ThoughtSeeds

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus gives us some insight into various things that are lacking from good soil, and also what we need to have rich, fertile soil. Since He's comparing our hearts to soil, today, we look at what the soil of our heart needs in order to have an abundant harvest from the seed of God's Word being sown into us.

In Matthew 13, Jesus shares a parable we know as the Parable of the Sower. Four different types of soil are described, and the outcome of the seed that was planted in each one. The soils in the parable represent our hearts, and the seeds represent the Word of God. What kind of soil is the Word of God being planted in when it's sown into your heart?

From a soul-searching session at a piano, Marty Nystrom was given this beautiful song of worship after seeing a Bible open to Psalm 42 nearby. Does your soul long for Jesus the way a thirsty deer longs for fresh water?

1. https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-as-the-deer
2. https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/meaning-of-apple-of-my-eye-in-the-bible.html

Stubbornness, by definition, is "unreasonably or perversely unyielding." To yield is to give up a claim or possession and to surrender control. Like the clay in the hands of a potter, we are the clay in the Master Potter's hands. Will we be stubborn and refuse to be shaped according to His will? Or will we yield to Him, trusting that He knows how to shape us into a vessel of great beauty?

God calls stubbornness disobedience, and says that when we are stubborn and refuse to turn from our sin, we're facing punishment from Him. Like a stubborn horse refusing to be bridled, or a stubborn toddler who won't let you dress them, we dig in our heels and insist on our own way. How can we change that? How can we live "in the true Vine," Jesus?

In the 1750s, Robert Robinson was a teenaged rebel, living as far away from his Christian upbringing as possible. He led a gang of young men into a revival meeting led by George Whitefield for the sole purpose of heckling and making fun of the entire affair. Instead, he was sobered and white-faced by the words of the great man of God. After surrendering to the Christ he'd been mocking and running from, he became a pastor himself, truly gifted at speaking and preaching. Several years after that all-important revival meeting, he penned the words to "Come, Thou Fount." Join me as we learn more about the life of Robert Robinson, and the rich gift he left us in this hymn.

1. https://truthandtidings.com/2016/03/our-heritage-come-thou-fount/
2. https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-come-thou-fount-of-every-blessing
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuning_fork
4. https://charlielewis.net/author/admin/page/3/

Did you know that one of the definitions of "idol" is "a visible appearance without substance?" It's easy for us to see how that applies to a carving or statue, but how does it apply to other things that God equates with idolatry? Things like stubbornness, greed, sexual immorality, and more. Join me to dig deeper in our study of God's commands against idolatry.

In Exodus chapter 20, we find the Ten Commandments -- God's "Big Ten" in His instruction Book for life. The very first one is "You shall have no other gods before Me." What does that mean for you personally? Do you have any idols in your life? Come on in and let's talk about it together.

In the book of Numbers, we read about Moses sending out twelve men to check out -- to spy -- the land of Canaan. This was the Promised Land -- the land God had promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob over 400 years earlier. The twelve men brought back a wonderful report. Well, mostly. Ten of the men insisted that the giants in that land would kill all of them and their children, and there was no way they could defeat the people who lived there. This set the people into an uproar and they let loose with fearful crying, angry accusations, and tried to start a mutiny. They even tried to stone Joshua and Caleb -- the two men who insisted that with God, they *could* be victorious in Canaan. God was furious and asked Moses how long His own people would treat Him with contempt. "Will they never believe Me?"

How serious is unbelief to God? What kind of consequences are there in our lives when we choose to stay put in fear instead of walking forward in faith? How different would your life be if you believed God instead of believing the voice of fear? Come on in and join the discussion!

Jesus tells us multiple times to ask anything in His Name, and He will do it. Do we really believe that? And if we don't, why not? Does He mean if we ask Him to let us win the lottery, it'll happen? What DOES He mean? Join me to talk about believing God and how we can believe and trust Him to follow through.

1. https://godrunning.com/2018/11/03/ask-anything-in-my-name-i-will-do-it/