"Nothing seems to be sticking." This statement during my prayer time with God/Daddy led me to read about the seed falling on good soil. Two questions arrived in my head:
1) What makes good soil?
2) Which soil am I?
So, I went to Mark 4:1-20 and read the passage. After reading it, God led me to break down the four types of ground mentioned in the passage:
*Path
*Rocky places
*Thorns
*Good soil
I love the way God operates when we read His Word b/c He challenges us to look at it in ways He knows are exciting and/or applicable for us. With me, He knows I like to analyze and break down verses into equations and words, so He led me to do just that w/this particular passage.
Parable equations:
1) Seeds + path = food for birds
2) Seeds + rocky place = short-lived plants (no roots-> harsh environmental effects)
3) Seeds + thorns = choked plants
4) Seeds + good soil = crops X 30, 60, and even 100
Real-world application:
1) The Word of God is sown & Satan takes it immediately.
2) The Word of God is sown & too quickly received, leaving no time for the roots to be established. Hence, when troubles and persecutions come because of the Word, the little give the plant did emit quickly falls away.
3) The Word of God is sown & the wants and worries of life choke the Word.
4) The Word of God is sown, heard, accepted, and produces 30, 60, and even 100 times more than what is sown.
So, HONESTLY, from December to January, it seems as though I'm a mix b/w ground 2 & 3. I hear/receive a Word from God, digest it for a little bit but then forget it or push it back in my memory bank when worries of the world come. It's a sombering revelation that reveals a very big and specific flaw of mine... at the moment though, not for a lifetime. We'll come back to this later.
So, what makes good soil? (I know I'm going backwards in answering the questions from above, but you'll be okay.) According to the Word of God, it consist of an environment or spirit within that hears and accepts the Word sown. It not only does this, but it allows time for root to take place. When I allow the Word of God to take root, then He can effectively minister through me to others, hence producing fruit.
So, what do I, you, he, she, we, and they need to do to get on "good grounds" with God?
*NOT quickly receiving the Word but REALLY meditating on it, whether it be days or weeks. Really ask God to show and tell us what He would have us to receive from His Word.
*NOT letting trouble or persecution b/c of the Word prevent us from being/meditating on it. We should be using the Word of God to combat those things, not weaken under them.
*NOT being consumed by earthly issues to the point that they overwhelm us more than the power of the Word of God.
*LISTEN, ACCEPT, MEDITATE (I would underline, bold, and maximize this word) and SHARE the Word of God with others.
~Before even spending time with God this morning, I "randomly" came across a section of my Bible on how to study the Bible. The section that caught my eyes first was "Get HONEST with God." It reminded me of one of my transparent sections I've posted up here. I'll share what my Bible says:
"Take time to think through what the last few days have been like for you. Share honestly with God what and how you are feeling as you approach your time with Him. Share your struggles and joys. Ask Him to speak, ove rtime, to issues in your life. Ask Him to speak to you from the passage you are about to study. Ask Him to open your heart and mind to understand His Word. Then be ready to listen to Him!"
I challenge you & myself to do this... CONSISTENTLY. Trust me- I'm speaking more to myself than you. Let conviction work its way through you though.
Christ's Love
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