Luke 8:4,5,7

Luke 8:4,5,7 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.

Luke 8:11,14 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.

The seed among the thorns are those people who don't run the race to the end, who jump off course somewhere along the route. They sprout as all good seed does, but the cares of this world pull them away to be as the world is and therefore they quit the race. They never mature into God's image as children of the King. Many people who claim to be Christians are in this category. At a time in their lives, they heard the message and received it, but they accepted it in name only. In the United States we have a huge majority of the population who tag themselves as Christian, but in reality they have very little to do with Christ's body until maybe a special holiday comes along. They'll attend an Easter service or a Christmas mass, but they will not commit the rest of the year to God.

These people carry the likeness of the world in their actions, words and attitudes, yet they still want to be identified as Christians. They are buried as Christians, but their lives were spent for the world. Sundays to nominal Christians are days of relaxation, a day when you get up late, do your own thing, maybe watch your kids play sports, A FAMILY DAY. They don't feel any need to be in communion with other believers, to be in the house of the Lord, for Jesus is not their Lord; He is not in control of their lives. These tagged Christians or vaccinated Christians, are Christian in name only. Jesus says to these "Christians," I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:15-16) Consequently, these Christians in name only need an encounter with God; they need maturity in him or they will be destroyed by this world.

Now, we Christians are more susceptible to the thorns in our lives than any other problem we face. If we are not careful, our days can be consumed with the worries, riches and pleasures of life with no time for God, not even in our thought lives. Our jobs, our entertainment, our obligations will always threaten our time with God. One of the reasons I write these breakfasts is that you might fight back the thorns in your life, that your mind might be focused on the things of God for a few minutes each day. We all need a hearty breakfast each morning to stay physically healthy. As Christians we also need a spiritual breakfast to keep our spirits healthy. I pray each morning that these breakfasts will feed your souls, will prepare you for anything that you will face today. Yes, thorns will be a part of each one of our lives, but thorns do not have to destroy us or to make us anemic Christians, those who bring no fruit to maturity. So today, ignore the thorns, abide IN CHRIST, turn your focus on him, and run the race gladly to the end.