Category: Receptivity

Your Heart Condition

“As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.” Luke 8:15 ESV 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. Be willing to 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. “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1 ESV). Take the initiative to purify your body, the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Keep your heart honest 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. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

Tags Devo

God's Word Heart Receptivity

Be Receptive

“’As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.’” Matthew 13:23 (ESV) Have you noticed how you can read the Bible during a given season that you are in and then read the same passage of Scripture at another season of life and get something radically different from the very same passage? It has so much to do with your level of receptivity. I have noticed in my own life that when I am going through a season of brokenness, God’s Word captures my heart at a different level. When I am longing for God’s comfort, the Book of Psalms comes alive for me. When I am in need of direction and insight for a decision I need to make, Proverbs just delivers with clarity. If I am simply wanting to become more like Christ in how I treat others, reading the Gospels develops in me a new perspective on viewing others through the eyes of Christ. The condition of your heart directly affects the level of revelation that takes root in your life. When your heart resembles the hard path, the thorny ground, or the rocky ground, your level of receptivity to God’s Word diminishes exponentially. Here’s the good news: your heart can resemble good soil. Your heart can be tender and receptive to God’s Word and yield a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. Your intake of God’s Word can be beneficial, productive, and life changing if the condition of your heart is right. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Obedience Parable Receptivity

The Heart God Blesses

“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. 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. Take the initiative to purify your body, the temple of the Holy Spirit. Keep yourself from being polluted by the world. Prepare the soil of your heart to receive the seed of God’s Word. 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. Move from being a hearer of the Word to being a doer of the Word. Put God’s Word into action through instant obedience. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Hearing Parable Receptivity

Levels of Receptivity

“’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 ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.’” Luke 8:5-8 (NIV) Have you noticed how you can read the Bible during a given season that you are in and then read the same passage of Scripture at another season of life and get something radically different from the very same passage? It has so much to do with your level of receptivity. I have noticed in my own life that when I am going through a season of brokenness, God’s Word captures my heart at a different level. If I am seeking to become more like Christ in how I treat others, reading the Gospels develops in me a new perspective on viewing others through the eyes of Christ. The condition of your heart directly affects the level of revelation that takes root in your life. When your heart resembles the hard path, the thorny ground, or the rocky ground, your level of receptivity to God’s Word diminishes exponentially. The wonderful news is that your heart can resemble good soil. Your heart can be tender and receptive to God’s Word and yield a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. Your intake of God’s Word can be beneficial, productive, and life changing if the condition of your heart is right. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Obedience Parable Receptivity

The Heart God Blesses

Hearing Parable Receptivity

Levels of Receptivity

God's Word Heart Receptivity

Be Receptive

“’But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.’” Matt 13:23 (NIV) Have you noticed how you can read the Bible during a given season that you are in and then read the same passage of Scripture at another season of life and get something radically different from the very same passage? It has so much to do with your level of receptivity. I have noticed in my own life that when I am going through a season of brokenness, God’s Word captures my heart at a different level. When I am longing for God’s comfort, the Book of Psalms comes alive for me. When I am in need of direction and insight for a decision I need to make, Proverbs just delivers with clarity. If I am simply wanting to become more like Christ in how I treat others, reading the Gospels develops in me a new perspective on viewing others through the eyes of Christ. The condition of your heart directly affects the level of revelation that takes root in your life. When your heart resembles the hard path, the thorny ground, or the rocky ground, your level of receptivity to God’s Word diminishes exponentially. Here’s the good news: your heart can resemble good soil. Your heart can be tender and receptive to God’s Word and yield a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. Your intake of God’s Word can be beneficial, productive, and life changing if the condition of your heart is right. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Bible Conceal Corporate Worship Receptivity Worship

Bringing Your Worship: God’s Word

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date August 12, 2009
115 Comments on Bringing Your Worship: God’s Word

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” Col 3:16 (NIV) Is God’s Word at home in your heart? Your intake of God’s Word will determine your level of living on mission with God. The primary tool of revelation that God uses for His children is the Bible. God reveals Himself through His Word. You can read the Bible. You can listen to the Bible. You can sit under the preaching and teaching of God’s Word. “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” Romans 10:14-15 (NIV) “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15 (NIV) Your worship includes the intentional intake of God’s Word. God has appointed and anointed pastors and teachers to communicate His Word in a creative and compelling way. Are you currently sitting under that kind of preaching and teaching? God speaks through human instrumentality. Do you consistently receive a Word from God through the preaching and teaching that you are exposing yourself to? There are many options out there. Make certain that you are connected to a Bible centered and Christ honoring local fellowship of believers led by a God fearing pastor. Don’t compromise on this one. Be sure to find anointed Bible teachers to help you grow in your understanding and application of God’s Word. Make room in your heart for God’s Word! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor (This devotional was originally posted in ’07 or ’08. I’m taking a break from writing for a season of personal renewal.) Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Obedience Perseverance Receptivity

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

Receptivity Sin Word of God Worship

Bringing Your Worship (6)

The condition of your heart before God affects your private and public worship. If you want to have a high level of receptivity to God’s Word, your heart must be right before God. Sin will harden your heart towards God. Sin will hinder your capacity to hear from God. “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) “The Lord says: ‘These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.’” Isaiah 29:13 (NIV) Keep your heart clean before God. Stay tender. Be teachable. Maintain purity in your thought life. Consistently confess known sin and live a life of moral purity. Surrender daily to the Lordship of Christ and do not give the devil a foothold in your life. At all costs, do not grieve or quench the Holy Spirit. Ask God to enable you to demonstrate a life of character and integrity. Crucify the flesh. Make no provision for the flesh. Keep your life in check. Weed the flowerbed of your life. Sounds like a commitment to perpetual care doesn’t it? Sin will create an immense deficit in bringing your worship to God. In fact, sin can easily become your worship. Guard your heart! Consecrate yourself before God and allow the light of His holiness to identify areas of your life that need to be surrendered. Bring your worship of God to God with a heart of purity! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

God's Word Hearing Listening to God Receptivity Worship

Bringing Your Worship (5)

“‘But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.’” Matt 13:23 (NIV) There are levels of receptivity. Have you noticed how you can read the Bible during a given season that you are in and then read the same passage of Scripture at another season of life and get something radically different from the very same passage? It has so much to do with your level of receptivity. I have noticed in my own life that when I am going through a season of brokenness, God’s Word captures my heart at a different level. When I am longing for God’s comfort, the Book of Psalms comes alive for me. When I am in need of direction and insight for a decision I need to make, Proverbs just delivers with clarity. If I am simply wanting to become more like Christ in how I treat others, reading the Gospels develops in me a new perspective on viewing others through the eyes of Christ. The condition of your heart directly affects the level of revelation that takes root in your life. When your heart resembles the hard path, the thorny ground, or the rocky ground, your level of receptivity to God’s Word diminishes exponentially. Here’s the good news: your heart can resemble good soil. Your heart can be tender and receptive to God’s Word and yield a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. Your intake of God’s Word can be beneficial, productive, and life changing if the condition of your heart is right. Let’s explore this some more… Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor