The Nourished

Matthew 13:22

The thorny ground represents those who hear and accept

the Good News, but all too quickly the message is crowded

out by the cares of this life and the lure of wealth, so no crop

is produced.  (NLT)

     As flawed human beings it is easy for us to get excited about something new, but soon after the excitement begins to fade into doubts, impatience and then ends up going by the wayside. And the same can be said for the many people who hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. They are excited at first, but the sin within and evil powers of darkness re-emerge and it begins to choke out their new faith of hope.  This often happens when their new found faith has not had enough time to be nurtured and grown in the proper environment. The Good News Gospel of Jesus Christ is life-changing news that gives each person a fresh perspective on life, the absolute Truth about the world around them, and the hope of an eternal life in Heaven. But people who reject the Saving grace of God do not have a very bright future before them, because after all the struggle and pain and heartbreak that this life brings, their lives will have been lived in vain.

     In order for the Good News to make a real difference in your life, you must commit every day to nourishing your faith by spending time with the Lord, reading the Bible, learning the Truth, growing in knowledge, and praying for spiritual stamina in the face of the Enemy. It's when we get lazy and fail to follow through with these nourishing steps that the excitement fades, the old sinful hungers return, and the demon of doubt enters into your heart and leaves the door open for the Enemy to walk right in.  Our faith cannot survive without the power of God. We cannot defeat our enemies without the Holy Spirit in our hearts.  You cannot save yourself, or escape the power of sin, or defeat the devil on your own.  But with God, all things are possible and you will survive the storms.

                                   A Whisper of Hope

Let Me nourish you, My child...with My wisdom and strength. The world hates Me and all My children, and it can poison your faith with lies and doubt. If you stay close to Me, you will grow and be fruitful.  When you live in Me, I will live in you and see you through to the other side.

Mark 4:3-9

“Listen!  A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it

across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came

and ate it. Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. 

The plant sprang up quickly, but it soon wilted beneath the hot sun

and died because the roots had no nourishment in the shallow soil. 

The other seed fell among thorns that shot up and choked out the

tender blades so that it produced no grain.  Still other seed fell on

fertile soil and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a

hundred times as much as had been planted.”  Then Jesus said,

“Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!”   (NLT)

      A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a 

             bad tree can't produce good fruit.

               A tree is identified by the kind 

                          of fruit it produces.

                                   (Luke 6:43, 44)