A Great Word on the WORD
Dear Unified … family,
I trust you are being blessed in your daily reading of the Word of God. You should be reading Proverbs 12, Psalm 12. If you are already behind on your reading, start afresh today!
There are new mercies every morning!
This is an appropriate word by Pastor John.
Blessings,
Pastor Dean
…
The Seed that Cuts
When we look at the parable of the seed and the sower (Luke 8:10-15, Matthew 13:18-23, Mark 4:13-20), we naturally look at the external pressures or the soil that causes the seed not to sprout and grow. This is only right because the soil or the heart of man must hear the Word with an honest and good heart in order for it to bear fruit. If the heart is not right, the enemy, temptation, and the cares of this life will abort the growth of the seed. They will prevent it from growing into full maturation.
As I pondered this passage, I realized the other reason why people do not move into fruitfulness: they can’t handle the seed. The seed represents the word (Lk 8:11). Jeremiah 23:29 states, “Is not My word like fire?” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?” Fires and hammers cause pain. It is also like a double-edged sword that pierces the heart (Heb 4:12). “Ouch!”
Jesus preached challenging words to people and many left (Jn 6:60, 66). He told them to eat his flesh and drink his blood. They couldn’t handle the seed coming from his mouth. It was like a hammer. The fair weather followers left and packed up their bags to listen to someone else who would pamper their bruised hearts and sensitive sentimentalities. They even said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?”
I always used to wonder why 2 Timothy 3:16 emphasized the muscle side of the word of God; things like teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. Why didn’t Paul through the Holy Spirit write this verse this way? All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for encouraging, edifying, ministering, and comforting those in need. I have the sneaky suspicion that the word of God Paul was referring to was a lot more spiritually volatile than the bland, tepid, lukewarm stuff being preached from the consumer conscious pulpits of today.
The seed goes forth and has effect. Isaiah 55:10-11 states, “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so will My word be which goes forth from my mouth. It will not return to me empty without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” Another version states that it does not come back void. It always has effect.
I would like to make bold and assert that the seed cuts. John 15:2 states “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it that it may bear more fruit.” The seed, like a sword (Heb 4:12) in the hand of the vinedresser, cuts into our spiritually diseased hearts and transforms us into the image of Christ; that is, if we let it do its good work over time. It takes perseverance and a good and honest heart to hold onto the seed until fruition.
Temptation, trial, and the Devil try to tell us the seed is too heavy, toilsome, offensive, and difficult to bear. Have you ever been offended by the Word of God spoken by a man or woman of God? Could it just be the incendiary quality of the Word? Could it be that one is offended needlessly? It is a fire. It is a hammer.
The soil or heart that can receive the pure seed of God without any sugar-coated additives will eventually produce fruit. Too many fall away because of offense. Too many teachers or preachers scatter poor grade seed and wonder why their parishioners are not growing.
I guess its time to receive and give out good seed. It’s time for our hearts to burn because we heard the Words of Christ (Luke 24:32). His challenging word will cause growth.
The seed cuts. It will eventually grow into a fruitful head of grain if we hold onto it, if we accept it, if we allow it time to do its good work.
Pastor John