Heart Condition
Read This Week: Luke 8
The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts. Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. 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. 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. – Luke 8:11-15 NIV
So much of who we are and what takes place in our lives comes as a result of the condition of our hearts. Our heart is vital to the content of our journeys, families, relationships, and even our work. Solomon summed up the importance of the heart in the book of Proverbs chapter 4 verse 23: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. It would be difficult to find a more profound explanation on this subject.
In Luke 8, Jesus points out through a parable that the heart is also the place that is central to salvation and receiving the word that God wants to impart to people. The Lord communicates this by identifying four different conditions of the heart through the imagery of four different types of soil where seed can fall and potentially grow. Jesus is explicit that seed is the word of God and the soil is the hearts of men and women. It begs the question of us: what is the condition of our heart?
The hard heart is first and belongs to the person who hears the word but allows the enemy to immediately take it away. Like soil that is constantly stepped and trampled on making it firm and hard, this type of heart is hardened by life and trauma, perhaps even spiritual hurt. Hard soil gives a seed no chance to sink in and grow, just as a hard heart does not give the word of God a chance to change them.
The shallow heart is one swayed and led by emotional swings and feelings. It does not give things enough time to settle and saturate so it can become what it needs to be. Like the rocky soil that appears like a place for seed to grow, it will not allow it to take definitive root. A shallow heart can be deceptive both to the individual and to others. It is as unpredictable as the emotions and whims it experiences.
The distracted heart can’t focus on what matters. It is too preoccupied and busy with everything that comes its way to hone in on the word of God or other life changing principles that will regenerate or develop it. Jesus said this type of heart and soil allows the seed of God’s word to be choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures, and they do not mature.
The good heart is one that hears the word, retains it, and by persevering, produces a crop. This is a heart that is receptive. It is not perfect or exceptional in its anatomy or make-up. What makes the good heart different is that it is open, willing, and pliable. It has the receptivity to accept the word, the teachability to retain the truth, and the humility to stick with it no matter what. Like good soil, it embraces the seed, allows it to sink in over time, and produce the fruit that it is supposed to. May God empower us to have a good heart condition.
This is what I got from Luke 8.The seed in the parable is My word. The wayside soil represents those who never heard the word with understanding. My word must be understood before it can truly bear fruit. Satan is at work during the teaching and preaching of My word. He wants to distract you from it. If your heart stays close to My word, repentance and faith will come forth.
You need to be rooted in Me to endure temptation. You need My Holy Spirit to water you. You don’t want to be someone who responds to My word, then are stopped in your spiritual growth by continuing to do unspiritual things. Your heart needs to be in the right place to receive the word, and keep the word, so you will bear fruit.
With My help, we can cultivate the seed of your heart so that My word has the best effect in your life. I did not light your lamp so that it would be hidden. Shine My light onto others, so that they may see and know Me. If you are a hearer of My word, but not a doer of My word, this leads to destruction.
When you hear My word and receive it with gladness, more will be given to you. You draw close to Jesus by hearing His word and doing it. You will have a closer relationship with Him. Don’t just read My word; study it. Come to Jesus with your sin, and He will make you clean.
What this said to me was I need to stay close to God so that the Holy Spirit can water the seeds that are planted in me. If I stay close to Him and read and study His word, I will have good seed and bear good fruit. I am to hear His word, and obey His word.
This is so good, Kathy. You practically broke down and applied Luke 8 to our lives. I love how you summarized the spiritual cultivation and growth that can take place when we allow the Holy Spirit to help us:
With My help, we can cultivate the seed of your heart so that My word has the best effect in your life. I did not light your lamp so that it would be hidden. Shine My light onto others, so that they may see and know Me. If you are a hearer of My word, but not a doer of My word, this leads to destruction.
You illustrated the process of sanctification from the reception of the word to the watering of the seed to the expression of growth through our lives to the world and for the cause of Christ. I also appreciate how you refer back to the point of receiving the word and that is to live it out.
Luke 8:11 says, “Now [the meaning of] the parable is this: The seed is the word of God [concerning eternal salvation]. 12 Those beside the road are the people who have heard; then the devil comes and takes the message [of God] away from their hearts, so that they will not believe [in Me as the Messiah] and be saved. 13 Those on the rocky soil are the people who, when they hear, receive and welcome the word with joy; but these have no firmly grounded root. They believe for a while, and in time of trial and temptation they fall away [from Me and abandon their faith]. 14 The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, but as they go on their way they are suffocated with the anxieties and riches and pleasures of this life, and they bring no fruit to maturity. 15 But as for that seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and noble heart, and hold on to it tightly, and bear fruit with patience.
When God sends out His Word different things happen some people do not want to receive it so they don’t understand it. Some people when they hear God they will get excited about what they heard at first, but they won’t grow deeper because they are not spending time with God. They won’t grow deeper in their understanding of God and His ways when difficulty comes in their life, they fall away from their faith in God because they’re not talking to Him anymore so they can’t hear Him.
Some people will listen to God but they don’t allow change in their hearts, they let the cares of their life, and let the desires that are not God’s will for them, situations that are not good for them choke out what He has spoken to help them in their life.
When people open their hearts, they desire to seek Him, and they do seek Him all time, read their bibles, go to church, join a bible study, and listen and respond to what God says, and when their having a hard time obeying they ask God for help, they ask someone who will give them the right advice from God. When they respond to what God is saying and they grow stronger and stronger and as they serve God others come to know Jesus which is bearing fruit. The people who listen and (obey- respond to comply with the command, direction, instructions, or request, to follow Him, will bear much fruit for Him because they keep growing by hearing, wanting to listen to Him and obeying His word.
So keep growing, keep sharing the gospel and His love, Keep reading your bible don’t stick it some where so you can’t find it, read it, study it, don’t let anyone or things of the world get you off track from loving God, invite people to church, and never give up because our Father God is the best Father and He loves you so much.
Wonderful post, Heidi. It truly is a matter of the heart, isn’t it? The Scriptures are so accurate when it says, everything flows from it in life. I love Jesus’ focus on this in seeking the Lord and feel like you captured the beautiful results of a heart open to God and His word with this:
When people open their hearts, they desire to seek Him, and they do seek Him all time, read their bibles, go to church, join a bible study, and listen and respond to what God says, and when they’re having a hard time obeying they ask God for help, they ask someone who will give them the right advice from God.
May we all pray and ask the Holy Spirit to not only guard our hearts, but make us open to the truth of the Bible and other godly principles that are communicated to us in different ways in life.
I love this song it’s a good one to sing everyday
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
2. Tho’ none go with me, I still will follow,
Tho’ none go with me I still will follow,
Tho’ none go with me, I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
3. My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry till I see Jesus,
My cross I’ll carry till I see Jesus;
No turning back, No turning back.
4. The world behind me, the cross before me,
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.
Thank you for sharing this, Heidi. It remains one of my favorite hymns and its words have never rung more true for all believers in these times we live in.
This Week in the Life: Luke 8
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This week in Mark 8, God gave me a song called “Our Comforter”:
Our Lord is our comforter, our healer, our counselor
We are blessed, blessed, blessed that we get to follow our Lord and his words
Trusting, believing, obeying our Father
We are praising you, praising you, we are praising you, our Father
Becoming stronger in our faith, you give us peace in the storms
We have confidence in all the things we do
Our Lord is our comforter through all things. Amen.
Thank you, God, for always being there for me. I know you are working even when I’m sleeping, wanting only the best for me. It’s about me getting closer to you.
This was my favorite part of your beautiful worship song this week, Alma:
Becoming stronger in our faith, you give us peace in the storms
We have confidence in all the things we do
Our Lord is our comforter through all things. Amen.
Amen indeed! I am so thankful that as we become stronger in our faith and more reliant on the Lord, we have greater peace and hope in our storms and in everyday life. God is truly our comforter and sustainer through all things.