7 September 2007
Rhema Inspiration
TANGLED IN THE THORNS
The lessons taught by the parable
of the sower are extremely important for any Christian
who wants to be a dedicated disciple of Jesus Christ.
The parable describes the hearts of Christians and
their response to the Word (truth) of God by comparing
their hearts to various types of soil and the
surrounding conditions.
Today, I will address the third
type of heart, which is the heart of a Christian who is
tangled in the thorns of life. This type of Christian
may hear the Word and receive it with joy. They may
desire to be dedicated in their following of Christ.
They may even have true and sincere love for Jesus
Christ and His Word. But they are tangled up with the
things of life. If they get out of one tangle and
make a fresh commitment to Jesus, they very soon wind
up in another thorn patch. They keep saying, “I
love the Lord, and I know He loves me,” but all
the while, their life is all scratched up from the
thorns they are tangled in. Their pattern is to move in
a continuous cycle of becoming worn out with the cares
of life and the subtle pursuit of riches and then
having to get away from it all by seeking relaxation
and enjoying the pleasures of life (Luke 8:14). They
mean well, but they keep running the cycle.
What must they do to become free
and to become a true disciple of Jesus Christ? They
must make an eternal decision in their heart to forsake
all to follow Jesus and then yield to the Holy Spirit
to help them daily live out that decision. They must
have a renewal of the mind and the spirit of the mind,
which comes by being washed in the water of truth under
the teaching of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will
help them set and keep biblical priorities for true
disciples. He will help them lay aside the weights that
have so easily beset them. He will break their
conformity to the world and will transform them to the
kingdom of God. He will give them an eternal
perspective to replace their temporal perspective that
has been so dominated by cares, riches, and pleasures
of life.
Are you ready to move out of the
thorn patch permanently and begin walking continuously
in the Spirit as a true disciple who is having Christ
fully formed in you? The Holy Spirit is looking to and
fro for such disciples. They are presently few and far
between, but some are answering the call. The Holy
Spirit is joining them together with His true and
mature ministers (Eph. 4:11) to accomplish His end-time
purposes for the Church—the bride of Christ.
Life is so short! Eternity is
forever! Will you let the thorns of life determine your
place in eternity, or will you let your life that is
totally lived for Christ determine your place in
eternity? Jesus is softly and tenderly calling. Can you
hear the call of come home, come home? He is knocking
at the door of your heart. Will you open the door and
begin an eternal dining with Him?
_____________________________
BIBLICAL APPLICATION:
Now the ones that fell among thorns
are those who, when they have heard, go out and are
choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and
bring no fruit to maturity. Luke 8:14 NKJV
Pastor Wayne Wilson
New Covenant Church of Jesus
Christ
3147 Klondike Road, SW, Conyers,
GA 30094 USA
770-760-1101
Sharing these messages with others
is encouraged and permission is granted for
non-commercial (free) distribution provided this
notice appears.
© 2007 New Covenant Church of
Jesus Christ, Conyers, GA USA
www.JesusAndHisWord.org
