Bible League: Living His Word And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground."— Mark 4:26 ESV Jesus compared the kingdom of God to sowing the seed and reaping the harvest. It's a simple concept, and everyone says, "We get it." But then, why aren't we all producing fruit in every season? Because we are sitting around waiting for God to do all the work. He doesn't act that way. There are some essential things that you must do by faith if you want to have a crop to reap at harvest time. First, you must sow the seed of the Word in faith, expecting it to grow. You must find precious promises from God in His Word, place them in your heart and in your life. Next, you need to water the seed. Water it daily with prayer and spending time in Scripture. That Word contains life, and those seed promises cannot grow without it. Finally, you have to stop the weeds outside! When the weeds of unforgiveness, doubt, fear, discouragement (and all the other rubbish the devil tries to plant in your garden) try to get in, yank them out. They will choke the seeds. All of this will require some diligence on your part. No one else will do it for you. You will have to weed your own garden, so be tough about it. When a small weed appears, pluck it and throw it away! Don't leave it even for a moment. Pull it out by the roots. Don't be tempted to keep a wildflower because it looks pretty. You do not need to hold on to that. You can have the best—God's best. Don't wait for God to tend your crops. Start planting. Begin to watch over your soil (your heart and mind) to keep it moist, watered with the Word, and free of weeds. Commit to doing your part and trust God to do His. You will have a bumper crop this season! By Pastor Sabri, Bible League International contributor Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading2 Kings 15, 16, 17 2 Kings 15 -- Azariah, Jotham Kings of Judah; Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah Kings of Israel NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 2 Kings 16 -- Ahaz Ruler over Judah; Damascus Falls; Ahaz Succeeded by Hezekiah NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 2 Kings 17 -- Hoshea Last King of Israel; Northern Tribes Led into Captivity NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading John 6:1-21 John 6 -- Jesus Feeds Five Thousand, Walks on Water; "I am the Resurrection"; Many Desert Jesus; Peter Confesses Christ NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Rise during the night and cry out.Pour out your hearts like water to the Lord. Lift up your hands to him in prayer, pleading for your children, for in every street they are faint with hunger. Insight The people's suffering and sin should have brought them to the Lord, weeping for forgiveness. Only when sin breaks our hearts can God come to our rescue. Challenge Just feeling sorry about experiencing sin's consequences does not bring forgiveness. But if we cry out to God, he will forgive us. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon 1 Timothy 6:17 Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.Our Lord Jesus is ever giving, and does not for a solitary instant withdraw his hand. As long as there is a vessel of grace not yet full to the brim, the oil shall not be stayed. He is a sun ever-shining; he is manna always falling round the camp; he is a rock in the desert, ever sending out streams of life from his smitten side; the rain of his grace is always dropping; the river of his bounty is ever-flowing, and the well-spring of his love is constantly overflowing. As the King can never die, so his grace can never fail. Daily we pluck his fruit, and daily his branches bend down to our hand with a fresh store of mercy. There are seven feast-days in his weeks, and as many as are the days, so many are the banquets in his years. Who has ever returned from his door unblessed? Who has ever risen from his table unsatisfied, or from his bosom un-emparadised? His mercies are new every morning and fresh every evening. Who can know the number of his benefits, or recount the list of his bounties? Every sand which drops from the glass of time is but the tardy follower of a myriad of mercies. The wings of our hours are covered with the silver of his kindness, and with the yellow gold of his affection. The river of time bears from the mountains of eternity the golden sands of his favor. The countless stars are but as the standard bearers of a more innumerable host of blessings. Who can count the dust of the benefits which he bestows on Jacob, or tell the number of the fourth part of his mercies towards Israel? How shall my soul extol him who daily loadeth us with benefits, and who crowneth us with loving-kindness? O that my praise could be as ceaseless as his bounty! O miserable tongue, how canst thou be silent? Wake up, I pray thee, lest I call thee no more my glory, but my shame. "Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake right early." Daily Light on the Daily Path Romans 1:1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,John 13:13 "You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. John 12:26 "If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. Matthew 11:29,30 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. • "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Philippians 3:7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Romans 6:22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. John 15:15 "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. Galatians 4:7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. Galatians 5:1,13 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. • For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |