This month we are focusing on what it means to be a faithful steward.
As we began this study, we focused on the Word of God. Matthew 13:3-8 reads:
“Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
What is it that causes some to heed the Word and for others, the Word to not bear fruit?
I believe it is our heart condition. Scripture tells of the nature and the power of the Word of God.
Hebrews 4 :12, says:
“For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the [soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Psalm 119:105, says;
“Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.”
Psalm 18:30, says;
“As for God, His way is blameless.
The word of the Lord is tested [it is perfect, it is faultless];
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.”
I see this as God’s Word not being the issue in our lives but rather us the vessels that receive or unable to receive the Word. In the natural we buy cars, gadgets, material things designed to perform certain tasks. The manufacturer will have done their part to ensure the product works as designed, we the consumer now have to do our part to ensure it works for us.
Some of the issues that hinder the Word of God from working in our lives include:
- bitterness
- anger
- unforgiveness
- self righteousness
- worry
- unbelief
- fear
- our past
We do not have to allow these obstacles to remain there if we are willing to uproot them with the power of the Holy Spirit. The woman of the issue of blood is an example of the power of pressing into her faith and not her past. Here is a woman despite losing all her money, a culture that considered her to be unclean, the shame or guilt that she carried, she believed in her heart that she would be healed. She received a Word and her heart condition was clean of her failures, guilt, disappointment and instead was filled with faith which allowed for healing to transpire.
Matt 9: 20-23, says;
“Then a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the [tassel] fringe of His outer robe; 21 for she had been saying to herself, “If I only touch His outer robe, I will be healed.” 22 But Jesus turning and seeing her said, “Take courage, daughter; your [personal trust and confident] faith [in Me] has made you well.” And at once the woman was [completely] healed.”
Can I encourage us to look into our own hearts. Allow the Holy Spirit to show you anything that could be disrupting His Word from being activated in your heart. Let Psalm 51 be in your hearts and cry: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.”
We are in danger of losing out on our destiny and that of those connected to us because of our hearts’ condition. We also miss out on a life full of what God’s Word richly offers us daily.
Hebrews 3:15-19, states;
“For who were the people who turned a deaf ear? Weren’t they the very ones Moses led out of Egypt? And who was God provoked with for forty years? Wasn’t it those who turned a deaf ear and ended up corpses in the wilderness? And when he swore that they’d never get where they were going, wasn’t he talking to the ones who turned a deaf ear? They never got there because they never listened, never believed.”
Let us allow our hearts to be pliable to His Word and leading ; not moved by our circumstances and situations, emotions and cares. Faithful Stewardship requires it.
