Prayer Practice
Lectio –
Read today’s passage through once. Then spend some time praying and asking God
to show you what you need to pay attention to in the text. Read it again. Now
ask God to help you see what this text, and the part that has stood out, may
mean for you. Don’t expect to get a clear word every time but always be ready
to really hear from God through His Word.
Daily Reading
Devotion / REFLECTION
A Listening Heart
by Pastor Jeff Morlock
God's Word runs counter to the world’s
logic. It declares that a king came from heaven and triumphed by being tortured
and killed. And because he died for your sins, he can change your life and make
you new. His followers lose themselves to find themselves. They know that the
way up is down, and that the way to become rich is to be generous. They understand
that to have true power is to be a humble servant to others, and that the way
to become like their master is to suffer and learn dependence.
This Word of God (and kingdom of God) triumph,
not by force, but through the power of love that creates willing obedience.
Eventually the truth of the kingdom will cover the entire world, to wipe away
all tears, and every bit of evil. In the meantime, until the king returns, he gives
us four tests here to determine the condition of our hearts…
1. Beware of listening with a hard heart - with intellect only (v. 5,
11-12). Is the word merely theoretical, or has it penetrated your defenses? Has
hearing God’s Word resulted in a relationship with the king? If not, what is
preventing it from taking root?
2. Beware of listening with a shallow heart - with emotion only (v. 6,
13). Are your enthusiastic about Jesus because you want him to enter your kingdom?
Is your experience of Jesus leading to genuine repentance and obedience?
3. Beware of listening with a divided heart – with competing loyalties
(v. 7, 14). Are you miserable because you’re knowingly doing things that choke out
God’s Word?
4. Be ready to obey what you hear (v. 8). Are you bearing fruit
for the kingdom? Are you growing in Christ and making a difference?
The Word
of the kingdom is so vital that it can’t be hidden. Those who receive it in
faith become conduits of its message, so that it can enlighten people who
remain in the dark. In a culture defined by nuclear family, Jesus shocked
everyone by insisting that true and eternal kinship is the result of hearing
and obeying this gospel! So what keeps you from “letting your light shine” more
frequently or freely? What fear do you need to ask the Lord to help you
overcome in order to more boldly share this good news with others?
Lord Jesus, you have declared with such power
and finality, “ hear and do”, “hear and put into practice”, “hear and proclaim”.
Let me never be ashamed of you and your Word. Forgive me for my neglect and equip
me to declare it fearlessly as you and your disciples did. In your holy name.
Amen.
2 comments:
Wow Pastor Jeff, you really did a nice job on this post. I never thought of summarizing the different "soils" that way you did when it comes to our faith. Thanks for sharing this! Tom Richards
Pastor Jeff, I echo Tom's comments about the different soils. On the surface, the parable of the Sower seems to be unfair to those on the path. Upon examination, it is clear these don't consider the Word to be "reasonable" and "intellectually" dismiss its contents. Your comments make this clear for me and I am thankful. I see how the devil can snatch the Word away by allowing our intellect to reign supreme making us think much of what one might read as being nonsense. Intellectual pride at its best.
I am one of those Jesus refers to when He addresses the Father, "At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children". I have always been an average student and have not been viewed as part of the intellectual elite. I have many extremely intelligent friends who are not believers just because the Gospel is too simple. Thank you Jesus that Your Words ring true to me and have changed my life.
Robin Lorms
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