Does Your Faith Seem Stuck? Do you ever feel like you’re not growing in your faith the way you’re supposed to? It turns out, there are forces working against you–threats to your faith–trying to keep you from flourishing in your relationship with God.
One of Jesus’ parables–in fact, the one that gets the most space on God’s sacred pages–deals with this very issue. It’s the story about the sower, the seed, and the soil (Matthew 13). Just as a farmer doesn’t toss seed on the ground to get rid of it, God never brings you into contact with his Word for no reason. A farmer wants fruit, and God wants to help you experience more joy, peace, love, etc.
Mike Novotny is on today’s episode talking about his book, What’s Big Starts Small. In today’s episode we chat about the six threats Jesus lists in the parable of the sower and the seed–pride, pain, worries, wealth, wants, and not waiting–and the corresponding strategies to overcome them. If you’re wondering why your faith isn’t working in some aspects of your life, today’s episode is for you.
Quotes:
“God is better than gaining the whole world.”
“No matter how many people listen, people are people. The struggles are the same whether you are speaking to millions or to one.”
Micah 5:2
“Everyone in the room matters the same.”
“Do not despise the small things because they are pretty big in the eyes of God.”
“The parable of the sower is the longest parable of the 30 parables Jesus told.”
“The sower is the Lord, the seed is the Word, and we are the soil.”
“Sometimes you don’t understand the Bible because you don’t want to.”
“The theology of the cross is denying ourselves and taking up the cross.”
“When everyone in the world doesn’t like you because of Jesus, remember that God loves you because of Jesus.”
“When it’s painful to follow, sink your roots deep into the love of Jesus Christ.”
“The harvest isn’t immediate.”
“Maybe the sermon wasn’t for Tuesday. Maybe it was for September.”
“You don’t have to be special to be on team Jesus.”
“It’s about simple acts in His name that are a big deal in His heart.”
“God is more present in this process than you think.”
“You are not saved by the size of your faith but by the object of your faith. Christ saves us, not how great our faith in Christ is.”
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