Isaiah 40:6-8

6 A voice was saying, “Cry out!”
Another said, “What should I cry out?”
“All humanity is grass,
and all its goodness is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flowers fade
when the breath of the Lord blows on them;
indeed, the people are grass.
8 The grass withers, the flowers fa de,
but the word of our God remains forever.”

 

I was out walking, and I saw these mushrooms. The day before – there were so many, all white and plump – having grown up from all of the rain. Today – those same ones were dry, shriveled up. So fast. Why? Well, we did have 90+ degree temperatures and the sun did beat down on them. 

I also was brought to mind about what Jesus said about seed. Matthew 13:3-9 (HCSB)

3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

There’s the ones in the stoney places, where they did not have much earth – and the sun scorched them. This doesn’t really ring true with mushrooms – but the visual was clear.

Matthew 13:20-21

20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

There are several ways that the seed can be stolen from us.

Those on the wayside – they don’t even take it in, really – it’s left to be eaten. Those with little root – they dry up in the heat of the sun of trials. Those in stoney ground – I’ve planted seeds and I have to break up the ground to get them to touch the soil so that they can root. Otherwise, the weeds that are already in the soil will grow, and choke out anything that the seed can try to grow.

Then there’s the good soil. The thing about good soil is that it take preparation. Our soil here is clay, mostly, around this developement. Builder’s clay. To grow something I have to break up the stoney like clay chunks, add nourishement, add things to hold water, add things to give roots to connect with and then, add water. This is what Jesus was talking about with our hearts.

Psalm 51:10-12(King James Version)

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Psalm 51:17

17 The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.

2 Corinthians 7:10

10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

Joel 2:13

13 So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.

Hosea 6:6

6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Romans 12:1

1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

Hebrews 10:22

22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Micah 6:8

Mankind, He has told you what is good and what it is the LORD requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.

The moral of this story?

Ezekiel 36: 26

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone[a] and give you a heart of flesh.

We must look to the status of our hearts! How well we hold onto the seed, or the Word of God, will be an indicator of our hearts. Just remember – it’s all about God’s work in us!

Ephesians 2:8-9

8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast.

John 15:5

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.

Let’s prepare the soil of our hearts, and praise God that He is in the business of preparing us, and fitting us for heaven! Some other articles about preparing our hearts:

• • The True Vine
  • The Parable of the Sower in Mark
  • Does God Speak? or a Donkey?

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Hi! My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links:

• Got Questions provides a detailed explanation of The Roman’s Road.
• Billy Graham’s version of the Plan of salvation.

Thanks for joining me in this journey, In His hands and under His wings, ~Christi Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest Copyrights and Legal-eze

My heart has always gone out to the marginalized, underserved, broken, wounded and neglected.  Since Jim’s death, I have not been able to give to these ministries as we used to with his income.  So, my gift to them now is to speak their names to others that may be able to give, or pray for these ministries that I have seen with my own eyes grow, and grow others into their ministry and calling for the Lord Jesus Christ. There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

• A Mission that Jim and I have been supporting for many years in the Philippines, in General Santos City, on the island of Mindanao, in a poverty-stricken area is Naomi’s Heart Mission. I have known the founder, Kristi Ward,  since I was a little taller than knee high to a grasshopper. Consider sponsoring a child, a college student, a feeding – many ways to give.
• A mission that grew out of Naomi’s Heart is Obed’s House Ministries. The daughter of one of my high school friends visited the Phillipines and fell in love with the street children. Meredith (Wood) Docena not only built a home for these neglected children, she found her love, Avery, and they have two biological children. Mia and Tegan, that are growing up in this wonderful environment.
• Another mission that grew out of Naomi’s Heart is Living Stone Ambassadors of Hope, founded by Becky and Marty Mingus. They teach and preach the gospel, but also give pratical help to teach families build sustainable income.
• The son of a high school friend ministers with CRU – previously known as Campus Crusades for Christ. Matt Plant and his wife Alexi, as well as their two children, are posted at Bowling Green State University to minister to the students.   If you’d like to support someone I can vouch for in this area, please consider going to Matthew Plant’s donation page.