I Echo the sentiments of David when he said in Psalm 16 as for
the Saints of the land, they are, the excellent ones in whom
is all my delight. I'm delighted to be in the
presence of God's people this afternoon and I hope you are the
same. We haven't been in the gospel of
Mark for some time, but today we continue and so open your Bibles
with me and come to Mark, chapter 4, as we look at two
verses together, As a family, trusting that the Holy Spirit
has much to say even in these two verses Mark chapter 4.
And meet me at the words of Jesus.
In verse 24 of Mark, chapter 4, If you're a person who does not
have a Bible, come see me after the service, want to give you a
Bible, I want you to have a copy of God's word in your hand,
especially when you come to the house of God and more
importantly from Monday to Saturday as well.
Mark, 424 and he said to them, Pay attention to what you hear.
With the measure you use, it will be measured to you and
still more will be added to you. For to the one who has more will
be given. And from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
Lord with these two verses before us, we ask for the spirit
of wisdom and Revelation. Lord, protect us from confusion,
guide us into Divine Clarity. And Lord may your word inspire,
obedience in our lives, and not just obedience out of Duty, but
Delight may cause us to worship you.
As we face with the living voice of God, we ask Lord that as your
words here were just read. You would give us the grace to
pay attention. And reap the great benefit that
these principles have to offer Us in this life.
We give you all praise and honor in Jesus name.
Amen. It's quite interesting to note
how much the Lord Jesus throughout his time here on
Earth and even Beyond his Earthly Ministry mentions, the
necessity of hearing. The careful reader of the Bible
will even remember that in the final book of sacred scripture
Christ, himself repeats, the statement, and the charge to the
churches that he had rest of that day.
He who has ears to hear, Let Him hear what the spirit says, to
the churches several times, he brings that up.
The relationship between Jesus and man's hearing is far beyond
his capability of making the death hole.
Again, The Miracle Worker that you and I worship is also the
teacher of teachers, he is the creator.
Yes, but he is also the communicator of divine
revelation and as the communicator of Truth, he also
has an expectation of how his audience should engage with the
truth that they come into contact with what you and I are
doing this afternoon. As we are sitting under the
preaching of God's word and what you do in your private time.
As you come face-to-face, with the written word of God is no
small thing. We should not be for one moment.
Allowing ourselves to slip into indifference or passivity when
we are in such a place, whether it's privately or corporately,
like today, we Hear that according to Christ receiving
the truth. Having that projected on us
requires a level of awareness and discipline that will
determine pay attention to this that will determine whether or
not. We will be rewarded with
spiritual riches or we will forfeit those spiritual riches.
It is all contingent upon one thing and that is hearing and
hearing rightly that is essentially what Jesus is saying
in these two verses Christ, wants us to know how you and I
can maximize absolutely capitalize on the revelation.
He has to offer. And yet at the same time, he
warns us how we can forfeit the truth.
That is available to us in a way that can change us and profound
ways. the maximizing or the minimizing of the manifestation,
of God's insight and wisdom pertaining to the things of this
life and the things that are unseen, Are wholly dependent
upon Jesus, instructions here and how you and I adhere to
them. perhaps, you have observed, like I have How
they're just some Christians, who have such a firm grasp on
the word of God, and more than that.
They seem to only go deeper and deeper and understanding Divine
realities. And at the same time, you can
look over just very closely and see Christians who are in that
same person's environment, who have the same access to the
resources. And the vessels that God use to
bring things to Clarity concerning his word and yet,
they An unskilled and they are stagnant.
Over the years, concerning the word of righteousness.
How does this occur? Do?
We not all have the same, Holy Spirit living in us.
Do we not all have the same Bible at our disposal again, do
we not all have access to resources more than any time of
history and do we not also have the availability to receive from
gifted teachers and preachers. Not just in your local setting.
But even across the world, Jesus explanation to why it is that
some seem to grow in Revelation While others, don't is plain and
clear. Here.
Come back with me to verse 24. And look at this, precious verse
concerning this subject Jesus says, pay attention to what you
hear with. The measure you use, it will be
measured to you and still more will be added to you the seems
ambiguous, but it's really clear when you think about it.
It's very simple, essentially. What the Lord is saying is this
the standard of action The standard of action and attention
that you give to anything will ultimately determine the level
of gain that you will receive in return.
That's a law that applies to almost everything in life and
what the Lord is trying to convey here is that it also is
related to how your spiritual perception and expansion is
realized. Now that's the main thought and
we can we can be grateful to understand that that is the main
thought, but there are still questions that we need to
explore. Here's the question that I have
when I come, when I come to this verse earlier this week, I said
well if that's what the Lord is saying, then one What is the
measure necessary for me to apply in order to no spiritual
success? What is it?
That is needed of me. What standard must I adopt and
practice in order to no greater and greater Revelation and
secondly which I kind of answer what exactly will be added to
us. If we use the appropriate
measure, that's what I want to answer this afternoon because my
desire for you. Especially for those who were
eager to uncover gold, in God's word.
And to see precious realities and Provisions of his grace and
from there, to experience a greater personal transformation
as a result of what you come into contact with this message,
I pray will be a blessing to you and that it will instruct you.
Because this text here is a launching pad and it will launch
us into other places in the Bible to discover exactly what
it is. That God requires of us in order
to open more and more doors and the corridor of divine truth.
And I hope that that is something that you would want
because today I want to present to you.
Three measures three measures needed to receive greater
Revelation from God. And this is what precisely
Christ wants to get at and I can assure you based on the
authority of the word of God. That if you if you Embrace what
I'm about to tell you and I will reference it as much as I can.
With the scriptures, you will set yourself on the path on the
course of Glorious growth. That will only increase until
you arrive into Glory itself. Three measures three disciplines
three practices, whatever word you want to use.
For the person that says, I don't want to be a babe in
Christ anymore. I don't want to just drink milk
anymore. Give me meat, give me meat, all
this will bless you for those who are intimidated by the
content here, for those who don't believe that they have,
the ability to understand these deep things.
All of this is for those who are simply going to hear what God
has to say. Three measures, let me give you
the first one. The first one is right here in
the verse that we just read. If you and I want to grow and
greater Revelation concerning the word of God, and the things
of God, and the ways of God, then you must do, this pay
attention, pay attention. That is the first instruction,
Jesus declared it pay attention to what you hear.
Pay attention to what you here for the Lord to cause to pay
attention means that you and I can hear the word of God, like
you are right now. You and I can even read the word
of God in a way that I wish you. Hope you do throughout the week
and still do so ineffectively if you want a classic example for
that, look at the Pharisees, how many times has the Lord engage
with the Pharisees and he says, have you not read only what an
insult. You're talking to The Experts of
the law of the day and you're saying, have you not read
obviously they read that industry.
They memorized large portions of the Hebrews.
Scriptures, and Jesus by asking that question is saying you
didn't really read the way you were supposed to read.
You didn't really see what you were supposed to see you.
Absorb the information it was there you can rehearse it, but
you didn't really read it. In other words, you really
didn't pay attention to what God was trying to say to you.
That's why he makes this clear call for you, and I to be
mindful of whatever is being presented before us, but what
does that really mean? Mean, what does it really mean
for me to pay attention, which is becoming a lost art in our
day, by the way? We can't pay attention to almost
anything without checking a notification or checking this,
or scrolling to that. And then refreshing, this pay
attention. To pay attention is an act of
the will and it is a willful decision to ignore other
elements around you or within you, as you choose to carefully,
put your attention on an object worthy of consideration, it is
an aspect of concentration, almost, like I kind of feel
silly almost giving you a definition of what it means to
pay attention and almost seems like a silly thing to review.
But as I said for Jesus to give that instruction, Suction then
how much more is it relevant for us now in an age of so much?
Distraction of so much saturation, pulling your
attention and so many different directions and I cannot think of
a greater and stronger. Biblical example of how God
rewards, those who pay attention.
Then a text in the Old Testament that ironically was something
that the Lord opened my eyes to on a summer night.
While reading the, my Bible on my bed, I want you to go there
with me in Exodus chapter 3. Exodus 3.
And this is beginning there in verse 2.
Exodus 3 verse 2. This is the chapter where Moses
is called by God to be the shepherd, and the leader of the
people of Israel to be the deliverer of those who are
oppressed under pharaohs tyranny, an exodus 32.
As you're there, listen to what I'm about to say, the Holy
Spirit does not waste one word and his word.
Now, one word, and you're going to see that.
I hope in this Exodus 3 verse 2 and the angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush.
Bush. He looked and behold the Bush
was burning yet, it was not consumed.
And Moses said, I will turn aside to see this great sight.
Why? The bush is not burned.
I find it so fascinating, how the Holy Spirit records, the
very words that Moses spoke to himself as he in his peripheral
vision, saw something that was strange.
A burning bush but it was not consumed.
It just kept burning and perhaps it wasn't a strange thing to see
burning bushes in the wilderness but this was different.
It didn't stop. It didn't turn into smoke then
it consumed the object that it was consuming And we see here
that this catches is attention and if you if you don't have the
ESV, which we read from here on the pulpit.
If you have a King James, it will read for you.
I will now turn aside if you have the nasb, it will say I
must turn aside whatever translation you hold.
What we're seeing here is that Moses is communicating this
curiosity. That is prioritized something
now Peaks. His curiosity and it is more
important than anything else going around him.
And he must seek to understand this phenomenon.
I must, I will I need to see what this is all about.
And what's more significant about?
Moses decision to turn his attention to this Burning Bush
was the timing of it. Go back to verse 1, what are we
told in verse 1 of Exodus? 3 were told there that Moses was
leading the Sheep real sheep, the Sheep of his Father-in-law,
that was his employment. He was managing and supervising
this flock. And so let me put it this way,
Moses was at work, or maybe at the end of his work.
We don't know where he's at with his shift, but we know that he
is performing a duty and God saw it necessary to come at this
specific point. But that detail enhances it
enhances here, the great interest that Moses had in the
strange sight and what he was witnessing.
He would turn aside to see this display.
Listen, even if it cost him some time to turn his attention away
from a duty, an important duty, a good Duty, a faithful Duty.
And yet still, this was so important that he even wanted to
look elsewhere and give his full attention to this.
But there's more look at verse 4.
This is what really blesses me when the Lord saw that, he
turned aside to see. When the Lord saw that, he
turned aside to see the Holy Spirit wants to make sure to
confirm to us that the Lord spoke only after he perceived
that Moses was willing to give his full attention to the
burning bush. For what reason?
In order to tell you what Jesus wants to tell us that the Lord
rewards, those who sacrifice the time to pause and pay attention
to what he desires to say to us. When I read those words slowly,
it just ministers to me so deeply when the Lord saw he
sees. He might be silent but he's
always seeing, he's always observing his always
calculating. He's, he's always understanding.
He's always there. And in this moment though, he's
manifesting through the burning bush.
There are burning eyes that look passed through everything else
and see the very motive that this Moses had.
And when the Lord saw and he observed, that Moses wanted to
respond to this voiceless shrub, it was only then that The
Searcher of Hearts was willing to unlock his voice and give him
greater revelation. Think about that. because in the
context of this Shepherd, God's voice was heard through a
burning bush your context and mine is different.
Now we have a burning book and this is where and when and how
God speaks to us. But what happened here with
Moses is the same for us in the same way God, waited for Moses
to even pause on his duty or to prioritize this ambition not
neglecting his duty but pausing and sanctifying and consecrated
a portion of time of his day to say, let me come to this Burning
Bush and see what it's all about.
And the same way God waited for that.
That kind of attendance and that kind of attention.
It is no different with you and I he is no different than you
and I the same eyes through that burning bush is the same God,
who sees what we do with the supernatural book or how often
do we walk by it in our homes? How often do we turn our
attention away from it? How often do we get so caught
up? And we tell ourselves that will
give what we have left. The crumbs of our time to God's
word, and we wonder why he is not speaking.
God requires the necessary attention and attendance before
he does. Why?
Because he's a king, I read this quote from Spurgeon many months
ago and I put it in my phone, as a reminder, little notes.
It's a Wonderful feature in your app, your phone.
And I think it relates to even to our subject today Spurgeon
said, what should we think of a petitioner?
What should we think of a petitioner if while having an
audience with a prince? He should be playing with a
feather, catching a fly. What should we think of a
petitioner if while having an audience with the prince should
be chasing a feather or catching a fly?
Yeah, it's quite humbling. So my instruction here is very
simple and I thank God that God made a very simple.
The first thing that we must do in order for us to be posture
for God, to grant us greater Revelation things.
I will Exhilarate you and bless you and bring answers to you.
We got to give him some attention. we got to be able to
learn how to pause and say I'm going to give a portion of my
time to push away all these other things and to just meet
with God's word, And God sees that he sees that, let me offer
some practical tips of how we pay attention to the word of
God, eliminate as many distractions as possible.
Eliminate as many distractions as possible, not just when
you're alone. But even when you come to the
house of God, when you come to the house of God, I say this all
the time, my ambition coming to the house of God is not to sit
with somebody that I like I want to be in a sphere and I want to
position myself in a way in which I have as much of exposure
to God's word with the least amount of traction.
I don't know what it is about Christians.
They're like afraid of the front row.
That's my favorite spot to be. I love that because I mean some
people have the grace to be back there.
And that's fine too. I just know myself.
I want to see the least amount of heads.
So that I can hear all that as being said.
Now when you are alone. Yes.
As we all know, this is very, this, very simple, eliminate as
many distractions but here's the thing.
My brain is very loud. So even if I put these things
away and I close the shades and I lock the door, this Cranium is
filled with things and it doesn't, it doesn't hesitate to
remind me of my laundry and what meal I need to make and what I
need to take care of. Can I offer you a tip that helps
me from time to time as you were with God's word read it out
loud, read it out loud. Submit your senses to the
engagement of the word of God. Now that doesn't have to read it
the whole time if you can then do it.
But I'm saying from time to time.
Time pause and declare it read out loud the word and I'll tell
you something, fascinating oftentimes the most Revelation I
get from God's word is when I'm hearing it from my own mouth,
there is this shift of focus, you go into another gear.
When you are not just reading it with your eyes but you're
hearing it with your ears and your lips are declaring it.
Now there are some times where I wake up and my I just want to
say anything my voice still needs to warm up.
So I'm not saying I'm perfect at this but I can tell you every
time I have done it in private or reading it with somebody
one-on-one, there's just this heightened experience of the
word of God. So do that, do that give a
realistic amount of time. With the word of God.
Don't Be Inspired from a message like this and say, I'm going to
give three hours. I'm gonna wake up two hours
early and I'm going to read. That's a great great motivation.
I'm glad you're excited, but be realistic.
It's better to give God 1530 minutes of concentrated time
than an hour and a half of you periodically, falling asleep.
As you're reading the word of God.
Let's not measure our success by time here.
Let's read and engage in absorb all that God has to say,
brothers and sisters. We must pay attention.
If we can't go to that step. Then the rest of what I'm about
to say, is not going to help, but let me bring you not to
step. Number two, how do we receive
greater Revelation from God? Well, let's go to 2nd Timothy
chapter 2. 2nd Timothy chapter 2.
Let's look here at verse 4 together.
Paul says to spiritual son. No soldier gets entangled in
civilian Pursuits. Since his aim is to, please the
one who enlisted him an athlete is not crowned, unless he
competes, according to the rules, it is the hard-working
farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.
And look what he says in verse 7.
Think over what I say for. The Lord will give you
understanding and everything. Point number one, pay Attention
Point number to ponder frequently, Ponder frequently.
Now, what Paul does here is he gives Timothy 3 metaphors of
what the Christian experience is like he wants to inform above
what. It's like he tells them that
it's like being an athlete. He tells him, it's like being a
soldier. He tells him, it's like being a
farmer and after giving these analogies, he gives them an
instruction Timothy think. I think in the word there is to
reflect it is to ponder, it is to meditate.
It is to sit on something until it becomes more and more obvious
consider. Its meaning Timothy consider its
application in your life, in your ministry Timothy.
Now, what I find so interesting is that, when Paul gives these
analogies, he does not give a detailed explanation of how they
work and how they apply to you. Notice that it's almost like in
Rapidfire fashion yet like a soldier like an athlete, like a
farmer think. Well, it would help if you just
elaborate a little bit more. No, no.
I'm giving you these. I'm giving you enough.
But now you need to take it. Here's the Baton and run with
it. Think about how these things
relate to the Christian experience.
Think about the realities of a farmer of a soldier of a runner
in the context of God's word and the boundary of his word and now
think about how this works. Now, I would make sense for Paul
to say, think about these things..
That makes sense. Yeah, I obviously have to think
about it. It, but he attaches the charge
with a promise. Think over what I say, here's
the promise for the Lord will give you understanding and
everything. In other words polishers this,
man, he sure is Timothy if he does what he's supposed to do,
which is to ponder, then God will do what only he can do.
And that's give illumination we can't miss that.
This is a supernatural thing. This is a supernatural thing
because the latter experience. Is contingent upon our
compliance with the former exhortation.
In essence, God will not provide insight to the person who does
not think about them. Who does not internally
investigate the interpretation, the implementation of it.
And the same way that God was looking for Moses to turn and
pay attention before. He spoke God at the same time,
looks into our hearts to see if we are thinking about his truth.
Let me put it this way. Revelation comes not to just
readers, but the thinkers Revelation comes not merely to
readers, but the thinker's, the people who come to the word of
God. And ask the who, what, when,
where? How questions?
and it is those people who ask those questions not just to
themselves, not just as they bounce back and forth with the
word of God but even to their God, It is those people in which
the promise is made, Supernatural guidance will come.
And answers will be provided. This is a promise.
In that should encourage the student, who is fearful.
I remember coming to the Bible at one point early in my life
and not knowing where to start, I remember hearing other people
talk about the things of God, I remember not even being able to
know what books were in my Bible.
When the preacher said turn to this book and it can be
overwhelming and it can be discouraging, and it can be
frustrating to know yourself and see how slow you are to grasp
certain things. But if that is you you remember
what Paul is saying here? The Lord will give you
understanding in everything everything.
Now he could have said in what I just said well how Christian is
like this and like that? And I guess but he doesn't just
limited to what he just said. He says in all of the counsel of
God's word, God is willing to teach you personally, God is
willing to become your personal tutor. when he sees that you're
willing to learn, But, hold on, brace yourself your because he
says, God will the Lord will give you understanding in
everything and he stopped there. That's important.
You know why? Because many of us interpret it,
the Lord will give you understanding in everything
immediately. He doesn't say immediately.
He's a good teacher, he's the perfect teacher, and he knows
exactly what to disclose to you. At what time, remember what he
said to his own disciples, because I have so much more to
say to you, but you cannot bear them.
Now, see if I reveal this to you will overwhelm you, it will
crush. You you're such a state of
sadness. You're so overwhelmed
emotionally that it's not going to benefit you right now if I
revealed these things to you. So the Lord knows exactly when
to make known what? But that is not our duty to
determine it is our responsibility to Simply do what
he tells Timothy. And that is to think not as to
think. And to realize that yes, there
might be a shell over the scripture as we read it.
But as we bring our thoughts to that, she'll and allow our
thoughts and our meditations, and our questions, and yes,
sometimes even our righteous frustration to crack at that
Shell at the right time. The Lord will supply a Grace
that will break it open for you to enjoy the fruit.
They're in the Lord will give you understanding and everything
and this is why you and I have to understand God, and many
things, works with people who are willing to work who are
willing to work, even when the Lord calls many in the Bible, if
not all what you will find in the objects of his calling, is
that those people who are Servants of his in the ministry
were found working when he called them.
And in the same way we come to this word and we must engage
with it before, the Lord comes with the tools necessary to make
it real. How does the Lord do it though?
How does he give understanding is the answer is simple, as he
deposits Clarity in your mind and he provides the wisdom for
you to grasp it. I just had to know where
Supernatural like an epiphany. You sure?
You can do it that way. I don't think that's the only
legitimate Avenue though. He has many means by which he
makes known these things and I'll prove to you want because
some of this has happened to many of you when you've come to
the house of God, whether it's here or elsewhere and earlier
that week you read something or there's something that you've
been pondering about or a situation where you're trying to
see, how does God's word make this make sense and offer.
Soon, as you come here unsuspectingly, you hear
something? And there it is, there's the
answer. It came forth, it illuminated
shined light. And some of you even said, I've
heard you say, you said, you know, brother.
I've been, I've been thinking about this for the past few
days. I've been trying to wonder, I
need to know more about this subject and here I am.
I came this day and not knowing what you were going to speak on
and you set it. And that's what I needed is that
coincidence, is it coincidence? When you go to another place or
a conference, or whatever the case may be, and something
happens in this transaction? No, it's the Lord, the Lord
giving you understanding. That's what happened with the
psalmist asaph If this man had so many questions about
suffering, he didn't understand how the wicked could prosper in
the righteous. There who are faithful to God,
are being punished. So, it seems, it is understand
how those who are wicked can be rewarded with life, and health
and families, and vacations, and raises.
And so, he was so overwhelmed wondering if he washed his hands
in vain, if he's following the truth and obeying righteousness
in vain and so he says in Psalm 73 16, but when I thought, how
Now, to understand this, it seemed to me a weary, some
tasks. Let me say this ASAP.
As much as he was and a place of great frustration was a thinker.
He meditated. He thought about it.
He was wondering, he's trying to put the pieces together.
He prayed he ached when he thought about this.
And how to understand, it was a weary, some task, and then, in
verse 17, until I went into the sanctuary of God, Then I
discerned their end. Until I came to the house of
God. We're God's laws being performed
and God's word is being declared.
It was in that setting where the lord gave me understanding But
before the Lord gave him understanding, he was already
thinking. He was pondering.
He was chewing the cud of the word.
And God says, I see your thoughts.
I see how it's a weary some tasks.
I see how you're seeking understanding.
Here it is. Here it is.
The Lord can do it while you're in prayer.
The Lord can do it while you're systemically reading through the
Bible and there is a portion of scripture that brings light to a
mystery that you read early on in that month.
The Lord can do it and I've experienced it.
Where you going out to lunch with a Spirit-filled brother or
sister in Christ? Nothing planned.
But there you are talking and talking about the things of God
and there, they bring something up brother.
I've been thinking about that for so long and you just gave
the answer your brother. I've been going through this
situation and you just brought light to it with that.
Reference with that story in the Bible with that proverb.
The Lord can do it by putting a book in your hand with a
wonderful author who had insights in the word of God.
The Lord has many means but the goal is the same and the promise
is the same, he will give you understanding and he will find a
way to give you understanding, but before you can even expect
for the Lord to do that, you heard it so many times but pay
attention. Not just pause and pay attention
but pause and Ponder or ponderize.
You go ponderize you go. And this is the Gateway of
experiencing truth and watching it make an imprint on our lives
and it I'm telling you it is one of the most exhilarating things
that when you wrestle with the word and God comes and brings
relief, it's like just this Rush of water to your soul, and as
much as it is invisible, The Sensation from that is the Lord
spoke to me here. God just revealed something to
me. whatever means he uses, you know what your thoughts are like
you know, the prayers in your heart and God comes and he just
Thunders it or you Whispers it and it blesses you Thomas Watson
Puritan, he says quote the reason we come away so cold from
reading. The word is because we do not
warm ourselves at the fires of meditation and I think if we're
honest and I'm going to be honest with you, the coldest
times that I've had with the word is when I rushed through it
or when I don't take at least a piece of it with me.
To hold on to and to let roll in my mind or to savor in my mouth.
Those are very very limited in their benefit.
When I'm satisfied with this, checking off that, I read
something. So that is somebody at churches,
when did you last week? So I read, two days ago.
That's not Christian. That's not what God wants us to
do. Pay attention.
Don't just pay attention, do take it further Ponder, Ponder
as much as you can ponder as much as you can.
When you're in that empty space of not having to engage your
mind in something that requires so much.
Whether it's work or helping your kids or whatever the case
me, just bring bring it to yourself and bring it before.
The Lord Lord, what is was that I don't get this.
I didn't understand that. Fully.
Could you help me? He might answer that.
He might not. But he will.
That is the promise. Pay attention Ponder.
Here we are in our final step. You have to meet me in John 14,
though to know it in John 14. John 14:21.
Hear the words of the master. Whoever has my Commandments and
keeps them. He it is, who loves me?
And he, who loves me Will Be Loved by my father.
And I will love him. And here it is Manifest myself
to him. We know one thing about this,
Jesus is not speaking about salvation and how to attain it.
Paul said in Romans 3:20 that it is not by The Works of the flesh
that we are Justified, no human being will ever be justified in
his side, by adhering to the law as perfectly as possible.
So, knowing that with the concert of the rest of the word
of God, we can eliminate that interpretation.
In of what Jesus is saying here. If you obey my Commandments, I
will love you. The context, clearly suggests
that Jesus is giving this instruction with a promise to
believers. He speaking to those who have
already believed on him and not just those who have believed on
him, but who have because of their submission to his
lordship, his Commandments. And so from there he speaking to
those who follow him of what they ought to do with his
Commandments in order to know a particular glorious reward, this
is what he is saying. You, my people who have my
Commandments, those who keep what they currently, no, Will Be
Loved by my father and Will Be Loved by the Sun.
That kind of scares people. Because I'm sure the first
question that pops into our minds as well.
Doesn't God. Love everybody is not his love
available to all. Yes, that's true.
But not everybody experiences his love the same way.
Not everybody, even among the children of God can enjoy that.
Holy Love. In the same way that others do.
The father and the son seek to Lavish and manifest their Love
by the spirit, but his contingent again upon something.
He says, those who have my Commandments who have access to
them who might even know them. So you can put that under the
category of your attentive of them.
Maybe you know them but here's the third thing, we gotta go
beyond paying attention. We got to go more than just
paying attention, we must Ponder.
Here's Point number three, we have to put it into action.
Put it into action, those who have my Commandments and keeps
them. Keeps them, cherishes them and
then exercises them with whatever Revelation that you
have at this time on January, 15th 2023, wherever you're at
right now what you do with that, in terms of its application in
your life will determine a manifestation of Jesus in your
life. This is what the Lord is looking
for. So here's what I'm trying to
say, and this is where honesty is so important.
It's important all the time. But especially with a point like
this, it would be dishonest to claim that every Christian loves
Jesus. Same, I know it's hard to hear,
but it would be dishonest to say that and as a result that love
is proven It would be, it would be dishonest and unrealistic to
say that every Christian obeys. Jesus, the same.
Now, are we willing to acknowledge that?
I hope we can all acknowledge that.
It is not true. That every believer in this
world loves the Lord, the same and obeys the Lord, the same now
for willing to submit to that then we have to also accept the
last part if that is the case, that not every Christian
experiences Christ, in the same way.
And that is exactly what Jesus is doing here.
He's making a differentiating mark.
This is precisely what the Lord is communicating the
manifestation of God. Now, think about that.
This is not theoretical. This is a real manifestation of
God is only reserved to those who not just read who, not just
understand, but who seek to implement, what has been made
known to them. And say Lord I want to I want to
really see this lived out of my life.
The Lord is not promising. Physical manifestation, I'm
sorry to disappoint you if that's what you were hoping for
but he is promising. He is referring to a spiritual
enlightenment. Something that can be just as
real as something appearing right before you something.
So real in the soul where he enlarges your knowledge of his
glory and his wisdom, and his power and his grace, and his
might with the eyes of your heart.
Now, begin to open and you perceive things Beyond this
world and what has to offer? There's another dimension and
Christ what he's promising. Here is I will be more real to
you in this world. The father will be more real and
the means by that is the Holy Spirit who might have sent will
be the the agent and making that a reality in your life.
What an amazing promise. I mean, take every other
treasure away and give me that the manifestation of Christ, not
just when I die but even as I live, he can intensify the
intimacy that my heart longs for and he is perfectly wise and
doing it. Exactly how he needs to do it.
And I believe that includes making this word so loud.
How else will Christ manifest who he is?
Apart from his word? Surely not, but even as this
word comes alive, things around this world become more alive.
As it is all connected and submitted to this.
The psalmist said, something incredible and Psalm 25 14.
He says, the Friendship of the Lord, now the Hebrew word.
For friendship is the secret, the secret Council.
The Friendship of the Lord, is for those who fear Him and He
will make known to them. His Covenant.
The Friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him you can't
fear God. Unless you're willing to obey
God that equation is settled the Friendship of the Lord
friendship with almighty God friendship with Jesus Christ,
the resurrected King friendship with the Holy Spirit, who knows
all things and can do all things.
Yes, the Friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him and
then he says and he will make known to them his Covenant.
I don't think that means he's going to I introduce to you the
way you can come into Covenant with him.
I think it means that he will unravel and unwrap the layers of
the glories of the Covenant that you're in with him already. and
so as you fear Him and you say I'm coming into Covenant with
you Lord, And I want to walk in your ways and I want to obey the
commands of your Covenant. I may fail but Lord my heart
desires. It here's the promise of God let
me reveal to you the glories of my Covenant now Can you begin to
see things and you go deeper than just Jesus died on the
cross, for my sins, as glorious as that is.
But then you see the parts of that the details of that, the
implications of that, the promise of that, the Prophecies
of that and your eyes begin to open and it will take n.
Eternity of Eternity, To realize all of it.
And it can begin. Now, it can begin now.
Pay attention Ponder, put into action.
And the promise of God is theirs, Revelation coming your
way. Perpetual growing more of me in
your life. Now that's Mark 424 we still
have one more verse. So hang on Mark 425. we're
concluding with this verse not with this verse, but with the
thoughts of this verse Mark 425. Jesus said, in first 24, pay
attention to what you hear with. The measure you use, it will be
measured to you. We learn about three measures
and still more will be added to you.
We know what, he's going to add to us more of the truth.
Verse 25, he says for the one who has more will be given
that's repeated now of what we just heard.
And from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken
away. Okay, the first part of verse
25, we covered. We haven't touched on the second
part. It seems cryptic.
What are you trying to say? Lord, from the one who has not
even what he has will be taken away?
It's not as perplexing as we think for those who hear absorb
diligently, meditate on the truth that has been given to
them. More truth will be given to you,
right? That is the promise.
But for the person who is a here, He's Not absent from the
environment of hearing for the person who does here.
But as careless, they don't pay attention.
They don't care to give a piece of even an ounce of real estate
in their brains, those who have no desire to put the words of
Christ into action. The opposite effect will take
place. If the first part means, if I
absorb those three measures, then I'm going to grow.
Then what Jesus is saying here is, if you don't and something
else will happen. Careless.
Here's are in danger. This is what the Lord is trying
to say of not only failing to graduate in Revelation.
But of blunting whatever truth they might possess even now.
That seems strange, right? That seems strange.
But again, this law is an operation in the material world,
think about physical exercise. If I give myself to working this
body out and my goal is to be more in shape put on more
massive muscle and reduce fat that's going to require
discipline and the more I train myself.
What's going to happen? The more I'm going to be able to
lift over time, push-pull move. That is the trajectory.
That's the promise of those disciplines being adhered to
consistently. But what happens if I stop what
happens. If I pause, what happens if I
neglect it? Now, if the answer in your mind
as well, you just kind of leave off where you stopped, that's
not the right answer for those who have exercised, you know
what happens, you not only pause but you begin to lose.
Now your physique is taking a different shape and listen just
freeze when you stop and then you get the resume when you
want, that'd be wonderful. No, now you see a reversal
taking place and your body is taking a different shape and
you're losing your strength more and more.
Let me borrow the words of Jesus.
You begin to what you have now removed from you.
What about learning a language. I've seen this in my own life,
I'll confess. My family, my siblings and I, we
grew up learning French up in Canada.
Went to French. Elementary School is French high
school. I'll be honest.
I haven't practiced a language in years.
And I used to be able to write essays in French and do
presentations and French, you know what's happening.
Now I'm losing a lot of it. I didn't just stop.
And now I'm at the grade 11 level, where I left French,
going went to an English High School in an English college.
That didn't happen. I'm losing touch with grammar,
basic vocabulary, basic terms, my heads, getting cloudy.
And things are not evaporating more, and more, and more, and
for people who lose a language over time.
If they keep going in that direction, they if they have a
revived concern and desire to relearn it, they got to go back
to the basics. You actually got to go back to
the ABCs and rebuild the foundation.
Here's what the Lord is saying. What happens with your body?
What happens with that language happens in the things of the
spirit? When you pause and you neglect
and you refuse to ponder pay attention and put into practice,
what the Lord is saying, is not only will you stand still.
That's actually category. And spiritual growth that
doesn't exist. You'll begin to revert.
This actually happened to a group of Christians.
And this is my final text a group of Christians, that the
author of this book, wanted to take them deeper into spiritual
truths. But he knowing his audience
could not hold their hand and take them there because they did
exactly what Jesus warned about Hebrews chapter 5.
In verse 11. This will now make sense.
What Jesus is saying in verse 25 of Mark for will now make sense,
it actually happened to a group of Jewish Christians.
Hebrews 5 11 to 13. The debated author writes about
this. We have much to say and it is
hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing.
For though. By this time you ought to be
teachers, you need someone to teach you.
Again, the basic principles of the Oracles of God, you need
milk. Not solid food for everyone who
lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since
he is a child, so much to stay. And to say about this passage
First point, these Christians have become dull of hearing
meaning, they didn't start that way at one point.
Their ears, their antennas were wide open.
They were eager. They were hungry.
They wanted to learn more. They want to see how Jesus
fulfilled these Jewish prophecies.
They want to see how he was the substance of the Shadow.
They long for that, but over time they became dull.
What does that mean? Dull.
Well. Very simple term is bored.
They became disinterested, they became distant.
They became satisfied with the level that they were at.
And here's the scary part, they're dull of hearing but
they're still hearing, they're still present, they're still in
attendance, they're here, but they're uninterested, they're
here, but they're inattentive their dull of hearing.
And what happened to this group of Christians is like what
happens to you? And I when we get on a flight,
And like every flight the flight attendants coming to the middle,
their aisle, and they do their safety protocol presentation,
right? I've been on many flights, every
single flight, they did that. But be honest.
Do you really pay attention. Are you hearing it though?
Yes. But are you paying attention?
No, and I think that's a scary thing because they're giving you
the exact instructions. If this thing goes down, this is
what you need to do. And here we are making sure we
can hold onto our data before we take off and texting and that's
fine. And here there's people all
these faithful preachers, right? It's funny but how we listen to
that. Is how often Christians Listen
to the message every week. You're hearing it, but you're
not really paying attention. This is exactly what it means to
be dull of hearing. And I want to tell you
something. Because I love you. the moment
that you catch yourself being bored with the engagement of
God's word, whether it's personally or corporately, Is a
warning sign to a spiritual sickness that you might have
caught. It is not a light thing to
become dull of hearing. You realize that these Hebrew
Christians were on the verge of apostasy?
And I think what played a role in that though not immediately
is that the beginning point was very much of this.
They became dull of hearing, and we become dull of hearing become
dull of affection, become dull affection, you become open to
other things that can persuade you in a different direction
than Christ. And so we see here that these
Christians began to See, and hear the word as a tedious
thing, that's dangerous. Now, look at the secondly, the
same group of Christians who become dull of hearing,
according to the estimation of the Holy Spirit through the
author. This group apparently should
have reached the level of teaching others.
That's significant. That's not to say that these
Christians should have occupied a position of a teacher in the
church. No.
But it does mean that they
should have reached a level of maturity and fullness and
familiarity with the word of God, that they should have been
comfortable enough with giving that truth to someone else by
themselves. They should have come to a place
where they didn't need to take somebody and bring them to
pasture every single time. They should have reached a place
is so much time has gone by apparently, that they should
have arrived where they could have comfortably discipled.
Another Soul based on the knowledge that they have
acquired concerning, the things of God, but they're not there
yet. And they should be there, which
tells me which tells me that this is really the goal for
every believer. Even now today, what the Holy
Spirit desires from you and I saw her arrive at a place where
we can, each of us become teachers, communicators of God's
truth, to another person who is at a lesser level understanding
than us. But again, that doesn't seem to
happen in many places, unskilled stagnant and five years has gone
by 10 years, has gone by By 15 years has gone by, it's like how
well Jesus told us, how throughout that time, you
haven't paid attention, you haven't pondered, you haven't
put it into action. Therefore Christ couldn't give
you revelation. And so this group of Christians
are still drinking milk. And he's saying here you should
be teaching and what is he referring to it on your own
time? Go on your own, he just finished
teaching about the priesthood of Melchizedek and what he's ready
to do in a little upset with the Hebrew Christians because it
could have been expanded when he was wanting to do, is show how
Christ is from the priesthood of Melchizedek and how that
Melchizedek priesthood is superior.
To the one of Aaron, that is what the Bible calls meat.
Meat. Milk is read Hebrews chapter 6.
In the first few verses that's milk repentance Faith, Eternal
judgment. Baptism the doctrine of the
laying on of hands. Not that is insignificant
unimportant, but we need to move on from that and we need to see
how these things are expanded in different ways.
And he says, I can't do this with you.
I can't because you're still there.
You become dull of hearing. Even if I do this with you,
you're not going to be able to understand.
So then what is He say, and here's the main point.
You need someone to teach you again.
They were taught the principles and the basic Oracles of God,
but he's like, because of this prolonged dullness of hearing,
we need to come back to the ABCs of Christianity.
Because what you have can be taken from you.
And there's a blur and there's an inability to be able to
articulate understand. The things that saved you in the
first place and here's how I want to conclude.
There is no standing still spiritually.
That category does not exist in the kingdom of God.
There is either growing or dwarfing.
Those are the only two options. And sometimes we don't realize
that we're dwarfing until meat comes our way.
And it's a frustrating experience.
And we're angry, or maybe even worse were disinterested when we
can smell the feasts, that God wants to put before us.
But here's the thing, the promise is not for Scholars, not
for phds, not for seminarians. But for all who would just say,
I want to pay attention Ponder and put into action, the
promises you can go from milk to meet Eat you saying, why is that
important? There's many reasons and I won't
keep you any longer can do a separate message on the joys and
the peace and the glories of Greater Revelation.
But let me just give you one to end with the psalmist who only
had the law by the way, that psalmist in Psalm 119 didn't
have, John didn't have a fission, didn't have the Book of
Revelation didn't have the Epistles, you know, what he was
working with Leviticus, Deuteronomy.
Numbers Exodus Christmas thing. I like Exodus.
I Genesis 9. Jesus is good.
And this is what he says. In Psalm 119 verse 162.
I Rejoice at your word, like, one who finds a great spoil.
I Rejoice at your word, like one who finds a great swell.
Can I translate that in modern times, I have more joy.
When I discovered something in your word and the person who
realize they won the lottery, same way, is that just
exaggeration? Is that poetic license?
No, that's experiential. That's something so deep.
That nothing in this world can offer it.
And that's available to you. If you would just pay attention,
Ponder and put it into action. Let's pray.
Lord with this practical message before us, we now ask that you
would give us the wisdom with our work, with our
relationships, with the timing, with our schedules, to know how
to put these measures. And two methods.
Lord. If there is anything that should
stir us into these directions, Let It Be The Joy.
The promises of Revelation and manifestation that awaits.
Well, we never want to come to this word because we feel
whipped to do it because we want to impress someone around us.
Oh no, Lord. That kind of fear will not take
us very far. We know that, we just pray that
even now that you would energize our hearts to be excited about
the Bible, and especially as we start this New Year to, to
recalibrate ourselves to say, I want to, I want to, I want to
know meat I don't want to drink milk any longer, but we thank
you for these words. We thank you for the promise
that you will manifest yourself to us.
We cannot fathom what that means.
But Lord, we want it and we pray o God, that as we ended this
time together with that, verse from the psalmist that we would
be able to. Amen.
It and say, yes. I know what that's like, I know
what it's like, when God speaks to me when God reveals something
to me, when I've learned something new in my faith, I
know that Joy where I can't even sit still.
Where I must tell somebody who also cherishes the truth about
what I know. May that be the caliber of
Christianity for this ministry. Oh Lord, we love you for your
word. Has been made known and it was
clear now. Help us remember it.
We give you praise As we sing to you out of the Overflow of our
hearts. Amen.
And amen. Let's stand and sing to the
Living. God.