What Kind Of Soil Do You Have?

In Matthew 13 1-8, Jesus talks about the three types of soil that the seeds that the sower sowed. (say that three times fast). Some fell on a hard path some on rocky soil and some of good soil. Jesus went on in verses 18-23 to describe and explain this parable. We are the soil. He is the sower and what we do with his words and teachings describes our human condition. Some of us are a hard path where nothing can grow, some have rocky soil that we hear but do not listen, and very few hear and apply His teachings to our lives. It is possible to have all three types of soil at different times in our lives. I have been one who has had a hard soil in which His message did not register. I also have had rocky soil in which went in one ear and later out the other, and every once in a while I have good soil in which I can apply to my life. We all need to strive to have good soil. Slow down, learn His teachings, and become good a fertile soil that will blossom and grow in His grace and love. May you hear the words and live the words!!!!!

Grace and Peace

Pastor Steve

Are You Getting The Most Out Of Your Relationship With God?

I have spent many days just going through the motions when it comes with my relationship with Jesus. I would shortchange my congregation by not spending enough time in my own preparation for Sunday morning then give a sub-par message that did not offer much hope or encouragement to them. Isn’t that my calling? Isn’t my calling to encourage all that will listen how important it is to have a relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus? How can I be encouraging when I myself am the one lacking in a proper relationship with Christ. Why is it I don’t lean on Him and His Holy Spirit as the driving force in my life. I have found that too often I am selfish with my time and my gifts. It was not until recently that I myself decided to spend more time in prayer. I would always encourage and tell my congregation to spend more time in study and prayer but I myself would not do it. It was more of “do as I say, don’t do as I do.” How wrong is that. I tell my little congregation too often that if we do not grow we are going to die as a congregation but really I need to be saying if we put first the things we need to put first including prayer, study and the sharing of God’s love we will grow. We will first grow ourselves and our faith that will in turn reflect back in the people we interact with. There is a scripture I have read time and time again but never really lived it. I am a Pastor. I should have already done this. Matthew 7: 1-5 says this…¹ “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. ³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

I as a pastor should practice what the scripture teaches. I have failed in so many ways to do this. I am currently involved in a bible study called  “That’s What The Man Said” based on a book by Maxie Dunham. I was asked the question by our leader, “Locate in your memory an experience in your life when you took the easy way rather than the hard way, and it led to disaster. “ That hit too close to home just to pick one. Why not just put up my whole life story? I seem to take the easy way out as much as possible even in my relationship with Christ. I do not give him my best. Just enough to get by. I sometimes do this in my marriage and my role as a father.

Can anybody relate with me? 

I am resolving to really give Him my best in my life. This will not be easy and it will take every ounce of my being but I find the need at this point in my life to get off the fencepost and really give Him my all!

How do you feel? 

Will you join me?