4 – IT’S LIKE THIS…A STORY THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore. 2 He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. 4 As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. 5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” 9 Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” Mark‬ 4‬:1‬-9‬ (NLT)

AS I LISTEN TO JESUS’ STORIES I MUST REMEMBER…

Jesus came to give me a __________ ________!

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John‬ 10‬:10‬ (NIV)

Jesus’s ability to bless my life is based on ____ __________.

“According to your faith let it be done to you…” Matthew 9:29 (NIV)

Our faith is what wins the victory over the world. 1 John‬ 5‬:4‬b (GW)

My faith in Jesus comes from ______________ THE ________.

So faith comes from hearing the Good News, and people hear the Good News when someone tells them about Christ. Romans‬ 10‬:17‬ (NCV)

Being _______ of _____________ is due to my _______ __________.

They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
Ephesians‬ 4‬:18‬ (NIV)

The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ Matthew 13:10-15 (NIV)
IF I WANT TO SEE, HEAR, UNDERSTAND & BE HEALED…

I must ______________ myself & ______ questions of my heart:

Keep examining yourselves to see whether you are continuing in the faith. Test yourselves…
2 Corinthians 13:5 (ISV)
Do I have a ________ Heart?

The hard pathway, where some of the seed fell, represents the hard hearts of some of those who hear God’s message; Satan comes at once to try to make them forget it. Mark 4:15 (TLB)

Do I have a ______________ Heart?

The rocky soil represents the hearts of those who hear the message with joy, 17 but, like young plants in such soil, their roots don’t go very deep, and though at first they get along fine, as soon as persecution begins, they wilt. Mark 4:16-17 (TLB)

Do I have a ______________ Heart?

“The thorny ground represents the hearts of people who listen to the Good News and receive it, 19 but all too quickly the attractions of this world and the delights of wealth, and the search for success and lure of nice things come in and crowd out God’s message from their hearts, so that no crop is produced. Mark 4:18-19 (TLB)

Do I have a ______________________ Heart?

Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.” Mark 4:20 (NIV)

I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live! Ezekiel‬ 11‬:19‬-20‬, 18:31-32 (NIV)

I must ____________ myself & ____________…

Help from ______.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV)

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalm‬ 139‬:23‬-24‬ (NLT)

Help from __________ ____________.

Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. 2 Timothy‬ 2‬:22‬ (NLT)

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Hebrews‬ 3‬:12‬-13‬ (NIV)

Jesus’ words with ________________ __________________.

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:21-22 (NIV)