Understanding is the key to everything!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown; when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word which is sown in them. And these in like manner are the ones sown upon rocky ground, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns; they are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown upon the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.
(Mark 4:13-20 (RSV))

Understanding is the key to everything!

Perhaps it is even the equivalent of where the seed falls.

Our understanding of God’s Word is crucial to how we react to it, how it impacts our lives, and more importantly, how we use it to impact the lives of those around us.

If our hearts are fertile soil for the seed of God’s Word, then our lives will bear fruit and we will be a part of the harvest. If our hearts are like rocky ground, we will listen to God’s Word, but fall away when things get rough. We will not be able to rely on our deep roots of faith, for these roots will have been shut out by the rocks in our lives.

We need to be able to bear fruit. In order to do so, we must have understanding. This understanding is not as the world calls understanding. The world sees understanding as education and acceptance of alternate “truths.”

Godly understanding is based on faith.

It requires faith to allow the seed of God’s Word to take root in our lives. It requires faith to allow it to mature and grow. It takes faith to allow it to bear fruit.

Faith is understanding. Understanding is faith.

Place your faith in Jesus as God’s Word made flesh.

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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How are you working in your part of the harvest?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
(Matthew 9:35-38 (NIV))

Are you willing to be a worker in God’s harvest field?

Have you ever simply stopped to think about what that means?

Each member of the Body of Christ has a ministry that is theirs alone. We are all placed in our circumstances so that we may reach out to those around us and share the Good News. We are to be workers for the harvest where we are. We don’t need to go half way around the world to be in ministry. We don’t need to have a well known name and the backing of financial supporters. Think about that. Did Jesus have the financial backing of a group of supporters or did He just listen to God?

I often wonder what God thinks of the way that we perform our ministries. Does He sit there and shake His head and think that we just don’t get it? Does Jesus say to himself, “That is not how I showed you and what I taught you!”

I have another question for you.

We have all seen people who believe that they need to shout if they are talking about God. What is your reaction to these type of people? Is there anything written down that tells us Jesus shouted at those who came to see Him? He talked to them out of love. Why do we think that we have to shout to convince someone of the salvation that is freely given through Jesus and the cross?

This type of action just drives people away!

Did Jesus drive people away or did they flock to Him?

We must use Jesus as the model for our ministries. We must be a willing worker for the harvest. We don’t need to cause people to turn and flee because of our actions.

How are you working in your part of the harvest?

Copyright 1998 – 2013 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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