Jesus, as I hear the message that You have a cure for the very contagious, deadly disease of sin, help me through the four types of reactions to Your message. Illustrate what those four reactions are so I can allow You to explain them to me.

Jesus, as you teach me many things in parables, help me understand their meaning; help me understand this farmer parable: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed (Mat 13:3-9).

REACTION TYPE ONE: some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Jesus, help me not develop walls and a hard heart because I have decided not to allow people to hurt me anymore. Help me realize that these walls and hardness keep You and good people from being able to gain access to my life.

REACTION TYPE TWO: Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Jesus, help me not to just go along with the latest trends, popular ideas, what is socially acceptable, being a crowd pleaser, and not being able to handle criticism and persecution.

REACTION TYPE THREE: Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Jesus, help me not love things and use people; help me love people and use things. Help me get involved in only working with win/win situations for everyone involved in any deal, plan, goal, or issue I offer them.

REACTION TYPE FOUR: Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop--a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.” Jesus, help me be the very best person and Christian possible. Help me learn how to live a life that excels, wins, and succeeds at helping every person excel, win, and succeed.

Jesus, after You finished telling the story about this farmer, You then explained the meaning of the parable (spiritual illustration). You took the events that happened to the seeds and compared them to the events that happen in my life. Just like throwing seeds on all kinds of soil conditions brings four types of results, so does telling the truth about God and His Kingdom bring four possible results in me. It also brings four types of possible reactions when it is presented to me. Help me have the right reaction and it bring the right results as I move into Your good new message.

Jesus, as You and I look at the explanation to this parable, help me find the most likely reaction or reactions to the good news about God’s Kingdom in my life. Show me which one or ones of these four categories I fit in to. Reveal to me that I fit into at least one of these categories. Let me take this opportunity to look at my personal attitudes and character.

As I take a look at myself, show me that I am looking at things You have the power to change. Make it clear to me that they don’t have to be permanent situations. Paths can be plowed, disked, fertilized, watered, and made ready for planting; rocks can be dug up and removed from the soil; weeds can be hoed, dug out, poisoned, and removed from the soil of my life. Help me take a serious and honest look at myself so You can set me free from anything that might hinder me from the very best reaction and results.

Jesus said in Matthew 13:18-23 (NIV) Listen then to what the parable of the sower means. Jesus, take each one of these possible reactions to Your salvation message and break them down so I can allow them to show me where I may have resistances against it.

Jesus, the first issue has to do with my ears and my attention. Help me be able to hear what You are saying to me, understand it, and be willing to allow You to apply it to my life.

When anyone HEARS the message about the kingdom and DOES NOT UNDERSTAND IT, the evil one [Satan] comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. Jesus, protect me from ignorance, a lack of understanding, and a lack of interest in Your truth. Just because I have experienced abuse, mistreatment, disappointment, and rejection, help me lower my own self-protections so You can give me Your protection. Your protection blocks off all those things and people that You know would hurt me. And, it opens me up to all those things and people You know will be a help and a blessing to me. Plus, it makes me open to Your message of good news, salvation, and being born again.

Jesus, teach me that the first step toward me entering God’s Kingdom and starting to get help with my problems with spirituality is, I must have an ear checkup (spiritual ears, that is). But, since I am still reading this, I have just passed part of the first test. However, help me understand that this test isn’t just to see if I can hear (not deaf), it is also testing to see if I have any AREAS of spiritual hearing loss.

Jesus, when I go to the doctor, they give me a physical examination. During this examination I am tested for various physical issues so they can find out what is causing my problem. Help me see that the issue I was just tested on was, do I have spiritual ears that can hear You? Some people can’t hear and understand spiritual issues. When they read something like this, it makes absolutely no sense to them. It is like they are being spoken to in a foreign language. But, since I am still reading, I am ready AND ABLE to start HEARING what You have to say to me; I thank You for healing my spiritual ears so I can hear and understand a lot of the things You are saying.

Jesus, show me that not understanding is one possible reaction I can have to hearing this message. But, this is the one I have been told that I have already passed part of the spiritual test on. ALL the words I have read up to this point would have been meaningless to me, if You weren’t bringing healing to my spiritual ears. Since I am reading and understanding (to some degree) the words on these pages, you have helped me already pass part of the first examination. My reaction to the message concerning the Kingdom of God has proven that You are giving me a certain amount of understanding. Thank You for working this miracle in me!

Jesus, You have given me spiritual ears that can hear the words of God. It would have been impossible for me to receive healing from God, if I couldn’t hear a word He said to me. I can see that it was vital that I not be spiritually deaf; but, help me keep going on into this test and see if I have some areas of hearing problems. Are there areas where You are talking to me and I am having problems understanding or being willing to do what You says?

Jesus, as I try out the principles of Christianity, more and more information will be coming my way. Some information will come as a tremendous blessing to my heart and life. However, other information will point to areas of my life I am not ready to experience a change in. Help me not get to this point and decide I don’t want to have ANYTHING to do with Christianity. Help me be willing to go through some real struggles with it but hold it up to You for further clarification and help. Help me not try to strike a bargain with God and try to keep parts of Christianity and drop other parts of it.

Jesus, help me see that just because I, at first, can’t UNDERSTAND why God would require something of me, or, just because I don’t understand why He would structure the Christian system a certain way, doesn't mean He can’t help me UNDERSTAND the “whys” of it all. Help me be willing to be a person who sticks with You because I know You have perfect reasons. I believe You will start helping me to understand WHY You do the things You do and why You require the things You require. Help me see that this is a much better approach than just quitting without knowing why.

Jesus, show me that my being healed from my issues with spirituality may have its roots in things I don’t want to give up yet. I need to hear and understand why God wants me to give that particular life activity up. Once I hear and understand, then I can decide whether or not I want God’s power to give it up.