Manna for Your Morning

The seed that fell on rock is like those who hear God’s teaching and accept it gladly, but they don’t allow the teaching to go deep into their lives. They believe for a while, but when trouble comes, they give up. — Luke 8:13 (NCV) Let the Word go deep and permeate your heart, your mind and your life. Then you will not be inclined to give up. Don’t let the troubles and cares of this world choke the Word of life out of you. Instead, be like those who receive the Word on good ground. They hear God’s teaching with good, honest hearts and obey it and patiently produce good fruit. (Luke 8:15 NCV) You know we call those blessed [happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God] who were steadfast and endured [difficult circumstances]. You have heard of the patient endurance of Job and you have seen the Lord’s outcome [how He richly blessed Job]. The Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. — James 5:11 (AMP)

But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. — Luke 8:15 (NKJV) The bearing of fruit comes with patience. Once we receive the seed, the Word of God, on the good soil of our hearts, we need to develop patience as we wait for the fruit to appear. Just as the farmer waits [expectantly] for the precious harvest from the land, being patient about it, until it receives the early and late rains. (James 5:7 AMP) God’s Word will bear fruit in your life, whether it's the early or late rains, or both. His Word does not return to Him void. Keep watering the seed by speaking words of life over it and protect it from the enemy who wants nothing more than to steal the Word that has been sown in your heart. “But the seed in the good earth—these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there’s a harvest.” (Luke 8:15 MSG) Stick with it! No matter...