Scriptures
Heb 3:12 (Evil Heart of Unbelief in departing from the Living God)
Mark 4:1-9
Mark 4:13-20
Matt 13:18-23 (Understandeth in not)
Luke 8: 11-15 (honest and good heart)
Four Different Types of Hearts of People Who Hear the Word of God
- Wayside Ground – Fowls came and devoured/ate up the seed that was sown by the wayside
Explanation – The Wayside ground is a heart that does not understand the Word that was preached, taught, or read. In this case Satan, the wicked one, is able to take away from one that which they don’t understand in the manner that the fowls took away the seed.
Solution – Seek to understand the Word of God, through developing a practice of studying the WOG. Labour to understand the Word of God through study of the WOG. Ask God to give you understanding of the Bible and things that He speaks to you.
- Stony Ground – Not much earth for the seed to take root. The Heat (Pressure) of the Sun scorches the growth of the seed and it dies and withers away.
Explanation – They that hear the word and understand it at the surface, and because of this understanding they receive it with Joy initially, but after some time that they have endured for a while (through surface or a shallow understanding) because their was not a deeper understanding of the word that causes one to be rooted and grounded in order to grow (but just a surface level or shallow understanding of it) when hardships come because of the word that they heard they are offended and stop believing and fall off. (Note that the heat of the Sun that scorches is the affliction or persecution that arise for the word’s sake)
Solution – seek to get a deeper understanding of the Word of God. Don’t think that you have it all figured out and already understand it completely. Seek to be rooted in the Word through your study of it and through your experiences with God. These are things the devil can not take from you. What do we need to be rooted and grounded in? Ephesians 3:17; Colossians 2:6,7; Gal 5:22; Luke 6:46-49
- Thorny Ground – Seed sown on ground where thorns are and the thorns grow and choke the growth of the seed.
Explanation – The thorns are the deceitfulness of riches (covetousness and the love of money and possessions), cares of the world (relationships, family, work, school, business etc. life happens), and the lust of other things entering in ones heart, guilt, shame, pride, depression, anger, bitterness, hate, strife, envying, unforgiveness etc. (How do these negative things enter in? Through Words: By the world’s and the enemy’s words) and these words all choke the Word of God where it can not grow and will suffocate and wither/die.
Solution – Humble yourself before God, judge yourself, check yourself and your heart. Ask the Lord if this is you and turn from it and repent. Receive Jesus’ warning to us in Luke 12:15, “…Beware of covetousness: for a person’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which they possess.”. Guard your heart from listening to words that will choke God’s words. Any words or thoughts that contradict, discredit, or support ideas that are contrary to God’s words must be “cast down” and brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ as 2 Cor. 10:5 states. Develop the habit of “casting all your care upon God” as 1 Pet 5:7 says. Understand the Kingdom principle of “Seeking First the Kingdom of God” and trust that all these other things will be added.
- Good Ground – Seed fell on good ground and produced fruit
Explanation – They hear the Word of God and receive it in an Honest and Good heart. They understand it, they judge themselves, they seek deeper understanding of it and they keep it (protect it and guard it, meditating, praying, studying) and you know it because you see the Gal 5 the fruit of the Spirit in operation in their life.
What is an Honest and Good heart? This is the heart that hears the word of God and does not think “ooh I wish so and so was hearing this, this is for them”. No, they take in the word and think “how does this word apply to me” and “how can I take this word and use it to draw closer to God?”. They take a “honest and good” look at their own life and they judge themselves according to the word that is being spoken and because of this they grow and produce fruit and become better as a result of hearing the Word that was spoken. The evidence is that you see the fruit of the Spirit being demonstrated in their life when they encounter temptations and all the rest of the stuff that all the other 3 grounds/hearts fell off from.
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