Mark 4:3-20.
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow..."
(HEBREWS 4:12A)
A limestone gorge borders our village. Cedar trees grow on top of the cliffs wherever they can find enough soil to live. In several places you can see where a seed has lodged deep in a crack in the rock and sent out roots seeking nutrients and moisture. The main stem grows up toward the light at the surface of the rock, and eventually a mature tree develops. It's not uncommon for large sections of rock to break away from the face of the cliff, leaving the root system of a cedar exposed. The roots produced by that tiny seed combined with moisture and frost can split the thick, stalwart limestone.
The circumstances of life for many of us may seem as formidable as that limestone wall. Jesus told us the Word of God is like a seed (Luke 8:11), a small thing by appearance but with powerful authority in it. When God's Word takes root in our hearts, is watered with prayer and nurtured by faith, we face our great difficulties with Jesus, the all-powerful One. The life-giving Word is embodied in Him.
INSIGHT
WE MAY PLANT THE SEED OF FAITH, AND OTHERS MAY WATER IT. BUT ONLY GOD MAKES IT GROW!
(SEE 1 CORINTHIANS 3:6-7)
READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 41-42
Psalm 21
Mark 1
Mark 4:3-20
New International Version (NIV)
3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”
9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 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 12 so that,
“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’[a]”
13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 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. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 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. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 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. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”
Footnotes:
a. Mark 4:12 Isaiah 6:9,10
DEALING WITH DEPRESSION [PART 1]
with Dr. Ed Welch
It comes unexpectedly and can last an entire lifetime. Depression is a serious issue that affects all of humanity - even Christians.
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