TWO KINGDOMS.
Good Soil.
We are talking about 2 Kingdoms!
Genesis 8:22 NKJV “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.””
– The wayside, but the birds at it!
– The stony places, not much soil, so the sun scorched it!
– The Seed that fell among thorns, the thorns choked it!
NETT RESULT / NO FRUIT TODAY
– Other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop 100, 60 & 30 fold!
Matthew 13:10-12 NKJV “And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables? He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
If you don’t use it you lose it!
– It’s apparent Jesus never shared everything with the crowd, but He did share everything with His Disciples!
– Because the same crowd that were following Him everywhere, would in a short turnaround of time go from shouting “Hosanna to our King” to chanting “Crucify” Him.
– The primary reason is they lacked understanding. Disciples seek understanding and therefor GROWTH!
Mark 4:13 NKJV “And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?”
👑 Understand (discern or grasp, to come to know by giving something your attention) [Bibles & Notes]
Matthew 13:15 NKJV “For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’”
THEY HAVE GROWN DULL… This is a work of man’s own unbelief and rebellion and the work of Satan
– Fear
– Holding on to tradition (religion)
– Not believing Jesus
– Unsurrendered lifestyle
– Allowing sin (worldly attitudes)
NO FAITH or reliance on GRACE DOUBT & UNBELIEF
Doubt & Unbelief will rob you of your harvest & keep you from His Promises here in this life!
Success in the Kingdom comes from our Spiritual Eyes and Ears been open to the Word and attentive to the Holy Spirit! So the crowd had left and Jesus reveals the mystery of the parable to the disciples and in it the heart of matter and one of the most important keys to the Kingdom
YOUR EYES ARE BLESSED:
Matthew 13:16-17 NKJV “But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
His no longer talking to the crowd, His talking to His disciples and says “you can be serving in the kingdom but be unfruitful at the same time!
What you are pursuing and what you give your attention to in your life is very important!
Matthew 13:22 NKJV “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.
THORNS:- That which pricks and punctures and hurts!
CHOKE:- To crowd out, strangle or drown to the point of destroying the fruit!
NIV:
– worries of life
– deceitfulness (delusion) of wealth
– desire for other things
(DIRECT RESULT OF A LACK OF TRUST)
LETS TAKE AN EXAMINATION
You are qualified because Jesus qualifies us!
By virtue of His Perfect work and shed blood you are made perfect!
God no longer puts “demands” on you to be holy or righteous, He Abundantly Supplies or makes you these things available to you in Christ (that’s GRACE) and know you are empowered to be like HIM!
1 Corinthians 2:10-16 AMPC “Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man’s scrutiny]. For what person perceives (knows and understands) what passes through a man’s thoughts except the man’s own spirit within him? Just so no one discerns (comes to know and comprehend) the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God. And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the [Holy] Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit]. But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things], yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one [he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him]. For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart. [Isa. 40:13.]”
1 Corinthians 2:8-9 NIV “None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—”
1 Corinthians 2:9 AMPC “But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed]. [Isa. 64:4; 65:17.]”
1 Corinthians 2:9 TPT “This is why the Scriptures say: Things never discovered or heard of before, things beyond our ability to imagine — these are the many things God has in store for all his lovers.” (10inONE SEASON)
1 Corinthians 2:6-10 MSG “We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it’s not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so. God’s wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don’t find it lying around on the surface. It’s not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene. The experts of our day haven’t a clue about what this eternal plan is. If they had, they wouldn’t have killed the Master of the God-designed life on a cross. That’s why we have this Scripture text: No one’s ever seen or heard anything like this, Never so much as imagined anything quite like it— What God has arranged for those who love him. But you’ve seen and heard it because God by his Spirit has brought it all out into the open before you. The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along. Who ever knows what you’re thinking and planning except you yourself? The same with God—except that he not only knows what he’s thinking, but he lets us in on it. God offers a full report on the gifts of life and salvation that he is giving us. We don’t have to rely on the world’s guesses and opinions. We didn’t learn this by reading books or going to school; we learned it from God, who taught us person-to-person through Jesus, and we’re passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way.”
Matthew 13:23 NKJV “But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.””
GOOD:- Beautiful, excellent, approved by reason of purity! Hundred, Sixty, Thirty…..the measure or degree you apply yourself (heart) will determine the measure you produce!
Response: Deepening our faith and avoiding having shallow soil in our hearts requires intentional and consistent effort.
Just as the parable of the sower teaches us, we want to become the good soil that receives the seed of God’s Word and allows it to take root and bear fruit.
This means understanding and applying God’s Word practically everyday!
Here are several ways to live out the teachings of Scripture:
- Love and serve others: Jesus taught the importance of loving our neighbour’s as ourselves (Mark 12:31). Look for opportunities to serve those around you, whether through acts of kindness, volunteering, or simply offering support and encouragement to those in need.
- Practice forgiveness: Ephesians 4:32 tells us, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Forgiveness can transform relationships and release us from the burden of holding onto anger or resentment.
- Share your faith: Matthew 28:19-20 encourages believers to make disciples and share the Good News. This can be through sharing your personal testimony, engaging in conversations about faith, or supporting missions and outreach efforts.
- Cultivate a spirit of gratitude: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 instructs, “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Keeping a gratitude journal or regularly acknowledging the blessings in your life can foster a positive outlook and deepen your faith.
- Spend time in prayer and Bible study: Luke 18:1 Regularly engaging with God’s Word and spending time in prayer are foundational to spiritual growth. These practices help us to align our hearts and minds with God’s will and gain wisdom for daily living.
- Live with integrity: Proverbs 10:9 ““He who walks uprightly walks securely, but he who takes a crooked way shall be found out and punished.” In your professional and personal life, strive to be honest, reliable, and ethical, reflecting the character of Christ.
- Manage resources wisely: Proverbs 27:18 NKJV “Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; So he who waits on his master will be honoured.” The Bible speaks about stewardship and the wise management of our resources, including time, talents, and finances. Tithing, offering, and using your gifts for the benefit of others are practical ways to apply biblical principles.
- Seek justice and show mercy: Micah 6:8 says, “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?” Advocating for justice, showing compassion to the marginalised, and engaging in acts of mercy are tangible ways to live out God’s Word.
- Foster strong spiritual disciplines: 2 Timothy 2:15 Beyond reading the Bible and praying, other spiritual disciplines such as fasting, meditation on Scripture, and solitude can enrich your spiritual life and draw you closer to God.
- Create a godly environment: Psalm 51:10 Surround yourself with uplifting and positive influences, whether it’s through Christian fellowship, music, books, or media. This can help strengthen your faith and keep your focus on God.
All these help our Hearts stay good and align our lives more closely with God’s Word so we experience the transforming power of His truth in our everyday lives.
Galatians 6:4 (NLTSE) “Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.
