Sermon

How To Receive Greater Revelation | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series)

Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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  1. I Echo the sentiments of David when he said in Psalm 16 as for

  2. the Saints of the land, they are, the excellent ones in whom

  3. is all my delight. I'm delighted to be in the

  4. presence of God's people this afternoon and I hope you are the

  5. same. We haven't been in the gospel of

  6. Mark for some time, but today we continue and so open your Bibles

  7. with me and come to Mark, chapter 4, as we look at two

    Mark 4 chapter mention

  8. verses together, As a family, trusting that the Holy Spirit

  9. has much to say even in these two verses Mark chapter 4.

    Mark 4 chapter mention

  10. And meet me at the words of Jesus.

  11. In verse 24 of Mark, chapter 4, If you're a person who does not

    Mark 4 chapter mention

  12. have a Bible, come see me after the service, want to give you a

  13. Bible, I want you to have a copy of God's word in your hand,

  14. especially when you come to the house of God and more

  15. importantly from Monday to Saturday as well.

  16. Mark, 424 and he said to them, Pay attention to what you hear.

  17. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you and

  18. still more will be added to you. For to the one who has more will

  19. be given. And from the one who has not,

  20. even what he has will be taken away.

  21. Lord with these two verses before us, we ask for the spirit

  22. of wisdom and Revelation. Lord, protect us from confusion,

  23. guide us into Divine Clarity. And Lord may your word inspire,

  24. obedience in our lives, and not just obedience out of Duty, but

  25. Delight may cause us to worship you.

  26. As we face with the living voice of God, we ask Lord that as your

  27. words here were just read. You would give us the grace to

  28. pay attention. And reap the great benefit that

  29. these principles have to offer Us in this life.

  30. We give you all praise and honor in Jesus name.

  31. Amen. It's quite interesting to note

  32. how much the Lord Jesus throughout his time here on

  33. Earth and even Beyond his Earthly Ministry mentions, the

  34. necessity of hearing. The careful reader of the Bible

  35. will even remember that in the final book of sacred scripture

  36. Christ, himself repeats, the statement, and the charge to the

  37. churches that he had rest of that day.

  38. He who has ears to hear, Let Him hear what the spirit says, to

  39. the churches several times, he brings that up.

  40. The relationship between Jesus and man's hearing is far beyond

  41. his capability of making the death hole.

  42. Again, The Miracle Worker that you and I worship is also the

  43. teacher of teachers, he is the creator.

  44. Yes, but he is also the communicator of divine

  45. revelation and as the communicator of Truth, he also

  46. has an expectation of how his audience should engage with the

  47. truth that they come into contact with what you and I are

  48. doing this afternoon. As we are sitting under the

  49. preaching of God's word and what you do in your private time.

  50. As you come face-to-face, with the written word of God is no

  51. small thing. We should not be for one moment.

  52. Allowing ourselves to slip into indifference or passivity when

  53. we are in such a place, whether it's privately or corporately,

  54. like today, we Hear that according to Christ receiving

  55. the truth. Having that projected on us

  56. requires a level of awareness and discipline that will

  57. determine pay attention to this that will determine whether or

  58. not. We will be rewarded with

  59. spiritual riches or we will forfeit those spiritual riches.

  60. It is all contingent upon one thing and that is hearing and

  61. hearing rightly that is essentially what Jesus is saying

  62. in these two verses Christ, wants us to know how you and I

  63. can maximize absolutely capitalize on the revelation.

  64. He has to offer. And yet at the same time, he

  65. warns us how we can forfeit the truth.

  66. That is available to us in a way that can change us and profound

  67. ways. the maximizing or the minimizing of the manifestation,

  68. of God's insight and wisdom pertaining to the things of this

  69. life and the things that are unseen, Are wholly dependent

  70. upon Jesus, instructions here and how you and I adhere to

  71. them. perhaps, you have observed, like I have How

  72. they're just some Christians, who have such a firm grasp on

  73. the word of God, and more than that.

  74. They seem to only go deeper and deeper and understanding Divine

  75. realities. And at the same time, you can

  76. look over just very closely and see Christians who are in that

  77. same person's environment, who have the same access to the

  78. resources. And the vessels that God use to

  79. bring things to Clarity concerning his word and yet,

  80. they An unskilled and they are stagnant.

  81. Over the years, concerning the word of righteousness.

  82. How does this occur? Do?

  83. We not all have the same, Holy Spirit living in us.

  84. Do we not all have the same Bible at our disposal again, do

  85. we not all have access to resources more than any time of

  86. history and do we not also have the availability to receive from

  87. gifted teachers and preachers. Not just in your local setting.

  88. But even across the world, Jesus explanation to why it is that

  89. some seem to grow in Revelation While others, don't is plain and

  90. clear. Here.

  91. Come back with me to verse 24. And look at this, precious verse

  92. concerning this subject Jesus says, pay attention to what you

  93. hear with. The measure you use, it will be

  94. measured to you and still more will be added to you the seems

  95. ambiguous, but it's really clear when you think about it.

  96. It's very simple, essentially. What the Lord is saying is this

  97. the standard of action The standard of action and attention

  98. that you give to anything will ultimately determine the level

  99. of gain that you will receive in return.

  100. That's a law that applies to almost everything in life and

  101. what the Lord is trying to convey here is that it also is

  102. related to how your spiritual perception and expansion is

  103. realized. Now that's the main thought and

  104. we can we can be grateful to understand that that is the main

  105. thought, but there are still questions that we need to

  106. explore. Here's the question that I have

  107. when I come, when I come to this verse earlier this week, I said

  108. well if that's what the Lord is saying, then one What is the

  109. measure necessary for me to apply in order to no spiritual

  110. success? What is it?

  111. That is needed of me. What standard must I adopt and

  112. practice in order to no greater and greater Revelation and

  113. secondly which I kind of answer what exactly will be added to

  114. us. If we use the appropriate

  115. measure, that's what I want to answer this afternoon because my

  116. desire for you. Especially for those who were

  117. eager to uncover gold, in God's word.

  118. And to see precious realities and Provisions of his grace and

  119. from there, to experience a greater personal transformation

  120. as a result of what you come into contact with this message,

  121. I pray will be a blessing to you and that it will instruct you.

  122. Because this text here is a launching pad and it will launch

  123. us into other places in the Bible to discover exactly what

  124. it is. That God requires of us in order

  125. to open more and more doors and the corridor of divine truth.

  126. And I hope that that is something that you would want

  127. because today I want to present to you.

  128. Three measures three measures needed to receive greater

  129. Revelation from God. And this is what precisely

  130. Christ wants to get at and I can assure you based on the

  131. authority of the word of God. That if you if you Embrace what

  132. I'm about to tell you and I will reference it as much as I can.

  133. With the scriptures, you will set yourself on the path on the

  134. course of Glorious growth. That will only increase until

  135. you arrive into Glory itself. Three measures three disciplines

  136. three practices, whatever word you want to use.

  137. For the person that says, I don't want to be a babe in

  138. Christ anymore. I don't want to just drink milk

  139. anymore. Give me meat, give me meat, all

  140. this will bless you for those who are intimidated by the

  141. content here, for those who don't believe that they have,

  142. the ability to understand these deep things.

  143. All of this is for those who are simply going to hear what God

  144. has to say. Three measures, let me give you

  145. the first one. The first one is right here in

  146. the verse that we just read. If you and I want to grow and

  147. greater Revelation concerning the word of God, and the things

  148. of God, and the ways of God, then you must do, this pay

  149. attention, pay attention. That is the first instruction,

  150. Jesus declared it pay attention to what you hear.

  151. Pay attention to what you here for the Lord to cause to pay

  152. attention means that you and I can hear the word of God, like

  153. you are right now. You and I can even read the word

  154. of God in a way that I wish you. Hope you do throughout the week

  155. and still do so ineffectively if you want a classic example for

  156. that, look at the Pharisees, how many times has the Lord engage

  157. with the Pharisees and he says, have you not read only what an

  158. insult. You're talking to The Experts of

  159. the law of the day and you're saying, have you not read

  160. obviously they read that industry.

  161. They memorized large portions of the Hebrews.

  162. Scriptures, and Jesus by asking that question is saying you

  163. didn't really read the way you were supposed to read.

  164. You didn't really see what you were supposed to see you.

  165. Absorb the information it was there you can rehearse it, but

  166. you didn't really read it. In other words, you really

  167. didn't pay attention to what God was trying to say to you.

  168. That's why he makes this clear call for you, and I to be

  169. mindful of whatever is being presented before us, but what

  170. does that really mean? Mean, what does it really mean

  171. for me to pay attention, which is becoming a lost art in our

  172. day, by the way? We can't pay attention to almost

  173. anything without checking a notification or checking this,

  174. or scrolling to that. And then refreshing, this pay

  175. attention. To pay attention is an act of

  176. the will and it is a willful decision to ignore other

  177. elements around you or within you, as you choose to carefully,

  178. put your attention on an object worthy of consideration, it is

  179. an aspect of concentration, almost, like I kind of feel

  180. silly almost giving you a definition of what it means to

  181. pay attention and almost seems like a silly thing to review.

  182. But as I said for Jesus to give that instruction, Suction then

  183. how much more is it relevant for us now in an age of so much?

  184. Distraction of so much saturation, pulling your

  185. attention and so many different directions and I cannot think of

  186. a greater and stronger. Biblical example of how God

  187. rewards, those who pay attention.

  188. Then a text in the Old Testament that ironically was something

  189. that the Lord opened my eyes to on a summer night.

  190. While reading the, my Bible on my bed, I want you to go there

  191. with me in Exodus chapter 3. Exodus 3.

    Exodus 3 chapter mention

  192. And this is beginning there in verse 2.

  193. Exodus 3 verse 2. This is the chapter where Moses

    Exodus 3:2

  194. is called by God to be the shepherd, and the leader of the

  195. people of Israel to be the deliverer of those who are

  196. oppressed under pharaohs tyranny, an exodus 32.

  197. As you're there, listen to what I'm about to say, the Holy

  198. Spirit does not waste one word and his word.

  199. Now, one word, and you're going to see that.

  200. I hope in this Exodus 3 verse 2 and the angel of the Lord

    Exodus 3:2

  201. appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush.

  202. Bush. He looked and behold the Bush

  203. was burning yet, it was not consumed.

  204. And Moses said, I will turn aside to see this great sight.

  205. Why? The bush is not burned.

  206. I find it so fascinating, how the Holy Spirit records, the

  207. very words that Moses spoke to himself as he in his peripheral

  208. vision, saw something that was strange.

  209. A burning bush but it was not consumed.

  210. It just kept burning and perhaps it wasn't a strange thing to see

  211. burning bushes in the wilderness but this was different.

  212. It didn't stop. It didn't turn into smoke then

  213. it consumed the object that it was consuming And we see here

  214. that this catches is attention and if you if you don't have the

  215. ESV, which we read from here on the pulpit.

  216. If you have a King James, it will read for you.

  217. I will now turn aside if you have the nasb, it will say I

  218. must turn aside whatever translation you hold.

  219. What we're seeing here is that Moses is communicating this

  220. curiosity. That is prioritized something

  221. now Peaks. His curiosity and it is more

  222. important than anything else going around him.

  223. And he must seek to understand this phenomenon.

  224. I must, I will I need to see what this is all about.

  225. And what's more significant about?

  226. Moses decision to turn his attention to this Burning Bush

  227. was the timing of it. Go back to verse 1, what are we

  228. told in verse 1 of Exodus? 3 were told there that Moses was

  229. leading the Sheep real sheep, the Sheep of his Father-in-law,

  230. that was his employment. He was managing and supervising

  231. this flock. And so let me put it this way,

  232. Moses was at work, or maybe at the end of his work.

  233. We don't know where he's at with his shift, but we know that he

  234. is performing a duty and God saw it necessary to come at this

  235. specific point. But that detail enhances it

  236. enhances here, the great interest that Moses had in the

  237. strange sight and what he was witnessing.

  238. He would turn aside to see this display.

  239. Listen, even if it cost him some time to turn his attention away

  240. from a duty, an important duty, a good Duty, a faithful Duty.

  241. And yet still, this was so important that he even wanted to

  242. look elsewhere and give his full attention to this.

  243. But there's more look at verse 4.

  244. This is what really blesses me when the Lord saw that, he

  245. turned aside to see. When the Lord saw that, he

  246. turned aside to see the Holy Spirit wants to make sure to

  247. confirm to us that the Lord spoke only after he perceived

  248. that Moses was willing to give his full attention to the

  249. burning bush. For what reason?

  250. In order to tell you what Jesus wants to tell us that the Lord

  251. rewards, those who sacrifice the time to pause and pay attention

  252. to what he desires to say to us. When I read those words slowly,

  253. it just ministers to me so deeply when the Lord saw he

  254. sees. He might be silent but he's

  255. always seeing, he's always observing his always

  256. calculating. He's, he's always understanding.

  257. He's always there. And in this moment though, he's

  258. manifesting through the burning bush.

  259. There are burning eyes that look passed through everything else

  260. and see the very motive that this Moses had.

  261. And when the Lord saw and he observed, that Moses wanted to

  262. respond to this voiceless shrub, it was only then that The

  263. Searcher of Hearts was willing to unlock his voice and give him

  264. greater revelation. Think about that. because in the

  265. context of this Shepherd, God's voice was heard through a

  266. burning bush your context and mine is different.

  267. Now we have a burning book and this is where and when and how

  268. God speaks to us. But what happened here with

  269. Moses is the same for us in the same way God, waited for Moses

  270. to even pause on his duty or to prioritize this ambition not

  271. neglecting his duty but pausing and sanctifying and consecrated

  272. a portion of time of his day to say, let me come to this Burning

  273. Bush and see what it's all about.

  274. And the same way God waited for that.

  275. That kind of attendance and that kind of attention.

  276. It is no different with you and I he is no different than you

  277. and I the same eyes through that burning bush is the same God,

  278. who sees what we do with the supernatural book or how often

  279. do we walk by it in our homes? How often do we turn our

  280. attention away from it? How often do we get so caught

  281. up? And we tell ourselves that will

  282. give what we have left. The crumbs of our time to God's

  283. word, and we wonder why he is not speaking.

  284. God requires the necessary attention and attendance before

  285. he does. Why?

  286. Because he's a king, I read this quote from Spurgeon many months

  287. ago and I put it in my phone, as a reminder, little notes.

  288. It's a Wonderful feature in your app, your phone.

  289. And I think it relates to even to our subject today Spurgeon

  290. said, what should we think of a petitioner?

  291. What should we think of a petitioner if while having an

  292. audience with a prince? He should be playing with a

  293. feather, catching a fly. What should we think of a

  294. petitioner if while having an audience with the prince should

  295. be chasing a feather or catching a fly?

  296. Yeah, it's quite humbling. So my instruction here is very

  297. simple and I thank God that God made a very simple.

  298. The first thing that we must do in order for us to be posture

  299. for God, to grant us greater Revelation things.

  300. I will Exhilarate you and bless you and bring answers to you.

  301. We got to give him some attention. we got to be able to

  302. learn how to pause and say I'm going to give a portion of my

  303. time to push away all these other things and to just meet

  304. with God's word, And God sees that he sees that, let me offer

  305. some practical tips of how we pay attention to the word of

  306. God, eliminate as many distractions as possible.

  307. Eliminate as many distractions as possible, not just when

  308. you're alone. But even when you come to the

  309. house of God, when you come to the house of God, I say this all

  310. the time, my ambition coming to the house of God is not to sit

  311. with somebody that I like I want to be in a sphere and I want to

  312. position myself in a way in which I have as much of exposure

  313. to God's word with the least amount of traction.

  314. I don't know what it is about Christians.

  315. They're like afraid of the front row.

  316. That's my favorite spot to be. I love that because I mean some

  317. people have the grace to be back there.

  318. And that's fine too. I just know myself.

  319. I want to see the least amount of heads.

  320. So that I can hear all that as being said.

  321. Now when you are alone. Yes.

  322. As we all know, this is very, this, very simple, eliminate as

  323. many distractions but here's the thing.

  324. My brain is very loud. So even if I put these things

  325. away and I close the shades and I lock the door, this Cranium is

  326. filled with things and it doesn't, it doesn't hesitate to

  327. remind me of my laundry and what meal I need to make and what I

  328. need to take care of. Can I offer you a tip that helps

  329. me from time to time as you were with God's word read it out

  330. loud, read it out loud. Submit your senses to the

  331. engagement of the word of God. Now that doesn't have to read it

  332. the whole time if you can then do it.

  333. But I'm saying from time to time.

  334. Time pause and declare it read out loud the word and I'll tell

  335. you something, fascinating oftentimes the most Revelation I

  336. get from God's word is when I'm hearing it from my own mouth,

  337. there is this shift of focus, you go into another gear.

  338. When you are not just reading it with your eyes but you're

  339. hearing it with your ears and your lips are declaring it.

  340. Now there are some times where I wake up and my I just want to

  341. say anything my voice still needs to warm up.

  342. So I'm not saying I'm perfect at this but I can tell you every

  343. time I have done it in private or reading it with somebody

  344. one-on-one, there's just this heightened experience of the

  345. word of God. So do that, do that give a

  346. realistic amount of time. With the word of God.

  347. Don't Be Inspired from a message like this and say, I'm going to

  348. give three hours. I'm gonna wake up two hours

  349. early and I'm going to read. That's a great great motivation.

  350. I'm glad you're excited, but be realistic.

  351. It's better to give God 1530 minutes of concentrated time

  352. than an hour and a half of you periodically, falling asleep.

  353. As you're reading the word of God.

  354. Let's not measure our success by time here.

  355. Let's read and engage in absorb all that God has to say,

  356. brothers and sisters. We must pay attention.

  357. If we can't go to that step. Then the rest of what I'm about

  358. to say, is not going to help, but let me bring you not to

  359. step. Number two, how do we receive

  360. greater Revelation from God? Well, let's go to 2nd Timothy

  361. chapter 2. 2nd Timothy chapter 2.

  362. Let's look here at verse 4 together.

  363. Paul says to spiritual son. No soldier gets entangled in

  364. civilian Pursuits. Since his aim is to, please the

  365. one who enlisted him an athlete is not crowned, unless he

  366. competes, according to the rules, it is the hard-working

  367. farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.

  368. And look what he says in verse 7.

  369. Think over what I say for. The Lord will give you

  370. understanding and everything. Point number one, pay Attention

  371. Point number to ponder frequently, Ponder frequently.

  372. Now, what Paul does here is he gives Timothy 3 metaphors of

  373. what the Christian experience is like he wants to inform above

  374. what. It's like he tells them that

  375. it's like being an athlete. He tells him, it's like being a

  376. soldier. He tells him, it's like being a

  377. farmer and after giving these analogies, he gives them an

  378. instruction Timothy think. I think in the word there is to

  379. reflect it is to ponder, it is to meditate.

  380. It is to sit on something until it becomes more and more obvious

  381. consider. Its meaning Timothy consider its

  382. application in your life, in your ministry Timothy.

  383. Now, what I find so interesting is that, when Paul gives these

  384. analogies, he does not give a detailed explanation of how they

  385. work and how they apply to you. Notice that it's almost like in

  386. Rapidfire fashion yet like a soldier like an athlete, like a

  387. farmer think. Well, it would help if you just

  388. elaborate a little bit more. No, no.

  389. I'm giving you these. I'm giving you enough.

  390. But now you need to take it. Here's the Baton and run with

  391. it. Think about how these things

  392. relate to the Christian experience.

  393. Think about the realities of a farmer of a soldier of a runner

  394. in the context of God's word and the boundary of his word and now

  395. think about how this works. Now, I would make sense for Paul

  396. to say, think about these things..

  397. That makes sense. Yeah, I obviously have to think

  398. about it. It, but he attaches the charge

  399. with a promise. Think over what I say, here's

  400. the promise for the Lord will give you understanding and

  401. everything. In other words polishers this,

  402. man, he sure is Timothy if he does what he's supposed to do,

  403. which is to ponder, then God will do what only he can do.

  404. And that's give illumination we can't miss that.

  405. This is a supernatural thing. This is a supernatural thing

  406. because the latter experience. Is contingent upon our

  407. compliance with the former exhortation.

  408. In essence, God will not provide insight to the person who does

  409. not think about them. Who does not internally

  410. investigate the interpretation, the implementation of it.

  411. And the same way that God was looking for Moses to turn and

  412. pay attention before. He spoke God at the same time,

  413. looks into our hearts to see if we are thinking about his truth.

  414. Let me put it this way. Revelation comes not to just

  415. readers, but the thinkers Revelation comes not merely to

  416. readers, but the thinker's, the people who come to the word of

  417. God. And ask the who, what, when,

  418. where? How questions?

  419. and it is those people who ask those questions not just to

  420. themselves, not just as they bounce back and forth with the

  421. word of God but even to their God, It is those people in which

  422. the promise is made, Supernatural guidance will come.

  423. And answers will be provided. This is a promise.

  424. In that should encourage the student, who is fearful.

  425. I remember coming to the Bible at one point early in my life

  426. and not knowing where to start, I remember hearing other people

  427. talk about the things of God, I remember not even being able to

  428. know what books were in my Bible.

  429. When the preacher said turn to this book and it can be

  430. overwhelming and it can be discouraging, and it can be

  431. frustrating to know yourself and see how slow you are to grasp

  432. certain things. But if that is you you remember

  433. what Paul is saying here? The Lord will give you

  434. understanding in everything everything.

  435. Now he could have said in what I just said well how Christian is

  436. like this and like that? And I guess but he doesn't just

  437. limited to what he just said. He says in all of the counsel of

  438. God's word, God is willing to teach you personally, God is

  439. willing to become your personal tutor. when he sees that you're

  440. willing to learn, But, hold on, brace yourself your because he

  441. says, God will the Lord will give you understanding in

  442. everything and he stopped there. That's important.

  443. You know why? Because many of us interpret it,

  444. the Lord will give you understanding in everything

  445. immediately. He doesn't say immediately.

  446. He's a good teacher, he's the perfect teacher, and he knows

  447. exactly what to disclose to you. At what time, remember what he

  448. said to his own disciples, because I have so much more to

  449. say to you, but you cannot bear them.

  450. Now, see if I reveal this to you will overwhelm you, it will

  451. crush. You you're such a state of

  452. sadness. You're so overwhelmed

  453. emotionally that it's not going to benefit you right now if I

  454. revealed these things to you. So the Lord knows exactly when

  455. to make known what? But that is not our duty to

  456. determine it is our responsibility to Simply do what

  457. he tells Timothy. And that is to think not as to

  458. think. And to realize that yes, there

  459. might be a shell over the scripture as we read it.

  460. But as we bring our thoughts to that, she'll and allow our

  461. thoughts and our meditations, and our questions, and yes,

  462. sometimes even our righteous frustration to crack at that

  463. Shell at the right time. The Lord will supply a Grace

  464. that will break it open for you to enjoy the fruit.

  465. They're in the Lord will give you understanding and everything

  466. and this is why you and I have to understand God, and many

  467. things, works with people who are willing to work who are

  468. willing to work, even when the Lord calls many in the Bible, if

  469. not all what you will find in the objects of his calling, is

  470. that those people who are Servants of his in the ministry

  471. were found working when he called them.

  472. And in the same way we come to this word and we must engage

  473. with it before, the Lord comes with the tools necessary to make

  474. it real. How does the Lord do it though?

  475. How does he give understanding is the answer is simple, as he

  476. deposits Clarity in your mind and he provides the wisdom for

  477. you to grasp it. I just had to know where

  478. Supernatural like an epiphany. You sure?

  479. You can do it that way. I don't think that's the only

  480. legitimate Avenue though. He has many means by which he

  481. makes known these things and I'll prove to you want because

  482. some of this has happened to many of you when you've come to

  483. the house of God, whether it's here or elsewhere and earlier

  484. that week you read something or there's something that you've

  485. been pondering about or a situation where you're trying to

  486. see, how does God's word make this make sense and offer.

  487. Soon, as you come here unsuspectingly, you hear

  488. something? And there it is, there's the

  489. answer. It came forth, it illuminated

  490. shined light. And some of you even said, I've

  491. heard you say, you said, you know, brother.

  492. I've been, I've been thinking about this for the past few

  493. days. I've been trying to wonder, I

  494. need to know more about this subject and here I am.

  495. I came this day and not knowing what you were going to speak on

  496. and you set it. And that's what I needed is that

  497. coincidence, is it coincidence? When you go to another place or

  498. a conference, or whatever the case may be, and something

  499. happens in this transaction? No, it's the Lord, the Lord

  500. giving you understanding. That's what happened with the

  501. psalmist asaph If this man had so many questions about

  502. suffering, he didn't understand how the wicked could prosper in

  503. the righteous. There who are faithful to God,

  504. are being punished. So, it seems, it is understand

  505. how those who are wicked can be rewarded with life, and health

  506. and families, and vacations, and raises.

  507. And so, he was so overwhelmed wondering if he washed his hands

  508. in vain, if he's following the truth and obeying righteousness

  509. in vain and so he says in Psalm 73 16, but when I thought, how

  510. Now, to understand this, it seemed to me a weary, some

  511. tasks. Let me say this ASAP.

  512. As much as he was and a place of great frustration was a thinker.

  513. He meditated. He thought about it.

  514. He was wondering, he's trying to put the pieces together.

  515. He prayed he ached when he thought about this.

  516. And how to understand, it was a weary, some task, and then, in

  517. verse 17, until I went into the sanctuary of God, Then I

  518. discerned their end. Until I came to the house of

  519. God. We're God's laws being performed

  520. and God's word is being declared.

  521. It was in that setting where the lord gave me understanding But

  522. before the Lord gave him understanding, he was already

  523. thinking. He was pondering.

  524. He was chewing the cud of the word.

  525. And God says, I see your thoughts.

  526. I see how it's a weary some tasks.

  527. I see how you're seeking understanding.

  528. Here it is. Here it is.

  529. The Lord can do it while you're in prayer.

  530. The Lord can do it while you're systemically reading through the

  531. Bible and there is a portion of scripture that brings light to a

  532. mystery that you read early on in that month.

  533. The Lord can do it and I've experienced it.

  534. Where you going out to lunch with a Spirit-filled brother or

  535. sister in Christ? Nothing planned.

  536. But there you are talking and talking about the things of God

  537. and there, they bring something up brother.

  538. I've been thinking about that for so long and you just gave

  539. the answer your brother. I've been going through this

  540. situation and you just brought light to it with that.

  541. Reference with that story in the Bible with that proverb.

  542. The Lord can do it by putting a book in your hand with a

  543. wonderful author who had insights in the word of God.

  544. The Lord has many means but the goal is the same and the promise

  545. is the same, he will give you understanding and he will find a

  546. way to give you understanding, but before you can even expect

  547. for the Lord to do that, you heard it so many times but pay

  548. attention. Not just pause and pay attention

  549. but pause and Ponder or ponderize.

  550. You go ponderize you go. And this is the Gateway of

  551. experiencing truth and watching it make an imprint on our lives

  552. and it I'm telling you it is one of the most exhilarating things

  553. that when you wrestle with the word and God comes and brings

  554. relief, it's like just this Rush of water to your soul, and as

  555. much as it is invisible, The Sensation from that is the Lord

  556. spoke to me here. God just revealed something to

  557. me. whatever means he uses, you know what your thoughts are like

  558. you know, the prayers in your heart and God comes and he just

  559. Thunders it or you Whispers it and it blesses you Thomas Watson

  560. Puritan, he says quote the reason we come away so cold from

  561. reading. The word is because we do not

  562. warm ourselves at the fires of meditation and I think if we're

  563. honest and I'm going to be honest with you, the coldest

  564. times that I've had with the word is when I rushed through it

  565. or when I don't take at least a piece of it with me.

  566. To hold on to and to let roll in my mind or to savor in my mouth.

  567. Those are very very limited in their benefit.

  568. When I'm satisfied with this, checking off that, I read

  569. something. So that is somebody at churches,

  570. when did you last week? So I read, two days ago.

  571. That's not Christian. That's not what God wants us to

  572. do. Pay attention.

  573. Don't just pay attention, do take it further Ponder, Ponder

  574. as much as you can ponder as much as you can.

  575. When you're in that empty space of not having to engage your

  576. mind in something that requires so much.

  577. Whether it's work or helping your kids or whatever the case

  578. me, just bring bring it to yourself and bring it before.

  579. The Lord Lord, what is was that I don't get this.

  580. I didn't understand that. Fully.

  581. Could you help me? He might answer that.

  582. He might not. But he will.

  583. That is the promise. Pay attention Ponder.

  584. Here we are in our final step. You have to meet me in John 14,

  585. though to know it in John 14. John 14:21.

    John 14:21

  586. Hear the words of the master. Whoever has my Commandments and

  587. keeps them. He it is, who loves me?

  588. And he, who loves me Will Be Loved by my father.

  589. And I will love him. And here it is Manifest myself

  590. to him. We know one thing about this,

  591. Jesus is not speaking about salvation and how to attain it.

  592. Paul said in Romans 3:20 that it is not by The Works of the flesh

    Romans 3:20

  593. that we are Justified, no human being will ever be justified in

  594. his side, by adhering to the law as perfectly as possible.

  595. So, knowing that with the concert of the rest of the word

  596. of God, we can eliminate that interpretation.

  597. In of what Jesus is saying here. If you obey my Commandments, I

  598. will love you. The context, clearly suggests

  599. that Jesus is giving this instruction with a promise to

  600. believers. He speaking to those who have

  601. already believed on him and not just those who have believed on

  602. him, but who have because of their submission to his

  603. lordship, his Commandments. And so from there he speaking to

  604. those who follow him of what they ought to do with his

  605. Commandments in order to know a particular glorious reward, this

  606. is what he is saying. You, my people who have my

  607. Commandments, those who keep what they currently, no, Will Be

  608. Loved by my father and Will Be Loved by the Sun.

  609. That kind of scares people. Because I'm sure the first

  610. question that pops into our minds as well.

  611. Doesn't God. Love everybody is not his love

  612. available to all. Yes, that's true.

  613. But not everybody experiences his love the same way.

  614. Not everybody, even among the children of God can enjoy that.

  615. Holy Love. In the same way that others do.

  616. The father and the son seek to Lavish and manifest their Love

  617. by the spirit, but his contingent again upon something.

  618. He says, those who have my Commandments who have access to

  619. them who might even know them. So you can put that under the

  620. category of your attentive of them.

  621. Maybe you know them but here's the third thing, we gotta go

  622. beyond paying attention. We got to go more than just

  623. paying attention, we must Ponder.

  624. Here's Point number three, we have to put it into action.

  625. Put it into action, those who have my Commandments and keeps

  626. them. Keeps them, cherishes them and

  627. then exercises them with whatever Revelation that you

  628. have at this time on January, 15th 2023, wherever you're at

  629. right now what you do with that, in terms of its application in

  630. your life will determine a manifestation of Jesus in your

  631. life. This is what the Lord is looking

  632. for. So here's what I'm trying to

  633. say, and this is where honesty is so important.

  634. It's important all the time. But especially with a point like

  635. this, it would be dishonest to claim that every Christian loves

  636. Jesus. Same, I know it's hard to hear,

  637. but it would be dishonest to say that and as a result that love

  638. is proven It would be, it would be dishonest and unrealistic to

  639. say that every Christian obeys. Jesus, the same.

  640. Now, are we willing to acknowledge that?

  641. I hope we can all acknowledge that.

  642. It is not true. That every believer in this

  643. world loves the Lord, the same and obeys the Lord, the same now

  644. for willing to submit to that then we have to also accept the

  645. last part if that is the case, that not every Christian

  646. experiences Christ, in the same way.

  647. And that is exactly what Jesus is doing here.

  648. He's making a differentiating mark.

  649. This is precisely what the Lord is communicating the

  650. manifestation of God. Now, think about that.

  651. This is not theoretical. This is a real manifestation of

  652. God is only reserved to those who not just read who, not just

  653. understand, but who seek to implement, what has been made

  654. known to them. And say Lord I want to I want to

  655. really see this lived out of my life.

  656. The Lord is not promising. Physical manifestation, I'm

  657. sorry to disappoint you if that's what you were hoping for

  658. but he is promising. He is referring to a spiritual

  659. enlightenment. Something that can be just as

  660. real as something appearing right before you something.

  661. So real in the soul where he enlarges your knowledge of his

  662. glory and his wisdom, and his power and his grace, and his

  663. might with the eyes of your heart.

  664. Now, begin to open and you perceive things Beyond this

  665. world and what has to offer? There's another dimension and

  666. Christ what he's promising. Here is I will be more real to

  667. you in this world. The father will be more real and

  668. the means by that is the Holy Spirit who might have sent will

  669. be the the agent and making that a reality in your life.

  670. What an amazing promise. I mean, take every other

  671. treasure away and give me that the manifestation of Christ, not

  672. just when I die but even as I live, he can intensify the

  673. intimacy that my heart longs for and he is perfectly wise and

  674. doing it. Exactly how he needs to do it.

  675. And I believe that includes making this word so loud.

  676. How else will Christ manifest who he is?

  677. Apart from his word? Surely not, but even as this

  678. word comes alive, things around this world become more alive.

  679. As it is all connected and submitted to this.

  680. The psalmist said, something incredible and Psalm 25 14.

  681. He says, the Friendship of the Lord, now the Hebrew word.

  682. For friendship is the secret, the secret Council.

  683. The Friendship of the Lord, is for those who fear Him and He

  684. will make known to them. His Covenant.

  685. The Friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him you can't

  686. fear God. Unless you're willing to obey

  687. God that equation is settled the Friendship of the Lord

  688. friendship with almighty God friendship with Jesus Christ,

  689. the resurrected King friendship with the Holy Spirit, who knows

  690. all things and can do all things.

  691. Yes, the Friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him and

  692. then he says and he will make known to them his Covenant.

  693. I don't think that means he's going to I introduce to you the

  694. way you can come into Covenant with him.

  695. I think it means that he will unravel and unwrap the layers of

  696. the glories of the Covenant that you're in with him already. and

  697. so as you fear Him and you say I'm coming into Covenant with

  698. you Lord, And I want to walk in your ways and I want to obey the

  699. commands of your Covenant. I may fail but Lord my heart

  700. desires. It here's the promise of God let

  701. me reveal to you the glories of my Covenant now Can you begin to

  702. see things and you go deeper than just Jesus died on the

  703. cross, for my sins, as glorious as that is.

  704. But then you see the parts of that the details of that, the

  705. implications of that, the promise of that, the Prophecies

  706. of that and your eyes begin to open and it will take n.

  707. Eternity of Eternity, To realize all of it.

  708. And it can begin. Now, it can begin now.

  709. Pay attention Ponder, put into action.

  710. And the promise of God is theirs, Revelation coming your

  711. way. Perpetual growing more of me in

  712. your life. Now that's Mark 424 we still

  713. have one more verse. So hang on Mark 425. we're

  714. concluding with this verse not with this verse, but with the

  715. thoughts of this verse Mark 425. Jesus said, in first 24, pay

  716. attention to what you hear with. The measure you use, it will be

  717. measured to you. We learn about three measures

  718. and still more will be added to you.

  719. We know what, he's going to add to us more of the truth.

  720. Verse 25, he says for the one who has more will be given

  721. that's repeated now of what we just heard.

  722. And from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken

  723. away. Okay, the first part of verse

  724. 25, we covered. We haven't touched on the second

  725. part. It seems cryptic.

  726. What are you trying to say? Lord, from the one who has not

  727. even what he has will be taken away?

  728. It's not as perplexing as we think for those who hear absorb

  729. diligently, meditate on the truth that has been given to

  730. them. More truth will be given to you,

  731. right? That is the promise.

  732. But for the person who is a here, He's Not absent from the

  733. environment of hearing for the person who does here.

  734. But as careless, they don't pay attention.

  735. They don't care to give a piece of even an ounce of real estate

  736. in their brains, those who have no desire to put the words of

  737. Christ into action. The opposite effect will take

  738. place. If the first part means, if I

  739. absorb those three measures, then I'm going to grow.

  740. Then what Jesus is saying here is, if you don't and something

  741. else will happen. Careless.

  742. Here's are in danger. This is what the Lord is trying

  743. to say of not only failing to graduate in Revelation.

  744. But of blunting whatever truth they might possess even now.

  745. That seems strange, right? That seems strange.

  746. But again, this law is an operation in the material world,

  747. think about physical exercise. If I give myself to working this

  748. body out and my goal is to be more in shape put on more

  749. massive muscle and reduce fat that's going to require

  750. discipline and the more I train myself.

  751. What's going to happen? The more I'm going to be able to

  752. lift over time, push-pull move. That is the trajectory.

  753. That's the promise of those disciplines being adhered to

  754. consistently. But what happens if I stop what

  755. happens. If I pause, what happens if I

  756. neglect it? Now, if the answer in your mind

  757. as well, you just kind of leave off where you stopped, that's

  758. not the right answer for those who have exercised, you know

  759. what happens, you not only pause but you begin to lose.

  760. Now your physique is taking a different shape and listen just

  761. freeze when you stop and then you get the resume when you

  762. want, that'd be wonderful. No, now you see a reversal

  763. taking place and your body is taking a different shape and

  764. you're losing your strength more and more.

  765. Let me borrow the words of Jesus.

  766. You begin to what you have now removed from you.

  767. What about learning a language. I've seen this in my own life,

  768. I'll confess. My family, my siblings and I, we

  769. grew up learning French up in Canada.

  770. Went to French. Elementary School is French high

  771. school. I'll be honest.

  772. I haven't practiced a language in years.

  773. And I used to be able to write essays in French and do

  774. presentations and French, you know what's happening.

  775. Now I'm losing a lot of it. I didn't just stop.

  776. And now I'm at the grade 11 level, where I left French,

  777. going went to an English High School in an English college.

  778. That didn't happen. I'm losing touch with grammar,

  779. basic vocabulary, basic terms, my heads, getting cloudy.

  780. And things are not evaporating more, and more, and more, and

  781. for people who lose a language over time.

  782. If they keep going in that direction, they if they have a

  783. revived concern and desire to relearn it, they got to go back

  784. to the basics. You actually got to go back to

  785. the ABCs and rebuild the foundation.

  786. Here's what the Lord is saying. What happens with your body?

  787. What happens with that language happens in the things of the

  788. spirit? When you pause and you neglect

  789. and you refuse to ponder pay attention and put into practice,

  790. what the Lord is saying, is not only will you stand still.

  791. That's actually category. And spiritual growth that

  792. doesn't exist. You'll begin to revert.

  793. This actually happened to a group of Christians.

  794. And this is my final text a group of Christians, that the

  795. author of this book, wanted to take them deeper into spiritual

  796. truths. But he knowing his audience

  797. could not hold their hand and take them there because they did

  798. exactly what Jesus warned about Hebrews chapter 5.

    Hebrews 5 chapter mention

  799. In verse 11. This will now make sense.

  800. What Jesus is saying in verse 25 of Mark for will now make sense,

  801. it actually happened to a group of Jewish Christians.

  802. Hebrews 5 11 to 13. The debated author writes about

  803. this. We have much to say and it is

  804. hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing.

  805. For though. By this time you ought to be

  806. teachers, you need someone to teach you.

  807. Again, the basic principles of the Oracles of God, you need

  808. milk. Not solid food for everyone who

  809. lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since

  810. he is a child, so much to stay. And to say about this passage

  811. First point, these Christians have become dull of hearing

  812. meaning, they didn't start that way at one point.

  813. Their ears, their antennas were wide open.

  814. They were eager. They were hungry.

  815. They wanted to learn more. They want to see how Jesus

  816. fulfilled these Jewish prophecies.

  817. They want to see how he was the substance of the Shadow.

  818. They long for that, but over time they became dull.

  819. What does that mean? Dull.

  820. Well. Very simple term is bored.

  821. They became disinterested, they became distant.

  822. They became satisfied with the level that they were at.

  823. And here's the scary part, they're dull of hearing but

  824. they're still hearing, they're still present, they're still in

  825. attendance, they're here, but they're uninterested, they're

  826. here, but they're inattentive their dull of hearing.

  827. And what happened to this group of Christians is like what

  828. happens to you? And I when we get on a flight,

  829. And like every flight the flight attendants coming to the middle,

  830. their aisle, and they do their safety protocol presentation,

  831. right? I've been on many flights, every

  832. single flight, they did that. But be honest.

  833. Do you really pay attention. Are you hearing it though?

  834. Yes. But are you paying attention?

  835. No, and I think that's a scary thing because they're giving you

  836. the exact instructions. If this thing goes down, this is

  837. what you need to do. And here we are making sure we

  838. can hold onto our data before we take off and texting and that's

  839. fine. And here there's people all

  840. these faithful preachers, right? It's funny but how we listen to

  841. that. Is how often Christians Listen

  842. to the message every week. You're hearing it, but you're

  843. not really paying attention. This is exactly what it means to

  844. be dull of hearing. And I want to tell you

  845. something. Because I love you. the moment

  846. that you catch yourself being bored with the engagement of

  847. God's word, whether it's personally or corporately, Is a

  848. warning sign to a spiritual sickness that you might have

  849. caught. It is not a light thing to

  850. become dull of hearing. You realize that these Hebrew

  851. Christians were on the verge of apostasy?

  852. And I think what played a role in that though not immediately

  853. is that the beginning point was very much of this.

  854. They became dull of hearing, and we become dull of hearing become

  855. dull of affection, become dull affection, you become open to

  856. other things that can persuade you in a different direction

  857. than Christ. And so we see here that these

  858. Christians began to See, and hear the word as a tedious

  859. thing, that's dangerous. Now, look at the secondly, the

  860. same group of Christians who become dull of hearing,

  861. according to the estimation of the Holy Spirit through the

  862. author. This group apparently should

  863. have reached the level of teaching others.

  864. That's significant. That's not to say that these

  865. Christians should have occupied a position of a teacher in the

  866. church. No.

  867. No. But it does mean that they

  868. should have reached a level of maturity and fullness and

  869. familiarity with the word of God, that they should have been

  870. comfortable enough with giving that truth to someone else by

  871. themselves. They should have come to a place

  872. where they didn't need to take somebody and bring them to

  873. pasture every single time. They should have reached a place

  874. is so much time has gone by apparently, that they should

  875. have arrived where they could have comfortably discipled.

  876. Another Soul based on the knowledge that they have

  877. acquired concerning, the things of God, but they're not there

  878. yet. And they should be there, which

  879. tells me which tells me that this is really the goal for

  880. every believer. Even now today, what the Holy

  881. Spirit desires from you and I saw her arrive at a place where

  882. we can, each of us become teachers, communicators of God's

  883. truth, to another person who is at a lesser level understanding

  884. than us. But again, that doesn't seem to

  885. happen in many places, unskilled stagnant and five years has gone

  886. by 10 years, has gone by By 15 years has gone by, it's like how

  887. well Jesus told us, how throughout that time, you

  888. haven't paid attention, you haven't pondered, you haven't

  889. put it into action. Therefore Christ couldn't give

  890. you revelation. And so this group of Christians

  891. are still drinking milk. And he's saying here you should

  892. be teaching and what is he referring to it on your own

  893. time? Go on your own, he just finished

  894. teaching about the priesthood of Melchizedek and what he's ready

  895. to do in a little upset with the Hebrew Christians because it

  896. could have been expanded when he was wanting to do, is show how

  897. Christ is from the priesthood of Melchizedek and how that

  898. Melchizedek priesthood is superior.

  899. To the one of Aaron, that is what the Bible calls meat.

  900. Meat. Milk is read Hebrews chapter 6.

    Hebrews 6 chapter mention

  901. In the first few verses that's milk repentance Faith, Eternal

  902. judgment. Baptism the doctrine of the

  903. laying on of hands. Not that is insignificant

  904. unimportant, but we need to move on from that and we need to see

  905. how these things are expanded in different ways.

  906. And he says, I can't do this with you.

  907. I can't because you're still there.

  908. You become dull of hearing. Even if I do this with you,

  909. you're not going to be able to understand.

  910. So then what is He say, and here's the main point.

  911. You need someone to teach you again.

  912. They were taught the principles and the basic Oracles of God,

  913. but he's like, because of this prolonged dullness of hearing,

  914. we need to come back to the ABCs of Christianity.

  915. Because what you have can be taken from you.

  916. And there's a blur and there's an inability to be able to

  917. articulate understand. The things that saved you in the

  918. first place and here's how I want to conclude.

  919. There is no standing still spiritually.

  920. That category does not exist in the kingdom of God.

  921. There is either growing or dwarfing.

  922. Those are the only two options. And sometimes we don't realize

  923. that we're dwarfing until meat comes our way.

  924. And it's a frustrating experience.

  925. And we're angry, or maybe even worse were disinterested when we

  926. can smell the feasts, that God wants to put before us.

  927. But here's the thing, the promise is not for Scholars, not

  928. for phds, not for seminarians. But for all who would just say,

  929. I want to pay attention Ponder and put into action, the

  930. promises you can go from milk to meet Eat you saying, why is that

  931. important? There's many reasons and I won't

  932. keep you any longer can do a separate message on the joys and

  933. the peace and the glories of Greater Revelation.

  934. But let me just give you one to end with the psalmist who only

  935. had the law by the way, that psalmist in Psalm 119 didn't

  936. have, John didn't have a fission, didn't have the Book of

  937. Revelation didn't have the Epistles, you know, what he was

  938. working with Leviticus, Deuteronomy.

  939. Numbers Exodus Christmas thing. I like Exodus.

  940. I Genesis 9. Jesus is good.

  941. And this is what he says. In Psalm 119 verse 162.

    Psalms 119:162

  942. I Rejoice at your word, like, one who finds a great spoil.

  943. I Rejoice at your word, like one who finds a great swell.

  944. Can I translate that in modern times, I have more joy.

  945. When I discovered something in your word and the person who

  946. realize they won the lottery, same way, is that just

  947. exaggeration? Is that poetic license?

  948. No, that's experiential. That's something so deep.

  949. That nothing in this world can offer it.

  950. And that's available to you. If you would just pay attention,

  951. Ponder and put it into action. Let's pray.

  952. Lord with this practical message before us, we now ask that you

  953. would give us the wisdom with our work, with our

  954. relationships, with the timing, with our schedules, to know how

  955. to put these measures. And two methods.

  956. Lord. If there is anything that should

  957. stir us into these directions, Let It Be The Joy.

  958. The promises of Revelation and manifestation that awaits.

  959. Well, we never want to come to this word because we feel

  960. whipped to do it because we want to impress someone around us.

  961. Oh no, Lord. That kind of fear will not take

  962. us very far. We know that, we just pray that

  963. even now that you would energize our hearts to be excited about

  964. the Bible, and especially as we start this New Year to, to

  965. recalibrate ourselves to say, I want to, I want to, I want to

  966. know meat I don't want to drink milk any longer, but we thank

  967. you for these words. We thank you for the promise

  968. that you will manifest yourself to us.

  969. We cannot fathom what that means.

  970. But Lord, we want it and we pray o God, that as we ended this

  971. time together with that, verse from the psalmist that we would

  972. be able to. Amen.

  973. It and say, yes. I know what that's like, I know

  974. what it's like, when God speaks to me when God reveals something

  975. to me, when I've learned something new in my faith, I

  976. know that Joy where I can't even sit still.

  977. Where I must tell somebody who also cherishes the truth about

  978. what I know. May that be the caliber of

  979. Christianity for this ministry. Oh Lord, we love you for your

  980. word. Has been made known and it was

  981. clear now. Help us remember it.

  982. We give you praise As we sing to you out of the Overflow of our

  983. hearts. Amen.

  984. And amen. Let's stand and sing to the

  985. Living. God.