Post by Michael on Jul 12, 2004 3:28:04 GMT -5
Submit to the Word of God and Keep Those THORNS, IDOLS, Out of your heart
The Scriptures compare our hearts to a garden. The Word of God is the seed and our hearts are the soil. As the Word goes forth, it falls upon the ground and should produce much fruit. Why is it that so many Christians have very little spiritual fruit in their lives? Why is there little growth, maturity, and Christ likeness to be found? the problem does not lie in the seed - the Word of God - as powerful as it is. Many have been hindered from profiting by the word of God, by their abundance in the world. Are you one of that number? Are you "hindered from profiting by the word of God"? Do you daily "sit under" Great Preachers and Teachers and yet find that your life is not changed? Do you regularly read and study the Bible and yet perceive that your progress in God is minimal? Imagine such a thing happening! As powerful as the Word of God is to change any person, circumstance, or thing...to bring into being something out of nothing...to expose and crush every assignment of Satan and his evil forces and to render his work null and void in any individual's life...yet what is the reason? "...by their abundance in the world." Adam Clarke explained it as "bartering spiritual for temporal good." God has given each of us a responsibility - a job to perform. That work is to "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life"(Proverbs 4:23). Notice that this command is given to each individual saint. God did not say - Depend upon your Pastor or Sunday School Teacher to "keep your heart..." Or assign this task to your Parents, Spouse, or favorite Evangelist. No, YOU have been given this great task to keep out - any and all things - from your hear which would hinder you from profiting by the Word of God. In comparing our hearts to a garden, we can easily see that one of the greatest hindrances to the seed growing to full maturity are weeds. The Scriptures refer to them as "thorns."
Matthew 13:7, 22 - "And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them...He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful." Mark 4:18-19 adds - "And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful." Here we get the picture of the ground of a person's heart being occupied with wild growth - thorns, thistles, brambles. and weeds. Spiritually speaking, these "choking thorns" are the "cares of this world" which divide, divert, or distract the mind from giving its full attention to the Word of God. They eat up the soul's strength which should be used for divine pursuits. They quench good affections and strip away at good resolutions. They are the "deceitfulness of riches" which snare people into an inordinate complacency Because they promise a false peace as well as much ease and pleasure, many are tempted to abandon any concern for their souls.
They are the "lust of other things" - the vicious affections and impure desires which absorb one's time, attention, and interests. They totally draw away any spiritual life from the heart - strip the "soil" of any nourishment - needed for growth. With such corruption in one's heart, is it any wonder that there is not much spiritual growth in this life?
The Prophet Jeremiah called Israel back to God. One of the first things he told them to do was - "Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns"(Jeremiah 4:3).
As Christians, we cannot be lazy about this "clearing" process. We cannot expect someone else to do the job for us. We are responsible for the condition of our own hearts. King Solomon pinpointed that it was the lazy man as well as the man of sin whose heart is full of "thorns and snares."
Proverbs 15:19 - "The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain."
Proverbs 22:5 - "Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them."
Proverbs 13:15 - "...but the way of transgressors is hard." The Scriptures specifically delineate that the heart of a "slothful man," the "froward," and the "transgressor" is "as an hedge of thorns" or "hard" to plow through. The "righteous" man "keeps his soul" "far from them." Hence, the "way" for the Word to enter into his heart is "made plain." We gather from these Scriptures that - when we leave our hearts unattended or neglect to clear them on a daily basis of the "cares of this life," the "deceitfulness of riches," or the "lusts of other things" - then we are comparable to the "transgressor" or the "froward" who walk contrary to God's Word and Will. We cannot afford to become lax in our duty to "Break up" our "fallow ground, and sow not among thorns." It is imperative that we do so - for our souls are at stake. We cannot afford to have unhumbled, fruitless, and hardened hearts. They must be regularly plowed up through repentance and serious heart rendings and searchings of the Holy Spirit in prayer.
Hebrews 6:8 tells us that "that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned."
If we allow our hearts to become overridden with "thorns and briers" such as the "cares of this life," the "deceitfulness of riches," and the "lusts of other things" - then we are headed for reprobation or total rejection from God. We are on the brink of being "given up" as worthless or useless in the Kingdom. We are near to be cursed, destroyed, or d**ned to Hell Fire. This is serious business. God does not expect us to "sit under the Word of God" and go nowhere spiritually. He does not want to see our hearts so hardened through their obsession with this world and its pleasures that the Word becomes unproductive or unprofitable. Every message, teaching, or Scripture that He sends our way has a purpose. He wants our lives changed. He wants us to be conformed to the image of His Son - the Lord Jesus Christ. When that process is aborted - due to a heart full of "thorns and snares" - His work is hindered and the life escalates toward reprobation or total disqualification. No one wants to be rejected by God or set aside for destruction. No one has to be.
The Prophet Jeremiah instructed us as to what to do - "Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns"(Jeremiah 4:3). It is impossible for a praying saint to have a heart filled with "thorns and snares." If we will daily go before the Lord in humility and with a readiness to have our hearts searched for any worldly distractions that would dare to detour us from our duties to God - then He will be Faithful - by His Holy Spirit - to identify any areas which need repentance. It is the "way of the slothful man" which is as an "hedge of thorns." The "way of the righteous is made plain.The Word of God can have a remarkable effect on you - each time that it falls on your heart. It can change you and mold you into the person God designed for you to be. But the decision will be up to you. Will you be "slothful" or "righteous"? Remember - Nobody's going to keep those thorns out of your heart but you!
"Many are hindered from profiting by the word of God, by their abundance in the world." - Matthew Henry Dreadful stupidity of man, thus to barter spiritual for temporal good - a heavenly inheritance for an earthly portion!" - Adam Clarke
The Scriptures compare our hearts to a garden. The Word of God is the seed and our hearts are the soil. As the Word goes forth, it falls upon the ground and should produce much fruit. Why is it that so many Christians have very little spiritual fruit in their lives? Why is there little growth, maturity, and Christ likeness to be found? the problem does not lie in the seed - the Word of God - as powerful as it is. Many have been hindered from profiting by the word of God, by their abundance in the world. Are you one of that number? Are you "hindered from profiting by the word of God"? Do you daily "sit under" Great Preachers and Teachers and yet find that your life is not changed? Do you regularly read and study the Bible and yet perceive that your progress in God is minimal? Imagine such a thing happening! As powerful as the Word of God is to change any person, circumstance, or thing...to bring into being something out of nothing...to expose and crush every assignment of Satan and his evil forces and to render his work null and void in any individual's life...yet what is the reason? "...by their abundance in the world." Adam Clarke explained it as "bartering spiritual for temporal good." God has given each of us a responsibility - a job to perform. That work is to "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life"(Proverbs 4:23). Notice that this command is given to each individual saint. God did not say - Depend upon your Pastor or Sunday School Teacher to "keep your heart..." Or assign this task to your Parents, Spouse, or favorite Evangelist. No, YOU have been given this great task to keep out - any and all things - from your hear which would hinder you from profiting by the Word of God. In comparing our hearts to a garden, we can easily see that one of the greatest hindrances to the seed growing to full maturity are weeds. The Scriptures refer to them as "thorns."
Matthew 13:7, 22 - "And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them...He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful." Mark 4:18-19 adds - "And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful." Here we get the picture of the ground of a person's heart being occupied with wild growth - thorns, thistles, brambles. and weeds. Spiritually speaking, these "choking thorns" are the "cares of this world" which divide, divert, or distract the mind from giving its full attention to the Word of God. They eat up the soul's strength which should be used for divine pursuits. They quench good affections and strip away at good resolutions. They are the "deceitfulness of riches" which snare people into an inordinate complacency Because they promise a false peace as well as much ease and pleasure, many are tempted to abandon any concern for their souls.
They are the "lust of other things" - the vicious affections and impure desires which absorb one's time, attention, and interests. They totally draw away any spiritual life from the heart - strip the "soil" of any nourishment - needed for growth. With such corruption in one's heart, is it any wonder that there is not much spiritual growth in this life?
The Prophet Jeremiah called Israel back to God. One of the first things he told them to do was - "Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns"(Jeremiah 4:3).
As Christians, we cannot be lazy about this "clearing" process. We cannot expect someone else to do the job for us. We are responsible for the condition of our own hearts. King Solomon pinpointed that it was the lazy man as well as the man of sin whose heart is full of "thorns and snares."
Proverbs 15:19 - "The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain."
Proverbs 22:5 - "Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them."
Proverbs 13:15 - "...but the way of transgressors is hard." The Scriptures specifically delineate that the heart of a "slothful man," the "froward," and the "transgressor" is "as an hedge of thorns" or "hard" to plow through. The "righteous" man "keeps his soul" "far from them." Hence, the "way" for the Word to enter into his heart is "made plain." We gather from these Scriptures that - when we leave our hearts unattended or neglect to clear them on a daily basis of the "cares of this life," the "deceitfulness of riches," or the "lusts of other things" - then we are comparable to the "transgressor" or the "froward" who walk contrary to God's Word and Will. We cannot afford to become lax in our duty to "Break up" our "fallow ground, and sow not among thorns." It is imperative that we do so - for our souls are at stake. We cannot afford to have unhumbled, fruitless, and hardened hearts. They must be regularly plowed up through repentance and serious heart rendings and searchings of the Holy Spirit in prayer.
Hebrews 6:8 tells us that "that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned."
If we allow our hearts to become overridden with "thorns and briers" such as the "cares of this life," the "deceitfulness of riches," and the "lusts of other things" - then we are headed for reprobation or total rejection from God. We are on the brink of being "given up" as worthless or useless in the Kingdom. We are near to be cursed, destroyed, or d**ned to Hell Fire. This is serious business. God does not expect us to "sit under the Word of God" and go nowhere spiritually. He does not want to see our hearts so hardened through their obsession with this world and its pleasures that the Word becomes unproductive or unprofitable. Every message, teaching, or Scripture that He sends our way has a purpose. He wants our lives changed. He wants us to be conformed to the image of His Son - the Lord Jesus Christ. When that process is aborted - due to a heart full of "thorns and snares" - His work is hindered and the life escalates toward reprobation or total disqualification. No one wants to be rejected by God or set aside for destruction. No one has to be.
The Prophet Jeremiah instructed us as to what to do - "Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns"(Jeremiah 4:3). It is impossible for a praying saint to have a heart filled with "thorns and snares." If we will daily go before the Lord in humility and with a readiness to have our hearts searched for any worldly distractions that would dare to detour us from our duties to God - then He will be Faithful - by His Holy Spirit - to identify any areas which need repentance. It is the "way of the slothful man" which is as an "hedge of thorns." The "way of the righteous is made plain.The Word of God can have a remarkable effect on you - each time that it falls on your heart. It can change you and mold you into the person God designed for you to be. But the decision will be up to you. Will you be "slothful" or "righteous"? Remember - Nobody's going to keep those thorns out of your heart but you!
"Many are hindered from profiting by the word of God, by their abundance in the world." - Matthew Henry Dreadful stupidity of man, thus to barter spiritual for temporal good - a heavenly inheritance for an earthly portion!" - Adam Clarke