Pastor Mac Hammond | September 26, 2021

Recap:
As the seed of God’s Word grows in our lives, we need to be aware of weed seeds that are growing at the same time. Weed seeds are ideas that are contrary to God’s Word. One group of weed seeds that Jesus talks about in the parable of the sower is the “lusts of other things.” That word “lusts” can best be described as a great desire or craving. When our desires are focused on self-gratification, we create entanglements within our relationships. We choke out the light of God’s Word when selfish lusts become priority in our lives. The antidote for this problem? Get your eyes off your own self and onto helping others.

Dive Deeper:
Relationships matter. In fact, relationships affect most of everything we do here on earth. That’s why the final group of weed seeds that Jesus talked about in the parable of the sower is important to understand. The seed of God’s Word will be choked out when we allow the “lusts of other things” to become prominent in our lives.

Now, some ignore that word “lust” because they relate it with sexual gratification. However, lust refers to cravings or desires in a much more general sense. When we continually focus on and gratify cravings for sensual pleasures in this natural world that gratify our own self, we’re setting ourselves up for difficulties.

You see, we need to take care of our own selves, but when taking care of our own selves becomes the sole focus of our lives, we miss one of the greatest opportunities God gives us: the chance to help others. Focusing on helping others allows love to become the driving force in our lives rather than lust. Most of all, when we focus on helping others, we give God the opportunity to take care of our own lives.

Remember, natural cravings aren’t necessarily bad. It’s when they become our sole focus that problems arise. Lust wrecks relationships—and our relationships are intricately connected with so much of our daily living. Don’t ruin a relationship when you can instead enhance it by learning how to put first the needs of others and let God take care of you.

Read More:
Mark 4:18-19 KJV
And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

James 4:1-3 KJV
From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

James 4:1-3 Amp.
What leads to strife (discord and feuds) and how do conflicts (quarrels and fightings) originate among you? Do they not arise from your sensual desires that are ever warring in your bodily members? You are jealous and covet [what others have] and your desires go unfulfilled; [so] you become murderers. [To hate is to murder as far as your hearts are concerned.] You burn with envy and anger and are not able to obtain [the gratification, the contentment, and the happiness that you seek], so you fight and war. You do not have, because you do not ask. [Or] you do ask [God for them] and yet fail to receive, because you ask with wrong purpose and evil, selfish motives. Your intention is [when you get what you desire] to spend it in sensual pleasures.

James 1:2-4 KJV
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

James 1:12-15 KJV
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

1 John 4:18 KJV
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Discussion Questions:
1. Have you ever seen selfish desire ruin a relationship in your life or in someone else’s life?
2. How are you affected when other people put you first? What does it make you want to do for them in return?
3. What’s one thing you can do today to bless other people in your life?

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