Weed Out Distractions So You Can Hear God

CURRENT TEACHING SERIES Can You Hear Me Now?

Weed Out Distractions So You Can Hear God By Rick Warren — Feb 24, 2015 “The seed that fell among the thorny weeds is like those who hear God’s teaching, but they let the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life keep them from growing and producing good fruit.”(Luke 8:14 NIV) God wants to speak to you. But first, you must eliminate the distractions so that you can hear from him. You can’t hear God when your mind is crowded with worries, your plans, and your activities. You can’t hear God when your mind is filled with TV, the Internet, and your cell phone. For many of us, there is too much noise going on for us to hear from God. This is the soil with weeds. In Luke 8:7 Jesus says, “Other seed fell in the weeds; the weeds grew with it and strangled it” (MSG). Notice that the seed does get to sprout and actually starts growing. But after awhile the weeds choke it, so it never bears fruit. In verse 14 Jesus explains the meaning: “The seed that fell among the thorny weeds is like those who hear God’s teaching, but they let the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life keep them from growing and producing good fruit” (NIV). One of the biggest distractions that keeps us from hearing from God is busyness. A lot of people confuse activity with productivity. But these are not the same. You can be always on the go but still going in circles. If you’re always busy but not really making any progress, then there won’t be any fruit in your life. There are three common weeds that tend to choke God out of your life. The first is worry. The word “worry” really means “pulled in different directions.” You forget God because you’re filled with anxiety and stretched to the limit. The second is riches. You can be so busy making money that you forget God. You put in a full day’s work, come home exhausted, and then get up the next morning and do it again. You’re so busy making a living that you’re not making a life with God. The third is pleasure. What’s wrong with pleasure? Nothing — except when you’re so busy pursuing fun that you forget God. There are lots of different kinds of weeds. A weed is anything you allow to take first place in your life instead of God. A weed is anything you allow to choke God out of your schedule. How much effort does it take to grow weeds? None. Weeds are a sign of neglect. Whenever you neglect time with God and your small group, guess what? Weeds are going to grow in your life. It may not be these three, but there will be some. They’re going to grow up and strangle the spiritual life out of you. God is trying to make contact with you. Is he getting a busy signal? You’ve got to be proactive and eliminate the weeds in your life so that God can speak to you and produce fruit in your life. PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over What does your schedule say is most important to you? What are the other weeds that you have allowed to grow in your life and that choke out your opportunities to hear from God? How can you adjust or eliminate things from your schedule so that you have more time to spend with God and in developing your relationships? Take Care of Yourself TODAY’S SCRIPTURE “For God has bought you with a great price. So use every part of your body to give glory back to God because he owns it.” (1 Corinthians 6:20, TLB) TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria There is no doubt that being in shape spiritually is the most important kind of fitness. But being in shape physically is very important as well. Some people know the Bible well — they pray often and they know what to do, but they don’t have the physical energy to do anything at all. All three parts of your being — physical, emotional and spiritual — should be healthy and in sync for you to function most productively. Your body is the temple of the most high God, and you must honor Him with the care you take of it. Seek a balance, and try to be healthy and God-honoring in every part of life. A PRAYER FOR TODAY God, thank You for giving me the ability to honor You with my body. Help me to take care of my body and make it a stronger and healthier temple for You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. PS... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pcz9GJ0Ixn8