Seeds of Destiny (Daily Devotional)

 Monday, 07 September 2015 YOUR HEART AND YOUR FAITH SCRIPTURE: And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear… But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. - Luke 8:8,15    THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The guilt of sin chokes the Word of God and faith.    Faith is a living seed that grows; it has life and that life has the ability to grow (Matthew 17:20). It has been confirmed that a good seed in the wrong environment cannot survive. It doesn’t matter how good the seed is, (including the seed of faith) it cannot survive in a wrong environment. So, faith grows and the growth of faith, like that of other seeds, is determined by its environment.    Now, what is the environment of faith? The heart of man is the environment (soil) for the growth of faith (Mark 16:14 and Luke 8:15).   There are two characteristics of a good heart that support the growth of faith, and they are:  a) A good heart is a guilt-free heart. It is a heart that is not corrupted or defiled by sin, a heart that is not hardened by sin. Sin indeed, hardens the heart. So, if you want your faith to grow, you must keep your heart free of sin. You must refuse to live in the realm of unconfessed sins. The guilt of sin chokes the Word of God and faith.   b) A good heart is a teachable, humble and a receptive heart. A person who is arrogant, closed in, and claims to know everything is not open to God, or open to instructions. Such a person will never grow in faith (James 1:21). Faith belongs to men that are permanently hungry for the truth.   Remember this: The guilt of sin chokes the Word of God and faith.   ASSIGNMENT (S): 1. Guard your heart with all diligence. 2. Acknowledge that God can instruct you through the most ‘insignificant’ thing on earth.    FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: GROWING YOUR FAITH (THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT)   PRAYER: LORD, I receive the grace to have a guilt-free and teachable heart. Let Your Word grow in me, LORD in Jesus’ Name.     DAILY READING: Songs of Solomon 5:1 to 8:14, 2 Corinthians 9:1 to 15, Psalm 51:1 to 19, Proverbs 22:24 to 25   QUOTE: Integrity compels audacity and iniquity invites calamity. Culled from 15 KINGDOM STRATEGIES FOR SURVIVAL by Dr Paul Enenche.   DON’T FORGET TO ATTEND: The Healing and Deliverance Service by 9:30 am tomorrow. Invite someone. God bless you as you do so.