{"id":11371,"date":"2020-09-09T20:00:17","date_gmt":"2020-09-10T03:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/luke_7_36-50-copy\/"},"modified":"2020-09-06T17:57:50","modified_gmt":"2020-09-07T00:57:50","slug":"luke_8_1-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/luke_8_1-15\/","title":{"rendered":"Jesus and Women ( 4 Heart Conditions)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Luke 8:1-15\u00a0Click here for Bible Verses<\/a><\/p>\n

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Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

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Today\u2019s passage is Luke 8:1-15.\u00a0 Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

Luke 8:1-3 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n1\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0After 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,
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out;
\n3\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Joanna 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.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 1-3:\u00a0 In addition to Jesus\u2019 12 disciples, here in verses 2-3 we get our first look at the women who walked alongside Jesus as he ministered from town to town.\u00a0 These women came from various backgrounds \u2013 Mary Magdalene came from a broken past; Joanna was a high ranking administrator who managed King Herod\u2019s household.\u00a0 However, one thing they all had in common was that they all were impacted by Jesus\u2019 ministry in some way: some had been battling demons which Jesus delivered them from; others had diseases which Jesus healed.\u00a0 What touches me in verse 3 is that many women supported Jesus\u2019 ministry out of their own means.<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?<\/p>\n

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  1. Women are greatly valued in God\u2019s kingdom.\u00a0 Women have as much of a place in Jesus\u2019 kingdom as men.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    It takes generous, big-hearted people to power a ministry.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Maybe your gift is not in public speaking, singing, or taking care of people, but God has blessed you with wealth or the ability to make money.\u00a0 If that\u2019s you, then you have such a crucial role to play in the kingdom of God. \u00a0The wealth God gives you is a talent in your hand that God has placed there for His greater purposes.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Use the talents God has given you to make a life-changing difference in the lives of others.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    <\/div>\n
    Luke 8:4-11 (NIV)<\/strong>
    \n4\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable:
    \n5\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“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.
    \n6\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.
    \n7\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.
    \n8\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Still 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.”
    \n9\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0His disciples asked him what this parable meant.
    \n10\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0He 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.’
    \n11\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.<\/em><\/div>\n

    On verses 4-11:\u00a0 Notice what happens in this parable:\u00a0 A farmer plants the same kind of seed in 4 different types of soil and gets 4 different results.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>The seed represents the Word of God.\u00a0 The 4 different types of soil represent 4 heart conditions that we will discuss below.\u00a0What can we learn from this?\u00a0The condition of your heart will in many ways determine how much you grow in your relationship with God.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Luke 8:12 (NIV)<\/strong>
    \n12\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Those 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.
    \n<\/em>
    \nOn verse 12:\u00a0 First there is the cold, prideful heart, represented by the hard path.\u00a0\u00a0How do I know if I have a cold, prideful heart?<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0One clue is I\u2019m quick to reject God and other people\u2019s advice.\u00a0 I\u2019m stubbornly set on doing things my way regardless of what God or others think.\u00a0 I\u2019m quick to criticize and slow to apologize.\u00a0 What is the result of having a cold, prideful heart?\u00a0 Those with a cold, prideful heart don\u2019t experience much of God at all.<\/p>\n

    Luke 8:13 (NIV)<\/strong>
    \n13\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Those 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.<\/em><\/p>\n

    On verse 13:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Second there is the shallow, superficial heart, represented by the rock.\u00a0 How do I know if I have a shallow, superficial heart?<\/strong>\u00a0 One clue is that I tend to follow my feelings so much that I never end up developing the habits and disciplines necessary to grow spiritually. \u00a0\u00a0Another clue is that I give up easily when it comes to spiritual things.\u00a0 What is the result of having a shallow, superficial heart?\u00a0 Those with a shallow, superficial heart don\u2019t last.<\/p>\n

    Luke 8:14 (NIV)<\/strong>
    \n14\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The 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.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

    On verse 14:\u00a0 Third there is the distracted, worried heart, represented by the thorns.\u00a0 How do I know if I have a distracted, worried heart?<\/strong>\u00a0 You\u2019re weighed down by the concerns of life and yet you\u2019re slow to come to God for help with those concerns.\u00a0 Your relationship with God is often squeezed out by other interests and commitments which you think are equally important.\u00a0 What is the result of having a distracted, worried heart?\u00a0 In addition to lacking peace, those with a distracted, worried heart don\u2019t grow.<\/p>\n

    Luke 8:15 (NIV)<\/strong>
    \n15\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0But 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.<\/em><\/p>\n

    On verse 15:\u00a0\u00a0Fourth, there is the hungry, humble heart, represented by the good soil.\u00a0\u00a0How do I know if that\u2019s me?<\/strong>\u00a0You have a healthy spiritual hunger and humility that cause you to see your need for God.\u00a0 In addition to being aware of your need for God, you are also acutely aware of your weaknesses and confess them to God openly.\u00a0 Out of spiritual hunger and humility you go out of your way to seek after God.\u00a0 You develop the habits necessary to keep your relationship with God going, even in the tough times.\u00a0 What is the result of having a healthy, hungry heart?\u00a0 Those with a hungry, humble heart bear great fruit in their\u00a0relationship with God, \u201ca hundred times more than was sown\u201d (v8). Which type of soil are you?\u00a0 Here is some good news:\u00a0\u00a0to a great extent<\/strong>\u00a0you get to choose what kind of heart you will have toward God<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0Every day choose to come to Jesus with a hungry, humble heart.\u00a0 If you do, nothing will stop you from growing in your relationship with God.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the times when my heart toward You has been cold and prideful, shallow and superficial, or distracted and worried.\u00a0 Since the attitude of my heart is in many ways my choice, I choose today to come to You with a hungry, humble heart.\u00a0 Thank You that when I do this consistently, You will cause me to grow in my relationship with You.\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

    Today\u2019s passage is Luke 8:1-15.\u00a0 Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

    Luke 8:1-3 (NIV)\u00a0
    \n1\u00a0\u00a0After 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,\u00a0
    \n2\u00a0\u00a0and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out;\u00a0
    \n3\u00a0\u00a0Joanna 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.
    \n\u00a0
    \nOn verses 1-3:\u00a0 In addition to Jesus\u2019 12 disciples, here in verses 2-3 we get our first look at the women who walked alongside Jesus as he ministered from town to town.\u00a0 These women came from various backgrounds \u2013 Mary Magdalene came from a broken past; Joanna was a high ranking administrator who managed King Herod\u2019s household.\u00a0 However, one thing they all had in common was that they all were impacted by Jesus\u2019 ministry in some way: some had been battling demons which Jesus delivered them from; others had diseases which Jesus healed.\u00a0 What touches me in verse 3 is that many women supported Jesus\u2019 ministry out of their own means.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11373,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11371","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11371"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11371\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11372,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11371\/revisions\/11372"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11371"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11371"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11371"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}