Pastor Mac Hammond  |  August 29, 2021

Recap:
After the Word of God is planted in hearts that are not hard or stony, the Word has the opportunity to grow and produce fruit. However, the cultivating of soil doesn’t stop there. In order to reach the harvest of God-ideas that the Word can produce, we must be aware of weed seeds. Weed seeds are worldly ideas that are counter to the Word of God. Weed seeds will choke out the truth of God’s Word. It is important to identify and get rid of weed seeds so they aren’t a part of your life.

Dive Deeper:
Take a moment and consider everything that the world is worried about. It is consistently based in tomorrow. God has a different way for us to live: He wants us to seek first God’s kingdom today. When we seed God’s kingdom first, we focus on what needs to happen today and trust God with the future. We become less concerned about what the world thinks and more concerned about the direction of God’s Word in our lives.

Living life this way keeps the weed seeds from having a chokehold on the good seed of God’s Word. You see, one of the ways the enemy can ruin a harvest after the Word has been planted is by providing ideas other than God’s Word in our lives. These “weed seeds” are competing ideas about the world. They include the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things.

Cares and anxiety are based in fear—and fear is a distraction that will choke out faith in God’s Word. When you seek first God’s kingdom, your concern becomes sowing God’s Word into other people’s lives through your lifestyle, your words, and your money.

Remember, if you start experiencing the peace and joy that comes from following God’s Word, and then it stops, it’s very likely there’s a weed seed in your life attempting to choke out your harvest. Don’t let it! Refocus in on God and His Word. Let the truth of His promises come alive in your heart.

Read More:
Mark 4:11 KJV
“And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:”

Mark 4:13-20 KJV
“And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.”

Matthew 6:25 KJV
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Matthew 6:31-34 KJV
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Discussion Questions:
1. Have you noticed weed seeds in your life?
2. What can you do to place a priority on God’s Word over worldly ideas?
3. What are various sources of weed seeds in your life? What are sources of God’s Word?
4. How can you help bring God’s Word to other people today?

Rewatch or catch up on the full sermon with the link below!

Recent Sermon Notes

Grace Unveiled, #9: Established in the Gift of Righteousness | Jim Hammond

This past weekend, Pastor Jim taught his 9th installment in his series on the book of Romans entitled, “Grace Unveiled.” The first three and a half chapters of Romans, Paul talked extensively, driving home the point, on how no one can make himself righteous in God’s eyes. The Apostle Paul didn’t leave anyone out. He listed the Pagans in the secular world, people just trying to do good, and the zealous disciplined Jews… he made sure they knew that none of them measured up in God’s eyes. No matter what they did, they would never be able to escape God’s wrath… unless there is something that appeases that judgment. That was Paul’s way of working up to a point. Paul then introduced the righteousness of God through Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.

The Principle of Connection | Mac Hammond

Pastor Mac taught a message entitled, “The Principle of Connection.” Oftentimes, we struggle with obedience to the Word, where our obedience to the Word is not done in faith but out of legalism. We don’t do it from our heart, but we do it out of obligation. However, as Pastor Mac pointed out, if the Word is going to work for you, it has to come from our heart. There is a remedy that puts an end to legalistic obedience: once you understand the principle behind a particular mandate, obedience to the Word becomes exciting. Pastor Mac goes on to discuss the Principle of Connection.

A Faith-Building Weekend With Nancy Dufresne

What a weekend we had with guest minister Nancy Dufresne. She shared on the power of faith and reminded us that God and the Holy Spirit should always remain our focus. That means when we face difficulty, listening to the Holy Spirit, our guide on the inside, is the best thing that we can do. You can walk in faith toward your miracle!

GRACE UNVEILED: “All Under Sin,” #7 | Jim Hammond

Pastor Jim delivered his seventh installment in his series on the book of Romans, entitled, “Grace Unveiled.” The first three chapters of Romans focuses explicitly on the definition of sin. “Because,” as Pastor Jim says, “if you don’t understand what sin is, you will not understand the solution to the sin problem.” Paul wanted them to understand that all of mankind has a sin problem, and no matter who you are, you will never, ever be able to achieve righteousness through your own merit. If doesn’t matter if you’re a secular pagan who worships Zeus or a religious Jew who strictly follows the law, God will never see you as righteous through your own effort. Pastor Jim has much more to say in this message subtitled, “All Under Sin.”

They Brought | Mac Hammond

Last Sunday, Pastor Mac taught a message entitled, “They Brought.” He said, “If you’re in a relationship with the Lord, you’re in a covenant with Him. And that covenant is one of blessing.” Yet, many covenant believers do not seem to walk in the level of blessing the Bible promises. Why is that? Pastor Mac said walking fully in the provision and purpose of God begins by understanding what the definition of a covenant actually is.