What type of ground are you offering ...

I recently looked up the definition of the word “seed.” It has been declared the time of the Harvest and there are so many analogies being thrown about referring to this. A seed can be defined as a source or beginning; a small amount of material used to start a chemical reaction. Seeds in the natural are your actions, your thoughts, but mostly your words. People can forgive your action and your thoughts can progress through personal growth but words stick; they plant themselves in the heart of the receiver and grow… Speak kind words one to another planting good seeds in the heart of your peers. In the spiritual realm the word is the seed. In Mark 4:14 Jesus says “The sower soweth the word.” This is the word your hear through sermons, the word you read speaking to yourself as well as the word you speak to others through witnessing. Jesus breaks down in Mark 4 the different types of land that the word is sown into. This is one of my favorite parables because he tells them the parable then breaks it down leaving no room for wrong interpretation. It allows you to really see where you are in your walk with God and where you want to be.

Is the word you are receiving being sown into stony ground, among thorns, or not even sown at all but being thrown to the waste side? I personally have been in all of these categories. The key is realization and determination to move forward in your spiritual journey seeking the good prosperous ground.

Those whose word is being thrown by the waste side (Mark 4:15) may in fact hear the word; whether it be a preacher, preaching or someone witnessing to them. Before they can even digest the words that they heard, it is immediately taken away. They may not like the person who is speaking to them, maybe don’t agree with the particular teaching, but for whatever reason it is dismissed immediately. In situations like this it is imperative that the sower does not get discouraged. Sometimes God sends you to the one person you would rather not witness to just to test your wiliness to obey. Saved or not where God says go and speak you must obey. Jeremiah 1:7 says “… and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.” Now the Lord was speaking to Jeremiah the prophet but it’s the same principle for us today. I have personally had to speak to someone who had wronged me and I know they weren’t in the mind frame to hear any scripture from me but I refused to stump my personal growth for fear of how someone would receive from me.

 Individuals who are letting their word fall into stony ground (Mark 4:16) are those that have not established roots. Those who you see come to church faithfully then STOP. They are the feel good saints that appreciate those happy, let’s talk about the goodness of God sermons but as soon the preacher starts calling them out on what they need to do for the Lord it gets too hard. As soon as troubles or persecution comes for the words sake they can’t handle it. They grow offended and turn their back to God. The life of a sinner does seem simpler than that of a Christian at times but I promise get to where God has intended and there will be nothing you can’t do.

Thorns… If I had to put people I know personally in a category it would be that most of them fall into this category. These individuals hear the word. Really hear it, really take it in; but their lives and the way of the world completely disintegrate it. Have you ever heard anyone say “be in the world but not of the world?” We are born into this world so we have to be in it, the only way to escape that is through death but as Christians we should not be of the world (1 John 2:15-16). We should walk, talk, carry ourselves different. NO NO NO I am not asking you to be holier than thou I am just saying that if your in a room full of unsaved individuals people can notice a difference; even if it’s just your demeanor. I know a lot of folk that act holy with the holy and not with the unsaved; this isn’t what I’m talking about either. But who you innately are showcases a walk with Christ. I’m 25, most times you will see me in jeans and a top, I have natural hair and always have a set of ear phones in my ear. I look like a lot of other 25 year old students. But I have had people tell me there was something different about me, a sweet calming spirit that attracts people; that’s the God in me because before I was a fireball. There is a difference. To describe the ground full of thorns Jesus says in Mark 4:19 “and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word and it becometh unfruitful…” Love God more than your money, car, clothes and any other worldly possession. Love the giver of these things more than the things themselves.

Finally the good ground… This is where God desires for us all to be. The ground that hears the word and lets it linger and grow, changing us from the inside out. Those who really take the word and apply it to their lives; those who receive it! “… and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, and some an hundred.” There are different stages in this category as there are different commitment levels in Christians. If you know you aren’t giving 100% there is room to grow. I don’t think anyone witnesses to every single person they have an opportunity to witness to, and doesn’t really take to heart every word they receive. Personal progress is the key and really acknowledging where you area personally and pushing to becoming better.

Are you on God's plan or your own!

This new millennium has birthed a fast paced, give me now generation that is centered on instant gratification. With the internet, cell phones, skype and email you don’t have to wait on anything. You can even have dinner ready in the time it takes to drive around a building. There is nothing wrong with technology and the steps that it has taken but God has not changed and you still have to wait on him. God has devised a plan for each and every one of us and most times OUR time is not GOD’s time. In just speaking to people it seems as if a lot of individuals have a list of things they want from God. This list doesn’t include the Holy Ghost, an unwavering spirit or the desire to witness but a husband that can sing, or is physically attractive. I recently spoke to someone about them being single and they said yes God knows my heart so he knows that my husband needs to be this and that. NO! God knows your heart so he knows that you want to be happy ultimately. Whether that’s single or with a spouse that doesn’t have everything on your list, you just want to be happy. You could get a person who has everything you desired on your list and they treat you terribly; which is usually the case. Trust in God’s plan. Have you ever met someone who prayed for a new job and once they get it they still weren’t happy so they pray for another new job. Oh I do. .. The moment I threw my hands up and said “Lord your will be done in my life” and was serious about that thing, my life has changed completely. Things are falling into place perfectly and it’s going in a direction that I had never imagined. I was always going to the nursing path. I said I was going to be a doctor and my family attached themselves to that dream and that’s where I was headed. After really spending time with Renee and getting to know who I am without anyone else I realized I love to write. I want my voice to be heard farther than I can scream. The moment I made that change in my mindset; I was offered a position writing for a magazine, I was offered a writing position at my church and my and began blogging. When it’s God’s plan the pieces fall perfectly. I didn’t seek any of these positions they were given to me. I love the statement we say at my church “God will use someone somewhere to use their power and influence to better your life”. Whenever I think of believing in God’s plan no matter what I am taken back to Abraham. This man loved his son, he prayed for Isaac, he was promised Isaac; yet when God asked for Isaac back he was willing to do so.  Some people debate that Abraham knew that God would deliver Isaac and maybe in the back of his mind her really really hoped he would. I can imagine him being obedient yet praying for a miracle. Abraham lifted the knife to slay his son, which shows me that he was in it all the way. God after seeing his dedication allowed him to sacrifice the ram that was caught in the bush. God’s way is perfect and even if you go through detours that you wouldn’t have chosen, believe in your destiny and remain faithful and you will be blessed.

Don't curse your preparation...

There comes a time in every Christian’s life when their light seems a little dimmer than before, the flame on their candle begins to shake threatening to blow out. It’s times like this when you must hold on tighter than ever before to God’s promises and purpose for your life. God takes ordinary people and gives them the ability to do extraordinary things. In order to do these things God prepared them when they had no idea. How many times have you gone through something and once you reflected on it realized you were completely prepared for the experience.  I must say this holds true to my life. Every experience I have had in my 25 years I was prepared for from experiences of my past. Months before I lost my job I gained a love for couponing so my cabinets remained full even when I hadn’t shopped in weeks. Before becoming single I complained about sleeping alone and not being emotionally attached to my spouse but this was God preparing me for being without a partner. God promised that there was nothing he would put on us than we could bear and to never tempt you beyond what you are capable, ALWAYS giving a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). WHATEVER  vice you think you have that is keeping you from your full potential can be cleared from you but only once you set in your heart that you are done with it and really seek deliverance . This does not come overnight but through your faithfulness at the right time it will happen. I thought there would never be a time where I would fully be delivered from losing my family as I thought is should be but I can honestly say I am no longer bound from that situation. I love with the full capacity  of my heart and having someone just NOT love me anymore for no specific reason was crushing; it’s easier to have a fight or a bad experience that leads to a break up but no reason at all… I didn’t know how to process that. But after seeking God and really rebuilding my relationship with him I am able to say proudly that I am free. Your vice may be drunkenness, sex, cursing, holding grudges. Whatever it is God is waiting to deliver you and really elevate you into who you are destined to be. There can be no testimony without a test. Remember God uses his people to show others the way, but how can you lead someone somewhere you have never been. Your trials are your preparation, my Pastor said it best “don’t curse your preparation.” It’s darkest before dawn so just when things seem as if they can get no worse hold on and right before you feel all you can do is give up things will begin to brighten. Seek God and really build a relationship with him and things in your life will begin to make sense and fall into perfect place. Believe in God’s purpose for you for he planned your every move even before the day of your birth. Get to know him for yourself and your life will never be the same. Yes we as Christians are promised trials and hard times but the reward in the end far surpasses anything you could ever go through!