You Choose

“But the good soil represents the hearts of those who truly accept God's message and produce a plentiful harvest for God – thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as was planted in their hearts.” Mark 4:20 The Living Bible

Jesus told a story about a farmer. This individual sowed seeds upon the ground. Some of the seeds were snatched up quickly by the birds of the air. Other seeds fell upon rocky soil. They quickly took root but then dried up in the scorching heat of the sun. Still others were choked by thorns. The last group of seeds fell upon good soil. These sprouted, flourished, and multiplied.

The seed in this story represents the word of God sown into the soil of men's hearts. The first group signifies individuals who hear the word, but allow Satan to immediately steal God's word from their hearts. Those who have hearts like rocky soil, receive the word with joy but when trouble or persecution comes, they withdraw. Those that have hearts overcome by thorns, allow the word of God sown into their hearts to be choked by a love for money and worldly desires.

But then there are those who have hearts that understand and obey the word. They allow the Lord to turn their hearts into gardens that bring forth a harvest within them. The truth is that we have a choice as to how we will respond to God's word. When we hear God's word we have a decision whether or not to accept it, whether or not to put it into practice.

We can choose, through the help of the Holy Spirit, to resist the devil when he tries to steal God's word from us. We can turn from shallow living and learn to endure. We can run from carnal desires and embrace Jesus' way of living. We can seek God for revelation knowledge and wisdom and choose to obey His every word. By doing these things, we decide to have an abundant harvest. We actually can choose our destiny in God.

Let's receive God's grace and ability. Let's live empowered lives and let's choose to receive and obey God's word. Then we will enjoy great spiritual success and the harvest within us will spread out to many. We will become sowers of the word ourselves.

Dear Father God,

I ask you to fill me afresh with Your Holy Spirit. I choose to turn from those things that hinder Your working in my life. I choose to read Your word and put it into practice.  I choose to follow hard after You. Thank you Lord for giving me the ability to do this. Then, enable me to spread Your word to others. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.