The Jeff Cavins Show (Your Catholic Bible Study Podcast) - Why the Word Doesn't Work in Your Life

Episode Date: December 7, 2018

Just because God says something in his Word, doesn’t mean it is going to manifest itself in your life. The soil of our own hearts has a lot to do with whether the Word of God will take hold. During this Advent season, Jeff takes you through the parable of the sower to help prepare your heart for the coming of the Lord, who is the Word made flesh. To have the showntotes delivered straight to your inbox, email [e-mail] You can also find them at media.ascensionpress.com (https://media.ascensionpress.com/category/ascension-podcasts/)

You're listening to the Jeff Kaven Show, episode 93, why the word doesn't work in your life. Hey, I'm Jeff Kavans. How do you simplify your life? How do you study the Bible? All the way from motorcycle trips to raising kids, we're going to talk about the faith and life in general. It's the Jeff Kaven show. Hey, welcome to the show today. We're talking about, we're talking about, all things are related to being a disciple of the Lord and growing in holiness and trying to get ourselves to heaven, right? And so today we're going to be talking about a topic that actually came up as a result of two different points of input. One is I had a letter from a man from Denver by the name of Steve who writes, how come when I read the Bible, I don't seem to see the fruit

or the results of what I am reading. That was the gist of what he wrote, and I took note of that, which I take note of all of the emails that I'm getting from you, and in fact, I'm going back, you know, away and looking at some of the emails that I'm getting, and I'm bringing them up to the present. But he writes about how come the Word of God isn't yielding the fruit in my life that I expect it to.

And I saw that the other day, And here's the beautiful thing about the way that the Lord works, is that this morning, when my wife and I were doing Lexio de Vina, we pray every morning together, we spend about an hour together, and we pray scripture, and we do Lexio de Vina. And the reading for today was in Matthew, but I don't know why, but I accidentally turned to Mark, chapter four. And it was the parable of the sower and the explanation of the parable, which absolutely. fit so well with Steve's email. And so I thought, hey, let's do the show this week about that because it really ministered to me as well. And this is an example of how you can do, you know, prayer every morning, Alexio de Vina, and make a mistake. But in God's providence, he spoke. And he did something really beautiful. And I want to share that with you this week. Hey, we've got a lot of emails that have

been coming in from all over the world. We've got Texas, we've got Great Britain, we've got Singapore, we've got Australia, all kinds of different letters that I've been getting. Kendall writes, and he says, I listen to your podcast in the morning, getting ready for work. What a great way to start my day. Thank you for all that you're doing to advance Bible study in the Catholic Church. Kendall, by the way, is a woman. I just say. he, but it's she. I love my new Great Adventure Bible. It makes it easy to follow the story of salvation history, and it's the perfect companion for the Great Adventure Bible study. Blessings to you, and Emily, regards Kendall. P.S., my husband and I had the privilege of going on your

Holy Land trip this past January, and I do remember that. She says it was a life-changing experience. We were on the Gold, Texas bus. Every trip we take to Israel, we have different buses, and we give them a color, and they end up having a contest at the end to see who is, in fact, the best bus. It's a lot of fun. Another one from Stefan. Hi, Jeff. Great episode and confirms what the Lord was putting on my heart.

We were talking in that episode about getting out of your comfort zone, show number 89. And the letter says, I've had times where I stepped out, of course, for instance, when my three daughters were born and raising three daughters requires me to step out often, but I always try to step back in. Well, this week, I registered to become a Knight of Columbus. Let's see what the adventure the Lord has for me now. Hey, I got to tell you, Stefan, you and I are on the same track here, because as I speak, tomorrow morning, I'm taking my third degree for the Knights of Columbus. I'm going to become a night. I'm doing all three degrees in one day, and I've had people ask, well, why do you want to be a Knight of Columbus? And the answer is, because I want to be a part of a men's

movement in the church that is really geared towards serving. And there's a fraternal love, you know, for one another. And I'm excited about it. So I'm going to have to get used to that that blue vest. Got another letter. Hi, Jeff. This is from Sean. Sean says, just to say, thank you for the great podcast. I have the Bible Timeline Bible, and it's excellent. I'm reading it now in conjunction with the Bible timeline study, I went through a bad patch and nearly left Christianity altogether, but somehow stayed with it. It had nothing to do with the state of the church, but more to do with the new atheism. Again, thank you for your faithfulness to church teaching and your knowledge and enthusiasm for the Bible. You know, that's an interesting point, Sean,

is that there is a new atheism, and it is affecting people, and perhaps we will do a show on that in the future. Well, Steve wrote in from Denver and said, why isn't the word of God yielding fruit in my life when I read it? And this morning, I was doing Lexio de Vina, morning prayer, picked up Mark 4, should have been in Matthew. And in God's Providence, he spoke to me as well, Steve. So I want to share that with you today. You know, one of the big questions we have, of course, is as we read the Bible, we hear a lot of promises and we hear a lot of wonderful, wonderful graces that are available to us. But oftentimes when we look at our life after reading the Bible or hearing the readings at Mass on Sunday or daily Mass, we have to ask ourselves the question, why don't these things

happen in my life? Why don't the miracles of old take place in my life? How come I don't experience what these characters in the Bible so often experienced? Well, two things. One is that that I think sometimes we think that every single day these characters in the Bible experienced unbelievable miracles, and that's just not true. You know, as you look at the life of Abraham in Genesis, you'll see that he lived a long life, and there's a number of, you know, incredible encounters that he had with God, but there's also a lot of regular days that aren't recorded in the Bible. And so to compare yourself with the figures of the Bible, you have to also taken into consideration the everyday obligations that they had, changing diapers, getting food,

cleaning out the house, you know, going on vacation, all of these things. But the second thing is that one of the reasons, you know, I want to talk about this mainly, one of the reasons that the word of God does not take hold in our life, and we don't see the results of the Word of God in our life, which I thoroughly believe we can, and we should. should. One of the reasons is, is that the soil that the word of God lands in, the soil of our own heart, that has an awful lot to do with whether the word of God, which is considered a seed in Mark chapter 4, is finding a place where it can germinate and grow and bear fruit. Just because God says something in his word doesn't mean that it's going to manifest in your

life. You have a part to play in it in receiving the word and the disposition of your heart has an awful lot to do as to whether that word is going to be fruitful or not. So let me take you through the parable of the sower. And I think this is going to be a good one, particularly for Advent, because we're talking in Advent about the preparation of meeting the Lord. The Lord is coming. And we need to prepare our hearts to receive him, who is the word, made flesh. So let's go through this. We'll take a little bit time to do it, but I think it's going to be fruitful this time of year. And once again, if I come up with any particular verses, I'll put them in the show notes. You don't need to worry about pulling over on the way to work or

on the way home. All right, Matthew 4. Again, he began to teach beside the sea. It's the sea of Galilee, and a very large crowd gathered about him so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea. And the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land, and he taught them many things in parables. In his teaching, he said to them, listen. Hey, by the way, I just, not a plug, but I'm reading out of the New Great Adventure Bible. I love this because the words of Jesus are in red, and it really stands out. Anyway, so listen, a sower went out to sow, and as he sowed some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had not much soil,

and immediately it sprang up since it had no depth of the soil, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding 30-fold and 60-fold and 100-fold. And he said, he who has ears to hear, let them hear.

Okay, so we've got a narrative here where the Lord is talking about the Word of God is the seed that's planted, and it's planted along a number of natural things, like the path and rocky ground, and it's also talking about where it's so among seed with thorns and the thorns grow up and choke it and so forth. So it's giving us a natural explanation as to why seed that is sown doesn't grow. And I think we all know that if you start planting seeds among rocks and thorns and in poor soil, you're just not going to get a good plant. You're not going to get a harvest. You're not going to be fruitful. So then in verse 10 of Mark chapter 4, 10 through 20, Jesus gives an explanation of the parable. And what he's going to do now

is he's going to go from the natural reason that seed doesn't take hold and yield fruit to the spiritual, to really the root cause of why the word of God doesn't take root in your life. And I know you, if you're listening to the show, that you're interested in. this. I know you want the word of God to yield fruit in your life. I know that you want to be fruitful. You wouldn't be listening to a Catholic show like this if you were not interested. There's a lot of other things to do. So what I'm about to say, I think, is so important, not only to you, but it's important to me as well. And that's something important to remember is that when I talk on this show, I'm talking to myself. You know, I want to learn from this. I want to grow from

wisdom coming from the Word of God, and I know you do too. So let's look at the explanation here, shall we? We'll look at the explanation of the parable. Verse 10, and when he was alone, those who were about him with the 12 asked him concerning the parables, and he said to them, to you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God. But for those outside, everything is in parables, so that they may indeed see, but not perceive, and may indeed, hear but not understand lest they should turn again and be forgiven and he said to them do you not understand this parable how then will you understand all the parables and then he goes into verse 14 of mark chapter four and he says the sower sows the word the sower sows the word now that is important

to know is that the sower is sowing something into our lives and the sower is Christ. He's sowing the word into our lives. And that word is very powerful. It's quick. It's powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword. And it will accomplish that which God wants it to accomplish. But there's a cooperation on our part. So the sower sows the word, and these are the ones along the path where the word is sown. Remember, we talked about this in Mark 4, 1 through 9, about the natural results of sowing the seed in tough places, right? And so now we're going to get into the spiritual aspect of it. The sower sows the word, and these are the ones along the path where the word is sown. When they hear Satan immediately, when they hear Satan immediately,

immediately. Now, that's powerful, isn't it? When they hear the word of God, Satan. Now, for those that don't believe that there really is a devil, well, you're going to have to talk to the Lord about this because he seems to. Satan immediately comes and takes away the word, which is sewn in them. And these in like manner are the ones sewn upon rocky ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy, and they have no root in themselves but endure for a while. then when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. That's verse 17. You know, the Word of God is what really is the issue here. You know, we'll move on here, but just let me pause for a second.

The Word of God is what the real issue is here is that God is giving you the Word in Sunday readings, Lexio-Devina, reading scripture, Bible studies, daily mass. audio tapes in the car. God is giving you his word, and faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. The enemy does not like the word of God in your heart, and he will come as quick as he can to try to take it away. He'll try to take it away. You know, I remember in high school, I had an advantage and a disadvantage in football. The advantage was I was one of the fastest kids in the state. I was a sprinter. I ran a 9-9 in the 100 in high school. But the disadvantage was I was very small, and I couldn't knock anybody over. And as I was, you know, trying to try out for the football team, I was trying out as a halfback, running back,

and quarterback would give me the ball? And wouldn't you know it? The minute I got the ball, all the other guys on the other team were focused on me and trying to get me, and and to tackle me, and it felt like they wanted to destroy me. I got tired of it. How come every time I get the ball, everybody wants to destroy me. Everybody wants to come at me. I wanted to go to the coach and say, coach, I don't want to be the running back anymore. He said, you know, every time I get the ball, it doesn't end well. And the coach would have said, well, Jeff, what do you expect? You're the one with the ball. You're the one they're focused on because you have the ball. Well, it's the same thing with walking with Christ in the spiritual life. If you've got the word of God, the enemy doesn't like it.

If you don't have the word of God, leave you alone. Who cares? You're not going to be fruitful. But if you've got the word of God, we're going to try to get that word away, says the enemy. You might want to read sometimes. See us Lewis's great book called The Screwtape Letters, where he gives sort of an inside look at the enemy's strategy towards us and how he thinks. It's ingenious. It's a great playbook for the enemy, you know, as far as understanding the enemy. Now, I want to move on here. I'm going to take a break. When I come back, I want to pick up with verse 18 and finish out the explanation of the

parable about how we lose the word of God in our life. And I'm going to share with you something that really hit me this morning in Lexio Davina. You're listening to the Jeff Kaven show. Reading the Bible is something we as Catholics know we should do. But let's be honest, it can be a good. kind of complicated. Even though it's a complete story, the Bible isn't really one book. It's more like a library, with dozens of books and dozens of genres. There's poetry, prophecy, and prose. There are apocalypses and revelations, historical accounts, and allegories. No wonder it's

difficult to keep a finger on the story of God's love and plan of salvation for his people, the thread that keeps all of it together. If you're wishing there was a simple guide, to help you tie all of this together, then you're just like Jeff Kavins and Tim Gray. That's why they wrote the book, Walking with God. Walking with God is a single book that traces the story that ties the Bible together. It helps you to understand the big picture of the Bible.

If you're looking to read more of the Bible, walking with God will help you do it with confidence, peace, and clarity. You can find out more and order Walking with God on ascensionpress.com or on Amazon. Welcome back. We're talking about the sower, sowing the word in our hearts, and particularly during Advent,

which is when this particular broadcast is going out. I mean, you can use this any time of the year, but Advent is a preparation for the living word of God, the word made flesh. And it's a good idea to, it's a good thing to know that the enemy, you know, has ways of getting, us to give up the Word of God so it won't plant and germinate and create tremendous fruit

in our lives. And we're picking up with verse 18 of the explanation of the parable in Mark 4. Jesus goes on and he says, and others are the ones sewn among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the delights in riches and the desire for other things enter in and choke the word and it proves unfaithful. When I was in prayer this morning and exercising that wonderful gift of Lexio-Devina, I was struck by this verse. I was struck by verse 19 in such a powerful way. When you do Lexio-Devina, you read once through a particular text, and I read through the gospel.

every day. I want to stay with the church and stay with Christ. And I read through the gospel. And then usually a one word, one phrase, one sentence kind of comes alive. And that's the one that the Lord usually wants to speak to me about. And then I go into meditatio, meditation. I put myself in that story. And then Oratio, I begin to pray and ask God, why are you talking to me about this, you know? And then you go into contemplatio, which is the contemplation. It's just enjoying the fruit of all the labor of prayer and talking to the Lord. And it was this morning that this, by accident, not really, but is my accident, but God's Providence, I ended up here where I was suddenly face-to-face, Steve, in Denver, with

why the Word of God might not work in my life. Verse 18 again, and others are the ones sewn among thorns. They are those who hear the word. I've heard the word. you've heard the word we've all heard the word every sunday by the way isn't it interesting oh my gosh isn't it interesting how you can go to mass on sunday and you can hear all three readings on sunday and five seconds after the last reading if you were quizzed you'd have to say i don't have a clue what they just said why you got your mind you got your mind on the cares of the world you got your

mind on your checkbook. You got your mind on taxes coming up. You got your mind on the cares of the doctor's appointment that you're waiting for. You have cares and worries that just choked the word in the Sunday liturgy. Now, if you think I'm being really hard on you, I'm talking to myself. It's happened to me many times, and I think, Jeff, why aren't you paying attention? You're so focused on your problems and things, and you won't let the Word of God go into your heart and speak to you in a powerful way. But it was this morning, my friend, that verse 19 really came alive to me when it says, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches, and this is the line right here, ready, drummer roll, ready, and the desire for other things. Now that was the line, the desire for

other things, enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. Now, the reason that hit me so big this morning was that that phrase and the desire for other things is quite open-ended and broad. Now, what might those be? What are the other things that are choking the word? We know that the cares of the world and the delight in riches, they're going to choke the word from you. You're not even to hear it in the mass because you've got so much on your mind. But what are the other things? What are the other things that keep you from letting the Word of God enrich you and cause you to be fruitful? While I was in Lexio de Vina this morning and praying, one of the exercises is meditation

where you put yourself in the story. And I imagine myself going through the Mall of America, the largest mall in the country here in the Twin Cities. It's our second cathedral, don't write the bishop. We go through the Mall of America, and I imagine myself thinking, oh, look at that, oh, look at that. And the other things might be the toys we're interested in. They might be the interests that are not related to the gospel. They might be hobbies that have just run away with us, and we're spending all of our time on these hobbies and things. but I would ask you today, what does this mean to you and the desire for other things? What are the other things that are choking the Word of God in your life?

What are you so focused on that the Word of God is just stolen from your heart? You hear it on Sunday, but it doesn't take root because of the other things, the other things. And so the challenge to you, Steve, in Denver, and the challenge to all of us, you know, that are participating in this show together as brothers and sisters, we got to answer that question, what are the other things? And to find that out, what I would encourage you to do, as I'm doing, is to spend more time in prayer and ask the Lord, Lord, what are the other things in my life that are choking your word? because, Lord, I spent the time reading your word, but the other things choked it out. I went all the way to Mass. I got my family up and we got showered. We had breakfast early.

We drove to Mass. We even got there 10 minutes early. But then when the readings came and these other things choked the word. Lord, I don't want that to happen. Please reveal that to me. Reveal to me what's choking the word in my life. because I want to deal with that so that your word will be fruitful in my life. Now, I encourage you to really pray about that as I am, because this is the time of Advent.

This is the time of preparing, reorienting our whole life to the Lord so that we can receive him in all of his fullness. We've got to tend and deal with those other things. And that's the word I have for you this week, is we've got to tend to and we've got to deal with the other things that enter in and choke the word and it proves unfruitful. Can you think of anything that's quite as bad as that? The very word of God, the inspired word of God being unfruitful because of the other things. What are you dealing with? Is it money? Is it health? Is it career? Is it worry? Is it anxiety? Is it envy? Is it pornography? What is it? What are the other things that are choking the word? The good news is this, though, verse 20, but those that were sown upon the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, 30-fold and 60-fold and 100-fold. I love it. I want to be part of verse 20.

let's make that our prayer this week shall we my friend let's let's we'll be verse 20 people mark four in verse 20 i'm going for a hundredfold but if i'm going to go for a hundredfold well i got to deal with the other things let's pray in the name of the father and the son and the holy spirit lord we thank you today for giving us your word indeed you are the the word made flesh i pray Lord, that you would help us to understand the soil of our heart and how we receive you. Lord, we truly do want to yield a powerful, fruitful harvest with your word in our lives. But, Lord, we have the other things. Please help us, Lord, to identify the other things and to help us, help us to overcome these things

and focus on you and your word and to give your word that good soil, receives your word and acts on it. Oh, Lord, we ask you to do this, especially this time of Advent, this time of preparation. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. My friend, I hope you're having a great Advent. Remember, if you have a question for me or you have any kind of response, let me know.

You can email me at The Jeff Kaven Show at Ascension Press. And also, if you're interested in next year's pilgrimages to the Holy Land in January of 2020, go to my website, jeffcavens.com. And in June of 2020, wow, we've got an incredible trip coming up. We've got Father Mike Schmitz joining me in June of 2020. We're going to have the largest gathering of young adults in Israel. I want to say in history, but I don't know, but for a long time, we've never seen this many young adults come together. We've got Allie Aaliyah, Taylor Tripodi, we've got Brother Isaiah going to be singing. We've got three amazing singers, and we're going to have the trip of a lifetime, live

concerts in Galilee, in Jerusalem, and Bethlehem, and over 30 teachings along the way. And all of that's going to be posted on my website, jeffgabings.com, very shortly. And you've got to get your place for that, because I know it's going to sell out quick. God bless you. You have a great day. And remember, tend to the other things.