Failure to communicate? ∙∙

Failure to communicate? ∙∙

“If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” – Mark 4:23

Mark 4:23-25

 23 “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

 24 Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given – and you will receive even more.”

 25 “To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even their little understanding will be taken away from them.”

“Can you hear me now?” These words became iconic thanks to Paul Marcarelli, who portrayed the “Test Man” in Verizon Wireless commercials from 2002 to 2011. Recognized by Entertainment Weekly as one of the most intriguing individuals of 2002, Marcarelli was known for his gray Verizon jacket and signature horn-rimmed glasses. His role involved consistently verifying the reach of Verizon’s signal to ensure effective communication.

Communication itself is an art form that involves conveying information from a sender to a recipient. It’s successful only when the receiver comprehends the sender’s message. If your audience you are attempting to communicate with does not get it, you have not communicated!

In the context of biblical communication, our primary task is to receive and relay the Father’s message to others. The goal is to share God’s living and active Word in a manner that’s clear and comprehensible. The Father will use His Word to accomplish His purpose.

According to 1 Timothy 1:5, the aim of our teaching is for believers to be filled with love stemming from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.

Hebrews 5:14 Solid food is for the mature, who, because of practice, have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

REFLECT & PRAY

It’s not just possible but necessary for each child of the King to share the Father’s message.

Father, thank You for communicating Your truth so that even I can understand. Teach me to teach others as You have taught me.

INSIGHT

How did the Father communicate truth to mankind? The Holy Spirit facilitated the process. Referring to how the Old Testament Scriptures were written,

Peter writes:

2 Peter 1:21 No prophecy was ever made by an act of human impulse. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.

Biblical prophecy did not emerge from mere human desire. The Father communicated through men who “spoke” as the Holy Spirit guided them. The Spirit worked within the Old Testament prophets, allowing them to express the Father’s words through their own personalities, knowledge, backgrounds, vocabulary, and styles.

The same Holy Spirit, responsible for the Scriptures’ inspiration and production, is available to every believer, empowering us to communicate effectively with others. He aids us in study, preparation, and organization and sometimes even provides the exact words we use.

How does this happen?

There isn’t a single formula for this process. The Holy Spirit often energizes our careful effort and preparation, yet our insights and expressions might also be spontaneous and spur-of-the-moment. The Holy Spirit does what is necessary to get the job done.

In the book of Acts, most preaching and teaching were spontaneous and impromptu. There was rarely time to prepare a message in advance. “It was not the performance of an hour but the preparation of a lifetime.” It was the preachers who were prepared, not the sermons (BBC).

How does spiritual communication occur? Through the Filling of the Holy Spirit, the Father enables people. The Holy Spirit empowers, encourages, and energizes us. He often provides the words and subtleties needed for effective communication.

Matthew 10:19-20 Don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking – it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

This empowerment is frequently called the Filling of the Holy Spirit.

Micah 3:8 I am filled with power – With the Spirit of the LORD

Acts 4: 8 Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “ . . .

Acts 13:9-10 Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him and said . . .

Our role is to be cleansed, open, and available conduits for the Holy Spirit to work through. This should ideally reflect our walk and our relationship with Him. We also pray to be free from personal ambition and pride, seeking to cleanse ourselves from known sins. By emptying ourselves, we allow room to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, following Christ’s example.

How did the Father facilitate the communication process?

He created needs or circumstances in people’s lives and then supernaturally provided solutions and comfort. The knowledge shared is His response to these needs, as seen throughout Scripture. The Holy Spirit communicates directly with those who are receptive to His voice. When we teach, He speaks to each person’s heart and mind through us. It is the Spirit of the Father speaking through us, fulfilling the objective and reality of Biblical Communication.

The Scriptures are replete with answers from the Father for the needs of our everyday lives.

The Father understands each soul deeply, knowing how to speak to everyone. He searches our hearts and knows our ways. He knows exactly how to speak to each person. The Holy Spirit always has one-on-one communication with the children of the King, who are attuned to His voice. When we teach, He speaks to each person’s heart and mind. We are merely His conduit. For it is not we who speak, but the Spirit of our Father who speaks in us. (Matthew 10:20).

The Father knows the depths of each individual soul. He searches our hearts and knows our ways. He knows exactly how to speak to each person. This is, in part, why Christ was such an effective communicator. His ability was perceived as keen, penetrating insight, wisdom, authority, and bold confidence.

John 2:25 He Himself knew what was in man.

Matthew 7:29 He was teaching them as one having authority and not as their scribes.

This ability transferred to the apostles who had been with Him.

Acts 4:13 Now, as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.

The same Holy Spirit is with us to empower our teaching and communicate to others.

Understanding Scripture is not an intellectual matter but a spiritual and moral issue. No matter how great the intellect or advanced one’s education, we are inadequate without the Father’s enablement.

1 Corinthians 2:7-8, 14

 7 The wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God – his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began.

 8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them, and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

Matthew 23:23 Do not neglect the more important things.

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© Dr. H 2024

The fiction of material satisfaction ∙∙

The fiction of material satisfaction ∙∙

Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own. – Luke 12:15

Luke 12:16-21

 16 Then Jesus told them a story: A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops.

 17 He said to himself, “What should I do? I do not have room for all my crops.”

 18 Then he said, “I know! I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I will have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods.”

 19 “And I will sit back and say to myself, ‘My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!’”

 20 But God said to him, “You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?”

 21 Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.

Corporations often aim to showcase their financial results in the most favorable light, frequently using the term “Ebitdac” to describe their earnings. Ebitdac stands for “earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization,” but it’s also cynically referred to as “Sum Craziness” or “Profit Fiction” due to its misleading nature. These figures, especially when adjusted to include COVID-19-related losses, are more fantasy than fact, prompting some to suggest the term be updated to EbitdacC19.

In reality, these earnings are nothing more than pure fiction and are the product of wishful thinking. They are detached from any genuine financial prudence. The optimistic “Ebitdac” numbers are illusory and unlikely to materialize, representing losses that are irretrievably gone.

Mark Twain humorously observed that civilization is “a limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities,” highlighting how easily we can deceive ourselves about what’s genuinely essential versus mere desires. Similarly, covetousness, also known as greed, avarice, or rapacity, is the invisible sin. It lurks hidden within the human heart of many despite being explicitly prohibited in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:17).

“Covetousness is an unquenchable thirst for getting more and more of something we think we need in order to be truly satisfied. It may be a thirst for money or the things that money can buy or even a thirst for position and power.”

“Jesus made it clear that true life does not depend on an abundance of possessions. He did not deny that we have certain basic needs (Matthew 6:32; 1 Timothy 6:17). He only affirmed that we will not make life richer by acquiring more of these things” (Wiersbe).

How can we gauge the level of covetousness within us? Jesus shared a parable about a prosperous farmer blessed with an abundance of crops (Luke 12:16-21). Your immediate response to this story can be quite insightful. Do you find yourself wishing to be in the farmer’s position? Reflect on the question, “What would I do in his shoes?” How would you handle a significant influx of wealth?

If you were to suddenly become very wealthy, would you struggle with how to handle your newfound fortune? Would your thoughts turn to purchasing more possessions, or would you deliberate on how much to share with others? Perhaps the most crucial question is whether you would seek guidance from God, asking, “What do you want me to do with this?”

REFLECT & PRAY

Many children of the King are unknowingly walking around with undiagnosed diseases. Regrettably, covetousness is frequently one of the most prevalent.

Father, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name (Proverbs 30:8-9, Matthew 6:32).

INSIGHT

The prosperous farmer saw his wealth merely as a means for personal indulgence and self-promotion, utterly oblivious to the needs of those around him, which were not on his radar. And sadly, neither was the Father. Consequently, all his choices were rooted in sheer selfishness. In this brief biblical narrative, he references himself 11 times using “I,” “my,” or “myself.”

However, this farmer is heading towards a harsh, rude awakening. Misguided thoughts and misplaced priorities can lead to unexpected, severe consequences that are totally unexpected. And so it was for him.

As you anticipate your first encounter with God, consider whether you’d want His words to be, “You fool.” That would truly be an unsettling reality check

Luke 12:20 But God said to him, “You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?”

When greed and selfishness become your driving forces, they can lead to covetousness and, ultimately, condemnation. Instead of finding true security, lasting fulfillment, and success, the prosperous farmer ends up losing everything, including his life. “Wealth cannot keep us alive when our time comes to die, nor can it buy back the opportunities we missed while we were thinking of ourselves and ignoring the Father and others” (Wiersbe).

Imagine being given the choice tomorrow: to be unimaginably wealthy in this life or to be rich in the eyes of God and the life to come. Which path would you choose?

Many have faced this very decision and regrettably chosen poorly.

Luke 18:22-27

 22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

 23 But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

 24 And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!

 25 “For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

 26 They who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”

 27 But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”

“People who are satisfied only with the things that money can buy are in great danger of losing the things that money cannot buy” (Wiersbe).

Steve Jobs passed away on October 5, 2011. He once remarked, “Being the richest person in the graveyard doesn’t matter to me.”

Reflecting on mortality, he said, “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important” (Steve Jobs).

Jobs had a rare type of pancreatic cancer called neuroendocrine cancer, which is slower-growing and more treatable, according to Leonard Saltz, acting chief of the gastrointestinal oncology service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. However, Jobs delayed potentially life-saving surgery for nine months, opting for alternative therapies. By the time he sought conventional medicine, it was too late.

“Sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed” (Friedrich Nietzsche).

Are you grounding your life in reality and hope built on the foundation of the word of God, or are you living in an Ebitdac illusion?

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© Dr. H 2024

The few ∙

The few ∙

Don’t be afraid and don’t panic because of this huge army! For the battle is not yours, but God’s. – 2 Chronicles 20:15

Judges 7:2-7

 2 The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.”

 3 “Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.

 4 But the LORD told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.”

 5 When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the LORD told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group, all those who cup water in their hands lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group, put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.”

 6 Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream.

 7 The LORD told Gideon, “With these 300 men, I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.”

During the Battle of Britain, Germany’s inability to destroy Britain’s air defenses and compel an armistice marked the first major German defeat in World War II and a crucial turning point in the conflict.

The British aircraft industry sustained production levels of approximately 180 to 300 frontline fighters and 140 bombers monthly. Hermann Göring predicted a decline in the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) strength, exacerbated by what he assumed was decreasing production. The Luftwaffe believed it had weakened Fighter Command at three times the actual rate of attrition.

However, reports of RAF losses were greatly exaggerated, creating a sense of euphoria. The Luftwaffe leadership became increasingly disconnected from reality, fostering a false sense of imminent victory. They repeatedly claimed that Fighter Command’s strength had diminished and collapsed, which was not the case. However, reality soon shattered this illusion as the RAF continued to deploy defensive squadrons at will.

On August 5, 1940, coined “The Greatest Day,” the Luftwaffe launched its most extensive series of raids, deploying 115 bombers and 35 fighters. Yet, 75 of these aircraft were destroyed, with many more severely damaged. Throughout the entire Battle of Britain, British forces lost 1,537 planes, while German forces suffered more significant losses with 1,887 planes.

Winston Churchill encapsulated the essence of the battle with his iconic statement: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” Those pilots became renowned as “The Few.”

In life, we often face powerful enemies that we cannot overcome alone. However, it is during these moments that our faith can play a crucial role. When we are up against overwhelming odds, our Father fights the battle on our behalf. When there is an imbalance of forces, and our Father is on our side, victory is assured. The presence of God is more than just a theological concept; it is a profound source of strength (Thompson).

When God takes responsibility for the battle, our primary responsibility is to remain faithful. “When we align ourselves with God and His will, the Lord takes the battle out of our hands and places it in His. Big enemies become small when God leads the charge” (Stanley).

Sometimes, the Father uses only one individual (Exodus 14 (Moses); 1 Samuel 17:1-58 (David)). Other times, He chooses to work through a small group.

In Judges 7:2-7, the Lord instructs Gideon to reduce his army, emphasizing reliance on divine power rather than human strength. Initially, 22,000 fearful soldiers depart, leaving 10,000. God further reduced the size of the group to 300, who lapped the water with their hands, ensuring victory with this small contingent.

REFLECT & PRAY

“One and God make a majority” (Frederick Douglass).

Father, teach us to pray and encourage us to be strong and courageous, knowing that the final outcome is in Your hands.

INSIGHT

How does the Father win His battles? He encourages His children to pray for victory. In so doing, children of the King are called upon to achieve the Father’s will on earth as it is in heaven. That is our responsibility. Our task is to pray for His will to be done on earth. The Scriptures teach us to seek His will, not our own.

What other options do we have? We can do nothing; we can hope for the best, or we can pray to get what we think is best. The Scriptures do not encourage us to ask for what we want. But instead, we are to pray for what the Father “wants.” In Luke 11:1-4 the Lord Jesus Christ provides a model for effective prayer, focusing on God’s kingdom. This is how the Father teaches us to pray!

Luke 11:1-4

 1 It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.”

 2 And He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.

 3 ‘Give us each day our daily bread.

 4 ‘And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.’”

In moments of uncertainty, sometimes the best we can do is begin to pray for what we want and allow the Holy Spirit to redirect our prayers supernaturally and mysteriously to the Father’s will. What is required is that we pray and not remain silent.

So it was with Jehoshaphat.

2 Chronicles 20:6-9

 6 [Jehoshaphat] said, “O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You.”

 7 “Did You not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it to the descendants of Abraham, Your friend forever?”

 8 “They have lived in it, and have built You a sanctuary there for Your name, saying,

 9 ‘Should evil come upon us, the sword, or judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You (for Your name is in this house) and cry to You in our distress, and You will hear and deliver us.’”

Instead of giving in to fear, King Jehoshaphat gathered the people and sought the Lord with all his heart. He humbly acknowledged God’s power and authority and put his hope and trust in Him alone. Jehoshaphat recognized that God was the one with the ultimate power and authority, so he petitioned the Father for help.

He concluded his prayer by admitting, “Our eyes are upon You.” In effect, Jehoshaphat was saying, “If You don’t exercise Your authority in this matter, we are doomed. We are putting our entire trust and confidence in You and You alone.”

Jehoshaphat displayed humility, showing no signs of self-importance. We see no trace of egotism in Jehoshaphat. He made no demand that God do something that God did not desire to do. Jehoshaphat claimed no authority in himself and also no power for himself. But he wisely recognized that all power and all authority rest in God alone, and from that understanding, he petitioned the God of heaven (Stanley).

This aligns with the spirit encouragement of Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

“I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion” (Alexander the Great).

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© Dr. H 2024

Guided by principle, grounded in purpose ∙∙

Guided by principle, grounded in purpose ∙∙

A man who makes a vow to the LORD or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do. – Numbers 30:2

Matthew 5:33-37

 33 You have also heard that our fathers were told, “You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the LORD.”

 34 But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, “By heaven!” because heaven is God’s throne.

 35 And do not say, “By the earth!” because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, “By Jerusalem!” for Jerusalem is the city of the great King.

 36 Do not even say, “By my head!” for you can’t turn one hair white or black.

 37 Just say a simple, “Yes, I will,” or “No, I won’t.” Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

The 21st century has witnessed a significant decline in objective journalism and factual reporting. Unfortunately, much of today’s news is biased, leading to widespread confusion about whom or what to trust. Regrettably, much of the news is now so often biased, Fake News, that we no longer know who or what to believe. Even online fact-checkers have let us down. The courtroom oath, “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God,” has lost its weight for many people.

In 2018, former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani famously remarked, “Truth isn’t truth.”

What is authentic news? Authentic news is defined by key characteristics that guarantee its credibility and reliability: it is accurate, unbiased, transparent, and accountable, originating from trustworthy and dependable sources. By adhering to these principles, news organizations build trust with their audience, fostering an informed and engaged public.

“The Wall Street Journal” strives to answer this by committing to share information that is Guided by principle and grounded in purpose.

“United under the banner ‘free markets, free people,’ ‘The Wall Street Journal’ Opinion section has long served as a forum for intelligent, values-driven commentary. While we aim to persuade, every word we publish is the product of rigorous reporting, research, and debate. And though we uphold the same standards, we operate completely independently from the newsroom” (Street Journal Opinion).

To be guided by principle, one must be grounded in absolutes, eternal truths, and extrapolations from the Word of God. This, in turn, is based upon the assumption that God exists and that His Word is the Ultimate Truth.

Of all people on earth, the Jewish people were chosen to receive the Truth of God and preserve it for all humanity. They were to meditate on it day and night, hide it in their hearts, and live it out daily. However, human nature found ways to circumvent these practices, similar to how we might make promises today with our fingers crossed.

Some cunningly created a system of evasive swearing. Oaths were categorized into two categories: binding and non-binding ones. Oaths invoking God’s name were binding; otherwise, they were not. Consequently, swearing by God required strict adherence, while swearing by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or one’s head allowed for flexibility. “The result was that evasion had been brought to a fine art. The idea behind this was that if God’s name was used, God became a partner in the transaction; whereas if God’s name was not used, God had nothing to do with the transaction” (Barclay).

In modern America, evasive swearing has become commonplace.

REFLECT & PRAY

The Declaration of Independence concludes with a profound commitment of noble words: “We pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” Honor and duty are superior to rights and self-interest.

Father, inspire and empower me to lead a life of unwavering integrity in Your sight.

INSIGHT

Vows either took the form of a promise to give something to God, usually a sacrifice, or a pledge to abstain from something. The Scriptures are explicit regarding vows. When they are made, they are to be kept.

Ecclesiastes 5:4 When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him.

Deuteronomy 23:21-23

 21 When you make a vow to the LORD your God, be prompt in fulfilling whatever you promised him. For the LORD your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows, or you will be guilty of sin.

 22 However, it is not a sin to refrain from making a vow.

 23 But once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to fulfill your promise to the LORD your God.

Yet a familiar pattern often plays itself out again and again. In times of crisis, people turn to God in prayer. And their prayers usually take the form of vows: ‘If God helps me now, then . . . [Fill in the blank, etc.]. But when the crisis passes, and the prayer is answered, there is a temptation to forget the vow.

Regarding vows, the Lord Jesus Christ had a far superior idea. His solution was not to swear at all.

Matthew 5:34, 37

 34 But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, “By heaven!” because heaven is God’s throne.

 37 Just say a simple, “Yes, I will,” or “No, I won’t.” Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

The core of our identity, the essence of who we are, outweighs the promises we make with our words.

The Lord Jesus Christ teaches that our integrity should be so strong that others can trust our words without needing an oath (ESV notes).

How can we achieve this?

We must make a definitive decision to live by the principles found in the Word of God and renew this commitment every day. Our reputation and the lives we live speak for themselves.

We decide to be trustworthy, and that defines us. We are recognized as individuals who are dependable, reliable, responsible, truthful, faithful, reputable, ethical, honest, incorruptible, principled, and upright.

Moreover, the words of the Lord Jesus Christ contain profound layers of wisdom beneath the surface.

“In effect, Jesus is saying that, far from having to make God a partner in any transaction, no one can keep God out of any transaction. God is already there. Heaven is the throne of God; the earth is the footstool of God; Jerusalem is the city of God . . .. Our lives are God’s; there is nothing in the world which does not belong to God; and therefore, it does not matter whether God is actually named in so many words or not. God is there already” (Barclay).

But there is even more.

The fundamental truth that transcends all aspects of life is that the presence of God cannot be compartmentalized. It is imperative to acknowledge that the Father is omnipresent and transcends all spheres of existence. Therefore, the use of language, conduct, and ethical standards should be consistent across all domains of life, be it in religious settings, professional environments, or personal interactions.

Psalms 139:7-8

 7 I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!

 8 If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.

The Father does not require a formal invitation to partake in specific areas of life while being excluded from others; instead, the Father is omniscient and omnipresent, encompassing every facet of human existence. Consequently, every word spoken and every action performed is within the realm of His awareness, irrespective of whether it is explicitly carried out in His name.

The Father is omnipresent and cannot be evaded, deceived, or fooled. His presence is involved in every transaction, and ultimately, all promises are made in the presence of God (Barclay).

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© Dr. H 2024

Amend the soil of your hearts ∙

Amend the soil of your hearts ∙

The seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted! – Mark 4:20

Mark 4:3-9

 3 Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed.

 4 As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it.

 5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.

 6 But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died.

 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain.

 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!

 9 Then he said, Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.

Rice farming requires a great deal of weed control and proper fertilization. Weeds and overgrowth make it very difficult and time-consuming when performed by people alone. The Japanese overcame this challenge using an agricultural technique they developed known as aigamo. The solution was simple, “working ducks.” Commercial Japanese rice farms “employ” ducks. Ducks wade through rice paddies, nibble at undergrowth and weeds, and provide natural fertilization. The Japanese art of aigamo provides reliable, ecologically-sound rice agriculture.

Erik Andrus, a rice farmer, and owner of Boundbrook Farm, Vermont, sought answers. He found them in The Power of Duck by Takao Furuno. Andrus uses a breed of ducks called mulards for rice farming. They are active foragers. He started with 600 ducklings, mostly females, because they are smaller and more nimble than the males. The ducks stay in the fields for roughly six weeks before the grain develops on the rice plant. They provide superb weed control. They won’t eat the rice plant because of its high silica content. This innovative practice has become a crucial part of his farming success. And the rest is history (Jillian Dara).

Over the millennia, people have discovered how to improve and enrich growing environments for many kinds of crops. How can we enhance the soil of our hearts to facilitate spiritual growth? Are there weeds and thorns mixed in?

The Word of God provides spiritual seed planted in human hearts. Human hearts are likened to various kinds of soil. Some hearts are inhospitable to the word of God. Others are indifferent, opportunistic, or extraordinarily open and inviting.

How can we improve the soil of our hearts to be more fertile ground for spiritual truth?

REFLECT & PRAY

“The Christian life is not a playground; it is a battleground, and we must be on our guard At all times” (Wiersbe).

Father, create in me a soft, pliable, receptive heart. Enable me to amend the soil of my heart so that it may be receptive and fertile for the seed of the Word of God.

INSIGHT

To make our hearts more receptive and responsive to the word of God, it is incumbent upon us to amend the soil of our hearts, cultivating and enriching the soil of our inner being. By doing so, our hearts become fertile ground, consistently attuned to and embracing the teachings of God. As we nurture the soil of our hearts, we invite the Father, the master gardener, to take over.

The Father will address the roots of the weeds and thorns that have taken hold in our lives over the years. They took a lifetime to accumulate. Therefore, it will take time, months, or even years to restore our depleted soil caused by life’s challenges and our poor, rebellious, or ignorant choices.

How do we begin to grant the Father access? We start by eliminating the obvious.

1 Peter 2:1 advises us to rid ourselves of all evil behavior, including malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.

Understanding these terms is crucial:

Malice: harboring ill and evil intentions toward others.

Deceit: guile (dolos) engaging in trickery or cunning.

Hypocrisy: insincerity, pretense, and sham. Pretending to be someone we are not.

Envy: Jealousy simply seeks what others have. But Envy goes beyond that. Seeks to deprive others of what they have. Envy is the feeling of displeasure produced by observing or hearing of the advantage or prosperity of others (Vine).

Slander: improving one’s image by belittling others.

Let’s also consider a few definitions (Stanley):

Anger: a strong feeling of intense displeasure or hostility due to real or imagined threats or injustices.

Forgiveness is giving up resentment (anger) against someone and your right to get even, no matter what has been done to you.

Unforgiveness is the deliberate, willful refusal to give up one’s resentment and right to get even based on the attitude that someone must pay for the wrong done.

We are encouraged to study, meditate on, and memorize God’s Word, allowing it to regenerate the soil of our hearts in ways only the Father can achieve.

Caution: Diving deep into God’s Word and exploring its depths can be challenging and even painful.

Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, revealing our innermost thoughts and desires.

The Father has already planted the seeds within your heart; let Him cultivate the harvest. Through the renewal of your mind and heart, new thinking and life will emerge and blossom.

Romans 12:1-2

 1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then, you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

The Greek term translated as “do not copy” or “do not be conformed” is syschematizo. Syschematizo means being conformed, shaped, fashioned, or molded into a particular form. The idea is to cease allowing oneself to be pressed into a mold. The world is pressing us into its mold.

The Greek verb is in the present imperative passive. It commands us to stop allowing ourselves to be fashioned after the pattern of this evil age (Hendriksen). It’s akin to avoiding the behavior of a chameleon that changes its color to match its environment (Barclay).

The Greek word aion can be translated as “world” or “age.” Aion represents the subtle, informing spirit of the world (kosmos). The aion applies pressure to our lives to be alienated and separated from God (Bengel). Aion influences our thoughts, opinions, maxims, beliefs, principles, speculations, desires, hopes, impulses, aims, and aspirations. It is akin to being in an environment that envelops us. It is like the air we breathe. We inhale, absorb, and ultimately exhale (Trench).

The word metamorphoomai, translated as “be transformed,” is a present imperative passive verb. It suggests a continual process of being transformed by the Father from the inside out. When our thinking changes, our actions change. As our mindset shifts, our actions follow.

Matthew 9:4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts?”

Right action should and will follow right thinking.

Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks within himself, so he is.

Ephesians 4:22-24

 24 In reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,

 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

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© Dr. H 2024