2/27

Matthew 13:22-23

²²The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. ²³But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

Perhaps the most famous of all the parables of Jesus is the parable of the sower. The seed was illustrative of the word of God. It was sown on a path, rocky ground, weed filled ground, and good soil. The seed on the hard path was eaten by birds. That which grew in the rocks withered from heat, because the roots were shallow. The seed that grew with the weeds bore no fruit because of the choking power of the weeds. The seed in the good ground multiplied from 30 to 100 times the amount of seed.

The soil is a picture of man's heart. The hardhearted never allow the Word to take root. The stony heart does not let the roots grow deep. When difficulty comes, the Word is forsaken. We are focusing on the seed among the weeds. Jesus said the weeds are the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth. Some hearts will never allow their trust for daily needs to be placed in the Father's hands. They think their own hard work and planning is the way they survive. The fear of lack drives them to concentrate on gaining wealth. Jesus called wealth deceitful. It promises satisfaction and provision, but it can do neither. It can fly away with one little monetary crisis. Today's hot investment is tomorrow's big loser. If your heart is set on these things, you will not bear fruit. In a weedy field the weeds suck the nutrient from the soil. That keeps the stalk of grain from having sufficient nutrients to form the grain heads.

The good soil produces many times over what was originally sown. Is the word of God multiplied in your life? Are you giving the Word out because of the increase the Word has produced in the good soil of your heart? If not, examine what kind of soil your heart is. The Lord is waiting to change the condition of that soil if you will ask Him.

Consider: Let the word of God dwell in you richly! Col 3:16a