This brings back memories! My old mate: "The Donut Man" - one of America's most popular children's Christian artists. He helped me a lot, as I told Jesus' parables to my R.E (Religious Education), Holiday Kids Clubs and Church Programs.
2. THE SOWER
"A farmer went out to SOW SEED. As He was scattering the seed, some fell along the PATH: it was trampled along on, and THE BIRDS ATE IT UP. Some fell on the ROCKY GROUND and when it came up, the plants WITHERED because there was no moisture. Other seed fell among THORNS, which grew up with it and CHOKED THE PLANTS. Still other feed fell on GOOD SOIL. It came up and YIELDED A CROP, a hundred times more than was sown." Luke 8:5-8 (NIV)
Last week I went out to see Mark watering the garden and he told me that the seeds he had planted had been eaten by the birds - these were my YELLOW BEANS and APPLE CUCUMBERS which I loved. Some other plants had withered in the sun and had been choked by other plants. The only plant that survived were his RADISHES (yuck).
This morning when I went out I discovered a beautiful ORANGE BLOSSOM and our colourful flowers were blooming. Mark told me the new BEANS he had planted were now growing because he had put some protection around it.
Jesus reminds us that we need to have "protection" around us - an intimite relationship with our Father, if we are to GROW, like our plants. We need to have "deep, strong, healthy roots in the WORD OF GOD." We will have worries and "thorns", but if we "fix our eyes on Jesus", and have "good soil and do our watering", we will grow into wonderful plants.
1. Mark is a really good gardener. Our neighbour trusts him to go and get soil for his garden, because he watches him each day as he takes care of his plants. The earth is sometimes hard and thats why the birds came and took the seeds away, but he came up with and a way to look after it. Just as Jesus does with us, for HE IS OUR GARDENER.
2. The ROCKY GROUND doesn't always have good roots, and thats why the plants fall out. We too can fall away from God when we have trials and temptations, when the "sun gets too hot or life gets too rough", but we can always BELIEVE that OUR GARDENER will always be there watching over us.
3. THORNS make us CHOKE with "LIFES WORRIES" and riches and pleasures. Sometimes the world and the "devil" will cause us to fall, and prevent us from growing and maturing spiritually. This is why we need to stay INTIMATE WITH OUR GARDENER, reading His Word and praying each day.
"But the people on the good soil stand for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the Word, retain it, and by persevering PRODUCE A CROP." Luke 8:15 (NIV)
4. GOOD SOIL: these are the people, who plant the seed and care for their garden. When the trials come, our seeds GROW because they are deeper in the GOOD SOIL - GOD'S WORD and INTIMACY with the GARDENER.
"Therefore, consider carefully HOW YOU LISTEN. Whoever has, will be given more; whoever does not have; even what they think they have will be taken from them......My mother and brothers are those who HEAR GOD'S WORD and PUT IT INTO PRACTICE." Luke 8:18&21 (NIV)
"The Holy Bible - New International Version", 2011, Biblica
"The Sower", 1994, Donut Man, Rob Evans (Composer & Performer), Integrity Music
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