The Grass withers the flowers fade but the word of the Lord endures forever.🌻 - Isaiah 40:8

This verse is so beautiful to me, partly because I love nature. I feel closer to God in His creation. I think that’s because he intended to speak to us through his creation. There’s so many lessons we find surrounding seeds, trees, grass, flowers, animals, the sea, the mountains, etc. There’s so much order to creation and so much of it points us back to our creator. I think we should all strive to spend more time with our creator in nature seeking Him. I believe it would lead to happier and more peaceful lives. We weren’t made to look at a screen the majority of the day! 

In Genesis 2:7 it says- "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul" We also are told from dust you were made and to dust you will return. We are all destined to die just as the grass withers and the flowers fade. Just as the seasons come and go so will our time on this earth. Life is fragile and tomorrow is not promised. But God’s word will endure forever. What are you living for? Are you living for the kingdom to come or the world that’s passing by? Once our time has finished on this earth we will rise from the dust of the earth at the resurrection to meet our maker the judge of all the living. You have a choice to make- Will you bow your knee to the king of kings and allow him to be Lord of your life? Or will you wait too late? Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess the Lord it’s just a matter of time. He’s preparing His saints to inherit an eternal kingdom. A kingdom where there will be no more death, pain, crying, or mourning for the old order of things will be no more. We will be crowned with everlasting joy. Anything we give up in this life for His sake can’t compare to the joy that’s coming. 

So how do we prepare for this coming kingdom? Well, we have to find the king. Jeremiah 29:13 says “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” John 1:1 says “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” We find the king by seeking and studying the word of God. He spoke all things into existence. His word is alive and active. There’s so much power in His words. This book is meant to be studied all our lives. There’s hidden treasure for those who seek it. He tells us in Proverbs 25:2 “it is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.” In Revelation 1:6 we are told He will make us kings and priests. We will become this by seeking him with all our hearts and searching out the scriptures to find out what was meant by what was said. He clothes his word in mystery to require the reader to a lifelong journey of seeking and transformation through the washing of the word. Through this seeking you will find God has an order to his kingdom. Just as with any kingdom, there are laws. He says “If you love me keep my commandments” We see here the greatest form of love is obedience. To make Him Lord of your life means to submit to His will and not your earthly nature. We’re also warned in Hebrews 4:2 “For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.” And in James 1:22-25   Were told “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”  In Luke 6:46 Christ asks “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I ask?” In order for him to be Lord we must submit to Him and obey what he commands. In 2 Corinthians 13:5 it tells us we must "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" It’s important we examine our lives through the lens of scripture. To come full circle we are going to examine the parable of the sower just as we are compared to the dust/ grass I want you to examine your own lives to determine which soil your life is being built on. There are four types of soil- 

The path: People who hear the Word but don't listen

Rocky soil: People who initially respond to the Word, but it doesn't take root

Thorny ground: People who respond to the gospel but are overcome by worries, greed, and worldly desires

Good soil: People who hear, understand, and receive the Word

We learn that the seed represents the Gospel, the sower represents anyone who proclaims it, and the various soils represent people's responses to it. The only soil that produces fruit is the good soil, which represents people who are truly saved.

We are also likened to trees who bear fruit and we are warned Matthew 7:19-20 says “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits, you will know them.” We must actively listen and obey His holy word allowing it to take root in our hearts. You will grow in faith as you walk your faith out in obedience. My prayer for you is that you would build your life on the solid foundation of His word, seek him with all of your heart, walk in his ways, bear much fruit, and take part in the most meaningful work on this earth- Building the kingdom. We bring nothing into this world and we leave the same way. Your earthly treasures will all perish and pass away. The only thing that will remain is the souls we impacted by letting our light shine and pointing others to this narrow path that leads to life. I pray all the lives that you plant seeds of truth in will fall on good soil, be watered, and grow up to bear much fruit.