NO.7/ LET’S DISCOVER
“Which brings us to another question: if the sower was planting “good seed,” how come it didn’t produce the same harvest?”
Paul said, "For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones." (Eph. 5:30 NKJV). So here's the question: If you are a Christian, will you ever get closer to God relationally than you already are RIGHT NOW? No! For all ETERNITY, you will NEVER be closer. You are His flesh and bone RIGHT NOW!
Second question. When Jesus went to the cross and took upon Himself YOUR worthiness of death, will God EVER love you MORE than He did when He valued YOUR life above HIS? No! NEVER! The love God demonstrated on the cross is as deep and wide and as high and AS MUCH as He will EVER be able to love you EVER for all ETERNITY!
Yet ... still ... as Christians, we don't live as if we are ONE with God and we certainly don't experience that depth of LOVE He demonstrated on the cross FOR us.
Which brings us to the real question: WHY NOT?
While my intention is not to cover this subject exhaustively, I can share the primary reason for why this is so. Jesus revealed it to the Jews when He first mentioned the problem.
"I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand." (Matt. 13:13 NKJV).
These observations came out of the book of Isaiah from which, Jesus then offered the reasons as to WHY this was so.
"For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and THEIR EYES THEY HAVE SHUT."
Bingo! Collectively, the Jews DID NOT WANT TO SEE and, likewise, neither do many of us.
Now if you're bristling at what I just suggested, don't. This is not directed at any one person. I'm just pointing out that one of the reasons why we collectively live life not more aware is because we really don't want to. We purposely don't clean out our ears and we willfully shut our eyes. This is what Lord says!
If this is a hard saying, let me come at it from another direction.
Have you ever wondered why some people produced a 30 fold return, some a 60 fold, and still others a 100 fold return? This course of action is found in the parable of the sower of the seed and the interpretation Jesus gave His disciples is very simple. He said the seed planted into the ground was "good seed." This means that IF you chose to plant this seed, it was going to grow! Guaranteed! All that was necessary is that you planted the seed in good soil.
Which brings us to another question: if the sower was planting "good seed," how come it didn't produce the same harvest?
The reason for this is also simple - the soil in each heart that received the seed was not the same. Some didn't water, some didn't pull weeds, some didn't fertilize or prune ... and some just didn't care as much as others.
If I may, this is why there's so much controversy within the Body of Christ! Some keep the oil in their lamps full and some don't.
With these things in mind then, I have been wanting to share some deep things within my heart but have been reluctant to do so knowing that not all would receive the "revelation" of my heart with the same enthusiasm as others. Admittedly, I've dreaded the thought that some might be offended or accuse me of being arrogant. Yikes. Who wants to bring that upon themselves?
Still ... when I read a comment from one of my dear Facebook friends that the teaching I was offering on antichrist was "basic" (the person meant no offense and no offense was taken), it got me to thinking just how many well-intentioned Christians think they know about Antichrist, yet, wouldn't be able to recognize its advent if it came to their house and knocked on the front door!
To some degree, this happened to Jesus who questioned the scribes and Pharisees for their apparent lack of discernment in who was standing in front of them, speaking.
"You are busy analyzing the Scriptures, frantically poring over them in hopes of gaining eternal life. Everything you read points to me, yet you still refuse to come to me so I can give you the life you're looking for - eternal life! (John 5:39-49 TPT).
Folks, it's easy to MISS Jesus! It's even easier to MISS points of interest along the way which, in our case, is a proper understanding of who and what antichrist is.
So ... with that being said, I have decided (with much prayer) to share a glorious revelation the Lord gave me years ago on this very subject and I will forewarn you now, it is deep. It will take some time to lay out a foundation that will help us "think" it through and ultimately, hopefully, come to a glorious "Ah Hah" moment meant for us all.
I am also aware that this won't be something everybody chooses to follow along with and some who might find offense in something implied. Let me offer my apologies on the front end. My desire is for unity of heart, faith, and understanding.
Lastly, it's too long and involved to share in one sitting. I've decided to number each post and write chronologically. I will share what is right and good for one sitting and then, I'll come back in the next post and pick up where I left off. All will be numbered just in case you want to follow along.
Hope to hear from you as we proceed. I've enjoyed and welcome all the comments I've received thus far AND I'm neither offended nor put off from the disagreement. Iron sharpens Iron as I like to quote from Proverbs, so ... bring it on! Just do so in love and we'll all get along just fine.
Later.
