Faith-bearing Seed for the Soul
"While the earth remaineth,
Seedtime and harvest
....shall not cease"

Genesis 8:22

Now I Understand!

In Jesus' parable concerning the "Sower and the Seed" (Matt. 13), the seed is the Word of God, He is the sower, and the different types of soil represent the condition of the heart of the hearer of the Word. Let's take a look at the seed that fell on the "wayside"...

Matt. 13:19 LB (emphasis in verses mine)

"The hard path where some of the seeds fell represents the heart of a person who hears the Good News about the Kingdom and doesn't understand it; then Satan comes and snatches away the seeds from his heart."

Often we associate this hard "surface" as that belonging to the unsaved, but I am convinced it can ALSO represent the hearts of believers. The wayside represents the person with a closed mind, a hardened heart towards various portions of the Word...or a "religious" person who hears the Word but refuses to understand it. To plant on this kind of surface is like trying to plant a garden on a hard, packed down, busily traveled path ... there is nothing to hold the seed and it cannot germinate or penetrate. The birds of the air quickly come and snatch the seed up. The birds represent the Devil. We have ears, but refuse to hear it, like Jesus said. WHY?

There was a time that my heart was hardened towards those "fanatical" Baptists who kept quoting scriptures to me that said I needed to be "born again." I didn't understand why I needed anything more than what I had been taught, and certainly, if it was good enough for my family, my Lutheran faith was sufficient for me. Then, the Holy Spirit "rained on my charade" and my heart softened...the next seeds sown took root, and I received Jesus BY FAITH into my life as my Lord and Savior.

PLEASE NOTE that the seed does not become fruitful because the hearer DOES NOT

UNDERSTAND it! The hearer is not accepting it by faith, but is leaning to his

OWN understanding.

Proverbs 3:5 (emphasis in verses mine)

TRUST in the Lord with ALL YOUR HEART and lean not on your own

understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.

Hebrews 11:6

Without faith it is impossible to please God.

And just what is faith?

Hebrews 11:1NIV

Now faith is being sure of what we HOPE for, certain of what we DO NOT SEE.

God's Word must be received by faith, not by religious doctrine or family tradition,

or we are going to lose out on a lot. Think about these things for a moment:

"Could it be possible that I have hardened my heart to some truth such as the gifts being for today...(healings..James 5; miracles, casting out of demons..Mark 16:17; the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues..Acts & I Cor)? Could the Devil be devouring seed that Jesus has tried to sow into my heart because my heart has become like the wayside ... hardened and not receptive because I don't understood it"

If this is the case, by faith...open up your heart and let the seed drop in.

Se'lah...pause and think about that!

Texas Seed Sower,

Marlene

Seed for Thought Devotionals are written as the Lord leads and are sent only if you request a subscription by e-mail.  

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"Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know

which will grow--perhaps it all will."

Eccl. 11:6

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