Monday, March 7, 2011
Beware of Second Best
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
If you have ever planted flowers and cared for them, you have probably noticed that weeds come up over a period of time. You don’t see the soil start moving and then a weed suddenly shoot up and grab a flower.
Weeds don’t appear overnight. They show up gradually. That is what Jesus was referring to in the Parable of the Sower when He talked about the seed that fell among thorns: “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).
Notice that Jesus did not say that sinful things choked out the seed of God’s Word. Rather, it was “the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches.” This is not someone who deliberately refuses to pray or read the Bible or go to church. In fact, this person will think these are good things. They will go out and buy a Bible. They have every intention of going to church—unless something more interesting comes along. It is not that they hate the Bible or are against its teachings. They believe the Bible is the Word of God. They will talk about it. But they never will open it up. They are just too busy. Gradually, the physical becomes more important than the spiritual. Things on earth become more important than treasures in heaven.
The fact is that good things can occupy a person’s time as well as the bad. They may not be bad things to begin with, but they become bad things because they get in the way of spiritual growth. It has been said that more have been killed by food than by poison. The second best is often the worst enemy of the best.
Copyright © 2011 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Even believers sometimes doubt...
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Have you ever doubted the Bible? Have you ever had questions about how the Bible came into being? Have you wondered about the historical reliability of the Bible? Listen. Don't feel bad about that. Let us help you. Here is a great resource that will bolster your faith and help you to defend your beliefs. This book is called Seven Reasons Why You Can Trust the Bible. It is written by Greg's friend, Dr. Erwin Lutzer, who is the pastor of the famed Moody Memorial Church in Chicago, Illinois.
You can have your own copy of Seven Reasons Why You Can Trust the Bible in appreciation for your gift to Harvest Ministries this month. 