Hosanna Restoration Church

In order to experience the deep things of God, we need to break through the shallow ground and go deep to the firm foundation.

When Jesus spoke about the seed the Sower sows, shallow was an issue. The shallow faith will quickly grab something and get rid of it before it goes too deep. Shallow faith keeps its distance. Shallow faith will hold on to shallow thinking. Shallow faith guards against any truth that touches a preferred way of thinking.

Shallow faith says that some people just take faith too far. Shallow says I know enough, and I do not need any more!

Jesus tells the opposite. Jesus challenges us to choose to go deeper. Holy Spirit tells us that He will show us the way. After all, He has been sent to lead us to all truth.

James 1:4 tells us about going deeper and developing endurance until we are perfect and lack nothing. Shallow faith lacks endurance and is not interested in pressing in. Allow Holy Spirit to reveal where you are and where you need to be.

As I read James, I see yet another lifelong work that God is doing. My endurance will not be perfect until I am perfect, and that will be when I am standing with Jesus. Still, endurance encourages us to believe for victory. Endurance tells us that God has never failed, and He never will. Endurance assures us that God is for us.

When Jesus taught about the seed and the soil, he emphasized that they had to get this deep down in their hearts.

We need to recognize the soil types. We need to be honest with ourselves when we see what is going on inside of us. We need to have good soil for all the seeds, not just some of them, because all of the seeds are good.

I sometimes read or hear the word and a seed lands that I want to remember. But, if I do not have a pen or cannot make a note, the birds try to get away with it. I am sad to say that I may have many words that I had to chase the birds to get them back. The same is true of words that get lost among the thorns. God, forgive me for any that I have not retrieved.

Surely, I have access to everything I need, but I am far from perfect or complete. I must go deeper into the love of God. This is love, John said. Not that we love Him but that He first loved us in the deepest way possible He gave His for us. Will we give our lives to Him?