Author: marquitabp

All It Takes is a Seed

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.” Luke 8:11

A corn stalk grows from a single seed; a tulip or onion from a single bulb. Faith is like that…and so is fear and doubt. Have you ever notice how you can be thinking about something and your mind goes off on a tangent with the insertion of one word? Or have you ever realized that one bad thing can spoil your entire day, that is, if you let it?

For me, growing up all it took was reading one scripture during the church service to stimulate me to read the rest of the chapter (and often resulting in me ignoring what the preacher was saying). Even now it takes one word or thought for me to get upset, one word or thought to change the direction that my mind was going in. We have the power to uproot negativity. We can choose to plant the seeds of God, the Word of God, in our hearts and minds so that we bear fruit reflective of Him or we can continue to feed on the negativity and defeatist seeds that serve to destroy our souls. Prime example: if you keep telling a child how bad or worthless they are, they eventually believe it, and start doing things that line up with that way of thought. They rebel, they do things that are unhealthy and destructive until they hit rock bottom. And why? Because someone planted the seed that they were worthless and that they had to conform to the image of worthlessness that they began to construct of themselves. Choose the right seed! Speak life into everything you touch and everyone you come across because as you speak you hear for yourself…

“For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.” Matthew 12:37

Check Your Motives

“For the LORD sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes.” Proverbs 5:21

In college, I used to do people’s hair in my dorm to make extra money. Some of the girls were my friends, whose hair I did not mind doing at all, while others just became friends with me so that I would do their hair. Me, being kindhearted and just social, did not really realize that some people were only friends with me because of that. But I eventually got wise and stopped doing their hair. I have had several other situations like that where people became friends with me because of something I possessed or something that would help them get ahead in some way. I myself am guilty of becoming friends with people under the wrong pretenses. I felt convicted today because I was ready to just stop being friends with someone because of all the faults I found in that person…not searching my own.

The scripture above says that God sees everything that we do clearly—without blinders, knowing our every intention, desire, and purpose. God examines everything we do, and fortunately for me today, He will often convict us if we so desire that correction. Hebrews 4:13 says “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” So know that God sees all! You are only lying to yourself if you do not acknowledge your motives! Search yourself and look for the real reason you are doing something. Ask yourself as Job’s no-good friends asked him, ” Will it be well when He examines you? Or will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?” Job 13:9 Make sure that your motives are genuine, pure and of a loving heart…because God sees and knows everything!

“All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.” Proverbs 16:2