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Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1Corinthians 10:31
DO WE HAVE RECEPTIVE HEARTS
ReplyDeleteYou were to read Matthew 13:1-23, specifically about the 4 types of soil.
Who is the sower and what is the seed?
Look at literary meaning, then applications.
Show the visual.
The first type of soil is hard. (UNRESPONSIVE HEARER) You have heard the term hard-hearted and it probably would not take long to think of someone that you know that is or has been hard hearted, including yourself. But God is willing to go to great lengths to soften the hardest of hearts. Can you ever remember first reading God’s Word and when it came to terms like tithing, submission, loving our enemies, or dying to self, was your response “Woohoo, can’t wait to do those things” probably not, and for some of us when we look at proverbs 31 we tend to turn the page and skip it. We do not want to go there because it will take work and change and the truth is we do not want to submit to scripture which is the authority in our lives.
The second type of soil is rocky, or shallow. (SUPERFICIAL HEARER) This seed springs up faster in the rocky soil than the good soil, but the quick growth is deceptive. The plants find no place to become rooted and cannot survive the scorching sun. How many times have we heard a powerful sermon, read a timely word from our Bible, or hear an anointed speaker at a women’s retreat and vowed to make a change? We may have even started planning towards applying this truth so that it would not be just a flutter of excitement in our hearts, but despite our pure intentions, the plans never came to fruition. They were shallow and not rooted therefore the rocks of everyday life destroyed them.
The third type of soil is cast upon thorns. (THE WORLDLY HEARER) It takes root and sprouts, but before it can bear fruit it is choked out by the thorns,( by the worries of this life and/or the deceitfulness of wealth.) For the believer this is the enemies greatest tactic. So in our pursuit to be virtuous women, we must be realistic in our approach to the thorns. First, we must recognize that where there is growth, thorns are not far away. Second, we must recognize them for what they are and remove them as they appear.
The fourth type of soil is good. (THE RECEPTIVE HEARER) This is the type of soil where godly legacies are made of and spoken of by generations to come. Receptive to God’s truths and tended to with careful attention. The fruitful yield benefits not just the original plant but others as well. As we consider the pursuit to be virtuous women we are sure to touch the lives of others.
What are some things we can do to improve our soil?
First, we need to be where the seed falls, under teaching of God’s Word
Second, when a truth of God speaks to you, record it in a journal or in the margin of your Bible.
Third, don’t go it alone!