Mark 4:1-9 – “Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. ² And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: ³ “Listen! Behold, a Sower went out to sow. ⁴ And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. ⁵ Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. ⁶ And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. ⁸ And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” ⁹ And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Good morning.  I pray for each of you to have a great day and that every project will find favor and acceptance, leading to the fulfillment of God’s purposes and opening the door to His purposed blessings. 

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word, I was greatly encouraged by something in one of Jesus’ parables related to the Book of Job.

Mark 4 – the parable of the Sower.  Jesus broke it down powerfully for us.  The Sower Sows the Word.  The Word of God, the Gospel preached to people, is the understanding.   The seed beside the road are those who hear, but “immediately,” the devil steals the Word, and they are unchanged and unmoved.

Those on rocky soil (a picture of life) are those who hear and “immediately” receive it with joy, BUT…  But?  They are superficial, theoretical followers of religion.  They expect ease once saved.   God’s impenetrable protection and provision.   But when the going gets rough, they turn back.  They think it’s not working, and false and unfulfilled expectations shipwreck their faith.

Those in the thorns (life’s problems and demands).  They hear, they receive, and they believe, BUT… But?  The worries of the world (problems), the deceitfulness of riches (money becomes the focus), AND the desire for other things (everything else) enter and choke out the Word, rendering it unproductive.  They hear but not the Word. Therefore, no faith is present, causing them to lose their faith.

Then, the good seeds in good soil are those who hear, receive, believe, and bear fruit.  They were changed at the core of their beings.

How does that relate to Job?  In Job 1:21, when Job received all the bad news, including the loss of his children, he demonstrated the seed of the good soil principle.

“AND he said, Naked I came from my mother’s womb, AND naked I will return there (not the womb but the presence of God).  The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away.   Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

John 1:22 – “Through all this, Job did not sin, nor did he blame God.”

Good seeds in good soil produce a good harvest!  That’s the key!  What do we do when trouble and difficulty hit?  Do we directly or indirectly blame God?  Do we exhibit trust in Him or shift into Why Me Mode? 

Jesus said in Mark 4:24 – “Take care what you listen to…”  He indicated that what we listen to determines the harvest of our lives.   Mark 4:22 is revelatory – “For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed…”     Then, in Mark 4:28, He makes a declaration or revelation that will liberate us from worry.  “The soil produces crops by itself…” 

A seed planted will grow.  It does not require us to do anything.  It grows (Law of Sowing and Reaping).  It is a process rooted in Trust.  It is a matter of focus.   Are we focused on us or Him?  Are we looking at our lack or His abundance?   Are we focused on our troubles, or are His Victories stored up for us?

Job got it right.  He trusted God and refused to blame God.  God may allow evil but does not cause it.  He wants us to totally trust Him.

Let me add Roy’s thought: if you have been roadside, rocky, or thorny soil, ask God to transform you into good soil.  That can happen by the Word – Hear it. Heed it.  Receive it.  Voice it.  And watch God do what God does.   He never promised a problem-free life but to go through it with us.  If God is for us, it doesn’t matter who is what is against us.  We have the Word.

Trust God completely and immediately!   He never fails and never will.