1 Another time YAHUSHA began teaching by the lake, and a large crowd gathered around Him. So He got into a boat so that He could sit and teach from the lake, and all the people stayed on the shore near the water. 2 YAHUSHA used Parables (stories) to teach them many things. One of His lessons went like this:
3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow seed. 4 While he was scattering the seed, some of it fell by the road. The birds came and ate all that seed. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where there was not enough dirt. It grew quickly there because the soil was not deep. 6 But then the sun rose and the plants were burned. They died because they did not have deep roots. 7 Some other seed fell among thorny weeds. The weeds grew and stopped the good plants from growing. So they did not bear any fruit. 8 But some of the seed fell on good ground. There it began to grow, and it made grain, bearing good fruit. Some plants made 30 times more grain, some 60 times more, and some 100 times more. 9 So if you’ve got ears, listen to what I’m saying to you!”
10 Later, YAHUSHA was away from the people and His twelve Disciples and others asked Him about the stories. 11 YAHUSHA said, “Only you can know the secret truth about the Kingdom of Heaven. But to the other people I conceal it all using stories. 12 I do this so that ‘They will look and look but never really see, they will listen and listen but never understand. For if they saw and understood, they might change and be forgiven, and does it look like they want that?’”
13 Then YAHUSHA said to His Disciples, “Do you understand this Parable? If you don’t, how will you understand any other story? 14 The farmer is like someone who plants Alahim's Living Word in people. 15 Sometimes the Word falls on the path. That is like some people who hear the Words of Alahim, and as soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the Word that was planted in them. 16 Other people are like the seed planted on rocky ground. They hear the Word, and they quickly and gladly accept it.17But they don’t allow it to sink deep into their lives. They keep it only a short time. And as soon as trouble or pressure comes because of the Word they accepted, they give up. 18 Others are like the seed planted among the thorny weeds. They hear the Word, 19 but their lives become riddled with the worries of life, the love of money, and everything else they desire. This chokes the Word from growing, so it doesn’t produce any fruit in their lives. 20 And others are like the seed planted on the good ground. They hear the Living Word and accept it. BELIEVE - OBEY - SURRENDER - LISTEN & DO. Then they grow and produce a good crop, sometimes 30 times more, sometimes 60 times more, and sometimes 100 times more.”
21 Then YAHUSHA said to them, “You don’t take a lamp and hide it under a bowl or a bed, do you? Of course not. You put it on a lampstand. 22 Everything that is hidden will be revealed and made clear. And every secret thing will be brought into the light and made known. 23 You people, if you’ve got ears then listen! 24 Think carefully about what you’re hearing. Alahim will know how much to give you by how much you understand now. And He’ll always give you more than you deserve. 25 The people who have some understanding will be given more. But those who don’t have much will lose even the small amount they have.”
26 Then YAHUSHA said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who plants seed in the ground. 27 The seed begins to grow. It grows night and day. It doesn’t matter whether the man is sleeping or awake, the seed still grows. He doesn’t know how it happens. 28 Without any help the ground produces grain. First the plant grows, then the head, and then all the grain in the head. 29 When the grain is ready, the man cuts it. This is the harvest time.”
30 Then YAHUSHA said, “What can I use to show you what the Kingdom of Heaven is like? What story can I use to explain it? 31 The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, which is smaller than any other seed on earth that you can plant. 32 But when you plant it, it grows and becomes the largest of all the plants in your garden. It has branches that are very big. The wild birds can come and make nests there and be protected from the sun.”
33 YAHUSHA used many Parables like these to teach the people. He taught them all they could understand. 34 He always used stories to teach them. But when He was alone with His Disciples, YAHUSHA explained everything ‘crystal clear’ to them. 35 That day, at evening, YAHUSHA said to His Followers, “Come with Me across the lake.” 36 So they left the crowd behind and went with YAHUSHA in the boat He was already in. There were also other boats that went with them. 37 A very bad wind came up on the lake. The waves were coming over the sides and into the boat, and it was almost full of water. 38 YAHUSHA was inside the boat, sleeping with His head on a pillow. The followers went and woke Him, saying “Teacher, don’t You care about us? We are going to drown!”
39 So YAHUSHA stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. He said, “Knock if off - Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind stopped, and the lake became calm. 40 He said to His followers, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no belief?” 41 They were petrified and asked each other, “What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the water obey Him!”
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