Live In Prosperity - Part 3

A Prosperous Heart

Kidz World Today - Children’s Church

Psalm 25:13 NLT

13 They will live in prosperity, and their children will inherit the land.

Confession of Faith

I am not moved by what I see or by what I feel. I am moved by what I believe. I believe the WORD of God! The victory is mine! I have it now! I can see it through the eyes of my faith! In Jesus name

A Prosperous Heart

Matthew 13:1–9 NKJV

1 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Mat 13:1-9

Mat. 13

Matthew 13:18–23 NKJV

18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

He’s Talking About My Heart

The ground upon which the seed is sown is the heart of the hearers.

The Wayside Heart

In the day of Jesus there were no fences to separate property lines. Instead, long narrow foot paths were used for the travelling public. These paths were trodden down as hard as pavement by the constant use of the travelling public. This is the hard wayside ground referred to by Jesus

Matthew 13:19 NLT

19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.

The folks with the Wayside Heart. They are in church regularly, and the Word falls upon them.

They pay no attention to the word.

Their mind is elsewhere. They fail to realize how important the Word is to life.

They are hard, very hard, with closed minds and concrete hearts; therefore, they pay no attention and give no heed to the Word. Their mind is elsewhere. They have no interest and are indifferent, failing to realize how important the Word is to life. They just feel they can get along without the Word of God, that it is not needed in life. Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – .

The thought process whether conscious or subconscious - they can get along without the applying the Word of God, - it is not needed in their life.

Is That Your Heart?

The Stony Heart

Mat

Matthew 13:5–6 NKJV

5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.

In Jesus day, In some parts of Palestine right beneath the ground is a layer of limestone. When seed falls upon this ground, something dramatic happens. The limestone would hold the rain and heat from the sunlight right under the surface; therefore, the fallen seed sprouts quickly and dramatically. But it has no root.

Mat

Matthew 13:20–21 NKJV

20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

This heart is in the emotional joy of the Word and in the decision to change his or her life. Everything is emotional , his experience and his new found Christian friends.

But there is no root. This heart has not been rooted and grounded in the Word and in prayer.

This heart has not learned the doctrines and principles of Christianity.

This Heart does nothing or little when it comes to the demands of Christ that come only through diligent study and disciplined prayer.

This heart has little spiritual strength to withstand the trials and persecutions of life. Pressure from circumstances or former friends of the world causes this heart to cave in.

Luke 6:49 NLT

49 But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”

Is That Your Heart ?

Hearing the Word preached and taught will not get a person into heaven. They have to receive the Word.

The Thorny Heart

Matthew 13:7 NKJV

7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.

The thorny ground is deceptive ground. It looks good and clean, appearing to be clear of weeds and thorns, but it is not.

Right under the surface of the soil is a chain of roots ready to spring up.

The fact that the roots are already there means that the thorns will be stronger and grow faster than the good seed.

They will choke the life out of the good seed.

Thorns represent the heart that receives the Word as an addition to their life.

The Word is merely added on, it is not allowed to replace the world and the things of it world . This heart does not truly repent; it just takes God and adds Him to their collection in life.

They make God only a small part of their affairs; consequently, the Word is always choked to death

1 John 2:15–16 NKJV

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

Matthew 13:22 NKJV

22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

Thorns are the “cares of this world” -They entangle a person in the world and the things of the world

Thorns are the “deceitfulness of wealth”

Thorns are the “deceitfulness of wealth”

it is not wealth itself that is worldly (thorny); it is the deceit of wealth.

Wealth deceives in several ways. a. Wealth tends to make a person self-confident and self-dependent.

It makes this heart feel comfortable and secure in this world. This tends to keep this heart from from trusting and calling upon God.

b. Wealth tends to make a person overly comfortable, extravagent, and indulgent.

c. Wealth tends to consume a person's mind. A wealthy heart often finds itself more and more centered around wealth and less and less centered around the things of God and His Word.

d. Wealth tends to misinterpret the blessings of God. It leads a person to the false idea and security that to have is to be blessed by God, and not to have is to be blessed less by God.

Mark 4:19 NKJV

19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

1 Timothy 6:7 NKJV

7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

Is That Your Heart ?

The Prosperous Heart

Matthew 13:8 NKJV

8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

This heart allows the Word to take permanent root.

The heart that allows the Word to take permanent root represents the honest and good heart

Luke 8:15 NKJV

15 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.

Jesus says two things about this heart .

1. It hears the Word of God and understands it. This heart is soft and tender toward God, so it listens, meditates, concentrates, and thinks.

This heart is not hypocritical, wasting it’s time ; being present physically, but absent mentally.

This heart does not allow his thoughts to wander off when the Word of God is being preached.

This heart is responsible and behaves intelligently.

This heart listens to God's Word, studies and receives it.

2. This heart is fruitful or prosperous.

It shows the fruit of God's Word and Spirit in his own life

Galatians 5:22–23 NLT

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Isaiah 55:11 NKJV

11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

). And he reproduces himself by reaching out to lead others to a saving knowledge of the Lord (see Deeper Study #1—). Note that classifies fruit-bearing as "no fruit" (), "fruit" (), "more fruit" (), and "much fruit" (, ). Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – .

This is my encouragement to be a true minister and teacher of God.

Is God's Word shall never return to Him void (). This is my encouragement to be a true minister and teacher of God.

Spiritual Fruit is that which distinguishes the true believer from the hypocrite

Is That Your Heart ?

Next Steps:

Read Joshua - Old Testament

Galatians - New Testament