Scripture: Luke 7 and 8.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 8:11-15 (NLT)

11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word.

2 The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved.

13 The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation.

14 The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.

15 And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

A very familiar passage but yet a powerful reminder of two things:

1. As hearers of the Word, we must be willing and humble servants to seek God’s face and allow Him to indwell our inmost self so that He may speak to us in ways that would change us from our evil ways and worldly influences and, instead become more like Him every day. If we merely brush it off as an emotional experience, then we are no better than the seed that fell on rocky ground. If we truly allow God to take control of our thoughts and our actions, we will truly let Him have His way in our lives and we then we can become fully usable by Him.
   
2. As a church and co-laborers in the ministry, this passage reminds me that we are called to deliver a message from God, knowing that sometimes that message will fall on deaf ears, sometimes it will reach those who are easily influenced by the world but yet want to keep their Christian friends happy, so they make decisions based on what they feel their friends want to see, instead of doing some soul searching and allowing God to speak directly to them in their time of need and for the specific needs in their lives that would draw them to true acceptance of Jesus and a happy and contented life in Him.
   

In all cases it is so important that we note the following about God’s Word:

• We must read it to understand it and allow it to speak to us;
  
• It addresses every walk of life, if only we would read it and see what it says;
  
• It has the power to speak to us in our time of rejoicing and in our time of need. It is a communication tool through which God speaks to us;
  
• As It blesses our lives, we should also use It to bless others and encourage them along their path of life.
  

Notice that if we are not active in the Word and do not depend on it to help us witness to a lost world, then we will be powerless and what we say will be of little value to the person that is looking for a deep, relational experience with God. So let’s fill ourselves with the power of God, His Word, so that we may be an effective witness to those that we come into contact with.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father God, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for using me as Your instrument to witness to those around me. Please allow Your Word to so infiltrate my life that others will see proof of the Gospel in my actions and my words and want to know the Savior that I love, adore, worship and depend on daily. May the words that I share speak to someone who will cling to it and commit sincerely to it today!

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
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