Gary & Linda Brownlow
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Translations:
We have become so complacent, as Christians that we don’t even realize what is going on around us. This is the time of year for planting. I usually plant flowers, but this year I didn’t. Last year I planted some seeds, but they didn’t come up. This year I noticed some sprouts in my flowerbed, so I thought I would wait to see if any of the seeds from last year made it. Well, I’m still waiting. I planted a lot of baby’s breath, and that is what it looked like was coming up. I see some little blooms on the stems, but I’m not sure. They could be weeds. There are a lot of weeds that are springing up right now. All you have to do is look at the news. What a society we have become. It’s scary to think that our kids and grandkids are growing up in this world. But, the reason they are is our complacency. Turn to: Matt 13:24-30 —Another parable He set forth before them, saying. The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field(25)- but while he (and those working in the field) was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed also darnel (black, wild wheat, weeds) among the wheat, and went his way. Men slept, Satan, came in and planted stuff that we didn’t even realize he was planting and then he left. The blades of the weeds and the grain resemble each other but you can’t tell them apart until they are fully ripe. So, what does that mean? Well, we are being brain washed to think that evil is good and good is evil, and we as a society are accepting it. (26)- so when the plants sprouted and formed grain, the weeds appeared also. The seed changes as it germinates. It splits open and you start to see the plant come forth, and what is really in there. We do planting and watering here too. But sometimes when the seed starts to come forth it doesn’t look like what has been planted at all. I could ask you what Gary or Lanny preached the last time and I would get a lot of different answers because when that seed sprouts it looks and sounds different. So what did they say? We can take these words and twist them for our own advantage. Usually we say, that must be for that person over there because it sure doesn’t apply to me, when really it does. We have to search ourselves and see what has been sown and who it was that planted that seed. There are a lot of voices out there. We watch Christian TV, or a lot of different teachers, and you can definitely get confused about things. We are to weigh these words by the Spirit and see if they are from God. Many times you will have those come into the church that look like us, and sound like us, but they are not like us. Believe it or not there are tares in the church. Jesus dealt with a tare himself, Judas. The disciples didn’t see anything wrong with him, but Jesus recognized it. I don’t know if Judas started out on the right track or not, but I know he sure didn’t end up the right way. Read in Romans 7:15-21- The fight of our two natures. We are tossed about by every wind of doctrine, and we try to mix it with the truth, and it just doesn’t fit. We have become self-righteous and look down on those that don’t fit into our own little corner, or those that don’t agree with our way of thinking.Matt. 13:27- and the servants of the owner came to him and said, Sir did you not sow good seed in your field? Then how does it have darnel shoots in it? Where did the weeds come from? How did we get here? We have allowed things to come into the church that shouldn’t be here, and we have accepted them. And, for some reason we just go along with the crowd. We have to speak the truth in love knowing that there are those that won’t hear it, or see it and stay in their sin. Love the sinner, hate the sin. Luke 22:31 —Simon, Simon (Peter), listen! Satan has asked excessively that (all of) you be given up to him—out of the power and keeping of God—that he might sift (all of) you like grain,God is trying to produce something here. If He is going to produce something in you and me, we will have to be sifted, and we will have to allow him to clean up our act. We think we can handle these things, but if we could we would have already taken care of them. We think we have it all together, but we really don’t, unless we are in total obedience to His will and His way. We have to remember the accuser of the brethren is out there. Job I:6-12—Now there was a day when the sons (the angels) of God came to present themselves before the Lord, so Satan—the adversary and accuser—also came among them. (Rev. 12:10)Amos 9:9 —For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations and cause it to move to and fro, like as a grain is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least kernel fall upon the earth and be lost (from My sight). Lev 26:33; Deut. 28:64; Hos.9: 17We are going to be shaken like never before, and I venture to say it will be sooner than later. But good news. Not a one of us will be lost from Him, because, He is keeping His eye on us. He will accomplish what he has started in you and me, whether we like it or not, because, we have already given our permission for Him to do it. We are to bear good fruit. We are to be salt and light. Matt 13:28)- He replied to them. An enemy has done this. The servants said to him, Then do you want us to go and weed them out? (29)- But he said, no, lest in gathering the wild wheat you root up the (true) wheat along with it. (30)- Let them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the reapers, gather the darnel first and bind it in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my granary. Matt 3:10-17 —And already the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.11 —I indeed baptize you in (with) water because of repentance—that is, because of your changing your minds for the better, heartily amending your ways with abhorrence of your past sins; but Hewho is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit an with fire. 12 —His winnowing fan (shovel, fork) is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear out and clean His threshing floor, and gather and store His wheat in His barn; but the chaff He will burn up with fire that cannot be put out.13 —Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him.14 —But John protested strenuously, having in mind to prevent Him, saying, It is I who have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?15 —But Jesus replied to him, Permit it just now, for this is the fitting way for (both of) us to fulfill all righteousness—that is, to perform completely whatever is right.16 —And when Jesus was baptized, He went up at once out of the water, and behold, the heavens were opened, and he (John) saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on Him.17 —And lo, a voice out from heaven said, This is My Son, My Beloved, in Whom I delight! (Ps. 27: Isa. 42:1)John 12:24 —I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains (just one grain, never becomes more but lives) by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces many others and yields a rich harvest. We have to die, daily, to our wants and needs and follow Jesus’ wants and needs.Joel 2:24 —And the threshing floor shall be full of grain, and the vats shall overflow with grape juice and oil.We just have to yield to the cleaning He wants to do in us. Now, Why is it that the tares should be allowed to remain? Because God wants to give every opportunity, down to the last second for a person to have a heart change and turn from what they are doing to believe on Him. Shouldn’t we also give that much of an opportunity. God never gave up on us. We can’t give up on each other. Our responsibility is to pray that we all become what God intends us to be, and to fulfill our destiny, so that the church can become His bride, His voice, His hope to this nation, and the world. 5-30-07 |
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