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Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, (NIV)

(We must be open to changes, obey and cooperate when we hear His Word) 

changed on Saturday, February 19, 2000 6:39:04 PM

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

(Surrender to God's way and timing)

[Isaiah 55:9]
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

[Galatians 6:9]
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

[Luke 8:15]
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. 

changed on Saturday, February 19, 2000 12:14:05 AM

But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

(Retain it Katecho: To hold down fast from going away; to firmly possess; to take possession) 

changed on Saturday, February 19, 2000 12:03:04 AM

And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

(Sometimes we are not just choked by pleasures and riches of this world, but by the daily cares of this world? How can we hear God when we have all these cares pressing us from every corner? We need learn to cast all our cares on Him for He cares for us [1 Peter 5:7]. When we can do that, we will find that it is easier to listen to Him and not to ourselves.) 

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They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

[James 1:22] Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

(Do we have a superficial heart? We receive God's word, but His Word does not have root in our lives because we do not apply it in our lives.) 

changed on Wednesday, February 02, 2000 1:39:45 PM

Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

(What is the condition of our heart? are we like those along the path where the devil can just come and steal away the word? Is our hearts hardened by hurts, guilt, negativity, and everything that is not of God that we cannot retain what God has said) 

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And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. 

And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

(What is the state of our heart? Are we open to hear His voice?) 

changed on Wednesday, February 02, 2000 1:28:53 PM

Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

(What did Solomon ask God for when God asked him ... "Ask what I shall give thee". Many of us will answer, "Wisdom". But if we look carefully at this scripture, Solomon asked for an understanding heart (shama', which in Hebrew literally means a listening heart). So where do we start to hear God's voice ... by having a listening heart!) 

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