Greetings in the Name of Jesus and welcome to the PLN Sunday Night Bible Fellowship!

We're starting the New Year focusing on the Word of God as our top priority by continuing to examine the types of SOIL Jesus described in the "Parable of the Sower and Soils" (Mark 4:3-20 and Matthew 13:3-23). Some folks may be wondering why we're spending so much time on this Parable and it's because it touches on one of the most significant problems in the Body of Christ, a problem that actually has two parts: 1) most of us don't know very much about what's in the Word of God; and 2) because of that we fail to realize that the devil works CONTINUOUSLY to make it impossible for us to be FRUITFUL in and for the Kingdom of God.

The truth is we need to be able to produce FRUIT in order to be victorious in our lives instead of defeated and deflated all the time. The definition of FRUIT in this case is that anything that benefits the Kingdom of God and helps it expand on the earth through us. But FRUIT production requires that we become knowledgeable about the Word of God so that over time we'll be able to create the conditions that lead to good SOIL through the renewing of our MINDS (see Romans 12:2). According to scripture we can start to do this by acquiring a good UNDERSTANDING of this particular Parable which in turn unlocks our insight into ALL the other Parables so that the "mysteries" of the Kingdom of God can be revealed to those of us who're believers (Mark 4:11-13). The bottom line is that you really can't spend TOO much time meditating on this Parable.

Therefore, to reiterate some of the key points we've covered, keep in mind that this Parable refers to the Word of God as SEED that always produces FRUIT when it's SOWED into good SOIL. The SOIL is the MIND of the Believer which is designed to receive the SEED and either it receives and uses it for growth and transformation or it fails to receive it and loses that opportunity to produce FRUIT. Connected to this is the fact that our enemy the devil is committed to doing whatever is necessary to hinder the SEED from producing any FRUIT.

We've also discussed that Jesus through this Parable identified four unique types of SOIL, four different SOIL conditions that the SEED can expect to encounter. Three of the four are incapable of producing FRUIT. Here once again are the four types of SOIL, i.e. the four conditions of the MIND that the SEED has to deal with:

1. Packed down soil by the side of the road that's been so hardened that the SEED can't penetrate it and the enemy comes and steals that SEED away.

2. Rocky ground with shallow soil and the SEED can't grow down far enough to develop a healthy root system so the plants are soon scorched by the sun and wither away.

3. Soil that's full of thorns and the SEED is choked out by those thorns so it can't grow and produce a viable crop for harvesting.

4. Good soil with which the SEED is able to produce a healthy crop that multiplies the SEED by thirty, sixty and a hundredfold.

Last week we looked at the first type of SOIL (MIND) in some detail and this week we want to discuss the second type. Here are the specific verses from Mark 4:16-17 that explain the results of trying to grow FRUIT plants from SEED that's been sowed into SHALLOW rocky SOIL:

"...these are the (people) on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away."

The Seed Was Received with Joy

Notice that the SEED sown into the SHALLOW SOIL is RECEIVED with JOY. The fact that it was received at all makes it marginally superior to the first SOIL type with a ground surface that was too packed down for the SEED to be received. And that made it easy for Satan to come IMMEDIATELY and easily steal it away. Remember that this happened because there was NO UNDERSTANDING of the Word after it had been SOWED (Matthew 13:19). So the fact that the Word was actually RECEIVED by the second SOIL means that up to some level it was understood. Since it was received with JOY we can interpret that to mean there was a degree of optimism that the SEED would produce something positive in the life of the Believer who received it. There was a favorable initial reaction.

Now keep in mind that there are a lot of ROCKS in this second SOIL type that the SEED has to deal with. That's why the SOIL part of the surface is shallow; the available space is mostly filled up with ROCKS. The ROCKS represent the values and beliefs we've learned in the World, traditions that mankind has developed including religious traditions, cultural customs and traditions, family traditions and ways of thinking, unbelief, resistance to the supernatural, etc. When we FIRST come into the Kingdom of God our MINDS are full of these ROCKS which DISAGREE with the Word of God. The ROCKS have to be removed through MIND renewal and we're responsible for our own ROCK removal. Some people have been Believers for decades and are still hanging onto the ROCKS they came into the Kingdom with. And until some of them are thrown out, the SEED can't find enough good places to throw down roots and begin to grow.

They Have No Firm Root

One interpretation of this part of the scripture is that although the Word-SEED is initially received with joy, the level of UNDERSTANDING is superficial. That's why it's TEMPORARY. There's an initial insight that seems true even though it's a new way of seeing things. But immediately the MIND starts to compare the truth of the SEED against previously learned man made values and traditions which soon produces doubt and unbelief. In other words, the SEED encounters the ROCKS and has trouble initiating a ROOT system. SEED has to be received in the MIND by FAITH in order to overcome all the ROCKS that are waiting for it; so the Believer has to make a decision to REPLACE a particular man made belief with a new Word-based way of thinking to provide enough good SOIL for the SEED to take root.

If the ROCKS are really big and entrenched, the SEED will only be able to throw down a small, weak ROOT system in the little good SOIL that's available. But a healthy plant needs strong ROOTS underground to provide nourishment to the whole plant and if that system of nourishment is underdeveloped, the plant will be malnourished and will soon perish from all the harsh environmental elements it has to contend with. When that happens, the SEED that was SOWED will have been wasted because it was not successful in producing any FRUIT.

In order for the SEED to develop a strong ROOT system we have to UNDERSTAND what we hear. It's not just an intellectual understanding that's required nor does being able to repeat something from memory meet the test. No, what's required is that we TAKE POSSESSION of the WORD after we've heard it. It has to become our own personal revelation that we can apply in our own lives. In other words, we have to OWN it. The truth is we can hear our Pastors say something a thousand times but until we make it our own personal WORD, until we acquire our own revelation of it, the ROOT system will be relatively weak. The way we overcome that is by studying and meditating on the SEED we've received so the ROOTS can grow.    

Affliction Because of the Word

There are way too many of us who don't understand that the act of trying to learn the WORD actually ATTRACTS persecution and affliction. The main point is this: if the SEED is initially RECEIVED with a positive attitude, with a desire to pursue UNDERSTANDING, the devil will be SURE to send persecution and affliction to separate us from what we've RECEIVED. In the New Testament it's NOT God that sends persecution and affliction to folks. No, the devil is at work to kill the SEED, to make us give up on the WORD we've RECEIVED instead of standing in FAITH that what we've received is the Truth. If the ROOT is weak the devil will be successful and the plant will die before it can reach maturity and bear very much FRUIT.

The challenge for every Christian is that we have to have knowledge of the WORD in order to be victorious in life; but in the process of learning, we attract tribulation. If we keep our eyes on our circumstances instead of accepting by FAITH what our acquisition of knowledge is accomplishing for the Kingdom of God, we're likely to be content to stay where we are and bear much less FRUIT than the potential we've been created for. The flesh doesn't want to attract persecution and affliction so it says: why not just stay the way we are?

Over the years I've met a lot of Christians who didn't actually DO very much to advance the Kingdom because they were afraid they would attract the enemy's attention and have to deal with his afflictions. So they've stayed defeated living with SHALLOW SOIL and not learning very much in the process. It's a choice we have to make. VICTORY comes AFTER we've been able to OVERCOME something. And overcoming always work. We can take the easy route and stay SHALLOW or we can pursue the Word and strive for the VICTORY.

They Fall Away

The Greek word translated "to fall away" (NAS) means to stumble back into the snare of sin by becoming offended (KJV), displeased or resentful. In other words we hear the WORD, we initially receive it and try to dislodge a ROCK with it only to give up because of the persecution and affliction and go back to our old way of thinking. And of course that old way of thinking disagrees with the WORD of God.

Quite often when we give up on a SEED we're disappointed because we had such high hopes for it when we first received it. Now we're stuck with the persecution and affliction the SEED attracted and we become resentful and angry with God and with other people. We wonder why we've been afflicted and become offended about it. Folks who're easily offended are living by their Flesh instead of by the spirit and by the SEED which they're giving up on. All that anger and resentment should be directed against the devil instead of God and it's the responsibility of the believer to take authority over the devil and PROTECT THE SEED instead of becoming offended and losing it before it can mature and produce FRUIT.

Friend, hear the Word of the Lord tonight: SHALLOW SOIL is difficult to deal with because the WORD can't find a good place to throw down roots. Remember SOIL in the Scripture is a description of one's MIND and SHALLOW THINKING can be expected in the early part of one's Christian walk. It's also a dangerous place because a huge part of the Body of Christ has gotten stuck there, in SHALLOW SOIL WHERE THE WORD IS RECEIVED WITH JOY BUT NOT REALLY UNDERSTOOD because not enough time is spent in study and meditation. You don't want to be stuck in this place because the devil has a field day bringing affliction and tribulation against these believers. And the sad thing is they don't know why they're experiencing difficulty. They don't realize that the enemy is easily separating them from their SEED, from their POWER SOURCE every day and that they're stuck in a place they could get out of if they would only turn to the WORD to find their way out.

If after reading this article you think you may be one of the folks who're stuck in this place, if you're miserable in your affliction and tribulation, I can only tell you that the WORD is your solution and that it has within itself the POWER to bring you out. Only you can do something about it. So, turn to the Word for your solution. Believe that it has within itself the POWER to change your circumstances and then make the Word your first priority.

Thanks for stopping by tonight. We'll be looking for you again NEXT Sunday night on January 25. In the meantime may the Lord bless you with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3), compelling you to PROSPER in every area of life!

Sinners' Prayer

If you've never invited Jesus to be the Lord of your life, you need to and you can do it today just by saying out loud the following simple prayer:

Jesus I declare today with all my heart that I believe in you and that God raised you from the dead. I acknowledge that my sins have been forgiven and I ask you to come into my life today and be my Lord and Savior. Thank you for salvation and eternal life.

If you were sincere as you prayed this prayer, God has already come into your life and you are a new creation, a totally new species recreated in His image. Now ask the Lord to lead you to a good faith-based, bible-teaching church where you can be equipped to fulfill your potential in the Kingdom of God.

And, when you get a chance have someone help you look up the following scriptures because they confirm what you've done by saying this prayer today and believing what you said:

Romans 10:9

2 Corinthians 5:17

Ephesians 2:8

Prayer Requests

If you have a Prayer Request, please connect to the Link below and follow the promptings. The PLN staff members pray over Prayer Requests every Tuesday morning at 10:00 AM eastern time. Agree with us for God to answer your petition.

http://www.creditcounseling.net/prayer-request.aspx 

Donations

If you've been edified by Prosperous Life Newsletter, you may want to consider making a SEED FAITH offering to support the Ministry (Galatians 6:6-7). God has instructed us to simply provide folks with an opportunity to sow seed into good ground so in due season you'll be eligible to reap a harvest and the rest is up to you as the Spirit leads. For your information PLN is a nonprofit gift to the Body of Christ so your financial offerings will usually be tax deductible (consult your tax advisor). Just go to the secure Shopping Cart on the Cornerstone web site by connecting through the following link. We appreciate your support and generosity.

http://www.creditcounseling.net/shop/item.aspx?itemid=1 

About Prosperous Life Newsletter

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