Girls Gone Bible - Good Seed, Bad Soil | Girls Gone Bible

Episode Date: October 11, 2024

hiiii GGB :)  this week we explore the Parable of the Sower and how the condition of our hearts determines whether God’s Word bears fruit in our lives. We’ll discuss the four types of soil, the power of Scripture, and why having a humble, teachable heart is key to living a fruitful life. JOIN US ON GGB+ 🥹❤️ https://ggb.supportingcast.fm/ WE ARE ON THE OFFICIAL GIRLS GONE BIBLE LIVE TOUR! www.girlsgonebible.com/tour for the first batch of cities we have locked in :) WE LOVE YOU AND CANNOT WAIT TO SEE YOU! if you’d like to support Girls Gone Bible 🙏🏻🕊️🤍 Paypal- https://www.paypal.me/girlsgonebibleinfo Venmo- https://www.venmo.com/u/girlsgonebible

What's up, Bar? What's up? Hi guys, I'm Ange. And I'm Ari. And this is Girls Gone Bible. We are a faith-based podcast where we talk all things mental health, the Bible, Jesus. This intro still is like the weirdest thing in the world. We always say, come as you are, just don't stay that way.

I have to be honest in saying that this is like day five of my hair. I look very crusty today, but it's okay. You didn't wash it today? No. It looks good. I woke up too late. How was your weekend? It was good.

We got back. What a crazy couple days. It was so beautiful. How do you feel? Like, I know it was a crazy couple days, but how so beautiful. How do you feel? Like I know it was a crazy couple days, but how are you feeling from the shows? We were in North Carolina. We were in Charlotte and Charleston. I kept calling them Charleston. We kept combining everything. It was beautiful. We're on, as you guys know, we're on tour

right now, having the time of our lives. Now I think one of the best parts about the whole weekend was honestly we've kind of figured out what to do at the end because we used to struggle. No, no. Because we used to struggle because we wanted to meet every single person at these shows and we were getting in trouble with the venues. We were staying for hours after. We have gotten threatened so badly at these shows of people being like, not only are we going to fine you, we're going to send you tens of thousands of dollars, you're going to get arrested if you guys don't leave. Oh, I can picture me and Ann just with our hands behind our back walking out in slow motion going to prison for you guys.

Every single time that they're legitimately, they have to pull Ari and I. Sometimes I see them actually have to physically pick Ari up because she's gone, she's gone in the crowd. And I always ask them whenever we're getting yelled at, I'm like, would you guys bail us out if we go to prison tonight? Just come get us, please.

I wouldn't last an hour. You would get us, please. I wouldn't last an hour. You would. I wouldn't. I wouldn't last. I'd be talking to you behind the bar, like in the middle of the bars. And help. Would they put us together? I don't think so. They'd kick us out.

They'd say, you guys, we can't. I can't take it. We'd be evangelizing to heaven. Do you know Jesus? He healed my mental health. I was no caller. We never really did any of your mental health because I can't stand you guys. No, I had a moment though,

just like looking at you and I, and I was like, I am just, I remember that season where we were suffering together, and I'm just like, I'm so happy that every trial we went through, all the heartbreak, all the addiction, all the mental health issues, because everyone we have met is just so broken. Their hearts are broken. They lost a child.

They're going through grief. You healed them from addiction, from your testimony. And I just had this moment of just being like, trials and hardship and suffering is truly a gift because we can, he uses it and we're able to be proud of it now. And so, you know, for you guys, I know you guys are in seasons of just being so broken and the grief is so hard, you barely can get out of bed, but just know you are going to help so many people and he is going to use it for your good You're so right. I mean, it's like I think the most heart-wrenching thing of all of these shows is just the eagerness of people

What it is, I think what's so beautiful is that I think you and I were so Expectant of what these shows would be like, but still obviously had no idea what they would be like. And I think a lot of people might feel like this is just like a tour of entertainment. We don't even like calling them shows anymore. These are Christian meetings. These aren't shows. There's no performance.

The people who are coming there are genuinely so eager to meet Jesus and get healed. It's just insane. People, anytime you start to minister to them and be like, who's struggling with their mental health? Who needs help? Who has grief? Who has addiction? Everybody is so willing to be like, me, me, please, Jesus, I need help. It is the greatest gift that we have ever been given is being able to do this and to be able to play a part in it. We're incredibly undeserving and we are very aware of that, but we're so grateful.

Yeah, we're all playing a part guys. All of us who are broken, he uses it. We'll be able to help the people behind us and in front of us. So it is a gift, even though it hurts right now. Yeah, totally. Yeah. Guys, we are on tour right now.

To be able to be with you guys in person and just laugh and cry and just be with you guys has been the greatest blessing for Angela and I. So the link is in the description box. So go and get your tickets. Please. And one other thing that we're really excited about is we are doing something called GGB Plus on the supporting

cast. Ari and I are so blessed to have the opportunity to speak to you guys more intimately and just give you more exclusive behind the scenes. And we do little prayer sessions. We answer questions that we don't answer anywhere else. It's all like, not studio videos, it's like in the car at home,

at three o'clock in the morning when we probably shouldn't be doing this thing. It's ridiculous. After shows where we should definitely not be talking. I'm like, let's throw an under-throw. And so we want you guys to join GGB Plus and join Ari and I on a little bit more of like an exclusive behind the scenes, just more raw, vulnerable parts of our hearts that we don't share anywhere else.

Alright, GGB, so tell me, has your summer really done a number on your hair? I love fall and winter so much, but the only thing that I struggle with is how dry my hair and skin get. And living in California on top of it does not help. And the fact is, even if we're not aware of environmental changes in our day to day, our hair is. And that's why I recommend Pros. Do you ever feel like beauty products just aren't made for you? I used to. Until I tried Pros. Off the shelf beauty products are so generic made for you? I used to, until I tried Pros. Off the shelf beauty products are so generic

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they're offering our listeners an exclusive trial offer 50% off your first hair care subscription at pros.com slash ggb that's pros.com slash ggb for your free consultation and 50% off your custom routine pros.com slash ggb and so today Ari and I are talking about we're reading from Luke chapter eight and we're talking about, some people call it the parable of the sower and then in the NLT version it's the parable of the four soils. And I just love this scripture so much. I loved studying this because it's all about the heart. It's all about God's word, it's all like that people grow up their whole lives going to church

and like never actually receiving the word of God in their heart in a way that brings transformation. Like you can hear the word, like people go to school and don't, like theology school and don't even really believe in Jesus because it doesn't matter how much head knowledge you have when it's not like written and etched into your heart. You know what I mean?

Of course, yes. Luke chapter 8 verse 4. One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him. A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath where it was stepped on and the birds ate it. Other seed fell among rocks.

It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. Still, other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted. And when he said this, he called out, anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand. His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He replied, you are permitted to understand the secrets of the kingdom of God, but I use parables to teach the others so that the scripture might be fulfilled.

When they look, they won't really see. When they hear, they won't understand." So that little verse that Ari just read is from, it's like a throwback to Isaiah 6-9, where God told Isaiah that one day people will be hearing things, they'll be seeing things, but they won't actually be receiving. The context of this whole situation is that people were coming from everywhere, from all over to come hear Jesus speak, and Jesus began to speak to them in parables. And a parable is an earthly story with heavenly meaning.

And Jesus was always speaking to people in parables because he would take ordinary and normal people and activities and things and put them into a story to try and relay a message to people in a way that they could understand. And this first parable that he ever tells of the four soils is kind of like a prophetic picture of, it's like an illustration of what God's Word is supposed to do in our hearts, but what it would ultimately do through like his entire ministry. That there would

be hearts that were just a footpath, ones with thorns, ones that were rocky and ones that were actually good soil. And so I think Ari and I will kind of go through each one and just talk about them. Yeah. Well, what's interesting about this is Jesus then goes on from verse 11 to 15, and He explains to us, like, we don't even have to find the meaning of this parable because Jesus tells us himself. This is the meaning of the parable. The seed is God's Word.

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. So maybe we can just really quickly talk about the footpath and what this is saying. So the footpath, soil and a heart represents those who hear the message only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from hearing it. So these are people who basically refuse

to believe God's message. You know what I mean? And I feel like we see that all the time where people can hear it and hear it and hear it and they just don't receive it. Like they don't, the soil is so, it's not even anywhere that can be planted. Like nothing can be planted in that.

And it's so easily that the devil, in another translation it says that the bird just comes and like swoops it up and steals the seed. And that's just so sad that people can go their whole lives, you know what I mean? Do you mean like, for instance, like the Christians that have gone to church their whole lives and they're still just kind of living the way they want? Yeah, yeah. And it's just like, it's never taken root.

Like it's never done anything. You know what I mean? And what do you think the devil does to make them not fully have a footing in the Word? I think it's the condition of their heart. The condition of our heart is the beginning of anything in our relationship with Jesus. For you, for example, we'll get there. Your heart, when you started your journey, was incredibly good soil. It was incredibly fertile soil.

No matter what seed, like the seed is the word of God, the soil is our hearts. The seed is always good. The soil is what's in question. The seed will always do what it's supposed to do. God's word will always do, but what is contingent on whether it actually produces any fruit or harvest is the soil that it's falling on.

You know what I mean? And when you started your journey, you were just like, every single seed that entered your heart, but it's because you had a heart of complete and total humility, and we'll get there. But that's where this all begins. You are genuinely a perfect picture of what happens when your heart is good soil. Everything that God speaks takes root and does something. Right, got it. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. But a lot of the time, like, the foot people, they describe it as being like the religious leaders

who refuse to believe God's message. They think they're so smart. Like, how many people do you meet that think they're so smart? Oh, yeah. It's like the Pharisees. That's exactly what they're so smart. Oh yeah, it's like the Pharisees. That's exactly what they're talking about. 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, and then they fall away when they face temptation. And like, this rocky soil is like so many of the people in the crowd that follow Jesus, they

believe his message, but they don't ever get around to doing anything about it. And I don't know about you, but I had a period, when I first started following Jesus, I feel like I had rocky soil where I was believing Jesus and the seeds were being planted and everything was good, but the roots were being planted and everything was good, but the roots were not deep enough. I had no community. I had no, like, I was not planted anywhere in church or in community. So every word he was speaking was doing a little something, but then it was not taking

root to like actually bring full transformation. You know what I mean? Yeah. And temptation doesn't just need to be sin. It's also the thoughts, right? Totally, yeah. And I think for me, that's even, that's been my whole journey and still I'm learning.

Even the moment when I was experiencing a lot of opposition the other day, just I had something come up where it was, I don't even know if it was a test, but if it was a moment where I had to say, okay, God, things are, I'm in a little bit of a storm right now, but I trust you through this.

And for a second, for a couple days, I did let those thoughts come in and tell me, why isn't he taking care of this? So I think that that has been such a big part of my journey of not taking captive of the thoughts has been the biggest thing for me. I think even now, I still go on rocky soil, and I love Jesus with all my heart. But when you are someone who, again, I always talk about, your brain was wired a certain way since you're a kid. When you struggle with your mind a lot, it's a battle that you have to constantly go to and say,

things aren't going good right now, but I still trust you. And there's a breakthrough when you just, you keep saying, I trust you. I'm not healed yet, but I know you're a healer. I'm not, my years haven't been redeemed yet, but Lord, I know you're gonna still redeem. And so I think that's just something I really have had to work through in my journey.

You really, that's why, yeah. And it's so real and it's so normal. And I wanna go to the next one so you can keep talking about it because I want your opinion on this. 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.

So the thorn, the thorny soil is, you're overcome by the worries and you're tempted by the materialism of the world, that it basically leaves no room for God. And over here it says that among thorns, it grows up, the seed is planted, and then it grows up, but it grows with the thorns. And so the seed is, the harvest is growing, but then it gets choked out by the thorns. And so whatever is around you, and that's something that we all experience,

where the worries of life, the temptations, anything that's taking our, that is distracting us and taking our focus off of Jesus is choking the seed that Jesus is planting. And for us, a lot of the time is worry and anxiety. You know what I mean? Yeah, you're pretty good with that though. We all have our moments, you know what I mean? But it's like, it really is like a faith. Faith is such an interesting

thing because you can love Jesus. That's why there's the gift of faith. Faith really is a gift because you can legitimately love Jesus with your whole heart and believe in him with your whole heart. And this is the most normal, and it's nothing to be ashamed of. I want you to know, if you ever have thoughts of doubting God or doubting him when things are bad, this is please just don't feel ashamed of that. I know people can really feel ashamed because life is hard and faith is hard. And when everything is going opposite,

and if you're in a situation like Ari, especially where you literally didn't even become a Christian until that long, you know what I mean? Like faith takes many, many years to develop. And so when the worries come and they quench and they just completely take away the seed that God is trying to plant, it's not good, but don't feel ashamed of that.

And it's just like a muscle that you have to exercise. You know what I mean? Yeah, and I think when I learned that it's okay to ask questions, it's okay when you doubt, you bring it to God. Don't be afraid to ask those questions. When you're in the season of the unknown and worry, say, God, what is happening right now?

Reveal the truth. I can't really see straight right now. I need you right now. There are things that I am being deceived. Can you bring it to light? And there's nothing wrong with that. It actually is like you feel like you're just, you're letting it all out and you're not just holding that in and you're feeling just, I don't know, there's been moments where I have such a lack of faith

and I'm sitting there and I'm like, is he real? But when I actually bring it to the feet of him, it releases something. I love that you say that. God is not, he's not like us. He does not, he's not fragile. He does not have an ego. He's not prideful.

He's, he can handle us asking him questions. And honestly, that open communication with him allows room for him to speak truth into whatever doubts you're having. To all my cat parents and cat lovers, is your cat having digestive issues, throwing up their food? You've all probably been there.

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But yeah, this thorn patch that especially with the temptation and the lure of materialism and things that like idols, for example, you know what I mean? It will completely choke out whatever God is trying to do in your heart when you are. How often do we see it where we see people coming to Jesus and it's the most beautiful thing in the world, but they still want other things more. You know what I mean?

You can't love money and still love. You can't. It doesn't coincide. That's why you see people with power and money, it overtakes them. They're like, wait, if I just make this amount of money, then I'll be... You can't do it. You know what I just thought of right now? The story of the... Have you ever read the story of the rich young ruler? He went to Jesus and he said good master, what can I do to What did he say? Oh, wait, he's he went to me said good good master What can I do to inherit internal life? And Jesus looked at him and he said,

Well, you do the Ten Commandments. Like he was testing him. And there was something lacking in him. Like it was, that's the beauty of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will, you can, he was chasing something. His heart was with money, but he still knew. He had like that knowing that there's something missing. And Jesus said,

He said, Give up everything, sell everything and give it to the poor and come follow me. And the rich young ruler turned his back and walked and at the end it said, He walked away and he put his head down and felt sorrowful. So he knew. He denied Jesus? Yeah. He knew head down and felt sorrowful. So he knew. He denied Jesus? Yeah. He knew but he felt sorrowful.

So he chose money but he felt bad. And that's what so many people do. And it's just like, it just shows you that that voice, the Holy Spirit is telling you, He's telling you to leave that and do the right thing but you go the other way. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. Wow.

Yeah. That's beautiful. And that kind of reminds me of like, just to anyone who is watching and listening right now, God is speaking and speaking and speaking all the time. The seed is always good and he's always planting and it's a tender heart that is a good soil. It's a tender heart that receives the Word of God. So if God is always speaking, He's always speaking in seed form, and that seed is meant to produce fruit. It's intended to produce fruit, long-lasting fruit. That's a hundred times more than what He even planted in the first place. And if there's something that's always trying to choke out the seed that God plants, the harvest that should be coming,

God's Word never comes back void. Everything He ever speaks, every seed that He plants will produce something. So whatever, if you're not producing fruit, if you're not producing harvest, if nothing is changing in your heart or in your life, I want you to look at whatever it is because there's got to be something that's choking out the seed. And it could be people, things, activities, idols, addictions, sin. What is it for you that every time God speaks something and he wants to do something and he wants to change something, you have this thing that just comes and steals it

and chokes it out, because they're growing at the same time right next to each other. Yeah. You know? Yeah, and yeah, I think he's always planting seeds. He always is. When I look back on my life,

he was always planting seeds and trying to nudge at me. But you have to be open. He says knock and, what does he say? Knock and you will, the door will be open. Knock and the door will be open, but you have to be, he's says knock and what does he say? Knock and you will... The door will be open. But you have to be... He's not going to force something on you that you're not willing to receive. Totally. That's why sometimes He is the storm in our lives because it's the only way to shake us up, to get us to the point to where we're alone with our pain. And we say, we realize who...

and we say, we realize who, what matters, which is Him. Yeah. Stop letting anything choke out what God is trying to do in your life. It's totally normal to be going through something, to be in a little bit of bondage, whether it's a breakup or you have to mourn over a career like Angela and I did. Yeah, totally. And all you have to do is just open your heart up more in intimacy, because when you see Jesus, when you see Him, when you understand His love,

when you comprehend how He is our Savior and how much His love, you can't help but want to just live for Him. You can't help but want to change your ways. And the more you go into intimate relationship with Him, the more you want to say, I don't want that bondage anymore. And you slowly but surely, as you go on your journey, you let it go. And that's a process. And I just want everyone to give themselves grace

that are bound to something right now, that it's hard when your heart is sick. It really is. It is, isn't it? Of course. I love that you say that, and I love that. Think of a time recently when you didn't feel like you could be your full self, like

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Help. Visit betterhelp.com slash girls gone Bible today to get 10% off of your first month. That's betterhelp, H-E-L-P dot com slash girls gone Bible. Thank you, Better Help, for sponsoring this video. There's like two sides of it. There's so much grace in it because Jesus knows us, like He knows our shortcomings, He knows our issues. Jesus is fully aware that we are incredibly imperfect people who need Him. That's why we need a Savior. We can't do any of this by ourselves. We cannot change ourselves. We need the Holy Spirit who gives us power, and that power is what brings transformation, and the Holy Spirit who gives us power. And that power is what brings transformation.

And the Holy Spirit gives us maturity. And that maturity helps us on the other side of what I'm saying is, like, choice. You have a choice in everything. You know what I mean? And like, we all, from the very beginning of time, God has wanted to partner with us. He loves to co-labor with us.

That's why he uses people to do everything. wanted to partner with us. He loves to co-labor with us. That's why he uses people to do everything. God does not need us. He does not need... One of my favorite scriptures, I discovered it the other day, is like, even the rocks will cry out for Jesus. So saying that, like, if we don't, the rocks will do it. Like, that's how much we're really not needed. But he loves us, and he's so relational that he chooses to use us to bring a broken and redeemed world, to bring them in a place doing things that is clearly only by the grace of God

and only he could get the glory. Like us, for example, like two people who have no business doing what we're doing. That's what he does. And so he wants to partner with us in everything. But we have a part to play in that. You know what I mean? We have a part to look at our soil. If you're not producing harvest, you've got to check the ground. You know what I mean? We have so much, you've got to check the condition of your heart. You've got to discern and see and look and what

is it and what's in my life and what do I need to get rid of and what do I need to change? Yeah. And my favorite, I'm sorry to bring it up again, but my favorite part in all of this is what I saw in Ari's life, the humility of her heart. That is why everything has happened in your life the way it has. I have, you know, kind of discipled other people and try to help other people. And like, it's great. It'll never be as easy as it was with you. You know what I mean?

Because you were like, I am about it from day one. That soil was humble and it was hungry and it was ready. You know what I mean? And so it's like in humility you receive the word and in James 1 21 it says, so get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts for it has the power to save your souls. Yeah, great. That's such a great scripture.

Isn't that crazy? So good. It's like, even in my life, having to get sober was, I think having to get sober is one of the most humbling things that can ever happen to you. Because it's like, you are legitimately a child who has to relearn how to be in the world, relearn how to function.

It's like so embarrassing. you know what I mean? It's just like the worst. It's like you have failed and now try to restart. It's so humble. So when Jesus met me in that moment, like my heart, there was just no room for arrogance. What could I be arrogant about? I had nothing to boast about.

I had nothing to feel good, you know what I mean? And I even think about the more you know and the more knowledge you have and the more you read the Bible, like we have to even be careful in that, you know what I mean? Because our hearts are so soft and humble and tender because we're so desperate.

And I always have the thought of like, and my prayer is always like, Jesus, don't ever let me know so much that I feel like I don't need you. Oh, like you don't, yeah. Like, you know so much, you don't need to go to the Bible. Yeah, or I don't need to,

like I have so much head knowledge, I don't need to ask for your voice. Yeah. You know? Yeah, I think one of the things that can really separate us from God is a heart and heart. And a heart and heart can come from many things. A heart and heart can come from many things. A heart and heart can

come from the loss of a child. And you have watched your child just go through the most excruciating thing. And how can God do this to a child? How can God put me through this? How can when I've been praying for so long, He just takes that person that I loved, whether it's a child, for so long, he just takes that person that I loved, whether it's a child or whatever, a loved one. You go through a massive heartbreak and your heart is automatically sick. Totally. And when it's sick, it shuts off.

When it's sick, you can't receive the word. When it's sick, you can't function properly. Same with addiction, you know? It's the same thing. We get hardened hearts when we go through massive things in our lives, and it's really hard to understand and to receive. And so, really just checking the heart posture of yourself, ego, pride, all of these things keeps

you, it separates you from God, it separates you from the Word, it separates you from really fully having the fruits of the Spirit and the Word. And so that's been a big thing in my journey. And so that's been a big thing in my journey. My heart was so hardened. I couldn't receive. I wanted to believe, but I kept questioning. I wanted to receive, but I was so sick. And even though I was like a little girl with you and I still, like you saw how much I still suffered.

We would read it and I'd be like, okay, okay. And then I'd go in my room and my thoughts, my thoughts. One of the things that has been so great for me is finding a scripture and like, declaring that word, memorizing Psalms. And every time those thoughts, the thing is with the thoughts is that what I keep saying to myself, because this is the truth,

is that I don't want to come into agreement with the enemy. The enemy is real and he is after us. Anyone who goes through pain, anyone who has the fruit, anyone who has God in their hearts, you better believe. And this isn't to scare you, but we are in battle. We are so we are all when I was praying before before we went on the show, I almost saw like all of us with like these with armor on in our, what's it called? Sword? In our swords because we have to be in battle and we cannot let the enemy win. And so really memorizing Psalms and declaring it, no, no, no, I'm not gonna come into agreement

with this thought. The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Saying these things releases a power, and it makes the enemy lose power. So just understanding that we are bigger than these thoughts, and don't even allow yourself to come in agreement with them. Because when we come into agreement with them and we start to believe them, we get stuck. And then we can't fully receive the love and the Word of God. Amen. I love what you say about memorizing and speaking Scripture over yourself. That's what we've done from the beginning.

The voice of God is Scripture. If you value the voice of God, you must value Scripture. People, I've said it before, I'll say it again, when people are constantly like, I can't hear God, I can't hear God, I'm like, well here he is. Exactly. Don't, like, people try, I've seen it so much where people are so desperate to hear God

and receive revelation and receive all this and it's like, it's right here. It's in his word. You don't have to try that hard. I know. And like, let's really quickly get to the last. So there's four soils, as we know. There's the footpath, there's the rocky soil, there's the thorns,

and now there is the good soil. 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. Honest, good-hearted people who hear God's word, they cling to it, and they patiently produce a huge harvest. These are people that pursue and follow Jesus, no matter the cost, and they wait and they endure. It's all about the purity of your heart. It is like, yes, outside purity and the things we do is so important, but I think what Ari and I focus on so much is the purity of our hearts,

and nobody's perfect. Nobody gets it right all the time. We will always have impurities that creep in and make like we are human. But like. I love that you say that. Right, like a consistent prayer for us is just like, okay, purify us again, all right, keep going. Oh, I don't like what just came up.

I know that that is hindering my ability to receive what you're speaking over me. Yeah. And so just a pure heart that has the ability to receive the word and you hang on to it with all your life, regardless of your unbelief, a lack of faith, a distrust in God,

unbelief, even unbelief in his word. You read something Jonah gets swallowed by the whale, that's crazy, I don't understand, you know what I mean? But this is the word of God that transcends my human understanding. So I'm going to cling onto it and I'm going to believe it no matter what my natural mind understands. I'm going to let my spirit cling onto this and let it take root in my heart and let it do what it's supposed to do. And I promise you, eventually that unbelief begins to quiet a little bit.

It does. And that happened with the tax collectors. The tax collectors had hardened hearts, they weren't pure. They spent three years with Jesus and they were transformed. Their lives were changed and cling to it and act on it. Yes, love. Yeah, right? Yeah. I'm like this.

Sorry. What, you don't like my whiskers on the side of your face? If I'm, if I, if I look crazy this whole time. Sorry. What? You don't like my whiskers on the side of my face? If I'm... If I... If I look crazy this whole time... I can't look... You're gonna think that. Okay, one minute. There's always something with the... There's always something with the hair. Cling to it and act on it. Act on the Word.

I can assure you when you start following what Jesus says, how to love others like you love yourself, when you start practicing these things that He tells you to do, which is just being good in the heart, helping others, loving others, being gentle, being patient, being kind, even though we're not perfect and we're always going to fall short when you start following the commandments, living in purity and holiness, even when it's hard fighting temptation, you will see your life transform. You will live in a peace that surpasses all understanding even through the worst of the worst storms. What does the scripture say? We cannot live on bread but but we do not live by bread alone,

but every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. That's the truth, guys. Freedom is in the word of God. Freedom is not only reading it, but actually following it. So good. You guys, this fall, as you get back into the swing of things, your bank account might be feeling a little light. Whether you're still trying to financially recover from summer trips or incurring extra back to school costs, you're looking for any way to get cash back fast. Thankfully, there's Upside. The Upside app gives you opportunities to earn before filling up your tank, going out

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Verse 16 says, no one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all." So the point is throughout us, Jesus plants seeds. He speaks to us in seed form as we said. He plants seeds in our hearts all the time. We also, as children of God, followers of Jesus, evangelists, people, a part of the Great Commission, and spreading the good news of the gospel, our job is also to plant seeds. We will not always plant the seeds on the best soil. I know I have tried many times that failed, and sometimes it succeeds,

and a lot of the time it fails. But we cannot get discouraged ever. I don't care how many hardened hearts that you guys encounter and you feel so discouraged at time and time again, you just feel embarrassed because you're trying to spread the gospel and nobody ever receives it. And is it my fault and I'm just not good at it? That is not the truth. You plant that seed and you do not get discouraged. Do not put a bowl over your light. The light that is Jesus inside of you must shine through no matter the cost, no matter the reception of it, whether it's being received or not. And then it just says, so pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching,

more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken from them. Listening also means applying. You have to just not be a listener of the word, a hearer of the word, but a doer of the word. Faith comes by hearing and by hearing the word of God.

You have to bring application of the word and implement it into every part of your life. And the more you apply the word of God to your life, the stronger you become. It's like working a muscle. Faith is a muscle. The more you work it, the more time you spend, the more you learn, and the more you apply it.

And if you're not getting stronger, you're just getting weaker. That's what you have to understand. It is a 24-7 active pursuit of Jesus' holiness and His word that we are doing 24 hours a day. So true. I think the last thing I would say is just be teachable. Be humble.

Understand that none of us know it all, even the greatest theologians of all time. There are innumerable layers to the revelation of Jesus. It does not, you never get to a point of knowing Jesus that you've finished it. Like I think maybe when we get to heaven, I don't know if there's more layers there, but that would be the only time. Here on earth, you never know it all. And so no matter how much you think you know or whatever else, like be teachable, be hungry, be open, and just be a sponge and let it come through

and believe every word that he speaks in this book because it's all truth. That's it. What is the Psalm? It says, in a Psalmsalm it says like, the Lord is my shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. It says like, your word Lord from beginning to end is truth. You know what I mean? It's truth. It's truth. We love you guys. We are for you. We're with you. We pray for you.

We pray for your maturity in the Word. We pray for your maturity in your faith. We pray for your hearts. We pray for everything that you go through and that you would let the active and alive Word of God renew your mind and transform your life. It's the only answer. Jesus is the only answer. He is just the answer. Yeah. So we love you guys so much.

Thank you for listening and being our brothers and sisters. We love you guys so much. Without you guys, Lord knows where we'd be. We love you. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May he make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May he turn his face towards you and give you peace. We love you. We love you. you