10/24/24

Mark 4:19 NASB1995 but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

Jesus speaks of spreading the gospel message as sowing seeds. He then says some of the seeds fall among thorns and then He gives us our text. He talks of the worries of the world and the deceitfulness (lies) of riches and many other things of the world, that creep in and begin to choke out the works of the word of the gospel.

This happens to most Christians at some time in their life. While the faith in the gospel message might have landed on good and fertile soil in your life. Living in the world is like being planted in a field of thorns. Satan plants thorns beside you named worries. One thorn might produce fruit of unhealthiness. Another has it's fruit of struggles that grow around and press in on you. The struggles of not having some necessities for your family might be choking you. Struggles of an unfaithful spouse could be blocking the sunlight needed for growth. Satan plants many thorns of worry around you in hopes of hindering the growth of the seed that the gospel planted in you. Then Satan loves to grow lies all around you. He tells you that the things of this world will provide all your needs. He says if you have enough money you will have no worries. This is a lie that is evident in the number of wealthy and famous people who struggle and even commit suicide because the riches do not provide for their needs. Satan grows activities that can keep you so busy you miss out on the water of life enriching fellowship of the saints. Then you start to wither as you thirst for this but are entangled in the activities of the world. As all of these thorn plants of Satan work against you then you become unfruitful, as our text says.

So what do we do? Well, Jesus tells another parable that not only gives us hope but shows us He is the hope. The parable speaks of a fig tree that produces no fruit, but the Gardner works to help the tree by taking care of it and giving it all its needs.

Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to help us and care for us so we can strive up and out of the thorns. If only we will grow (be obedient) in God the Holy Spirit. Then we will produce fruit.

The Gardner told the master to give me a year. If it doesn't produce the fruit, we will cut it down. This tells us our time is limited. So sink into the soil of the Spirit and press down the thorns of Satan by growing strong in Jesus. It is an amazing life for the plant that grows in the life giving water and the fertile soil as it stands tall and strong in the Son. When you put enough of these strong plants together they will choke out the thorns.

Praying for your growth.

Love Bro. Scott