This post is Day 19 in a series of studies about “The Weather”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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The Weather – Day 19

Most of us have met people who gave their hearts to Jesus at an emotional moment in a church service or evangelistic campaign. But then they have not found the right church. Or they were not really cared for as baby believers so they quickly went astray or got bored.

Matthew 13:6

But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

The Thought

This verse from the well known “parable of the sower” about where he sowed his seed, is just as relative today as it was when Jesus told it. It is talking about new believers who are very enthusiastic and grow rapidly, but their new found faith doesn’t last.

Most of us have met people who “gave their hearts to Jesus” at an emotional moment in a church service or an evangelistic campaign. But then they haven’t found the right church. Or they weren’t really cared for as baby believers so they quickly went astray or got bored. Or met the “wrong people” who drew them in another direction.

The previous verse tells us:- Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. People who don’t have “much soil” or “deep roots” don’t last long!

This is one of the rare times when Jesus gave a clear explanation of the parable. Matthew 13:20-21 – The seed falling on rocky ground refers to people who hear the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

We must develop deeper roots and help young believers around us do the same.

The problem is not the burning sun, it is the lack of protection from it. In the same way new believers need protection from any and every enemy.

Action

Read this parable in Matthew 13 and let it speak to you afresh about its deep meaning.

Pray today for new believers in your church, or neighbourhood, that they get good teaching and have a heart to learn more and more, so that they are not ruined by the enemy.

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