February 15, 2013: Volume 2, Number 8
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| Greetings! | In this issue of The Cultivator, we continue with Part 2 of 4 in a series based on The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8). Jesus compares various conditions of the human heart to four kinds of soil in a farmer's field. Each type of soil identifies whether our heart is fickle (not adequately cultivated and prepared to receive God's Word), or fertile (ready to receive the Word and bring forth good fruit.)
Today you'll read about what happens when the seed of God's Word sprouts in a second type of soil, Rocky and Rootless.
 We're looking forward to hearing from you about how God moves in the soil of your heart. Let us know what you learn from this series when you send us a quick email.
Keep growing!
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COSTA RICA OUTREACH: AN OVERWHELMING SUCCESS!
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We are home from a wonderful experience with Back 40 participants in Costa Rica! God was very faithful to meet us as we taught both Spanish-speaking and English-speaking workshop groups. Most participants in the English workshops were expatriates from the USA, Canada, Jamaica, the Caribbean ... and even a few native Costa Ricans. All the participants made enormous efforts to attend, some riding two buses or traveling 45-60 minutes daily to be in the classes. Look for pictures and testimonies to come! We are now preparing to travel to the village of La Esperanza in western Guatemala during March to coach and train both current elders and young leaders, using Spiritually Healthy Leaders� materials. In the meantime, will you please continue to pray for God's anointing on the Back 40 as a long-term effort? Thank you for your sacrificial partnership!  |
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 Feature: YOUR HEART : FICKLE OR FERTILE SOIL?
Part 2: Rocky and Rootless | This devotion is part 2 of 4 in a series based on The Parable of the Sower. Just as the Sower sowed good seed, so God uses a variety of ways to plant His seed - biblical truth - in the soil of our hearts. We receive His seed through studying the Bible, hearing a message, holding a conversation with a believer, reading other Christian books and resources, and even through life's circumstances.
Our responsibility is to prepare and cultivate the soil of our hearts so that as we receive God's Word, it can grow in us and produce the best possible yield of spiritual fruit. Each of the four kinds of soil in the field represent a different heart condition, determining whether our heart is fickle (not adequately cultivated and prepared to receive God's Word), or fertile (ready to receive the Word and bring forth good fruit.)
ROCKY AND ROOTLESS
In the Parable of the Sower, four kinds of soil make up the field of our hearts. God's Word, the seed, is planted in all four. But only one type of soil produces a crop. The remaining three soils struggle to bring forth a yield.
The second type of soil is rocky. When the seed is planted there, it sprouts quickly. But these plants have few roots and soon die. Yet the seed is good - we know because it germinates.
 What keeps roots from delving deep into the ground so plants can receive the nutrients needed to help them become strong and yield fruit? Rocks in the soil.
Seeds germinate quickly in a rocky field even though the soil is shallow. But rocks prevent roots from growing deep, so plants cannot flourish nor bear fruit. Without strong roots, plants soon wither. They cannot withstand adverse conditions.
Rocks are Hard Places in Your Heart
The person whose heart is like rocky soil is someone who receives God's Word joyfully and lets it spring up. But roots of the Word cannot grow deep because rocks interfere. They are those hard places in our hearts that we keep away from the touch of God: conflict, troubles, pride, unforgiveness, apathy, complacency, ignorance, attitude, idolatry, confusion, worry, addiction, self-righteousness, priorities ...
If we don't prepare for adversity by dealing with the hard places in our heart, then we won't have the spiritual depth and maturity to overcome and continue growing. We will wither away spiritually.
If you're struggling to see fruit in your life, be assured the problem is not the seed. Perhaps you are avoiding God's nudge to deal with the hard places in your heart.
Removing the Rocks
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Image: Dave Kitchner
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Part of the process of preparing our hearts to receive God's Word is to remove rocks. If not dealt with, those hard places can crowd out the roots of God's truth.
Farmers in areas with frosty, hard winters understand a powerful truth: cold causes rocks to heave to the soil's surface. Frigid conditions and upheaval make rocks visible. Farmers must pull them out of the soil in order to prepare their field with best planting conditions.
God often uses cold, difficult seasons in our lives to reveal the hardened parts of our hearts. As those areas come to the surface, don't ignore them. Instead, pull them out. It may be difficult. The process may take some time and you may even need to ask for help, particularly if the rocks in your heart are especially heavy.
Yet rocks in our hearts can be removed. And when they're gone, roots can grow deep.
Does the hard work pay off? The answer is yes ... if you want your life to be fruitful.
Growth Point
Find and deal with the hard areas of your heart.
Scripture
Those on the rocky soil 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. (Luke 8:13, NIV)
Prayer Points - How do "rocks" in our hearts prevent God's roots from moving deeper into our souls?
- What "rocks" can you identify in your field?
- Farmers use a spade, wheelbarrow, and even a tractor to remove rocks from their fields. What tools might you use to remove rocks from your heart?
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What People Are Saying ...
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 "We've been married for 40 years-and have been communicating with each other for a long time. We were surprised, as we started to realize that with the spiritual influence of this [Spiritually Healthy Leader] course, we can certainly do it much better. We think we're going to benefit greatly from this material."
Rick and Roberta, San Jose, Costa Rica
Find out more about equipping, coaching, and training opportunities with 30 60 100 MINISTRIES here.
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