18 “Listen then to what the parable of
the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the
kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what
was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The
seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once
receives it with joy. 21 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. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers
to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the
deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But
the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and
understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty
or thirty times what was sown.”
Matthew
13:18-23
During
the week you spend time with God, in the Bible, answering the questions that
are found on the front page of this blog. My answers to homework
from the previous week are posted on the “Producing A Crop” page. This is where
you can check in and see how your answers line up
with the ones that I have and read some additional thoughts of mine. (And if you subscribe to this blog you will be notified each week when the new chapter has been updated on the blog.)
This
is a line by line/verse by verse study, which means that we will look at every
verse. God put it in His word, therefore it is important no matter
how insignificant it may seem. So at times the questions that you have to
answer may seem overly simplistic or even needless, but they are designed to
make you look at each verse for yourself. Often the significance
of a verse may be just to give you context of what the other verses are
saying.
The words in regular/plain type are questions that can be answered from a verse and the verse to find the answer is listed after the question.
(Example
from the scripture above:
What
does Jesus want us to listen to? vs18 what the parable of the sower
means)
If
there is a second question without a verse listed, this question can be
answered by the same verse as the previous one.
Any place that you see italics are either my thoughts or are asking for your opinion. You might agree with my thoughts or you might “think/ feel/ believe” differently and that is okay because I am not an authority and certainly do not claim to have all the answers. You don't have to agree with my thoughts, but please be sure and have a scriptural explanation for disagreeing, not just an “I feel/think differently” explanation. Challenge yourself to know why you feel or think differently and find out if it lines up with what God’s word says.
I compose the questions from the New International Bible version (NIV) and the New American Standard Bible version (NASB). I recommend that you use one of these two Bible versions if possible, because they tend to be a plain understanding and it works out better if we all use the same bible translation. (But that’s not a requirement).
I
ask that you please forgive my typo’s and occasional wrong references, (sometimes
my fingers are faster than my mind) but make note of them so I can change them
for future reference.
Be sure to pray before you begin reading the Bible. A simple prayer of understanding will do, but because it is God's Word to us, we need God (the Holy Spirit) to give us the discernment and wisdom to understand it. All we have to do is ask.
Open
your heart to God and His word, don't assume that you know what it says because
you have read it before or heard someone preach on it :)
I hope you will find this study of God’s word exciting, rewarding and life changing!!
“Do
not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind” Romans 12:2
Prepare
to be transformed…………
Yes, this is a completely FREE Bible study. (When was the last time you heard that?)
But there are a few conditions on Copyright: You may use this study for your own use, you may use it in a group form, you may copy and print it, you may tell others about it. However, you may not sell any part of it, or use any part of it in literature that is for sale, and you may not claim it as your own. Reasonable right?
But there are a few conditions on Copyright: You may use this study for your own use, you may use it in a group form, you may copy and print it, you may tell others about it. However, you may not sell any part of it, or use any part of it in literature that is for sale, and you may not claim it as your own. Reasonable right?
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