Lion + LambSample

Prayer: Jesus, I often do not understand why You do the things you do!  Yet, help me to trust Your Word even when I do not fully grasp Your ways.  Make my heart soft and receptive to Your Word and able to receive what You say.

The Lion’s Words 

A shift is a change in position, direction or tendency. Shifts happen all the time. We see shifts in fashion, shifts in purchasing, shifts in technology.  In Matthew 13, we see a shift in Jesus’ ministry.  He transitions to teaching in parables.  The word parable comes from the Greek word transliterated (paraballo), which means “to throw alongside.”  A parable makes a comparison between two ideas.  If we understand the parable then we can understand how Jesus is working in our lives.  However, parables take more work to understand.  At the beginning of this shift, Jesus tells the parable of the soils.  The soil represents the heart, the seed represents Jesus’ teaching, and the results vary.  A great question to ask ourselves is, “how do I respond to Jesus’ words?”  Some hearts are hard.  Some hearts are rocky.  Some hearts are filled by worries.  Some hearts are soft and receptive.  However, we do not have the ability to change our hearts.  We can change behaviors, we can discipline ourselves, but desires run much deeper than behavior or discipline.  Changing my heart requires a miracle!  Fortunately, Jesus can change us deeply, if we let Him.  We can open ourselves to be changed if we open ourselves to Jesus’ words.  

Look in the Word: 

1. Look at Jesus’ description of the four soils in Matthew 13:18-23.  Write out the four types of soils.
2. What causes the word to not be effective in three soils?
3. Think about your response to Jesus’ teaching, which soil best describes you?  We are probably a bit of all four at times.

What’s Next? 

1. Spend some time asking the Lord what areas of your life where you are not being obedient to Jesus’ words.  
2. Make a list of actions that would bring you into obedience.
3. Ask the Lord to begin changing your heart to want to be obedient to Him!