Purpose of Christmas

Purpose of Christmas - Rick Warren

The 1st purpose of Christmas is to CELEBRATE.  - Session 1

GOD LOVES YOU.  God's love is based on who He is.  Not what you do.  John 3:16.  Romans 8:35-39.  Nothing can separate us from God.  NOTHING.  The 2nd reason to celebrate Christmas is GOD IS WITH YOU. God is with you all the time whether you feel it or not.  Hebrews 13:5 " I will never leave you and I will never abandon you".  GOD IS FOR YOU.  He wants you to win.  He wants you to succeed and give your life purpose and meaning.  John 3:17.  God did not send His son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.  Don't condemn the world, point people to the way, the truth and the light.  Jesus didn't come to condemn it, he came to save it.   Jesus came to save us not to scare us!  "do not be afraid".

YOU DON'T NEED TO BE AFRAID.  God says I love you, I'm with you, I'm for you!  That's the good news of great joy!

The 2nd purpose of Christmas is SALVATION - a personal Savior. - Session 2

Statistics show 90% of people pray, this tells us that people recognize there is something bigger than ourselves.

What do you need to be saved from this Christmas?
traffic
chaos
busyness
spending too much money
shopping
inadequacies
family members

Salvation is 3 dimensional:  

1.  Save us FROM sin.  Sin is an attitude, it's a pride problem.  Sin is saying "I want to be my own boss, I don't want to follow God, I want to serve my purpose not yours."  We have these attitudes at different times of our life.  We all fall short of God's glorious standard.  EVERYONE.  Sin separates us from God.  Our sins are the roadblock between us and God, this is why our prayers aren't being answered.  That's why he sent Jesus as a savior.  Jesus came to set us free from our sins.  We need to be set free from ourselves.  We are our own biggest problems...our own reactions and inadequacies that cause us to do dumb things. Welcome to the human race!! Apostle Paul understands, Romans 7:24-25. Answer to our problem - Jesus.  We need a savior.  That's what Christmas is all about.

2.  Save us FOR a purpose:  Ephesians 1:11-12.  God has designs on us for glorious living.  God has a plan and a purpose for our life.  He's had it all along.  As our creator he knows what's best for us.  He saves us for a purpose he wants us to fulfill in our life.  We have to find out how make it come to pass in our life.  You can live at survival level, success level or the significance level.  We were made for more than success.  We were made for significance which comes from God.  Are you tired of living an unfulfilled life.  God longs for us to move from success to significance.  It's not about you/us!  Our culture says it's ALL about us...so this is counter-cultural.  You won't find satisfaction for living for yourself.  God did not wire us to live this way and we will always have a hole in our heart until we realize this.

3.  Save us by HIS grace:  We can't buy our way into Heaven.  We don't deserve to be saved.  Jesus, who is perfect, came to do.  He will give us His grace.  God gives us what we need, not what we deserve.  Grace says I'm going to take your problem and make it my problem.  God's Riches At Christ's Expense (GRACE).  Eph 2:8  "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift from God..."  God gave us the greatest gift.  He sent us a savior.

A Time for Reconciliation - Session 3

Celebration - Good news of Great Joy

Salvation - A Savior is born

Reconciliation - "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace good will to men"

RECONCILIATION - Peace on Earth

Where do you need peace in your life this Christmas?

family

friends

taking time out to enjoy what's important

happy

focus on Christ and His birthday

everywhere

No peace in the world until there is peace in the Nations.  Communities won't have peace until peace in families.  There won't be peace in families unless there is peace in individuals and that won't happen unless we allow the "prince of peace" to come into our hearts.

What type of peace does Jesus gives us?  3 kinds

1.  Peace with God - Spiritual peace.  If you are trying to live without God, you are at war with God.  You need a peace treaty with God - you need reconciled with God.  Jesus came to be the bridge...the reconciler between you and God.  When you trust in JESUS, he will make all the conflict go away.  Come on home!  Have you made peace with God?  If you haven't, you need to...one day you will stand before him.  How do you make peace?  Not by promising to be perfect or saying you will never sin.  You make peace by faith.  Faith in God's grace.  Once you make peace with God, you get the 2nd kind of peace...

2.  The peace of God - Emotional peace.  This is the one you need on a daily basis.  Stress goes down in you life, not as angry, things don't bug you as much.  More patient, more joy, more forgiving.  You have the peace of God in your heart.   Phil 4:6.  You have two choices:  Pray or Panic.  Which will it be?  Worship or Worry - Your choice.  worry has never solved a single one of your problems, it doesn't change anything.  Prayer will change things though.  Pray about everything.  Tell God what you need and thank Him for all that He has done.  His peace will guard our hearts and our minds through Christ Jesus.

3.  Peace with others - Relationship with others:  End the war with everyone else.  Be a peacemaker.  2 Corinth 5:18-20.  He is committed to us the message of reconciliation.  God has given us a ministry and a message and it is reconciliation.  Be gracious to others.  Cut people some slack and don't hold them to such a heavy standard.  "Blessed are the Peacemakers, they shall be called the Children of God".  Matt 5:9.  If you know Jesus personally, you are going to be a peacemaker not a troublemaker.  Build people up, don't tear them down.  Love people the way Jesus loves the people.  Christmas is the perfect time to show grace to other people.  

Who do you need to rebuild a broken relationship with this Christmas?  Who do you need to reconcile a relationship with?

If you can't forgive someone, then you need Jesus, which is why you can't forgive.  You need to be filled with the love of Christ in order to let it go.  You are holding it in and it's hurting you.  Some of you are still letting people to hurt you from the past.  This is dumb.  The people of the past cannot hurt you any more unless you hold onto the hurt.  LET IT GO!

You are going to have to let Jesus fill you with His love, so you can love others the way He does.  Let him fill you with HIS forgiveness.  Until you truly feel forgiven, you can't forgive others.  You had some bumps, heartaches and hurts....it's all pointing at this moment right now.

God says:  You matter to me.  I love you, more than you ever know.  I have been watching and waiting for you to love me back your entire life.  I want you to know me.  I want the rest of your life to be the best of your life.  This is the good news of Christmas.  I love you, I'm with you and I'm for you.  I want to save you from your past, for a purpose and save you by my grace for all eternity.  If you let me do that, I will give you the peace between you and me and make you a peacemaker. 

Acts 10:35 - The door is open - if you are ready.

Jesus Christ is God's Christmas gift to you.

Heavenly Father, thank you for Jesus, thank you for all the things you've done for me so far and will continue to do in the future.  Thank you for the peace you have given to me and allowed me to pass on to others.  Continue to build in me the peacemaker heart so that I may glorify you to everyone who I come into contact with. 

*notes from Pastor Rick Warren "Purpose of Christmas"

Getting God's Vision for My Life

The "American Dream" is a dead end.  Having it all, is not enough.  There is more to life than the "goods"...looking good, feeling good.  If we give in to marketing we will be constantly reminded that more is better, that the family on the TV is "normal" and we aren't, to constantly be dissatisfied with our lives.  The media wants to "shake us up" and think, "I need that, I want that, I won't be normal unless I resemble that".

The purpose of your life is not about making money, buying stuff and dying.

If you want long term permanent change it only happens when you change the way you think, change your mindset,  change your vision and your paradigm.  You have to change your relationships to things for it to be long term change.  It's the way you "think" about it.  Changing your behavior only lasts about a month...changing the way you look at things is what creates permanent change.

In the bible, the book of Habakkuk gives us the 7 steps to change our life and get God's vision.

1.  WANT/DESIRE:  HUNGER and THIRST for God's dream.  It's NOT OPTIONAL.    Get that desperate and you WILL hear from Him.  I must want to do God's will.  I choose to do God's will.  It has to be a NECESSITY to you. "God I have to know why I'm here on earth".  "I've got to hear your voice and hear your vision".  "I want to do what you want".  "I want to honor your ways, most of all."
God says, "But these things I plan for your life won't happen right away.  Slowly, steadily and surely the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled.".  Deut: 4.  If you search for God passionately, you will find him.

2.  WITHDRAW:  Get ALONE with God.  God won't speak to you if you have a lot of noise in your life.  You need quiet time every day of your life for the rest of your life.  If you aren't having daily time with God you are not plugged in.  You have NO power in your life which is why you are tired at the end of each day.  You can't withdraw and get alone and get in a quiet place!  God WANTS to meet with you.  He's waiting on you, you aren't waiting on Him.

3.  WAIT - I want, I withdraw and I wait.  I must calm my emotions, call my thoughts if I'm going to hear from God.  Mind operating too fast to hear.


How to Wait on God:
1.  Wait quietly - sit and be quiet
The most important thing you do in your life is to PLUG into God by spending time with him every day.
2.  Wait patiently - find the inner calm and be patient
3.  Wait expectantly - I believe you are going to speak to me.'
4.  I watch in prayer - listen
5.  I write down the ideas that I receive.  Write down clearly what I reveal to you.
6.  Worship- I thank God for speaking to me.  Natural response to hearing God speak to me.

Dear God, help me to give you the best I have.  Help me to want/thirst and hunger for your vision for my life, remind me how important time alone is with you and help me to wait on your response before I act.  Help me to discern in my life where I have fallen short in these areas.  Amen

*notes from Pastor Rick Warren sermon.

Hearing the Voice of God, Recognizing God's Voice

It's incredibly important to know if the idea or message you hear - is from God.  

Test it first to see if it really is from God.  It could be the difference of life or death.

7 ways to test whether it's a message from God or not.

1. Does it agree with the bible?
God doesn't change His mind or ask you to violate a principle that he's already given.  Does this line up with what God has already said?  Gods will not contradict His word.  Truth never changes. (examples:  pay your taxes)

2. Does this make me more like Christ?
God's purpose in our life is to make us like Jesus.  God wants us to develop Jesus' character.  Jesus is the standard.  What would Jesus do is a good question.  If you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition, those are of the devil.

3.  Does my Church family confirm it?
Does other mature believers believe it's a good idea.  You need support with others.  If mature believers question it, you should too.  Eph 3:10.  The wisdom of the righteous can save you.

4.  Is it consistent with how God has shaped me?
Before I was born, God knew what He wanted me to do with my life.  He shaped me to perform that specific task.   Ephs 2:10.  We are God's workmanship, created in Christs.  Created in us to do good works which God prepared, in advance, for us to do.  He shaped us.  God's masterpiece, God's poem, God's handicraft.  Shape reveals your purpose.  Use your talent for the glory of God.

5.  Is it convicting rather than condemning?
Romans 8:1.  There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  God never attacks my value.  He may attack my sin, but not my value.
God doesn't give you a dark cloud of guilt.  He says "this is what needs to change and let's change it".  We mistake our low self esteem with God's voice.  As soon as you repent, everything is okay - that's conviction.  Condemning comes from the devil.

6.  Do I sense God's peace about it?
Pressure, overwhelmed or confused - money, ministry, kids - this is you being caught up in yourself about it.  God is not the author of confusion.  If I'm feeling confused, it's some other voice speaking into me.  Pressure is legitimate if God keeps asking me to do something, and I don't.  Satan wants to drive us compulsively.  Phil 4:7, Don't worry and pray about everything.  Tell God what you want and thank you - then you can experience peace.  When God speaks it doesn't create anxiety and worry.  

If God gives you a word for someone else - 3 guidelines
1.  Be patient and pray - don't be in a hurry.
2.  God will use me to confirm what He has already said to them.
3.  God usually uses you without you being conscious of it.  You don't even know He spoke through you. 

Not from God if....
1.  It's not an idea from God if it's motivated by bitterness or envy. Satanic idea.

2.   If it's based on envy, buy something so people would envy me, so people will jealous of me.  Satanic idea.

3.  If it's motivated by selfish ambition - does not come from God.  He does not give you self serving ideas. I didn't put you on earth to bless your selfish ambition.  If it hurts everyone else but helps me.  That idea did not come from God.

God's voice is peace loving and Pure - God's ideas are pure and peace loving, impartial and sincere.  Promotes reconciliation not war or separation.  Not going to give us an idea to create conflict in our family.  He won't give us an idea that will divide people.  Bridge builder or Wall builder.    All gossip is satanic.  Real ideas from God are submissive, humble willing to have your idea checked by someone else.

God's voice is full of mercy.   True wisdom that comes from God is full of mercy.  God has been gracious to me, I must be give everyone else graciousness.  Critical nature.It takes maturity and wisdom to find the beauty in everyone. What takes intelligence is finding the beauty.

Guys if you have an idea and you don't want to tell you wife about the idea...it didn't come from God.  Girls, if you don't want to check it out with your husband, not an idea from God.  You are willing to have it tested.  Ask around.  Ask people what they think about the idea.

If you have heard God in the past and can't now?  You have allowed sin to block the passage.  It may be a relationship you need to let go of, it may be a habit you need to let go of.

What if you have never heard from Him.  You need to begin a relationship with Jesus.  You can have religion and not a relationship.  

If you belong to God, you will hear from Him.  

If you want to belong to God, pray this:
Dear God I want to know you and I want to hear your voice and I want to know what you want me to do with my life.  Jesus I don't understand at all, but I thank you that you love me and made me and that you shaped me for a purpose that you forgive me and take away my condemnation.  Show me the things in my life that are keeping me from hearing you.   I want to confess them and get rid of them and I want to follow you and trust you from this day forward.  I ask you to accept me into your family so I can hear you voice and feel your presence.  Amen.

*notes from Pastor Rick Warren "Hearing the Voice of God, Recognizing God's Voice" - Daily Hope with Rick Warren Podcast.

Loneliness - Causes and Cures

2 Timothy 4, The last words Apostle Paul ever wrote, he's dying in prison in Rome, he's struggling with loneliness.

4 common causes of loneliness:

1.  Transition - life is a series of transitions.  Any major change can bring on a tinge of loneliness.  Always a loss with every change.  That loss can bring on a little loneliness.  Any life change can bring on loneliness.

2. Separation -   The price of independence is loneliness.  It's rampant in our society because we are separated from those we love for many different reasons.

3. Opposition - when you are under attack by others.  Temptation to build up walls and in order to not let people hurt us again and end up making our self lonelier.

4.  Rejection - When you feel forsaken, abandoned by people you trusted.  We all have a need to be accepted by other people.  When we don't get that it causes enormous pain.  Rejection is the worst thing you can do to a person.  Maybe someone walked out on you.  God cares about the heartache in your heart.  It matters to Him.

You were designed by God for a deep emotional need to be accepted by others.

People who are lonely try getting unlonely by self-defeating ways....like workaholics...so we don't have to think about the lingering pain in our heart.  We think, "If we can just stay busy I can avoid the pain".  Materialism, "I will buy peace".  Sexual escape to compensate for loneliness.  Life becomes a series of one night stands, bar hopping.  Escape into fantasy and try pornography and they dream about a relationship they are dying to have but it's just isn't there and isn't satisfied.

Most people will fall into depression.  They get into a spiral that takes them lower and lower and build buffers around themselves and no one can get around them and they live in a perpetual state of depression.  People build walls around themselves of solitary confinement.  God made us to be in relationship with Him and with others.

What do you do when you go through this season of loneliness?

1.  Utilize your time.  Make the best of a best situation.  Resist the temptation to do nothing.  Take action - any kind of action.  If life gives you a lemon - make lemonade.  Try to think of creative ways to take advantage of the season you are in.  When we are lonely or depressed we don't take care of ourselves very well.  Do the best you can to take care of yourself.  Ask yourself, "What can I do now that will be difficult to do with others now?"

2.  Minimize my hurts - don't rehearse it over and over.  Refuse to become resentful.  Bitterness will eat you up.  Play down the hurt.

3.  Recognize God is presence.  God will not leave us comfortless.  He is with us always even in the end of the world.  We are never really fully alone.

Loneliness is often a FEAR of love.  Afraid to be vulnerable, afraid to step out and risk rejection.  The biggest problem of this fear of love is we don't give ourselves away and we build walls around ourselves.

Loneliness is a time to become better acquainted time with God.  Prayer is a powerful antidote to loneliness.  You can talk to God anytime, anywhere and anyplace.  He cares.  Emphasize others needs.  Focus outward on others and stop focusing on yourself.  Find a ministry where you can use your talents and gifts to help other people.  The loneliness person is a person who is wrapped up in themselves...the selfish and self-centered person.  If you want to break out of loneliness and stop saying "I don't have any friends" and start BEING a friend.  Give yourself away.  See a world that is waiting for friends.  Emphasize other's need.  A lot of loneliness is just a fear of love.  We are afraid to be open, to be vulnerable to share how we really feel and step out and risk a relationship because we may be rejected - when we do this we fear love and we don't give ourselves away.  Stop building walls and start building bridges between you and other people.  TAKE A RISK and begin to help other people.

Regardless of why you feel lonely, God says this to you, "I made you...I put you on this earth for a purpose, I care about you....I LOVE YOU, I have a plan for your life."

The fact is, we expect other people to meet needs in our life that only Jesus Christ can meet.  No man or woman can meet those needs because they are TOO DEEP.  No matter how much a person knows you they will never know you completely like God does.  Loneliness is homesickness for God.

*notes from Pastor Rick Warren, "The Season of loneliness"

Happiness is a choice

Growing in the Season of Loss
Happiness is a choice.

"Thou shall not bellyache"  There are people in the world that would love to have our problems.  It's all about perspective.   I use to complain about not having any shoes until I met a man with no legs.

Bitterness causes us to complain.  Bitterness causes deep trouble and hurting many in their spiritual life.

Acts of God?
new born baby
marriage restored
body ressored and healed
someone set free from addiction

Steps to grow during the seasons of loss.

1.  Accept what cannot be changed.  Face the world FIRM AND COURAGEOUS.  Reach out to God.
2.  Faith is refusing to be discouraged in the face of reality.  Don't pretend you don't have a problem.  It's refusing to be discouraged in spite of the problem that is Faith.

3. Acceptance is the first step to peace.  The only way to peace is to accept.
Instead of being bitter look at what's left instead of what you've lost.  Be thankful God is still with you.  Need an Antedote for depression?  Gratitude.  Look at what's left and not what's lost.

4.  Remember what's important in the losses of life.   The greatest things in life aren't things.  What really matters are relationships and people.  Don't lose your joy over things that aren't important.  We brought nothing into the world, we can't take anything out of it.  You need to build your security from something that can't be taken from you.

Don't confuse your self worth with your net worth.   They are unrelated.  Make your security, the security of Jesus Christ.

Father I thank you for your security.  Thank you for the reminders that "stuff" doesn't matter, but "people" do.  Help me to invest in people and not in "things".  Amen.

*notes from Pastor Rick Warren, "Growing in the Season of Loss".

Enjoy every day of your life...

Growing in the Seasons of Life - 
ENJOY EVERY SEASON YOU ARE IN.

Seasons of life - beyond our control - can't control duration, location or anything about them.  Your schedule just gets thrown out the door.

Grief/Loss is a season of life, and you will go threw that many times in life.  Through death of someone you love or people you love, like your kids, growing up and moving away.

Waiting is a season of life.  Some seasons speed by and others drag on.  Seasons can be confusing.  We understand the season AFTER they are over.

God determines the seasons. See Daniel 2:21.  God is in ultimate control moving towards a destiny He ultimately designed.

God wants to teach you to life by faith not by explanation.  The Christian life lives by faith.  Ecc 3:11.  God does everything just right and on time but people cannot completely understand what he is doing.  If we could understand everything, we would be God.  Our brain isn't big enough to understand why God does what he does.  He has a purpose for every season of our life.

Do I hold on or do I let go.  Difficult times.  A time to keep and a time to throw away.

How can I make the most of each season.  Regardless there are four questions to ask yourself:  Every single season there is an important lesson to learn.

1.  What can I learn in this season of life?  Only learn through experience.  How can I grow from this?
2.  Life is a test.  You will spend far more time in eternity than in here on earth.  God wants us to learn a whole bunch of things before we get over there.  Learn character qualities and will take into eternity. Life is preparation for eternity.
3. What is most important in this season of my life?
4.  ENJOY THE SEASONS

Those who forget the past make the same mistakes.  Don't forget the lessons you learn or you have to relearn them.  Write down the lessons you learn.  So here it goes.

Yesterday I learned that maybe I don't have to be all or nothing on every aspect of my life.  Balance for some areas is healthy - like eating healthy and exercise.  I'm either focused on eating healthy or not at all.  How do I balance the two?  I also learned that I have a "straw ministry".  I am one end of the straw and God is at the other end and He is flowing straight through me to the outside world around me in everyone I meet and encounter - AS LONG AS I AM BALANCED.

I also learned that I'm learning to be content with what I have and that things don't need to be perfect for me to be happy.  People ought to enjoy every day of their life.  Each day is a gift from God.  "Give thanks in all circumstances".  Time is life and life is short.  You can't have it all - all the time.  Make some decisions about what really matters at this time of life.

If you are wise, you will begin to enjoy every single moment of the season you are in.

Father, help me to see the joys of the season I am in, help me to have the discipline to write down my lessons and not have to relearn them.  Help me to make the most of every season and see you in it every single day.

*notes and thoughts from "Understanding the seasons of life" by Pastor Rick Warren.

God's power

Where to put God first?

Whatever you put Him first in your life, will be blessed

5 places

F - Finances - If you want God to bless your finances, you MUST tithe.  God must always get paid first.

I - Interest - hobbies, interest, recreation.  Give God consideration in all your interests.

R - Relationships -  Bring Him into the center of all your relationships.

S - Schedule - Give Him the first part of every day.  You give him the first consideration in all your decisions.

T - Trouble - Need to turn to God first, when you have a problem.  PRAY first.  Don't pray LAST.

Live in His Kingdom, live BY His power.  God does not bless self-reliant people.  He blesses people who are submitted to Him but are God - Dependent. God does what you expect Him to do.  God doesn't give us what we deserve,  He gives us what we needs.  The more we depend on God instead of yourself.  God can do more in ONE week than we can do in our entire lifetime.  That's why it's never too late to surrender to God.

How do I get God's power in my life?

1.  Praying - prayer is the connection to God's power.  Much prayer, much power, little prayer, little prayer, no prayer, no power.
2.  Taking risks to obey God.  If you do what God is telling you to do, God will pour out His power in your life.  We only grow when our faith is being stretched.  If you aren't taking any risks, you don't need any faith.

Don't wait to be confident.  DO IT AFRAID.  Do the thing you fear the most.  Move ahead in spite of your feelings.

God does a miracle when you take the first step, the moment you step out in faith.  God is waiting on you for a miracle....if you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat.  Never be afraid to get out on a limb, that's where the miracle is.

What do you know God wants you to do that you haven't done yet?  What is scarying you to death?  That's the very thing God wants you to do, step out in faith and let Him show you a miracle.  Don't give up.

God, I ask you at this moment to bring to my mind that which scares me the most that you want me to do...put in my mind where you would have me step out in faith.  Let me go forward bolding and with faith be a part of the miracle you want to do in my life so I may give you all the glory.  Amen.

*notes from Pastor Rick Warren's "Connecting with God, The Prayer of Fulfillment, Part 2".

Book Review of "Feelings Buried Alive Never Die" by Karol Truman

I recently finished reading "Feelings Buried Alive Never Die..." and have walked way changed.  It's more clear to me than ever that we cannot simply "not deal with" our emotions and expect them to go away.  They will affect our lives, our health, our relationships our mental health whether dealt with or not.  Prepare to read this book and open up to emotions that have been buried.  Use the scripted prayers to release them and replace them with positive emotions and self acceptance.  DARE to explore what's holding you back and keeping you from being all God called you to be!!  I downloaded this to my ipad and read a little each day and can honestly say that MANY of my negative belief systems have "exited stage left" never to return and now I'm enjoying freedom from self-judgement, from negative thought patterns and habits.  I continue to ask God to bring forward feelings and emotions that have no business being in my adult life.  This book will be come a resource tool to me just like the Bible is.  Enjoy the read, get ready to break free and GROW.

Here are the chapters.

Chapter 1: The Language of Feelings

Chapter 2: Energy Vibrations

Chapter 3: Where Feelings Begin

Chapter 4: How Feelings Impact Our Lives

Chapter 5: The Importance of Becoming Single Minded

Chapter 6: Erasing Illusions

Chapter 7: Let's Get Started

Chapter 8: The Major Feelings

Chapter 9: It Just "Is"

Chapter 10: Early Up-Bringing

Chapter 11: Becoming Accountable

Chapter 12: Getting Along With Others

Chapter 13: When Feelings Remain Unresolved

Chapter 14: Discharge Your Stress

Chapter 15: Eliminating Stressors

Chapter 16: Enjoy the "Now"

Chapter 17: List of Feelings

Chapter 18: A Personal Experience and Probable Feelings Causing Ill-ness

Chapter 19: Self-Fulfilling Prophecies

Chapter 20: A More Harmonious Be-ing

Chapter 21: Freeing The Soul

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How do I live for God's Glory?

How do I live for God's glory? 

Who's glory are you living for?  Yourself? Your spouse? Your parents?  God says I want you to live for MY glory.  People are not fulfilled because they give first class allegiance to second class causes.  Then the causes betray them.  God did not put you on earth to live for others, but to live for HIS glory.  Only God is worthy of your first class allegiance.

Don't live for your job.  
You won't be fulfilled.

Don't live for approval.  
You won't be fulfilled.

Don't live for money. 
 You won't be fulfilled.

Don't live for sex.  
You won't be fulfilled.

One thing worth living for:  THE GLORY OF GOD

Four steps on how to live for the Glory of God.

1. Show love to everybody.  Love people the way Jesus loved.  Learn to love people the way God loves people.  "Warmly welcome each other, just as Christ has warmly welcomed you. then God will be glorified."  Simple hospitality glorifies God.  Can you be nice to people? If you want God's power in your life, do something you are afraid to do.  You can accept someone without approving everything they do.

2.  Use your abilities to serve everybody.  God did not give you your talents for the benefit of yourself, they are for the benefit of other people.  1 Peter 4:10.  I want to live in your kingdom, by your power and to your glory.  If I don't use my talents, I cheat others.  God is glorified when you use your talent to serve others.  The more you help others, the more God pours out to you.

3. Share the good news with everyone.  Find a church where it's safe to bring your friends. The only thing that's going to last for eternity - is God's family.  A thousand years from today there won't be a Microsoft or a United States.  No earthly kingdom lasts.  God's word and people are the only thing that will last forever.  

4. Do you want to live a fulfilled life?  Each morning sit on the side of your bed and pray one sentence, "Father, today I'll be in by 4".  What does that mean?  Father, today, I will live in your kingdom (I'll put you in my schedule, finances, relationships -you're #1), by your power (gonna take risks, pray all day and hang on when I feel like giving up), for Your glory (show love to everyone I meet, share my talent with everyone I meet, share good news of compassion and mercy and be a part of your family).

Will you do it?  Will you "be in by 4"?  

Father, I want to put you first in any area of my life, in my troubles, my finances and my schedules, I want to live by your power, help me to spend more on you and less then myself, give me the faith that are necessary to grow and help me to not give up and get discouraged.  Dear God, I want to live for your glory, I want my life to be a blessing to others.  I want to serve others, share the good news who don't even know you.  Help me to do all these things, in Jesus name, amen.

*notes from Pastor Rick Warren's sermon "Connecting with God, The Prayer of Fulfillment, Part 3).

Dear Darla of the past,

I’m writing this to you in the hopes you can circumvent some of the train wrecks you have on the horizon if you keep on the path you are on.

First of all, I want you to know that Jesus is the hole in your heart and to search Him out and believe His promises and the Word of God and not the words of others around you.  The Devil will try to destroy you and your mind with lies about yourself and others, don’t believe him, believe in the truth of the Bible.  Study it every day and pray for revelation and truth to be revealed.

Your brother, your sisters, your mom and dad and peers have lied to you.  You are beautiful, you are worth something, Jesus accepts you as you are.  You do belong to His kingdom, stop trying to belong to the world, you don’t belong to the world. 

Life will be tough, but you will get through it and you will learn and be stronger because of your trials.  Find your gifts and serve others with your gifts.  You cannot be selfish and happy at the same time.  You don’t have to do it alone, you have the Holy Spirit.  Find a community of believers who will remind you and encourage you every day.

You can stop trying to fit into your families culture. Your family culture is not God’s culture.  Your self esteem is not equal to their opinion and your performance (and success) but rather the truth of what God says about you and He says you are the “righteousness of God”.  Believe me that you are.  I know you are ashamed of your behavior/decisions you’ve made and in your heart you desperately want to make the right decisions, but you’re are divided between what your heart says and what your environment is telling you. 

You are beautiful the way you are.  Accept yourself and stop trying to please everyone around you in the hopes of feeling unconditional acceptance.  Only God can love you the way you long for, so search him and build the relationship with him so you will feel that connection.

You have compassion and a heart to serve, so go serve.  Use your creativity and discernment and find a way to serve, you will find joy there.

Lastly, remember that YOU DESERVE TO BE HAPPY and to balance putting yourself last to everyone else’s needs.  Your needs matter.  YOU MATTER.  YOU MATTER TO GOD.  Take care of your body, LOVE YOURSELF.  TAKE CARE to what you read, the people you invest in and the environment you place yourself in.

Remember….the best is yet to come and you CAN HOPE FOR HAPPINESS.

I love you,

Darla (senior)

Obedience - our gift to God

Last night I had to deal with an injustice done against myself.  I was trespassed against.  I was hurt yet the response from the person who hurt me was unempathic and uncompassionate.  I cried.  I was frustrated.  I felt how unjust it was that I was the victim yet the entire situation was turned around on me as if I was the trespassor.  The person who attacked me verbally and viciously with mean words and aggression, at that moment, didn't care how it made me feel.  I was trespassed against....and now here I sit knowing in my heart that I must forgive as Christ has forgiven me.  I have to understand that the person who attacked me was not really the person but a demonic spirit inside of them....my war was with the spiritual realm not with the person.

It sucks to know that and I'll tell you why.  Because I've been given the knowledge of this situation I'm the one to die to my flesh and seek the righteous path of forgiving even when forgiveness isn't asked.  I'm a professional at forgiving see because I get to practice this almost every day for one reason or another.  I do get tired and I do want "my turn", but you see I'm not allowed to.  So, today with my headache, my tired eyes from lack of sleep (and tears), I have to remember that I'm held accountable for what I know to be true and that's all God asks me to do.  Here is what I know to be true if I want to experience the miracle on the other side of this horrible event.

1.  I must forgive and do the right thing no matter the wrong done to me.
2.  I must ask God for His direction.
3.  I must pull myself together for my family because God is with me and cares about my family.
4.  I must repeat scripture over the repeating torments of the evil words spoken over me.
5.  I must face the truth that people may never repent and I need to forgive no matter what.
6.  I must face the truth of how I contributed to this event
7.  I must understand that Victory is already mine through Christ Jesus and I don't have to be afraid.
8.  I must let it go and trust God and stop trying to understand
9.  I must not give up with knowing that I deserve to be talked to with respect, honor and compassion.
10.  I must stand up for myself and righteousness at all costs....not to be silenced out of fear.
11.  I must remember the love that fills my heart comes from the one who gave me my heart.

Pray for me, pray for my family.   I am held accountable at this very moment for what's going through MY head and MY thoughts so I take every thought captive under the obedience of Jesus Christ.  I must do the right thing inspite of the wrong done to me.  I must be righteous and obedient because I want to please God more than I want to please others.  I will remember there is evil in the world who sets out like a lion seeking to destroy and devour all that is good and righteous.  I plead the blood of Jesus and I bind all spirits and weapons formed against me to not prosper, in Jesus Name. amen.

The bottom line - even if I don't feel like forgiving, I must.  My feelings will catch up to me.  I also need to establish clear boundaries and stay in the truth at all times never wavering or getting weary for standing up for what's right - even if what's right is the way you are treating me and my family.

Passing the Tests of Life: Lessons to get unstuck and prepared for where you want to go - Book Review

George Davis wrote a book that is so practical and relevant to the average every day Christian.  His book "Passing the Tests of Life" had made such an impact on me that I felt compelled to have a 7 week book study on this in my community.  It has proven to be instrumental in spiritual development and growth.  If you apply the principles in this book you will gain perspective on why things happen over and over and what lesson you are meant to learn.  Life will give you opportunities to learn lessons over and over until you finally pass.  Read this book and get a proactive approach.  Learn about how to deal with confrontation, being misunderstood, disappointment, offense, gratitude, pressure and more.  The life lessons are as follows:

1.  The Self Test

2.  The Time Test

3.  The Pressure Test

4.  The Distraction Test

5.  The Lot Test

6.  The Test of being Misunderstood

7.  The Confrontation Test

8.  The Money Test

9.  The Disappointment Test

10. The Offense Test

11. The Gratitude Test

12. The Perfect Storm - (when all the tests converge on you)

This book not only defines the tests but also gives you steps to PASS the test and move towards more spiritual maturity.  You will learn how to know when you are being tested, who is testing you, why you are being tested and how to pass the test.

I recommend this book to anyone who is tired of dealing with the same issues over and over.  It's an easy read, easy to follow and understand and VERY practical.

Divorce - What's waiting for you after the emotions and feeling of failure subside

Last night I "accidentally" sat at a table with a woman who is leading a DivorceCare class .  With her was a woman who is going through a divorce with someone she spent 25 years with.  I sat at the table because one of the Pastors I work with was sitting there and I was looking for someone.  He quickly introduced me to these two ladies and explained to them that I too have gone through divorce and knows what it feels like.

The one woman going through the divorce mentioned how she wakes up thinking about the divorce and goes to sleep with it thinking about it.  She explained how she felt like a failure and she is struggling with what her part was in the whole scenario.I shared a little (and it really was just a small tidbit) of my experience.  I shared with her that on the other side of this divorce is a miracle.  I look back and I can unquestionably identify my greatest spiritual growth during these horrible times of grief.  I told her that she may have been a part of the failure, just repent that she may have and move past that asking God to renew her and show her the parts of her that need to be change.  We have to get right with God and then accept the forgiveness and not carry it around with us.  This is the part I didn't know about which is why I continued on a path of self destruction.  I carried around guilt and shame which made me care nothing about my character.  I felt defeated more often than anything else.

My Story
You see I've been divorced two times not just once.  The first divorce was from the man I thought I would live my entire life.  He had been my hero since the time I was 16.  It was devastating when it ended.  I prompted the ending because emotionally I couldn't handle being in the marriage any longer.  Emotionally I was so empty and had felt so much rejection and had given him so much power over my feelings and allowed his words/actions to define me.  You see, I didn't know Jesus intimately, I didn't know what the Word said about how important I was to God.  I made my husband God.  This wasn't fair to him and it was just a setup for failure for me to be disappointed.  His opinion of me, his actions towards me all defined my mental state.  I was defined by him emotionally.  Looking back, I realize he was just as insecure as I was so you can imagine the roller coaster ride of that marriage.  We were together for 5 years when I left.  I remember driving up to our apartment, seeing his car and having a physical sick reaction immediately at knowing I would be facing him.  If I knew what I know now, that who I am is not how people treat me or what people say about me but what the Word of God says about me, I'm quite sure we would still be married and we would of worked through our problems.

My 2nd marriage was more about immigration than love.  The grief and devastation of my 1st marriage set me in a motion of self destruction and a feeling of total unworthiness of which I went out and found men who would validate that unworthiness for the next 7 years!  I was having sexual relations with a younger man from another country and got pregnant!  I was 29 years old, pregnant and living out in the country completing avoiding the real world.  This pregnancy is what changed everything for me.  I decided to carry out the pregnancy (in a step of faith due to supernatural events I will explain in another blog story) and my son, Jacob was born.  A year later, his father and I decided to get married due to changes in immigration laws (he was illegal). Sadly my attitude towards marriage at this time was "if it doesn't work out, we'll just divorce", Yes, I remember having that actual thought.   I wanted my son to have a chance at knowing his father though.  The joke was on me though because 2 1/2 year later I came home to having all my husbands belongings removed with no note or anything.  He chose alcohol over his family.  I thought, "Wow, I really MUST be a loser to not even know how to keep an alcoholic happy."  It was this event which was the spark that lit the fire in my heart to seek God with a relentless attitude.  To understand who I am in Christ and what that means.  I kept hearing it, but didn't understand it.  It took me another 5 years of pursuing God and studying His word (and another horrible horrible boyfriend) before I finally was restored enough to enter into a relationship I felt God had set up exactly for me.

I don't dwell on my failures because God has since honored me with a wonderful marriage and children.   Yes, I made mistakes, I failed, but I agreed with God this was never His plan for me and I finally surrendered everything to Him and let Him lead me.  My greatest fear became about doing what "WASN'T" His plan.  I had enough train wrecks, I wanted to experience the fullness of God. I'm sure that God would of honored the first marriage with children and happiness had I been pursuing righteousness and not trying to escape emotional hell every day, however the most important thing that I did was continue to pursue His Word and praying without ceasing and eventually - I got it!

The difference between my current marriage and the others??  Not the person.  I'm married to a more complex man today than my first two husbands although he is a gem.  Here's what I have done right: 1) I waited and trusted God to tell me who He wanted me to be with 2) I continue to seek, read, study and pray about being healthy emotionally and to keep God on the pedestal not my husband; 3) I have discovered who I am in Christ as a result of prayer and study; 4) I have learned to LOVE above all things and how unimportant pride and principle is.  I've learned to LOVE myself first and to know that God wants the best for me event though I've been a major mess up.  He still loves me and still wants me to have life and have it abundantly.  I accepted his forgiveness and I don't carry guilt and shame around with me, I left it at the foot of the cross.

Save your marriage if possible
I want you to know that if you can salvage your marriage DO IT.  Set your pride aside, forgive them.  You were in love once.   It's better to work through the problems than starting over.  As Joyce Meyer says, "the grass may be greener, but you have to mow that grass too".  While God has honored me with my journey, I will tell you that divorce is no longer an option for me.  If my husband decides to leave, I will do whatever I can to save the marriage.  There is free will and he still may decide to leave, but I won't be so easily gotten rid of.  Ask your husband/wife if there is ANY way to save the marriage.  You see when I left my husband, he didn't even try to get me to stay. He didn't ask me to stay. Because he didn't even ask or attest, I figured it was what he wanted.  What would of happened if he shared his emotions of wanting our marriage to work?  Speak up, take the risk of being vulnerable at the risk of it going no where.  It's worth the risk.  If it really is over (your spouse has moved on), then just remember you WILL be okay.  God IS present.  He will honor your heart and will give you a rich harvest for your obedience and steadfastness.....believe that with all your heart.

I woke up this morning realizing that I have a testimony to share and that maybe God wants me to help others who are going through what I've been through.  This is why I'm posting my story today.  I hope it helps.  I know you can't see into the future, but there is a future and as long as you are trying to seek righteousness, God will deliver you from the Egypt you are in too.  LOVE TO YOU!!! xxoo Darla

The verse I use to fight negative thoughts is, "I take every thought captive under the obedience of Jesus Christ". (2 Corinth 10:5).  Sometimes I still have to repeat this verse over and over especially if I'm being tormented by someone's words or actions or having negative thoughts towards someone.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." John 10:10

Mustard Seed

Matthew 13:31-32

"He told them another parable:  "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.  Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches."

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed?  Mustard seeds are tiny tiny tiny, but when they grow they grow enormously.  What a great parable.  The Kingdom of Heaven has meager beginnings but will grow.  Grow so much so that it will provide shade and respite to the tired and give branches for rest.

Yes, meager beginnings.  I can relate to this parable.  All great things start small don't they?  I can't think of any great thing that every started big.  I think we must trust God for the growth and plant the seed no matter how small.  Planting seeds are a risk aren't they?  I can plant seeds in my back yard in Phoenix and it may or may not grow, but I still plant them in the hope they will grow.  

We can take this attitude towards kindness and forgiveness.  We can plant seeds of kindness, hope, gentleness and love, but we don't really know if those seeds will grow.  We don't know that they won't grow in a different climate (environment).  Is it our job to watch the seed grow or just plant the seed?  Personally I think we just need to plant the seeds and leave the rest up to the Holy Spirit.

There are people in my past who I no longer am acquainted, can't remember their first OR last name yet they planted a seed in my mind in a matter of seconds.  In some cases those seeds started a burning desire in me to get to know God.  Some people can plant seeds that just feed the negative.  Those are the seeds we want to not "receive" but throw down.

God, thank you for this parable.  Thank you for bringing to my mind that my job is not to grow a giant tree, but plant Kingdom seeds no matter how small they are, they have the potential to grow into something amazing - as long as your spirit is upon it.  Amen.

Today I say Thank you

Today I say thank you
for all you have done
I say thank you
for the gift of your son

Without you I would be lost
forever in the black
without you I would be laying
at the end of the track






Thank you for your love
and your every present moment.
Thank you for your grace and
for never giving up on me

I need you, Lord, every day
every second, I need you Lord

Thank you Lord for all you do
thank you Lord for all you don't do
and thank you Lord for whatever your going to do!

The Parable of Weeds among the Wheat

Weeds                                                                                                 Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

The Parable of Weeds among the Wheat

²⁴ He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; ²⁵ but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. ²⁶ So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. ²⁷ And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ ²⁸ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ ²⁹ But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. ³⁰ Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”

Jesus Explains the Parable of the Weeds

³⁶ Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” ³⁷ He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; ³⁸ the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, ³⁹ and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.⁴⁰ Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, ⁴² and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears^[a] listen!

Tell me it isn't so.  I’m not really a weed am I?  Well, sometimes I am because sometimes my flesh wins and righteousness doesn't.  That is why I so thankful for His grace and mercy.  Jesus talks about leaving the weeds among the good seed, he doesn't ask for us to judge the bad seeds but instead live among them.  Who are we to think we are the good seed ALL the time.  I can strive for righteousness, and I do, but there are those moments where I trip and fall and catch myself in sin.  I am no surprise to God.  The parable of the weeds is about God leaving judgment to Him and Him alone.  There are approximately 7 billion people on this planet and each and every one of us is a treasure to Him.  He loves each of us equally.  He may be more pleased with some more than others, but he loves us equally.  Yes, my name is Darla and I've been a very bad seed (weed) and I've been a good seed.  I strive for more good than bad, but that’s because I love Him so much I want Him to be pleased with me. 

There isn't anything scarier than a Christian who judges another Christian.  Or worse yet, judging an unbeliever.  How can we expect people who don’t have the relationship we do (or love for) God to be able to righteous when they don’t have the Holy Spirit helping them (like we do).  Oh, how I like to take credit for my righteousness.  I get no credit. I know who I was before.  Before Christ I was a feather blowing in the wind, with some universal truths I’d learned along the way.  “Success principles” only get you so far.

High minded Christians have always been a turn off to me.  I remember one high school friend telling his friend I had “gone to seed”.  Well, let’s see, I was 20 years old, I wasn't raised by Christian parents (like him), who was he to make a judgment about me? What he didn't realize is that I didn't want to be a Christian if it meant you went around judging and putting people in "good seed and bad seed boxes".  What would of happened if he had inspired me, coached me, shared with me God’s truth instead of throwing me in the “bad seed box”?  But, you know, he was only 20 too, so what did he really know either.  I forgive him. 

Thank you Jesus for not allowing the good seeds to “pull me out”, thank you for allowing me to learn, grow and have a chance to be one of the good seeds.  I thank you for my life and all the good things you’ve allowed me to be a part of.  I surrender every part of my being to your service.  Use me for your good as I know I am not here to serve my flesh but to bring glory to You alone!  Amen.

The Parable of the Sower

Sower                                

Matthew 13:1-8, 18-23; Mark 4:3-8, 14-20; Luke 8:5-8, 11-15

The Sower parable is about our heart condition (soil) and how we are responding to the Word of God (seed). Are we going to be unresponsive (the seeds that fell on the path), impulsive (the seeds that fell on to rocky ground), preoccupied (the seeds that fell into the thorns) or responsive (the seeds that fell on good soil)?

I have sown many type of seeds in my 18 year adventure with God.  I think we all start out as the sower where their seeds fell on the path and birds ate them.  It has taken time for me to understand how to “root” my heart into the Word of God.  The bible was so hard for me to understand, I felt like I needed a secret decoder ring to help me figure out what it was saying.  But you know, that was the enemy keeping me from the truth, and I couldn’t tell you when exactly the Word of God all started becoming clear to me, but I will tell you I never stopping KNOWING that it was important. 

I kept surrendering parts of my life, allowing my flesh (sin) to die and giving God access to all my darkest parts and somehow, someway, through the grace of God, the Word became alive.  Now, if someone had told me that 5 years ago, I would of thought, “wow, I want that to happen to me”. You know…I believe God knew my heart and knew deep down I really wanted to be rooted in His word.  It doesn’t happen by accident though.  It didn’t “fall on me”.  I pursued, prayed, studied and kept after God knowing in my heart of heart it was the end all answer to what I needed to be worthwhile to God.  My desire to please God was more important than giving up sin or my time (due to laziness) to study the Word.  I still battle the knee jerk nature to want to entertain myself first and study “later”, even this morning, I almost fell to that temptation instead of doing this devotion, but I said to myself, “God is more important, and when I study His Word, and have it fresh in my mind – it makes the difference in the day of how I treat myself, how I treat others and how useful I am, so I’m going to my God my priority”.   I confess, I don’t win this battle every day (today I did), but sometimes I don’t.  I try to focus on my progress not on whether I’ve “arrived”. 

The bottom line for me is, I don’t want to throw my seeds on the path to be eaten by birds, or on rocky soil.  I don’t want to be preoccupied with the world that the seeds are distorted with worldviews (thorns).  I want to be ROOTED and I want to produce a good, healthy harvest.  For God, for myself, for my family and friends, I want to be “fruitful”.  The desire to bring Glory to God in all the things I say and do (I know it’s a big goal!) is what motivates me to keep pushing through and deepen my roots.

I found these 4 steps in how to make your seeds fall on good soil from a Mars Hill sermon and I wanted to share.  The notes in the parentheses are my thoughts.

• Follow the Holy Spirit (find where the Spirit is moving and be a part of it)
• Hear and hold fast the the Word (really hear it, ask God to help you understand it, ask people who you know understand it for help)
• Have an honest & repentant heart (every time you slip up - and you will - repent immediately to God and to the person you may have sinned against.  Don't let time go by or it will get harder, or you could just plain forget!)
• Cling to Christ w/perseverance and patience (Always, ALWAYS talk to Jesus whether things are good, say thanks, or things are bad, ask for help and understanding.   Be patient, we think we are in a hurry but it takes time for roots to grow so don't give up.

Father God, I thank you for Jesus and this parable.  He gives me a clear picture of what type of “sower” I want to be.  You give me your Word to study so that I may be a sower who sows on good soil (my heart) so that I may be fruitful with this life you've given me.  I thank you for all your grace, mercy and many chances for me to be able to even get this far with my understanding.  I thank you for answering my prayers when I asked for help in understanding your Word when it seemed so foreign to me.  Thank you for opening my eyes, thank you for allowing me to serve your purposes.  Please continue to renew my heart (soil) and allow me to become further rooted in your seed.  I only want to have the heart of Jesus, thank you for allowing me to transform.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.


*The bold words are from Mars Hill Church sermon notes.

Scriptures:

Matthew

13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred,sixty or thirty times what was sown.

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Mark:

3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

Luke:

⁵ “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. ⁶ Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

¹¹ “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. ¹² Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. ¹³ Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. ¹⁴ The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. ¹⁵ But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.