Bible In One Year-Day 55 (Monday, February 24, 2014)

Commentary: Matt13-15. The gospel of grace seeks for the sinner to restore as saint. Grace is given not to continue in sin but to overcome sin. As we defined grace in our previous discussion, God dwelling in us or the righteousness of God (the Holy Spirit) dwelling in a sinful nature, our lives should no more be ours but His. If the Holy Spirit dwells in us, then there should not be sinning but we should be dead to sin. Instead of the works of the flesh, the fruit of what dwells in you is what becomes evident because He works through you. Therefore, grace is not a privilege to sin but to overcome sin because we are dead to sin, Rom3:31/6:1-2.

Romans 6:1-2 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”

God is good. As we said hitherto, the word sanctifies, i.e. it brings about changes within us by the working of the Holy Spirit. This sanctification continues until rapture when we shall be totally transformed and changed to meet the King of kings and the Lord of lords. It is only those who are sanctified by the word that yields profitably, Matt13:23. Everybody hears the word of God but not all understands (i.e. receives the light in the word) the word. In the parable of the sower, the categories of the ground are the categories of the people in the world. In essence, everybody will hear the word in one way or the other; by the road side, on the rock etc.  If you are still living the life style that is full of fornication, adultery, lying, rivalry, enmity etc, sanctification is not there even if you are justified by the name of the Lord. Only those sanctified will inherit the kingdom of God, 1Cor6:9-11. In Acts20:32, the word of grace builds you up, i.e. sanctifies you (1Tim4:5).

1 Timothy 4:5 “For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”

This is the reason Jesus emphasized deeply on hearing of the word God. Remember He said those who hear the word of God and do them are His own. You do only what you understand. To help the understanding of Jesus’ listeners, He used numerous parables. Parables are for those whose lives are locked against the light of the word of God to help them unlock. But when you have the grace of the fullness of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah11:2), you don’t need parables because mysteries of the kingdom will be revealed to you by the Spirit that dwells in you, Mat13:11. One thing you must know, beloved, is that the Holy Spirit is the Kingdom of God in you according to Jesus’ word in Matt12:28. Therefore, do everything possible not to sell or trade-in this great treasure; the Holy Spirit is the Treasure in earthen vessel. In chapter15, we could see the asceticism of the Pharisees; delighting so much in the principles of the law to please God rather than trusting in His mercy. They foolishly fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah; drawing near to God with their mouth but far from Him with their heart. It is the voice of the heart that God listens to because the state of the heart determines who you are. Jealousy, rivalry, hatred etc are not actually of the mouth but of the heart, Matt15:19. The word of God is to be received with the heart. And if this does not change the person, as Jesus said in Matt15:14, leave them alone; they have made their choices. Prayer: fire in the word of God, explode in me in the name of Jesus. Next mile on the trip is Matt16-18. Keep the fire burning and alive. When Jesus says “YES” who can so “NO”? His answer to your prayers is YEEEEEESSSSS!!!!