The Parable of the Sower Part 2

Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil.  But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

Matthew 13:5-6

   Continuing our study of the Parable of the Sower, we look at the seed sown on rocky ground. Immediately it sprang up but it had no depth of root to it. It was impressive at first , “Wow, look how fast that sprang up!” The truth you can’t see is that it had no real root system to draw upon. The scripture says “when the sun rose,” which is a picture of tribulation, persecution and affliction, the plant died because it had no roots. 

   You may be crying out for God to get you out of a bad situation and all of a sudden it appears like it is getting even worse.... Now I don’t say that lightly because no one wants to be in any difficult or hard situation. I am disappointed and discouraged too when that happens to me. There is a place that God will sometimes not answer our prayers according to our wishes. His desire in this is that the root system will grow deep within us. This is so that we can endure trials, hardships and afflictions. 

Listen, the word talks about;

An inheritance gained speedily, (hastily) without a root of character grounded within us can destroy a soul. 

How many of you have seen people get an inheritance of great sums of money but they have no root system in their life and end up spending that money very quickly. They end up with nothing and very often it destroys people’s lives. They have no root system grounding them and they were not ready for it.

There is an inheritance for the believer in Revelation 21:1-2 which says;

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

The first heaven and earth are going to pass away. 1st John chapter two tells us that the lusts of this world will pass away with it. Stop and think about that for a moment.

If your heart and life are built upon the lusts of this world, you will pass away with it!

In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul encourages us;

I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me. For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 

Paul's main desire was to prepare the heart of those he was with, to be presented to the Lord Jesus Christ as a chaste and pure virgin. 

He told them he was afraid that the serpent would begin to deceive their minds like he did Eve’s with the lusts of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life. That is a very real battle that we have to face each day.

The battle is to keep a sincere and pure devotion to Jesus and that is our one objective. To love Jesus with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength is our goal. Sounds easy right?

I’m sharing with you what God is teaching me from the simplicity in my own life. It’s hard to know God’s will and what to do each day. 

I can’t make anything happen in my own strength and I don’t know what I’m doing 99 percent of the time. I need the Lord’s direction and His guidance of my life. 

The Lord has encouraged me, “Andy, you have one objective today and that’s to love me with all your heart mind soul and strength. If you will simply do that every day I will open doors that no one can open and close doors no one can close. I will give you words to speak that you never thought of before.”

The heartbeat of the gospel is not what God can give you or do for you, it’s relationship. 

God is not distant! He put on flesh and bone so that He could identify with your weaknesses. He was without sin so that He could be a faithful high priest. Jesus understands your pain and heartache. He longs for relationship with each one of us.

 Let Him into your world today. Pour out your heart to Him in prayer and let Him develop that deep root system of Godly character within you. Cling to Jesus in your storm as the anchor of your soul, giving Him your unwavering trust in the midst of your trial. Even when you don't understand, even when it just doesn't make sense....He is still faithful. 

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Revelation 21:3-8

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