Mass Indoctrination on 29th August, 2023 - MCGI TOPIC REVIEW
Serving God and doing is will is a voluntary action. We do it out of our free will. The decision to follow the teachings of God is totally out of our desire. We should understand that most of our actions are based on our desire. That we sit down and listen to the doctrines of Jesus as we are taught by Bro Eli Soriano is a good desire. Whenever we desire to do what is right, we should understand that it goes against what the devil wants for our lives.
In the teachings of this day, it's a good thing that Bro Eli had drawn our attention to this fact. While we have in our hearts to do good, the devil is working out his own evil plan to stop us. He could use anything to stand in our way and hinder us. Sometimes it could be our spouses, or our children, or our colleagues, or our neighbours. These people could come up with issues that tend to decease us from the good intentions that we have.
What are we to do? This lesson is an enlightener, opening our eyes to the devices of the devil so that we will not fall victims of his evil agenda. As children of God who wants to do the will of God, let us be watchful. Let us guard against satanic disguises that want to distract us from the way.
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HEARTS
Bro Eli Soriano analysed the aspects of various hearts which receive the Word of God using the parable of the sower. That parable as taught by Jesus reveals to us the deceptive ways Satan kills people intentions from benefiting from the word of God. From the parable, we could see four different types of hearts who receive the Word of God. The word of God is the seed planted in those hearts. And the soils represent the hearts.
The Wayside soil
The Wayside soil represent the heart which receives the Word of God but several agents steal the Word from such heart. Consider that the wayside ground is where both people and animals trample upon. Creatures of all sorts walk pass there. Animals which are looking for what to eat easily have access to pick whatever is dropped on the wayside. The birds of the air feed upon the seeds that drop there. Obviously, those seeds become wasted.
A heart typical of the wayside soil does not retain the word of God it receives. It is exposed to several predators. No good fruit could be obtained from such heart. Whatever such person hears doesn't stay in his heart. Those things which he allows access into his heart steal away the seeds of the Word of God from such heart.
As a Christian who intends to bear fruits unto righteousness, one should guard his heart from unnecessary intruders. Don't expose yourself to unedifying media and events. Let not your mind stray into thought that could nullify the Word of God in your heart. Like the Bible says, guard your heart with all diligence.
The Stony Soil
A good farmer wouldn't plant his seed on a stony ground. The stony ground have no sustainable sand base for the plant to grow. Crops may germinate on the stony soil but yet they easily whither away because their roots find it difficult to penetrate the soil. Such a ground is another unproductive soil. The problem with the stony soil is that it has not been cultivated properly for planting.
A heart that represent the stony soil is a heart which has little or no faith to receive the Word of God. It could show signs of joy initially but such joy is shortlived. This heart lacks adequate preparations.
There are many people in churches listening to the word of God whose hearts lacks the residual faith to nurture the Word. These kind of people have no fruits from the word of God they are hearing.
Preparing our hearts and minds when listening to the word of God could help to make us receive the Word of God rightly. Our trust and absolute belief should be on God and His word. When we believe God and trust that His word has the power to perform what it says; when we submit ourselves to willingly follow what He teaches us and obey them, the word of God will grow and bear fruits in our lives.
The Thorny Soil
The thorny soil is crowded with many unwanted elements. There are thorns, and weeds of all sorts growing in that land. These thorns choke the seed to death. The weeds refuse to allow the seed to grow well because they contend with the seeds for nutrients. Usually, the power of the thorns and the weeds dominate the crops and kill them.
A thorny heart is full of many worldly elements which are unnecessary for the spiritual growth of the christian. These include worldly passions, lust, desire for wealth and fame, and many more. The christian is exposed to various temptations and trials due to the infiltration of his heart by these worldly elements. And just as the thorns choke the seed, these worldly cares choke the word of God in the these hearts.
How do we overcome this?
When we keep our eyes on God and trust Him for our daily living, our hearts will be free from the infiltration of worldly cares. We should live our lives without covetousness and greed. We should avoid anxiety and unnecessary worries. We should trust God and be contented with what He blessed us with.
The Good Soil
I want my heart to be the _good ground _! I believe every true disciples of Christ will desire that. The seeds on the good soil have all the necessary requirements for growth and productivity. To the joy of the sower, it produces fruits in thirty-fold, in sixty-fold, and in hundred-fold.
Pastor Eli Soriano is doing a great work teaching us these doctrines. His dedication and commitment in raising true christians is worth commending. This, I believe, pleases the Master's heart whose joy is to see us live according to His word.
Let us willingly accept and discipline ourselves to obey these doctrines because God expect fruits from us. We thank the Holy Spirit for teaching us.