And Understand it Not
Scripture: Matthew 13:19Devotional Series: The Integrity of God's Word
Teaching: The Integrity Of God's Word pt. 3 (SUN_AM 2021-06-20) by Pastor Star R Scott
In Matthew 13, it was giving the explanation of Satan coming and immediately taking that Word because they understood it not. It said that they understood it not. That had nothing to do with comprehension. The Greek word there for understand means that they did not become united with, they did not become subordinate to, they didn’t become doers. Because of that, Satan was able to come immediately. After having heard the admonition, it comes, it germinates, and for whatever reason, you determine now, “I’m going to do what you just said. Pastor, I’m going to love that person.” You determine that. It’s enlightened you and germinated. So, you go out, and the first thing they do when you go to love them is they make some snide remark. So, you just blow the whole thing off again. “Well, you know, you treated me this way.”
“Well, I want you know, man, if I hurt you in any way, I just want to apologize. Man, I love you, and I’m only here for one thing. That’s just to see if there’s something I can do to make your life better, to help you become more like Jesus, because I know one thing for a fact, I need help. I need you in my life, and I’d like to be there available for you.” Amen? Now, you’ve been united with the Word. You’ve understood the Word. Satan can’t come now and rip that thing out of your heart. Now, all of a sudden, we’re beginning to see fruit produced. Ultimately, thirty, sixty, one hundred-fold. A relationship is being formed. You’ve won your brother. Hallelujah! Amen?
Is your heart at all crusted over? If your mind begins to say things, “I’ve tried that before,” then you’ve got a crusty heart. You need to break up the fallow ground, praise God! It is time for you to seek the Lord; Hosea goes on to say. It’s not time for you to seek the Lord about your brother. It’s time to seek the Lord about you. What are we going to do to keep our hearts pliable? Well, let me tell you what you have to do. Every day, when you have to get up, the first thing you do, before you brush your teeth, you need to crucify yourself. You need to come to Jesus, draw nigh unto Him, and choose to die to your own self-will, to your pride, to your self-indulgences, because it’s going to be there every morning.
How many of you have found it’s there every morning? There he is again, right there in that mirror? Some of us try to sneak up on the mirror, you know? It’s so ugly that you don’t even want to look at him. You come in with your face all hacked up from shaving without being able to look in mirror because you don’t even want to look at him. He’s so ugly. That’s why you don’t spend enough time here, because this is the mirror that shows us how ugly we are. Now, you want to know when you’re the ugliest is when you don’t think you’re ugly any more.
But the Scripture says the first thing we do on a daily basis, “If a man would come unto Me,” is to crucify that old man. We need to crucify ourselves. Take His yoke. Learn of Him. He is meek and lowly in heart. Are you becoming more weak? Are you becoming kinder, gentler? Are you looking for ways to edify the body of Christ? That’s repentance. That’s you off the throne; amen? That’s you going another direction. That’s what repentance is all about, to turn and go back in the right direction. You’ve gotten off course. So, as we look at this, where He admonishes us to break up this fallow ground. It’s time to seek the Lord until He rains His righteousness upon us. Seeking God has to do with a change of priority in our lives. The Scripture says, “When you seek Me with all of your heart, you’ll find me”; amen?
Now, that tells me one thing. That if I perceive that I’m seeking God, if I’ve intended to seek God, and not yet found the change of Christlikeness manifesting itself to what I perceive is my desire, then I must not be seeking Him with all my heart. So, what does that mean in reality?
“Well, I want you know, man, if I hurt you in any way, I just want to apologize. Man, I love you, and I’m only here for one thing. That’s just to see if there’s something I can do to make your life better, to help you become more like Jesus, because I know one thing for a fact, I need help. I need you in my life, and I’d like to be there available for you.” Amen? Now, you’ve been united with the Word. You’ve understood the Word. Satan can’t come now and rip that thing out of your heart. Now, all of a sudden, we’re beginning to see fruit produced. Ultimately, thirty, sixty, one hundred-fold. A relationship is being formed. You’ve won your brother. Hallelujah! Amen?
Is your heart at all crusted over? If your mind begins to say things, “I’ve tried that before,” then you’ve got a crusty heart. You need to break up the fallow ground, praise God! It is time for you to seek the Lord; Hosea goes on to say. It’s not time for you to seek the Lord about your brother. It’s time to seek the Lord about you. What are we going to do to keep our hearts pliable? Well, let me tell you what you have to do. Every day, when you have to get up, the first thing you do, before you brush your teeth, you need to crucify yourself. You need to come to Jesus, draw nigh unto Him, and choose to die to your own self-will, to your pride, to your self-indulgences, because it’s going to be there every morning.
How many of you have found it’s there every morning? There he is again, right there in that mirror? Some of us try to sneak up on the mirror, you know? It’s so ugly that you don’t even want to look at him. You come in with your face all hacked up from shaving without being able to look in mirror because you don’t even want to look at him. He’s so ugly. That’s why you don’t spend enough time here, because this is the mirror that shows us how ugly we are. Now, you want to know when you’re the ugliest is when you don’t think you’re ugly any more.
But the Scripture says the first thing we do on a daily basis, “If a man would come unto Me,” is to crucify that old man. We need to crucify ourselves. Take His yoke. Learn of Him. He is meek and lowly in heart. Are you becoming more weak? Are you becoming kinder, gentler? Are you looking for ways to edify the body of Christ? That’s repentance. That’s you off the throne; amen? That’s you going another direction. That’s what repentance is all about, to turn and go back in the right direction. You’ve gotten off course. So, as we look at this, where He admonishes us to break up this fallow ground. It’s time to seek the Lord until He rains His righteousness upon us. Seeking God has to do with a change of priority in our lives. The Scripture says, “When you seek Me with all of your heart, you’ll find me”; amen?
Now, that tells me one thing. That if I perceive that I’m seeking God, if I’ve intended to seek God, and not yet found the change of Christlikeness manifesting itself to what I perceive is my desire, then I must not be seeking Him with all my heart. So, what does that mean in reality?