WEEK 1 - ENVIRONMENTS MATTER

PSALMS 1 1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

GOD DOES HIS BEST WORK IN THE DIRT

It is when we notice the dirt that God is most present in us; it is the very sign of His presence. - C. S. Lewis

Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt. - John Muir

THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER

Big Idea: Pay Attention to What & How You Hear…

MARK 4:1-20 1 And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2 Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching: 3 “Listen! Behold, a Sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased, and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred. 9 And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” 10 But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11 And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12 so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.

You want GOOD IDEAS – Look to the STARS

You want GOD-IDEAS – Listen to the DIRT

JOB 12:8 “SPEAK TO THE EARTH,AND IT WILL INSTRUCT YOU..." "blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and hear what you hear..." 13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The Sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble. 18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful 20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” 21 Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Hosea 10:12 Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come, and shower righteousness upon you’” 24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25 For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

APPLICATION

PRACTICE HEARING

• Read 1 Passage
• Circle 1 Phrase or Word
• Write 1 Action Point – "Today I will...
• Pray with Gratitude – "Lord, thank you for..."

GENERAL SHERMAN SEQUOIA TREE

2200 yr. old 100 ft round 275 ft tall 4.2 million lbs.

Seed is the size of a flake of oatmeal. Seeds are inside of a cone shape the size of a hens egg They hold onto the seeds for 20-50 yrs… What causes them to RELEASE their seeds? - FOREST FIRE

GOD DOES HIS BEST WORK IN THE DIRT