Deeply Rooted | Sep. 27th

"Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away."

" And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away."

Mark 4:5-6, 16-17

One of my summer jobs in my teen years was working for a construction landscape company. The company built stone walls and installed lawns in new home developments. In most cases soon after a home was framed and finished on the outside we would put in the lawn. Surrounding the house would be processed stone or packed hard soil. We would come and cover the ground with a few inches of loam, good soil, then that would be graded and seeded or sod put down. Eventually, you will have a nice green lawn. If the loam were too thin, the grass would burn and die when exposed to the sun.

Beloved, if we are shallow in our knowledge of God and His word then we do not have the spiritual roots deep enough to endure the trials of life. Some immediately receive the word of God with joy but it does not become a part of their everyday life and when life becomes difficult their faith withers away.

Jesus explained that " they had no root in themselves" even though there was immediate joy when the word was first heard. Be not only a hearer of God's word but a doer. May the word of God take root in your heart and mind so that when the storms of life come you can stand. Yield your heart to the Sower today and grow in the grace of God.

In Christ Alone,

Pastor Wight

Seed Snatcher | Sep. 26th

"Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.

The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them."

Mark 4:3-4,14-15

Beloved, if you could imagine the parable of our Lord. You would envision a field and a sower, walking through freshly plowed ground but there is a path where the sower walks. Row by row the sower scatters the seed. The path is formed because the sower is present yet it cannot receive the seed for the birds of the air quickly devour it.

It is as if the path has become comfortable with the sower without the ability to receive the seed. This is an image not of the sinner outside the church but of the life who constantly hears the word of God without interest. The enemy quickly destroys what is sowed by the preacher because the person has no intention of taking to heart what God's word is saying. No thoughtful prayer, no intention to have it applied to daily living or to have it bear fruit in life.

Let us be diligent in hearing God's word and seek to have it applied to our daily lives. Resists the enemy and he will flee from you. The word of God will take root and bring life to your spirit.

In Christ Alone,

Pastor Wight

Obedience Over Opinion | Sep. 25th

"Redeem me from man's oppression, that I may keep your precepts."

Psalm 119:134

Many of us have not experienced physical oppression or opposition. But mental oppression is probably experienced more than we would like to admit.

We often care too much about what others think of us or how they look at us. The Psalmist is considering this in light of his faith. To this day, Christians struggle with what others think about their faith and what God may be asking them to do. We wonder how they will receive what we say or do rather than dwelling upon pleasing the Lord.

Let us seek the Lord for liberty in our minds so that we may be more focused on what pleases the Lord and then do that. Do not worry about how it will be perceived by others. Serve Christ in boldness, freedom, love, and wisdom. Keep the precepts of God above the opinion of others.

In Christ Alone,

Pastor Wight