Keep the Word of God in Your Heart, and Bear Fruit with Patience (Part 3)

“But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard THE WORD with a noble and good heart, KEEP IT AND BEAR FRUIT WITH PATIENCE.” (Luke 8:15 NKJV).

Beloved, we are continuing our series on the Parable of the Sower, and in this third part of the series we will unveil the revelation in the seed that “fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.” (Luke 8:7 NKJV). Jesus explained that “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who HEARS THE WORD, and THE CARES OF THIS WORLD and THE DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES choke the word, and HE BECOMES UNFRUITFUL.” (Matthew 13:22 NKJV). It is implied in this verse that this category of hearers also hear the Word alright, they understand the Word alright, and even believe the Word alright, but the Word does not bear fruit in them because the CARES (or worries) OF THIS WORLD, the DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES, PLEASURES OF LIFE (see Luke 8:14), and THE DESIRES FOR OTHER THINGS (see Mark 4:19) enter in and CHOKE THE WORD or make the Word of no effect. It is also implied here that this category of hearers become so preoccupied with the things of this life and the desires for other things (including not only material things, but the traditions, opinions and philosophies of men, and the praise of men), that they neglect the Word of the Kingdom and refuse to consistently put the Word into practice, and so they BECOME UNFRUITFUL; they, in the words of the apostle Peter, FORSAKE the right way and GO ASTRAY, “following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, WHO LOVED THE WAGES OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS" (see 2 Peter 2:15). Jude says,  "Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run GREEDILY in the error of Balaam FOR PROFIT, and perished in the rebellion of Korah." (Jude 1:11 NKJV). He says, “These are grumblers, complainers, WALKING ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN LUSTS...” (Jude 1:16 NKJV). And Jesus says of such people that, “Every branch in Me that DOES NOT BEAR FRUIT He (God) takes away…” (see John 15:2 NKJV, brackets and emphasis mine).

Indeed the Bible has many examples of such people who HEAR THE WORD, and THE CARES OF THIS WORLD and THE DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES, PLEASURES OF LIFE, and THE DESIRES FOR OTHER THINGS enter in and CHOKE THE WORD, and they BECOME UNFRUITFUL. The apostle Paul in his second letter to Timothy, mentioned Demas, who he said had forsaken him, “HAVING LOVED THIS PRESENT WORLD, and has departed for Thessalonica” (see 2 Timothy 4:9‭-‬10). Then, of course, there is the example of Balaam whom we mentioned earlier, “who LOVED THE WAGES OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS" (see 2 Peter 2:15). The Lord Jesus Christ Himself spoke against Balaam, that he “taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality." (Revelation 2:14 NIV). Thus Balaam, having heard THE WORD OF GOD, allowed the Word to be choked by THE CARES OF THIS WORLD and THE DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES, PLEASURES OF LIFE, and THE DESIRES FOR OTHER THINGS, so he became UNFRUITFUL; he cunningly went against the Word of God by coveting the prize Balak was offering him to curse the children of Israel. The Bible says that Balaam was GREEDY FOR PROFIT (see Jude 1:11), and LOVED THE WAGES OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS (see 2 Peter 2:15). How tragic!

JUDAS ISCARIOT is yet another example in the Bible, of a man who heard the Word of the Kingdom, and THE CARES OF THIS WORLD and THE DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES, PLEASURES OF LIFE, and THE DESIRES FOR OTHER THINGS, entered in and choked the Word, so that he BECAME UNFRUITFUL. Judas (the son of perdition) betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ FOR MONEY, for THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER. Oh, what ruin the deceitfulness of riches brought upon Judas! Peter said that Judas “became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.” (Now THIS MAN PURCHASED A FIELD WITH THE WAGES OF INIQUITY; and FALLING HEADLONG, HE BURST OPEN IN THE MIDDLE AND ALL HIS ENTRAILS GUSHED OUT. And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)” (see Acts 1:16-19).

The apostle Paul says of those who HEAR THE WORD, and THE CARES OF THIS WORLD and THE DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES, PLEASURES OF LIFE, and THE DESIRES FOR OTHER THINGS choke the word, and THEY BECOME UNFRUITFUL, that they “are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is  their belly, and whose glory is in their shame— who SET THEIR MIND ON EARTHLY THINGS.” (see Philippians 3:17‭-‬19 NKJV). Thus, the root of the problem such hearers of the Word have is that THEY SET THEIR MIND ON EARTHLY THINGS; they love the things of this present world. And so the apostle Paul offers a preventive measure for this condition; he says, “If then you were raised with Christ, SEEK THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON THINGS ON THE EARTH.” (Colossians 3:1‭-‬2 NKJV). Then he adds, “Now GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT IS GREAT GAIN. For WE BROUGHT NOTHING INTO THIS WORLD, and IT IS CERTAIN WE CAN CARRY NOTHING OUT. And having FOOD and CLOTHING, with these WE SHALL BE CONTENT. But THOSE WHO DESIRE TO BE RICH FALL INTO TEMPTATION AND A SNARE, and into many foolish and harmful lusts WHICH DROWN MEN IN DESTRUCTION AND PERDITION. For THE LOVE OF MONEY IS A ROOT OF ALL KINDS OF EVIL, for which SOME HAVE STRAYED FROM THE FAITH in their GREEDINESS, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (I Timothy 6:6‭-‬10 NKJV).

Indeed, the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and therein lies the deceitfulness of riches, which chokes the Word of God in some hearers and they become unfruitful. Therefore beloved, examine yourself and determine where your love and loyalty is; is your love and loyalty toward God and His Word, or toward the world and the things in the world? Paul said, "Examine yourselves as to whether you are IN THE FAITH. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified." (II Corinthians 13:5 NKJV). Truly, “if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.” (see I Corinthians 8:3 NKJV). Jesus said, “NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS; for either HE WILL HATE THE ONE AND LOVE THE OTHER, or else HE WILL BE LOYAL TO THE ONE AND DESPISE THE OTHER. You CANNOT SERVE GOD and MAMMON (money). “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND His RIGHTEOUSNESS, and ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED TO YOU. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:24‭-‬34 NKJV,  brackets and emphasis mine). In other words, Jesus wants us to set our mind on things above, and not on the things of the earth, just as the apostle Paul said.

In the same vein, the apostle John also says: “DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD OR THE THINGS IN THE WORLD. If anyone LOVES THE WORLD, the love of the Father IS NOT IN HIM. For ALL THAT IS IN THE WORLD —the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—IS NOT OF THE FATHER but is of the world. And THE WORLD IS PASSING AWAY, AND THE LUST OF IT; but HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF GOD ABIDES FOREVER.” (I John 2:15‭-‬17 NKJV). Therefore, let us set our mind on things above; let us set our mind on the Word of God and continually DO THE WILL OF GOD by putting the Word of God into practice, and never departing from it. For God says, “My son, GIVE ATTENTION to my words; INCLINE YOUR EAR to my sayings. DO NOT LET THEM DEPART from your eyes; KEEP THEM in the midst of your heart; For THEY ARE LIFE to those who find them, AND HEALTH to all their flesh.” (Proverbs 4:20‭-‬22 NKJV). Indeed it is only by keeping the Word of God in the midst of our heart, and being doers of the Word that we can bear fruit a hundredfold. Let us also turn away from those in our assembly who are “LOVERS OF THEMSELVES, LOVERS OF MONEY, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, LOVERS OF PLEASURE RATHER THAN LOVERS OF GOD, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (see II Timothy 3:2‭-‬5 NKJV).

In the concluding part of this series, we will discuss the seed that “fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” (see Luke 8:8 NKJV). Please return to this Page in two days to read Part 4, for I am confident that by the end of this series you will fully understand how having heard the Word with a noble and good heart, you can keep it and BEAR FRUIT WITH PATIENCE. Remain blessed.

I share this message, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16 KJV).

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