“Walk
Among Lord’s Kingdom!(W.A.L.K)”
By Ramesh
C.Reddy Pittsburgh Standard
March
11,
2008
Editors Note: The devotional has a background song by called 'Don't let
your heart be hardened' which can be heard if you use Internet
Explorer.
SCRIPTURE:
“Again Jesus began to
teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that
he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people
were along the shore at the water's edge. He taught them many things by
parables, and in his teaching said: "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 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 seed fell among thorns, which grew up
and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed
fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying
thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times." (Mark 4:1-8, NIV)
“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 everything 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!'" (Mark
4:10-12, NIV)
Yesterday, I focused on
"What do P.A.R.A.B.L.E.S mean to you?" (March
10, 08, 7:15 a.m.)
Today, I decided to focus on the
meaning of the parable itself.
Observations:
I asked
myself what kinds of places did the seed fall?
-
Along the Path (v.4, 15)
-
On Rocky places (v. 5, 16)
-
Among the Thorns (v. 7, 18)
-
On Good soil (v. 8, 20)
I asked
myself what happened to the seed that fell, ‘Along the Path’.
The birds came and ate it up!
I asked
myself what happened to the seed that fell, ‘On Rocky places’.
-
It did not have much soil.
-
It sprang up quickly, because the soil was
shallow.
-
When the sun came up, the plants were
scorched.
-
The plants withered because they had no root.
I asked
myself what happened to the seed that fell, ‘Among the Thorns’.
-
They grew up and choked the plants.
-
They did not bear grain.
I asked
myself what happened to the seed that fell, ‘On Good soil.’
-
It came up.
-
It grew.
-
It produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty,
or even a hundred times.
Now I
decided to focus on verses 13-20 to find out why things happened this
way!
“Then
Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will
you understand any parable? The farmer sows the word. Some people are
like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear
it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others,
like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it
with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When
trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall
away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the
worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for
other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others,
like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a
crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown." (Mark
4:13-20, NIV)
Interpretations/Implications:
I learned the path I choose will
determine my walk with the Lord. In every path, the seed refers to the
Word that is sown. The Sower is God who represents the farmer. The
question is how the Word of God will be handled.
There are four ways the Word of
God can be handled but only one of them is the right way that will
produce a crop --- thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.
That is amazing to know that the Word of God will produce a crop in us
when we handle it properly in our lives.
I ask you
now dear friend where are you at your walk with God?
Dear friend, your walk with God
is dependent on what you do with the Word of God that is sown in your
life. I have learned four things that can happen to us in the 21st
century but lasting happiness only comes from one of those four things!
To desire that one thing, it
helps for us to know about the pitfalls the other three can cause so I
want to share them with you using the University of Pittsburgh campus as
a context but it does not have to be limited to the University of
Pittsburgh campus.
Soil 1: Along the Path
Many people hear the Word of
God. Right here on Pitt Campus, we have classes called ‘Bible as
Literature I & II’ that are offered. No one can say those students have
not had exposure to Scripture. Each one of them has had exposure to
Scripture. Many in the world have had exposure to Scripture. Yet, not
all of them are saved or come to the knowledge of knowing Jesus Christ
as their Lord and Personal Savior.
I asked
myself why?
Jesus Himself gives the reason
which is evident by v. 15
“Some
people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as
they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in
them.” (Mark 4:15)
Why do you
think that happens?
Many people believe there are
many paths to God and do not take the ‘Words written in the Bible’
seriously. Those who do not take the Bible as the Word of God seriously
have already hardened their hearts to the Truth and lose the Word from
their hearts as Satan takes it away.
Soil 2: On Rocky places
Friend, do
you receive the Word with joy?
Maybe you are very excited to
hear the Word of God at Church or wherever it is being proclaimed! That
is awesome and great!
What do we
do with the Word of God in times of temptation or testing?
Many people do receive the Word
of God with joy when they hear it. It is joyful for them to have the
Word. They believe they can hold on to the Word with all their heart.
Yet, how
many people do we know that have been raised in a Christian home fall
away from the faith or those that have come to college fall away from
the faith?
Why?
Jesus gives the reason in verses
Mark 4:16-17:
“Others,
like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it
with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When
trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall
away.” (Mark 4:16-17, NIV)
Let me tell you if there was a
place of persecution for your faith, it would mostly be on the college
setting with our professors, with peer pressure, etc or at home with
family members.
Why do you
think that happens?
Many students who come to
college shun their faith as they cannot handle trials and tribulations
and the testing of their own faith in classes such as Philosophy,
Biology, Geology, Astronomy, Anthropology, etc.
The problem is not with the
classes themselves for many followers of Christ are philosophers,
biologists, geologists, astronomers (not astrologists), anthropologists,
etc for we need God’s people in every field of academia to make a
difference.
The problem here is that those
who listen just to the professors’ remarks and what textbooks say take
it at face value. If they would take the same approach to the Word of
God, they will see the difference. However, they never allow God’s Word
to take root in their lives. Many just take what professors’ feed them.
Not everything they say is the truth. If we disagree with our Prof’s we
need to challenge their thinking courteously. I have always done that as
I have sought the Lord. The professor’s start to respect that.
Through my college years, in my
philosophy, psychology, poetry, General Writing classes, I wrote about
Jesus. In my legal studies classes, I have talked to the professors about
Jesus. In my internship in legal studies, I have focused on the Ultimate
Law Giver! The key is taking the Word of God and allowing the Word to
make the difference in our lives through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Soil 3: Among the Thorns
You are a
follower of Christ and do not allow Satan to take the Word from your
heart or let testing to let you fall away, yet do you feel stagnant in
your Christian walk?
Why?
Jesus gives the reasons in Mark
4:18-19:
“Still
others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of
this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things
come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.” (Mark 4:18-19)
Many students allow the
pleasures, comfort zones, and the need for fun, fame, and fortune to
crowd out Jesus from their life. This however does not mean that
followers of Christ cannot have any fun, become famous, or try to amass
a fortune. There is nothing wrong with fun, fame, and fortune when they
come in God’s timing and the way they come is not through sinful means.
The problem is even though
people on this soil may come to Jesus now and then with a Quiet Time
here and there, it is not consistent though. Their time with the Lord
through study of His Word, prayer, and church life is not consistent.
Hence, they never become mature as Christians but feel like their faith
has become stagnant.
Soil 4: Good soil
What is
different about those on good soil?
I like the way Luke 8:15,
describes those on good soil:
“But the
seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear
the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.” (Luke 8:15, NIV)
We see 5 important points here:
-
They have a noble heart.
-
They have a good heart.
-
They hear the Word.
-
They retain the Word.
-
They persevere with the Word in their lives.
This results in an abundant
Harvest.
The Parable of the Sower,
chronologically the first of Christ's parables, is a prophecy about the
acceptance of the good tidings of the Gospel by mankind.
In it is narrated how men accept
the Word of God in different ways, and how this Word acts differently on
men, depending on the state of their soul.
So, I ask
you now friend what kind of soil are you on?
What is
the condition of your heart?
How
seriously do you take the Word of God?
Are you
Along the Path?
If you have been on the path and
feel the Word is taken away from you, it does not have to be that way.
Satan’s purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. But, Jesus’ purpose is
to give you life in all its fullness. If you have never had God’s solid
Word in your heart, you don’t have to wait. You can start in the Word
from now on. Spend time in the Word of God daily!
Look for a Bible study to go
too! If you are in the Pittsburgh area, I am part of a Bible study group
called Potter's Clay which is part of Oakland International Fellowship!
They would love to have you there! Let me know! They are one of the best
Bible study groups I have been part of. We have worship, ice-breakers,
study of God's Word, prayer time, and community building time with food.
Are you on
Rock?
If you have been the one who has
received the Word with joy at one time, but now you are so confused and
hurt because of all the testing you have been facing, it does not have
to be that way. Many of the classes you take can test your faith,
confuse you and make you doubt. But God offers you a solution.
“So then,
just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in
him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were
taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes
you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on
human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on
Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily
form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over
every power and authority.” (Colossians 2:6-10, NIV)
You do not have to be confused
and hurt. Jesus never promised we would escape from testing, trials and
tribulations but He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.
He has promised,
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end
of the age." (Matthew 28:20, NIV)
You can be rooted in the Word by
being committed to the Word of God, no matter what is happening. God
will not forsake you. Please do not forsake your daily Quiet Times with
the Lord. If you have trouble with your Quiet Times, I have free
booklets that will help you with your Quiet Times.
Are you
Among the Thorns?
If you have been the one who has
allowed life’s worries, pleasures, and riches to come in the way to
become thorns crowding out your relationship with the Lord, I say again
it does not have to be that way. You can mature in your Christian faith.
I know being in college, we can be prone to life’s worries, etc but the
Lord Jesus offers you hope.
"Therefore
I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or
about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than
food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the
air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do
you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do
not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his
splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the
grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the
fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not
worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What
shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your
heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and
his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about
itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34, NIV)
You
can become a mature Christian. Take the help the Lord provides. I say
once again, join a small group Bible study this spring of 2008, have your Quiet Times daily with the Lord
through His Word and prayer, and most of all be involved in fellowship
with other believers. Don’t be a lone ranger Christian.
Are you on
Good Soil?
If you are the one who feels
like they are on good soil. Take heed lest you fall back into the other
soils. Satan is crafty and will try all means to get you on his side.
“Submit
yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Come near to God and he will come near to you.” (James 4:7-8a, NIV)
Remember,
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the
one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John
4:4, NIV)
Each of you knows where you are
at in your walk with God. You could have already known even before I
shared with you what I have learned.
No matter where you are at, if
you are not on the good soil, you can be on the good soil. It does not
have to be one day. It can be right now. Now is the time of Salvation.
”Just as
man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ
was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will
appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those
who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:26-27, NIV)
Jesus loves each of you so much
and wants you to be victorious.
“Those
whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I
am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens
the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who
overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I
overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 3:19-20,
NIV)
The theme of the Parable of the
Sower is to let us know the soil we are on determines our own spiritual
growth and our victorious living as a follower of Christ!
The purpose of the Parable of
the Sower is to understand the importance of looking at the state of our
own heart to see what place we are allowing God’s Word to have in our
daily lives.
This happens as we take God’s
Word seriously and cultivate it daily in our hearts by becoming a doer
of the Word.
“Walk
Among Lord’s Kingdom!”(W.A.L.K)” “Where are
you at your walk with God?”
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much how much you have taught me from your
Word. Lord, you know what kind of soil we have been on. You want us to
be on the good soil. Even now Lord, I feel I am not always on the good
soil. There are so many times I revert back to the other soils and feel
the pain and also cause others pain because I have not consistently
sought you but gone my own way. I am so sorry Jesus. I know Lord that I
cannot live the victorious Christian life on my own but need your
guidance and wisdom. Please fill me with the Holy Spirit and guide me
through your Word as I seek you in prayer. Provide the right fellowship
for me at church and away from church. Thank you Jesus! I am so sorry
for my sins and acknowledge that you went to the cross to pay the ransom
for my sin to set me free. Thank you so much for bearing my burden.
Please cleanse me with your cleansing blood and I will be clean again!
Wash me and I will be whiter than snow! Thank you Jesus for coming into
my heart as I accept you into my heart! Thank you for making my heart
your home and living in me. I will live for you and serve you the rest
of the days of my life. Thank you Jesus for being my Lord and Personal
Savior! Thank you Jesus that you have heard my prayer and answered me!
Thank you that I belong to you and you will help me live a victorious
life in you. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!
You can invite the GREAT PHYSICIAN right now as you make this your prayer.
Dear Jesus,
thank you for healing the paralytic after forgiving his sins. You set him
free to go home. I want to be free. I don’t know
everything about you. I still have a lot of questions. What I do know is
that you died on the cross for my sins. When it comes to sin, I am a
paralytic Oh Lord. I am infected with this deadly disease known as sin.
I am not perfect but a sinner who needs your cleansing blood to clean me
of my sin everyday. I confess to you my sin and repent of my sin. I know
you have forgiven me when you died on the cross. I want to accept that
forgiveness. Thank
you for shedding your cleansing precious blood for me. You were nailed
to the cross because of me. It is like I actually held the hammer and
pounded the nails so I could be free. Thank you for willingly dying for
me Jesus. Thank you for taking the shame and pain for me. Thank you for
doing that to set me free. I come to the cross and ask you for your
healing in my life. Thank you for the power of your Blood to redeem
humanity. Thank you for coming back to life to save us and give us
Eternal Life as we yield to you. Your blood can heal us where we are. I
love you Jesus. Even with my questions, I come to you now and accept you
into my heart. Please Jesus come into my heart and make my heart your
home. Give me a transfusion of change. Live in me Jesus and I will live
for you and serve you the rest of the days of my life. I thank you Jesus
for coming into my heart and making my heart your home. Thank you for
living in me Jesus. I acknowledge you now as my Lord and Personal
Savior. Please be the Lord and Savior of my life. Thank you for being my
Lord and Personal Savior Jesus and because of what you have done for me when
God looks at me, He now sees me covered in your blood and His judgment
passes over me. Thank you that you have heard my prayer and answered me.
Thank you for being with me Lord. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit.
Thank you Jesus I now belong to you and never need to be alone! You will
always be with me and have given me Salvation. In Your Name I Pray
Jesus! Amen!
Friend, if you have prayed this
prayer and meant it in your heart, you are a new creation in Christ and
all old things are passed away and everything has become new! You may
feel something or may not but don’t base it on feelings but base your
new life in Christ on the promises of our Savior who will never leave
you nor forsake you! Amen!
No matter what you feel in your heart,
know that Jesus has come in and resides with you! You are not alone! To
make your walk strong with the Lord, spend time in prayer talking to Him
as you would to a friend. You don’t need special words to talk to the
Lord. Spend time in His Word reading Psalms and turning them into
prayer. Next allow God to heal you and speak to you through the Gospel
of John or Gospel of
Mark before moving on to other Books of the Bible! Slowly, let the Lord
show you to which Scriptures He wants you to go to next. It is also important to be part of a body of believers to
help you grow in the faith. Find a Bible believing church that preaches
the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation proclaiming Jesus Christ our
crucified and risen Lord who brings us hope, healing, and help! But
beware of churches who do believe in the Word of God completely but
there is no freedom in Christ but legalism involved.
As a
student, it is not too late to join a fellowship on campus too this
blessed New Year of 2008! May the Lord's presence and peace fill you with His
love now and forever! Amen!
Feel free to email me at
reddy4hisglory2004@yahoo.com if you want to meet to study the Bible,
pray with, talk about spiritual issues or whatever is on your mind! My
number is 412-720-4579.
"This is my
work and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work
within me." (Colossians 1:29, TLB)
|
.Click
picture to read my dad's memoriam:
' I AM ' Series
Archives:
What kind of L.I.G.H.T do you follow? (Dec 13,
07, 10:09 a.m.)
"What kind of B.R.E.A.D do you eat?" (Dec 08,
07, 10:10 a.m.)
"Who is your S.H.E.P.H.E.R.D?"
(June 30,
06)
Gospel of Mark Archives:
Mark 1:1:
"What does the G.O.S.P.E.L mean to you?" (Jan
15, 08, 1:15 p.m.)
Mark 1:1-4: "How
seriously do you T.E.S.T.I.F.Y about prophesy?" (Jan
12, 08, 11:18 p.m.)
Mark 1:5-8:
"Who do you P.O.I.N.T to?" (Jan 16, 08,
8:48 a.m.)
Mark 1:9:
How will you take a S.T.A.N.D? (Jan 17, 08,
11:21 a.m.)
Mark 1:9-11:
"How is your loving P.R.A.I.S.E?" (Jan 18, 08,
8:53 a.m.)
Mark 1:12-13: "How
do you handle T.E.M.P.T.A.T.I.O.N?" (Jan 19,
08, 12:27 p.m.)
Mark 1:14-15:
How do you handle T.I.M.E given to you? (Jan
21, 08, 1:31 p.m.)
Mark 1:16-18:
"What kind of P.R.O.F.E.S.S.I.O.N are you in?" (Jan
26, 08, 10:22 a.m.)
Mark
1:19-20:
"Without having to P.R.O.C.R.A.S.T.I.N.A.T.E, what should you do?"
(Jan 29, 08,
10:44 a.m.)
Mark
1:20-22:
"How do you rate in the B.U.S.I.N.E.S.S of Jesus?" (Jan
30, 08, 11:29 a.m.)
Mark
1:20-22:
"Whose T.E.A.C.H.I.N.G.S do you follow?" (Jan
31, 08, 11:52 a.m.)
Mark
1:23-28:
"What C.A.P.T.I.V.I.T.Y are you facing today?" (Feb
01, 08, 10:35 a.m.)
Mark 4:3-20:
"What if Jesus talked F.O.O.T.B.A.L.L?" (Feb
02, 08, 10:35 a.m.)
Mark 1:29-31:
"Where do you need H.E.A.L.I.N.G?" (Feb 05,
08, 11:44 a.m.)
Mark 1:32-34:
"Where do you need an A.N.S.W.E.R?" (Feb 06,
08, 11:16 a.m.)
Mark 1:35-39:
"Where do you give your S.O.L.I.T.A.R.Y time to the Lord?" (Feb
07, 08, 11:41 a.m.)
Mark 1:40-42:
"Where do you need to be C.L.E.A.N?" (Feb 09,
08, 11:00 a.m.)
Mark 1:43-45:
"What do your actions C.A.U.S.E?" (Feb 11, 08,
9:23 a.m.)
MARK CHAPTER 2:
Mark 2:1-2:
"What do you do with your P.O.P.U.L.A.R.I.T.Y?" (Feb
12, 08, 9:52 a.m.)
Mark 2:2-5:
"What kind of F.R.I.E.N.D are you?" (Feb
13, 08, 11:49 a.m.)
Mark 2:5-12:
"Where does P.A.R.A.L.Y.S.I.S take hold of you?" (Feb
15, 08, 7:42 a.m.)
Mark 2:5-12:
"What are you thinking in your M.I.N.D?" (Feb
16, 08, 11:08 a.m.)
Mark 2:5-12:
"What do you represent by your A.C.T.I.O.N.S?" (Feb
18, 08, 8:23 a.m.)
Mark 2:13-15:
"Where are you looking for A.C.C.E.P.T.A.N.C.E?" (Feb
19, 08, 11:22 a.m.)
Mark
2:15-17:
"Who do you I.N.V.I.T.E to Jesus?" (Feb 20,
08, 9:57 a.m.)
Mark
2:18-20:
"When do you F.A.S.T?" (Feb 21, 08,
9:32 a.m.)
Mark 2:21-22:
"How do you see your L.I.F.E?" (Feb 22, 08,
9:56 a.m.)
Mark 2:23-28:
"What kind of L.E.A.D.E.R will you be? (Feb
23, 08, 10:46 a.m.)
Mark 2:23-28:
"What does the S.A.B.B.A.T.H mean to you?" (Feb
25, 08, 10:46 a.m.)
CHAPTER 3:
Mark 3:1-6:"Whose
N.E.E.D.S do you meet?" (Feb 26, 08,
9:54 a.m.)
Mark 3:7-8:
"What is your I.M.P.A.C.T?" (Feb 27, 08,
8:17 a.m.)
Mark 3:9-11:
"What S.P.A.C.E do you give yourself?" (Feb
28, 08, 9:38 a.m.)
Mark 3:11-12:
"How do you fight E.V.I.L?" (Feb 29, 08,
9:11 a.m.)
Mark 3:13-16:
"What emphasis do you put on your R.E.L.A.T.I.O.N.S.H.I.P with Jesus?"
(March 01, 08, 9:29
a.m.)
Mark 3:17-19:
"Where do you have your A.P.P.O.I.N.T.M.E.N.T in?" (March
03, 08, 9:49 a.m.)
Mark 3:20:
"Where do you G.A.T.H.E.R?" (March 04, 08,
12:07 p.m.)
Mark 3:21:
"How are your actions seen by your F.A.M.I.L.Y?" (March
05, 08, 10:24 a.m.)
Mark 3:22-27:
"How do you handle S.L.A.N.D.E.R?" (March 06,
08, 7:57 a.m.)
Mark 3:28-30:
"What is your V.I.E.W of Jesus?" (March 07, 08,
8:18 a.m.)
Mark 3:31-34:
"What do you do with God's Will?" (March 08,
08, 8:45 a.m.)
CHAPTER 4:
Mark 4:1-20:
"What do P.A.R.A.B.L.E.S mean to you?" (March
10, 08, 7:15 a.m.)
Mark 4:1-20:
"What if Jesus talked F.O.O.T.B.A.L.L?" (Feb
02, 08, 10:35 a.m.)
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