Mark 4:19

Mark 4:19
but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

MEDITATION:

THERE ARE TIMES THAT THE SYSTEM OF LIFE IN THIS WORLD, THE NEEDS, THE WANTS, OBLIGATIONS, BILLS, EXPENSES, AND OTHER THINGS OF THIS WORLD WILL LITERALLY PUT PEOPLE TO IMBALANCE, AND WILL CAUSE THEM TO FALL INTO DISBELIEF IN GOD'S WORD.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WILL SAY:

CAN PRINCIPLES FEED US?
WHERE IS GOD WHEN I NEED HIM?
CAN GOD PAY MY BILLS FOR ME?
CAN GOD DO SOMETHING TO SETTLE MY OBLIGATIONS?
IF I PRIORITIZE GOD, WHAT WILL BECOME OF MY FAMILY?
I WILL GO BROKE IF I GIVE FOR THE CAUSE OF GOD...
I WILL BE RUINED IN TIME IF I FOLLOW GOD' WORD...
THE WORD OF GOD IS IMPRACTICAL TO THIS WORLD...
MONEY IS THE ONE RUNNING THIS WORLD...
HOW RIDICULOUS ARE YOU TO BELIEVE IN GOD?
THIS MONEY I CAN SEE. GOD, I CANNOT SEE HIM. WHERE IS HE?
I LIKE TO PLEASURE MYSELF. MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS.
THIS MONEY IS MINE, I WORKED FOR IT. THE HELL WITH YOU TELLING ME TO GIVE FOR GOD.
I RATHER LIVE MY LIFE PLEASING MYSELF THAN DOING WHAT GOD WILLS.

ARE SOME OF THESE STATEMENTS FAMILIAR?

THEY ARE THE VOICE OF THE MATERIAL BODY OPPOSING THE WORD OF GOD, CHOKING IT, SO THAT IT WILL NOT BEAR FRUIT.

OUR VERY BODIES ARE ENEMIES TO THE WILL OF GOD, FOR IT SEEKS TO PLEASURE AND BENEFIT ITSELF EVEN AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS.

THUS, IN THIS LIFE, WE ARE CONSTANTLY FIGHTING A BATTLE WITH OUR SELVES.

THE TWO OPPOSING FORCES: THE WORD OF GOD, AND THE BODY THAT WE HAVE.

AND AS WE LIVE, WE CONTINUE TO FIGHT, UNTIL EITHER THE WORD OF GOD WINS, OR THE BODY WINS.

THUS, EVEN THE BEST AMONG US, WILL SIN FROM TIME TO TIME.

FOR EVEN IF THE SPIRIT IS WILLING, THE FLESH IS WEAK.

ALL OF US ARE SUBJECTED TO THE WEAKNESSES OF THE BODY.

THUS, ONLY A FEW OF US WILL BE ABLE TO SUCCEED IN MAKING THE WORD OF GOD TRIUMPH IN US AND BEAR FRUIT.

GOD HAVE MERCY ON US.