“Finally, Brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report (good news); If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise think upon these things.” Philippians 4:8

First off, Happy first day of Spring!

It’s chilly here but still beautiful with all the Daffodils and the many flowering trees starting to bloom. and the sun is actually shining. I’m hoping the frost didn’t damage all the new buds and blooms, but time will tell.

The secret of dormancy is one the many beautiful mysteries of creation. 

Plants and trees that look hopelessly dead, dried up, and withered away, the true beauty coming when the time is right and the cold winter goes, the sun starts to shine all that looked so hopelessly dead comes back to life.

After the booming starts, we still sometimes have to cover out plants, protecting them from the sudden cold or unexpected late frost.

You know, our souls are quite the same, we are born with the spiritual ground already is us and in life many seeds are planted into that ground,

Some seeds are good seeds bringing beautiful blooms, but some things planted are weeds and thorns that offer no benefit and only ruin the gardens of our souls.

We have to be careful of the spiritual weather, the spiritual temperature and the spiritual; frost that can destroy our buds and cause us to grow cold and wither away.

Let’s read one the most well-known passage with Jesus explaining this to us.

Luke 8:5-8: “A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

And some fell upon rock; and as soon as it was sprung up (sprouted), it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it and chocked it. 

And the other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. 

And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath (has) ears to hear, let him hear.”

I wanted us to check out a couple of things before we go on with that.

Okay, we know that God’s word is the good seed that is to be planted in our hearts so that we can live, grow, and flourish in him.

And also, so that we can plant those good seeds in the lives of others and bare tons of fruit, which is mercy, grace, love, joy. peace and all that we share with all those around us.

Those seeds must be watered which is staying in relationship with God.

Once we are saved and those seed have taken in good soil, we don’t have to do anything to “force” growth. Fruit just “grows” out of the love of God, just like an apple tree will sprout and produce first beautiful flowers and then after that beauty, it will produce fruit.

The apple tree isn’t required to do anything in order for this to happen, it just does what an apple tree does.

However, the more that tree is cultivated and tended the greater its resistance to bugs and blights. and the more fruit it produces. The same is true for us spiritually. 

The fowls of the air that devour the seed are really symbolic of the attacks on our minds by the enemy, as he is the prince of the principalities of the air.

We’ll check that out in another post, he is not to be feared as God protects us, but he will try to throw discouragement and worry our way, but praying and fighting those thoughts with God’s word will send it away.

The devil doesn’t have the kind of time to keep attacking with something that doesn’t work.

Let’s go back to Jesus as he teaches us what this parable means.

Luke 8:9-15: “And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be (what does it mean)?

And he said, “Unto you is it given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God; but to others in parables, That seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. 

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 

Those by the way side are they that hear, then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they believe and should be saved. 

They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy: and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in the time of temptation fall away.

And they which fell among the thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are chocked with the cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. ‘

We see so much in this passage, we see all the traps and snares of life that tries to tear us away from God, the riches, the pain, the worry, the what-ifs, temptations that the grass is greener.

It can be anything and everything that humans can be distracted by.

Thats the key, it doesn’t even have to a snare from the devil. just being human we are easily distracted. We are distracted by things that may look and seem good; we may even be tempted by someone who looks even better.

The bad times in life, worry, and doubt, sickness, loneliness, seasons we all suffer. The good news, seasons do change.

These things happen to the saved and the unsaved because it is all just part of life on earth and only in the next life is our promise of freedom from these things.

The enemy has a way of twisting all this with the old “If God really loved you…,” routine.

God does loves us by we are still on earth and bad things do happen on earth.

Jesus is telling us what we should beware of and the things to watch out for, so that that seed is not stolen away. And that we must have patience to see the buds, the blooms, and then the fruit. It is a process.

One of the most awesome revelations to ever be had is in this passage.

You know this and understand this because you were chosen to understand it. 

That is what Jesus is saying when he tells the disciples that it is given to them but to others, they could hear his words but not understand.

They could see but not even recognize who was standing right in front of them.

His word is sent to those who have ears, meaning spiritual ears, his sheep know his voice and only his sheep understand his parables.

That is an absolute blessing!

This is one of the many beautiful things to think on.

Join me tomorrow and we’ll get into our starter verse a little more and check out the beauty he has sown into all of us and all we need to do it let it bloom!

Have a wonderful day! 

NBJ 2024/Rev. N Brown Johnson