Bringing to you God's wonderful message as found in the Holy Bible.

Here is some important information about your own "garden"!

What garden? Let us think of your life being like a garden. Perhaps you are content with what your life is producing; maybe you even produce some special things "for God" in your life! It is important for you and me to KNOW what God wants from our lives rather than discover when it is too late that He cannot accept us just because we did our best!

God, the expert "Gardener", ^1*. is not pleased with what He sees in people's lives! ^2*.

Jesus described the Word of God as "seed" ^3*. and explained why that seed had little or no effect in so many lives.

Here is a "seed" from God's Word -

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." ^4*.

Many ignore this message, and the devil succeeds in quickly snatching it out of their minds "so that they may not believe and be saved."! ^5*. It is like the seed that fell on the path where it was trampled on, and was removed by "the birds of the air"!

I hope you will receive and heed God's Word and admit that you cannot make yourself acceptable to God.

Here is another "seed" -

"Jesus is able to save completely those who come to God through Him." ^6*.

Why does this seed often fall on stony ground where it gets very little acceptance and soon dies? ^7*. It is because many have come to believe that other priests are needed to get them forgiveness so they still want to trust in them, instead of putting their whole faith in Jesus Christ! Are you letting religious people be like stones that prevent the good seed of God's Word from having its right place in the "garden" of your life? It is only JESUS who is able to save you!

Here is another precious "seed" from God's Word:

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." ^8*.

Many people who say they have faith in God often turn out to be depending on the "riches" they think they have stored up in receiving many sacraments and doing many "good things" for God in their lives! They take great "pleasure" and satisfaction in thinking they are able to earn their own salvation!! ^9*. This reminds us of the seed that seemed to be starting to grow, but was soon choked out by the weeds it had fallen among! Don't let God's message that you can only be saved by faith be choked out by trying to earn or deserve favour with God!

Is there anywhere God's "seed" can grow successfully?! Yes! In the life of the person who is genuinely interested in God's message about His Son being the only Saviour of the world. ^10*. This seed can only grow when no one else is allowed to be in Jesus' place as Priest and Saviour and when we admit that no work or sacrament we can make can even help to bring us to God!

Read about the type of soil in your "garden" in Luke chapter 8, verses 4-15. Be sure to put your faith in Jesus Christ as you only hope today!

Bye for now,

John Nixon, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98.        Contact:  jnixonj@gmail.com

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Bible quotations from N.I.V.

1 John 15:1.
2 Romans 3:9-20.
3 Luke 8:11.
4 Romans 3:23.
5 Luke 8:5 &12.
6 Hebrews 7:23-28.
7 Luke 8:13.
8 Ephesians 2:8-9.
9 Luke 8:14.
10 Luke 8:15. John 3:16-19. 1st John 4:14.

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