Devotions 1

PARABLE OF THE SOWER

G.I.J.N - WELCOME TO EACH ONE GATHERED HERE THIS EVENING AS WE BEGIN OUR 47TH WEEKEND BIBLE CONFERENCE -

BLESSING TO BE ABLE TO GATHER IN THIS WAY. PRIVILEGE TO MEET IN THIS LAND OF FREEDOM IN A DRY BUILDING WITH FELLOW BELIEVERS.

FOR A FEW DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS YOU CAN TURN TO LUKE 8.

I PLAN TO USE THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER AS A DEVOTIONAL STARTING POINT FOR THESE MEETINGS. THIS IS A FAMILIAR PARABLE BUT I WANT US TO BE REMINDED OF MY RESPONSIBILITY TO GOD’S WORD AS JESUS TEACHES US IN THIS ACCOUNT.

WE HAVE THIS ACCOUNT RECORDED IN MATTHEW 13 AND MARK 4 AND HERE IN LUKE 8.

OUR FOCUS THIS EVENING IS ON THE SOWER AND THE SEED.

I AM GOING TO THE FIRST PART OF LUKE 8:5 THEN SKIP DOWN TO VERSES 9-11

Luke 8:5 “A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed,

Luke 8:9–11 “And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.”

I WANT TO LIKEN THIS SETTING TO US HERE THIS EVENING -

THE SOWER - IS JESUS CHRIST BUT AN EXTENSION OF JESUS CHRIST THIS WEEKEND IS OUR BROTHER TED - WHO IS HERE TO SOW THE SEED

THE SEED - IS THE WORD OF GOD - THE WORD OF THE KINGDOM IT IS CALLED IN MATHEW . JESUS IN VERSE 10 CALLS IT THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD - NOT BECAUSE IT IS TO BE A SECRET - BUT BECAUSE THOSE OUTSIDE THE KINGDOM OF GOD DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE TRUTH THAT JESUS WAS TEACHING.

SO THIS EVENING I TRUST THAT AS WE ARE PART OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND ARE HERE WITH THE DESIRE TO RECEIVE THE TRUTH FROM GODS WORD AND NOT JUST HERE TO LISTEN TO STORIES FROM THE BOOK OF DANIEL -

THE LORD HAS PROVIDED THE SOWER - HIS RESPONSIBILITY IS TO SOW THE SEED - WHICH I BELIEVE HE HAS PREPARED TO DO - IN THIS ACCOUNT JESUS IS TEACHING THAT IT IS MY SOIL - MY HEART THAT BEING CALLED TO ACTION TO RECEIVE THE WORD - IF WE GO UP TO THE LAST PART OF VERSE 8 WHERE IS SAYS : And when he ( JESUS) had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN AND APPLY THE WORD - WE ARE IN KINGDOM AND WE KNOW THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD IS GIVEN TO US AS WE READ IN

2 Timothy 3:16 “ALL scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

OR AS WE READ IN Jeremiah 23:29 “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”

I BELIEVE AS WE ARE HERE WITH THE DESIRE TO SEE TRUTH THAT GOD WILL BE FAITHFUL TO SHOW US WHAT HE WILL HAVE US TO LEARN - AS WE BELIEVE ALL SCRIPTURE IS AN INSPIRATION O GOD THEN WE CAN ALLOW IT TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR LIVES - FOR SOME IT ENCOURAGE US TO CONTINUE ON IN THE PATH WE ARE ON - OTHERS IT MAY SHOW US CORRECTIONS THAT NEED TO MADE LIKE JEREMIAH SAYS TO CLEANSE AND PURIFY LIKE FIRE OR BREAK US FROM OUR SELFISH WILL TO A NEW COMMITMENT WITH THE LORD AS OUR LEADER.

SO LET US HAVE OPEN HEARTS TO HEAR WHAT THE LORD HAS FOR US THIS WEEKEND.

AT THIS TIME LETS STAND FOR PRAYER AND ASK THE LORDS BLESSING ON OUR MEETING AND BROTHER TED AS WE LOOK TO HIM FOR THE MESSAGE.