The Soil of Our Heart Matters
Drayton Mclane said, “When you have more memories than imagination, it is time to quit.” As a church, we just celebrated 50 years of God’s faithfulness and provision. There has been so many blessings showered on our fellowship, but we can’t just sit back and reminisce about the past. We must build on that good foundation! God has given us a clear vision for the future…to make disciples of those Nearest, our Neighbors, and the Nations. In an ever-changing world, we can rest assured that our God never changes. When we live in faith and not in fear, we begin to live life with open hands…a life of generosity!

Remember, Carmel means, “vineyard” or “garden”. We best fulfill our vision as a church when our hearts and lives are cultivated. We see God’s plan through bearing lasting fruit. Our “fruit” is making disciples – followers of Christ in learning and living. It is important to remember that we can NOT make disciples unless we are growing ourselves.

Land that is cultivated is a land that is prepared, plowed, and seeded for others (Hebrews 6:7 and Psalm 104). Fallow ground is not prepared and lays dormant and not able to produce fruit. One way to develop a cultivated heart is to meditate on God’s Word and His goodness by remembering that we are forgiven, chosen, and adopted by the Living God! Out of this love, we can love Him back. To meditate is to “actively ponder” (Psalm 63).

6 Blessings of Meditation (A great book to read is Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster)

1. An obedient heart (Joshua 1)
2. Success (Joshua 1)
3. Worship (Psalm 48:9-10)
4. Wisdom
5. Utter Delight (Psalm 1:2)
6. Courage and Bravery (Joshua 1:6)

In Psalm 1:1-3, we must remember that the soil matters. The tree is planted in good soil. The soil of our heart matters!

To discuss today
1. Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ? Is there fruit-bearing in your life? Where?

2. Am I cultivated or fallow? What does it mean to have a cultivated heart?

3. Do you find delight in the Word of God? How does this show in your daily life?

4. Do you meditate on Scripture? When? How? (Remember, meditation is filling your mind with God’s Word and His goodness. You can’t meditate on what you haven’t memorized.)

5. Meditate on the Prayer below this week…

Prayer
Father, till the soil of my heart. As it says in Hosea 10:12, I want to “Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that He may come and rain righteousness upon you.” Father, please till up the soil of your people at Carmel. Teach us to love your Word out of an overflow of knowing how much You love us. Help me to live in faith with open hands…