Keep On

Mark 4:3-9 NRSV

“Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” And he said, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” 

Verses 13-29 Jesus explains this parable. The thing is that while at one time we were seeds, we are now sowers. We sow the gospel message through our actions, by our love. We can’t determine who will get it. Even then the fields were so full of thorns and rocks that the yield was small, still they showed.    

Satan will snatch some, the gospel will not take root with some, some will hang around those who choke them out, still there will be those who grow strong and flourish. 

We don’t know who, but we keep sowing. We sow because we know what God has done for us. That is our testimony. enough for now.

Listen

Ez.19-20 NRSV

“I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them; I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, so that they may follow my statutes and keep my ordinances and obey them. Then they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”

As I was reading this I noticed the clocks on my tablet and my phone and I heard an old O’Jays’ song, “Listen to the clock on the wall.” Now, this has nothing to do with that song. But time is moving, winding down, ending. Seasons are passing. 

This passage is God’s promise to Israel. It is our promise - we return to God by releasing any and all idols from our heart. These are those that have turned our hearts cold- to stone. He gives us a new spirit. 

Now - yes we are saved by his grace, but there are places in our heart that we must release. 

Unforgiveness turns to bitterness and becomes our own idol- we hold on to it like it’s a precious gem. That bitterness affects us is so many ways- mentally, physically- spiritually. Stone. 

Lack of trusting God affects us is so many ways as we think we have a better plan than he does for our lives. The crazy part is he gave us our life and he knows what he has for us. It usually does not move the way we think, but it always a more excellent way. Stone. 

Since that is the only two he gave me, let us give them to God - let us release them and be healed. enough for now.

Get Understanding

Mark 4:21-25 NRSV

“He said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand? For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.”

Things are not always as they seem. These wisdom sayings help us to understand the parables. At times, even the disciples misunderstood Jesus. While it is there - it must be revealed. It is revealed when we seek him. The more we seek wisdom in understanding Jesus and the kingdom, the more we receive. Those who have no interest in understanding will find the selves further away from him. So, get understanding. enough for now.

Believe

Mark 11:23-24 NRSV

“Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

This. Let this permeate your mind and your spirit. This. We believe that God has us in any and all things. And when we pray -we pray believing.