Good Morning Brothers in Christ,
Yes, the third email this week. God has been sharing His precious love for me, and us, through much revelation from His Word the past few days. He’s provided me supernatural insight into some opportunities before me as a businessman, as a father, as a grandfather, as the spiritual patriarch of my growing family, and as a ministry leader. It’s an awesome place to be as many of you understand.
Our Father has, for four years, constantly brought up II Timothy 2:15 and II Timothy 3:16-17 to me:
II Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.
II Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
The Father had me up early this morning, around 4:30AM, spending time with Him. I love when He does this with me. It is a very intimate time, a time when I can really hear Him speak. A time before the hustle and bustle of life begins for the day. During this time, I’m able to hear Him clearly, able to receive much more revelation.
The focus this morning was on Mark Chapter 4, particularly Mark 4:20 and Mark 4:24-25:
Mark 4:20
And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the Word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
Mark 4:24-25
And He [Christ] said unto them [disciples], Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
For he that hath to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath.
This could easily turn into a long email, but I’m going to give you the short version, and you’ll need to study it for the fullness of revelation.
God’s Kingdom is based entirely on the spiritual Law of Sowing and Reaping. If you don’t believe it, then what do you think Jesus Christ was for creation? He was the Seed that was sown and from Him the reaping of saved and sanctified Believers has and continues to occur. The Plan of Redemption is based on the Law of Sowing and Reaping. This is why Jesus, in Mark 4:13, told His disciples that to understand this parable on the sower and the seed was fundamental to understanding any other parable He taught – the Kingdom of God.
Our Father, God, promises the Believer a return on investment (ROI) of thirty, sixty, or one-hundred fold on the seed a Believer sows. But, what determines the rate of return? Is God arbitrary in how He doles out the return giving some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, some one hundredfold? No. God is no respecter of persons. As Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:8 state, God is the same and never changes. His Word is the same today as it was from the beginning and will be for all eternity.
So, what determines the rate of return or ROI? Jesus tells us in Mark 4:24-25. In Mark 4:24 He tells us to be careful what we are hearing [are you hearing the wisdom of man or the wisdom of God], for with the measure or amount of thought and study we put into His Word, we will receive the same measure of virtue and knowledge (revelation) from Him. Hold on – it’s not just the amount of thought and study, but it is also whether you believe what God’s Word says when you study it – faith. This is what Jesus means when He says, “and unto you that hear shall more be given.” To “hear” is not just physical hearing, but the belief of the Word in your heart. If you believe, more will be given unto you. Remember Romans 10:17 – how does faith come? By “hearing the Word of God.” By hearing and believing the Word of God.
In Mark 4:25, Jesus further says that the Believer that “hears” and “believes” the Word he gives thought and study to shall be given even more virtue and knowledge (revelation). But, the Believer that doesn’t study or does little study or that doesn’t believe will have even that which Christ gave to him at salvation stolen away from him. No, you can’t lose your salvation. It means the Believer is IGNORANT of God’s Truth, and Satan is able to steal away from him the deliverance, the protection, the healing, and the prosperity that is given the Believer at salvation. It is like a man released from jail, the jail cell door being wide open, but yet he won’t leave the jail cell. He won’t believe and accept the freedom, the deliverance, the protection, the healing, the prosperity that was purchased by Jesus Christ at the cross and resurrection for every Believer. This is an ignorant and foolish man.
So, to put it in “Grant speak,” “you get what you give.” You put little effort or no effort into studying and believing God’s Word, you get little-to-no return. God has created you, through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, to be a HUGE SUCCESS. He has given you the blueprint – the seed – His Word. It is GUARANTEED to work if you follow the Manufacturer’s instructions. If you don’t want to read the instructions and try to assemble your life yourself, have at it. But I can tell you the outcome before you even start – failure. If you want to KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt you and yours can be healed of absolutely anything that Satan will attack you with, that you never have to fear defeat at anything in life, that you will be very prosperous in order to be a blessing to others, then get into the Father’s Word in a big way.
Now you know why our loving Father begs us to study. He wants to impart to us the deep secrets of His Word which leads to incredible success in EVERY area of your life.
In Christ,
Larry