Some of the seed fell among the weeds, and the weeds grew up with it and choked it.
Luke 8:7

What is a weed? Do you know the difference between weeds and not weeds? Sometimes it is hard to tell and it is usually left up to the person who is in charge of the garden to determine what is a weed and what isn’t. We had some people helping us pull weeds in Agape Village once and they pulled all the strawberry plants up – a weed to those who don’t know.

So, what is a weed? The word used in this passage for weed is actually thorns. Israel has lots of thorns and prickly plants. When you are walking around in sandals most of the time, you definitely don’t want any thorns around. Officially a weed is any plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, growing where it conflicts with human preferences, needs, or goals. In this parable, however, the weeds aren’t up for debate or left to a matter of human opinion. The weeds Jesus is talking about are anything in our life (according to Jesus that can be the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life) that conflicts with God’s preferences, expectations, or goals for us.

The problem with those kinds of weeds is that we can easily justify them. We can also think we can control them, that we are stronger. But, in the end we are not. Those weeds we let grow in our life, the ones we have justified, actually choke us out and destroy the Truth God has for us. What are you letting grow in your life that is choking out the Truth of God? What is hindering your walk with Him? What is stopping you from maturing and producing the kind of fruit God created you to produce? 

Weeds can be anything. Sin is always a big weed – one we need to get rid of. By sin I mean anything that goes against God’s Word, any act of disobedience – either doing what you shouldn’t or not doing what you should. There are also weeds that can be harder to recognize – relationships, habits, attitudes, behaviors, and even some of the things we ‘enjoy.’ If we truly want to live a life of victory and bear good fruit then we have to get rid of the weeds. 

Ready to pull some weeds? Ask God to show you what needs to go and do what you need to do to get it out of your life.
 
Looking for weeds with you,
Pastor Matt

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 4:17
           
Repent!! A strong word – a challenging command. It can come off as judgmental and condescending. Who are you to tell me to repent, not like you are any better than me!? When we hear that – repent – it conjures up many different responses and feelings in all of us. But, that was part of the main message Jesus preached – repent! 

I want you to read it and hear it in light of the rest of Jesus’ ministry and message. He didn’t walk around shouting at sinners to repent all the time. He didn’t stand in judgment over “those” people. In fact most of what Jesus did was simply invite people to get to know Him, to be with Him, and to follow Him. Jesus did way more inviting than judging. So, when you read that verse above read it as invitation to live the Kingdom Way.

In accepting the invitation to live in the Kingdom you will have to repent. Choosing to live this way means you have to repent – to leave some things behind. You’ll have to leave sin behind. You’ll have to leave yourself behind – you can’t be in charge in the Kingdom. In the Kingdom God is King and life is lived His way. But, what you leave behind will pale in comparison to what lies ahead.

Jesus used parables to describe what the Kingdom is like and once taught an entire lesson on what Kingdom life looks like (The Sermon on the Mount – Matthew 5-7). He describes it as the greatest treasure you will ever find, a place where you will find safety and refuge, a place of forgiveness, a place of compassion, a place of love, and most importantly a place of redemption. 

To accept this invitation to enter into Kingdom living doesn’t mean you have to wait to experience it. It is an invitation to begin living this life today. He wants you to follow Him and He will help you learn to live the Kingdom Way in every aspect of your life. Through the power of Holy Spirit you will begin to be transformed into a Kingdom Citizen. Which means all the Kingdom has to offer can be yours. 

Are you ready to repent and live in the Kingdom? Ready to follow Jesus into this new way of life? Just say yes, and follow Him.
 
Follow Him With You,
Pastor Matt

Luke 5:1-11: 
One day Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on Him to listen to the Word of God….So He sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.  When He had finished speaking He said to Simon….
 
When I was in high school I played basketball. Sometimes the crowds that came to watch us were small and there were times when those crowds were pretty big. But, no matter the size of the crowd I always looked for the same couple of faces and wanted to know where they were sitting – my parents. I wanted to know where they were so I could see their reaction after my phenomenal play (ha!). 

On this day Jesus was preaching to a large crowd. It was so big He had to get into a boat in the sea to have space to talk. He got into Simon’s boat and shared the Word of God. What strikes me is that when He was done He spoke directly to Simon. In the midst of the crowd of people He knew the frustration Simon was experiencing and the lack of fish they caught. So, He took time to be with Simon and then invited Simon, James, and John to come follow Him. Out of that big crowd He knew where they were and what they were going through.

God is in the midst of an even bigger crowd today – every human on the planet. Out of that big crowd God knows your name and knows exactly what you are going through. Out of that big crowd He is extending you a personal invitation to come follow Him – to catch more fish! Think about that – out of the big crowd of people you are the one God is looking for! 

I know Jesus performed a miracle here by helping Simon and his crew catch more fish than the net could carry. But, the fact that Jesus took time to get to know and care about Simon specifically is just as miraculous. It shows how much He cares for us.

Know today that God cares about you – He knows where you are – He knows what you are going through. He wants a relationship with you. He wants you to cast your net in the right place – to live your life the right and best way. Listen to His voice and say yes to His invitation to come follow Him. You won’t regret it.
 
Praying for you!
Pastor Matt

“Whoever drinks of the water I (Jesus) give them will never be thirsty again.  The water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
John 4:14
 
When was the last time you took a different route home or to the store – just for a change of scenery? I’ve done it – just to mix it up. Jesus was on a journey to Galilee and decided to go an unusual way – through Samaria. It was there that He found a well and sat by it, because He was thirsty. While sitting there a Samaritan woman came to get some water and the two had a conversation that would totally transform her life.

Jesus revealed Himself to her as the Messiah and she believed. She went home and told everyone about Him. Then they came out and they too believed.  An entire town was changed just because Jesus went a different way.

Life transformation doesn’t have to take much – it just has to take a willingness to go a different way.  Jesus is ready and waiting to meet you there too.  He is just waiting to have that conversation with you – to tell you about the water He has to offer you, the life you could live.  We are all creatures of habit and it is easy to get stuck in our ways, but what happens if you take a chance and go a different way.  Just maybe you will meet Jesus by the well and your life will never be the same.

So, where are you headed?  Are you willing to try a different direction?  Ready to hang out with Jesus and drink the water He has to give you? 

Praying we all go the way Jesus is leading and that we meet Him along the way!
 
Pastor Matt