The seed of God’s Word
“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Luke 8:11
Many of you may know the parable of the Sower. It a story Jesus told to explain how God’s Word works and grows in our lives. He said it is like a seed planted in the ground and depending on the condition of the soil determined how the seed of His word grows. He taught about 4 different types of soil which actually represented the condition of the heart in which His Word was planted. He explained to the disciples that there was wayside ground in which the enemy was able to steal away the seed immediately. There was rocky ground that could not grow the root system to sustain the Word when temptation came. There was thorny ground that choked out the word because of cares and problems that inevitably come in life and the seed could not grow to maturity. Then there was good ground that the seed could grow up in to produce fruit.
Since I am familiar with this passage and have heard many sermons and teaching about it, my perception has always been that the grounds Jesus talked about were in 4 different hearts in people. However, after talking about my past pitfalls yesterday, I now believe that these 4 grounds can be in one person. It all depends on how you take care of your soil or the way you prepare your heart.
Because I grew up in the home of a pastor, God’s Word was put into my heart from the day I was born. I memorized scripture all the way through the years that I lived there. When I got out on my own, I didn’t spend time in God’s Word, and I didn’t think of it very often either. My heart had never been fully prepared to hold on to that word when temptations and troubles came, so I caved under pressure continuously. I mentioned yesterday how I did call out to God in prayer when I was in trouble, and I thought that was where His power came from. I thought prayer was the way to live successful in life, but even though I prayed, I did not find success.
I remember one day when I turned on the tv in the early morning hours and a Christian show was on. I wasn’t really looking for that, but I paused to hear what they were saying. They were talking about scriptures on healing and the goodness of God. I remember thinking to myself, I know those verses. My second thought was, why have I never believed what the scripture said. That’s when I realized that the ground of my heart had been prepared with what I had been taught over what God’s Word actually says. Oh, I was taught that the Word of God was true and inspired, breathed into men by the Holy Spirit, but then there seemed like there was excuses about scripture that no longer apply to today. That is why I had no roots growing. I knew God’s Words, I just didn’t know or believe that they were actually for me right now in this time. God’s Word is true and He never changes or goes against His Word. Immediately, the ground of my heart began to change and I started absorbing God’s Word. That’s when it began to grow inside of me.
Through the years of wayside, rocky and thorny ground, I could not get headed in the right direction. However, the moment I began to water the seeds of His word by reading, meditating and listen to more of that Word each day, then the seeds started to grow roots. That is when my life turned around and headed in God’s direction for good. Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing and hearing God’s Word. Not by praying and praying my problems to God. I knew enough to call out in trouble, but it wasn’t until I turned my attention to His Words that the ground of my heart changed.
Today I want to encourage you to dive deep into God’s Word. Prepare the soil of your heart by watering it with His Words of life. Reinforce those seeds by meditating on God’s Word day and night (Joshua 1:8). That is when you will see real power transform your circumstances. Hopefully, your heart’s ground is not as rocky and thorny as mine was, but you still need His Word to overcome when it really matters. Make time for putting God’s Words into your heart and life each day, then you will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water and whatever you do will prosper. (Psalms 1:2-3)
Today’s scripture reading: Luke 8:4-15
4 And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:
5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.
6 Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.
8 But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
9 Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?”
10 And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’
11 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.
14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.
The Daily Dose 