Karina Diaz - January 18, 2026
Week 3: The Crowded Life
We often think growth means doing more, becoming better, or seeing visible results but Jesus taught that real growth starts beneath the surface. In Matthew 13, He reveals that the condition of the soil, our heart, determines what kind of harvest comes from what God plants in us. In this message, The Crowded Life, we explore the thorny ground: a life that hears the Word, desires God, begins to grow but becomes overcrowded by worry, busyness, and divided devotion. Through the story of Martha and Mary, we learn how distraction doesn’t look sinful, it looks responsible and how performance can quietly replace presence. This message will help you identify what’s crowding your heart, learn how to prune what competes with God, and choose presence over performance so you can experience lasting fruitfulness.
From Series: "Grow"
Grow is a call into a season of intentional, spiritual growth, both as a church and as individuals. While we often think of growth in terms of what’s visible around us, Scripture reminds us that God first grows what is within us. True growth always begins beneath the surface. In this series, we follow Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 13, where He doesn’t start with the harvest or the results, but with the soil of the heart. Through the Parable of the Sower, we’ll explore how different conditions of our hearts determine whether God’s Word can take root, flourish, and produce lasting fruit, inviting us to examine what kind of soil we’re offering Him and how we can truly grow.