Where are you?

Where Are You?
Matthews gospel records this parable spoken by Jesus,
“That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.  
Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.  
Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.  
As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 
  Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.  
But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.  
Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.  
He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:1-9
         Jesus interpreted his parables this way,
“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:  
When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.  
The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.  
But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.  
The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.  
But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:18-23.
What Jesus is saying is very typical of what happens in our churches today. There are those who hears the message but fails to fully understand it and quickly falls away without trying to look deeper.
There are others who receive the word but the moment persecution or hard spiritual times come, they fall away.
Then there are those who receive the word but have a lot of earthly baggage. They fall pray to the worries of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth. their worries in this world taking precedent over their faith in God.
Then there are those who truly believe who go forth and take the gospel to those around them producing more believers.
Where are you in this spectrum of hearers of the word?
Think about it. 

Your Refuge

Your Refuge

“But as for me, it is good to be near God.

I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; 

I will tell of all your deeds.” 

                                  Psalm 73:28.

Is God truly your refuge? Do you truly trust God to provide for you? Matthews gospel records this encounter between Jesus and a rich man
“Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 
“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” 
“Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,  honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’’” 
“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.” Matthew 19:16-22.
Here was a man who believed in God. Who obeyed the Mosaic Law. Yet lacked complete faith in God. He trusted in his wealth more than God.
Now there’s nothing wrong with having wealth. It’s our relationship to our wealth that can cause problems. The apostle Paul tells us,
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:10.
It’s the love of money that can cause problems and pull people away from their faith.
Jesus said,
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21. 
As believers in Christ Jesus we need to truly decide where our faith lies. It’s easy to give lip service. It’s easy to say I believe God exists. It’s much harder to place your trust in God especially if you have wealth.
I strongly believe that we must put our complete trust in God and not our wealth. Joshua addressing the Israelites said this,
“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.  
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24: 14,15.
Question, Who are you truly serving? Is your faith in God or the things of this world?
Please think about it.