“But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty” (Matt. 13:8 NKJ).
The context of this verse seems to indicate three types of Christians with varying percentage of return on the seed of the Word of God planted in them. It implies that some have the capacity to produce a 100 percent return on God’s investment, while others can only muster 60 percent, and others even less.
Each person is thus thought to have his own set “personal production potential.”
Some scholars, however, see in this verse a progress in the life of each believer. To them, this verse says that each of us has three phases in our Christian life:
PHASE ONE is when are babes in Christ
PHASE TWO is when we are young, growing servants and handmaids of the Lord
PHASE THREE is when we are mature saints, grown-up adult Christians
“Thirtyfold,” or phase one, could include the blessing that accompany the New Birth. “Sixtyfold,” or phase two, would refer to the blessing of growth, expansion, enlargement, and development into spiritual adulthood. “A hundredfold,” phase three, would entail all the blessings that come with the patience, faithfulness, consistency, and endurance of our later years.
If so, then the famous and eagerly sought instant “hundredfold return” on our giving would not be a “windfall profit” at all, but rather on a “long-term capital gain”!
The encouraging thing about this progression is that it is on-going. Thank God right now for raising your “personal production potential” and preparing you for the next phase of your unfolding life and ministry.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Dick Mills was ordained at The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel in 1949. He and his wife Betty traveled as evangelists all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Europe, and Australia. Dick and Betty are now home in heaven.
In 1966 Dick and Betty became a part of the then-emerging Charismatic Renewal. Passing through all denominational barriers, Dick has had the opportunity to speak in thousands of churches of varied backgrounds all over the world.
He ministered within several Christian organizations, including the Full Gospel Business Men, Women's Aglow, Inter-church Renewal Catholic Pentecostals, mainline Charismatic groups, CBN and TBN television networks, and many other independent Christian TV stations.
Dick appeared on numerous radio talk shows, written several magazine articles, and spoke at many Bible conferences and universities. He served as an adjunct professor at six Schools of the Bible and Seminaries.
In addition, Dick authored and co-authored several books and tapes. Dick's ministry was characterized by the unique gifts God has blessed him with. His services informed, enlightened, and motivated people to a higher level of commitment to God.