“Listen to this! Behold, the Sower went out to sow; as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil.  And when the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.  Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundred times as much.”  And He was saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 4:3-9

I'm inwardly saddened as I think over the first three groups of people our Lord reveals within this parable. They will find themselves in the Lake of Fire for all eternities to come. I know all we can do is live holy lives through Christ Jesus by staying in step with His Holy Spirit, pointing as many as possible to our Great High Priest through love, by our walks and words every single day. Despite this, multitudes will find themselves before that Great White Throne Judgment. I find myself deeply saddened concerning what is going to come on these first three groups. We find only one group of people being redeemed through Christ the Word, and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. (Rev 20:11-15, Revelation 21:8)

Group One: Satan and the Demons, The Word is Stolen

"The Sower went out to sow; as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up." Our Lord's explanation concerning this group of people is that "these are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them." (Mark 4:15)

Within this first group, the devil and demons, our spiritual foes, immediately steal the very Word meant to bring the hearer forth into new life. This occurs despite the Spirit's empowering to call all to repentance and faith, bringing forth Christ and Him crucified into an actual experience within their lives, instead the Word is taken before it can be successfully enacted within their lives. (John 3, Eze 36:25-27)

Group Two: Affliction and Persecution, They Fall Away

"Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil.  And when the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away." Our Lord's explanation concerning this group of people is "...in a similar way these are the ones sown with seed on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; and yet they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution occurs because of the word, immediately they fall away." (Mark 4:16-17)

Within this second group, are people who claim our beloved Christ. They do so until the rain descends, and the floods come, and the winds blow, and beat upon this group; then they fall away. (Matt 7:27) When the name of Christ becomes costly to bear due to afflictions which cause pain or suffering, and persecutions which cause hostility and ill-treatment, even possible death, this group falls away. (Matt 24:9-10)

Group Three: Wordily Desires, Concerns Make Them Unfruitful

"Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop." Christ explanation concerning this group of people is they "...are the ones sown with seed among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things enter and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful." (Mark 4:18-19)

This third group also claims our beloved Savoir Jesus Christ. However, their focus is bent on things of this sin filled world, their desires are for its worldly treasures, and to partake of its ways. No one can truly follow two masters and this group chooses to give their hearts to the wrong master making themselves unprofitable. Had they been Christ's Father would have severely spanked their bottoms, even to the point of bringing them home early! (Hebrews 12:8, 1 Corinthians 11:30-32, 1 John 2:15-16, Matthew 6:24)

Group Four: Hear, Accept and Bear Fruit

Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundred times as much.” Christ explanation concerning this group of people is they "...are the ones sown with seed on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundred times as much.” (Mark 4:20)

One has said that "divine love is the ultimate end result of the Gospel" of our Lord Jesus Christ! This divine love can only be produced through the Holy Spirit, and by Him we bring forth God's love given to us by Him firstly. We then give that divine love brought forth through us to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Then we drench those who do not know our Savoir with that same divine love. As we cry out for repentance and a true turning to Christ. Everyone we come into contact with thus receives God's agape love all around through the Holy Spirit living within us as we bring forth the sweet aroma of our Lord and Savior to others. Be certain it is this group that bears the mark of their Savoir! Through His Spirit living within us, we share Christ to the world first through our walks, then through our words. In fact, the Apostle Paul commanded of us all to "Do everything in love." (1 Cor16:14, 1 Cor 13, John 13:34-35, 1 John 3:14-16, 1 Pet 4:8, Gal 5:22-23)

_________________
Billy Witt

Father's Discipline: Part Two

"Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundred times as much.” Christ explanation concerning this group of people is they "...are the ones sown with seed on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundred times as much.” (Mark 4:20)

So, what happens when this group of twice born ones disobey? How are these twice born ones matured even when they are being disobedient?

"Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." (Eph 4:30-32)

Step One: Conviction

What happens when one twice born grieves, or causes suffering in the Holy Spirit? What happens when we slander, belittle, and argue, treating others wrongly, or are involved in some secret sin? Firstly, if the Holy Spirit lives within us, He brings forth inner conviction. The best response to His conviction is to repent, apologize and right the wrong. (John 16:10) Another possible response is to ignore His conviction. When we choose to do so, we find ourselves in the second stage detailed below.

Step Two: We No Longer feel His Presence

All those born twice feel the Holy Spirit's presence at first. Now some say it stops after a certain amount of time. However, I believe the reason for us to no longer feel His presence is because we are no longer abiding in Christ, no longer walking with the Holy Spirit. When we ignore His conviction, His presence leaves us. As a younger twice born, we often don't understand the seriousness behind this absence. In fact, many a leader will tell us it is just part of maturity. However, I strongly disagree at this point in my walk, and believe the best course of action for a believer lacking the Spirit's presence is repentance. What happens, though, when we ignore His presence leaving us, and still don't repent?

Step Three: Father's Discipline

God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Heb12:10-11)

If the Holy Spirit's conviction from within us and missing presence doesn't spur us to repentance, then more discipline begins to occur. It is important to note that such discipline may not occur immediately. We might go sometime thinking all is fine as we treat others wrongly or engage in this sin or that sin. However, be certain God the Father's loving discipline is approaching!

Step Four: Death or Maturity

"For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number are asleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world." (1 Cor 11:30-32)

Many of us learn through our Heavenly Father's discipline. However, as I warned in a previous post concerning the Bema Seat of our Lord, "Even more to my amazement is a large crowd – their entire works completely burned up, from within the fire of truth, nothing left but the simple fact that they are there with us as their only proof..."

Conclusion: Fear God

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (Pro 9:10) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; All those who follow His commandments have a good understanding; His praise endures forever." (Psalm 111:10) "The conclusion, when everything has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person." (Eccl 12:13)

Through painstaking experience, we see a progression which we would be wise not to ignore! Step one: the Holy Spirit's conviction, step two: His presence leaving us, step three: Father's discipline which He works out when and how He so chooses, Step Four: severe discipline, even to the point of taking us out of this world if we truly be His. Christ paid the ultimate price for us, and if we are unwilling to repent, and grow, He is certainly justified in His decision to take us on home.

Since you are still alive as you are reading this then there is still repentance to be found for you. God is longsuffering seeking each of His adopted children to mature into the image of His only begotten Son. Discipline brings maturity "if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons" (Heb 12:8) and daughters of God through Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. "For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." (Heb 12:11)

"Therefore, repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;" (Acts 3:19)

_________________
Billy Witt