October
7, 2003
SOME
SEED FELL AMONG THORNS
"A
sower went out to sow... And some fell among thorns, and the
thorns sprang up and choked them" (Matthew 13:3, 7, NKJV).
Jesus
continued, "Now he who received
seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares
of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word,
and he becomes unfruitful" (Matthew 13:22).
The seed
of the word of God "often falls among thorns and noxious
weeds; and if there is not a moral transformation in the human
heart, if old habits and practices and the former life of
sin are not left behind, if the attributes of Satan are not
expelled from the soul, the wheat crop will be choked. The
thorns will come to be the crop, and will kill out the wheat.
"Grace
can thrive only in the heart that is being constantly prepared
for the precious seeds of truth. The thorns of sin will grow
in any soil; they need no cultivation; but grace must be carefully
cultivated. The briers and thorns are always ready to spring
up, and the work of purification must advance continually.
If the heart is not kept under the control of God, if the
Holy Spirit does not work unceasingly to refine and ennoble
the character, the old habits will reveal themselves in the
life. Men may profess to believe the gospel; but unless they
are [continually growing] by the gospel their profession is
of no avail. If they do not gain the victory over sin, then
sin is gaining the victory over them. The thorns that have
been cut off but not uprooted grow apace, until the soul is
overspread with them.
"Christ
specified the things that are dangerous to the soul. As recorded
by Mark He mentions the cares of this world, the deceitfulness
of riches, and the lusts of other things. Luke specifies the
cares, riches and pleasures of this life. These are what choke
the word, the growing spiritual seed. The soul ceases to draw
nourishment from Christ, and spirituality dies out of the
heart."--Christ's Object Lessons, pp.,
50, 51.
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