Secrets of the Kingdom of God 2

Continuing with Mark 4:  Next Yeshua talks of the light, that it should be seen and not hid, the whole purpose of a light, a candle here, is to be seen, no one turns on a light and then hides it, it is irrational. Once a light is turned on, it is used to illuminate. Then the statement: He who has ears to hear, let him here.  Again, it is the act of listening, just as the above parable, listen up. Then he continues:  Pay attention to what you hear.  The more we hear, the more will be given us to hear.  So in this parable, we need to hear so satan doesn't steal the word.  We then can cultivate the soil of our inner being, remove the rocks, so when the seed grows the roots can drive down deeply. 

As a child I can remember a platform being dragged through a field, like a wagon without wheels. In our area, many of the fields were covered with rocks from the melting ice sheets.  After initially clearing, , each year rocks were pushed to the surface from the frost so the clearing maintenance was necessary each spring.  The stones were used to build border fences and many remain today.  Having prepared the soil, the fields were plowed and planted.  Then we need to clear the weeds as they spring up so they don't over compete with crop.  Eventually the crop will become dominant and the weeds will no longer be a threat.  Then the field will produce a profitable crop. But first we need to hear, pay attention and act.

The Secrets of the Kingdom of God 1

This is taken from  the parable in Mark 4 of the sower, the secret is the good ground, it may be the heart, mind and soul of a receiver wherein the word grows and produces a fruit: faith being the first.  In this ground satan can not take the word away, in this ground the person is not ready and the soil is  shallow. In any garden there are problems, too much rain, not enough rain, chances of frost but here the plant doesn't have to even have those things as it dies off with lack of good soil, perhaps the soil was not properly prepared, perhaps it is just the nature of that particular soil. In a better prepared, deeper soil the seed begins to grow into a plant but weeds come up and crowd out the good plant so it does not come to fruitation.  So the lesson is, do what the word says. 

The very first word of the parable is 'Listen!'  So the word can sink into the good soil where it is cared for. Being cared for means diligence, watering, protection from pests, wild animals, too much sun, frost.  The seeds are precious. As the plant grows and the weeds grow, well whoever heard of a garden that doesn't produce weeds?  But as they grow, weed them out with prayer, don't let the troubles choke out the good things the word is producing in a life.  Be diligent, careful for the things growing within us and pray to have the weeds pulled and trimmed.