18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. (Mark 4:18–19, NKJV)
When thorns and thistles take over a field, the crop will not be productive. Weeds choke out the good plants, robbing them of nutrients, rain and sunshine, until eventually they die. Christ used this to describe the heart that is so crowded with internal influences that no room is made for the word of God to grow and bear its fruit in one’s life. We must make room in our hearts for the word of God, otherwise, our overcrowded hearts will choke out God’s word from our lives. Jesus identified 1) The cares of this world, 2) The deceitfulness of riches, and 3) the desire for other things as the culprits we must weed out of our hearts. Life is brief and uncertain, so live for heaven (Col. 3:1-4). Riches are deceptive, and will never satisfy our yearnings of eternity (Eccl. 3:11; 5:12). Desiring other things instead of seeking first God’s rule and reign in our lives will always choke out the word of God from our lives (Matt. 6:33). Pull out the weeds from your heart, lest you wither and die spiritually.
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