"PLANTING THE WORD"
TEXT: LUKE 8:1-56/HEB 4:12
INTRODUCTION
In Hebrews 4:12 we read;
"THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND ACTIVE. SHARPER THAN ANY DOUBLE EDGED SWORD, IT PENETRATES EVEN TO DIVIDING SOUL AND SPIRIT, JOINTS AND MARROW; IT JUDGES THE THOUGHTS AND ATTITUDES OF THE HEART..."
Turn in your Bibles to Luke 8:1;
"After this" -- After what? After that great encounter where the sinful women crashed the party that Jesus was having with some pharisees -- Remember, she anointed his feet with perfume, dried his feet with her hair, and left with her sins forgiven... This was the encounter where Jesus said, "THEREFORE I TELL YOU, HER MANY SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN -- FOR SHE LOVED MUCH. BUT HE WHO HAS BEEN FORGIVEN LITTLE LOVES LITTLE.."
8:1-4
The word parable comes from the greek word "parabole" and literally means that which is cast along side," or something placed parallel. Someone has described parables as " earthly stories with heavenly meanings."
When Jesus taught in parables he placed spiritual truths in familiar settings, in every day settings that people could both understand and relate too. And by so doing Jesus fired up the imaginations of the people, allowing them to view the truth from a different perspective...
Another advantage of teaching in parables was that by positioning spiritual truths in a neutral setting, people would not be immediately threatened by what Jesus was saying and turn him off -- but rather they would have their attention grabbed by the story and before they even realized it; they would be involved. A great example of this in scripture is the parable that the prophet Nathan told to King David -- in 2 Samuel chapter 12.
Like a master artist, Jesus’ Parables skillfully framed the truth in a form that was easily remembered (of all the messages that Jesus gave and taught -- most of us remember the parables best)... His parables are like sticks of dynamite that are disguised as candy bars - They are time bombs planted in the minds of the listeners --- they sneak up on us and before we know it; they grab us and hit us square between the eyes, with a powerful spiritual truth.
Today we are going to talk about the "Parable of the Sower" sometimes called the Parable of the soils. God has a great spiritual truth for those who have ears to hear.
I. THE PLANTING OF THE WORD
Let’s read the parable, LUKE 8:4 - 8
Now, this parable of the soils was something Jesus’ audience could easily relate too. Many of them probably were farmers and themselves had sowed seed, and those who were not no doubt had seen farmers walking the land with a grain sack over one shoulder throwing seed to the right and to the left. Perhaps even as Jesus spoke he was able to point to the hills above or the valley below, to a farmer doing just that.
And the seed that was being in Jesus parable landed on 4 different types of soil.
SOME FELL ON THE PATH
Now he path was that plot of ground that separated the different fields. It was where the people walked and therefore the soil would have become compacted and hardened. So, the seed that landed here -- never even had a chance to penetrate the surface. And it was not too long after the farmer had sowed the seed, that birds came flying in eating up the seed. And it was gone.
The essential characteristic of this type of soil is the fact that it remains precisely the same after the sowing, as it had been before.
OTHER SEED WE ARE TOLD FELL ON ROCK
And for us to understand the picture Jesus is painting here we need to realize that in many parts of the Holy Land you will find shallow layers of topsoil covering a huge slab of rock. And the seed that is sown here >> though it spouts quickly >> it will whither and die just as quickly because it’s roots have no depth to them >> and are unable to reach down deep to receive the proper moisture and nutrients. HERE TODAY - GONE TOMORROW.
AND STILL OTHER SEED FALLS AMONG THE THORNS.
Now, the seed that is cast here -- is able to penetrate the surface and it has enough soil depth so that it’s roots can dig down deep. However, it is surrounded by weeds and thorns that crowd out and block the seed’s light, choking off it’s very life.
BUT FORTUNATELY FOR OUR FARMER SOME SEED DOES FALL UPON GOOD SOIL
Soil that is rich and fertile. And the seed takes root and sprouts up into new life, yielding a crop that Jesus says >> is 100 times more than what was sown....
And so goes "the parable of the soils" -- It is a good story; Easy to understand. And it is not too difficult at all for us to visualize exactly what Jesus is describing here. But what does this farmer and his seed have to do with the Kingdom of God/Christianity -- What is the spiritual truth that Jesus is trying to get us understand? That He wants to hit us square between the eyes with? Can you see what it is?
Well, the Disciples weren’t exactly sure what Jesus was teaching, so after Jesus had told the parable to the multitudes, they came up to Jesus and ask Him what this parable was supposed to be teaching. And Luke records for us Jesus’ response;
LUKE 8:11-15
OKAY, JESUS SAID THAT IN THIS PARABLE THE SEED REPRESENTS WHAT? THAT’S RIGHT IT IS THE WORD OF GOD. NOW DID YOU NOTICE THAT JESUS DOES NOT IDENTIFY THE FARMER IN THE PARABLE? WHO DO YOU THINK HE IS?
I THINK THE REASON JESUS DIDN’T IDENTIFY THE FARMER, IS BECAUSE THE FARMER CAN BE ANYONE. YOU SEE, ANYONE WHO SPREADS THE WORD OF GOD THROUGH TEACHING, PREACHING, LIVING AND SHARING IS THE FARMER.
THEREFORE I WOULD QUALIFY AS THE FARMER WHEN I PREACH EACH SUNDAY WOULDN’T I?
WHEN I BREAK OPEN THE BREAD OF LIFE AND SHARE FROM IT’S PAGES IT’S THE TEACHINGS OF GOD -- I AM IN FACT THE FARMER IN THE PARABLE -- WITH BIBLE OVER MY SHOULDER SOWING THE WORD OF GOD -- TO THE RIGHT AND TO THE LEFT. .
WHEN I PROCLAIM, HOW GOD EXPECTS HIS CHILDREN TO LIVE -- WHEN I TEACH, REBUKE, CORRECT AND TRAIN IN RIGHTEOUS SO THAT EVERY ONE MAY BE THOROUGHLY EQUIP FOR ALL GOOD WORKS -- I AM SOWING THE SEED OF GOD’S WORD.
WHEN I DECLARE THAT GOD WANTS THE BEST OF YOUR TIME, YOUR TALENTS AND YOUR TREASURE -- I "THE FARMER" AM SOWING THE SEED OF GOD’S WORD.
WHEN I EXHORT YOU TO BE A GODLY -- MAN/WOMAN -- A GODLY WIFE/HUSBAND -- A GODLY CHILD -- A GODLY LEADER;
AND WHEN I REMIND US THAT WE ARE TO BE A HOLY CHILD OF GOD -- THAT WE ARE TO TAKE OFF THE OLD SELF AND PUT ON THE NEW "CREATED BY GOD TO BE LIKE JESUS" -- WHEN I PROCLAIM THAT WE ARE TO MAKE OUR LIVES A LIVING SACRIFICE HOLY AND ACCEPTABLE TO GOD -- THAT WE ARE TO BE PURE, BLAMELESS AND ARE TO FLEE FOR IMMORALITY -- I AM THE FARMER IN JESUS PARABLE, SOWING THE SEED OF GOD’S WORD.
AND DURING OUR TIME TOGETHER THESE FIRST 2 SUNDAYS OF 1995 -- WHEN I CHALLENGED EACH OF YOU TO LET THE LORD BUILD YOUR HOUSE IN 95’ -- WHEN I TOLD YOU THAT YOU MUST DIG DOWN DEEP AND BUILD A FOUNDATION ON GOD (THAT YOU MUST HAVE A STRONG AND REAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM IF YOU WANT A GREAT 1995 -- AND IF YOU WANT LIFE, JOY AND CONTENTMENT) -- AND WHEN I SAID THAT YOU MUST NOT ONLY HEAR GOD’S WORD, BUT ALSO PUT IT INTO PRACTICE; IF YOU WANT A HOUSE THAT WILL NOT BE SHAKEN BY THE STORMS OF LIFE -- WHEN I SAID ALL THOSE THINGS.
PERHAPS JESUS, POINTED IN MY DIRECTION AND SAID -- DO YOU SEE THAT FARMER? DO YOU SEE HIS SEED? AND POINTING TO US HE MAY HAVE SAID AND DO YOU SEE THE FIELD? YOU KNOW I WONDER WHAT KIND OF SOIL IS OUT THERE TODAY.
AND LAST WEEK WHEN I CHALLENGED EACH OF US AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A CHURCH, TO GET THE JOB DONE HERE AT ETCC, IN A REAL WAY. WHEN I SAID:
THAT WE MUST BUILD THE LORD’S HOUSE/THIS CHURCH --
THAT WE MUST FINISH THE WORK WE EAGERLY BEGUN,
THAT THERE MUST BE EQUALITY IN THE WORK DISTRIBUTION (EVERYONE MUST WORK)
THAT WE MUST HAVE ENTHUSIASM AND INITIATIVE FOR THE WORK HERE ...
THAT WE MUST EXCEL IN THE GRACE OF GIVING
WHEN I SAID THAT AND MORE, I WAS NOT SOWING MY WORDS/MY OPINIONS/MY IDEAS -- NO, I WAS SOWING THE VERY WORDS OF GOD -- THROWING OUT ON TO THE FIELD WE CALL ETCC, THE VERY SEED OF GOD’S WORD.
AND JUST LIKE IN JESUS’ PARABLE EVERY TIME I TEACH FROM THE WORD -- THE SEED LANDS OF 4 TYPES OF SOIL. WHICH TYPE ARE YOU?
LIKE THE FARMER IN THE PARABLE, SOME OF THE SEED THAT I CAST FALLS ALONG THE PATH
Yes, tragically some seed lands upon the soil of a closed mind and a hard heart towards God.
You see, many before they even walk through those doors have already decided that Jesus, God, The Bible and The Church have absolutely no answers for them. Some where along the line (that is if they ever did) Somewhere along the line they gave up on God.
And they have now become so hard and bitter, that the word can not even penetrate the surface or impact their hearts; it just lays there on the surface. And because they have shut the door on God -- it is very easy for the Devil to swoop down and take that word away. And it is gone.
The essential characteristic of this type of person is that they remain preciously the same after the message, as they were before -- lost, cold, hardened and dead.
AND LIKE THE FARMER SOME SEED I SOW FALLS UPON THE ROCK NOW, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO WHEN THEY HEAR GOD’S WORD, THEY IMMEDIATELY RECEIVE IT WITH JOY, THEY AGREE, NOD THEIR HEAD. -- THEY EVEN SAY, "AMEN PREACHER STEVE -- RIGHT ON BROTHER -- PRAISE THE LORD..." "THAT’S RIGHT, THAT’S WHAT I AM GOING TO DO." SOMETIMES THEY MAY EVEN COME UP FRONT DURING AN INVITATION AND GIVE A TESTIMONY -- AND WHEN THEY WALK OUT THE DOORS THEY ARE READY TO HIT IT -- THEY ARE READY TO CHANGE...
BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEIR ENTHUSIASM IS A SUPERFICIAL ENTHUSIASM, THAT HAS NOT COUNTED THE COST...
YOU SEE, THEIR ROOTS ARE NOT VERY DEEP, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NEVER TAKEN THE TIME TO REALLY DIG DOWN DEEP IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. THEY ARE MORE COMMITTED TO SELF THAN JESUS.
JESUS SAID THESE PEOPLE WILL BELIEVE FOR AWHILE "BUT IN THE TIME OF TESTING (WHEN IT BEGINS TO COST THEM SOMETHING TO BE WHO GOD WANTS THEM TO BE -- MAYBE SOME MONEY, EFFORT, TIME, RELATIONSHIPS, PERSONAL CONVENIENCE) WHEN IT BEGINS TO COST THEM THEY QUICKLY WHITHER, DRY UP AND FALL AWAY...." (UNTIL THE NEXT SPIRITUAL HIGH) -- HERE TODAY -- GONE TOMORROW. AND UNFORTUNATELY EACH TIME I THROW OUT THE SEED OF GOD’S WORD SOME SEED LANDS AMONG THE THORNS
It is good soil but there is just too much other junk growing in there.
JESUS SAID THAT THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HEAR, BUT AS THEY GO ON THEIR WAY THEY ARE CHOKED BY LIVES WORRIES, RICHES AND PLEASURES, AND THEY DO NOT MATURE.
There is a saying that goes this way, "before you plant a garden you have to pull the weeds." People who are thorny soil -- rather than letting the Lord have their whole life/come first (like God said) -- They instead try to squeeze God in between their desire for; pleasure, pursuit of riches, their career, their unrepentant sin and all these other things make it impossible for the seed of God’s word to really grow in their lives
YOU SEE, THEY NEVER EVEN REALLY GAVE GOD A CHANCE -- AND WHAT LITTLE THERE WAS IS CHOKED OFF AND IT DIES.
BUT Praise GOD THAT SOME OF THE SEED FALLS OF GOOD SOIL
Yes, Sometimes God’s word lands on the hearts and minds of people who are open to God. People who want to please God/live for him/serve him.. They are like Children on Christmas morning and are eager to hear God’s word AND they strive to live their lives according to it’s teachings.... These are the people who are growing and changing in the Lord... And they like the good soil in the parable are producing fruit of righteousness and are bearing a crop of service in this place...
AS WE STUDY THE REST OF CHAPTER 8, WE WILL LOOK AT SEVERAL BENEFITS THAT THOSE WHO ARE GOOD SOIL EXPERIENCE IN THEIR LIVES. THINGS THAT THE PATH, ROCK AND THORNY SOIL WILL NEVER KNIOW, UBNDERSTAND OR XPERIENCE.
YOU SEE, PERHAPS THE CHIEF BENEFIT OR RESULT OF PLANTING THE WORD IN OUR LIVES -- IS THAT ONCE THE WORD IS PLANTED IN THE GOOD SOIL OF OUR HEART -- WE GET TO EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF THE PLANTED WORD IN OUR LIVES...... AND LUKE RECORDS SEVERAL EVENTS THAT ILLUSTRATE JUST WHAT THE WORD CAN DO.
II. THE POWER OF THE PLANTED WORD
A. THE PLANTED WORD HAS THE POWER TO CALM STORMS
LUKE 8:22-25
WHY WERE THE DISCIPLES AFRAID? A VIOLENT STORM CAME SWEEPING DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAINS... HUGE WAVES WERE CRASHING OVER THE SIDES. THE BOAT WAS BEING TOSSED HERE AND THERE. SOME WERE FRANTICALLY TRYING TO BAIL OUT THE WATER THAT WAS FILLING THE BOAT -- BUT IT WAS A LOSING BATTLE. LUKE SAYS THEY WERE IN GREAT DANGER.
SO THEY WOKE UP JESUS WHO WAS SLEEPING -- "MASTER, MASTER -- (LITERALLY COMMANDER COMMANDER) WE’RE GOING TO DROWN.." THEY WERE TERRIFIED!
JESUS GOT UP AND WITH A WORD, THE WAVES SUBSIDED -- THE WINDS STOPPED, AND ALL WAS CALM... AND TURNING TO THE 12 HE SAID, "WHERE IS YOUR FAITH? OR AS MATTHEW RECORDS "WHY ARE YOU AFRAID O MEN OF BRIEF FAITH?"
IN OTHER WORDS "WHAT WERE YOU WORRIED ABOUT -- DIDN’T YOU KNOW I WOULD TAKE CARE OF YOU... DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU ARE WITH ME YOU ARE SAFE?" DIDN’T YOU HEAR ME WHEN I TOLD YOU -- THAT WE WERE GOING TO THE OTHER SIDE? DON’T YOU KNOW THAT MY WORDS ARE TRUTH!
NOW, I DIDN’T TELL YOU ALL THE DETAILS OF THE TRIP (I DID NOT SAY THERE WOULDN’T BE STORMS), BUT I DID TELL YOU I WOULD GET YOU TO THE OTHER SIDE. AND YOU FORGOT MY WORDS AND LOST YOUR FAITH WHEN THE TROUBLES CAME.."
YOU KNOW IT IS EASY TO LOOK AT THE DISCIPLES AND SAY, "MAN IF JESUS WAS SAILING IN MY BOAT, AND IF I HAD SEEN JESUS HEAL THE SICK, RAISE PEOPLE FROM THE DEAD -- AND IF JESUS TOLD ME HE WAS TAKING ME TO THE OTHER SIDE -- I WOULDN’T LET ANY OL’ STORM SCARE ME OR SHAKE MY FAITH... NO WAY I WOULD HAVE LET JESUS SLEEP."
BUT HOW DO WE RESPOND WHEN: STORMS AND HARDSHIPS COME CRASHING IN AGAINST OUR LIVES; A LOVED ONE DIES, A SPOUSE IS UNFAITHFUL, A CHILD RUNS AWAY FROM HOME, THE BOSS CALLS YOU IN AND SAYS I’M AFRAID I HAVE TO LET YOU GO, WHEN YOU ARE GETTING BURIED IN DEBT, THE DOCTOR TELLS YOU THE TUMOR IS MALIGNANT.
WHEN THE STORMS HIT DO WE FORGET THAT JESUS IS STILL IN OUR BOAT... DO WE FORGET THE WORDS HE HAS TOLD US: "DO NOT LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED. TRUST IN GOD; TRUST ALSO IN ME. IN MY FATHERS HOUSE ARE MANY ROOMS; IF IT WERE NOT SO, I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU. I Am going there to prepare a place for you. and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am..."
JUST LIKE HE PROMISED THE DISCIPLES, JESUS HAS PROMISED THE CHRISTIAN THAT HE IS TAKING US TO THE OTHER SIDE... AND ALSO JUST LIKE THE DISCIPLES HE HASN’T TOLD US THAT THERE WILL NOT BE ANY STORMS/HARD TIMES ALONG THE WAY... AS A MATTER OF FACT HE HAS TOLD US TO EXPECT THEM... BUT HIS WORD IS TRUTH AND HE WILL GET US TO THE OTHER SIDE...
WHEN THE WORD IS FIRMLY PLANTED IN OUR LIVES -- WHEN WE ARE NOT MEN OF BRIEF FAITH, BUT RATHER MEN OF ROCK SOLID FAITH -- WHEN WE REMEMBER THAT JESUS IS IN OUR BOAT, WHEN WE RECALL HIS GREAT PROMISES IN THE MIDST OF OUR STORMS -- (AND SOME TIMES IT MAY TAKE A MINUTE OR 2 TO REMIND OURSELVES) --
BUT WHEN WE DO REMEMBER, WE WILL BE LIKE A CHILD WHO WAS FRIGHTENED BY A TERRIBLE STORM -- WHO NOW FEELS SAFE AND SECURE BECAUSE HE IS NEXT TO HIS SLEEPING PARENT. {YOU SEE PARENT’S DON’T EVEN HAVE TO BE AWAKE THEY JUST HAVE TO BE THERE} YES THE STORM IS STILL THERE; THE LIGHTENING IS STILL FLASHING AND THE THUNDER IS STILL CRASHING BUT SOMEHOW THEY DON’T SEEM AS LOUD NOW -- NOTHING CAN HURT HIM NOW BECAUSE HE IS WITH HIS PARENTS...
NOTHING CAN HURT US BECAUSE WE ARE WITH JESUS...
IF WHEN THE WINDS ARE AT THEIR STRONGEST, IF WE TURN OUR EYES TO JESUS -- IF WE LOOK FULL IN HIS WONDERFUL FACE >> THE STORMS OF THIS LIFE WILL GROW STRANGELY DIM, IN THE LIGHT OF HIS GLORY AND GRACE..
WHEN THE WORD IS FIRMLY PLANTED IN THE GOOD SOIL OF OUR LIVES WE HAVE TO BUT LOOK TOWARDS JESUS -- AND HE WILL GENTLY SAY "PEACE BE STILL." >> THAT IS THE POWER OF THE PLANTED WORD!
THE PLANTED WORD CAN CALM STORMS -- DO YOU HAVE SOME STORMS THAT NEED CALMING?? LET ME ASSURE YOU OF THIS, THEY WILL NEVER SUBSIDE AS LONG AS YOU REMAIN THE PATH, ROCK, OR THE THORNY SOIL.
B. 2ND, THE PLANTED WORD HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE LIVES
HE LIVED ALONE -- IN THE REGION OF THE GERASENES -- HE DIDN’T HAVE MANY FRIENDS -- AND HE WAS NOT THE KIND OF GUY THAT YOU’D BRING HOME TO MEET MAMA... HE DIDN’T LIVE IN A HOUSE, HE DIDN’T LIVE IN A TENT AND HE DIDN’T EVEN LIVE IN A CAVE. NO, HE LIVED IN A GRAVE YARD AND HE SLEPT IN THE TOMBS. HE DIDN’T WEAR ANY CLOTHES AND HE WOULD SPEND THE NIGHT HOURS, CUTTING HIMSELF WITH STONES AND PIERCING THE DARKNESS WITH HIS SHRIEKS AND SCREAMS - HE A MAN WAS POSSESSED BY DEMONS. HIS NEIGHBORS EVEN TRIED ON ONE OCCASION TO SUBDUE HIM WITH LARGE CHAINS, BUT HE SNAPPED THOSE CHAINS LIKE A MAN SNAPS A WOODEN TOOTHPICK.
NEEDLESS TO SAY HE WAS NOT CHOSEN BY HIS COLLEGE YEAR BOOK STAFF TO BE THE ONE "MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED." AND CERTAINLY WE WOULD NEVER CONSIDER HIM A CANDIDATE TO BE A TOP EVANGELIST FOR JESUS CHRIST.
BUT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HE BECAME, LUKE RECORDS HIS STORY IN 8:26-38 -- YOU SEE THIS NAKED, SCREAMING MAN MEET THE SON OF GOD.
THE PLANTED WORD HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE LIVES....
I HAVE SEEN MEN AND WOMEN LIVES CHANGED RADICALLY AFTER AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE LORD... THEY HAVE TURNED THEIR BACKS ON A LIFE OF SIN AND RUNNING WITH ARMS OUTSTRETCHED TO A LIFE IN THE LORD... IT IS AN UNBELIEVABLE SIGHT, TO SEE THE LORD DO HIS TRANSFORMATION THING.
IF JESUS COULD TURN AROUND THE LIFE OF A NAKED, BLEEDING, SCREAMING DEMON POSSESSED MAN -- HE CAN CHANGE ANYONE’S LIFE. EVEN YOURS. AND IT IS A LIE TO SAY HE CAN’T...
THE REAL QUESTION IS DO YOU WANT HIM TO?
AND WILL YOU LET HIM?
WILL YOU BE GOOD SOIL?... YOU SEE, ALL YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE IS THE SOIL AND GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF THE Changing.. AND IF YOU THINK YOUR TO HARD OF A NUT TO CRACK -- JUST ASK THE DEMON POSSESSED MAN TURNED GOSPEL WARRIOR -- AND HE WILL TELL YOU OTHERWISE.
THE PLANTED WORD:
CALMS STORMS --- CHANGES LIVES
C. AND THE PLANTED WORD RESTORES HOPE
LUKE 42b-48
And Mark adds the following in His Gospel account;
"SHE HAD SUFFERED A GREAT DEAL UNDER THE CARE OF MANY DOCTORS AND HAD SPENT ALL SHE HAD, YET INSTEAD OF GETTING BETTER SHE GREW WORSE. WHEN SHE HEARD ABOUT JESUS, SHE CAME UP BEHIND HIM IN THE CROWD AND TOUCHED HIS CLOAK, BECAUSE SHE THOUGHT, `IF I JUST TOUCH HIS CLOTHES I WILL BE HEALED..."
Here was a woman who was at the end of her ropes... No one could help her, she had tried doctor after doctor -- specialist after specialist. Until all of her money was gone... AND After 12 years of suffering she had given up, she had lost all hope -- she had reach the conclusion that life simply had no answers for her -- she would just reside herself to live a cold, dark and hopeless existence..
And then one day a farmer came to town (she didn’t know who he was -- and neither do we, but we know he was there). And this farmer WAS sowing Word’s about Jesus the Son of God -- He told how Jesus walked among the people speaking with power and authority -- and how he healed many who were sick... And some of this seed feel on the good of this women’s heart...
Mark tells us that when she heard about Jesus -- she had her hope restored -- she knew that all she had to do was touch his clothes, and she would be healed... Yes, After years of searching for the answer -- and after coming to the conclusion that their simply was none -- She then found the answer in Jesus. And she, reaching out in faith and radiating with hope -- reached out to Jesus who was already reaching out to her...
"EVEN YOUTHS GROW TIRED AND WEARY, AND YOUNG MEN STUMBLE AND FALL; BUT THOSE WHO HOPE IN THE LORD WILL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH. THEY WILL SOAR ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES; THEY RUN AND NOT GROW WEARY, THEY WILL WALK AND NOT BE FAINT.’
MAYBE LIKE THE WOMAN IN OUR TEXT -- YOU HAVE TRIED MANY OTHER THINGS -- SEARCH IN MANY DIFFERENT PLACES FOR THE ANSWERS TO YOUR LIFE... AND MAYBE YOU ARE ABOUT READY TO GIVE UP; RESIDE YOUR SELF TO LIVE A COLD, DARK AND HOPELESS LIFE...
BEFORE YOU DO, STOP & HEAR THE WORDS OF THIS FARMER:
JESUS LOVES YOU, YOU ARE VALUABLE TO HIM RIGHT NOW, RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE... JESUS WANTS TO CLAM YOUR STORMS, RESTORE YOUR HOPE AND CHANGE YOUR LIFE... BUT HE CAN ONLY DO THIS WORK IN GOOD SOIL -- DO YOU HAVE AN OPEN MIND AND HEART TOWARDS GOD?
IF WEEDS NEED TO BE REMOVED FROM YOUR LIFE -- PULL THEM! IF ROCKS ARE IN THE WAY -- GET RID OF THEM AND DIG DOWN DEEP!
WHAT KIND OF SOIL ARE YOU? PLANT THE WORD AND EXPERIENCE THE POWER
