on
good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who
indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another
sixty, and in another thirty.’
Devotional
----------
We all have to be aware of the soil in our lives upon which the Word
of God falls. This parable speaks not only to the certain kinds of
persons, but to certain conditions in each of us. The hard path of
cynicism and skepticism will not allow the seed to germinate, but
will reject it. The Word that is received only into our emotions will
not find itself rooted in faith but feelings that can be easily
influenced by external circumstances. The seed of the Word that is
sown in our desires or passions for this world will find itself
choked out. The soil that receives the seed of the Word in a furrow
prepared for growth will produce fruit of the Kingdom of God. Do not
listen casually to God's Word. It will fall on bad soil in your
life. Prepare a deep furrow.
Prayer
-----------
Lord, help me know what I need to do to be prepared to hear your
Word. Amen