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Anyway, the topic of the 2-day seminar centered on Luke 8:1-15:
The Parable of the Sower
1After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. 4While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown."
When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
9His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,
" 'though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.'
11"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14The 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. 15But 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.
- The Holy Bible, New International Version
Below are the 7 things to remember from the Parable of the Sower and the verses she shares together with them:
1. Treasure the wonder. - Treasure the wonder of the Word of God. Luke 8:10 talks about us being privy to the secrets of God. God wants us to be thoroughly equipped with His Word for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Genesis 2:7 "Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."
2. Protect your heart. - Hide the Word in your heart so that the devil will not take it away.
Luke 8:12 "Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved."
John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
Psalm 119:10-11 "I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."
Proverbs 4:23 "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."
Isaiah 55:10-12 "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
3. Expect the test. - "When the season of testing exceeds the season of believing we are headed towards a season of falling." Expect the test. Testing can be two kinds: (1) trials - are from God to make us stand, and (2) temptations - are from the enemy to make us fall. Get the Word. Expect testing. Stay believing.
Luke 8:13 "Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away."
Hebrews 12:1-4 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood."
Hebrews 12:7-8 "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons."1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."
Psalm 126:5-6 "Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him."
4. Dig the roots. - Be rooted in God's love. When trials come, remember that God loves you. As the kid's song goes - "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so." Remember to "Take root below and bear fruit above."
Luke 8:13 "Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away."
2 Kings 19:29-31 "......The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward......"
Ephesians 3:17 "so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,.."
5. Stop the choke. - Anxiety, pursuit of worldly riches and pleasures choke the Word out of us. If we insist that life always feel good, we are compared to the seeds that "do not mature" - immature. Shall we have no crowns to cast? Would all our lives be pursuits of riches and pleasure apart from God? But do not be mistaken...there are riches and pleasures in Christ!
Luke 8:14 "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."
1 Corinthians 1:5-7 "that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, ..."
Romans 10:8-9 "But what does it say? "The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart"--that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; ..."
6. Retain the Word. - Everything that God allows us to go through will be a benefit for others. He wants us to have noble (beautiful) and good (beneficial) hearts. We have Destiny Word and also Daily Word.
In your Daily Word intake, ask God to fill you with His Spirit. Read the Word. Let a verse rise up to you. Jot it down in an index card that you can carry the whole day. Go back to that verse several times within the day. Meditate on it.
Luke 8:15 "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."
Ecclesiastes 11:6 "Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good."
Isaiah 50:4-5 "The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples, that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple. The Lord GOD has opened My ear; And I was not disobedient nor did I turn back."
7. Press forth to your 100-fold. - Persevere. It takes time to see the harvest. Plod on and finish. Press forth through all the discouragements. Persevere and study. Believe in faith. Hang in there. It will take time.
Luke 8:8, 15 "Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown. .... 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."
Hebrew 11:2 "For by it (faith) the men of old gained approval."
Revelations 10:5-7 "Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there will be delay no longer, but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets."Take heart and persevere for your 100-fold harvest! The Maximum impact of your lives! Noble and good hearts! Women of Substance! Women of Spiritual Means!
(All errors are responsibility of this writer and not the speaker.)
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