A Noble Heart

“‘But 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.'” Luke 8:15 (NIV)

How well do you receive God’s Word? Your level of receptivity is a direct reflection of the condition of your heart. Your heart is the soil upon which the seed, God’s Word, is sown. As you hear, read, and feed on God’s Word, the seed is sown in your heart. If you have a noble and good heart, then the seed will take root in your life and produce a harvest.

It starts with your heart. Ask God to search your heart (Ps. 139:23). The light of His holiness will reveal the true condition of your heart. Does your heart resemble the hard path, or the rocky ground, or the thorn infused ground? You can become calloused toward the things of God. You can become distracted by the magnetic pull of worldliness and materialism. It is possible to choke out the Word of God by the worries of this life.

Purify your heart before the Lord. Remove the impurities that constrict the flow of the Holy Spirit in your life (Eph. 4:30). Take the initiative to purify your body, the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19).

• “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” 2 Cor 7:1 (NIV)
• “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8 (NIV)

Keep your heart noble and good. Consistently intake God’s Word through hearing, reading, and feeding on God’s Word each day. Your level of receptivity will be evidenced through the level of productivity in the harvest.

Pursuing God,

Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor