How did these women have means out of which they are providing for Jesus’ ministry? We don’t have a record of men providing for them, but we do have this record of women providing for them.

Women have a long, long, back-to-the-beginning record of funding missions. It was Ladies’ Missionary Societies that raised money for missions back in the day. And certainly wealthy women supported missions and paid for the building of churches and such on their own as well.

The women traveling with Jesus saw the work Jesus did. When I support a ministry, sometimes it’s the work they do that I want to support, but sometimes it’s the person I want to support and I don’t need to see the “results.” I just trust they are following Jesus and doing their best in obeying what they believe they are called to do.

In the parable of the sower, the people with good soil in their hearts hold fast the Word of God and bear fruit with patience. It takes time for a seed to become fruit.

We see the fruit when we make it through the waiting with righteousness and faith. There can be stumbling along the way, which can delay things, but the fruit comes when we come through the trial patiently, when we wait on the Lord and maintain righteousness and faith. We hold fast His Word. We believe.

Jesus says that this child of God producing fruit is the one who heard and held fast. Jesus then goes on to tell His disciples, “Take care then how you hear.” We have a part in hearing. We have a part in preparing our hearts to receive the word. We need to clear out the rocks and thorns and prepare the way of the Lord!

Get rid of sin, self, and the world. Ask God to get rid of it. Want it gone and let it go. Receive His Word with a ready heart and He will pour in more and more.

Jesus will welcome you as family if you have a prepared heart, ready to receive His Word. He calls family any who hears His word and does it.