The Kingdom of God
Luke 8

Jesus' Story of the Farmer Who is Planting His Crop

"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." Luke 8:5-8(NIV)

Jesus Explains His Story

"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop". Luke 8:11-15(NIV)

Prayer

“Lord, please make me good soil today. I admit that I've got temptations, rocks and thorns in me that need removed, painful as that removal will probably be. Yet I know you've planted and that there are roots just waiting to spring up as signs of your life in me. May you increase and I decrease. Amen”