04/12/2024
LIVING IN HIS LIKENESS.
Mark 4:26-29 (HCSB)
26 “The kingdom of God is like this,” He said. “A man scatters seed on the ground;
27 he sleeps and rises—night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows—he doesn’t know how.
28 The soil produces a crop by itself—first the blade, then the head, and then the ripe grain on the head.
29 But as soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle because the harvest has come.”
The Lord in the Scriptures above had just taught on the sower and the seed, and here he is continuing on his revelations of how to live in the likeness of God. This is because we are created spirits in the Image and Likeness of God our Father. Jesus said that we are to do the works that he did, and he is God; we are created in his divine image and spiritual pattern (Likeness). The ground in this parable is the heart, or womb of our soul (The deepest part of our soul, or spirit's consciousness). The seeds we plant are the thoughts we focus upon; the feelings follow the thoughts. Our sight is seen upon the screen of our imagination; this is the proper eye, for it is not the optic nerve that sees; it is more of a camera that sends to our souls the physical images surrounding us. It is our souls that experience life in both the spiritual and the physical. Now, what we meditate upon, or what we spend our time feeding our souls, will get deeper and deeper rooted until they conceive within the womb or ground of our hearts, and then they dominate our lives. This becomes our perception of reality and truth, and it will color the way we receive everything, so guard your heart with all diligence. Watch what you think, imagine, and listen to. Watch what you plant within the soil of your soul. Now, the seed that is conceived within the soil grows within the soul and becomes more real, even though the man does not know how. This is because we are created in the image and likeness of Jesus, for he is God. Our hearts are created to function this way. We are to live in the power of the image of God and walk in the power of the likeness of God. The spirit is to dominate the physical in our lives; in fact, it will, whether you are aware of it or not, for positive or negative. Now, if you plant negative fears or low self-worth within your heart by dwelling upon worries or negative things about yourself or your limitations, then when this conceives, it will dominate your life, not only in your soul experiences, but it will produce a crop in the physical, negative or positive, good or bad, it is up to you. The reason is that we have been created and redeemed to live in dominion here on this earth; God has put all things under our feed (authority). This is spiritual authority. Most of the negative or positive circumstances we are experiencing today is the result of yesterday's seed plantings. The crop or harvest will be of the same type of seeds that you allow into your heart. You plant the seeds with your mind, not the devil, and not even God; you pant them. It is your responsibility, and you will eat the fruit that you plant positive or negative, life or death. Choose life and blessings, for God has set before us this day life and death, good and evil (negatives), then God says, choose Life and Good! The bread we eat will satisfy not only our souls but our physical experiences as well. Our spirits are already created to function in the divine pattern; we only have to learn how to walk in what we already possess. We are now in God's image and likeness; we must learn to live in that very real truth—love in Christ.
Proverbs 18:20-21 (YLT)
20 From the fruit of a man's mouth is his belly satisfied, From the increase of his lips, he is satisfied.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
Deuteronomy 30:19 (HCSB)
19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live,
