Luke 8:8
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Luke 8:5-8
“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Luke 8:11
“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.”

There are these 4 different scenarios, & we are all one of them:

Luke 8:12
“Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.”

1. The polluted heart.

James 1:21 NLT
“Get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the message God has planted in your hearts, for it is strong enough to save your soul.”

We can’t begin a new life until we turn from the old.

Luke 8:13 NLT
“The rocky soil represents those who hear the message with joy. But like young plants in such soil, their roots don’t go very deep. They believe for a while, but they wilt when the hot winds of testing blow.”

2. The distracted heart.

To hear God’s voice I must turn down the world’s volume.

Luke 8:14
“The seed that fell among weeds stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures, and they don’t mature.”

3. The immature heart.

Maturity comes when we stop making excuses and start making changes.

Luke 8:15
“But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”

4. The prepared heart.

How do I get my heart prepared? Three words:

LISTEN – RETAIN – OBEY

Polluted Heart — KNOW GOD

Distracted Heart — FIND FREEDOM

Immature Heart — DISCOVER PURPOSE

Prepared Heart — MAKE A DIFFERENCE

God’s voice is clearest in a prepared environment.