Matthew 13:8, "Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop - a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." Matthew 13:23, "But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

Think

Farmers have one of the most difficult jobs that exist. From the break of day, they are hard at work – repairing equipment, plowing their fields, and preparing the land for a harvest. The work is tedious and tiresome, and often goes unnoticed. But when a crop begins to produce, all their work is worth the effort! Our hearts are like the soil of a farmer's field. For those whose hearts have been prepared and cultivated, the Word of God produces a life that is changed and transformed for eternity. And as today's verse tells us, for those who have genuinely accepted the Word of God into their hearts, the result is a bumper crop for Christ! As you consider your heart and think about the soils we have unpacked this week, where do you find yourself? Is your heart ready to receive and understand the seed that is the Word of God? If so, get ready for a bumper crop of production in your life as you continue to follow His lead!

Act

Write down three ways you can cultivate your heart to not only receive, but to display God's word in your life. Some examples: commit to reading God's Word daily, spend 10 minutes in prayer each morning, and get involved in the local church weekly. Then, devote yourself to doing the work required to keep that crop coming!

Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for continuing to cultivate my heart. I pray that You use me in the lives of those around me to be an example of a bumper crop for Your love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.