Wow, if I wait just a few more days it will have been a year since I posted last. I guess it just goes to show if I don't have anything to say, I shouldn't. :) I guess today I have something to say, but it starts out with a quote from a very good friend of mine. We were having dinner and talking about a group of church kids we work with on Wednesday nights. I was saying how it is so hard because I don't know if what they hear about God goes into their brains for keeps. She then says, "It seems people know just enough about Jesus to keep them from REALLY KNOWING Jesus."
Today my bible reading was Mark 4. It is the parable about the sower. I will just type it out to refresh my memory and yours if you are reading. :)
Mark 4:3-12
"Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on the rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seeds fell among the thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seeds fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times." Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside eveyrthing is said in parables so that, "they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!"
So what does this mean? It means exactly what my good friend said! The saving grace and mercy of Jesus is the seed that is sown. When some hear the word they do not want to hear it so it never even takes root. Others hear God's word and grab onto it. They accept it and Him into their lives. But it is an "in the moment" thing and then they let it go and don't let God's word and love continue to grow. They don't continue to learn and change their lives so they can show others who God is. Their relationship with Him dies. Others hear it and believe it and want to grow, but they allow worldly influences to come and destroy their belief system. Or they allow unanswered prayers, or prayers that were not answered the way they wanted to change their belief that God is actually loving and merciful. They allow Satan and the world to draw them away. Lastly the seed is planted and takes root. The word is accepted and the person grows in God and their belief, they change their sinful ways and move forward. Their actions show who Jesus is to others.
The last part of the passage I wrote was disturbing to me. The part that talks about the kingdom of God being given to insiders but those on the outside everything is in parables so they never hear or understand. This isn't what it sounds like. It almost sounds like Jesus is saying He won't let them understand, those who have not accepted Him. What it is really saying is there are people who hear but don't choose to listen, people who hear and listen but then are like the seeds in all the situations above except the last one. He is saying they are choosing not to go deeper, choosing to follow the world instead of him. They are choosing to not turn and be forgiven.
My heart is so sad, I see it every day. Those who accept God but then don't follow him. Their words they choose to use, their parties they choose to go to, sex without marriage, not having fellowship with other Christians. Deciding church is not necessary, they are already saved. Going to church without actually listening to the teaching because we think we know it all already. Living with another without marriage. Tearing others down to destroy them. Talking about God and their belief on the outside with words but not living it on the inside with action. Those who don't believe they need a relationship with our Creator! If we say we believe in words only, and then live how ever we want without consideration of what He is asking of us it is not a relationship. Those who do works to get to heaven and don't really believe in "faith in Him and not by works." Those who sadly say, "I am a good person, I give to those in need, I don't talk bad about others, I do nice things to other nice people so I will go to heaven." You won't! I want to shake them and say, "don't you see he wants to know YOU, wants you to KNOW Him! Don't you see you can no longer live your life the way you choose to if you want to follow Him. You have to give up the sin. You have to go deeper. You just have to give up selfish. Doesn't mean mistakes won't be made and sins won't ever happen again. It does mean we are trying our hardest to put Him first and ourselves last. It means not making excuses for our behavior or our children's behavior. It means pointing out to them when they are wrong and not as much about how we or our children are wronged. No more justifying our actions. It even means maybe not being the most popular..... hmmmmm..........
Lord God, help me be the light, use me to show other who You really are and that changing to follow you and not the world is fun and doesn't take away from fun! Build in them your love, mercy, strength, peace and understanding. In Christ's name I pray this, Amen.
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