Sunday-Sunday. You know about Sunday right? It’s the day we go to church, the day of “worship”. It’s the day where we gather with other Christians for fellowship, prayer, singing and to, (drum roll please!) RECEIVE A WORD FROM GOD.
“Hearing the word” is described in many ways. Some call it a sermon or a talk. Other times you might hear it portrayed as preaching or teaching. It doesn’t really matter how it’s described. The real question is; did you get it? Did you understand it? Did it make sense to you?
A parable is a story using enigmatic or mysterious speech to convey a deeper point. Jesus often taught in parables when he was around large crowds to hide truth from those who refused to believe His message, while at the same time offering revelation to those who were eager to believe Him.
In the 4th chapter of Mark, Jesus is telling a parable about “the sower and the seed”. Both before and after Jesus told the parable, He urged the crowd (which included His disciples) to listen carefully. He used phrases like “Listen!” “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” “Don’t you understand?” He was giving hidden truths about the Kingdom of God and he wanted “believers” to get it.
Today the Kingdom of God is still being revealed to those who have a heart to believe. Although Jesus isn’t physically on the earth giving revelation these days, He has left us His Word, and The Holy Spirit is present to reveal it to those whose minds and hearts are open to it. No matter what His message is to you, His ultimate desire is that you understand what He is trying so desperately to relay to you.
The people that weren’t open to Jesus’ message were described as “ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding.” They we not prepared to get it. Are you prepared to get it? Listed below are 7 ways that you can prepare yourself to hear whatever God is trying to say to you.
1. With humility, revere God and His Word
2. Repent of sins and Forgive others
3. Invite The Holy Spirit in
4. Pray for continuous revelation
5. Keep an open and believing heart
6. Resist mental, visual, and emotional distractions
7. Decide to follow-up on the message and consistently do it
Remember, God is still speaking in pulpits on Sundays, but those aren’t the only days or places that He speaks. The key is when He speaks, “get it!” then spread it.
Living To Please Him!
Pastor Terry
Pastor Terry, you really made me think about a time when Tovah and I both learned a good life lesson on the parable about “the sower and the seed”.
ReplyDeleteTovah was in 4th grade and we were homeschooling at the time, and I wanted to incorporate the “Word” into science, so we dried out seeds from tomatoes, and planted them in small pots of good soil, soil with rocks, soil with sand and soil that was so hard you couldn't plant anything in it.
We were taking pictures of all the plants every 3 days and logging their progress, so image how happy we were when in mid November we had a beautiful green plant. The seeds in the good soil grew to the point they had to be repotted in a larger pot. But one day soon after, it looked like the plant was getting smaller and then the next day all the leaves were gone. A mouse had eaten the leaves. I didn't know what to do; I thought the experiment was ruined. She couldn't log in her report “A mouse ate it! The end.” But then again, it did beat, “The dog ate it.”
After sharing with a friend who is very wise, she pointed out what happened was true to life in the fact that with the "Word" that we do get, if we are not careful to protect it, our enemy (like the mouse) will come and eat away at it bit, by bit until it is gone.
Since the science project was to teach her biblical principles, I would have to say we both learned something very valuable. So I share this as a reminder that even when we get it, we must nourish and protect it, from the one that seeks to kill, steal and destroy. Thank you Pastor Terry, for the keys on how to do just that!
WOW! I'm sitting here thinking WOW! I got it! That's all I can say.
ReplyDeleteI so got it and I got to keep it no matter how difficult!
ReplyDelete