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This article was inspired by a dream the Lord gave me in early 2006. I hope you take to heart what the Lord has shown me about something as simple as a sponge. I will now show you through the Word of God what He has so graciously shown me.
The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth that which is evil (Luke 6:45).
We’ve all heard the saying “you are what you eat”. Our body is an amazing work of God, very resilient and in its youth seems almost indestructible. Yet as you age you start to see either the benefits or the consequences of what you have indulged in over your life time; "for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6:7). It may be as simple as weight gain or something more serious as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and the likes. Only down the road and later in life, do you realize that you really “are what you eat” and that it is the accumulation over the years of what you have sown into your body, that effects you now.
Is this any different than your spiritual life? We must look at our heart as a sponge. The problem is that this sponge from the very start is dry, empty and by its very nature sinful. Even if by the world’s standards, your heart isn’t evil, God has a higher standard and says “You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God”(James4:4). With God, there is no middle ground, either what is sowed into your heart is 100% of Him or it's of the devil and the world. We must continually discard what is not of God and soak up what is of God.
Do you fully understand what God wants us to soak into our heart? How about Jesus which is the Word of God? Jesus says "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water…but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:10,14). This is the Living Water that must fill our sponge and you cannot get it by just “believing” in Jesus. Scripture says that Jesus is the Word of God: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us…(John 1:1,14) Jesus also says that you must eat the Word of God in order to have eternal life: “I am the bread of life…This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die…He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life” (John 6:48,50,54). How do you eat and drink Jesus (the Word)? You must simply read and study His Word in the Bible. Jesus goes on to say that: “It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, are life” (John 6:63). The words you are reading within your Bible are spirit and life; they are supernatural and we must let the Living Water penetrate and soak into our sponge (heart).
Let's examine the parable of the sower to see what Jesus is teaching us. Understand this parable gives us a snapshot of every person, and every heart in this world. You are just one of these four types of soil. So let’s examine this parable to see what type of plant and what type of soil is in your heart.
(Luke 8:5) The sower went forth to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden under foot, and the birds of the heaven devoured it. Jesus explains: (11) Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. (12) And those by the way side are they that have heard; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. We see that God is sowing His seed, His Word, Jesus in our hearts. Those by the way side are the people who are not saved and will never be saved. They do not have God in their life right now and any time they hear about God or Jesus and they simply are not interested because the devil steals the Word from penetrating their heart. They may be outright pagans, they may be Muslims, Buddhists or any other false religion that does not confess the Name above all names, Jesus Christ. "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6). These people without Jesus, they're simply a dry sponge, with no Living Water in them.
Let’s now look at the next seed sown: the next type of person in this world. (Luke 8:6) And other fell on the rock; and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture. (no Living Water) Jesus explains this parable: (13) And those on the rock are they who, when they have heard, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of temptation (trials) fall away. This is the person, the heart who RECIEVES the Word, RECIEVES Jesus with joy. This is not a non-believer or pagan, this is a BELIEVER! One who has no root, who believes for a while… but because it had NO MOISTURE, no springs of Living Water, it withered away! Jesus says there will be “Christians” who because they did not love the Word of God enough to read and study it, sowing it into their heart, will fall away in times of trouble. Understand that our heart is that sponge where we need to put that Living Water, the Word of God into our sponge or it will dry up. Your once damp sponge will be dry, when hard times come and you are tested and squeezed” what will come out of that empty sponge? Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life (Gal 6:6,7). If you're sowing all the worldly things to your flesh and none of the spiritual things we find in the Bible, you will reap/harvest corruption and during the time of trials you'll fall away.
Let's go to the next plant Jesus tells us about. (Luke 8:7) And other fell amidst the thorns; and the thorns grew with it, and choked it. Jesus continues to explain: (14) And that which fell among the thorns, these are they that have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. This is the most dangerous of all conditions of the heart. This plant does have roots; it has not withered away like the previous plant, it keeps on living thinking it's a healthy plant (Christian). This plant is confident; it’s as if this plant looks at itself to say “look I am a plant (believer), see I am green and leafy (I go to church every Sunday) that’s why I know I’m a plant.” This person is not a non-believer or one that the devil has stole the seed from. No, these are people who believe and “go on their way” but are caught up with this world, the cares, riches and pleasures of this life. (1John 2:15) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Sure they may go to church on Sundays, but what are they sowing into their hearts; what Living Water; what Word is flowing into their sponge/heart? Christians are here to produce fruit and not just a green leafy plant. Jesus told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, 'Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?' And he answered him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down'" (Luke 13:6-9) . What good is a plant if it bears no fruit? Can Jesus use the fruit of this plant that is “choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life?” No He cannot, and this is why it's so dangerous to be a Christian in this condition, most don’t even realize that they are a “dry sponge” or unfruitful.
Have you ever tried to clean with a dry sponge? It just doesn’t work; you must get it wet before that sponge works. Jesus agrees! "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out (Luke 14:34,35). According to Jesus you can be “Salt” (a Believer) but if you lose your saltiness, you're good for nothing and will be thrown out! Jude says the same thing that Jesus speaks in this parable (Jude 12) These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; How can you be "twice dead" unless you are twice alive, twice born. Many feel if you are “born again” you can never lose your salvation, but there are many scriptures including these that are unmistakable that says if there is no fruit, no Living Water in you and your sponge, you'll be plucked up by the roots and burned. Please click her to read the truth about loosing your salvation and once saved always saved.
The final plant and soil of Jesus' parable is the only one that produced fruit. (Luke 8:8) And other fell into the good ground, and grew, and brought forth fruit a hundredfold. As he said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear let him hear. Jesus explains: (15) And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience. By the world's standard, almost everybody who is “a good person” is going to Heaven. By “Christian” standards, everyone who “believes” in Jesus and is "saved" will go to Heaven. Yet we have seen in this parable that Jesus teaches us; that not all “plants” (Believers) will go to heaven, only plants who bare fruit will enter Heaven. Jesus says in Matthew "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven”.
This is what the Lord wanted to show me in the dream; when the Living Water, the Word of God goes into your heart, it’s like a sponge that slowly gets more and more saturated. The more you eat of the Word of God the more like Christ you become. As that sponge gets more and more saturated, it soon starts to drip; it just can’t hold any more Living Water. Where ever you go, who ever you meet, they get wet. They can’t help but get wet because Jesus is shining forth! (Matthew 5:14) “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. (15) Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. (16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Your sponge now affects every one you come in contact with. The more of the Word of God you drink into your heart, the more of Jesus that comes spilling out onto others. You can’t help affecting others with what has been sown into your heart. That is the fruit Jesus wants you to produce, Jesus in you!
During hard and trying times, you draw from that sponge. You get squeezed by life’s troubles and out come rivers of Living Water. You draw from that Word that’s been sown in your heart. You don’t have to search; you don’t have to ask because the Holy Spirit brings God’s Word from that overflowing sponge. (Isaiah 12:2,3) "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the LORD GOD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation." (3) Therefore you will joyously draw water From the springs of salvation. You're never shaken because you are drawing the water of the Word from your heart.
Hard times are coming upon us, very hard times and very soon! How we weather this storm will depend on how much of God’s Word that has been sown into our heart. Will there be anything to draw from; is there any Living Water in that sponge of yours? When squeezed really tight, will anything come flowing out? (Jer 17:13) O LORD, the hope of Israel, All who forsake You will be put to shame Those who turn away on earth will be written down, Because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the LORD. Don’t forsake "the fountain of living water" while you still have time to drink. Drink it in, then let your light shine forth and get others wet around you. Go and let them see the Jesus in you!
God bless,
Mark, a servant of the Lord
www.HeavensHelpers.org
Questions/Feedback - email me: mark@heavenshelpers.org
