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The Parable of the Sower [Mark 4:1-19 (NIV)]
1Again Jesus began to teach by
the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he
got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the
people were along the shore at the water's edge.
2He taught them many things by
parables, and in his teaching said: 4As
he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the
birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell
on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up
quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But
when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered
because they had no root. 7Other seed
fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that
they did not bear grain. 8Still other
seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop,
multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times."
9Then Jesus said, "He who has
ears to hear, let him hear."
10When he was alone, the
Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables.
11He told them, "The secret of the
kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside
everything is said in parables 12so
that,
" 'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'"
13Then Jesus said to them,
"Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand
any parable? 14The farmer sows the
word. 15Some people are like seed
along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it,
Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
16Others, like seed sown on rocky
places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.
17But since they have no root, they
last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because
of the word, they quickly fall away. 18Still
others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;
19but the worries of this life, the
deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in
and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
20Others, 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."
Are you being
deceived by Satan & his followers who are using wealth to tempt you & lead
you away from God and his word? Are you being tempted Satan by your desires
for other things? Are you bogged down by worries for this life on earth that
is making you unfruitful in the eyes of God? Jesus has warned or alerted us in the
Parable of Sower (Mark 4:1-20) to be alerted to Satan who is always thinking
of ways to rob or steal the word from your heart. Satan can make use of our
fears and worries in life and harm us and choke us so that we do not bear
fruit. Satan can make use of our greed for money; deceitfulness of wealth
and our desires or wants for things in our life and lead us away from the
word of God and making us eventually unfruitful.
Don't let Satan succeed in
his schemes and temptations to lead you away from God. Stand firm, cool down,
take time off
and turn away from temptations. Persevere & don't despair in face of worries
of life, let not the Satan succeed in his dark deeds, pray & devote yourself
to the Lord, ask him to give you strength in adversity, wisdom in
managing the worries in life, trust in the Lord even though he may not
answer your fervent prayers now, you will prevail with God on your side.
Remember the Parable of Sower and make yourself bear fruit in the eyes of
God.
With thanks & guidance to God & Holy Spirit For Article -
SingaporeChristiansOnline.com
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