INFORMATION REFORMS

SONG

I heard about you,

I heard about you,

I heard about you,

Thats why I am here.

TEXT

 ".Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have"- Luke.8.18 [KJV]

 "So be sure to pay attention to what you hear. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But to those who are not listening, even what they think they have will be taken away from them." - Luke.8.18 [NLT]

 I love the New Living Translation, that says "So be sure to pay attention to what you hear..." We've got to pay much attention to what we hear. What we hear matters a lot to the totality of our lives, because they serve as great information to make or to unmake us. [ INFORMATION REFORMS AND LACK OF INFORMATION DEFORMS.]

From the Scriptures above, Jesus was taking His time to explain the parable of the sower to His disciples. From His explanation, we understand that it's not just a question of hearing, but how careful or attentive you are to what you hear. We were once students and some of us are right now in classes of learning. The good and brilliant students are those that give rapt attention to the teacher while the unserious students barely give attention to the teacher. The difference is usually very clear.

Input determines output. The much you take in will determine the much you will bring out in the long run.

Our hearts are like gardens where the Word, like seeds are sown.

The sower in the parable, sewed the seeds into different soils, but only the good soil yielded much fruit. In the same vein, the Word of God is preached to different kinds and classes of people. The result differs, in accordance to the state of the heart of the hearers.

At another occasion, "there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed," - Acts.14.8 -9

The impotent man sat listening to the Apostle, not that he sat begging, but he gave full attention to the Word of God from his mouth. One may imagine how depressing it was to him to see other people walking around him, and himself sitting disabled. He chose to give full attention to Paul's word, forgetting his deplorable situation and his faith was thereby built up.

The expectation for his cure was triggered when he heard Paul preach; and he believed. Paul saw it in him that he had great faith to receive his healing and he "Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked." - Acts 14:10

As the Apostle asked him to get up, he did not hesitate at all because his spirit was lit up by the Word that he heard him speak.

Today, God is still speaking through His servants to all and sundry, not in secret but in the open for all to hear.

"God saith, I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth," - Isaiah 45:19.

Note, God will not disappoint the desires of His own children, nor the hopes of His people. It behoves of us to be quick to listen and slow to hear, the Bible say. When we do our part, God will surely do the remaining.

 Time will fail me to talk about blind Bartimaeus.

 "And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me."- Mark.10.46 -46

 The Bible says "he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth....". The man was blind, ie, he could not see with his eyes, yet the Bible says he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth that was passing by. This is to say that he must be very discreet in his hearing. He probably heard the unusual movements around him,  which was very different from those of other days; a very careful hearer he was! Then, he asked what the matter was. He was told that it was Jesus of Nazareth that was passing by.

 Carefulness in hearing is the center of focus in the message of today. Luke.8.18 reaffirms the same point. It says: "Take heed therefore how ye hear:.."

We shall be talking about what you do with what you hear in the next message as Christ tarries.

 GOD bless you 🙏

PRAYER

I receive grace to take heed how I hear, so that my life will be reformed in Jesus Mighty name 🙏