Thoughtful and Slothful People No person can serve two masters, as they will either hold to one and

despise the other. Anything placed in front of God or His word is considered an idol by Him. In the end, we will accept His word and apply it to our benefit, thus becoming prosperous in this and in the next, or we will be void of it, and receive no reward for that which we wrought in this lifetime. (Proverbs 24:30-32) I went by the field of the slothful [Dict: sluggard; indolent; lazy], and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. (Matthew 13:1,2) The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore [Gk: beach] [i.e. a lifeless place]. The Way Side (Matthew 13:3,4) And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way [Greek: road] side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Parable - Greek: a similitude ("parable"), i.e. (symbolic) fictitious narrative (of common life conveying a moral), apothegm or adage:--comparison, figure, parable, proverb. Dictionary: sow = 1. to scatter (seed) over land, earth, etc., for growth; plant (seed, and hence a crop). (Luke 8:11) Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God [i.e., the godly thoughts of God]. Commentary: and he spake many things unto them. Those who were standing on dry land while he taught them as he was sitting in the ship, being supported by the water (symbolically, the Holy Spirit). (Matt 13:18-19) [Jesus' explanation] Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom [godly thoughts], and understands it not, then cometh the wicked one [Satan Mark 4:15; the devil Luke 8:12], and catches away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. Upon Stony Places (Matt 13:5-6) Some [godly thoughts] fell upon stony places [hard places, indicating hardness of heart], where they had not much earth [depth]: and forthwith [Gk: immediately] they sprung up [as our thoughts that are spontaneous impulsive not well thought-out, not properly considered, not properly structured thoughts], because they had no deepness of earth [had received no meditative pondering contemplative attention from us]: And when the sun was up [dawn, daylight, judgment time; exposing the

untruthfulness of the thoughts], they [the impulsive mingled with the world perverted evil thoughts, and the people containing them] were scorched [Gk: burned]; and because they [the impulsive mingled with the world perverted evil thoughts] had no root [no proper foundation, no Jesus, no grasp of Jesus, no mutually clinging uniting basis for everlasting life in Jesus Christ: Rev 5:5; 22:16], they withered away [Gk: desiccated; shriveled up] [like the lifeless corpses that they were; zombies, the walking dead]. Commentary: Stony places. These are hard areas in our heart that we will not (we refuse to) sacrifice or give up to God, such as cigarettes, drinking, drugs, swearing, stealing, lusting, etc. (1 Corinthians 3:10-11) According to the grace of God which is given unto me [Paul], as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed [Gk: beware] how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (Matt 13:20-21) [Jesus' revelation] But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word [godly thoughts], and anon with joy receives it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth [Gk: endures] for a while: for when tribulation [Gk: affliction] or persecution arises because of the word [because of the recipients inadequate poorly thought-out and under-developed unstructured acceptance of the godly thoughts of Jesus Christ], by and by he is offended [falls away]. Offended: Gk: ("scandalize"); entrapped, i.e. tripped up (fig. stumble or enticed to sin, apostasy or displeasure) to be snared; a stumbling-block. Among Thorns (Matt 13:7) And some [godly thoughts] fell among thorns [distracting influences]; and the thorns sprung up [very active lively distractions], and choked them [overwhelmed the godly thoughts; blocked the sunlight]: Choked: Greek: stifled or throttled or strangled, take by the throat [so as to make it impossible to speak, to bring forth the word]. (Matt 13:22) [Jesus' spiritual application] He also that received seed [of godly thoughts] among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and [thoughts of] the care [Gk: distractions] of this world, and [thoughts of] the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word [overwhelm the word], and he becomes unfruitful [Gk: barren: without fruit]. The Good Ground (Matt 13:8-9) But other [godly thoughts] fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit [godly thoughts, seed after his kind Gen 1:11], some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matt 13:23) [Jesus' spiritual interpretation] But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word [godly thoughts], and understands it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Are you part of the good ground? Those who are upon it have singleness of heart, they purely seek God because of a heart of love. May this mind set and heart be yours forevermore. Amen.