Message is clear: Believe the Word. Luke 8:11-15
The theme just keeps calling to me. Believe the Word. Believe, and allow God to produce the most incredible crop. Today, as you can see, I heard the message in Luke 8, where Jesus recounts the parable about the planter casting seed. This parable is easy to understand, because he explains it so plainly: The see is the word of God, Jesus says, and those who hear the word and retain it, are blessed.This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
I have been seeing this theme, calling me to believe now for more than a week. First, it was 1 and 2 Corinthians, then Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians. My last post was from 1 Thessalonians. Yesterday, I was enthralled by the story of John the Baptist, who leaped in his mother's womb at the Word, who was delivered that Word proclaiming the Messiah, who carried that Word to his death. And the day before that, I heard Paul in his second letter to Thessalonians urging us to believe!
Blessed are you who believe, Jesus tells us repeatedly in Luke. Believe, and be healed he said in Luke 5. Believe, and be blessed, he said in Luke 6. Believe, and be forgiven., he said in Luke 7. Hear God's word, believe it, practice it, he said in Luke 8.
Just believe! You are saved!