How’s Your Spiritual Maintenance?
By Pastor CG
"The cares and anxieties of the world, and distractions of the age, and
the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches,
and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and
choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless."
-- (Mark 4:19, The Amplified Bible)
Did you know that the seemingly innocent things in your everyday life
can suffocate your spiritual life if you allow it?
A friend of mine said the Lord told her in prayer one day that this
nation had become a nation of maintenance men. "You have so many things
to maintain," He told her. "You maintain your house. You maintain your
car, your yard, your machines, your hair...."
It’s true. You can become a maintainer of so many natural things that
you don’t have any time left to maintain your own spirit!
When you find yourself in that situation, it’s time to simplify your
life. I’ve had to learn that myself. Now when I’m considering something
I think I need, I don’t just count the cost in dollars and cents. I
think about how much time it will take to maintain it. I check to see if
I can spiritually afford it.
Second Timothy 2:4 says, "Don’t get entangled in the affairs of this
life." One thing I’ve learned over the last 25 years: Nothing is as
important as spending time in prayer and in the Word with the Father.
Absolutely nothing in my life is as vital as that.
SCRIPTURE READING: Mark 4:18-24
Mark 4:18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
This illustrates those who hear the Word and fail to produce fruit because the Word is choked by three things:
1. The cares of the world or the lusts of the flesh (Mark 4:19; Matthew 13:22; Luke 8:14; Luke 21:34; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 John 2:15-17)
2. The deceitfulness of riches or the pride of life (Mark 4:19; Matthew 13:22; Luke 8:14; 1 Tim. 6:8-10,17; 1 John 2:15-17)
3. The lusts of other things or pleasures and the lust of the eyes (Mark 4:19; Luke 8:14; Luke 21:34; 1 John 2:15-17)
Mark 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
Mark 4:20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
[they which are sown on good ground ...] This illustrates those who hear the Word of God, who wholeheartedly and eternally surrender to obey it and to please God in all things. They get rid of all shallowness, fickleness, and irresponsibility, along with deceitfulness of riches and pleasures, lusts of the flesh, pride of life, and lusts for other things that would hinder them in living for God. They are honest and true and conform to the letter to all known scriptural light as they get to know it (Matthew 13:23; Luke 8:15; 1 John 1:7).
[hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit] Three things required:
1. "Hear the Word." Over 155 times God commands men to hear Him and His Word. Not one time is there a hint that what He says will be hard to understand or that it needs any special interpretation. The entire Bible assumes that what it says is clear enough if men will only believe it as it reads and not change it.
2. "Receive it." This is the main battleground of man. If men could not understand the Bible there would be some reason for rejecting it. See Seven Reasons Why the Bible Is Simple.
Seven Reasons Why the Bible Is Simple
1. Because it is a revelation (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21; Hebrews 1:1).
2. Because of its repeated truths (2 Cor. 13:1). All one needs to do with the Bible is find out what God says, where He says it and then believe it.
3. Because it is written in the most simple human terms possible. If it is understood as it is written then it is a simple book (Luke 24:25,45).
4. Because God is the author (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21). A deity that could not express himself as clearly as man does would not be the living, all-knowing God. One who could, yet would not make himself clear and sought to hide from man the very truth he expected to judge him by would be an unjust person. A deity who had to be interpreted every time he spoke would not be worthy of our consideration. The fault in Bible complications is not with God or the Bible, but with men who refuse to believe what God says and think we have to interpret what He says in order to get the meaning.
5. Because it was given by God to be understood by the most simple and trusting people (Deut. 29:29; Matthew 11:25; Matthew 13:19-23; 2 Cor. 4:1-6; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).
6. Because simply reading and believing is all that is required to understand it (Psalm 1:2-3; 2 Tim. 2:15; §Matthew 11:15, note; §Mark 4:22-23, notes).
7. Because 80% of it is plain history, promises, and simple instructions on how to live. The other 20 percent is simple prophecy, or history written beforehand. See note, §Mark 8:17.
Ten Classes Who Find the Bible Hard to Understand
1. Those ignorant of its contents
2. Those too lazy to read it
3. Those biased contrary to its true doctrines (Matthew 15:7-14; John 8:43)
4. Rebels against what it says because they have listened to religious teachers who explain it away
5. Those uninterested in trying to understand it due to the satanic theory that it is hard to understand
6. Those too worldly and sinful to believe it because it condemns them
7. Unstable souls who wrest at it to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:16)
8. Deceivers who use it to further their own interests (2 Cor. 4:1-4)
9. Those who permit Satan to blind and rob them of truth (Matthew 13:19-23; 2 Cor. 4:1-4)
10.Those who refuse to humble themselves and be converted (Matthew 18:3; Isaiah 6:9-10)
3. "Bring forth fruit." When the Word of God is received and obeyed it will bring forth fruit (Isaiah 55:11).
[some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred] This teaches degrees of fruit bearing, not different kinds of Christians or different degrees of Christians.
Mark 4:21 And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
[candle] Lamp and lampstand, not a wax candle holder as we know them.
Mark 4:22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
Here Christ makes clear that previously unrevealed truth will be completely revealed so that all can see it alike. This has been done in the completion of the New Testament.
Twelve Rules of Interpretation
1. Learn the native tongue in which one reads his Bible. For example, master the English language if the English Bible is to be used.
2. Give the same literal meanings to words, and apply to the Bible the same rules of grammar, figures of speech, types, symbols, allegories, parables, poetry, prophecy, history, and all other forms of human expression that you would if they were found outside the Bible.
3. Learn the Bible manners, customs, and peculiar idioms (these will be found in the notes of this Bible).
4. Get acquainted with the geography of all Bible lands.
5. Get a general knowledge of the history of the biblical peoples and kingdoms so as to understand biblical history.
6. Get a general knowledge of the plan of God in the Bible—of the ages and dispensations and the ultimate purpose of God to defeat Satan, restore man’s dominion, rid the earth of all rebellion, and establish an eternal kingdom on earth ruled by God, Christ, and the resurrected saints (Genesis 8:22; Genesis 9:12; Isaiah 9:6-7; Luke 1:32-33; Rev. 11:15; Rev. 20:1-10; Rev. 22:4-5).
7. Recognize the three classes of people dealt with in Scripture—the Jews, Gentiles, and the church (1 Cor. 10:32).
8. Keep in mind the historical background of each book and the circumstances under which it was written.
9. Never change the literal meaning of Scripture to a spiritual, mystical, symbolic, or figurative meaning unless it is done by God Himself. Take everything in the Bible literally unless this could not possibly be the meaning. When the language is used in a figurative sense get the literal truth conveyed by it.
10.Get a complete concordance such as Strong’s and Young’s to look up any subject and to define any Hebrew or Greek word if there is any question of proper translation.
11. Be just as intelligent and fair with the Bible as with any other book. Study it, not to disprove it, but to master its sacred contents and conform to its teachings and you will find it to be in unity.
12. It must be settled once and forever that the Bible does not contradict itself and all scriptures on a subject must be harmonized. It has a way of confusing its enemies and blessing its friends. The only thing difficult about the Bible is that it is a very large book and it will take time to master its contents enough to get a general understanding of it. Read it over and over and practice its teachings and it will soon become a very simple and practical book.
Mark 4:23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark 4:24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
Here we have a warning as to what we hear and a promise that if we hear correctly more will be given. If we reject truth, what we have will be taken away (Luke 8:16-18).
"Take’s" for believers:
1. Take the yoke of Christ (Matthew 11:29)
2. Take up the cross daily (Luke 9:23)
3. Take no thought for life (Matthew 6:25)
4. Take no thought for raiment (Matthew 6:31)
5. Take communion (1 Cor. 11:24)
6. Take the whole armor (Ephes. 6:13)
7. Take Heed to Yourselves:
(1) How you give alms (Matthew 6:1-4)
(2) What you hear (Mark 4:24)
(3) How you hear (Luke 8:18)
(4) What you covet (Luke 12:15)
(5) How you forgive (Luke 17:1-4)
(6) How you overload yourselves in eating, drinking, and cares of this life (Luke 21:34-36)
(7) How you feed and care for the church (Acts 20:28; Col. 4:17)
(8) How you build on Christ (1 Cor. 3:10-15; 2 Cor. 5:10; Romans 14:10)
(9) How you use your liberty (2 Cor. 8:9-13; Romans 14:1-15:3)
(10) Lest you fall (1 Cor. 10:12-13)
(11) Lest you destroy each other (Galatians 5:15; Ephes. 4:31-32)
(12) Lest you backslide (Hebrews 3:12)
(13) How you take suffering for your own faults (1 Peter 2:20-21)
(14) How you walk in light (2 Peter 1:19; 1 John 1:7)
[learn of me] Three commands here (Matthew 11:28-30):
1. Come unto Me (Matthew 11:28)
2. Take My yoke upon you (Matthew 11:29)
3. Learn of Me (Matthew 11:29)
[I am meek and lowly in heart] Four things about Christ (Matthew 11:28-30):
1. I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28)
2. I am meek and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29)
3. My yoke is easy (Matthew 11:30)
4. My burden is light (Matthew 11:30)
