The Study of the Hearts

Jesus Christ is Όμορφο Do you know what He is ?

Christians have trials which is an undeniable fact. Trials seem to creep in whether we want them to or not. I would not call them a friend, but an acquittance. The Bible speaks to trials in a Christians life differently than in the world perhaps and we will examine this experience.

We have to keep in mind several facts:

• There is no life where sorrow does not enter.
• Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot cover and heal.
• Never forget, we can cause the sorrow ourselves; Jonah and Elijah did as you might recall.
• The Lord can send one to discipline us or help us train others in a storm.
• In Mark 4, Satan can cause the storms in our lives.
• Remember, Jesus on the boat did not keep the storm from coming, Fear and faith are mutually exclusive. Faith is taking God and the Lord Jesus Christ at their Word.

One of Jesus Christ cousins, James, and gentile giants of the New Testament said it so kindly this way, “Count it all joy when you fall into divers’ temptations; knowing this that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (James 1.2-4)

Jesus talked in parables because of His generations failure to recognize and accept Him as the Messiah. If a pole were taken today on the street, the same outcome would probably be given if the terms were truly understood. I may take one at the end of this short essay.

One thing He talked about were the soils that the seed feel into. The seed being the Word. This is consistent throughout the New and Old Testaments. Satan comes in and steals the seed away as it is sown in the hearts along the way side.

The birds in the story are the ministers of Satan. For example:

• Judas among the disciples.
• Ananias and Sapphira in the Jerusalem Church (Acts 5.1-11)
• Simon Magus in the church in Samaria (Acts 8.1-24)
• Satan’s ministers boldly invading the Corinthian church (Galatians 5.19-23; 2 Corinthians 5.17; 11.13-15 )

Rightly, there are four kinds of hearts to my mind:

1. Hard hearts – These guys make it easy for Satan (the birds) to snatch the Word away. They take a hard plowing before the Word can set in. Let’s take a look at Mark 4. 4, “As He was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.” Also, Mark 4.15, “Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes takes away the word that was sown in them.” (Also, see Jeremiah 4.3; Hosea 10.12)
2. Shallow hearts – These guys don’t have enough soil so the seed can get to a proper dept with nothing lasting without roots. This is the emotional heart not realizing the cost to be genuine. Mark 4.5-6, “Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.” Also, Mark 4, 16,17 “Others, like seed sown on rocky places hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
3. The Crowed heart – This is a guy who does not truly repent and therefore the weeds: worldly cares and lust for things coke the Word. Let’s review Mark 4.7, “Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants so that they did not bear grain. Also, Mark 4. 18, 19 “Still others like seed sown among thorns, hear the word, but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.”
4. The Fruitful heart – The true believer changed by an enlivened life. This life receives the word gladly. This heart also bears fruit. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 2.3

This comes from a study in Mark Chapter 4 and starting with verse 10 Jesus starts a private briefing explaining the parables He had given. He states "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, those on the outside, all things come in parables"

Each of these produces a different enemy that attacks them pretty constantly.

- Hard Heart – the Devil snatches the seed away.

- Shallow Heart – the flesh produces counterfeits where the Word cannot grow

- Crowded Heart – the things of the world smother growth and prevent a harvest.

Big Three – Devil – Flesh – World

We sow the seeds in our lives like it or not. We preach with our words we choose, how we interact with people we love which we tend to act differently with than strangers. The truth hurts. We sow the seed in our lives and we must not get discouraged. (Galatians 6.9; Psalms 126.5-6)

We sow the seeds in our lives like it or not. We preach with our words we choose, how we interact with people we love, which we tend to act differently with sometimes in a negative way than we do with strangers.

The truth hurts. We sow the seed in our lives, and we must not get discouraged. (Galatians 6.9; Psalms 126.5-6) I believe that one thing that is missing in the society that we live in today is hope.

In large part, we have lost the central core of our society to a mixture of pseudoscience and myths, and the strength of the Bible offers the alternative. Read Romans 15.1-6, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

Another gentle giant of the New Testament that Paul raised and wrote to Timothy he told, “All Scripture is given profitable for reproof, for correction, for instruction, in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly equipped for all good works.” (2Timothy 3.16)

The Sea of Galilee in the land of Israel is a beautiful body of freshwater 13 miles long and seven and one-half miles wide, dotted with populous towns, such as Capernaum, Bethsaida, Chorazin, Magdala, and Tiberias.

The lake abounds in fish, with fishing an important industry (cf. Matthew 4.18-22; Matthew 1.16-20) There are bright sunny days with the climate and health-giving Sulphur giving springs near Tiberias, made it a mecca for the sick, and a fruitful scene for Jesus’ healing ministry (Mark 1.32-34).

The Sea of Galilee is 680 feet below sea level and from all indications enjoys a beautify semitropical climate. The Israeli Defense Force is the only air force that has special altimeters to fly up the Jordan Valley below sea level.

However, the area is the scene of sudden and violent storms when cold air from Lebanon collides with the warm air above the lake. Add to this the valley on the Northwest side, near Magdala, formed by the two prominent mountains – “The Horns of Hattin” that creates a venturi effect that can cause a surprising squall on this relatively small body of water.

We here at Hubpages all work hard to get our essays up and running for you to read and view. Thank you for doing so. Your feedback is appreciated. Try not to be so critical, even though we live in that age of deceit today.

Note: In 1986, a Roman-era fishing boat was discovered in the mud during a drought when the lake was at a record low. It was 226 ft. long and 7 ft. wide and of Lebanese cedar and oak.

Carbon dating put the age of the vessel dated 85 B.C. to 15 A.D. and thus appears to be of the Gospel period. It was treated chemically carefully and placed on display in a specially built facility at Yigal Allon Museum, next to Kibbutz Not Ginosar since 1995.