Another Look Podcast
Another Look Podcast is a podcast where we discuss our splinters and planks of wood in the American church. The purpose of this podcast is to have frank and honest dialogue about the role of the church and the role of the believer in America today. Our goal is to take "another look" at who we are and realign our spirits properly. It will hurt initially but the end result will always be a beautiful masterpiece in the Potter's hands.
Another Look Podcast
The Seed, The Soil, and The Spirit
Why do some prayers go unanswered, and what does this mean for your faith journey? Join us on Another Look Podcast as we unravel the spiritual complexities of unanswered prayers, drawing from the profound wisdom in the book of Luke. This episode challenges the simplistic view that unanswered prayers signify a lack of faith, urging listeners to embark on a journey of introspection and deeper understanding of divine promises and their manifestations.
The parable of the sower provides a powerful metaphor for examining our spiritual receptiveness. We explore how the condition of our hearts, symbolized by different types of soil, affects our ability to embrace and benefit from the word of God. Through this analogy, listeners are invited to assess their spiritual state, uncovering distractions that hinder growth and striving towards cultivating a heart that fosters abundant spiritual fruit.
As we conclude, we highlight the pivotal role of community in nurturing faith, drawing from scriptures that underscore the unity of loving God and His people. We extend an invitation for salvation through prayer and support, guiding new believers towards a life aligned with Christ's teachings. Embrace the transformative power of faith, connect with fellow believers, and take the next steps on your spiritual journey with us.
Please feel free to leave us your prayer request, comments, and feedback at our website at https://anotherlookpodcast.buzzsprout.com or https://podpage.com/another-look-podcast/.
You are precious and loved beloved. Keep pressing forward towards Jesus.
Welcome to Another Look Podcast. At Another Look Podcast, we go beyond the norm and literally take another look at our life in Christ. We keep an open heart and mind so we can reach, teach and love all of God's creation. Whether you are a novice or veteran in this walk, this podcast is for you. You ready for something new, something that will challenge your thinking and heart? Are you willing and ready to unlearn in order to learn, willing to tear down so God can rebuild? Good, let's get up and go. People are waiting for us. Let's go fishing.
Speaker 2:Tranquility Base. Here the eagle has landed. This is the day the Lord has made. We shall rejoice and be glad in it. This is Brother Ken from Another Look Podcast. Blessed morning. I pray that y'all have had a great period of time in between our last episode of Reading to be Read. It's been really touching lives, really been doing things and I'm grateful for those who have been sticking with us and who have been growing with us at Another Look podcast, otherwise known as ALP. So for those who are new listeners I understand there's a few new listeners that have since joined us Thank you for your time, thank you for just your support, you for your just your support and hopefully, yeah, this will be a blessing.
Speaker 2:So I want to get into this new episode. I won't tell you what it's called because you'll figure it out as we go. But one thing I think I will do with this episode it wasn't intended to be a series, but it's in my study and it's been taking a long time to study this and preparing and downloads from the Holy Spirit reduced down to 12. But this is a lot of meat, a lot of meat, and so it's probably going to be a two-part series and, again, I'm not going to get into what the title is. You'll find out. Well, you found out if you are listening to it. But what I will say is this I've been getting a lot of questions and I know a lot of people have had questions.
Speaker 2:I think it's a question that's not reserved for just people who are new to the body of Christ. This is also questions that people who are fairly seasoned in the body of Christ have had, and it's simply the question is this how come some of my prayers don't get answered? It sounds loaded, but it's actually a really complex question. Why do some of my prayers not get answered? Why does God not answer every prayer and the basic? You know there are some answers that are pretty straightforward in James, the book of James. Sometimes it could be just because your intent you know, going back to Hebrews 4.12,. God searches the intent of the heart. Maybe your intent is to consume it upon your own lust, as it says in the book of James, and if that's the case, then you shouldn't be surprised. But then there are. Sometimes it's not about that. Sometimes it's not about you consuming it upon your own lust. Sometimes your intent and your motives are pure, but your prayers are still not answered.
Speaker 2:So in looking into this and studying and preparing, god took me to a place that I thought, well, I've sought. I sought a scripture before Um, and when I read it you guys will understand what I'm saying, but I never understood. I guess what God did was he went deeper into the scripture to answer that question. You know, I recall so many instances when I was a kid, a teenager, sitting in church as a teenager and hearing scriptures about what God promised to his children, and I didn't think God was being mean, but I questioned when I heard, I would ask God internally God, if this is what you promised me, then why am I seeing the opposite happening to me, or to my family, or to my people of my ethnicity, of my race? Those internal questions didn't go away, but they actually grew louder inside of me as I got older and then when I became an adult, I got married, I became a father, I became a leader in the church. I thought I found the answer to my questions, and to me the problem was my faith or lack thereof. Questions, and to me the problem was my faith or lack thereof.
Speaker 2:I was taught and I adopted the belief that God's promises manifesting in my life was based on my level of faith, in which I operated in, and so understand the spiritual equation. You know, answered prayer equals or means that I had faith. But if there was a prayer that was unanswered, that means I lacked or had no faith. Now imagine the internal conflicts and anxiety I lived with navigating this spiritual minefield. So now allow me, with that being said, let me clear up some things, or some confusion.
Speaker 2:Some of you are feeling about what I just said. I believe faith is, was and will always be required or necessary for our lives as followers of Christ. Romans 1.17 tells us that the righteousness of God is revealed to us when we live and walk by faith. Hebrews 11.1 defines faith as the substance or reality of what we hope for and the evidence or proof of what's not seen. So, to be clear, faith in the Lord is how we live as Christians, as followers of Christ. Faith in the word of the Lord is how we live, period.
Speaker 2:But the question is, should we take another look at why some of God's promises in his word happen for us and why some may not happen in our lives? What we are about to discuss is not for the religious. It's for those who are open to digging deeper into God's word with and having a heart pruned and becoming better as a disciple of Christ. If that is you, then let's keep going. But if that's not, you listen, no hard feelings, but you might want to step away. I speak peace unto you. But if you're not ready for this, walk away, step away. This is for those who are ready to dig into their own lives. You ready? Okay, let's go.
Speaker 2:So let's begin with this absolute truth no matter how much you have been taught about faith, there will be some situations where God's will will supersede the outcome you desire, regardless of what we want or desire of him. There are times when God ordains for us to go through or suffer some things. It's his sovereign right. He's sovereign, he's God all by himself, and he can decide who and what will happen will happen. 1 Peter 4.16 and 1 Peter 4.19 tells us if we suffer according to God's will, if we suffer according to God's will, we place our trust in God while we are suffering and continue to do what's good.
Speaker 2:The bottom line is the walk of faith doesn't always have an easy path. Let me read it to you 1 Peter 4. 16 and 19. But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in having that name, for the time has come for judgment to begin with God's household. There it is. If it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God? And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? So then, let those who suffer according to God's will entrust themselves to a faithful creator while doing what is good man. There's a whole lot in there, but it's clear If you suffer because of who you believe in, because you are a Christian, you don't have to be ashamed, but you can glorify God while you're going through. Because the reality is, judgment begins in God's household first.
Speaker 2:Now, again, the question is in verse 17,. If it begins with us, who are the righteousness of God, what's going to be the outcome for those who are disobedient to the gospel? And because God will save a righteous person in the midst of difficulty, could you imagine what would become of the ungodly and the sinner? See, there's no cutting corners. A lot of people don't want to look at the eventuality of what their disobedience or obedience will lead to them, but it's clear it's going to lead to something. Your obedience will still not exempt you from suffering, but he'll deliver you, but your disobedience? I'm not talking about you making a mistake or you sinning, but have a heart of repentance. I'm talking about those who are sinning and think it's okay Whether you are a Christian or not, whether you are a Christian or not.
Speaker 2:Now, the primary purpose again of this episode is to look at the reason why sometimes we may not see his promises manifested in our lives as followers of Christ. So this is my main scripture. It's going to be in Luke, the 8th chapter, the 5th through the 8th verse, in the 11th through the 15th verse. I'm going to read this in a csb version, christian standard bible. So again, it's luke 8, 5 through 8 and 11 through 15, and this is the parable of the sower, and I know many of you have looked at this. I have grown up reading this my whole I mean for most of my childhood, teenage years, adult life for sure but where God unearthed in this was so key. So I challenge you to resist the urge to become familiar with the scripture, to resist the urge of thinking you know it all and open your heart to hear what the spirit of the Lord has to say through the scripture in answering the question why are some of God's promises not happening in my life, or why do they go unanswered? So let's read Luke 8, 5 through 8 and 11 through 15.
Speaker 2:A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some seed fell along the path. It was trampled on and the birds of the sky devoured it. Other seed fell on the rock. When it grew up, it withered away since it lacked moisture. Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up with it and choked it. Still other seed fell on good ground. When it grew up, it produced fruit a hundred times what was sown. As he said this, he called out Let anyone who has ears to hear listen and jumping to.
Speaker 2:Now verse 11, and just to give you context, jesus shared this parable with the crowd when he was ministering in an open public setting. But in verse 11, when he got along with his disciples and this is something a common theme he would minister to the crowd in parables, using things like agrarian society or fishing as examples to teach them kingdom principles, the revelation he would give, the rhema of the logos he taught to the crowd. In verse 11 through 15 he's going to give the rhema, or the revelation of what that parable means. So in verse 11 he says this this is the meaning of the parable the seed is the word of god. The seed along the path are those who have heard, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts so that they may not believe and be saved. And the seed on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy Having no root. These believe for a while and fall away in a time of testing. As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches and pleasures of life and produce no mature fruit but the seed in the good ground. These are the ones who, having heard the word, with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and, by enduring, produce fruit.
Speaker 2:So before I get into now the some of this meat, I want to make sure I clarify some things. You will hear me interchangeably use the word soil and ground. They mean the same thing when I'm using it, so I may say things like roadside or road, the ground, thorny ground or thorny soil. When I say soil or ground, I'm saying the same thing. Okay, just so there's no confusion. So now let's dig a little deeper. So, having read these scriptures, or this scripture, there are some key points we could take away of which will be key to answering the question we just posed, takeaway of which will be key to answering the question we just posed. So, again, the seed mentioned in the scripture represents the word of God, according to verse 11. Important point, and I want to make sure this is emphasized, notice in the scripture, the same seed was sown into four different types of ground or soil Same seed, different ground, same seed, different soil. Now, the ground mentioned in this passage of scripture is representative of your heart or your soul. So, again, the ground is representative of your heart or your soul. As we previously mentioned, the same seed was sown into four different types of ground or soil In the same way.
Speaker 2:In the house of God think about this the word of God is preached every week, as led by the Holy Spirit, to us through our spiritual leaders. Most times it's your pastor, to us through our spiritual leaders. Most times it's your pastor when we don't see that word produce results. Often, or often we look for immediate results in our lives. When we don't see those manifestations, we tend to blame the seed as being the source of the problem. Because it's easy to blame shift it must be the word that's not working. Lack of results must mean the seed or the word of God doesn't work, but beloved, that's not so. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Speaker 2:Just take a look at Isaiah 55, 11. I'm going to turn there, excuse me, and I actually used this in the last episode, but this scripture alone will dispel every false narrative that tells you the seed is the problem. I need my glasses. Where are my glasses at? It's all good, I'll just imagine. Alright, let me see if I can put it up in my app here, because my, I don't have my peepers on my glasses, y'all. I'm sorry that's on me. All right, here's Isaiah 55, 11. I'm going to read this in the Christian Standard Bible no-transcript, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do. There it is.
Speaker 2:Isaiah 55, 11 tells us that the word which comes out or proceeds out of God's mouth does not return to him void or empty, but it accomplishes what he called it or called for it to accomplish. This then leaves us with one conclusion beloved. Let's just take a look at it. I mean it's just straight up. Since the problem's not the seed, the problem must be the ground. Right, we've established that the seed is as not being the cause as to why promises may not be producing results, that must mean the issue lies with the ground or the soil the seed was placed.
Speaker 2:So Luke 8, 5 through 8, identifies four different types of ground or soil the path, or what I'll refer to as roadside soil or ground. Number two, the rocky soil or ground. Number three, the thorny soil or ground. And four, the good soil and ground. So as we discuss these four types of soil, I'm going to ask you to open your soul, open your heart up and earnestly examine which ground describes your current state. Remember what we have discussed in our last episode from Hebrews 4. In order for you to be changed, the word of God must open you up and expose the intentions of your soul and spirit. It's got to get you open, to get you better. So I must ask does the Holy Spirit have your consent to perform surgery? Good?
Speaker 2:So first there's the roadside soil or ground. If you've ever taken a look at the ground by the road, there is very little fertile soil or vegetation, because it's a high traffic area. Cars, feet, lots of activity travel over these areas, which hinder the soil's ability to receive, cultivate and produce anything in that soil. Cultivate and produce anything in that soil. Verse 5 says Any seed placed or sown in this soil is trampled upon, which exposes the seed to predators to be devoured by them, or, in this case, the birds. But, going further down, it's actually Satan who comes to devour it. Verse 12 says the roadside soul is a person who hears the word, but Satan immediately takes the word from his or her heart to purposefully prevent him from, or her from, believing that word. And being saved? Now, being saved could apply to actual salvation, as well as being saved from any bondage of sin after he or she has received salvation. So then here's the question Could this be you, beloved, could this be you? And I know the natural carnal mind is going to say hey, save me. But let me ask you a question Do you sit in church or do you listen to online services?
Speaker 2:You know, if you're not able to physically go to church, do you sit in church or listen to services online and all on board. When there's praise and worship, you're all into it. Or when the choir performs, you are all into it. You sing in every song. You know every lyric, you are into it. You are on the floor, you are prostrate before the Lord and you are like Lord. I bow down to you. When there's shouting and high praise, you are all in, but assume, as the pastor begins to teach or preach, you mentally check out. You hear every word preached, but your mind is back home or at work, anywhere but present in the service.
Speaker 2:If your answer is yes, then, beloved, you probably are roadside soil or ground. And unless you have a change of heart and mind, then, beloved, you probably are roadside soil or ground. And unless you have a change of heart and mind, you will remain roadkill, because Satan will sift and punk you as he snatches the very word that could change your life. He will take it from you and leave you in a worse state than you were before. I did warn you this is going to prick your heart. This is going. I did warn you, this is going to prick your heart. This is going to prune you, but it's not to define you, it's to change you.
Speaker 2:The next ground is the rocky solar ground. Again, this person hears the same word. This person hears the same word the person who has the roadside soil or ground did. But unlike the roadside soil or roadside person, the soil here is more fertile Because it's not a high traffic area which allows the seed or the word received to grow, see verse 6. So, again, the person who is rocky soul is a little bit further along than the person who's in roadside condition, because there's not a lot of high traffic, there's not a lot of traffic over their heart or over their soul. They have a guard around their heart. It's probably a little more stable than the one who doesn't probably have a guard around their heart, and this is a positive thing, right, okay, so let me flip it on you now while the Doesn't probably have a guard around their heart, and this is a positive thing, right, okay? So let me flip it on you Now. While the seed may be able to grow with this person who's the rocky, who's the rocky soil, rocky ground, while the seed may be able to grow, it can't be sustained Because it can't maintain moisture. When it gets hot, the seed which grows eventually will wither away.
Speaker 2:Luke 8.13 says that rocky soil or ground is the person who hears and receives the word of God with joy. Good thing, right. The problem is this person lacks roots. Rocky soil or rocky ground makes it impossible to allow any seed to get rooted and grounded because underneath the soil is solid rock. The lack of a root system leads to the eventuality their faith fails them when it's tested.
Speaker 2:James 1 clearly tells us, part of our life in Christ involves the testing or trying of our faith. According to James 1, 2 through 4 and verse 12. It says this Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. Verse 12, blessed is the one who endures trials because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Speaker 2:So could this be you?
Speaker 2:Could you be the person who has rocky ground or soil? A seed with no root is a seed disconnected from its source or a tree which produced it. So do you hear the word, believe it and receive it with joy, but you have no relationship with God. So what does that mean? Okay, well, how much of your life is God the Lord of? How much of your life is God the Lord of? Be honest, is God a part of your life that you fit in, or is God your whole life? I submit to you this reality or truth If God is not the center of your life, you are likely rocky soil or ground.
Speaker 2:And I'm going to actually take it a step further. If you have not joined yourself with a local church, you are probably rocky ground. Now some of y'all go trip, but I'm a dig. I got 10 toes down and I'm ready to go at you, not because I hate you, because I love you. But we got to stop with this foolish ideology that I don't have to be part of a church to be connected. We're called the body of Christ for a reason that's like the pinky telling the hand. I don't need to be connected to you. But let me go further.
Speaker 2:Hebrews 10.25 tells us not to forsake or neglect to gather together, because we encourage or build one another when we gather. Let me go to scripture and then I'll explain this a little more. So, hebrews 10 sorry, come on. Hebrews 10, 25, boom, boom. Let's read the full chapter. I really want to do this in the King James Version, because it's really what I grew up reading, but I will do it in the CSB, all right. So yeah, it's Hebrews 10, 24, and 25. And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works.
Speaker 2:Not neglecting to gather together there, it works. Not neglecting to gather together there, it is not neglecting to gather together or not forsaking the assembling of the saints, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day of the Lord approaching, or the day approaching the day approaching. So in Hebrews 10, 24 and 25, he tells us not to forsake or neglect to gather together, because we encourage or build one another up when we're together, when we gather, and God tells us to do even the more as the day of Christ's return approaches. Notice, in this same verse we are told there are some who have a habit of forsaking or gathering together. This refers to you, if you're disconnected from the body of Christ. Yes, they hear, I know you hear, I know you receive, and I know you believe God's word and then look, the word of God even grows in you, it begins to produce fruit. But here's the thing when your faith is tested, when your faith is tested, when your faith is tested, that same unripened fruit withers and dries up because you don't have any root, you have no connection to the source, or you don't have any connection to the source of the seed and you have no connection to a local body that can help you grow in the seed, grow your seed. Excuse me, this is crazy. So how and I want you to think about this question Doesn't it seem rather arrogant that you ask God to prepare a house for you in heaven after this life on earth ends, but yet you refuse to go to his house here while you dwell on the earth? I'm going to repeat that again how arrogant would it be for you to ask God to prepare a house for you in heaven after this life on earth ends, yet you refuse to go to his house here while you dwell here on the earth? It's complete foolishness when people say I love God, but I can't stand his people or I can't stand the church. That's one of the reasons people use for not going to or for forsaking the assembly of the saints oh, I love God but I can't stand his people. How can you, if you to say you can't stand his people is to say you can't stand his body? You saying I love God but I can't stand the church, or his people is saying I can't stand the body of Christ. So let's correct this ungodly mentality right now.
Speaker 2:Matthew 22, 36 through 40 tells us loving God is the greatest command. But the second greatest command is, like the first command Love your neighbor, ie the body of Christ. Love your brother or sister the same way you love yourself. Verse 40 tells us all the law and every word that is uttered or has been uttered from the prophets hang on these two commands. Here it is Verse Matthew 22, 36 to 40.
Speaker 2:Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest? He said to him love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the prophets depend on these two commands. I mean, this is playing. It's right there in front of your face. What are you going to say? Oh, it's the way you're interpreting it, brother, ken. No, come on, stop, stop. That's an excuse for you. You're making excuses for your carnality. Stop pumping your chest out, bragging that you've been obedient to the law or prophetic declarations, claiming to love god, but yet you can't stand your neighbor first. John 4, 20 through 21, tells us to say you love god but hate his or her brother or sister. And the lord makes you a liar. Why? Because how can you love god whom you haven't physically seen? Yet you can't love your brother or sister. You see physically every day Loving God and loving your brother or sister are knitted together.
Speaker 2:You can't do one without the other.
Speaker 2:Let's read it. Let's read the scripture 1 John 4, 20. No, no, no, let's leave it. I'll write it to you, but I want to read another scripture to you. I believe it's in Matthew 25th chapter. Yeah, yeah, let me do this. It's going to be harsh, but it is what it is. Excuse my turn there.
Speaker 2:I'm bringing this point home because for quite a while I have allowed some, even people who listen to my podcast faithfully. I've sold it into a narrative that you know. If you don't go to church, I'll provide content for you. You know, and I still do that. But I think at some point I said to myself I got to confront this because this is not God. So I'm going to read this to you Matthew 25, 31. And again, this is in the CSB version. And again I'm using the scripture to confront the ungodly thought that you can love God but not love his people. You can't do one and not the other. Either you're going to love God and love his people, or you're going to hate God because you hate his people.
Speaker 2:Matthew 25, 31 through 44,. I believe 45, excuse me. So when the Son of man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him and he will separate them one from another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. Then the king will say to those on his right Come. You are blessed by my father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Speaker 2:For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you took me in. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me. Then the righteous will answer him Lord, when did we see you hungry and fed you, or thirst and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or without clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? We see you sick or in prison and visit you, and the king will answer them Truly. I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Again, truly, I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Then he will also say to those on the left depart from me, you who are cursed into the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger and you didn't take me in. I was naked and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger and you didn't take me in. I was naked and you didn't clothe me, Sick and in prison and you didn't take care of me. Then they too will answer Lord when do we see you hungry or thirsty, or a stranger, or without clothes, or sick, or in prison, and not help you? Then he will answer them.
Speaker 2:Truly, I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. I don't know how much more plainer I can make it, even though it's not, I'm sorry, verse 46, and it will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. So so I can't make it any more plainer. Y'all no-transcript. Every day Now you may hear him, but you don't see him. But yet in front of your face is your brother or sister who may have a need or may just be there and need love or whatever it is, and you can't even you sit there and say I can't stand you. Really, when you're saying I can't stand you, you're saying I can't stand you to God. He created them and let me clarify this it doesn't matter whether they're in the body of Christ or not. They still have value because God created them, but especially so if they're in the body of Christ. We're in the same body and you can't stand me and you want to say you love God, my beloved. You are on rocky ground. You are the rocky ground. Your heart is full of rocks.
Speaker 2:Let's look at the third type of ground the thorny ground or soil. Luke 8, 7 says both the seed and the thorns grow together. Luke 8 7 says both the seed and the thorns grow together, but eventually, if they grow together, the thorns will choke out or suffocate the seed. It's important to understand both the seed and thorns grow in the same soil, but they cannot both flourish in the same soil. The seed and thorns grow in the same soil, but they cannot both flourish in the same soil. Verse 12 says the soil of thorns represents people who hear the word, receive the word and go on their way or begin to walk out their faith based on the word they heard and received. So there's some good things from this. So the seed is growing in him or her and begins to bear fruit, but there are thorns sown or planted also in this soil and they grow along with the seed in this person. So what are these thorns? They're the worries, they're the riches, they're the pleasures or cares of life. In other words, those identified as thorny ground or soil are those followers who allow themselves to stay continually distracted by worries, distracted by the pursuit of riches and wealth or chasing after finding things in life to please them.
Speaker 2:Satan tried to distract Jesus in the same manner In Luke 4, 5, I'm sorry, luke 4, 5-8 verse. Satan took Jesus on a high mountain and offered to give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, including their splendor or glory, and the authority to rule over them. In exchange, jesus had to do one thing worship Satan. But notice Jesus' response in verse 8. The word responds with the word. He tells Satan my worship and servitude are exclusively for one person, the Lord God. Here it is. It says so. He took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. The devil said to him I will give you their splendor and all this authority because it has been given over to me and I can give it to anyone I want. If you then will worship me, all will be yours. And Jesus answered him. It is written worship the Lord, your God, and serve him only.
Speaker 2:So now here's the question Could you be thorny ground? Are you a follower of Christ who hears, receives and is walking out your faith? But you also are continually burdened with worry, chasing after earthly wealth or earthly riches, distracted by the cares or pleasures offered to you by life. So again, the question is could you be this person? You never have enough, because you always desire more pleasures or things in life Beloved. While you are growing in your faith, while you're growing in God's word, you also are growing ungodly seed in the soul of your heart. Those thorns have no intention of sharing space with the godly seed in your heart. Satan planted those thorns in your heart with one clear goal your heart. Satan planted those thorns in your heart with one clear goal to choke or suffocate the word growing in you, preventing the word from producing mature fruit. Yes, you have physical fruit, but it never ripens and it's not edible for consumption, as 2 Timothy 3.5 says. You look godly or you have a form of godliness but lack God's power because you conduct your conduct, excuse me, nullifies your faith. But I'm sure by now some of y'all are like look, can we please get to the good ground part?
Speaker 2:Luke 8 tells us good ground allows the seed to grow. It allows the seed to produce fruit that matures. What's interesting is not only does the sown seed produce mature fruit, but it produces fruit that multiplies a hundred times. From one seed comes 100 additional fruits that reach maturity. Luke 8, 15 tells us a person is good ground or soil that hears the word with an honest and good heart. They also fight to hold on to the word. They experience testing and they experience trials. They're tempted with worry, riches, wealth, cares and pleasures of life offered by life, but they endure it. Their willingness to endure all of this yields mature fruit in multiplication.
Speaker 2:So is this you? I'll answer that question with another question when is your fruit? See, this question is answered by evidence. What fruit has manifested in your life that has matured and multiplied, yielding the same seed God sowed in your soil? Matured fruit hears God's word. With an open, honest and good heart, they hold on to the word received and produce a fruit that yields a harvest 100 times. But here is an essential point they stay connected to their source, who is God. They maintain their discipleship with you as you mentor and they follow you as you follow Christ, Unless God calls them out from their discipleship circle, and that does happen.
Speaker 2:The reality is many of us likely are not here yet, no matter what we may believe. Tough one right. So we're going to stop there and I'm going to ask you. In between this episode and the next episode, you go back before the Holy Spirit and ask him where am I? Am I the roadside ground or soil? Am I the rocky ground or soil? Am I thorny ground or soil, or am I good ground? And could I be good in one area but rocky in another area? Go before the Lord, open yourself up and ask him in your private time of devotion Show me, me, amen. So we're going to stop here, we're going to pick up. We're going to do a recap in the next episode and we're going to pick up and start answering the question about how do I change and become good ground. Amen, all right, beloved Love you. Hey, thank you for listening to another Look podcast.
Speaker 2:For now we're going to offer the call of salvation and I'm going to offer you two scriptures. The first one is Romans 10, 9. Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. The other one Ephesians 2.8.9. So now I'm going to ask you to pray this with me, in faith, and I want you to believe that everything you pray is true and God will answer. So pray this after me. Lord, I admit I am a sinner. I need and want your forgiveness. I accept your death as the penalty for my sin. I recognize that your mercy and grace is a gift you offer to me because of your great love, not based on anything I have done. Cleanse me and make me your child by faith. I receive you into my heart as the Son of God and as Savior and Lord of my life. From now on, help me live for you, with you in control In Jesus' precious name, amen.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the family. Feel free to give us a shout out on our Facebook page or our Instagram page or on our. You can email us at alttrinity1 at gmailcom or you know. However you choose to reach out to us, but we want to know if you received Christ. We want to make information and materials available to you. If you have for your next steps and if you need help finding a faith-based Bible, teaching Bible, believing church home, we have resources available to you. So we look forward to hearing from you. We are excited for you. Welcome to the family. We love you and God bless you.
