I am not much of a farmer, though years ago my wife and I had a small farm with a pretty large garden. One thing I do know is that farming is work. You have to constantly attend to the garden if you want to produce anything worth eating. I remember coming home from a long day at work, I was in construction at the time, and having to weed that garden. I didn't like it very much and struggled keeping the weeds out that robbed my vegetables of important nutrients and most of my joy as a farmer.
I see the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:18-23 as being so apropo to what is happening in the lives of many believers today. First of all "words of the Kingdom" are not easily understood with the carnal mind. The carnal mind is the wayside. Pretty hard to grow anything on the wayside. These are people who don't even want to take the time to get into the field! They say, "I'll stay right here." Guess what, nothing grows there! It is not rocket science.
The others mentioned in this parable other than of course the one who receives it or accepts the Word, are those who lack the discipline to move to fertile soil, discern that Satan is stealing their seed, or are not determined enough to beat the weeds! I am totally amazed at the decisions that mature believers (at least I thought they were mature), make and then wonder why they are struggling so. They have little or not joy and not much to offer when it comes to spiritual insight. They have allowed the weeds to rob all the nutrients from their lives. They are a mere shadow of what they should be producing.
In all my years as a believer one thing I have learned and that is the power of persistent discipline to pursue God. There have been many ups and downs, disappointments, and heartache, but the only way to walk with God is to remain faithful in the midst of tribulation. It is that very tribulation that produces perseverance, and perseverance produces character, and character produces hope! This is the epitome of discipline!
Disciplined in reading the Word, prayer, intimacy, giving and yes, church attendance! It is a simple formula for success and yet many fall short in many of these categories.
My friend don't quit, give in, or slack off! Remain faithful because your discipline will produce!
"Nothing will work, unless you do."
John Wooden
Now is not the time to give in to your flesh. The prize is before us. Stay Focused! Your destiny is at stake!
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