Devotional
Are You Prepared For The Seed of the Word?
In Mark 4 you will find the parable of the sower and the seed. It is most likely the most important parable in the Bible. Jesus said, “Know ye not this parable? How then will ye know all parables? Verses 26-29 tell us that the kingdom of God is as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth (heart) bringeth forth fruit of herself (automatically); first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
The entire kingdom of God operates on the law of seedtime and harvest. In the first part of the chapter, Jesus teaches this parable to the multitude. Then in verse 14 He begins to explain it to His close followers.
When you read this parable you will notice four different soil or ground conditions. First, there is the wayside or we would call it the turn row. When the seed fell on the turn row the birds devoured it up. In Jesus’ explanation, He lets us know that the birds of the air are demon spirits (satan V15). The second soil condition is stony ground. The stones are not on the surface but just under the surface. Verse five says, where the seed had not much earth. In other words there was a little dirt over the rocks and the seed couldn’t survive the heat because its roots could not get past the stones. These stones are un-confessed sins, strife, un-forgiveness and other hindrances that have not been removed from our lives. We must remove the stones if we expect the seed of God’s Word to produce in our lives. The third condition is the soil with thorns growing in it. Jesus said the thorns are the cares of this world, deceitfulness of riches and the lust or pressure of other things. If we want the Word to produce as it is sent to do, we must remove the thorns. The fourth condition of the soil is called good ground. What made it good ground? The person (ground) was prepared to hear the Word (receive the seed) and bring forth fruit, some thirty fold, some sixty, and some a hundred. The different levels of harvest or fruit are determined by how you measure the Word. The Amplified Bible says, “Be careful what you are hearing. The measure of thought and study you give to the truth you hear will be the measure of virtue and knowledge that comes back to you and more besides will be given to you who hear”. The measure of importance you place on the Word determines the level of revelation knowledge you get in return. This revealed knowledge is how God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
Did you notice that all the soil was good, but that the conditions were different? The turn row, the ground with stones, and the ground growing thorns were all good soil. The turn row simply was not prepared for the seed. The soil that had the rocks simply needed to be prepared by getting the rocks out and being prepared for the seed. The soil with the thorns needed the thorns removed and prepared for planting. All had the potential to become good ground and be prepared for the good seed of the Word.
The seed that was sown was all the same, it was all good seed. It was the condition of the soil that determined if there would be a harvest or no harvest. I believe Jesus is teaching us to prepare our hearts (minds) to receive the Word and then we can expect a great harvest.
John 8:31-32 If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
It’s the truth that you know that will make you free. Keep your soil prepared to receive the Word and watch the growth. First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. It’s your harvest, have an abundant one!!!!!!
Jesus Is Alive!
Tom Underhill