Leave a Mark - Lessons from Growth Parables

There are some tremendous lessons to be learned from the Parables in Mark 4:

• Kingdom Growth is God's Business. 
  We plant the seed, like a farmer, and wait for God to do the work. We do the natural and He does the Supernatural. The farmer didn't manufacture the seed, it was created by God. The potency of the seed is inside the seed. God's Word is the seed and it will produce a harvest.

• Growth is Intentional. 
  God expects growth. The nature inside the Kingdom is growth, as is the nature inside a seed.  God does not expect His Kingdom to grow accidentally or surprisingly.  Too many churches don't expect growth, they are merely in a maintenance mode. But you know, no farm can stay in existence very long if it just keeps the machinery oiled, repaired and up to date. No farmer, that I know, is satisfied by simply saying, "We have a farm located in our community."

• Growth occurs during difficulties. 
  Preparing the soil, planting, watering, and weeding takes planning, time and energy.  Often setbacks occur because of storms, floods, drought, or pests. But difficulties do not mean that growth will be totally cancelled. Difficulties in life can cause us to do many things: spend more time in prayer, realize we need each other, share resources, realize our total dependency is on God.  We will reap if we don't give up.

• Growth is continuous.  
  The seed lies beneath the soil, unseen to the naked eye but growth is happening below the surface. Soon the blade will shoot up from the soil. There are times that we think nothing is really happening, but at those moments we cannot see what is happening in the unseen realm.  That is where faith becomes so valuable.  Even when we can't see what we are hoping for we know without a shadow of a doubt that the growth process is continuing.
• Growth means that smallness is not God's intention. 
  Even though the mustard seed seems small and insignificant, it grows into a useful tree.  The mighty oak tree spanning high into the air started as a small acorn.  Anything that is not growing is dying!

Don't be discouraged by the "smallness" of today, but rather be encouraged by the fact that God's Kingdom plans can grow and will grow if He has faithful people who hear and obey His Word.  People who are lazy and full of excuses will never see things change.  They are looking for the supernatural, but are not willing to do the natural.  

Take time to apply these lessons to your life.  What is the Holy Spirit saying to you?  Write it in your journal and pray it into your life.