Do We Love the Truth?

On Saturday night, or did I decide Friday night? I'm not quite sure. We're going to have something for every child that's here, and you can all participate. Everyone can get to share.

All right. You know, I thought I would take the children's lesson, and we would just sort of launch off of that into the message for us here this evening. Jesus said in Mark 4.23, If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

He said unto them, Take heed what you hear, for with what measure ye need it shall be measured to you. And unto you that hear shall more be given. Unto you that hear shall more be given.

In Matthew 13.12, the similar teaching there recorded by Matthew says, Whosoever hath to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance. In Luke 8.18 he said, Take heed 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. Take heed how ye hear.

Take heed what you hear. Take heed how you hear. Because when we really hear what the Lord is saying, and we receive it into our hearts, he says more is going to be given, and you shall have more abundance.

But if we hear and do not hear, do not take it into our hearts, not receive it, then even that which a person seems to have shall be taken from them. In James it tells us, Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only. Because if you're a hearer only, that can cause a deception in our hearts.

Because he says if you hear and don't do, and are hearers only, it's a deceiving of our own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he's like a man who looks in the mirror, and he sees himself, he beholds himself in the mirror, and he sees his face in the mirror, he beholds himself, but he goes his way, and forgets what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, and being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deeds.

How are we hearing tonight? Paul exhorted Timothy in 2 Timothy 4.1. He said, I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead, and his appearing and his kingdom. Preach the word, be instant in season and out of season. Reprove and rebuke with all longsuffering and doctrine.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, and they shall turn away their ears. They shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fable. They make an intentional effort to turn away their ears from hearing of the truth.

It's like they stop their ears, they don't want to hear. A question for you and me tonight. Do I love the truth? Do I want to hear the truth? In 2 Thessalonians 2.10, without getting the whole context here, it's speaking of in the last days of the falling away and the end of Christ.

He says, there are those who receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved. They did not receive the truth that they should be saved. And that's a very serious matter.

It goes on to say, for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie. That they might all be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. They received not the love of the truth.

They turn away their ears from the truth. They have itching ears, meaning they like to have speech and messages that tickle the ear. It's pleasant to hear.

It delights, it entertains, and it just makes the person feel good. It doesn't bring conviction of sin. Oh, they just want to hear.

Something that is pleasing to the ear. Am I receiving the truth? Do I love the truth? Turn with me now to Luke chapter 8. Luke chapter 8. Luke chapter 8, we'll start in verse 1. And read that together down to verse 18. Luke chapter 8 and verse 1. And it came to pass afterwards that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the black tithes of the kingdom of God.

And the 12 were with him, and such as women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities. Mary called Nephilim out of whom they had suffered. And Joanna, the wife of Susa, for it poured into them and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

And when much people were gathered together and were comforting him out of every city, he spoke by a parable. A storm went out to fill his sea, and I think so that some fell by the wayside, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. Some fell upon a rock, and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.

Some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. And other fell on good ground and sprang up in bare fruit and hungered souls. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

When he cried this passage, he said unto them, It is unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to others it is parables, that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. Now the parable is this, that he that is the word of God goeth by the wayside, or they that hear, then cometh the devil, and taketh away the words out of their hearts, that they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, that when they hear, they see the word with joy, and these have no root, which for a while they leave, and in time of contention fall away.

And that which fell among the thorns are they, which when they had heard, go forth, and are choked with cares, and richly filled with what is life, and bring no fruit to perfection. Is that on the good ground are they, that as honest and a good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Jesus spoke this parable of a sower who went out and sowed seed, and he tells us that the seed is the word of God.

Here tonight as we hear the word of God, and as we listen to the word of God, and we hear the word, it's like the seed of God, the seed of the word being sown. And he says there's different soils of how the sower sowed the seed, and the seed fell on different soils. Some fell by the wayside, where the soil would be hard, and it was sprung down, and the fowls of the air devoured it, and some fell upon a rock, and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

There was no depth of moisture. Some fell upon thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it, and others fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare and hungered the foals. He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

Now those that are by the wayside, let hear, and then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their heart, lest they should believe and be saved. How comes the devil to take the word out of the heart when the word of God is stolen? How does the devil do this work? How does the devil take the word of God out of the hearts of men and women, that they should believe and be saved? We shall see how, as we go down through Jesus' exclamation of the sower. He says that there's those that are on the rock, and when they hear, they receive the word with joy, but they have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation, they fall away.

In the time of temptation, they fall away from what they have heard and what they have known and realized. In Mark 4, 17, Jesus explaining the parable says, when affliction or persecution arises for the sake of the word, then they are offended. When taking a stand for Christ causes persecution or affliction, or for their character to be maligned and evil spoken of.

Oh, so you're one of those Christians. Oh, so you're one of those goody goodies, or whatever they may throw at you. And sometimes in times like that, in temptation or persecution or affliction, for the word's sake, because I'm a believer.

I'm a child of the king. I belong to Jesus. I won't partake in your evil talking and your off-color jokes.

And they mock you. Some will be offended. And the word of God that was stored in their heart is snatched away.

And they are ashamed of Christ. And they are ashamed of the word of Christ. That's how the devil comes and snatches away the word.

By trying to humiliate and trying to blaspheme the children of God with accusations and evil speakings against them all manner of ways. And they fall away in persecution. And they are offended.

Another one, he says, are they which fell among thorns. They go forth after they hear the word. And there's something dreadful happening.

The word of God. The eternal word of God. The living word of God is sown in their heart.

And it begins to grow. But something happens. Their thorns begin to grow up.

And these thorns are cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And they bring no fruit to perfection. Cares and riches, it's further described by Jesus in Mark 4, 18.

These are they which are sown among thorns such as hear the word. It has ears to hear just like we all do tonight. You're hearing the word of Jesus.

They hear the words of Jesus. And then the thorns begin to grow. The thorns of the cares of this world.

And the deceitfulness of riches. And the pleasures of this life. The temporal things.

The things that we all have to deal with. The things that we are needing to be involved in in cares and caring for our family. And in business and in work and labors.

But these things all need to be kept in their right place. That they don't come in and choke out the word of God in our hearts and in our lives. I believe one of the greatest dangers of us Christians here in America in this land of affluence and this land of plenty and prosperity and ease is pleasures.

We have the money to buy the boat. We have the money to buy the hunting equipment. We have the money to buy the fishing stuff.

We have the money to go on the extravagant vacations and all these things. And you know, those things can have a rightful place if they're kept in the right balance. But my brother, my sister, tonight will you allow the Lord to examine your heart? Are there thorns competing for the affection of your love for Jesus and your fervency for Christ? Oh, I'd love to spend more time with the Lord.

I'd love to read the Scripture more but I don't have time. I'm too busy. The cares of this world.

The deceitfulness of riches. Oh, they that will be rich. They that pursue after the almighty dollar.

They that will be rich fall into many foolish and hurtful lusts and temptations that drown them in destruction and perdition. Have you ever seen anyone who lost their way completely because their riches increased? Their monetary wealth increased? And at one time they were fervent for the Lord Jesus Christ but now they're just lukewarm, cold, and indifferent. He that has ears to hear.

Oh, Jesus, it says, he cried. I believe that means he lifted up his voice and he said, he that has ears to hear. Let him hear the lusts of other things.

Oh, this is how the devil snatches away the Word. This is how the devil makes the Word of God to be ineffectual in your heart and life. This is how he makes people to be unfruitful.

And every branch in Christ Jesus professing Christianity doesn't bear fruit. Jesus said he takes it away. Oh, my brother, my sister, my friend here tonight.

It's the devil stealing the Word of God out of your heart through the temptation and affliction and persecution. And you're offended. And you just want to stay quiet.

I don't want them to know I'm a Christian. It's the devil snatching the Word out of your life through the pleasures of his life. Are you at ease in Zion? Sitting on your leaves in your armchairs, in your easy chairs and just that relaxation and at ease in pleasures, in lusts of other things.

We all need rest. We all need refreshment. We all need to sit down and relax from time to time.

I'm not talking about that. But I'm talking about the devil there totally working in your heart and life to just wrap you in his grip and put you to sleep concerning the eternal things of God and steal away the Word of God out of your heart and the lusts of other things. My, we could talk a long time about that.

There's more clamor and voices shouting and crying for your attention. The lusts of other things. You need this new thing.

Then you'll be happy. You need this new gadget. And then you'll be full of joy and fulfillment.

It'll bring you satisfaction. That's what all the advertisements say. But after you get that new thing, it'll leave you empty.

It'll leave you without fulfillment and satisfaction. Only Jesus can bring a true fulfillment and satisfaction in our hearts, brothers and sisters. Do we need to buy something? Is it okay to buy some new things? Certainly.

It'd be fine. But my brother, my sister, the first commandment is to love the Lord God with all your heart. Are we in love with our Heavenly Father? Are we in love with our Lord Jesus? Are we pursuing and seeking after the kingdom of God? Or do other things that glitter and glow and make noise and all manner of things catch our attention? And the lusts of other things keep soaking up the words.

The Amazon truck keeps dropping off more stuff every other day. I see the Amazon truck coming into my neighbor just about every day, every other day, dropping off more stuff. They make it so easy for you to buy.

I mean, you just enter your credit card information just one time, and it remembers all that stuff. And the next time, you can hit one button, buy now, and get it tomorrow. Wow, instant gratification.

Oh, my brother, my sister, I am not angry or upset about a person buying the things that they need. But I am concerned that we're getting drunk with other things. We're getting drunk with the pleasures of the world.

We're getting drunk with eating out. We're getting drunk with good food. I like good food.

But it's becoming our God. Our belly is becoming our God. And you're a foodie.

Oh, I just love making smoked meat and whatever. And sure, you can smoke your meat. I don't care.

But you know what I'm saying? We got to have that next better grill now. I mean, they just came out with another one that tops the green egg, so we better get that one. You know what I'm saying? Am I making any sense? The whole economy is geared to just make you unhappy with what you have, dissatisfied with what you have, and saying, you've got to have this.

And so our devotional time starts waning, and we spend less and less time at the feet of Jesus, and we're consumed, and we're drunken with other things, the pleasures of life, the cares of this world, the distinctfulness of which is just going to have a little more money, just a little more money for retirement. Well, who said retirement is in the Christian vocabulary? Lester Miller taught a financial seminar that I recorded years ago, and the dear old lady, she was so afraid that we might have enough. She said, well, how much do you think you might need to have enough? Well, she said, I just need a little bit more.

You see, it's always elusive. You've got a million, but I just need a little bit more. He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

I think I gave all the ears to the children, so that's okay. Children, I want you to remember this tonight. We got a little children's lesson about ears and hearing.

He that has ears to hear, let him hear. Oh, tonight, children, hear the instruction of your father and your mother. Forsake not the law of your mother and your father.

Find an instruction like around your heart that you have to change. Find it fast. Honor your father and your mother that it may be well with you.

You see, God doesn't give us these commandments to make our life miserable, but so that our life will be blessed. The person who hears the word of God and does it, and is not a forgetful hearer, but is continuing in the word of God that he hears, ah, he shall be blessed in his deed. Don't you want to be blessed tonight by the living almighty God who owns it all? Yes.

Well, he tells us it's very simple. They that are on the good ground, verse 15, are they which in an honest and a good heart, having heard the word, they hear the word, they keep it, and they bring forth fruit with patience. I wonder how many here tonight could testify that you know when you are being honest.

You know in your heart when you're being honest. Let me see your hands. Come on.

You know in your heart when you're being honest? You know if you're not lying. You're not trying to deceive anyone or trick anybody. Well, tonight the answer is very simple.

Sometimes you make it complicated and you say, well, I don't know what to do. I mean, I want to serve the Lord and I want to have a life of surrender to Jesus Christ in every area of my life, but I'm not sure how that looks. It's not complicated at all.

When we with an honest heart receive the word and we're honest with ourselves about what Jesus has taught us and we're honest in examining ourselves and we judge ourselves. Do I love money? Do I love stuff? Am I caught up in work so much that I just am neglecting my eternal salvation and my relationship with God? I'm neglecting reading the word of God. I'm neglecting teaching my children, showing them the love of Christ.

I'm neglecting so many things because I'm pursuing the almighty dollar. You know, we can be very honest with ourselves, can't we? And the Holy Spirit of God is faithful. It brings conviction.

The Holy Spirit of God is faithful. It's just asking, Lord, Lord, search me. Try me.

Know my thoughts. Know me, Lord. You're the very core of my being, Lord.

And show me if there be any wickedness in me. Show me, Lord. I don't want to be deceived.

Be honest with the word of God and what you're hearing with an honest and a good heart receiving the word and agreeing with God. Oh, yes, those who with an honest and a good heart. Ah, they have heard the word and they treasure it.

I like that. They keep it. They treasure it.

They delight in it. Oh, your word is a delight to me. More than gold or silver.

More than the choice of honey. More than that good smoked steak. Hey, hey, yes.

The word of God. I love it. It's alive.

It provides me. It feeds me. It strengthens me.

Those are they, it says in Mark 20, 420, which have received the word on good ground. They hear the word and they receive it and they bring forth fruit some 30, some 60, and some hundredfold. I want to be fruitful in the kingdom of God.

You want to be fruitful in the kingdom of God? You'll be fruitful in your Christian life. Jesus said these words in Luke 6, 46. Why do you call me Lord, Lord? And do not the things that I say.

Whosoever cometh to me and heareth my sayings and doeth them, I will show you to whom he's like. Now Jesus, he was a great storyteller. He knew how to illustrate and bring in object lessons to illustrate his point and that's what he's going to do right now.

So I'm going to show you who the person's like that hears my words and does them. He receives them and he has a heart to obey. He wants to obey the word of God.

Oh, it's delighting, it's joy. Jesus said, I'm going to tell you a story and an illustration about the person who hears my sayings and does them. I will show you what that man is like.

He is like a man who's built a house and digged down deep. He dug down deep. He got rid of all the rubble.

He was willing to confess and renounce and forsake all of his sins. Dug down deep. Get rid of all the slop and the garbage.

Get rid of all those loose stones of lying and cheating and immorality and dishonesty. Get rid of them. Clean down deep and dig down deep to the solid rock.

Ah, yes, he's going to dig down deep and lay the foundation on the rock. And he's going to build his house on top of that. He's going to build his house on the rock.

And when the floods come and the stream beat vehemently upon that house, it could not shake it. That house could not be shaken. The devil couldn't snatch the seed away.

The devil couldn't blast that house away with storms of temptation, of trials, of disappointment, of persecution because that house was founded upon the foundation of a rock Christ Jesus and is obedient to the Lord Jesus Christ. The streams beat upon that house and it could not shake it. It was founded upon a rock.

Now tonight, he went on to say there's another kind of person. They go to the tent meeting, they hear the word, but they don't do it. Maybe as soon as they get outside the tent, they get on their device.

I have one. That. They get on their device and they play some music to make them feel good, to get rid of that feeling of uneasiness and guilt and maybe conviction from the Holy Spirit and the devil is snatching away the word.

I don't want to do the word. I do not want to obey. I'm very jealous for each one of us, but especially our young people.

There are a million and one distractions clamoring for attention. You know, this thing could kill you. This is an iPhone.

I confess it. Used with great carefulness and discretion. It's more dangerous than a gun.

It's more dangerous than a knife. If not handled properly, it can take you to hell. The man.

I hear it, but maybe he turns his ear away. When's that preacher ever going to stop? Getting a little uncomfortable. Ain't getting late.

Take heed how you hear because the man who hears and doesn't do is like a man without a foundation. Maybe he said that I want to be a Christian. I don't want to go to hell.

Maybe he had a real shallow conversion experience, if you may even call it conversion, but he didn't dig down deep and repent of all of his sins, all the sins of my youth. Oh God, remember them not. Cleanse me.

Wash me. And he built his house on a shallow foundation with a lot of unconfessed sin in between him and Christ, and he's not willing to forsake it or confess it. How sad.

He built his house upon the earth. The earth is sinking sand, my brother, my sister, and against which the stream did vehemently beat, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great. Tonight, will you leave this meeting with an abundance of increase because you're receiving the word and you're loving it.

He that hears and does, he shall have abundance and shall increase in the life of Jesus Christ and of the God of our Father and our Savior. Yes, he shall grow in the grace and in the blessing of the Lord. This man shall be blessed.

This woman shall be blessed in her deed. Tonight, will you leave here having more abundance, or will you leave these meetings tonight with more taken away? We're not going to go away the same as we came. That might be a bit of an overstatement, and yet I believe that we have a responsibility.

What are we going to do? Do I love Jesus? Do I love his word? And how does he know that I love him? It's he that keepeth my commandments that loveth me, Jesus, every time. It's he that keepeth my commandments that shows that he loves me. And he that keepeth my commandments and loves me, I will love him too.

And my Father, we will come and we will make our abode with him. We'll have a living relationship with Jesus Christ, just fellowship with the living God. Father, that's my heart for us tonight.

Do you love the truth? Do you love the truth? The truth of God's word. When he convicts me of sin, oh, I love my brother Elmer. My brother Elmer says, I love conviction because it shows me that God loves me.

You see, Jesus says, whomever he loves, and every time he redeems, he rebukes and chastens. And he rebukes and chastens us so that we should not be cast away with the world because he loves us. So tonight, are you hearing the voice of the good shepherd, the Lord Jesus, that he taught us tonight in the parable of the soul? And as he cried and lifted up his voice and said, He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

Will you love the truth tonight? Or will you lie against the truth? The choice is ours. Jesus never forced anyone. Oh, but he invited us to come.

He invited us to just be honest with who we are. More wretched and blind than I am. I come just as I am, Lord.

I don't wait to try to make myself better. I acknowledge my sin, and I come just as I am. And the Lord promises to receive us in that way.

Let's pray. Father, we come in Jesus' name. And we thank you for your word.

And Father, we ask in the name of Jesus that your word would go down deep into our hearts and that we would receive it with meekness, with gratitude and thanksgiving. And Father, that we would embrace it and hide it in our hearts. Oh, Lord, that we would love you and love your truth.

Father, I pray no one would go away here tonight parting their hearts, lying against the truth. And they further deceive because they hear, but they don't do. And as James taught us, when we hear and we don't do, we deceive our own.

Oh, Father, I ask in Jesus' name, bless us, bless each one here with the revelation of Jesus Christ and the goodness of God. In Jesus' name, amen.