The Parable of the Sower

So the last two months  have been flying by and I have been doing a lot of fun stuff. Trying new things has been at the top of that list. I had a blast in Savannah with the girls and we ate a lot of different places; all of which were delicious. A few weeks ago I went to a young adult group in the area which was a lot of fun. I get really nervous about meeting new people but I really do enjoy meeting new people. I really need to step out of my comfort zone and do it more often. A couple of weekends ago was one of my friends birthday party. I had so much fun playing charades and hanging out with everyone! That is definitely one fun party game.
This past weekend I went to the most beautiful wedding. I think that is the first time I have ever teared up at a wedding. The love that was there was amazing. They love each other so much and they are definitely God's match for each other. God was so much apart of the whole thing and that was easy to see. The preacher did an amazing job and her father said the sweetest thing at the end of the ceremony! The setting was absolutely beautiful and the weather was perfect. I am so very happy for them and wish them the very best God has for them.
So this past week on the KCM Broadcasts Kenneth Copeland and Bishop Keith Butler have been speaking on Faith for Life. I know everyone has heard or read the parable of the sower but I have never gotten this revelation from it. In Mark 4:13-19 it tells of the four different types of people that hear the Word and what they decide to do with it. The one verse that really stuck out to me was verse 19. "Then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless." (AMP) This verse tells us the five things that the devil uses to choke the Word out of our lives. 

#1 Affliction: It means a state of pain, distress, or grief; misery. A cause of mental or bodily pain, as sickness, calamity, or persecution (in this case pressure from the devil).
#2 Persecution: a program or campaign to exterminate, drive away, or subjugate (enslave) a people because of their religion, race, or beliefs.
To annoy or trouble persistently. Persecution in this case if pressure from people
#3 Cares of the world: distraction of the world. The devil uses distractions to try to keep us out of the Word of God. 
#4 Deceitfulness of riches: To be diluted by your riches. Using finances to decide whether or not your are going to obey God. The devil wants you to think you need more money. 
#5 Lust of other things: The flesh. Fleshly reactions to situations. Wanting things so much it is all you think about.

This really opened my eyes to what I should be aware of. Not did they tell me what the devil uses but also they also gave the answer to each from the Word of God. 

#1 Affliction: The Joy of the Lord. Faith and Patience. Patience is consistency day in and day out. Nehemiah 8:10, Romans 8:25, James 1:3, Luke 8:15 (Those are just a few of many on Faith and Patience)
#2 Persecution: Matthew 5:44 "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who hurt you."
Proverbs 25:21-22 "If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord will reward you." 
This verse in some likeness is also found in Romans 12:20
#3 Cares of the world: Psalm 55:22 "Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail). [I Pet. 5:7.]" 
Psalm 37:5 "Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass."
 #4 Deceitfulness of Riches: "Seek first the kingdom of God and all things will be added unto you." Matthew 6:33
Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek,"
#5 Lust of other things: Galatians 5:16 "But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God)."

This has really been an awesome study. I have learned so much about what the devil uses against me and all of us. I know how to defend him now. I just need to put on the full armor of God. 
Bishop Keith Butler was also talking about self inflicted wounds. The wayside person is the one who hears the Word but brushes it off. Basically satan comes in and immediately steals it away. (Mark 4:15) Then the second self inflicted wound is the seed that falls on stony ground. This person is the one who hears the Word but does nothing with it.(Mark 4:16-17) To me this really reminds me of the people who go to church every Sunday, listen to what the pastor has to say but then goes throughout the week and doesn't look at the Word at all. They go back to acting just like the world. These people will never grow in their faith because they don't study the Word of God. It says " faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." (Romans 10:17) That is why it is so important to read the Word everyday and meditate on it. This increases our faith and gives us the ability to fight the things the devil tries tot throw our way.
This has been such a great revelation to me and I hope you learn a little from it as well. I encourage you to dig into the Word. Whatever situation you may be facing God has an answer for you. Find it and speak it in faith. I love to hear your feedback on what God has been doing in your life. Please let me know if there is anything I can pray for about for you. 
Until next time!

Trip to Savannah

So it has been a really long time since I have posted. I wrote this awhile back about our trip to Savannah so I will add this in. Labor Day weekend two of my friends and I went to Savannah. We had so much fun seeing all of the sites and eating all the yummy food. We even got a chance to go out to Tybee Island and step foot on the beach. I would have to say my favorite food was from Paula Deen's restaurant. Good ole southern cooking is always the best! It is really hard to pick a favorite site but I would say River Street was really neat with all of the shops! Here are some great pictures from the trip! The Harper Fowlkes House was really neat as well. I love looking through old homes and learning all of the history. Our tour guide was fabulous! You could tell she loved the house and was very informative.

Harper Fowlkes House

The Only one left in Savannah

 

The View from the top of the Lighthouse 

The Tybee Island Lighthouse

This is the old stove in the Lighthouse Keepers house

 The three above pictures are from Fort Powlowski

 These three above are from Bonaventure Cemetery. I absolutely love the trees in this Cemetery!

 The Cathedral of St John the Baptist

These two were from the Colonial Park.

 These Trees are just beautiful! I can't get enough!

 Lady and Sons! Best food in Savannah!

 The Marshland on the way out to Tybee. The Beach! I personally wasn't impressed with this beach!

 One of the Building all lit up on River Street!               Night Time on the River!

So I will make a new post on the other things I have to say. This one is probably long enough. :)