Most of us eat every day, some of us too much because yesterday's food
is not enough to supply energy for today's needs. Why then, do some
of us expect yesterday's portion of heavenly manna, the word of God to keep
us through today's challenges. On this program, we are going to change all
of that. Let's experience God's words today and receive the power we need to
live healthy, vibrant lives. Welcome to Your Daily Portion with your host,
author speaker Elle David Harris. Good morning, good morning, Good morning.
It is Monday, July twenty two, twenty twenty four. Hello. By
name is El David Harris. I am your host, and this is your
Daily Portion where we give you God's Word every single day, and today is
no exception. We are continuing in our Lesson study series through the Book of
Mark and our caption for today is Jesus's Interpretation Jesus's Interpretation. We'll get into
that in just a moment. I'd like to say welcome to you and ask
you to please go over to your Daily Portion dot com. Please join our
online community, pick up the Your Daily Portion book and let us know where
you are in the world. At your Daily portion dot com. This is
one of the ways that we continue to build faith and fellowship. Let's go
ahead and pray, and then we will get underway. Father and Heaven,
thank you for giving us this new day and for the opportunity that you have
given to us to do your will. Father, Please give us your holy
spirit teach us how to love you and to do everything that makes you happy.
Father, please give us a dependence upon you. In Jesus's name,
I pray, Amen and Amen again. Jesus's interpretation. Now, I just
have to admit to you that we don't have to look at Jesus to interpret
anything. He's the one who's teaching, right. So I know we have
to use English language and that's kind of what we're stuck with. But the
fact is this is not left up to interpretation. And then we look at
Jesus's interpretation. No, what did Jesus mean when he said what he said?
And that's it. Okay. I wish I had the time to really
deal with with this caption, but don't let me get you distracted. Jesus
was teaching something very clear from the parables, okay, And so I will
read here in Mark chapter four and we'll read it over and over. I
know Mark chapter four, verses thirteen through twenty, and the Bible reads,
and he said, unto them, know ye not this parable? And how
then will ye know all parables? The sower soweth the word. And these
are they by the wayside, where the word is sown. But when they
have heard, Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the word that is sown in
their hearts. So we can see here that the word was actually sown in
the people's hearts, but Satan took it away. Why was he able to
take it away? Why was he able to take it away? That's a
question. Let me keep going verse sixteen. And these are they, likewise,
which are sown on stony ground, who, when they have heard the
word, immediately receive it with gladness. So again, the word actually took
lodgment in the heart of the people, well sort of. It says they
received it with gladness verse seventeen. And they have no root in themselves,
so endure, but for a time afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for
the world's sake, immediately they are offended. And offended means to offend.
That verb means to go away from So if we are offended, that means
we turn our backs on God and leave him. That's what that basically means.
Verse eighteen. And these are they which are sown among thorns. As
such, hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the
deceitful of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word,
and it becometh unfruitful. So again the word goes in. But then
something causes the people to lose the word. And these are they which are
sown in good ground, such as here the word receive it, and it
brings forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, and some an hundred.
And so Jesus is telling us, Well, let me ask you, when
the word is properly implanted or planted, it must bear fruit. Let me
say that again slowly. When the word is properly planted, it must bear
fruit. Well, mean, what does it mean to be properly planted?
If God is the one planting, then it has to be properly planted.
Oh well, the soil has to be amended, The soil has to be
turned, The soil needs to be neutrified and ready to receive that the soil
needs to be tilled. It needs to be good soil, not too thirsty,
not too much like clay, just right with the right everything mix,
which I've had to learn to do over the years because I'm a city boy.
But I learned. I learned. I had to learn over the years.
And so what God is teaching us is that he wants us to bear
fruit. So what is the difference between the fruit less soil? That is
our hearts? Now, our hearts are an extension of who we are.
It's the root of who we are. Maybe that's a better way of saying
it. So what makes the difference between the fruitful soil and the fruit less
soil? Because really, at the end of analysis, it doesn't matter if
at one point it worked and then it just goes away. Now we're talking
about the word of God, okay, and so the different soils are based
on obviously the different listeners. Everyone hears the word. All of the types
of soil have the seed sown in them, but the reception is different,
or receptivity. What happens when the soil, when the seed and the soil
come together. That's what we need to be asking ourselves and answering God,
or asking God really and ourselves and answering God. What is happening? When
I receive the soil? When I receive the Word, what do I do?
What do I do? Do I allow the cares of this life to
cause a problem? Do I allow a lust for things in this world to
cause a problem? Do I allow other things to cause a problem? Or
do I just receive this with thanksgiving and ask you to grow it? And
so the soil does matter, according to the lesson writer. It grows and
produces abundant crop when it is the right soil. The soil matters. Well,
how how do we become receptive soil? And why do we need to
become receptive? Well, Jesus, the Word wants to become part of us
so that we can become part of him. May I say that again?
God wants us to become a part of him, so that he wants his
word to become a part of us, so that we can become a part
of him. I think Jesus said it better when he said, abide in
me. And if my word abides in you, then you can ask what
you will and it shall be done. Unto you So God wants us to
become so close to him that we are abiding. We are abiding, and
when we abide in Him, than the fruit of this relationship sprouts and springs
and continues to replicate and propagate. And I'm thankful because he made it simple.
He made it simple. He said that he would take out from us
a stony heart. He said he would take that from us, and he
would put in us a heart of flesh, so that we could be just
like him and receive his word. So let me give you just a few
things that we need to think about. One, be open to receive his
word. Well, it seems that everybody was open, but that's not enough.
Number two, Stay vigilant against spiritual threats. Stay vigilant against spiritual threats.
Don't just be open, don't just receive, but now stay vigilant.
Number three, develop a depth in your faith. That is, allow God
to develop depth in your faith. If you need faith and you ask God
for faith or patience or something like that, then there's a trial that comes.
Don't run away from the trial, don't distance yourself from the trial,
but say, God, help me to get through this trial. And then
we go with number four, prioritize spiritual over material concerns. Do not allow
the things of this world to shield your eyes from the things of God.
Do not allow the things of this world to overshadow the things of God.
And then finally, just continue to pray. Ask God to put you in
a position where His word matters more to you than anything else in this world.
I hope that makes sense. Make it a great day, peace.
Thanks for joining us listening. Friends. Always remember we cannot live by bread
alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. This
has been your daily portion with el David Harris. Make it a great day. Yeah,