Opening the Gates of Heaven Perry Stone

is certainly important not to waste God’s money and to know to whom, to what, and to where you are giving; but in the parable, the condition of the heart (not the ministry) is where the seed will either die or grow. When a person has a hard, traditional calloused attitude toward the church, the pastor, the message, or the messenger, all the financial giving in the world won’t bring that stubborn and hard-hearted person into any spiritual breakthrough until there is first repentance and humility. If the heart is soft, tender, and receptive, the person will enjoy the change the Word makes in his or her life and thus experience the joy of a future harvest. Just as it takes time for a seed to grow, you may not see the results immediately, but they will come. H OW M UCH S EED ? In this parable the seed is the Word of God. The Bible contains many promises, prophecies, and instruction for our daily lives. When someone preaches the Holy Scriptures, the Word has the potential to produce faith, because the seed of the Word enters the ears of the listeners and drops into their spirits. If a person does not allow distractions, deceit, and discouragement to enter his or her heart, then the truth that person is hearing will bring forth numerous promises for which he or she is believing God. Believing with the heart will initiate and release the power within the seed to spring forth and bring new life. The Bible teaches that God will work with us to confirm