TEXT: ‘Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!’ – Mark 4:8 NLT THOUGHT: Jesus told His disciples that understanding the parable of The Sower was the key to understanding all the other parables – Mark 4:13. Reading this passage again I was stirred by it to send out this Today’s Teaching. When Jesus explained this parable to His disciples, He made clear that the seed was God’s Word. The question is simply this, “What effect is God’s Word having in your life?” Where’s the fruit? The parable of The Sower reveals four types of ground that corresponds to the spiritual state of a person’s heart. No Understanding – ‘The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts’ – Matthew 13:19 We can talk for hours to people about Christianity but if there is no understanding it cannot do them any real good. Every gospel seed you are trying to plant the devil is able to snatch away if it...
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TEXT: ‘Behold a leper came and worshipped Him saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean”’ – Matthew 8:2 THOUGHT: Jesus had just finished his wonderful teaching, the Sermon on the Mount – hard-hitting, thought-provoking and lifestyle challenging. There is no mention of healing, yet when Jesus comes down from the mountain a leper is amongst the great multitudes following Him wanting Jesus to heal him. Leprosy was an illness to be dreaded. Great advances have been made throughout the world to reduce, even eradicate its awful effect. There are degrees of leprosy. Two long chapters in the Book of Leviticus concern the diagnosis, treatment and recovery from leprosy. For a person to go from being included in society to excluded and then included again must have been a wonderful experience. However this leper was no small case or even in the first signs of this awful disease. The Gospel of Luke states he was full of leprosy – 5:12. So often God uses the worst scenario to show us that, “With Him all things are possible!” From the Gospel accounts of this encounter and wonderful miracle, there are four things we must be willing to do. Be willing to go where you would not normally...
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TEXT: ‘Let your eyes look directly ahead [toward the path of moral courage] and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you [toward the path of integrity]’ – Proverbs 4:25 Amplified Bible THOUGHT: Recent visits to the theatre disturbed me about the intrusive use of mobile phones. It was amazing how many blue screens suddenly switched on once it was the interval. No, the owners of those phones could not enjoy a night out without looking at their phone. Sat just six rows from the stage, the excellent performance of Jules Holland and his band was marred by people in front of me videoing the concert. Trying to capture the moment, yet unaware they were helping to destroy that same moment for those sat behind them. I found out later that there was no restriction on recording the event like there normally is on other occasions. The blessing or curse of mobile phones Every good invention can end up damaging instead of blessing. It is true that many lives have been saved by a mobile phone, but we will never know how much damage it has done to society. The art of conversation is dying, replaced by steely stares at a tiny screen oblivious to what’s going...
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TEXT: ‘When the religious leaders saw the outrageous things he was doing, and heard all the children running and shouting through the Temple, “Hosanna to David’s Son!” they were up in arms and took him to task. “Do you hear what these children are saying?” Jesus said, “Yes, I hear them. And haven’t you read in God’s Word, ‘From the mouths of children and babies I’ll furnish a place of praise’?”’ – Matthew 21:15-16 The Message THOUGHT: Sometimes the problem is simply this: there are some people you just cannot please whatever you say or do. They never show their appreciation, nor say, “Thank you!” Matthew 21:12-16 records how Jesus cleared the merchants and money changers out of the temple. Then He healed the blind and lame. Even the children ended up excitedly praising God saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” They were copying what the multitudes had been shouting as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. This was the final straw for the chief priests and scribes. Unable to deny the fact that Jesus was doing wonderful miracles, they tried to silence the praise. In reply, Jesus reminded them of Psalm 8:2, that what the children were doing was a fulfilment of prophecy. There really is...
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TEXT: ‘Look! I have been standing at the door, and I am constantly knocking. If anyone hears me calling him and opens the door, I will come in and fellowship with him and he with me’ – Revelation 3:20 Living Bible THOUGHT: Radical changes have taken place recently concerning door to door selling. Many homes now display a sign stating “No cold callers”. Home owners, plagued by repeated calls from over-zealous sales teams using aggressive sales techniques, have resorted to this to protect their privacy. Acting on the advice of the Police and Trading Standards, they are now careful about who they want knocking on their door. In this teaching we will study two occasions in the Bible where it mentions something or someone being at the door. Both will have an influence over a person’s life if they are allowed to. Sin – ‘You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master’ – Genesis 4:7 NLT Cain’s offering had been rejected whereas his brother Abel’s was accepted. God warned Cain that there was a powerful force...
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