"This is the story of God’s relentless pursuit of us, and in the story we will begin to hear His footsteps following unfailingly behind us. ... We believe that as you read you will be able to experience God taking the broken pieces of your life and making you whole; your anger and resentment will be replaced with hope and grace; you will imagine a new way to live as a participant in God’s redemptive work in this world.
"I invite you to listen to The Voice with an open heart. You will hear God as He whispers of His love to you."
―Chris Seay
President, Ecclesia Bible Society
Published on Nov 14, 2012 by thomasnelsoninc
The Scripture in this video is taken
from Luke 8, The Parable of the Sower, in The Voice, a new Bible
translation that reads like a story with all of the truth and wisdom of
God's Word. To learn more about The Voice and get free book downloads,
visit www.hearthevoice.com.
Jesus: 5 Once a farmer went out to scatter seed in his fields. Some seeds fell along a trail where they were crushed underfoot by people walking by. Birds flew in and ate those seeds. 6 Other seeds fell on gravel. Those seeds sprouted but soon withered, depleted of moisture under the scorching sun. 7 Still other seeds landed among thorns where they grew for a while, but eventually the thorns stunted them so they couldn’t thrive or bear fruit. 8 But some seeds fell into good soil—soft, moist, free from thorns. These seeds not only grew, but they also produced more seeds, a hundred times what the farmer originally planted. If you have ears, hear My meaning!
9 His disciples heard the words, but the deeper meaning eluded them.
Disciples: What were You trying to say?
Jesus: 10 The kingdom of God contains many
secrets.
They keep listening, but do not
comprehend;
keep observing, but do not
keep observing, but do not
understand.*
I want you to understand, so 11 here’s the interpretation: The voice of God falls on human hearts like seeds scattered across a field. 12 Some people hear that message, but the devil opposes the liberation that would come to them by believing. So he swoops in and steals the message from their hard hearts like birds stealing the seeds from the footpath. 13 Others receive the message enthusiastically, but their vitality is short-lived because the message cannot be deeply rooted in their shallow hearts. In the heat of temptation, their faith withers, like the seeds that sprouted in gravelly soil. 14 A third group hears the message, but as time passes, the daily anxieties, the pursuit of wealth, and life’s addicting delights outpace the growth of the message in their hearts. Even if the message blossoms and fruit begins to form, the fruit never fully matures because the thorns choke out the plants’ vitality.
15 But some people hear the message and let it take root deeply in receptive hearts made fertile by honesty and goodness. With patient dependability, they bear good fruit.
16 If you light a lamp, you’re not going to cover it with a clay pot. You’re not going to hide it under your bed. If you light a lamp, you’re going to put it out in the open so your guests can feel welcome and see where they’re going.
17 Hidden things will always come out into the open. Secret things will come to light and be exposed. 18 I hope you’re still listening. And I hope you’re listening carefully. If you get what I’m saying, you’ll get more. If you miss My meaning, even the understanding you think you have will be taken from you.
*8:10 Isaiah 6:9
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