Seed sown. Final part

"But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”                                Matthew 13:23   NKJV

Jesus now describes the benefits of sowing seed in good ground. It brings many blessing to you - the giver, and to others - the receivers. It also brings good fruit into God's work, fruit that will last and not fade away like He had been discussing earlier. When someone hears the Word and understands it, much fruit is produced as He gives this out. This demonstrates a true believer, he obeys what he hears.

Although these believers do not produce the same amount of fruit, they all show by their fruit, that they have divine life. Fruit mentioned here is not necessarily souls won for Christ, but probably the manifestation of Christian character. People recognise this and who they are.

This parable was designed to point to the danger against hearing without obeying. Something that is rife today. It was also meant to encourage individuals to receive the Word sincerely and to bring their fruit to God. It was also to help the disciples to realise that there are many who hear the Word but are never genuinely saved. Jesus also alerted the disciples that there are three great antagonists of the gospel:

(1)  The devil (the birds and the evil one)

(2)  The flesh ( the scorching sun - tribulation and persecution)

(3). The world ( thorns, the cares of the world and the delight in riches)

Don't fret that others may produce a lot more fruit than yourself. They may do great things in the world for Jesus. You, may only help an old lady pick up her shopping after she dropped it crossing s car park. However, in Jesus' eyes, this is just as important. There is no real difference. It is genuine fruit.

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now
Lord Jesus, I have sinned. I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle Check it out. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.

Seed sown. Part 3

"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   NKJV

Thorns and brambles are notorious for ruining crops because, if left unattended, they smother the crops and choke them. There is also the difficulty in digging them out because of the fear of ruining the plants completely, or cutting the hands and arms quite badly. Care must be taken to ensure the ground is totally clear of the thorn but, this is not easy because they seem to have a mind of their own and are fast growing.

In this example, Jesus balances His discussion of the thorns choking the plants, to the Word of God being choked by the busy-ness of a person's world. The worries that we allow to rule our day are a constant burden to carry around. Instead of praying leaving the problems with Jesus, we tend to want to help Him in sorting our problems out, because it may be quicker, that way. 

It won't be and we will probably ruin any chance of things getting better, There is also, money problems. Some may worry if they are very short of money, where others may worry because they have a lot but, they want more. They also live in fear of losing it, if they make a mistake.

All these problems represent shallow-mindedness. The mind becomes full of the 'What if's' and there is very little space for faith to rule.There is a great urgency to place Jesus in first place of our hearts. There is life out there and God wants each of us to reach out and take hold of it. In Matthew 6, Jesus speaks about refusing to worry. about earthly things, such as money issues, food and clothes. He urges us to seek Him first and all these things will added to us. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Now Jesus wants us to seek Him first in our daily lives and promises that all these things will be given  to us (Matthew 6:33)       

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now
Lord Jesus, I have sinned. I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle Check it out. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.

Seed sown. Part 2

"But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;  21yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles."                           Matthew 13:20-21

Continuing with our discussion about The Parable of the Sower, we look once again at Jesus' words in our text above. He had been describing seed sown on stony ground (v5-6). The type of ground around the area He described, was rock with a thin layer of soil scattered over it. Anything planted there had very little root - it wasn't deep enough. The seed sprung up very quickly but because it had little root, the sun scorched them and they withered away in no time at all.

This describes hard-heartedness or half believing people who are not fully convinced. When a person hears the Word of God, they receive it with joy and are elated. It is the answer to their dreams and they believe their life has changed for the better. However, probably through lack of support from other Christians or being equipped with all they need, such as a bible, notes and a church to attend, they may slip away. Or it may be because they fail to follow the guidelines of Christianity and don't read their bible or do some daily study, they quickly fall by the wayside. It's mainly when the problems of their world overtake them and they become frightened or stressed by bills or work, that they can't cope and are not used to praying things through. 

We all need a root that is firmly planted so that, when things come our way to attack us, we are able to stand firm. Remember, if your seed is planted into stony ground, the root will not go deep enough and you will be at risk of being blown away. Therefore, do something about it, quickly.

You may have been a Christian for many years but at certain times, things will try to overcome you. It can be anything - money, bills, debt, illness, marital problems or job-related issues. Firstly, you have Jesus who is willing to help, as long as you do your bit first. He will not just rush in and solve your issues instantly. He expects each of us to do what we can to change things. When we have, we can expect the help we need. Young old older Christians need to realise that the issue begins with us. When we've viewed it and thought things through, we can then pray about it and let God know that you are going to do what you can, if He will be kind enough to help us through the minefield.

You'll get through, but only if your root is firmly established in Jesus.

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now
Lord Jesus, I have sinned. I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle Check it out. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.

 

Seed sown. Part 1

“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.'

                                                                        Matthew 13:18-19    NKJV

Jesus often spoke in parables to reveal divine truth in a way that could be understood by seeking disciples, while simultaneously concealing it from those who rejected His message.

Here we see Him speaking to them about The Parable of the Sower. Let us look at the various parts of His discussion starting in verse 3: 

'Behold, a sower went out to sow.  4And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.'

Jesus gives the interpretation of this in v18 -19. These are the people who refuse to receive the message of Jesus. They hear the gospel but, do not understand it; not because they can't but, because they won't. They are adamant and refuse totally to become involved in this kind of thing. "Wars are caused by religion' they may tell us in their defence. Verse 4 tells us that birds came and devoured the seed. The birds are a picture of Satan. You have probably met some people who fit into this category; the Pharisees were like this.

Hardness of heart is difficult to deal with. It is like knocking your head against concrete and still getting nowhere. You may have had times such as this. I remember some years ago when I was doing some street evangelism and I gave a chap, a tract. As he took it, I asked if he was a Christian. His answer told me he wasn't, 'Well I have been in the Methodist Church for 40 years; I think that qualifies me, don't you?' I told him that I didn't think so, unless he had received Jesus as his Saviour. However, it fell on dear ears and he walked away.

Being in a particular church for years does not make you a Christian anymore than sitting in  Costas, makes you a cup of coffee. Without asking Jesus into your life is the only way; and this is why the devil will try and prevent people from knowing the truth. He won't get back into heaven so, he doesn't want you to either. 

Having a stony heart is not good. It will prevent people from having a place in glory when they die. Even up to this moment, if you sat down and thought about all of the times someone has spoken to you about Jesus, even if it was for a second, you could identify the times Jesus was inviting you to be His friend. It is the same with other people too. There was a course back in the 80's called Evangelism Explosion and it encouraged a person to go and door knock or stop people in the street and ask them a question. This was: 'When you die and stand before Jesus in heaven and He asks you, "Why should I let you into My heaven?' What would you say?' Many people would say that they had lived a good life; gave to charitable concerns, never hurt anyone etc etc. Their face would drop when you replied that was not the answer that would qualify you to a place in heaven. 'Only Jesus is my Lord and Saviour' is the answer.

Think about that, and the next time you speak to someone about Jesus, use this phrase. And why not use it on yourself as well?

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now
Lord Jesus, I have sinned. I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle Check it out. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.

Thank you LORD

Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s."     Psalm 103:1-5   NKJV

As we read through this Psalm, it's helpful to realise that, many times we cannot put into words, properly, what we would like to. Therefore, this Psalm beautifully verbalises what we can't say.. We are to call upon our soul - Mind, Will and Emotions - to bless the Lord, which will completely let God know just our grateful to Him, we are.

We should never forget His benefits. These are given to us daily (Psalm 68:19). We often forget to thank Him for the soundness of our body, the soundness of our mind, our sight and the mercies He gives us. It's easy to take this all for granted - we are busy people - but we should never be too busy to thank Jesus for all He gives us. Make it a daily prayer.

He daily gives us forgiveness for our iniquities as we ask Him and again, we need to be so grateful for this. Imagine your crimson sin made whiter than snow. This is divine grace and it is too much to take in at times. Where healing is concerned, remember this comes after forgiveness. The physical is closely related to the spiritual. While not all sickness is a direct result of sin, some of it is. Where this connection exists, forgiveness must precede healing. The Lord is able to heal our sicknesses but we cannot claim healing for every disease, otherwise none of us would " die. Really, whenever a believer is healed, this is a mercy from God and He should be acknowledged and praised for this.

He redeems and restores our lives from the pit or destruction. Obviously, the ultimate is rescuing us from going to hell. But the meaning here is, He continually delivers us from danger, accidents and tragedy. And He crowns us with loving kindness and tender mercies, which gives us total satisfaction and renewed youth.

We are so fortunate to have Jesus in our lives.

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now
Lord Jesus, I have sinned. I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle Check it out. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.

Addiction

"You are truly My disciples if you keep obeying My teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."   John 6:31-32. NLT

The spiritual forces that sway our life are rooted in either truth or deceit. Truth leads to freedom where deceit leads to bondage and death. Denial to the fact that we have an addiction problem, keeps us in slavery to this addiction and it is difficult to see that there is any other hope of life. Belief in Jesus can help us to break free from this captivity and give us the freedom to kick out the lie that is keeping us chained.

Many Christians are prisoners of spiritual warfare. The enemy chains them to this addiction and convinces them that there is no escape. There is, and His name is Jesus. The devil has convinced people to own the label 'Addict.' This may be to drugs, sex, pornography, alcohol dependency, gambling, food or whatever else. They feel trapped with no way out. But, God can make a way where there seems to be no way!

Jesus is the truth that sets people free (John 8:36). Jesus gives the person who is in captivity, the ability to break loose from their addiction. Take a look at our text today; Jesus said, 'if you keep obeying My teachings'.  We  need to believe and accept this word. It couldn't be any plainer than this, could it? However, it is not easy to put this into practice. Anyone who has ever tried to stop smoking knows how difficult this is. Many stop for a week or two, but the craving gets too much for them and they think, 'I'll just have one cigarette - that's all.' It doesn't work like that. it is all or nothing. If one keeps going back to the addiction they are still hooked.

I've worked with people who have a drug dependency and many of them have yearned to be free but failed miserably. Only one act can free a person and that is a commitment to Jesus. If a person KEEPS obeying His teachings, they will be set free. It is the truth because, Jesus never lies, it's the devil who does that. He will convince a person that there is no hope that they can ever be free. This is forever. No, no, no. Only Jesus' Word is forever. The devil is temporary and his days are limited. Because of this, he wants to take as many people with him as he can. Don't be one of them

You can be free from the torment of addiction. We probably all have certain things that we know we shouldn't do, but we still do so. Is this an addiction? If you can't live without it, yes it is. Your addiction may be small in comparison but, it is still holding you in captivity. Therefore, pray for those who are - in their minds - hopelessly trapped and while you're doing this, bring your addiction to Jesus as well - repent and receive His forgiveness and be set free. Don't be subjected to chains any longer!

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now:

'Lord Jesus, I have sinned and I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today.

In Jesus' Name. Amen'

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers

Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle 

Check it out

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B084G9S4FD/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

Stop trying to change what God ordained

"I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him."              

                                                                             Ecclesiastes 3:14.  NKJV

People all over the world are trying to change what God has put into place but, they will not succeed. Let's look at the 'biggies' that are always topical: Abortion, Homosexuality and Transgender issues. These areas are often debated within governments and the media:

ABORTION  Is it right that someone can take away life from a human being? It is often mentioned that it is murder. A foetus is still alive so is it the right thing to end its life for one reason or another? Some women have a termination because it doesn't fit into their life style. Well, shouldn't they have considered this before they went and engaged in unguarded sexual intercourse. Yes, if a baby is at risk to itself or the mother, perhaps this termination should be considered. But other than that, surely the baby should be given the right to life. Otherwise, shouldn't it be classed as murder?

HOMOSEXUALITY. Did God get things wrong when He created man and woman at creation; surely not? He said it was not right that a man should be alone v18. So He created a woman for the man to share his life with and be productive. Wouldn't He have created another man for Adam, if He wanted them to enjoy sex together. They wouldn't have been able to produces children either, because God never made them that way. He wanted man and woman to be together.

TRANSGENDER. This is an issue that has the ability to split parents and family apart. If a man was born a male, did God want Him to be female instead? I don't think so. For a young person to go for years of counsel and operations to change sex, surely is an insult to God. A male was born to place seed in the womb of a female - hence, promoting more men and women. Kids at main schools have been subjected to teaching about sexual health and development; most educational authorities are now deciding this was wrong.  

To add to this, there are the Euthanasia issues, about have people and/or doctors the right to end someone's life. This world is really becoming like a horror movie. Then of course there are the people who believe the bible is outdated. It should be brought up to date. Mostly at the back of their minds, is it possible that they are getting God's blessing for doing these things?

The world as we know it has gone sour I'm afraid and it is scary how things will turn out in years to come. Christians need to fight these issues not just sit around twiddling their thumbs hoping that someone else will do this. 

Brothers and Sisters, the time has come to make a stand! Amen?

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now
Lord Jesus, I have sinned. I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle Check it out. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.