Pastor Rick Warren: Before God speaks, decide to say ‘Yes’

“The seeds that fell in good soil stand for those who hear the message and retain it in a good and obedient heart, and they persist until they bear fruit” (Luke 8:15 GNT).

God speaks to people who decide they’re going to do what he tells them to do, even before he tells them. It’s saying, “God, if you want me to move, I’ll move. If you want me to get married, I’ll get married. If you want me to leave this job, I’ll leave this job. Before you even tell me, my answer is ‘yes.’ Whatever you want me to do, I will do it.”

Luke 8:15 says, “The seeds that fell in good soil stand for those who hear the message and retain it in a good and obedient heart, and they persist until they bear fruit” (GNT).

I used to study this parable of Jesus and think it was talking about four kinds of people: those who are resistant, those who are shallow, those who are busy, and those who are good.

But this parable actually represents four attitudes. You can have all four attitudes in the same day! One moment you go, “God, I don’t want to hear you, because I know what you’re going to say.” And the next moment you say, “Lord, tell me quickly.” Then you hear it and think it’s good, but you don’t do anything about it. Maybe the fruit starts to appear in your life, but then you get busy with your job or school or your kids, and the weeds grow up. Then other times you say, “God, do whatever you want. I’m totally open to you.”

God wants you to have an attitude of obedience so that you can bear fruit — the biblical term for being successful. God wants you to be fruitful in your business, your family, your friendships, your relationship with God, your relationships with others, and your health.

So how do you bear fruit when God tells you something? You pass it on. When God tells you something, the quickest way to let it bear fruit in your life is to tell somebody else what you just learned.

Another version of Luke 8:15 says, “They listen to God’s words and cling to them and steadily spread them to others who also soon believe” (TLB). God wants you to pass on to others what you learn.

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