The person who had spiritual problems that were like seeds trying to grow in shallow soil with a rock just below the surface, represented individuals who had allowed people and their opinions to be their final authority. They also allowed people to be their most important source of happiness and pleasure. In other words, people were their greatest spiritual problems. This next spiritual issue involves things. Some people aren’t so much bothered by people and their relationships; they care much more about wealth, positions, power, and prestige. They care a little bit about how people see them, but not much. They may want people to look at the things they have and the accomplishments they have made and envy, respect, and admire them; but, their main concern is to acquire and accomplish things.

We have to realize that things will not help us or come with us into eternity. The amount of things and the amount of worldly accomplishments will not impress God. He wants us to use things to help hurting people.

He will give us wealth, positions, power, and opportunities so we can use them to accomplish the things He wants us to do. Those possessions and accomplishments that come through our own efforts; and those things that we get through using the world’s system won’t bring us closer to God. They will choke God and the things of God out of our life. They will keep us from being able to help hurting people. They will eat up our time, effort, and finances. We will come to the end of our lives and be empty handed as it relates to spiritual production.

Ask God to help you get your priorities straight. Pray that He will help you love Him, yourself, and other people and USE money and things. Ask Him to empower you to stay free from getting your satisfaction, esteem, and confidence through things. Pray that He will set you free from all love and desire for the accumulation of wealth, positions, power, and prestige. Ask Him to set your priorities on those things of value for eternity.