In the natural realm, the condition of your heart determines the life you live. If you have a weak heart, then there are certain activities that are out of bounds for you. The health of your body is determined by a healthy heart. Doctors will tell us about heart healthy foods to eat, medicines to take, and exercises that are heart healthy. The leading cause of death in the human race is heart failure. The same is true in the spirit realm. You cannot live on Big Macs and fries for very long. They may fill up your belly, but they don't nourish your body.
Jesus answered satan from the spirit realm when He was tempted in the wilderness saying in Matthew 4:4 (Amplified), "But He (Jesus) replied, It has been written. Man shall not live and be upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every Word from the mouth of God" We're to take of our natural bodies and we're to take care of our spiritual bodies as well. For the most part, we don't put things that nourish and feed our spirits.
We have little promise boxes that we take a card from and read every day. Sometimes we don't even get around to even that. Or we might read a chapter from the Bible when we find time. And. sometimes, even when we read the Word, we don't feed on it.
I would like to dedicate this teaching to the hearing heart. A hearing heart is one that's guarded from anything not healthy for growth and life. It's a heart that feeds on healthy food and exercise. Like in the natural realm, we eat things that fill us up, but have no nutritional value at all. They satisfy the hunger and your stomach feels full, but there's very little value of strength in them. We can eat smaller amounts of good food and still get more strength from them than a larger junk food meal. We've been aware of certain foods that cause heart problems in our body. There are also things in the spirit realm that will block life to your heart (spirit).
Are we being fed a heart healthy diet on Sundays or are we simply getting something that will satisfy us for a little while? As Christians, are we living life on a feel good sugar high or on good food that sustains us? Some sermons satisfy the flesh, ego or even the soulish realm when we hear them. But, do they feed the spirit and produce life and strength?
It's not enough for your doctor to write out a diet plan for you, but your have to follow it. We've all heard the joke about being on a seafood diet and eating the foods one can "see." As Christians, we're responsible for our own diet in the Word. You may attend church on Sunday and get fed, but that won't sustain your spirit all week. If we only fed our body once a week, then we wouldn't have the obesity problem we have.
Jesus gave a discourse on this very topic when He taught the parable of the sower in Mark 4:23-24 (Amplified) when He said, "If any man has ears to hear; let him be listening and let him perceive and comprehend." Everyone in the crowd had ears, but some didn't pay attention to what Jesus was saying. He was laying out the terms of a heart healthy diet, but some of them didn't care or believe they needed to diet. In Verse 24 Jesus said something that seems to have gotten lost by a lot of people. He said to them, "Be careful what you are hearing. The measure (of thought and study) you give (to the truth you hear) will be the measure (of virtue and knowledge) that comes back to you and more (besides) will be given to you who hear."
The dietician will tell you to, "Be careful what you eat." The more attention you pay to your diet will determine the amount of healthy results you get and the strength and energy you will have. Don't just eat everything that is put in front of you. Some of it might fill you up, but it's not healthy or good for you. Some things might have chemicals and side effects that are really bad for you. And, some some things have no nutritional value at all.
"Be careful what you hear." This is something we've mostly overlooked. Mostly, because we don't know the Word or study the Word, we assume that things we hear on the radio, internet, television or some preacher are true because it was a Christian who said it. The same can be said for the diet we feed our natural bodies. Just because our food is cooked, it doesn't mean it's all healthy and has the same value. There are meals and then there are meals. They all end up in the stomach, but they're not all nourishing the body. "Be careful what you hear."
There are so many various doctrines and opinions in today's Church. And, they're mostly coming from Christian people who are sincere in their walk with God. Some believe in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and some do not. Some believe in speaking in tongues and others don't. Some believe in healing and some do not. Some believe that all religions are the same and others don't. There are many things being taught and they're not all the same. Some even have side effects that are deadly. "Be careful what you hear."
I believe the majority of ministers are sincere in their ministry and have the best of intentions. I can't believe that anyone whno knows Jesus would purposely feed the people junk food. I don't think that people working for McDonalds are trying to kill those eating there. They're simply fulfilling the will of their customers (and their stomachs) who visit there. It's my choice what I eat and where I eat it. When was the last time you went to a fast food restaurant and they told you not to eat the hamburgers?
You'll never find a radio or television station, internet site or church that will tell you not to listen to them. All of us believe that what we minister and teach is truth. Jesus said in John 17:17 (Amplified), "Sanctify them (purify, consecrate, separate them for yourself, make them holy) by the truth; Your Word is truth."
Not everything we hear is truth, just like everything we eat is not all really food. It's all out there and we aren't to burn the fast food place because we're on diets. I just don't eat there. Do I grab a hamburger if I'm in a hurry? Yes, but it doesn't comprise my entire diet. Years ago, before I knew Jesus, I used to drink a lot. God didn't deliver me from drinking; just from drinking certain things. Now I have a choice of what to drink and whether or not it's good for me.
We can exist on fast foods and still function in certain things, but it may end our lives way before our time. It might cause things in our bodies to stop operating correctly. Many diseases are caused by our diets. The same is true for our spirits. Jesus is the only One Who gave His life for us. All of the ministers preaching the true Word of God, will always point you to Jesus. It's His life in us that's real. Our spirits have been born again and God is the Father of all who are born again.
As Christians, we're now responsible for what we feed this new man. Will I feed him ear tickling messages that soothe my emotions (the equivalent of fast food to my body) and give him a sugar high? Or, will I feed him the Bread of Life, the real Word of God? Will my spirit be alive and without strength from what I feed him? Or, will my spirit be alive and strong in the power of His Name?
The Word tells us to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Did you ever stop and think about His Word being the power of His might? Jesus continued preaching about the seed in Mark 4:25 (Amplified) and speaking about those who had ears to hear (or a hearing heart) and those who did not. Verse 25 says, "For unto him who has (ears to hear, or a hearing heart) will more be given; and form him who has nothing (no ears to hear, and no discipline over his heart), even what he has will be taken away (by force)." John 10:10 (Amplified) says that, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)."
Fast food may sustain life, but not to the full because it can cause some to die early. Healthy food will give life to the full that can be enjoyed and last until old age. Some things we hear will actually cut our lives short and starve our spirits. The Word (the truth) will feed and bring life to not only your spirit (heart), but it will transfer into your natural body causing you to live long and enjoy life to the fullest.
We read about a hearing heart from the Holy Spirit in Proverbs 4:20-24 (Amplified) which says, "My son, attend to My words; consent and submit to My sayings, let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart." Verse 22 says, "For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh." Verse 23 says, "Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flows the springs of life." Mark 4:24 (Amplified) tells us, "Be careful what you are hearing, the measure (of thought and study) comes back to you and more (besides) will be given to you who hear." Proverbs 4:24 (Amplified) tells us, "Put away from you false and dishonest speech. (Do you have any idea the amount of false and dishonest speech, that which is contrary to the truth of the Word) that we are saying? And willful and contrary talk put far from you."
The scribes and pharisees were always speaking things that were willful and contrary to the truth Jesus was saying. They were more interested in their own doctrine than in the truth. Their hearts were deaf to the truth and they didn't have hearing hearts. Others, however, did give heed to what Jesus was saying and brought forth fruit that has lasted until today.
Solomon was to take the throne when his father, King David, died. He was a young, inexperienced man and about to reign as King. God appeared to him in a dream in 1Kings 3:9 (Amplified) saying, "What shall I give you?" This is something we should ask ourselves. If I could ask God for anything and receive it, then what would I ask for? Wealth? Health? Fame? Fortune? What Solomon asked of God gave him all of these things in one request. Verse 9 says, "Solomon said, So give your servant and understanding mind and a hearing heart to judge YOUR people, that I may discern between good and bad. Heed what you hear, for who is able to judge and rule this your great people."
A hearing heart is what made the women and men of God great, down through the ages. Such men as Smith Wigglesworth heard from God. Because of a hearing heart, he staggered three continents with the power of God. We didn't simply hear the truth, but he guarded his heart so truth wouldn't be choked out of it. How many people do you suppose told Him that he was nuts and that he wasn't hearing from God because it didn't match their doctrines. Smith had to "guard his heart" at all times from the things that weren't God's truth.
"Be careful what you are hearing."
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