Becoming a ReMan- Week 2

Luke 8:16 NET

“No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in can see the light.

Week Two

Preparations

Welcome guys to Week 2 of our discussion around Spiritual Transformation and learning how to live as a Renewed Man.

Least week we discussed Step One, and that is recognizing that true transformation happens in a man’s heart , what we might also call the Will or the Spirit of a man.

The Scriptures, what we call the Bible are a collection of records and letters that God inspired his Men, his leaders, prophets and priest to write down for us, so that generation after generation of human beings could be taught the truth about our Human condition, our separation from God which is a legacy that our fathers before us put in place by their disobedience and rebellion against God.

We are born, our hearts are born... separated from God by Sin.

There is beauty hidden in this tragic story. As soon as the separation occured, God immediately put in place a rescue plan for those who wanted it. Or as Jesus said it, Whosoever will!

The Scriptures, from cover to cover are about God’s love and desire for us to be his Sons and Daughters, the separation that occured and the rescue plan that God masterfully put in place to restore us back to him and once again welcome us as beloved children.

It is in the pages of the Bible that we are told that our Hearts are spiritually dead, born hardened against the one who created us, bound in slavery to other rulers and spiritual powers that are evil and antagonistic to the Creator and it is in the pages of this same book that we find the promise of a New Covenant, and New Promise that God will give us New Hearts, a new will or spirit that is alive to him, dead to sin and free from the slavery we were born into.

If you haven’t listened to last weeks episode on Step One, please stop here and do so, because you need to understand where transformation actually takes place before we can move on.

Ok, Let’s talk about Step 2

Good Soil

For true transformation to take place, the place where transformation occurs must be conditioned and ready, willing to accept the process that follows.

The Reforming of a man’s heart to be like the heart of Christ is a long process.

It’s doesn’t happen over night and if it does be afraid, because that sort of transformation is not lasting.

It doesn’t happen without the rejection of certain aspects of life in this world that are antagonistic to transformation, either. It cost us something too. Jesus plainly teach this.

A man not only needs to know that he needs transformation and that he has no power to do this alone, he also needs to be willing to step into the process and examine the condition of his heart, count the cost and see if it is truly ready to be Re:formed.

Luke 8:5–16 (NET)

“A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled on, and the wild birds devoured it. Other seed fell on rock, and when it came up, it withered because it had no moisture. Other seed fell among the thorns, and they grew up with it and choked it. But other seed fell on good soil and grew, and it produced a hundred times as much grain.” As he said this, he called out, “The one who has ears to hear had better listen!”

Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant.He said, “You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand.

“Now the parable means this: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock 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 a time of testing fall away.As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing the word, cling to it with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance.

Here, Jesus mentions 4 types of Soil.

The Seed in the story is the Word of God, which has the power to transform a man’s life.

The Soil types represent 4 conditions of the Heart.

The Footpath, the Rocky Soil, The Thorny Soil and the GOOD soil.

The First Heart was the soil of the footpath, hard from a lot of heavy traffic and the daily pounding of life.

As soon as the word of God fell on that hard path, that hard heart, the enemy immediately came and stole it away. The worst outcome possible occurs...Nothing!

Then there was a patch of soil that was fertile but rocky. That heart recieved the Word with Joy and it started to spring up and produce life, but because it was shallow, rocky , uncommitted; as soon as the sun came out and things got a little tough, the new life withered away and died.

There was a third soil, a third heart condition that also had some fertile potential but was thorny and weedy. These thorns and weeds represented the cares of this world. Money, Power, Status, Sex, Reputation, Adventure, The Good Life..; as Jesus put it “the cares and pleasures of this life”

The seed did spring up and new life started but the thorns and the weeds soon choked out that new life and it withered and died.

The last soil was Good Soil, softened, fertile. Jesus said this represent people whose hearts were ready to receive the seed.

Some where along the way that soil got tilled. Some rocks got pulled out and tossed aside and then weeds and the thorns got cut back. The soil had been cultivated and was ready for the seed.

And when the seed feel on that sort of heart, on that soil ....the seed produced life and a harvest a 100 times greater than the seed that first sown into it.

Over the 4 soils mentioned, I have personally been ALL 4.

There was time in my youth when my heart was HARD and I was unwilling to hear anything from any one.

The there was period of my life that I was shallow and rocky, uncommitted and when the trails of life came on me, I folded like a wet dish rag and that new life withered away.

There was period of my life when the seed again fell on my heart, but the drive and vision to build my own kingdom, the pride of my own life, the lusts and pleasures of this world, violently choked the new life that was springing up and once again it withered and died

There are some in this world who for whatever reason and at God’s good pleasure were Good Soil from an early age.

But I have found to be true that for the majority of men I meet, their story is somewhere between the footpath and the thorns and the hope of ever being good soil is being choked out as well.

That’s where my story could have ended.

Thank God, that he is patient with us and that his Mercy towards us is new every day

Lamentations 3:22-23 whose Mercies are Fresh Everyday,

God, who is faithful even we are faithless; used the trails and the suffer that were decades long in my life to patiently cultivate the soil of my heart; stripping out the stones, cutting back the thorns and once again sowing his Word into the soil of my heart,

Only this time, my heart knew it needed transformation, I knew could not do this myself or in my on strength.

I was tired of losing this battle with myself, with my own heart and spirit and was ready to accept God’s offer of transformation and willing to step into the process no matter what it cost.

I am truly a new man, my life has be Re:formed and daily I am being transformed into the likeness and image of the Son of God.

My heart is becoming like his.

It’s still a long journey and a daily process that must be attended to, but one that is producing a marriage that honors God and brings true life to Ivy and me and to those around us.

It produces life in my children, purpose and passion for day, a renewed sense of Joy, Freedom, Peace, Love, the list is long and the harvest is far greater than I ever deserved.

I want you to know that this transformation is NOT a FAIRY TALE.

And NO MATTER here your heart has been or what you have done, if you are willing you CAN EXPERIENCE true transformation.

Take some time this week to allow yourself to envision a life where such a transformation was real and active.

Wherever your heart is today on the spectrum of Soils, ask the Holy Spirit to cultivate your heart and prepare it for transformation, prepare it to receive the Word which has the power to completely transform us as men.

The Apostle Paul said he was Unashamed of the Gospel because it was the Power of God for a salvation that completely restores and renews mankind.

The world see this Gospel, this message as pure foolishness, but there in lies the brilliance of God in that he choses to use the foolish things of this world to confound those who think they are wise.

Step Two - trust in the foolishness of God’s plan and ask him to cultivate the soil of your heart into Good Soil, ready for transformation.

Until next week

24 ‘May the Lord bless you

and protect you.

25 May the Lord smile on you

and be gracious to you.

26 May the Lord show you his favor

and give you his peace.’