Staying Sown

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1 Peter 1:1-2 Peter, an apostle (a special messenger) of Jesus Christ, [writing] to the elect exiles of the dispersion scattered (sowed) abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 Who were chosen and foreknown by God the Father and consecrated (sanctified, made holy) by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and to be sprinkled with [His] blood: May grace (spiritual blessing) and peace be given you in increasing abundance [that spiritual peace to be realized in and through Christ, freedom from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts].

The Parable of the Soils describes how Jesus’ word is received within the soil of our hearts. Some hearts are trodden down, others are thorny, or rocky. Only one of the soils receives the seed of the Word and produces fruit. Billy Graham used this parable to make the point that only one in four people who gather in our churches has actually been born-again.

What I have never thought of is that not only is our heart a garden – with seeds sown into its “ground” – we are seeds. Our lives and the way we live them are seeds. From one seed come many seeds that either bear fruit for righteousness and the Kingdom of God, or bear fruit for evil and Satans’ kingdom. Question is, Am I consciously aware that I have been sown by the Lord? Everyone quotes Romans 8:28 God works for the good for those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose. But few actually believe that promise. If we believed it we would wait for the Lord – the Sower of our lives – to bring fruit out of the pit He has buried us in. What does this all mean? In order for a seed to germinate a “pit” must be dug to plant the seed, burying it in the soil that will “entomb” it. In the Old Testament Joseph was “buried” in a pit (tomb) by his jealous brothers to be “resurrected” into becoming a ruler of Egypt. We see the same in Jesus’ life. Planted in a “pit” or tomb He burst forth 3 days later securing the salvation of the world. In speaking of His crucifixion Jesus stated: I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains [just one grain; it never becomes more but lives] by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces many others and yields a rich harvest. (John 12:24). The best place to sow any seed is in the dark ground. The soil that is fertile has rotten, stinking stuff in it. It’s not clean, or sterilized. The pit, darkness, and fertile, stinking soil is actually good for the seed. In other words, all of these things are good for you – if you are God’s seed. I once heard Brad McClendon teach on this and he asked, What happens to the seed when we take it out of the pit? It dies and the transformation is halted.

Many times the Lord has led this “seed” (me, myself, and I) to a place, circumstance, assignment, difficult person, or situation – He had chosen for me; He had designed for me – to be buried. Unfortunately, I halted the process of transformation by taking myself out of the “pit” He had buried me. Sadly, over the years of ministry, I have watched people claim God’s leading to this or that – but once they started feeling the darkness of His pit, and smelled the rotten, stinking soil used to bury them – they quickly jumped out. They missed an all important truth: If you say you are a follower of Jesus then eventually you are going to have to follow Him down into the “pit;” the place where it seems the enemy has scattered you. The soulish man, or fleshly nature, is always seeking to save SELF – mind, will emotions and personality. It will avoid its death at all costs. Hebrews 12:7 states that we are to endure hardship as discipline. God is treating you as sons….You can’t be a son (or daughter) like Jesus until you learn to suffer with Jesus. Romans 8:17 affirms this fact: And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory.

Matthew 13:8 reminds us: Other seeds fell on good soil, and yielded grain—some a hundred times as much as was sown, some sixty times as much, and some thirty. When I submit to this process I will bear much fruit.

Milk and Meat of God’s Promised Land

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Judges 1:1-3 After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord, Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites to fight against them? 2 And the Lord said, Judah shall go up; behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.3 And Judah [the tribe] said to [the tribe of] Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my allotted territory, so that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with you into your territory. So Simeon went with him.

There are several ways to interpret the writings found in the Bible. Some are literal, like commands, instructions, and teachings. Others are inferred, like following the examples set before you. Still others are historically, and literally true, yet there is an allegorical, or symbolic meaning behind their narrative. For example when you read the parables of Jesus, or the Book of Revelation, most are not to be read literally, but symbolically. Participants in the New Covenant, primarily get their spiritual “milk” (a metaphor for the Word of God) from the New Testament. We can read and ascertain clearly what we are to do and not do. (which explains why most New Testament readers scratch their heads in confusion when they read the Parables of Jesus or the Book of Revelation). Unfortunately, or fortunately, when it comes to reading the Old Testament you will need to come prepared to read most of it allegorically, or symbolically (although it is literally, and historically true). You will need to see the message behind the message.

The passage in Judges 1:1-3 is just such an example. You can read it literally, and historically but it doesn’t make for much of an in-depth Bible study. As a pastor-teacher I could make the obvious point (which we all know and need to be reminded of) that when it comes to conquering our enemies we can’t do it alone. We need to call on others to help us achieve our goals. Which is a nice devotional thought – what the Apostle Peter, Paul, and the writer of Hebrews would call spiritual milk. But if you want some spiritual meat added to the meal you would need to ask for revelation from the Holy Spirit. He would reveal the message behind the message. You could begin with the Hebraic meanings of the words for the two tribes that partnered together: Judah, and Simeon. Judah means to praise, or give thanks, which is a form of worship (serving or ministering to the Lord). Simeon, on the other hand, means he who hears or a man of listening; or one who hears and accepts what is heard. Now, what’s the application? When I, or the church, partners in praise, thanksgiving, and worship (serving and ministering to the Lord) – with hearing and listening (to God) – accepting what has been heard – I, or the church, can defeat enemies. Not only can you defeat your enemies you are empowered to possess the manifestation of His Promised Inheritance. The real challenge comes when you ask, Is He calling you to partner with another – to see the manifestation of His Inherited Promises – in your life and theirs? Another thought, even more challenging, would be to ask, Do you want me to lay down the promises You’ve specifically given; the inheritance you have prophesied was mine; the dreams, and prophetic words You have given – so another can inherit theirs? Now, all of that taken together has enough milk, to wash down the meat at the table He has prepared for those who are spiritually hungry. But that table has only been prepared for those who have made the Lord their Shepherd.

The Lighthouse and the Battleship

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2 Peter 1:2 May grace (God’s favor) and peace (which is perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you in [the full, personal, precise, and correct] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

For several months I have been asking the Lord to help me understand the remaining phrase in Revelation 3:18:…and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. The two questions I have been asking are: How do I anoint my eyes with eye salve that I may see? Once I have that answered the next question becomes, What difference does it make – to see spiritually?

Two battleships assigned to a training squadron had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days, making visibility very difficult. I was serving on the lead battleship and was on watch on the bridge as night fell. The visibility was poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge keeping an eye on all activities. Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing of the bridge reported, “Light, bearing on the starboard bow.”” “Is it steady or moving astern?” the captain called out. Lookout replied, “Steady, captain,” which meant we were on a dangerous collision course with that ship. The captain then called to the signalman, “Signal that ship: We are on a collision course, advise you change course 20 degrees.” Back came a signal, “Advisable for you to change course 20 degrees.” The captain said, “Send, I’m a captain, change course 20 degrees.” “I’m a seaman second class,” came the reply. “You had better change course 20 degrees.” By that time, the captain was furious. He spat out, “Send, I’m a battleship. Change course 20 degrees. “Back came the flashing light, “I’m a lighthouse.”

What difference does it make to see spiritually? Ask the captain of the battleship. When the Captain of our Lighthouse speaks we need to make the necessary adjustments to correct the course of our lives to Him. To answer the question, What does it mean to see spiritually, you need to understand Jesus’ exhortation. One of the clues to understanding Jesus’ exhortation is found in Mark 7:18 And He said to them, Then are you also unintelligent and dull and without understanding? Do you not discern and see that whatever goes into a man from the outside cannot make him unhallowed or unclean,…

Seeing, or not seeing, is connected to understanding. If you do not have a full, personal, precise, and correct knowledge of God (the Father) and of Jesus, you will not cooperate with His processes and purposes for your life. Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God states: “Your walk with God (Father, Son, and Spirit) is the single most important aspect of your life. If it is not as it should be, nothing else will function properly.”

You receive a full, personal, precise, and correct knowledge of the Godhead when you seek Jesus to understand Who He and the Godhead are. This revelation becomes your vision, and your light, guiding you into becoming like Jesus.