WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:22.079 Today, like I said, we're kicking off this series Cultivate. 00:00:22.800 --> 00:00:24.960 We love growth as people. 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:27.760 It's woven into creation. 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:33.840 We see, you know, the springs of new life and something in our soul. 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:38.880 We just long for it and we see it, you know, all around us. 00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:47.200 And the question that I think we wrestle with though is how do we experience growth that truly lasts? 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:56.880 Not just that temporary, not that flash, that moment of like, oh, we had a good start, you know, maybe last 2024 you had a good start. 00:00:56.960 --> 00:00:57.920 You're like, okay. 00:00:58.159 --> 00:01:02.079 But but how do you experience growth that truly lasts? 00:01:02.479 --> 00:01:04.000 I mean, think about this. 00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:16.799 Uh, what if this year wasn't just another attempt to reset, but to start something real, something that grows, thrives, truly lasts? 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:23.280 Maybe another question is how do you grow in a world addicted to speed? 00:01:25.120 --> 00:01:29.439 We are obsessed with quick hacks, instant results. 00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:35.599 And yet we get this, we know this, we need to be reminded of this. 00:01:35.760 --> 00:01:40.959 The secret to lasting growth is neither flashy nor immediate, is it? 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:43.439 It's profoundly simple. 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:49.760 We're actually going to spend the next four weeks in a parable that Jesus told. 00:01:49.920 --> 00:02:00.400 It's actually a parable that he said, um, this is the key to understanding all other parables and understanding uh life in the kingdom. 00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:10.080 It's known by many called the parable of the sower, but I like to call it actually the parable of the soils. 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:20.879 And in this, we're going to discover how do you experience growth that really lasts, that's formational, and we become a people that really flourish together. 00:02:21.199 --> 00:02:28.240 You'll find the parable of soils in three different of the gospels in Matthew 13, in Mark 4, and Luke 8. 00:02:28.400 --> 00:02:38.000 We'll spend the lion's share of our time over the next few weeks in Mark 4 together and visit the other passages just to give some further insight. 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:45.759 And so if you got your Bibles or to open your notes, we're gonna dive in together Mark chapter 4, verse 1. 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:50.400 Um again, Jesus began to teach by the lake. 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:57.680 The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in uh it out on the lake. 00:02:57.759 --> 00:03:02.560 While all the people were along the shore at the water's edge, he taught them many things by parables. 00:03:02.719 --> 00:03:06.960 A parable is just a story with a point, a powerful point connected to it. 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:12.080 And in his teachings, he said, Listen, a farmer went out to sow seed. 00:03:12.319 --> 00:03:17.120 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it. 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:20.080 Some fell on rocky places where it did not have much soil. 00:03:20.159 --> 00:03:22.719 It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:27.120 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched and they withered because they had no root. 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:35.759 Other seed fell along among thorns, which grew uh up and was choked uh and choked the plants so they did not bear grain. 00:03:35.840 --> 00:03:37.680 Still other seed fell on good soil. 00:03:37.840 --> 00:03:44.159 It came up, grew, and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times. 00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:48.479 Jesus said, Whoever has ears, let them ears. 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:49.039 Thank you. 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:51.759 I was just saying if you're still with me, and I you helped me know. 00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:53.520 Whoever has ears, let them what? 00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:55.360 Thank you. 00:03:55.759 --> 00:04:00.400 When he was alone with the twelve, and the others around him asked him about this parable. 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:03.919 Then Jesus said to them, Don't you understand this parable? 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:06.400 How then will you understand any parable? 00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:08.400 The farmer sows the word. 00:04:08.719 --> 00:04:12.159 Some people are like seed along the path where the word is sown. 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:15.919 As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes the word that was sown in them. 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:20.480 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word, at once receive it with joy. 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:23.519 But since they have no roots, they last only a short time. 00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:27.759 When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:39.360 So others like seed sown among thorns, hear the word, but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and desire for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:44.240 And others, like seed sown on good soil, the word accepts it. 00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:52.639 Uh hear the word, accept it, produce a crop, some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown. 00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:55.279 Would you pray with me as we begin? 00:04:57.680 --> 00:05:08.160 Heavenly Father, as we begin a new year, we come with expectant hearts and invite you to have your way. 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:11.360 Father, would you speak to us? 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:13.279 Would you meet with us? 00:05:14.160 --> 00:05:19.439 Would you give us a receptivity in our heart to you in this moment? 00:05:21.680 --> 00:05:27.680 And as a result, may we grow and become more like your Son Jesus. 00:05:27.920 --> 00:05:30.319 In his name we pray, and all God's people said. 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:31.759 Amen. 00:05:32.399 --> 00:05:35.519 How do you experience growth that truly lasts? 00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:41.920 Jesus tells a story, tells a parable about a farmer, a seed, and four types of soil. 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:45.839 Today, just want to talk about the farmer, the seed, and the soil. 00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:54.560 Jesus tells about this farmer that sows extravagantly, generously, wastefully. 00:05:54.720 --> 00:05:55.680 Think about this. 00:05:55.920 --> 00:06:07.519 If he was a farmer in Napa, we would say he is the worst farmer on the planet, having this incredible seed, and he's going along and he throws it along a path. 00:06:07.759 --> 00:06:09.680 Like, what's up with that? 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:14.959 You know, if you're walking by the street, you're not throwing seed out there, and then he sees a rocky place. 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:23.519 He throws it along the rocky place, and there's a whole bunch of weeds over here, he throws it over there, and then there's some good soil, and he throws it there. 00:06:23.680 --> 00:06:31.279 You see this farmer, and in our context, we'd go like, ah, not a very good farmer. 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:34.959 But what I would suggest is he's a great father. 00:06:35.279 --> 00:06:40.560 See, the farmer represents God's extravagant generosity. 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:47.040 Here's the incredible part of the story is God longs for you to grow. 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:49.279 He actually desires that for you. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:52.959 Not just that you have that desire, he wants that for you. 00:06:53.600 --> 00:07:00.319 And he's not waiting for you and saying you need to fix things up, get into the right place, or have it all together. 00:07:00.480 --> 00:07:10.800 He's going, wherever you're at, I'm sowing, I'm spreading, I'm bringing it, I'm not withholding, I'm not stingy in any way, I'm just sharing it with you. 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:18.399 And this is so important because spiritual growth always begins with God and it flows from grace. 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:23.279 See, often when we think about spiritual growth, we begin with ourselves. 00:07:23.360 --> 00:07:26.800 And it says, no, you begin with the farmer. 00:07:27.120 --> 00:07:29.120 You begin with the father. 00:07:29.279 --> 00:07:43.600 You begin looking up at the type of farmer and father that we have who sows so generously, extravagantly, even wastefully, and flows from grace. 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:50.879 I like how uh uh Stuart uh Townsend and Henry Cloud in their book, How People Grow, they say this. 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:53.040 Um next slide. 00:07:53.839 --> 00:07:57.199 A key component of growth is grace. 00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:04.560 Enough grace to open up and bring things into the light to be healed. 00:08:04.959 --> 00:08:11.439 Let me ask you, what would it look like to believe that God is this generous with you? 00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:17.279 That he's not holding back, he's not stingy. 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:23.759 I don't care how 2024 ended, and I don't care how what happened yesterday. 00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:27.759 He's going, I'm still sewing, I'm still spreading. 00:08:28.879 --> 00:08:31.920 It's not limited to those who are qualified or quote ready. 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:33.519 It's for every single person. 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:42.720 God's heart for everyone is for you this year, 2025, to experience deep, incredible growth. 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:44.960 Now, that's the farmer. 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:48.399 God sowing extravagantly generous. 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:49.600 Then we see the seed. 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:55.440 Well, the seed contains everything for a mighty oak tree, a sunflower, etc. 00:08:55.759 --> 00:08:56.080 Right? 00:08:56.240 --> 00:08:58.799 The seed, he says, in it is the word. 00:08:59.120 --> 00:09:01.919 I believe it's in Matthew, he says it's the word of God. 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:08.639 He says, the word of God is the seed, and God's word is powerful. 00:09:08.960 --> 00:09:09.919 Now think about this. 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:11.440 This little seed here. 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:15.360 This little seed right here. 00:09:15.840 --> 00:09:17.120 Can you see it? 00:09:18.240 --> 00:09:18.960 Just barely. 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:21.600 I mean, we're only feet away, you can barely see it. 00:09:21.679 --> 00:09:22.960 It's so little. 00:09:23.360 --> 00:09:25.440 This is a sunflower seed. 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:45.360 In this little seed contains everything for an incredible, beautiful sunflower that will grow taller than me, most likely, and reproduce thousands of sunflower seeds right here in this single seed. 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:50.480 And what Jesus is saying is the word of God, God's word is actually really powerful. 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:55.200 It's like a seed, it contains everything we need. 00:09:57.120 --> 00:10:12.000 The apostle Paul would say it this way: that all scripture is God breathe and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that the servant, the man or woman of God, may be thoroughly equipped for some good works. 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:15.120 For most of life. 00:10:16.879 --> 00:10:21.919 To kind of just, you know, get through in certain seasons, but not in others. 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:22.960 No, no, no. 00:10:23.200 --> 00:10:34.399 The word of God is useful so that you're thoroughly equipped for every good work, that he's given you everything you need for life and godliness. 00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:37.120 He's already given it to you. 00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:49.679 Now, here's what's interesting: we have more access to God's word today than ever before, and yet there seems to be more apathy to his word. 00:10:52.480 --> 00:11:01.759 In fact, I would like to suggest, um, and it's not just me, but we live in an age, especially in the West, where we're biblically illiterate. 00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:06.159 We don't get into God's word, we don't try to understand it. 00:11:06.399 --> 00:11:08.639 We go everywhere else. 00:11:10.480 --> 00:11:18.080 We're looking to someone else to tell us, to show us, to, and he's going, like, guys, I've already given it to you. 00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:22.960 It's available, it's accessible, we carry it in our pockets. 00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:25.440 And here's why this is so important. 00:11:27.840 --> 00:11:32.080 What you sow determines what you grow. 00:11:32.320 --> 00:11:34.080 It's the law of the harvest. 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:37.279 Um, we we miss this, right? 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:38.559 I didn't, I lost the seed. 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:39.679 Good grief. 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:41.279 There it is. 00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:42.799 It's that small. 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:48.559 We miss this because we live in the age of supermarket. 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:50.240 No, take that back. 00:11:50.399 --> 00:11:52.639 We live in the age of Instacart. 00:11:54.879 --> 00:12:01.200 We go to the supermarket, you're disconnected from the process by which you get your food. 00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:02.960 And now it's even worse than that. 00:12:03.039 --> 00:12:04.399 You don't even have to go there. 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:05.600 You have it delivered. 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:07.200 We live in instant reality. 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:14.159 I want it today, I want it in the next hour, and if it comes in a day or two, what's wrong with Amazon? 00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:15.200 Right? 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:18.240 We just live in this world that we don't understand. 00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:22.399 When Jesus is reminding us this incredible law, the law of the harvest. 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:25.279 What you sow determines what you grow. 00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:28.559 Another way to say it is you reap what you sow. 00:12:29.679 --> 00:12:31.759 You reap what you sow. 00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:37.440 So the question you need to be asking is, what am I sowing? 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:44.320 Well, if you want to know what you're sowing, look at your life today, look at what's growing. 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:52.080 What's growing reveals what you sowed a year ago, three years ago, five years ago. 00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:54.559 Why? 00:12:54.799 --> 00:12:58.240 Because you reap what you sow. 00:12:58.559 --> 00:13:08.320 Now, here's the reason we often miss out on growth that truly lasts. 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:13.440 It's built into the fabric of the law of the harvest. 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:20.480 Not only you reap what you sow, but you never reap in the same season that you sow. 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:22.159 Right? 00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:25.200 You never reap in the same season that you sow. 00:13:25.360 --> 00:13:26.320 Well, take this, you know. 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:31.200 I take this um, get some soil. 00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:32.399 I got my seed here. 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:33.120 Okay, great. 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:34.480 Put that in there. 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:36.720 Give it a little water. 00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:38.240 Oh, that's awesome. 00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:39.440 Right? 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:42.720 Put it next to this uh chamellia. 00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:43.600 I know it's a chamellia. 00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:45.200 We got a few in our yard. 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:48.000 Um got to pick this up because we need a new one. 00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:50.559 The other one, uh one of them's dying. 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:52.320 We'll talk about that in a minute. 00:13:55.120 --> 00:13:55.440 Okay. 00:13:58.639 --> 00:13:59.440 Step back. 00:14:04.080 --> 00:14:05.360 What's going on? 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:09.840 Wait a second. 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:13.039 I I planted the seed, why didn't anything happen? 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:18.000 Here's the interesting part. 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:22.159 Day one, I plant a seed, what do I see? 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:23.519 Nothing. 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:24.080 Soil. 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:26.639 Day two, I plant a seed, what do I see? 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:27.440 Nothing. 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:28.000 Soil. 00:14:28.159 --> 00:14:30.159 Day three, what do I see? 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:31.039 Soil. 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:32.960 Day four, what do I see? 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:34.720 Some of you are like, I'm not sure, Ryan. 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:35.360 Would you tell me? 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:37.279 I'm not sure when the sprouting begins. 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:39.200 You know, help me out here. 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:40.720 You probably looked this up. 00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:43.440 Chat GDP probably helped you. 00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:48.159 Uh, sunflowers, about six to eight days, just so you know. 00:14:51.039 --> 00:14:55.679 But it takes time, days. 00:14:56.320 --> 00:15:01.600 This, I was asking the guy at Summer Winds Nursery where I was yesterday. 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:07.279 How long does it take for this camellia to grow this this size? 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:09.279 And he looked at it. 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:13.600 He's like, well, about two years. 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:15.679 Huh. 00:15:16.799 --> 00:15:19.200 We have a few in our yard. 00:15:19.360 --> 00:15:23.759 They've been there probably at least 20 years, and they're big trees. 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:28.960 Here's what we do: we look at where we're at, we look at where we want to be, and we go, what's going on? 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:29.759 What's wrong? 00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:30.799 What's wrong with me? 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:32.320 And then we quit. 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:36.240 And so we don't see the growth. 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:39.120 We don't see the life change. 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:46.159 And by the way, God is not in a rush for your spiritual growth. 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:48.960 He is a God of process. 00:15:50.480 --> 00:16:00.159 And we are in a hurry, and we're in a rush, and we live in our instant society, going, I'm not there yet, I'm not there yet, I'm not there yet. 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:01.759 He's going, I know. 00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:11.600 And it's actually beautiful and wonderful if you'll sit in it and be present to where I have you and allow me to work in you right where you are. 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:17.200 Um, let me let me ask you this. 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:17.840 Okay. 00:16:19.440 --> 00:16:24.639 If what you sew is what you grow, how do you know what you're sewing right now? 00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:28.159 Would you just take out your phone for me? 00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:31.440 I know it just got so personal. 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:40.320 I think they make calls, I'm told. 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:55.679 Um, but on an iPhone, all I do is swipe right, and it tells me how much time I spent on my phone, and how much time I spent on a particular app on my phone. 00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:57.679 Friends, let's talk about this. 00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:03.039 Where you spend your time and what puts you what you put into your mind is what you're sewing right now. 00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:10.240 Where you spend your time, what you put into your mind is what you're sowing right now. 00:17:13.519 --> 00:17:15.359 So, what are you sowing? 00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:25.519 We spend hours on this thing scrolling, and we spend maybe seconds in this thing, and we're wondering why there's no growth. 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:30.480 And we love growth, by the way. 00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:38.079 I don't know why on TikTok, I I I like to watch the guy that um he does the the weeding in the yard. 00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:39.759 You ever seen that guy? 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:42.960 That guy's awesome, he does it for free. 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:48.480 I like get sucked into this thing, watching this guy make something beautiful, and that's what we do. 00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:55.200 We spend our time watching someone else live instead of living our life and leaning into what God has us. 00:17:55.440 --> 00:18:02.799 Stop watching other people live and begin to get into his word and grow for yourself. 00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:09.119 What you sow determines what you grow. 00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:10.400 The farmer. 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:13.920 The farmer, God is extravagantly generous. 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:17.759 The seed, God's word is powerful. 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:19.279 The soil. 00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:28.079 The soil represents the condition of our heart, is what Jesus says. 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:34.640 Now, at Summerwind's Nursery, where I was just at yesterday, I saw this sign. 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:36.319 This was fascinating. 00:18:36.640 --> 00:18:39.200 Success begins with soils. 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:42.960 I'm like, thank you. 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:45.519 It is literally a sign. 00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:46.799 How good is that? 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:48.480 Success begins with soil. 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:51.039 I guess Jesus and today they do agree. 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:53.759 Jesus gives us four types of soil. 00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:58.400 The soil is it determines our response to his word. 00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:00.640 The first, the path. 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:02.480 It's just a hard heart. 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:04.480 The second, the rocky soil. 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:06.720 Jesus says it's a shallow heart. 00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:10.240 Third, a thorny soil, a crowded heart. 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:14.000 Fourth, good soil, which is a receptive heart. 00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:14.720 Did you not see? 00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:16.240 Did you did you see that? 00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:16.960 Not see that. 00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:17.759 Did you see it? 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:19.039 It's a receptive heart. 00:19:19.119 --> 00:19:24.160 Like I see God's word and I receive it into my life. 00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:36.079 Where God's word actually becomes the final word for my life, not just advice that I get and kind of take or don't take. 00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:39.359 I receive it into my life. 00:19:39.519 --> 00:19:42.240 And here's what Jesus says: this is important. 00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:47.039 Good seed plus good soil equals exponential harvest. 00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:55.440 Good seed, good soil equals great growth. 00:19:56.079 --> 00:19:58.640 It's not rocket science. 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:04.480 It's not like, gosh, I have to conjure up something and figure out something magical. 00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:06.240 It says good seed. 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:08.480 Giving that to you. 00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:10.640 Good soil. 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:20.319 When you combine those two, it equals exponential harvest or growth. 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:27.680 On the flip side, it doesn't matter how good the seed is if the soil is bad. 00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:34.160 Good seed thrown on the path, good seed thrown on the rocky soil, good seed thrown on the weed. 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:37.200 It doesn't matter how good the seed is if the soil is bad. 00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:42.799 And so, good soil doesn't just happen by accident, it's cultivated. 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:50.079 This is what we're going to spend the next three weeks talking about is how do you cultivate the soil of your soul? 00:20:50.559 --> 00:20:55.359 How do you identify, okay, where are the places in my heart that are hard? 00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:59.279 Where are the places in my heart that are rocky or shallow? 00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:03.359 How do I identify a crowded heart and what do I do about it? 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:06.640 How do I cultivate those soils? 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:16.799 Like I said, we were at Summer Winds in Nursery, and Jenny was going because we we have these camellia plants, and one of them, they're an evergreen plant, by the way. 00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:19.200 I did not know that until yesterday. 00:21:20.319 --> 00:21:26.160 One of them is like, it's not green, it's it's just branches. 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:27.759 It's just so it's it looks dead. 00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:31.440 I don't think it's fully dead, dead, but it's it's it's on the way to dead. 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:34.319 So it's not dead, dead, but it's on the way to dead. 00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:43.759 Um and we're sitting there, well, not sitting, standing, talking to the dude, um, giving him all the details about it. 00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:45.119 And then he tells us this thing. 00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:47.279 He's like, Well, you know what you need to do. 00:21:47.359 --> 00:21:49.920 And it's like, no, that's the reason we're asking you. 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:54.960 He's like, you need to test the soil. 00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:59.599 See, these plants, they like acidic soil. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:11.680 And there's actually soil testers, and there's a pH test that we can do with the soil to see what do you need to infuse and put around it to help this plant flourish and grow. 00:22:13.759 --> 00:22:16.400 So this is what we're gonna do together as a church. 00:22:16.559 --> 00:22:20.559 We're we're gonna take, okay, what is the soil of your soul? 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:24.400 And by the way, I think I have all three of those soils in me. 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:31.039 I have some hard-heartedness, I have some shallow and some crowded-heartedness. 00:22:31.119 --> 00:22:32.799 I think we have a mixture of it. 00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:52.960 And begin to allow the word of God and with the Spirit of God and the community of God to begin to fertilize the soil of our hearts so that we begin to experience the growth that God longs for, that He's designed for, that just happens when good seed is in good soil. 00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:58.640 Growth doesn't happen or good soil doesn't happen by accident. 00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:01.599 It happens when it's uncultivated. 00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:06.240 So what's your next step? 00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:12.880 Let me just give you a couple more action steps first. 00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:15.920 Would you evaluate your soil? 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:19.839 Be honest about the condition of your heart. 00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:22.799 What needs to change? 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:28.559 Now next week we'll spend a little bit more time on the on the path, the hard heart. 00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:33.200 We'll be able to do some better diagnostic together. 00:23:33.839 --> 00:23:38.799 But right now, there's some things where you just invite the Spirit of God to speak to you and show you. 00:23:43.920 --> 00:23:50.160 Yeah, somebody close to you and get a real honest feedback, not just uh like, no, you're great. 00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:53.920 That's next week. 00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:56.559 Oh, I almost started preaching next week's sermon right there. 00:23:56.720 --> 00:23:58.400 Um that's next week. 00:23:58.720 --> 00:23:59.839 Don't miss it. 00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:04.160 Evaluate your soil, prepare the soil. 00:24:05.119 --> 00:24:08.799 What habits do you need to cultivate receptivity? 00:24:09.359 --> 00:24:12.000 Like the good soil receives the word of God. 00:24:12.160 --> 00:24:13.440 What habits in your life? 00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:15.279 We start the new year, okay. 00:24:15.359 --> 00:24:16.480 I want some new habits. 00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:18.240 This is a wonderful time to begin that. 00:24:18.319 --> 00:24:28.480 What habits do you need to, whether it's prayer, repentance, worship, just to cultivate receptivity and then plant the seed. 00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:33.359 Spend time intentionally in God's word daily. 00:24:34.559 --> 00:24:35.839 We just get in. 00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:45.839 And here's the problem is we often treat God's word a little bit like the gym, at least the way I do it. 00:24:46.240 --> 00:24:49.039 I lift once and then go look in the mirror. 00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:52.079 It didn't work. 00:24:56.160 --> 00:25:02.559 But you begin to get into God's word daily and allow God's word to get into your heart. 00:25:05.759 --> 00:25:08.079 Six days you're like, I don't know about this. 00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:10.559 Seven, eight days, there's a little sprig. 00:25:10.799 --> 00:25:12.640 You see something starting to pop out. 00:25:12.880 --> 00:25:19.920 Then you see a month later, you're like, oh, there's a little, I'm sensing just in my attitude and my responses, something different. 00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:23.759 There's a settledness in my soul. 00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:31.279 I'm starting to experience peace where at one point, stepping into that, I was just filled with such anxiety. 00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:39.119 And you just begin and you just keep planting, you just keep sowing, and you allow the word of God to do its work. 00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:44.720 That's why we started this year, awakening reading plan, 50 days in Genesis. 00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:47.279 We started in January 1. 00:25:47.440 --> 00:25:49.119 Some of you are like, well, it's January 5. 00:25:49.200 --> 00:25:49.839 I didn't start. 00:25:50.160 --> 00:25:52.079 We started, it's just a chapter a day. 00:25:52.160 --> 00:25:53.680 There's 50 chapters in Genesis. 00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:54.960 You can catch up. 00:25:56.319 --> 00:25:57.359 You can catch up. 00:25:57.839 --> 00:26:00.319 But would you join us 50 days in Genesis? 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:03.119 Our theme this year is biblical literacy. 00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:07.599 I talked about, you know, one of the things that was problems we have is we're just biblically illiterate. 00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:09.839 How do we help you get to know God's word? 00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:14.160 And how do you help you get God's word deeply into your heart? 00:26:14.799 --> 00:26:20.000 And so we're actually gonna spend after this series the entire year preaching through the book of Genesis. 00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:28.240 It's the foundation, and it'll help you understand not only the rest of the Old Testament, but the rest of scriptures and the New Testament in a new way. 00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:30.880 And so we're gonna dive in together. 00:26:31.039 --> 00:26:40.559 Uh, one way that I'm trying to just help us grow and and um keep us hopefully consistent in this, just posting daily one-minute videos. 00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:43.440 It's just a minute, nothing crazy. 00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:54.319 But if you want to just journey along with us, you can go to our Instagram at awakening sv or my Instagram at Ryan B Ingram and follow along with us. 00:26:54.720 --> 00:26:57.440 Follow along, join us on this journey. 00:26:57.680 --> 00:27:08.160 Uh, Brian, who's playing Keys, uh, he was messaging me yesterday, and he was just going, dude, I I love these one minute videos, and we're talking after service again. 00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:11.119 He's like, it just helps me stay on track. 00:27:11.359 --> 00:27:23.519 He's like, I actually do it a day behind you, so I get it right when I'm, you know, the morning, right when I'm wanting to read it, and and then I read the chapter, then I watch the video, and then I reread the chapter. 00:27:23.839 --> 00:27:27.359 I don't know how you want to do it, but get into God's word together. 00:27:27.519 --> 00:27:28.880 Would you do that with us? 00:27:29.279 --> 00:27:37.599 So as we close, I I want to do, I want to do basically like a third grade project with you. 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:38.480 Is that cool? 00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:39.759 Yeah? 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:40.960 You with me? 00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:42.079 Okay. 00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:46.400 Because I want a visual reminder. 00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:48.960 Because we don't get this. 00:27:49.119 --> 00:27:57.359 I want you to come up here, grab some soil, put a seed in, a little water, put this by your windowsill. 00:27:57.680 --> 00:27:59.519 Now you gotta water it, Daily. 00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:06.960 And keep that reminder of what you sow determines what you grow. 00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:13.039 You never reap in the same season that you sow, and it takes a process, and I'm gonna watch this process grow. 00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:14.720 And here's the funny part about it. 00:28:14.880 --> 00:28:16.079 This is so wild. 00:28:16.480 --> 00:28:19.200 It's gonna start to grow, and you're gonna get excited. 00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:21.200 You are, you're gonna get excited. 00:28:21.279 --> 00:28:26.720 And there's gonna be one day where you go to sleep and you wake up and it grew like an inch. 00:28:26.960 --> 00:28:29.680 And you're gonna go, whoa, this is amazing. 00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:34.799 It's just wild how we love, we're designed, we're hardwired for growth. 00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:43.440 Now, when you're in it, you don't get to see that inch of growth so well from the inside. 00:28:44.160 --> 00:28:48.960 Can we be a community that when we see that inch of growth in other people, we say it. 00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:56.720 We go, like, look at you, look, I do you, I know you, I know how you normally respond, I know what you normally do, look at how you respond. 00:28:56.960 --> 00:29:07.279 Let's just celebrate that where we begin to speak the growth that we're seeing in others and going like, Jesus is doing a work in you, he's doing a work in you, and it's beautiful. 00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:12.559 And I know it's not all the way to this flowery, but that little sprig is amazing. 00:29:16.160 --> 00:29:18.480 I I love New Years. 00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:28.880 Um, and it's not because like my personality is like this, I'm naturally kind of pessimistic. 00:29:29.200 --> 00:29:31.440 Realist, really, if you want to be. 00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:39.599 But I love new years, I love new weeks, and I love new days. 00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:45.599 But it doesn't have to do with my personality, it actually has to do with my God. 00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:54.960 And I'm getting a little tired of the pessimistic rant and perspective that we have in our culture today, where it's like, why try? 00:29:55.039 --> 00:30:02.160 And I get last year you got started and you're like, I don't want to go again, I don't want to set goals just to be disappointed and never, you know, arrive. 00:30:02.319 --> 00:30:03.680 I I get all that. 00:30:05.519 --> 00:30:11.839 There's a verse that I write almost every single day. 00:30:13.599 --> 00:30:19.680 It says, I just went blank. 00:30:21.599 --> 00:30:27.039 Your steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. 00:30:27.759 --> 00:30:31.599 Your mercies are new every day. 00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:34.960 Great is your faithfulness. 00:30:36.160 --> 00:30:39.200 Steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. 00:30:39.279 --> 00:30:42.000 Your mercies are new every day. 00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:43.839 Great is your faithfulness. 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:46.880 So today, Sunday, you woke up to new mercy. 00:30:47.599 --> 00:30:49.039 You woke up to new mercy. 00:30:49.119 --> 00:30:50.640 Today is a new mercy day. 00:30:50.799 --> 00:30:52.640 Forget about tomorrow. 00:30:53.519 --> 00:30:55.359 Forget about 2024. 00:30:55.759 --> 00:30:58.160 Jesus, today I'm starting afresh. 00:30:58.799 --> 00:30:59.920 I love this quote though. 00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:02.400 You cannot go back and have a brand new start. 00:31:02.559 --> 00:31:04.880 You can start today and have a brand new end. 00:31:05.039 --> 00:31:13.599 And some of you, you the way you finished out or what's been happening in your past is hindering you in your future, and you're like, Ryan, I don't really get it. 00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:15.599 I don't want to, I don't think I can start new. 00:31:15.680 --> 00:31:23.039 No, you have a generous farmer, father, and today you can start and have a brand new end. 00:31:24.400 --> 00:31:27.200 There's new mercy waiting for you. 00:31:28.720 --> 00:31:45.200 So as we worship, come forward, get your cup, and begin to lean in the process of God. 00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:56.319 God's heart for you, He longs for you to grow. 00:31:57.279 --> 00:31:59.200 He's provided everything we need. 00:32:00.400 --> 00:32:05.920 So we lean in this year, this season, this month, start today. 00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:08.000 God, I pray for my friends. 00:32:08.480 --> 00:32:11.519 Thank you for your grace, your kindness. 00:32:15.599 --> 00:32:23.839 Thank you that your heart for us is of mercy and steadfast love. 00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:28.559 That your faithfulness, even when we are faithless, you are faithful. 00:32:30.720 --> 00:32:38.000 So Holy Spirit, right now, in this moment, would you reveal the things in our heart that we need to root out? 00:32:39.599 --> 00:32:44.240 Would you give us the courage to step forward, to invite you in. 00:32:51.119 --> 00:32:57.119 To begin to get our hearts deeply connected to you, rooted in your word. 00:32:59.680 --> 00:33:01.279 In Jesus' name. 00:33:07.359 --> 00:33:09.680 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:33:09.839 --> 00:33:14.319 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:33:14.480 --> 00:33:16.559 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:22.480 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.comslash card.