Pastor Wayne Cordeiro
January 5, 2003 - W0301

Peopleís hearts change for different reasons. The reasons we best remember include setbacks, reprimands, or even pain. However, I think the most special kind of change of heart comes when we respond to what God is saying to us. Itís when His Word comes into our heart and we gain a new understanding that weíre then able to invite the Lord to change our hearts.

ìI will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their hearts of stone and give them tender hearts instead, so they will obey My laws and regulations. Then they will truly be My people, and I will be their God.î (Ez. 11:19-20 NLT)

Godís promises to give us tender hearts for Him. Why? Because God wants us to have whole hearts. A friend of mine asked me why itís so important to have whole hearts. ìWell,î I answered, ìGod wonít let anyone with even a fraction of a bad heart into heaven. If we just have the right behavior (like the Pharisees) but our hearts are bad, then when we get into heaven there will be another mutiny. Thatís what happened with Satan. So God wants people with whole hearts completely for Him.î His goal for our life is to have a perfect or receptive heart that wonít require setbacks or consequences for us to finally change. Instead, itís a heart tuned in to God. 

Q1: How is your heart right now? Is it changing? If so, whatís the cause of the changeósetback, reprimand, pain or Godís direction. Explain.

Q2: What is God speaking into your life right now through your daily devotions?

In the Bible, Jesus tells a parable about the four soils. He identifies four stages or conditions our hearts may be in. And though each type of soil starts in the same condition, they change for different reasons. Itís the last example, however, where Jesus shows us a model of how God wants our hearts to be.

STAGES OF THE HEART:

In the parable of the four types of soil, the first soil Jesus tells us about is hard path. The reason it became hard was because of constant use, many people walking on it. So whenever seed was sown there, it wouldnít settle in but sit on top and the birds of the air would eat it. It wasnít very fruitful. Even though the ground had the potential to be fertile (had it been plowed), it just hardened.

Like that hardened path, our hearts have a tendency to be like that too. But we can safeguard our hearts if we remember to:

1.      PRACTICE GRATEFULNESS IN ALL THINGS.

ìAnd in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ëYou will keep on hearing, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTANDÖfor the heart of this people has become dullÖíî (Mt. 13:14-15)

ìThe seed that fell on the hard path represents those who hear the Good News about the Kingdom and donít understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches the seed away from their hearts.î (Mt 13:19 NLT)

When we start to take Godís grace for granted, where even His Word becomes commonplace, then our hearts begin to harden. We may go to church each week and read the Bible daily, but all of it seems dull.

However, we can remedy that by never losing a heart of gratefulness. We must not let the things of God become commonplace because when our hearts are dulled we cannot comprehend or understand Godís truths. Not only that, when you have a dull heart, it requires more than Godís Word to get through to us. Often we will have to go through pain, setbacks, and consequences before a change takes place. Hence, the most beautiful thing to heaven is a heart that is changed when God speaks. Itís a heart that responds with a grateful heart. And being grateful is not just a polite posture or customary ìthank youî; itís really a safeguard for our hearts.

When things become commonóhearing Godís Word, changing and being gratefulóthen the devil strikes and takes away what God planned for our lives.

Q3: What is your response when God asks you to change? Is it gratefulness or something else?

When I was in high school in Oregon, there was a man who taught me how to trap. We used these huge bear traps to trap mountain lions or cougars. While setting the traps, my friend instructed me not to set them just off the path. The reason for that was that whenever the cougar walks off the path, they step gingerly and are very cautious because itís untested soil. Therefore set traps on the most common pathway they walk on. After a while they donít look where they are going because itís become common. Thatís when they get caught.

Likewise, the enemy is watching and waiting for you to lose your gratefulness. You take things for granted long enough and the devil sets his trap and youíre caught. Gratefulness is a safeguard. Thereís always something to be grateful for. So practice gratefulness in all things. Everyday find three things youíre grateful for, it will begin to teach you as you practice a heart of gratefulness.

Q4: What are 3 things you are grateful for today? Share with your group.

The second soil that God speaks to us about is called shallow or rocky soil. Back in the time of the Old Testament, as a farmer plowed he would sometimes hit shale underpinnings in the soil and thatís as far as the plow could go. Usually about five inches deep. So when the seed was sown on shallow soil, the sun would bake the shale underneath. Then when it was watered, though it germinated quickly, there would be no root system.

God compels us to discover a truth from the illustration of the shallow soil: We must learn to yield to His plow so that we may develop strong and deep roots. Then when you see temptation crop up, that network of solid roots will keep you straight. It will be strong, deep, stubborn, and powerful roots that will stabilize growth. Thatís why Paul says in Ephesians, ìI pray that you will be rooted and grounded in Christ.î And to the Colossians, he said, ìThat you be firmly rooted, built up and established in your faith. And the remnant of Israel will again take root downward and bear fruit upwardî (Is. 37:31).

So we find that gratefulness is a safeguard for our hearts. We also discover that strong roots are required to stabilize growth. So how do we develop roots that go deep? Developing deep roots takes time and you have toÖ

2.      BE WILLING TO SUFFER FOR THE SAKE OF GROWTH.

ìThe one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.î (Mt. 13:20-21)

You must be willing to suffer for the sake of growth. One reason we do not opt for deep roots is because we were just fine with just the surface looking good. Though it looks like there is growth happening, there are really no deep roots. Building strong, deep roots takes time so stick with it!

It is often easier for us to run rather than resolve an issue righteously. Itís easy to change locations rather than change our hearts. Itís even easier for us to change marriage partners rather than change our attitudes. Things that were once fresh become commonplace, stick with it anyway! A quick side note here is to stay with your devotional time this year because you are building roots. Take the time and develop the discipline in the different areas of your life because it will lead to deep roots and God-honoring character.

And donít wait for anyone to pat you on the back. No one will dig around you and say, ìWhat nice roots youíre developing!î If you are developing fine roots nobody will mention it because nobody should see itÖ yet. It will show up as fruitfulness later. And only with deep roots will you have lasting fruit. So it will take time and effort and you have to be willing to suffer for the sake of growth.

My favorite story is of A.B. Campbell. He was a farmer who had an orchard set within other orchards. One year there was a major drought that took place and nobody had water. But while everybody elseís orchards were brown and dying, his was green and thriving. The other farmers came and asked him how he did that. 

He told them that his trees could go another two weeks without water. He then explained that when his trees were younger, he frequently withheld water from them. In turn, it forced the young trees to grow roots down much deeper than they usually would. Therefore during the drought, his trees were drinking from a much deeper source.

Remember that, especially when the winds come and temptations strike. Be willing to let your roots go down deeper and draw from a deeper source because then you will have a source of life thatís a lot deeper than others. That can only happen when you allow the plow of the Holy Spirit to dig deep. It will require some discipline, some staying power but when you do thereís nothing that compares with the luscious fruit of deep, God-honoring character.

Q5: Do you feel you are developing and building deep roots? How has this helped you in your day-to-day challenges?

In His third example, Jesus speaks about sowing seed among thorns. Farmers in His time plowed their fields with oxen who would do so in circles. Because of that, the corners of the field were left untouched by the plow. So weeds grew there. And even though some seed fell among the thorns, the thorns eventually choked out its fruitfulness.

And our hearts are like that sometimes too. There are times when there are thorns in our lives or old habits that we donít want to let go. And weíve not allowed the plow of the Holy Spirit to come and cut those thorns away. So God wants us to be mindful so that we can quickly:

3.      IDENTIFY THORNS & STOP WATERING THEM! INSTEAD, REMOVE THEM!

ìAnd the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.î (Mt. 13:22)

Often we just want God to sow among the thorns. We often say, we want a good marriage but we donít get rid of our anger. Or we want God to bless us but wonít get rid of a contentious spirit. God says, ìGet real!î He understand that those habits are what guide you. Yes, there may be growth but there wonít be any fruit. Why? Because those thorns have a hold on us. It motivates and directs our lives.

Instead, God wants His Word to secure our lives. So identify the thorns and get rid of it. One of the best ways to do that is by reading the Bible each day. In your devotions God will highlight those thorns or habits and you start to get rid of them one at a time. Then watch and see fruitfulness take the place of those thorns.  

Q6: Has God highlighted ìthornsî or bad habits in your life? Have you gotten rid of them? If not, whatís preventing you from doing so?

There will be times when our hearts will lean toward becoming any of the four kinds of soils. God says that we all have the potential to have extremely fertile soil hearts. But the only way to obtain that kind of heart is to:

4.      LET THE PLOW OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TOUCH EVERY CORNER OF YOUR HEART.

ìSearch me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.î (Ps. 139:23-24)

Finally the last example is an illustration about fertile soil. Interestingly, thereís really only one difference between the fertile soil and the others: The fertile soil yields to the plow, allowing it to come through deeply.

Sometimes a little bit of pride can start to harden a part of your life. When God speaks to you about that area, just say, ìLord run the plow of your Holy Spirit right through my heart.î Otherwise, your mind may start to drift or you get a little ungrateful and God will show that to you. Again, just ask God to let the plow of His Holy Spirit run right through that. Then when you respond to what God is saying, you soon discover His truths and they become clear. If you have thorns, ask God to show you to identify them so you can get rid of them and have a fruitful life. If your life is shallow, let God show you how to develop your life with depth. Allow His plow, His Spirit, free reign in the tender soil of your heart. 

Remember that all of the soils started off in the same condition. The first soil hardened because the things of God became commonplace. The second became shallow because it didnít yield deeply to the plow. The third sprouted thorns in its corners because the plow couldnít get to it. And lastly, fertile soil receives only Godís Word and itís enough for a heart change.  

God is readying us for eternity. Let Him run the plow of the Holy Spirit right through the areas that need softening, deepening, or removing thorns. And finally the greatest delight in Heaven is those hearts that change just by His Word. Those are the hearts that bear the greatest amount of fruit. Lord, make our hearts like that this year!

Q7: What most impacted you about todayís lesson & how will you allow it to change you?

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