August 14, 2022
Greetings and blessings to all of you. Jesus spoke in parables or divine truths to those who are seeking after Him. Parables required more explanation and are rich in meaning. In the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4) Jesus made it clear that the seed represents the Word of God. The field is the world. The farmer is Jesus. The four soils represent the heart of four kinds of people and/or the congregation. Pastors understand this as they teach/preach; but we also must understand this concept when we minister to our family members and others so we will not get discouraged and give up talking and or praying for them. The Bible says, “some seed fell along the path and the birds came and ate it up. God explains this. He says, “when anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. “Some people have received the seed but the soil (heart) was “rocky”. Have you ever tried to grow anything in “rocky” soil? The Word explains this. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble comes or persecution comes because of the Word, he quickly falls away. Their hearts are shallow and superficial. Some people who you may minister to has a heart full of thorns. Jesus explains it this way, The 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, preventing them from bearing spiritual fruit. These folks are not willing to give up the world to gain Christ. Finally, we have the fruitful people. They have received the seed that fell on good soil. That is the man who hears the word and understands it. They accept God’s Word and produce a rich harvest. They are willing to really listen, to suffer and to give up everything for Christ. This person produces a crop yielding a hundred sixty or thirty times what was sown. So to all of you I encourage you to “examine your heart to see if you are in the faith” I Cor. 13:5 Death is promised to all of us. It may be your time today, tomorrow or whenever. It is of dire importance that you know that you are on your way to heaven. In First John 5:13 Paul said, I write to you (who believe in the name of the Son of God) so that you may KNOW that you have eternal life. We have a “know so faith” not a “hope so” faith.
With the Love of Christ
First Lady Vivian C. Currie
Pastor ALC