Mark 4:14-20, “The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
This parable, taught by Jesus to His twelve disciples, had spiritual meaning and represents four different ways people respond to the truths of God and act on them or not. It shows the conditions of our hearts at any given time. It also shows the importance of believing in Jesus’ words and using them immediately to hear what He is saying to one in making decisions and having an attitude based on the roots of one’s faith. One needs to pray for the Holy Spirit to open our minds and hearts to be ready to receive His truth and act on it. This parable speaks to those who are hard-hearted, those with shallow hearts, crowded hearts, and those who have decided to hear the Word and succeed in understanding or gaining insight and have it change one’s heart condition to the soil in their spirit. That is where potential fruit can be produced miraculously.
How often don’t worries creep into our lives, and we become dismayed, discouraged, and distraught? It can stem from an overload of one kind or another in our daily schedules, which is so common. The disciples had worries and the same problems just as we do today. Jesus was teaching them that they must be like good soil at all times and in every area of their life. We are not to let problems keep us from applying what we heard God saying to us from the truths of God’s word to guide, teach, direct, counsel, and persevere. As James 1:22,25 states, “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.”
Hear Jesus’ words, meditate on them, believe them, accept them, and now act on them. What is He saying to you today?
Listen to Anne Wilson -Strong (Lyrics Video).