THE SOWER AND HIS MANY GROUNDS

With the way Nigeria is going, it is easy to advise us to pray but will just praying solve it? Do you know how many Christians are all over the world? What about in Nigeria alone?  How about how many churches are in Nigeria alone? If we could love our neighbours, do unto others as we would have them do unto us, never bear false witness....it goes on...just imagine!

This is not some church doctrine or something that is “not so cool” it is living itself. It can be likened to reading a book, getting excited, motivated and still not living out the principles. This is not some article to judge anybody because no one is perfect, to be upright in a world filled with compromise, you must fight for what you believe in but it is a way to remind us of how something as simple as this could positively change our lives.

If we could truly live out in our everyday living just little of what we hear every Sunday, the world will be a better place…..our governments, our individual lives, our relationships, EVERYTHING. We will have better, fuller lives, we will experience fulfilment…. We will be saving the world by changing our personal lives. Forget what you know, the world needs GOD. There is a place in our lives that only God can fill, nothing else will do.

Don’t you wonder sometimes?

-         A Deacon in the church deep into adultery

-         A chorister constantly fornicating

-         A Christian who is a pathological liar

-         A Christian, who never forgives, cheats and is selfish

These are some of the things that people exhibit all because of the type of heart that is on the inside.

The parable of the sower is a very popular amongst Christians but beyond being familiar with it, have you ever wondered about your type of heart? Are you just a church goer, someone who hears the preaching every Sunday and still remains the same person? Follow me to Luke 8:1-15 as explore that parable again…..so that we don’t miss the essentials as we seek to follow God in truth and in deeds. When a seed is sown into your heart, what happens to it?

“Though seeing, they may not see, though hearing, they may not understand”

Luke 8:9b

It is possible to go to church every Sunday and still miss it. In this parable, the Word of God is the seed and the types of grounds are our hearts. The parable talks of four different grounds and if you look at it more closely, you will discover that these things are actually true, not just for reading the Bible but also for the principles as well as goals we set for ourselves……you will discover why many people do not get beyond just talking and why many never live out what they already know to be true, things they know can positively change their lives.

1. THOSE ALONG THE PATH: These are those who hear the word and the devil comes, taking it away. This category of people goes to church on Sunday, hear various ministration but they leave all that on their seats in church. It never goes beyond where they sat. It is easy to get distracted in church (also in life with your goals and principles) with your mind wondering about other things which you are tempted to think are important than receiving from God at that moment. They are in church physically but their minds are somewhere else. It would be a case of coming of to church and wasting your time because at the end of the day, you have gained absolutely nothing. You just warmed the chair and you go back to the same person you used to be…..the same struggles, the same questions….that emptiness that just never seems to leave you.

I once heard what I thought was a joke but it now makes sense to me. I heard the Devil follows people to church on Sunday, waits for them at the church Gate and after the service follows them back home because Satan knows that this person is not ready to change, he does not even know he needs change.

2. THOSE ON THE ROCKS: This category of people receives God’s word, they are excited because they know this Word change their lives and they leave church with the fire to live a changed better life.  The Word seems rooted in their hearts but truth is as temptation and the challenges of everyday living come, the foundation is shaken. They easily give up and compromise.

 They really want to live the words they have heard and know it….. It can be difficult preaching to this people because they already know the Bible. An example will be Fornication, lying, stealing and the likes. These people know these things are bad but they still do it, not because they don’t know it is wrong but because this Word is not ROOTED in their hearts. Their hearts are likened to the rocks. Their conscience pricks them at every sin; they live a life of never growing….beyond that level. Their Flesh is always in control of them….. They find it hard to say No to things they know is wrong.

3. THOSE AMONG THE THORNS: This category of people hears the Word but because of the worries and cares of this world, it is choked. For this class of church goers the things of this world is such a huge goal for them. It is what they pursue; it controls their goals, plans and priorities in life. They just must achieve it it no matter the cost, they don’t care how it happens. They tell you when it comes to the things they want, they put Christianity aside. They are familiar with the scriptures and can even preach, they have the head knowledge but deep down its how to make it in this world, to meet up and keep up. They are caught up in the chase of vain things of this world and they can never be satisfied. For people like this, career comes before God and even family. They are always too busy for God.

4. THOSE ON GOOD GROUND: They are the very few with a good and noble heart. They hear the Word, they retain it through patience without wavering in faith and they produce results.

At this point, let me ask, which of these hearts do you have or will want to have? If we could just live out a tiny percentage of what we hear every Sunday, our lives in every area will be far better.