Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder

Jesus here redefines and emphasizes the group.  Who does He consider "family"?  Those who have thought Him out of his mind?  Worthy of seizing Him to stop Him?  Or, those who hear Him with good and honest hearts, good soil and then do what He says.

It is a disturbing answer.  Who are my people?  Listen and find out.

Somebody puts a lamp on a stand to be seen.  In the context here, I think it is GOD lights it, places it, and then reveals HIMSELF with effect.  The parallel passage says abundantly.

God here practices "Spiritual Capitalism".  The people who have taken care how they HEAR, and receive with an honest heart, get the revelation of Himself.  then, they get more as they continue these practices, and He continues His light shining revelation of Himself.

I think this passage is about God being KNOWN.  How known?  God is "INFINITELY KNOWABLE".  

Funny, the admonition in today's Word is, "Take care how you hear", so in obedience to that, may you "Take care as you listen:"

To some it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom.  Is this a new concept.  Is this a last quarter plan of God.  Nope.  Isaiah talks all about it. Look up for sure Isaiah 65:1

On one hand, God is Hidden.  But only in the way one is hidden when you play the game hide and seek.  I have grandchildren.  When we play Hide and seek, we don't hide to never be found.  First, we hide to BE SOUGHT. That's the first half of it. We hide TO BE FOUND.

He wants to be sought.  He is ready to be sought.  and better, He is ready to be FOUND.  He is a secret keeper, but He is a secret GIVER.

Listen for one of those secrets.

What kind of a God do we have?  Is He a secret KEEPER or a secret REVEALER?  and, how have things changed over the millennia?

Listen as we honor and admire the secret things of God.

British sailors during the tall ship era frequently had to climb into the rigging and then do something while they were up there.  Without holding on, their work would be fruitless.  They had a saying that went something like, "One hand for the queen (for work) and one hand for yourself (for holding fast)"

How do we do effective spiritual "work"? First, know it is His seed and His fruit of that seed.  Second, work hard, listen, persevere, know it takes a while, do it sincerely with a good heart, and have a relationship with the Word that:

HOLDS IT FAST.  

Listen as we see if british sailors have anything to offer us this day:

The Lord is compassionate and good.  He has given us ears to hear.  

And then He charges us with receiving and caring appropriately with what He gives us.  Active hearing.  Letting.  Allowing.  Having good heart. Holding it fast.  Having an honest heart. Fight the thieving Devil. Don't just receive with joy. watch the cares of the world.  Don't be choked by the riches and pleasures of life.  

THEN we get fruit.  yielding 100x. 

Listen for the seed and fertilizer.  May this be the actual moment when you are given ears to hear this spiritual snack

The parable of the sower and the seed and especially the soil.

There is a lot to worry about in this passage from Luke 8:10.  You've got Bird and moisture problems and big feet trampling and short-lived enthusiasm and choking and thorns.  Kind of makes you wonder why you got out of bed this morning.  Kind of makes you wonder why you got out of bed this morning to have a NON-"quiet-time."

Well here's the reason:  because "To you it has been given to know..."  Oh Lord please let this be so!  Listen, and be given to know:

I was wondering what is God's purpose for me.  Wouldn't it be cool to know what His purpose and purposes for me are?  If I could only know!!!

Then I got to thinking.  I think I know a few things.  I think I DO know God's purpose for me.   

Listen to find out God's Purpose for me. It might just be for you too.

Join me as we do a BIG ASK today from Psalm 138.  Recently, we have heard the Lord's invitation to ask, seek, and knock. Give us, lead us, and deliver us all from Luke 11.  

We are using the words of David to jar our spiritual eyes to ourselves and those around us.

Listen, pause if you need to, and do the big ask with me for the STRENGTH OF SOUL for...

Hidden in Psalm 138 is a MATH EQUATION on how you get to Strength of Soul.  It is such a beautiful phrase.  Who wouldn't want that?  Who wouldn't at least hope for that?  More than wishing, Psalm 138:3 tells us how to actually get there.

Here is the equation:
Intentionality + Trouble + Calling + Answering = Strength of Soul

Listen and understand: