FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP
RENEWING
THE MIND – XVI
THE WORD
OF IAUE - 7
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this
world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove
what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of IAUE.
Yahushua indicated
that the most fundamental parable he ever spoke was what we call “The Parable
of the Sower.” If we could not
understand this parable, our ability to understand any other parable would be
jeopardized. We have seen in the past
couple of weeks that the seed is the Word of IAUE. The ground upon which it is cast is the heart
of man. The seed, no matter into which
ground it is cast, is filled with the power of IAUE. How fruitful the seed will be is determined
by the condition of man’s heart. The
Word of IAUE will germinate in any kind of heart except the hard of heart.
There is a natural
process for the seed that can be observed in this illustration:
First, the seed is cast upon/into the ground. Second, the seed dies in order to
release the life/power within the seed. Third, the life that emerges
from the death of the seed seeks root.
Fourth, as the root grows deeper, the plant (the
truth within the seed) begins to emerge. Fifth, the truth begins to
spring forth out of the ground. Sixth, the truth begins to grow into an
increasingly more mature manifestation until ultimately, fruit is yielded.
In our study of the
Parable of the Sower, we have observed the seed being cast upon/into the
ground, and we have identified the variations in the ground…the different
conditions of man’s heart. When the Word
is sown, when it is preached, declared, discussed, even read, the nature of the
Word of IAUE (the seed) is to seek a place within the heart of man in order to
germinate and to release the power resident therein. We do not have to try to make this process
work. It is nature. It does it of itself. We do not have to beg or plead for the power
of IAUE to be released into our life. It
is the very reason why the Word burrows into the heart of man automatically: to release the power of IAUE into our life.
Mark 4:26 And he said, So is the kingdom of IAUE, as if
a man should cast seed into the ground;
27 And should sleep, and rise
night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
28 For the earth bringeth forth
fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in
the ear.
Even the farmer who
casts the seed into the ground does not understand HOW the seed does what it
does. He just knows it does it. He trusts in it. He relies on it. He EXPECTS
it to grow. The farmer, however, does understand one thing about
this process. The seed once cast into
the ground must first die.
1 Corinthians 15:36 Thou fool, that which thou
sowest is not quickened, except it die:
It
seems a contradiction that the Word of IAUE works death within us in order to
manifest the life within the Word; but that is an inescapable reality. Notice the words of Yahushua.
John 12:24 Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it
abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Here,
Messiah explains that there can be no fruit without the death of the seed. He did not stop here, however. He explained what produced the death
necessary in order to release the life of the seed.
John 12:25 He
that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world
shall keep it unto life eternal.
We must cease
trusting in our own life, in our own thinking.
Our minds must be renewed to enable us to completely and utterly trust in the Word of IAUE, rely on it, and EXPECT it to produce its life within us. In last week’s post, we discussed the
necessity of being planted together with Messiah in his death that His life
might work in and through us. This is
not a one-time event accomplished in our response to the good news. It is an on-going process necessary to enable
every Word of IAUE (the seed) to germinate and to spring forth into life within
us.
The
apostle Paul went into a detailed explanation of this in his letter to the
Corinthian disciples.
2 Corinthians 4:6 For IAUE, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath
shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of IAUE
in the face of Yahushua Messiah.
IAUE
has revealed to our hearts His son (the Word of IAUE). Our response to this revelation resulted in
the miraculous new creature (new birth) and our union with the spirit of
Yahushua, whose very face illuminates within us the glory of IAUE. We would do well to meditate on this fact
until we know with absolute certainty that the glory of IAUE is within us.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the
excellency of the power may be of IAUE, and not of us.
Receiving
the Word of IAUE is to receive the POWER of IAUE, for every Word of IAUE is
filled with His power. How often have we
reflected on the consequence of this truth, that every Word of IAUE planted in
our hearts is filled with the power of IAUE?
It is. Trust it. Rely on it. Expect
that power to be released within us. His
power is so transcendent from normal human life that it’s manifestation within
and through us will reveal His glory to others around us.
8 We are troubled on every side,
yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken;
cast down, but not destroyed;
Remember
that persecution and affliction arise for the Word’s sake. Satan could not care less that we have a
Bible in our house, or in our hands. The
Scriptures are of no concern to him sitting on our coffee table; however, the
moment the Word is cast upon the ground of our heart, Satan knows from millennia
of experience that it will not be long before it germinates and begins to
release the power of IAUE in the earth; and THAT, he must attack. It is his job.
Who
do you think is the author of persecution and affliction; or the lusts of the
flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, the cares of this world, and the
deceitfulness of riches? Do you actually
think that it is IAUE who attacks His own word?
IAUE is dedicated to releasing his power in our lives. It is not IAUE who plants His word within us
only to try to dig it up before it bears fruit.
No, it is the enemy of our souls that is committed to attacking the seed
of the Word of IAUE. We need to
understand this beyond any question, then resist the devil and force him to
flee from us. Paul was persecuted and
afflicted; but he refused to respond to it.
He knew what its source was and what its purpose was.
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Master Yahushua,
that the life also of Yahushua might be made manifest in our body.
Paul
always maintained a heart that was united with Messiah in his death. He
maintained an attitude of heart that was consistent with a living
sacrifice. He trusted IAUE, relied on
IAUE, and expected His word to
release the power of His life in and through him to others. He refused to resurrect his own selfish life,
which would have interfered with the growth of the life and power of the seed. As long as he was united with Messiah in his
death, he knew that the life of Yahushua would be manifest in his body.
11 For we which live are always
delivered unto death for Yahushua’s sake, that the life also of Yahushua might
be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death worketh in us, but
life in you.
13 We having the same spirit of
faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we
also believe, and therefore speak;
Paul’s words were consistent with the Word of
IAUE. He believed the truth planted
within him and his speech was consistent with the Word. He was not moved by outward circumstances.
Paul understood that he could trust
the Word, rely on the Word, and expect the results that the power
resident within the Word would yield in his life. Paul also understood that first there is the
blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear. He knew there is a growing process to reach
fruitfulness. All too often contemporary
believers hear the Word of IAUE, a teaching from the Scriptures; and they
believe it, and are excited about it; especially if it has a direct impact on
the circumstances in their own life.
However, when their life’s circumstances are not immediately experiencing
the fullness of the Truth in that Word, they are discouraged and allow the
enemy to dig it up out of their hearts.
Paul understood that there is a process, and IAUE
would be faithful to manifesting the power resident within His Word in and
through him, in due season. Yes, he was
troubled at times; he was perplexed at times; but he knew that a seed planted
did not produce fruit overnight; so his own speech remained consistent with the
truth. Following IAUE’s example, he
called things which were not as though they were, and they became reality in
his experience in due season. He would
not speak a word contrary to the nature of the life within the seed that was
working inside of him. The result was,
the power of that life was manifested through him to others.
16 For which cause we faint not;
but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which
is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of
glory;
18 While we look not at the things
which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are
seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Paul understood the
Parable of the Sower. He kept his heart
united with Messiah in the likeness of his death, so that the life of Messiah
might be released through him to others.
You may have noticed
several times in this teaching the use of the terms: trust in it, rely on it, expect it. Do you know another word that contains these
three ideas? That word is “faith.” The just (the
righteous) shall live by faith (Romans
1:17; Galatians 3:11). This is how we are to live, cooperating with
the Word of IAUE (the seed), and understanding the growth process in order that
the life and power of IAUE might be released in and through our lives. Others should be able to look at our lives
and know that the exceedingly great power at work within our lives is IAUE.
John 3:3 There was a man of the
Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Yahushua by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know
that thou art a teacher come from IAUE: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except IAUE be with him.
Kingdom
heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the
performance of the will of IAUE.
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