BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

1) Some seeds fall by the wayside and the enemy comes to devour them (verses 4, 19). 2) Some seeds fall on stony places…and get scorched and wither under the fire of tribulation because they have no roots (verses 5-6, 21). 3) Some seeds fall among thorns, the cares of this world, which choke the Word (verses 7, 22). 4) Or, some seeds fall on good ground where someone hears the Word, understands it and yields a crop, some a hundredfold, some 60, some 30 (verses 8, 23). Now, I grew up in a faith-filled household. Anytime I needed anything, Mom and Dad would say, “Go to the Word, Jeremy. What does the Word say?” Implied was the idea that whatever you’re facing, the Word has the answer. Then I read this parable. You know what it implies? Three out of four times the Word did nothing—because, one way or another, the enemy stole it. That rocked my world. Clearly, the moment the Word is sown, Satan goes to work. When we think of Satan’s tricks, we think about him spreading sickness or lack in our lives. But I don’t think he’s wringing his hands over whether we’re healthy or wealthy, sick or poor. What he cares about is distracting us, because distraction serves to talk us out of what we believe. Sickness, disease, lack…these have one thing in common: They’re all major tools of distraction, designed to get our minds off the Lord and out of a place of perfect peace. You can see this principle at work when Jesus went to visit Mary and Martha. "Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving.... And Jesus answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.… Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her'” (Luke 10:38-42, "NKJV"). What a beautiful meeting that must have been. Martha invited Jesus to come in and share His Word with them. Jesus wasn’t preaching to thousands on a hillside, or from the bow of a boat. He was sitting with a select group of people in Martha’s home. Can you imagine what an opportunity that was? Now if you’re familiar with this story, you might already be thinking about how Martha gets busy—but it didn’t start out that way. According to verse 39, Mary “also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.” The word also tells us that Mary and Martha were there, both sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to His teaching. “But,” the passage continues, “Martha was distracted.” It’s hard to fathom how anyone could get distracted in that house. The atmosphere was ripe for revelation. Jesus was likely sharing things He didn’t share in larger groups. Yet, Martha found herself suddenly preoccupied. As she sat there, perhaps she started thinking, I’ve been here awhile. All these people are in my house. They’re going to be hungry. What should I do? And with that seemingly innocent line of thinking, Martha was drawn away. Jesus’ Guarantee Satan is like a master pickpocket. When he comes to steal the Word, he starts with a small distraction. He knows if he can subtly distract you, he can get what he wants. 22 : BVOV

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