Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today we’re going to take a look at a passage of scripture but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.
When we first moved out into the woods, the family wanted me to put in an above ground garden, so I cut down some trees, made some small wedges, and framed them all together into a planting area. The original dirt was very sandy because it was on higher ground, but because we live down in a very swampy area, we had plenty of black dirt available. Sometimes people will call it muck dirt, which is an organically rich soil, filled up with nutrients and decomposed plant matter that is wonderful for producing strong and healthy plants. The only problem is that we had to get it from down by our house, and then haul it up a very steep incline to the garden. Each day we would fill up four gallon buckets and dump all of the “black gold” on the ground and spread it around. It took a lot longer than we expected, but eventually we got it done, knowing that things that we planted in that type of soil were going to grow really well.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
When it comes to planting a garden, there are many different types of soil, but the same is also true of the hearts of men. In order to be fruitful in the Christian Life, a man must have a heart of Black Gold, where the seeds of God’s Word can be sown, and produce everlasting fruit, from a fertile and obedient heart.
Matthew 13:1-23 (KJB) The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Sometimes people will hear the Word of God preached, but because they really don’t have a good grasp on it, it never goes on to fruition. Only when you fully understand what God is calling us to do, will you eventually become pleasing unto Him.
Colossians 1:9-10 (KJB) For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Sometimes plants can be flattened in heavy storms, or even torn out by the roots. But the same thing will happen to some people who begin the Christian Life, but won’t endure the storms that come from being faithful to the teachings of Holy Scripture.
Acts 14:22 (KJB) Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Some people will have the teachings of scripture planted in their hearts, but all of the cares of this world will completely distract them from what God is calling them to do. Like thorns around a plant, other things in this world will consume their time, and become more important then labouring for the Lord.
2 Timothy 4:10 (KJB) For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
To bring forth fruit unto life eternal will require humble submission to God’s will, because He promises that if we abide in Him, we will bring forth much fruit!
John 15:4-5 (KJB) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
So you see, when you plant things in good dirt, God can bring forth lots of fruit. But in order to have Spiritual fruit, the teachings of Scripture will need to be deeply embedded in our minds, planted inside of a faithful and obedient heart, one that is filled up with,….
……Black Gold
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
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