John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
Whether we know or recognize it, we've all been shaped and formed by the words we've received, over years of sowing. Words have shaped our society and culture. Even the Church has been formed and contained by words or seeds, that have been sown into and received into the hearts or the soil of our spirits. Many seeds have been sown into the Church about the way our Heavenly Father deals with His children and about what His will and purpose is for us today.
This was true during Jesus' earthly ministry too, because the people had been formed and shaped by the Laws of Moses. When Jesus began sowing the Words (Seeds) of Grace, then people's hearts weren't receptive to that Seed, because of what was already growing in their hearts. Paul became the Apostle to the Gentiles, but he initially persecuted those who followed and tried to further Jesus' ministry. Paul didn't do this because he didn't love God, but because he hadn't received the Seed sown by Grace, into his heart. It took the full Revelation from Jesus Himself, to root up the things growing in Paul's heart.
We've been taught for centuries that, "God no longer does these things" or "God only did these things ford the disciples and not for us today." The many different denominations have sprung up from the words or seeds, that have been sown from the world over the last two-thousand years. If the Holy Spirit is truly the Teacher of the Church (and He is), then He doesn't teach us in different truths, but only what the Father says.
One of the most important things we can learn from "The Parable of the Sower," that Jesus taught in Mark 4:24 (Amplified) is Jesus' saying, "Be careful what you hear." Thus, it says, "And 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." God will only measure back to you, according to the Truth you hear. The rest of what you hear, will not be a measure from the Father, but from the world.
The Body of Christ is made up of many parts, each of which serve a different purpose. Your heart does what the heart is supposed to do and doesn't do the job of the kidneys or any other part of the body. We're to come to unity of the faith in salvation, as the Body of Christ. This doesn't mean that we will all agree on the doctrines of man, concerning the faith. What I do with my own faith, is based on what I hear, just like every born-again believer.
Because someone doesn't believe in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, doesn't stop me from believing and receiving. If can still fellowship with the unbeliever, in the unity of our salvation, without separating our seed crop. We're each placed in a position, where we can determine what we believe for our own selves and lives. If I choose to believe that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for me today and set my faith in it, then no one can stop the Holy Spirit from doing what the Father sent Him to do.
Thank God for those who are preaching the message of Salvation, but let's not stop at being saved. Paul said that, "The Promises of God are Yes and Amen," in 2Corinthians 1:20, so I believe that God's Promises will all come to pass, even if others don't believe this. We can either receive Seed from God or seed from the enemy (the god of this present age). Most of the different denominations are built on small portions of the Truth. We find "a truth" and try making it "the Truth." God has constructed you, so that only you can determine how far you walk in His Word. The Apostle Paul is a perfect example of this Truth. Most people believed Paul was crazy, when he taught about our being sons and daughters of God. We still only partially understand his letters to the Church. The Christians didn't trust that Paul wasn't still trying to persecute and kill them. They had a problem trusting in his word, like many today.
Peter walked side by side with Jesus, but believed that salvation was only for the Jew. He believed that the Gentiles were excluded from the covenant that Paul preached. Others believed the Gentiles could become new creation children of God, but that everyone still had to perform under Law. Some believed that Grace was a license to sin, while others didn't understand Grace at all. These different teachings came as seeds, causing us to doubt and question God's Word. Was this any different from the age-old seed that was sown in the Garden? Jesus said, "Be careful what you are hearing and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the very forces or issues of Life."
We've been lax and haven't been selective about what we're listening too. This is the age of communication, like never seen before on this earth. Everyone online, on TV or radio, seems to have his/her own agenda and wishes to have the whole world agree with them. We must learn to think for ourselves and then only by and through the Holy Spirit. We must not isolate ourselves, but just be careful what we hear. Jesus said that the people, "Have ears but don't hear." He was referring to their not hearing the Word from God's Kingdom, but people can have ears and not hear the noise and confusion of this Present Age.
Do you spend more time listening to the world than the Word? If you do, then that will be measured to you---and not by God. Jesus said that, "The measure of thought and study you give to the truth you hear will be the measure of virtue and knowledge that will be given back to you, and more besides." God will only measure back to you, the Truth you hear. The world will be the one who measures all the rest. If some don't believe that God no longer heals today, then are we supposed to be sick, because of their unbelief? Or, should we receive God's Yes and Amen Promise as being The Healer?
You can believe for yourself, whether or not others believe. You believed that Jesus died and rose again, providing your salvation, even when others don't believe it. The Word of salvation worked for you, despite opposition. Why wouldn't God's other Promises work for you, even though others don't believe them?
Some might say, "I know lots of people who aren't healed." I say, "So what?" I know many people who aren't saved yet, but that doesn't make Jesus no longer the Savior. Just because some aren't healed yet, doesn't mean that Jesus is no longer the Healer. Don't allow satan to limit your walk with the Father, based on someone else's opinion. Remember what Jesus said in Mark 4:24, 25 (Amplified), "Be careful what you hear and seek God for yourself. The amount of thought and study you give to the truth you hear, will be the measure of virtue and knowledge that comes back to you."
Jesus continues in Verse 25, "For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away by force." "To him who has what?" To him who has ears to hear and is careful what he hears. We alone decide what we hear or don't hear. No one else can hear for you. No one else can hear for me, either. Paul received Revelation from Jesus Himself, but the people decided whether or not to receive that Revelation, for themselves.
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