Keep the Word of God in Your Heart, and Bear Fruit with Patience (Part 4)

“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 concluding our series on the Parable of the Sower, and in this fourth and final part of the series we will discuss the seed that “fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” (see Luke 8:8 NKJV). Jesus said, “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). Thus it is in HEARING THE WORD with a NOBLE AND GOOD HEART (a heart that is open or sincere and receptive to the truth of God's Word), UNDERSTANDING THE WORD (see Matthew 13:23), ACCEPTING or BELIEVING THE WORD or keeping the Word in the midst of our heart (see Mark 4:20; with Proverbs 4:20-22), MEDITATING on the Word, and putting the Word into practice or DOING THE WORD consistently (see Joshua 1:8; with James 1:22-25, Luke 6:46-49), that we can bear a hundredfold fruit. In this parable also, Jesus gives us two keys that are necessary to our ability to bear fruit when we hear the Word of the Kingdom with a noble and good heart, and these two keys are FAITH (believing the Word and keeping it in our heart), and PATIENCE (being steadfast in believing, confessing and putting the Word into practice, regardless of what temptation, persecution or tribulation the Word might bring). Likewise, the Book of Hebrews implores us to IMITATE those who through FAITH and PATIENCE inherit the promises of God (see Hebrews 6:12). It is indeed through FAITH and PATIENCE that we inherit the promises of God, and bear fruit a hundredfold. Bearing fruit in the Kingdom of God then is synonymous with inheriting (or laying hold on) the promises of God, or walking in the good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (see Ephesians 2:10). The apostle Peter wrote that it is through (laying hold on) the exceedingly great and precious promises of God that we become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (see 2 Peter 1:4).

Beloved, it is very important to our Lord Jesus Christ that we (His disciples) lay hold on all the promises of God, walk in good works, or bear fruit a hundredfold. Thus, Jesus Himself emphasized that He has chosen us and ordained us to the end that we will BEAR FRUIT, and that our fruit should REMAIN. He said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I HAVE CHOSEN YOU, and ORDAINED YOU, THAT YE SHOULD GO AND BRING FORTH FRUIT, and that your FRUIT SHOULD REMAIN: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it you.” (John 15:16 KJV). Then He added that, “Every branch in Me that DOES NOT BEAR FRUIT He (The Father) takes away; and every branch that BEARS FRUIT He (The Father) prunes, THAT IT MAY BEAR MORE FRUIT.” (John 15:2 NKJV, brackets and emphasis mine). Beloved, the ultimate goal of our Christian walk here on earth is for each disciple of Christ to bear a hundredfold fruit; and this can only be attained through FAITH and PATIENCE. Therefore, so long as you are bearing fruit, you shouldn't worry that others are bearing a hundredfold and you are only bearing, say thirtyfold, or sixty; you should be patient, because the Father prunes those who are bearing fruit so that they may bear more fruit. You should thus continue patiently to abide in Christ as He abides in you and His words abide in you, and you will be pruned by the Father to bear more fruit, up to a hundredfold.

Truly, there is no other way to bear fruit but to ABIDE (or remain) in Jesus Christ and allow His words to ABIDE (or remain) in us. (see John 15:1-8). Abiding in Jesus is the same as abiding (or remaining) in the Word of God, because Jesus and the Word are one (see John 1:1,14). Therefore if you abide in the Word or make your home in the Word of God -- give yourself entirely to the Word, read it always, meditate on it and confess it continually -- and get the Word to also abide (or make its home) in you, and then put the Word into practice with patience, you will definitely bear fruit, and yes, you will bear fruit a hundredfold. The Bible says that the fruits of righteousness are BY Jesus Christ  (see Philippians 1:11). This also means that we do not bear the fruits of righteousness by self-effort under the Law, but by faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. For we walk by faith. (see 2 Corinthians 5:7). You will bear the fruits of righteousness if you will simply remain in Jesus and allow His words to remain in you, in the same way as the branch of a vine bears fruit by simply remaining in the vine. Jesus Himself said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, NEITHER CAN YOU, UNLESS YOU ABIDE IN Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who ABIDES IN Me, and I IN him, BEARS MUCH FRUIT; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5 NKJV). Indeed we have to abide in Jesus (the Word of God) and allow Jesus (the Word of God) to abide in us in order for us to bear much fruit. The apostle Paul was walking in the knowledge and consciousness of this truth when he said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13 NKJV). Again, Paul said that he labored, striving according to CHRIST’S WORKING WHICH WORKED IN HIM MIGHTILY. (Colossians 1:29). Paul was evidently fruitful in his ministry because he was always conscious of Christ who was in him, and who was his strength, and he also remained in Christ. Paul knew, like the apostle John, that Christ the greater One was in him. (see 1 John 4:4; with Colossians 1:27). He even made the famous declaration, “I have been crucified with Christ; IT IS NO LONGER I WHO LIVE, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live BY FAITH in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 NKJV). Indeed Paul was fruitful in his Christian walk, so fruitful that at the end of his ministry he boldly declared: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (II Timothy 4:7‭-‬8 NKJV). Glory to God!

Beloved, we will also bear much fruit with patience if we abide in Christ and His words abide in us. And the evidence that we are bearing much fruit is that others see our GOOD WORKS -- the unconditional love we have for others, our joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness (see Galatians 5:22), our testimony about Jesus Christ, the good news of salvation that we preach and minister to others, as well as other great miraculous works that we perform in the name of Jesus (see Mark 16:16-18; John 14:12) -- and give glory to our Father in Heaven (see Matthew 5:16). As we also noted earlier, the Bible says that God prepared these good works beforehand for us to walk in them. (see Ephesians 2:10). What this means is that although the fruits we bear or the good works we do are “our good works,” they are actually produced by God in us and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the days of His flesh, testified of this truth when He said concerning the words that He spoke and the works that He did, that it was the Father in Him who did the works (see John 14:10). Therefore, dearly beloved, as long as we abide in Christ and His words abide in us, as long as we walk in the light (or walk according to the Word of God), as long as we walk by faith or walk in the Spirit, these fruits or good works will manifest in our lives a hundredfold to the glory of God. This is also why the Bible says we are the ones that have to maintain the good works. You cannot maintain what you don’t already have, and so we have the good works already, and we are commanded to maintain them or keep producing them, by remaining in Christ and allowing His words to remain in us. Paul in his letter to Titus wrote: “This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that THOSE WHO HAVE BELIEVED IN GOD SHOULD BE CAREFUL TO MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS. These things are good and profitable to men.” (Titus 3:8). We are all to learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that we may NOT BE UNFRUITFUL. (see Titus 3:14). Again, we maintain good works by abiding in Christ (the Vine) and allowing Him and His words to abide in us (see John 15:4-8), just as the branches of any vine maintain their production of fruits simply by abiding in the vine. Truly, when you hear and receive THE WORD OF THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL with a noble and good heart and keep it in the midst of your heart, it will BRING FORTH FRUIT in you, as it did among the saints in colosse (see Colossians 1:3‭-‬10); you will WALK WORTHY of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, BEING FRUITFUL in EVERY GOOD WORK and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Therefore, desire the sincere milk of the Word, study the Word, believe the Word, meditate on the Word of God for it to abide in you or fill your heart, your mind, your soul, your whole being so abundantly that it would be like a burning fire within you that you can’t help but manifest. The prophet Jeremiah said, “Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.”But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, AND I COULD NOT.” (Jeremiah 20:9). Again, Jesus said, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For OUT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART HIS MOUTH SPEAKS.” (Luke 6:45). If you are a true believer (or sincere Christian), you are a good man; you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). And so your words (which are spoken out of the abundance of your heart should bear testimony of Christ. You have to choose to sanctify yourself (or set yourself apart to God) by speaking the truth, which is the Word of God (see John 17:17; Romans 12:1-2), rather than defile yourself with the words of this world that are contrary to the Word of God. (see Matthew 15:11; Mark 7:15). You have to let others see Christ in you wherever you go, and in everything you do. Beloved, I can't emphasize this enough: you need to study and understand the Word of God, and always speak or confess the Word and practice the Word. The Bible says that we are to hold fast our confession (see Hebrews 4:14). In other words, we are to continually confess what the Bible says about us, and what we want to see happen in our lives (in the light of the revelation of the Word of God). We are to confess with our mouth unto salvation (see Romans 10:10) —salvation from diseases, poverty, and every power of darkness or negative circumstance. Begin to use your mouth today to chart the course of your life. The Bible says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21). Every word you speak is a seed you’re sowing that will bear fruit unto life or unto death, so always speak words of life, always speak in agreement with the Word of God.

In Mark’s gospel, Jesus told a parable in which “He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, HE HIMSELF DOES NOT KNOW HOW. For THE EARTH YIELDS CROPS BY ITSELF: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”(Mark 4:26-29). The seed in this context is the Word of God, and the ground (or the earth) is your heart. Purpose today to always sow (or study, meditate on, and confess) the Word of God in/from your heart, and NEVER GIVE UP IF YOU DON’T SEE THE FRUIT (or the evident progress) JUST YET; be steadfast in keeping the Word in your heart, and hold fast your confession, for as you sleep by night and rise by day, the Word is definitely working in you —it is sprouting and growing, even though you don’t know how —and you will eventually see the fruit, for the heart yields fruit by itself; the Word that you have kept in your heart will eventually manifest its power in you for a great harvest of good and miraculous works to the glory of God. So hold on to the Word of God, keep it in your heart, 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).

To learn more, order your copy of my new book "Spirit Life" on amazon.

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).

To learn more, order my glorious book, "Spirit Life"

Keep the Word of God in Your Heart, and Bear Fruit with Patience (Part 1)

“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, many of us are familiar with the Parable of the Sower, which was told by our Lord Jesus Christ. (see Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15). There is a very important lesson in this parable that I want us to reflect on, and the lesson is: KEEPING THE WORD OF GOD IN YOUR HEART, AND BEARING FRUIT WITH PATIENCE. There is so much to say about this, so we will divide this teaching into a four-part series. The Parable of the Sower basically reveals the different ways in which people receive the Word of God or the Word of the Kingdom into their heart when they hear it. In this parable Jesus likens the Word of God to a SEED (see Mark 4:14, with Luke 8:5, 11) that is being sown by a sower into the ground (the ground in this context being the hearts of men/humans). Jesus identifies four (4) different ways in which people respond to the seed or the Word of God as it is sown into their hearts (that is, preached, taught, or read). Jesus says that for some people, the Word does not even get the chance to take root in their heart, let alone bear fruit, because they hear it without UNDERSTANDING it, thereby allowing the devil to immediately come and take away the Word out of their heart, LEST THEY SHOULD BELIEVE IT AND BE SAVED. (see Matthew 13:19, with Luke 8:12). In this First Part of our series we will focus on this category of hearers of the Word of God.

Jesus said, “When anyone HEARS THE WORD OF THE KINGDOM, and DOES NOT UNDERSTAND IT, then THE WICKED ONE comes and SNATCHES AWAY WHAT WAS SOWN IN HIS HEART. This is he who received seed by the wayside.” (Matthew 13:19 NKJV). So the emphasis here is on hearing the Word of God WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING IT. The Word of God will not profit you (or save you) until you UNDERSTAND it, and then BELIEVE it. And the Bible says that it is with the HEART that man UNDERSTANDS and also with the HEART that man BELIEVES (see Job 38:36; Isaiah 6:10, with Romans 10:10). In fact, it is impossible to believe a word that you don't understand. For instance, if you didn't understand English, and I read the message in this piece to you and asked you if you believed it, you would be lying if you said that you believed it, because you didn't even understand what I read to you. This is exactly what happens to those who hear the Word of God but do not understand it; they cannot mix the Word with faith, and so the Word will not save them or heal them; rather, the Word will be snatched away from their heart by the wicked one. This was what happened to the twelve apostles of Jesus when Jesus told them, on their way to Jerusalem, that He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spat upon; that they will scourge Him and kill Him, and THE THIRD DAY HE WILL RISE AGAIN (see Luke 18:32‭-‬33). The Bible says that the apostles “UNDERSTOOD NONE OF THESE THINGS; this saying was hidden from them, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW THE THINGS WHICH WERE SPOKEN.” (Luke 18:34 NKJV). Therefore, because they didn't understand the Word they heard, the devil came immediately and took away the Word out of their heart, LEST THEY SHOULD BELIEVE IT. Thus when Jesus was RAISED FROM THE DEAD ON THE THIRD DAY after His crucifixion and Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the  mother of James, and the other women with them reported to the apostles that Jesus was risen from the dead, the Bible says that “their words seemed to them like idle tales, and THEY DID NOT BELIEVE THEM.” (Luke 24:10‭-‬11 NKJV; see also Mark 16:11, 13). The apostles only believed it after Jesus presented Himself alive to them and opened their understanding to comprehend the Scriptures. (see Luke 24:36-53, with Mark 16:14-20; John 20:26-29).

Thus, the point we are making here is that you have to UNDERSTAND the Word of God when you hear it, before you can BELIEVE it and be saved. This is also the reason why the Holy Spirit had to send Philip to explain the Scriptures to the Ethiopian Eunuch. (see Acts 8:29-38). The Ethiopian Eunuch was reading the Scriptures alright, yet HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS READING (see Acts 8:30-31). So Philip had to go and help him understand it, so that he could believe it and be saved. Indeed, it is not just hearing the Word, but also understanding the Word that brings faith for salvation. Hence the Book of Proverbs says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And IN ALL YOUR GETTING, GET UNDERSTANDING.” (Proverbs 4:7 NKJV).

Again, Jesus says that when you hear the Word of God and do not understand it, Satan comes and immediately snatches the Word away from your heart, so that YOU CANNOT BELIEVE IT and be saved. It is almost as if you had never heard the Word. No wonder the Lord Jesus Christ, following His resurrection, opened the understanding of His disciples, that they might comprehend or understand the Scriptures. (see Luke 24:45). Jesus said that it has been given to us (His disciples) to KNOW THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM of heaven, but to those who are not saved or who are perishing, it has not been given. (see Matthew 13:11; Luke 8:10). To those who are outside, all things come in parables “so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND; Lest THEY SHOULD TURN, AND  THEIR  SINS BE FORGIVEN THEM.’” (Mark 4:12 NKJV).

Thus the apostle Paul says, “the message of the cross IS FOOLISHNESS TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (I Corinthians 1:18 NKJV). Again, Paul says that “THE NATURAL MAN (or the man who is not born again) DOES NOT RECEIVE the things of the Spirit of God, for THEY ARE FOOLISHNESS TO HIM; NOR CAN HE KNOW THEM, because they are spiritually discerned.” (I Corinthians 2:14 NKJV,  brackets and emphasis mine). Yet again Paul says, “But even if our gospel is veiled, IT IS VEILED TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING, whose MINDS the god of this age HAS BLINDED, who DO NOT BELIEVE, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” (II Corinthians 4:3‭-‬4 NKJV). And so, for the natural man to hear and understand the Word of God, he needs guidance and explanation from a preacher (someone who is born again, and is mature or spiritual), which is what Philip was to the Ethiopian Eunuch, and Peter was to Cornelius’ household (see Acts 10). Paul said, “For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:13‭-‬17 NKJV).

Indeed, faith comes by hearing the Word of God, but there are many who hear the Word of God and still do not believe it. So, for the natural man to truly understand and believe the Word that is preached, God has to open his heart (see Acts 16:14), and God, who searches the heart, knows those who are His (see 2 Timothy 2:19), He knows those who are searching for Him with all their heart (see Jeremiah 29:13), He knows those who have a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, He knows those who are appointed to eternal life. Hence, Jesus said, “All those the Father gives Me WILL COME TO Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never drive away.” (John 6:37 NIV). Then He added, “NO ONE can come to Me UNLESS the Father who sent me DRAWS THEM, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ EVERYONE who has heard the Father and learned from Him COMES TO ME.” (John 6:44‭-‬45 NIV).

Again, you have to be truly born again to be able to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven. You have to have the Spirit of God in your heart (which every born-again person has -- see 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22) before you can receive the things of the Spirit of God, before you can know the things which have been freely given to us by God (see 1 Corinthians 2:12). But even for the born-again person, when you are still a babe, or when you have not yet matured in the things of God, it can be challenging for you to know or understand the deep mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven (see Hebrews 5:11-14; 1 Corinthians 3:1-3), which is why God promised and said, “And I will give you SHEPHERDS according to My heart, WHO WILL FEED YOU WITH KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING. (Jeremiah 3:15 NKJV). Indeed, God has fulfilled His promise and given some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers in the Church to facilitate our understanding and our growth in the knowledge of God (see Ephesians 4:11-16). The apostle Paul also prayed “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, THE EYES OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING BEING ENLIGHTENED; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:17‭-‬18 NKJV). Thus as a born-again person, to know and understand all the deep mysteries of the Kingdom, you have to grow in your fellowship with the Holy Spirit (whom you have received into your heart), and grow also in your receptiveness to His teachings, you have to consistently yield to the leading and teachings of the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of truth) who is in you. (see 1 John 2:20,  27). You have to yield to the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God.

In Part 2 of this series, we will continue our discussion by unveiling the revelation in the seed that “fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.” (Matthew 13:5). Please return to this Page in two days to read Part 2, for I am confident that by the end of this series you will 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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