The Heart/Mind and Maranatha (The Word is Coming)

1 Corinthians 16:22 (KJV) ²² If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.
1 Corinthians 16:22Easy-to-Read Version (ERV) ²² If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be separated from God—lost forever! Come, O Lord!
Philippians 4:5 (KJV) ⁵ Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
James 5:8-9(KJV) ⁸ Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. ⁹ Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

The word MARANATHA consists of two Aramean words, Maran'athah, meaning, "our Lord comes," or is "coming." If the latter interpretation is adopted, with the above scriptures added; the meaning of the phrase will be, "OUR LORD IS COMING, AND HE WILL JUDGE THOSE WHO HAVE SET HIM AT NOUGHT."

• The big question, who are those that have set Him at nought (nothing or Zero)?

Today, I want us to reconsider the matter of our hearts in line with our knowledge and understanding of the scriptures as we wait for the coming of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

• Have we set at nothing the sayings or advice of Jesus to us via the scriptures?
• Are we in error or mistake because we know not the scriptures or the Power of God?

Matthew 22:29 (KJV) ²⁹ Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
New International Version ²⁹ Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.
New Living Translation ²⁹Jesus replied, "Your mistake is that you don't know the Scriptures, and you don't know the power of God.

• How are we receiving the word of God that is coming our way?

Matthew 13:10-15  Easy-to-Read (ERV) ¹⁰ The followers came to Jesus and asked, “Why do you use these stories to teach the people?” ¹¹ Jesus answered, “Only you can know the secret truths about God’s kingdom. Those other people cannot know these secret truths. ¹² The people who have some understanding will be given more. And they will have even more than they need. But those who do not have much understanding will lose even the little understanding that they have. ¹³ This is why I use these stories to teach the people: they see, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really hear or understand. ¹⁴ So they show that what Isaiah said about them is true: ‘You people will listen and listen, but you will not understand. You will look and look, but you will not really see. ¹⁵ YES, THE MINDS OF THESE PEOPLE ARE NOW CLOSED. They have ears, but they don’t listen. They have eyes, but they refuse to see. IF THEIR MINDS WERE NOT CLOSED, they might see with their eyes; they might hear with their ears; they might understand with their minds. Then they might turn back to me and be healed.’

• The Lord brought to my mind on Saturday morning on my way to Eltham Discipleship class about the matter of the heart and the word of God. He said we should raise a heart cry on it today .The example He brought to me was the issue of Judas Iscariot and the bread Jesus gave to the twelve disciples when He was about going to the cross. The bread opened the eyes of the eleven but shut the eyes of Judas because of his heart (mind) and this led to his destruction; a disciple in the same discipleship class as the eleven. When we got to the discipleship centre, it was all about the heart. How we see the truth. The real white from the off white colour. So, after seeing the real white, what are we still doing with the off white colour? Then came the mystery of the gospel platform in the evening, it was about the matter of the heart; the heart transplant.

Matthew 16:5-12  Easy –to-Read (ERV) ⁵ Jesus and his followers went across the lake. But the followers forgot to bring bread. ⁶ Jesus said to the followers, “BE CAREFUL! GUARD AGAINST THE YEAST OF THE PHARISEES AND THE SADDUCEES.” ⁷ The followers discussed the meaning of this. They said, “Did Jesus say this because we forgot to bring bread?” ⁸ Jesus knew that they were talking about this. So he asked them, “WHY ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT NOT HAVING BREAD? YOUR FAITH IS SMALL. ⁹ Do you still not understand? Remember the five loaves of bread that fed the 5000 people and the many baskets you filled with the bread that was left? ¹⁰ And remember the seven loaves of bread that fed the 4000 people and the many baskets you filled that time? ¹¹ So how could you think that I am concerned about bread? I AM TELLING YOU TO BE CAREFUL AND GUARD AGAINST THE YEAST OF THE PHARISEES AND THE SADDUCEES.” ¹² Then the followers understood what Jesus meant. He was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread. HE WAS TELLING THEM TO GUARD AGAINST THE TEACHING OF THE PHARISEES AND THE SADDUCEES.

• How are you hearing the words of Jesus? THE WORD AND THE MIND.

Mark 4:22-25New Living Translation (NLT) ²² For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light. ²³ ANYONE WITH EARS TO HEAR SHOULD LISTEN AND UNDERSTAND.”  ²⁴ Then he added, “PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU HEAR. THE CLOSER YOU LISTEN, THE MORE UNDERSTANDING YOU WILL BE GIVEN—AND YOU WILL RECEIVE EVEN MORE. ²⁵ To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”
Brothers and sisters we want to go to the Lord in prayers with the matter of our minds.
Jesus said pay close attention to what you hear; the closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given.
Who are you listening to? What is your mind hearing that is stealing it away from its readiness of the Lord’s coming?

• For Judas: it was power, it was love for money, it was greed, eye service etc.
• For the Pharisees and Sadducees: it was position, it was domination, it was slavery, it was rigidity to Mosaic Law, it was the threat of the truth Jesus was bringing etc.
• For Eve it was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, desired to make one wise etc.

PRAYERS
Matthew 22:29 New Living Translation ²⁹Jesus replied, "Your mistake is that you don't know the Scriptures, and you don't know the power of God.

• Let’s thank God for bringing knowledge and the truth of His word to us again. The Bible says my people perish for lack of knowledge.
• Let’s thank the Lord again because He will help us through the Holy Spirit to know His power in the name of Jesus.
• Let’s ask the Lord that in our waiting for His coming (Maranatha), that He should help us to be wise and not foolish in knowing and receiving His words in Jesus name.
• The Hymn writer said Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; is what my heart wants to always do. Let’s ask the Lord to take our hearts and seal it, Seal it for His courts above in the name of Jesus.

 Jesus said in Matthew 13: ¹² The people who have some understanding will be given more. And they will have even more than they need. But those who do not have much understanding will lose even the little understanding that they have.

• Lord Jesus, help me to have much understanding of your word and don’t let me lose the little understanding I have of you. Please give me your understanding heart and more than I do need in Jesus name.
• Father, please do not let me be lost, but through patient, establish my heart for your coming in Jesus name.
• As your follower O Lord, please let me know the secret truths about your Kingdom in Jesus name.

Matthew 13:15 Easy-to-Read (ERV) ¹⁵ Yes, the minds of these people are now closed. 
They have ears, but they don’t listen. They have eyes, but they refuse to see. If their minds were not closed, they might see with their eyes; they might hear with their ears; they might understand with their minds. Then they might turn back to me and be healed.’

• In readiness of your coming O Lord, please search my mind again and open it where it might have been closed to you or your words in Jesus name. Let it turn back to you again and be healed in Jesus name.

Philippians 4:5 (KJV) ⁵ Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

• Let your moderation in my life beginning to radiate to all men from now in Jesus name.
• Thank you Lord for hearing our prayers in Jesus name. Amen.