Welcome to 40 days with Christ. You’ve made it to all the way to day #7. Great going! You are officially getting the power of repetition on your side! So now is probably a good time for me to share a success strategy with you!
It would be wonderful if you completed all 40 days back to back with no stumbles and no interruptions - day after day - all 40 days in a row, but it doesn’t always work that way. Some people end up ‘giving up’ because they miss a day or two and feel like they have to ‘catch up’. But that's not true!
If you miss a day or two, you can pick right back up where you left off and keep pushing forward one day at a time.
What I’m saying is that if you miss a day, you can avoid ‘giving up’ by simply ‘picking up’ where you last left off.
You DO have permission to take a few extra days to complete all 40 sessions. I just wanted to make sure you knew that! ;-)
OK! Lets start with a word of prayer.
Father,
How magnificent are the depths of the riches of Your wisdom and Your knowledge. For from You and through You and to You are all things.
To You Father be the glory forever!
In Jesus name we pray. AMEN!
In Mark chapter 4, Jesus once again uses agricultural language to explain an important truth about the Kingdom of Heaven. Reading verses 26 through 29.*
26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
We like to think we understand things. Even things we don’t fully understand we tend to assign a name at least. And that makes us feel much more in control. Amazingly enough scientists don’t even yet fully understand everything that happens within a seed as it comes to life in the soil! Yes, we do know it absorbs water and starts to somehow convert part of itself into enzymes which begin to send out roots and sprout the beginning of life underground. One thing is for certain however. Night and day, whether we are asleep or awake, whether we understand it or not, that seed is sprouting and growing.
Jesus says the kingdom of God is the same way. God uses people to spread his message and then God makes that message grow within people’s hearts. The preacher or teacher that spoke the message doesn’t make it grow. He doesn’t even grasp how it grows. But it does! And the glory belongs not to any man but to God himself in heaven.
Lets pray.
Lord God you are amazing.
Whenever we speak Your word of truth, You oversee it. You are the one who makes it grow within the hearts and minds of men and women. You are the one who causes it to take root and to become productive.
Lord, please help us to trust in You to make your word grow in our hearts.
Please show us how You would have us to help spread Your word.
We ask you that You will help us to then simply trust in You. That You will make Your work grow in the hearts and minds of those who hear.
To You be the power and glory and honor and praise forever and ever.
We pray and believe in Jesus name. Amen.
Thank you so much for joining us. I hope you have a great day and look forward to seeing you again tomorrow for day 8 of our ongoing series 40 days with Christ.
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