ON YOUR MARK: WEEK 4 DAY 3

Mark 4:7

7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.

Mark 4:18-19

18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

What good is a plant with no fruit? If a gardener spent weeks tending a green bean plant, and it never provided any green beans, what would that gardener do? Eventually, that plant would be uprooted and thrown to the side and, hopefully, replaced by one with a fruitful harvest.

Things we desire in life such as wealth, power, and status are a distraction from our purpose. The life of a Christian is supposed to reflect the life of Jesus. Jesus wasn’t rich, even though he created everything. Jesus didn’t suppress people, even though He is God. These distractions, or thorns, are things that seem so much better to our finite understanding. When all we want is of this world, why would we care about eternity? However, just like how worldly desires have worldly consequences, eternal desires have eternal consequences.

Fortunately, Paul addresses this issue. We are in this world, yes, but not of this world; we are supposed to be like minded with Jesus.

Romans 12:2

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Here are the steps, one through three, that will help make sure the hearts of those who hear God’s Word are prepared:

1. Pray for ________ heart(s) to be prepared.

2. Pray for God’s truth to be revealed!

3. Pray for ________ mind(s) to be renewed.