A gardener can plant the same kind of seed in three different locations and get three different results. In one spot, she'll get giant tomatoes. In another, she'll get small tomatoes. And in a third, she'll get nothing. What's the difference? It's not the seed, it's the soil. The soil must be prepared for the seed.
The same is true when you hear God's Word. It's why you can take two people to church, sit them side-by-side, and one will walk out thinking God really spoke to him, while the other won't get anything out of the service. The heart of one person was prepared; the other's heart wasn't.
How can you prepare the soil of your heart for the Word? The Bible says, Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. -- James 1:19-21 (NIV)
For good reception, this passage teaches you to have four attitudes:
You must be quiet.Be quick to listen, slow to speak. You can't hear God is you're doing all the talking.
You must be calm.Slow to become angry. If you're frantic, you're not going to hear God. The Bible says, Be Still, and know that I am God. -- Psalm 46:10 (ESV). You could translate that as: "Sit down and shut up."
You must be clean.Get rid of all moral filth and the evil. Before you can meet with God, you need to take out some emotional and spiritual garbage. Get rid of the stuff that stinks in your life. You get rid of the garbage by confessing your sin to God and agreeing with him that what you did was wrong.
You must be humble.Humbly accept the word planted in you. Be ready to do whatever God tells you from his Word. A prideful attitude makes a hard heart.
How's your soil today?
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 kjv
The point is, Before you trust, you have to listen. Romans 10:17a msg Adapted From Rick Warren
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