Unlocking mysteries of Heaven -The parable of the sower - part 3

Unlocking mysteries of Heaven -The parable of the sower - part 3

BY Argie Simonis          

In my 2 previous messages I have been sharing about the parable of the sower from Mark 4:3-20. I have divided the parable into 4 parts, each one for every condition of the heart and I have covered the first 2 conditions. Before you read this 3rd part I encourage you to read the previous 2 so you can have a better understanding of the story. Now let's get to the next condition:

"And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful." (Mark 4:18-19)

Let me remind you that all these types of heart are progressive steps. No one starts immediately being 100% fruitful.
Here we see that they had a root in the Word but they got distracted by the cares of the world, lusts and other things. The weeds steal the nourishment that was intended for the plant in the first place.
Many people brag about their ability of multitasking, but in fact we should be focused only in one thing:

"Brothers, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, 
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:13-14)

Multitasking means you do multiple things poorly. If you want to reach your full potential you should be concentrating to one thing. You can never achieve that by having your attention split.
There is a saying "if you want to kill a man's vision, give him 2"! We must understand that we have to be single focused.

12 desciples turned the whole world upside down. That's why it is so important for people called into ministry to get into full ministry. It is not bad to work, but this is the only way to reach their full potential and get the maximum benefit out of the Word.
In Acts 6 we see that the apostles in order to be able to preach the Word, they had to appoint decons so they would not be distracted from their calling.

These distractions can happen even with the family. Family is not bad; it is blessed from the Lord but you have to establish priorities. There must be a balance. If you don't prioritise the Word, nothing will work in your life properly. 

You can become so busy multitasking that eventually you burn out and this can choke the Word in your heart. Don't let your ministry choke the Word. You can minister to people but you also have to let God minister to you in order to be able to give more. If this can happen with the ministry it can also happen with your family, your job, your hobbies, TV etc.

Establish priorities! Don't try to build walls arround you and isolate yourself from the world. The salt becomes effective when it gets out of the salt shaker! Of course you have to do things, go to work, take care of your family, entertain yourself etc, but you have to understand that the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things can choke the Word.

You see, even good things can choke the Word and if satan can't keep you from serving God he will try to push you so hard into serving God that eventually you will not have any time for God! If satan can't keep you out of church, he will try to push you and get you so much involved in church, that you will not have a life outside the church!

As you can see, these is a delicate matter that we should be aware of and not fall into the enemny's trap. Everything needs to be in balance. Become single minded and establish priorities. It may cost you a hobbie or something you may be doing, but it worths it!

Final part coming soon...

Unlocking mysteries of Heaven -The parable of the sower - part 2

Unlocking mysteries of Heaven -The parable of the sower - part 2

BY Argie Simonis          

Ιn my previous message I have been sharing about the parable of the sower from Mark 4:3-20. We see the sower (God) who sows the seed (His Word) and falls into 4 different types of ground which represent 4 different conditions of our heart.
I decided to divide this message into 4 parts, one for each condition. This will be the second part and I encourage you to read part one as well in order to have a better and more complete view on the subject.

Let me remind you that people do not come immediately good ground. Our heart get into a progressive growth. You just can't instantly be producing 100%. As we saw in the first step, people do not have a heart for the Word. It never gets into their understanding and satan comes and steal it from them.

Lets go further now:
"And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth.
But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away." (Mark 4:5-6)

The second step is when people start to see the potential of the Word and get excited about it. They receive it with gladness but there is no root. They get offended (Mark 4:17). They don't see that there is a time element there. The Word needs to get roots in your heart and this takes time.
Some people get really excited with the Word, but eventually they turn away from it as quickly as they came into it. When a person seems really excited and enthusiastic with the Word, it doesn't neccessarily means that the Word is really working in their lives. These are more emotional people. Their life is like going up to the highest and falling down to the lowest all the time. There is no balance and no discipline in their life.

This is the reason that many people do not see the same result in their lives like in other people's lives. It is not important to preach other people's revelations or what God told them, but to preach what God told YOU and became YOUR revelation. The Word must take root in you. Other's people's revelations may stir you up, give you directions or ideas, but you can't live your life based on other people's revelations. Meditate on the Word and make it real for you!

Satan knows that it is much easier for him to get you when you are young and vulnerable with no deep roots in the Word, through afflictions and persecution (public opinion, criticism) but I guarantee you that the fruit the Word will bring forth in your life surely worths fighting for!
If a person's heart is closed and hardened (you can take a look on a previous article I have posted about the hardened heart) the Word can't find it's way in. It has to get through your understanding first (Matt. 13:19). They don't take effort and time to get the Word rooted in their heart, so it can't withstand the criticism and opposition that comes against the Word.

When a tree is small you have to place it in a protected place to keep it safe from the wind and storms. It is immature and hasn't grown roots yet. The same goes with revelation. When you first get it you must protect it and keep it safe. You must be in a greenhouse. What do I mean by that?
There will be people, even from your close environment who will oppose you, criticise you and mock you because of the Word. Just like it happened with Jesus. That's the time when you have to choose the people you hang out with. The Word has a cost. It will cost you some friendships, relatives and some of your time but the Word works!  See the example of an oak tree. When it is small it is volnerable to the wind and storm but when it grows big with deep roots it can withstand a hurricane! Do you want to be like this oak tree? Then let the Word take deep roots in your heart and put it first priority in your life.

In 2Timothy we read:  "And all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2Τim. 3:12)

You see, persecution comes with the package. The world is against the Word, so if you take your stand as a christian you have to go against the flow and there will be opposition. Many people instead of repenting they will try to discredit your testimony that brings conviction in their heart. It is like a court. The lawyer of defense is always trying to discredit a contemning testimony of a witness. The easiest way of those people to overcome the conviction of your testimony is to discredit you and attack you.

Now picture this: It is like you are running a race, you are leading it and you are going to win, but still people watching are yelling at you trying to tell you that you are on the wrong track. Even if you try to go and argue with them, and even if you manage to persuade them you are on the right track, you will loose the race. My point is that you don't have to justify yourself. The Lord has called you to preach the Word, not promote or vindicate yourself:

"Casting all your care on him; for he cares for you." (1Pet. 5:7)

  "No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn." (Isaiah 54:17)

Words spoken against you are weapons (Proverbs 18:21). When something comes against the Word of God you have to encounter it and contemn it right away. Don't let it germinate and contaminate your heart. Even if you loose friends or family when you stand for the Word, the Lord promises to restore it a hundred fold (Mark 10:29-30)

Criticism, rejection and persecution are the no 1 weapons of the enemy to steal the seed from your heart. The Word will bring consistency in your life. No more ups and downs, mountain tops and valley lows. Meditate on the Word day and night (Joshua 1:8-9). Getting offended (skandalo in greek) doesn't mean you reject the Word, but you become unstable, unsure, insecure.
In Isaiah 54:17 in conjuction with 1Cor. 15:33, we see that evil words can corrupt you but you must contemn them immediately.

Jesus and His desciples caused either a riot or a revival. The ones that persecute you are the ones that get conviction in their heart. God is dealing with them and they have either to accept it or reject it. If you protect the Word in your heart it will produce fruit. It is the only way to transform your life with everlasting effects.
Amen!

Part 3 coming soon...

Unlocking mysteries of Heaven -The parable of the sower - part 1

Unlocking mysteries of Heaven -The parable of the sower - part 1

BY Argie Simonis          

In this parable we see the sower (God) who sows  the seed (which is the Word of God), falling in 4 different types of soil which shows the conditions of our hearts. I decided to divide this message into 4 parts, each part for each condition. This will be the first part.

Jesus spoke great truths in His parables in order for people to get more revelation of the Kingdom of God, but see how important is to understand this parable:  

"And he said to them, Know you not this parable? and how then will you know all parables?" (Mark 4:13)

Notice that these 4 different conditions are progressive steps in the heart. People do not come immediately good ground. You have to prepare the ground, take off the weeds etc. Our hearts don't instantly produce 100% of what the Word of God wants to produce in our life. Let us take a look in the first condition:

"Listen; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: 
And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up." (Mark 4:3-4)

The seed here fell onto the path. It stays on the surface of the hard ground so the birds can eat it. This refers to people that hear the Word, but it gets in through the left ear and gets out from the right without allowing the Word to have any impact in their life what so ever.

Now watch this. In the version of Matthew for the same parable we read:

"When any one hears the word of the kingdom, and understands it not, then comes the wicked one, and catches away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side." (Μatt. 13:19)

The first type of heart is a person who didn't understand. In order to get the Word of God working in our life, it must be understood. It has to be presented simply in order to be understood. That's why we have churches with children and youth ministries. You don't change the message but you apply it in terms that a child can understand. You only change the illustration. A great communicator is not the one that talks over people's heads but someone who can make you understand his point in a simple and clear way. You have to understand the Word in order to be able to release it's power. Our understanding (reasoning) is the top soil that the seed needs to get through in order to get into our heart. 

If you don't understand the Word, satan will immediately come and steal it. He has access to a person that does not understand. You can't fix a car if you don't understand how it works. Likewise there are many people praying for healing, but without understanding how healing works you can't get the result you want. People pray for prosperity but they don't understand the laws of prosperity and what the Word says about prosperity!

Meditate on the Word and "you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32).  
You will start seeing things not from your prespective, but from God's point of view and I guarantee you this will transform your life. Praise God!


Part 2 coming soon...



Recomended Book "Effortless Change" by Andrew Wommack

Women 2gether With Jesus

Healing from rejection. The Way out for a New Life! 
                                                                                                                       
"You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
John 8:32

~✿
✿✿ You are fearfully and wonderfully made!
Ps 139:14


WELCOME to the "Women 2gether with Jesus" gathering at 19.00 to Zion Kirke, and let God change your life! Bring your friends to experience the presence of God.

It's an english-norwegian meeting, and a place for all women, all ages, all denominations.
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Finding answers

Finding answers

By Argie Simonis                                                                                                                                

Lack of peace is one of the things that characterizes many people today. You don't need to pray to God to give you peace:

"Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord" (2Peter 1:2)

Peace comes through the knowledge of God, which is perfectly revealed in His Word. Later on Peter validates the Word by sharing his experience when he eye-witnessed all this (verses 16-19) and he emphasizes to the fact that  the best is to focus on the written Word that was inspired by the spirit of God. 

Most people today would put more emphasis on supernatural manifestations than the Word and that's the reason that change comes so slowly in their lives. I am not saying that I am against the supernatural. I believe that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrew 13:8)

He performs miracles today and I am praying for His supernatural manifestation over people. What I am saying is that if you really want God's best you have to focus on the Word, which is the number 1 way of God revealing Himself to you and this eventualy will produce the supernatural and the spectacular in your life. The supernatural confirms and bears witness of the Word; it never replaces it. The centurion in Mat. 8:5-10 trusted Jesus who is the Word, without having to see his servant healed. Jesus said to Thomas "blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (John 20:29)

Imagine you are in a mine field. What would you rather have? A map showing you the excact place of the mines or a voice guiding you through the mines?

Without reading the map, how sure can you be that the voice guiding you through the mines is God and not your own thinking? That's why I believe first you need to read the map and then hear the voice confirming the map.

The same goes with prophecy. A prophecy just confirms what the Lord has already spoken into your heart. And this is a good way to discern prophecies.

The Bible is not a book by men about God, but is a book from God through men. There are people today who claim to be christians but they act and support things contrary to God. They are saying that the Word is not relevant any more with our life, you can't apply it any more and it needs to be updated. But according to the Bible

"The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrew 4:12)

and 2 Tinothy 3:16: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness"

People do not study the Word as much as they should because they believe it is not perfect. Some things may seem contradictory and hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16), but if you study it and meditate in the Word they will all come to perfect balance! 

"... the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes." (Psalm 19:8)

It is hard to maintain your focus on the Word while being in the midst of a storm, but if you just read the stories of all great men in the Bible like Moses, Gideon, David etc., your heart will be encouraged and restored. You have to realise that you are not smart enough to do what the Lord has called you to do depending on your strength. You need God's help and guidance to achieve that:

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not to your own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)

In 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 we read that  God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and that no flesh should glory in his presence. Having a great gifting that enables you to have the Midas touch and turn into gold whatever you touch, it may turn into a curse and not a blessing unless you devote it to God. People that can do everything based on their own abilities instead of depending on God will eventually fail.

The only way to have success in life is to apply the Word into your life (Joshua 1:8), One word from God can give you inspiration to become a millionaire. One word from God can give you the revelation for the healing you've been praying for!

"He sent His Word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." (Psalm 107:20)

"For they (His words) are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh." (Proverbs 4:22)

The Word of God is your answer, regardless the problem you are facing. Spending time on His Word causes your heart to rejoice (Nehemaiah 8:10)

The Word shows you the triumph of God over evil. Meditating on the Word will enable you see things you could not see even in decades by just attending church. You don't need to go into sin and experience it in order to learn. You can learn by meditating on the Word. You don't have to experience all this pain through the school of hard knocks. It is better to learn through other people's mistakes than your own mistakes. 

Even if you don't realise it, your life is going according to the ones that influence you. Choose to be influenced by God and not by the world. The Word is what enlightens your eyes, turn the simple into wise, makes your heart rejoice, converts your soul and puts it back where it needs to be. 

Amen!


Recomended Book "Effortless Change" by Andrew Wommack

Time for change

Time for change

By Argie Simonis                                                                                                                                

Many people are in a desperate need of a change in their lives, but find it so hard to do it! If you discipline yourself and let the Word into your heart, you'll find out that it is not that hard to change. In fact, this change comes effortlessly.

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he" (Prov. 23:7)

The world says that you can change your life by changing the circumstances around you, but the Word teaches that this change comes from the inside out. It comes from your heart! The way you think in your heart determines how your life is going to be. 

Many times we find excuses for things that are happening to us and by having a victim mentality we try to make people treat us properly. It may have to do with past sexual abuse, bad childhood, rejection from family etc. If you want out of this situation you have to stop seeing yourself as a victim. See Jesus. Focus on Him. You have to realise that you can't change people; only up to a limited degree perhaps. You can't change the colour of their skin, their nationality, their family, etc. If you try to change others you will end up totaly frustrated. Why don't you start changing yourself instead? And I am talking about the way you think and the way you see yourself.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour" (1Peter 5:8)

Although satan attacks, you always have the choise to become bitter or better. And when God's spirit empowers your spirit there is nothing you can't overcome:

"I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." (Phil 4:13)

That statement Paul made goes against the world system. See yourself as a victor and not as a victim! The power of God in your spirit flows through the way you think:

"Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue." (2Pet 1:2-3)

According to these verses, in order to have peace you need to have the knowledge of God, which will produce peace. (Galatians 5:22-23)
The Word of God is the knowledge of God and the Holy Spirit makes this knowledge manifest into the natural. All the blessings that will follow is a product of renewing your mind. If you are struggling with your relationships (family, friends, job) the best way to overcome this is to start changing yourself in the first place instead of praying to God to change the others.

You may have not caused a disease or an accident to your body by the way you think, but you can surely overcome it with the right thinking and that is believing in the Word. Let me give you an example:
A death sentence by your doctor giving you just a few months to live, doesn't mean that it is a lie in the natural. But think of:

"...greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1John. 4:4)

"No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper..." (Isaiah. 54:17)

"Now thanks be to God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ..." (2Cor. 2:14)

Combining these scriptures with Romans 8:5-6 we come to the conclusion that being positive is just not enough. There is no power in that. You can't release something you don't have. You need to be born again, so you can bear the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).

There is no way you can reach naturally the place God has planned for your life. You have to get the Word in your heart and let it do all things need to be done. You are not smart enough to do what God can do in your life. Meditating on the Word will help you have a better relationship with God, hear Him better, receive easier direction and be fruitful. You need to be aware of your nature:

"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world: our faith. (1John. 5:4)

It is natural for a christian to be a world overcomer but still only a few christians do overcome. We ask God to do things for us instead of letting the nature that He has placed inside of us come forth through faith by renewing our mind.  (Rom. 12:2)
Life is like fire. You have to chose which mold you will fit in; the world or the Word? Transformation comes from renewing your mind. Don't limit God with small thinking. Stop magnifying the problem and start magnifying the answer!

In Judges in chapter 6 we read the story of Gideon and the Midianites, who where oppressing his people and stealing their crops, causing them to be poor (verse 6). Gideon appeares to be quite fearfull but see how the angel of the Lord greets him:

"And the angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor." (Judges 6:12)

This is how the Lord saw Gideon, and this is how the Lord sees you. You know why?
"...for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." (1Samuel 16:7)

Some people live a miserable life but still they are afraid of taking a risk and change it. Others expect something supernatural to happen which will change their lives instantly. Unfortunately it doesn't work this way. Do you really want to change your life? Change the way you see yourself. Start seeing yourself through God's eyes. In the kingdom of God the Word operates as a seed operates in the natural. Plant the seed of the Word into your heart and mixed with faith it will produce change.

Amen!




Recomended Book "Effortless Change" by Andrew Wommack