GOD Morning! March 11 Boot Camp Day 6 / EXPECT!

GOD Morning!  March 11

Boot Camp Day 6

EXPECT!

Matthew 13:1-30

Jesus Teaches in Parables

13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting beside the sea [of Galilee]. ² But such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat there [positioning Himself as a teacher], while the whole crowd stood on the shore.

³ He told them many things in parables, saying, “Listen carefully: a sower went out to sow [seed in his field]; ⁴ and as he sowed, some seed fell beside the road [between the fields], and the birds came and ate it. ⁵ Other seed fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil; and at once they sprang up because they had no depth of soil. ⁶ But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, and thorns came up and choked them out. ⁸ Other seed fell on good soil and yielded grain, some a hundred times as much [as was sown], some sixty [times as much], and some thirty. ⁹ He who has ears [to hear], let him hear and heed My words.”

The Sower Explained

¹⁸ “Listen then to the [meaning of the] parable of the sower: ¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the kingdom [regarding salvation] and does not understand and grasp it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. ²⁰ The one on whom seed was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and at once welcomes it with joy; ²¹ yet he has no [substantial] root in himself, but is only temporary, and when pressure or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles and falls away [abandoning the One who is the source of salvation]. ²² And the one on whom seed was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the worries and distractions of the world and the deceitfulness [the superficial pleasures and delight] of riches choke the word, and it yields no fruit. ²³ And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands and grasps it; he indeed bears fruit and yields, some a hundred times [as much as was sown], some sixty [times as much], and some thirty.”

Love this parable. My favorite part is the good ground. I believe this for myself! I pray that I am good soil! I want to yield 100 times over! Oh God, let this be my prayer, that I am that good soil that You are referring to here!

In the past, I have been all of the other types of soil, yes I have.

I have had a cold, hard heart at times. Nothing can grow in a cold, hard, stony heart.

I have been rocky ground. For many years, I was shallow. I was inconsistent. I made promises to God, and prayed prayers of tearful repentance.  Over and over.  But I didn’t grow. I had no roots. One positive thing about these years was that I kept praying in the middle of my mess. God heard every one of those prayers. Even though seemingly nothing was happening. Many times, I gave up. But I was always drawn back into prayer by a sermon, a song, a wakeup call, an unexpected death, etc. Thank God that I kept repenting.

I have been thorny ground. I have allowed weeds of distraction, bitterness and hate to completely take over my heart. The roots went deep. I had to jerk those thorns out. And oh my, did it ever hurt. Oh, the pain! But oh, the pain was worth it!

Now, I am keeping the soil of my heart moist with tears of repentance and rich in the nutrients found in God’s word. I am consistently weeding the garden of my heart. I expect to be that good ground! I am expecting to produce 100 times over!

“Dear Jesus, I am looking forward to the day when I actually see 100 times over crop yields. This takes a lot more effort than I have been putting forth. So I must take everything up a notch. And up another notch. And continue going up and up and up until my crop is beyond all expectations! Please help me to keep my eyes on You and please help me to prayerfully dig and plow my heart constantly. I have no other choice. I expect to be that good ground that You desire for me to be. I can do ALL things through You, who strengthens me! In Jesus name I pray, AMEN.”