Plucking Truth From The Seed Of the Word Can Be Painful
On the path there lies a cast away seed casing that was once housed in a strong fortress of it's burr encasement.
The European Chestnut is a deciduous tree that produces edible seeds. These seeds are packed with energy and huge potential for life. While the seed is undergoing it's development, it is tightly packed in an outer covering that prevents animals from accessing it's energy until it falls to the ground.
After this seed falls to the ground and begins to dry out, the protective burr husk, shrinks back and exposing the seed and making it accessible to passerby's.
Soon after the chestnut has exposed it's life bringing flesh, someone comes along and retrieves the seed and all that remains is it's empty burred husk.
Jesus spoke to great crowds of people using parables so that some of them would have deep understanding of the truths of the kingdom of God.
In Matthew 13 Jesus begins to tell of the sower that went out to sow.
Jesus spoke in parables so that the people that were given to know the secrets of the kingdom would know. He was speaking to a variety of people and he knew that some of them would never understand what He was saying, yet he still sowed His seeds.
People whose hearts have grown dull, can barley hear or see as their eyes are closed to truth and they are unable to understand the things of the kingdom.
Hearts that are receptive to truth find a great treasure in the word of God and their eyes are blessed to see and hear what the word of God is saying and mine the deep hidden treasures that are nestled in a harsh offensive covering.
Jesus continues to tease out the meaning of the parable of the sower for the crowds that have gathered around him.
It is not enough that we hear the word of the kingdom but our hearts must be enlivened and clever to receive the truth.
Satan is lurking, waiting for people to be distracted by the cares of this world so that their hearts are dull toward the truth of the kingdom. He banks on it.
As believers it is vitally important for us to not only read the word of God but to seek to understand what it is saying.
So often people sit through a sermon, unengaged, uninterested and distracted by other things never realizing that if they are not using their minds while they are sitting there, they are at risk of having truth stolen right out from under their noses. They are in essence giving way to a dull heart.
I have seen the enemy act fast and furiously when someone realizes they don't understand the word of God or they commit to reading and studying it, they inevitably come under great attack.
The word understand in Matthew 13:19 means;
When we seek to understand the word of God we are resolving to bring together the truth of the word and our own sinful darkened hearts.
Our hearts are hostile toward the truth of God's word and the more and more we suppress the truth the more our hearts become dull and are unable to maintain the truth, giving way to the enemy of our souls to come and snatch the great treasure from our midst.
Our Savior died for us to know Him. We too must choose to die to our selfish ways of thinking and conform our hearts and minds to the truth of who He is even when it doesn't serve us well.
Not that the word of God is incapable of serving us well but we are incapable when we do not set to studying and reading and pushing through when there is great resistance from the enemy.
Proverbs 2:1-5 shows us that we must take action in the matter of our understanding.
My youngest son and I have been reading Treasure Island at bedtime and we are at a part where the pirates are killing people that won't join their scheme to overtake the treasure hunt. They have killed the faithful fellows who have committed to finding the treasure with the honest crew.
It reminds me that the enemy of our souls seriously endeavors to kill us. He will take us out if you do not have understanding of God's word. He seeks to kill, steal and destroy and ultimately to prevent us from possessing all the riches of the kingdom of God.
Lord, we thank you for your word which is truth. Thank you that it is quick and sharp and has the potential to change us. Give us the ability to rightly divide the word of truth. Keep our hearts bright and enlivened to truth so when the bristly painful seeds of the kingdom come our way we don't avoid them but pluck the meaty goodness from their encasement so that we can plant them deep into our hearts and become trees of righteousness planted by the water of your word.
The European Chestnut is a deciduous tree that produces edible seeds. These seeds are packed with energy and huge potential for life. While the seed is undergoing it's development, it is tightly packed in an outer covering that prevents animals from accessing it's energy until it falls to the ground.
After this seed falls to the ground and begins to dry out, the protective burr husk, shrinks back and exposing the seed and making it accessible to passerby's.Soon after the chestnut has exposed it's life bringing flesh, someone comes along and retrieves the seed and all that remains is it's empty burred husk.
Jesus spoke to great crowds of people using parables so that some of them would have deep understanding of the truths of the kingdom of God.
In Matthew 13 Jesus begins to tell of the sower that went out to sow.
"A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path,
and the birds came and devoured them."
Jesus spoke in parables so that the people that were given to know the secrets of the kingdom would know. He was speaking to a variety of people and he knew that some of them would never understand what He was saying, yet he still sowed His seeds.
People whose hearts have grown dull, can barley hear or see as their eyes are closed to truth and they are unable to understand the things of the kingdom.
Hearts that are receptive to truth find a great treasure in the word of God and their eyes are blessed to see and hear what the word of God is saying and mine the deep hidden treasures that are nestled in a harsh offensive covering.
The gospel is sharp and offensive to many people.
Jesus continues to tease out the meaning of the parable of the sower for the crowds that have gathered around him.
"Hear then the parable of the sower;
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom
and does not understand it,
the evil one comes and snatches away
what has been sown in his heart.
This is what was sown along the path."
It is not enough that we hear the word of the kingdom but our hearts must be enlivened and clever to receive the truth.
Satan is lurking, waiting for people to be distracted by the cares of this world so that their hearts are dull toward the truth of the kingdom. He banks on it.
As believers it is vitally important for us to not only read the word of God but to seek to understand what it is saying.
So often people sit through a sermon, unengaged, uninterested and distracted by other things never realizing that if they are not using their minds while they are sitting there, they are at risk of having truth stolen right out from under their noses. They are in essence giving way to a dull heart.
The enemy wants nothing more than to prevent people from understanding God's word.
I have seen the enemy act fast and furiously when someone realizes they don't understand the word of God or they commit to reading and studying it, they inevitably come under great attack.
The word understand in Matthew 13:19 means;
to be wise, to set or bring together (in a hostile sense of combatants),
to set or join together in the mind.
When we seek to understand the word of God we are resolving to bring together the truth of the word and our own sinful darkened hearts.
Our hearts are hostile toward the truth of God's word and the more and more we suppress the truth the more our hearts become dull and are unable to maintain the truth, giving way to the enemy of our souls to come and snatch the great treasure from our midst.
Our Savior died for us to know Him. We too must choose to die to our selfish ways of thinking and conform our hearts and minds to the truth of who He is even when it doesn't serve us well.
Not that the word of God is incapable of serving us well but we are incapable when we do not set to studying and reading and pushing through when there is great resistance from the enemy.
Proverbs 2:1-5 shows us that we must take action in the matter of our understanding.
My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
if you seek it like silver and
search for it as for hidden treasures,
then you will understand
the fear of the LORD and find
the knowledge of God.
search for it as for hidden treasures,
then you will understand
the fear of the LORD and find
the knowledge of God.
My youngest son and I have been reading Treasure Island at bedtime and we are at a part where the pirates are killing people that won't join their scheme to overtake the treasure hunt. They have killed the faithful fellows who have committed to finding the treasure with the honest crew.
It reminds me that the enemy of our souls seriously endeavors to kill us. He will take us out if you do not have understanding of God's word. He seeks to kill, steal and destroy and ultimately to prevent us from possessing all the riches of the kingdom of God.
Lord, we thank you for your word which is truth. Thank you that it is quick and sharp and has the potential to change us. Give us the ability to rightly divide the word of truth. Keep our hearts bright and enlivened to truth so when the bristly painful seeds of the kingdom come our way we don't avoid them but pluck the meaty goodness from their encasement so that we can plant them deep into our hearts and become trees of righteousness planted by the water of your word.
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