Running On Empty, Spiritually

What does the Sower of the Seed need?

I remember this like it was Yesterday. Here I am, just recently Saved, working, minding my own business, when a Professional Boxer friend of mine came to me and said, "I want to know about God." I thought to myself. OK. Cool. Then he said something that I just didn't get. "James told me to come see you."

Now for those of you who may not know, James was one of two Men that were very instrumental in leading me on my Spiritual Quest. I remember thinking to myself, "ME???? James sent you to ME??? Wait. What? Here is a guy that has been going to Church. He reads The Word. He told me about Jesus. He told me what I needed to do to be Saved. Why is he sending you to ME??? Who am I??"

What I said was, "Well, OK." We set a date for him to come to my home. The day came, and here we are. I thought I would simply start with the basics. All I knew anyway. He asked about the Ten Commandments. I found that I did not even know where to find them. Seriously. I had no clue. Here I am in the Kitchen trying to come up with them. While he was sitting in the Living room waiting for me to bring drinks and a snack.

Long story short, I found that day, to the lost, the simple things are not so simple. The "Basics," are not so Basic. What I thought was my infantile understanding of God, Jesus, and The Word, was actually, at that point in time, the most powerful and important knowledge in this young man's life.

A bit later, a week or so, he came to me again and told me he accepted Christ as his Savior, on top of a Mountain, at like Five in the Morning. Point is, it was as much a learning experience for me as it was him. A day I will never forget. I was a Sower of the Seed? Yup. Even though I only had a couple of, what I thought were meaningless Seeds, A new Creature was born. A Sinner became a Saint. A lost person was Adopted into the Family of God. Because, even though a had so little, I still planted them.

However, none of this could have ever happen if I had none. Seriously. Look at this in the Natural. If you go out and dig your Garden, if you have no Seeds, what is the point? Why are you wasting your time? You can dig all day. You can lay a foundation all day. You can plan out all day. But if you have no Seeds, nothing will ever grow. Your Garden will be nothing but dirt.

Sad thing is this. Most people fall into one of two categories. When Jesus was talking about being a Sower of the Seed, He said this..

Matthew 13:

5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

He explained it here..

Matthew 13:

20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

In other words, those that hear The Word receive it immediately, and with great joy. Why not? It's a brilliant story. It's the greatest Story ever told. God, loves us so much, that He laid down His Godhead, and came to Earth as a Baby, {Who doesn't love Babies?} and lived His Life walking among us. Teaching us good things. Showing us God Loved us so much He wants to Adopt us. Then Jesus suffering all He did for YOU. He died {Good news, you do not have to} so that you may Live. {You will never die}

They hear that Jesus said

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." {John 14:3}

Who would not want to go to a place like Heaven?

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."{Revelation 21:4}

However, because that is as far as they go, they become Spiritually empty quickly. Someone comes up to them and says, "You are one of those? Tell me why I should accept this Jesus? Are you really that stupid?" ETC. They become offended and decide to reject that of which they heard, so they do not have to be ridiculed. They deny the Truth, and they accept the Lie.

Then there are those that receive it, but that is as far as they go. They do not take the time to fill up. To get to know what it all means. They love the Story, but then they leave that Spirit Filled Place called "Church," and they have messages from Bill Collectors. Their Power is shut off. They still have abusive people in their lives. They forget what they just heard. They mean well, but they let the "care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful." They go to Church and sing songs, then go Home and worry about Tomorrow. Instead of actually following what Jesus told us.

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."{Matthew 6:33-34}

In order to be a Productive Child of God, and to be able to grow in Faith, you must not let yourself become empty, Spiritually. How do you do this? Read His Word. Fellowship with Brothers and Sisters. Pray. Spend time with God. Peter tells us that as a Brother or Sister in Christ, as a Child of God, we must always be ready to answer those that may come to us. Think my Boxer Friend. 

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:" {1 Peter 3:15}

Paul tells Timothy 

"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."{2 Timothy 4:2}

Remember, in order to give, you must have something first. I know Pastors that run on empty Spiritually. You can always tell. You can feel it. Oh, they may get up every Sunday and stand in the Pulpit. They may put on their best Suit. They may have worked hard preparing what they wanted to talk about. But if they have not taken the time to Pray, Read, Spend time with God, They are Spiritually Empty. There is no power in their words. No power in the Message. They are simply going through the motions.

Think about this, look at all those in the Word, that God spoke to directly. Noah, He was the most Faithful at the time, Saved Mankind and a lot of God's Creation. Moses, saved God's Chosen People. Ananias, Healed Saul and helped in the Conversion to Paul. So on. God can and will speak to you directly and audibly, keep in mind though, when He does, He wants you to change the World. God will also, and most likely, talk to you in various ways.

Most predominantly through His Word.
Through the inner still, small voice of Holy Spirit.
Through the advice and counsel of your fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ.
Through Dreams.
Through Visions.
Through Angels.
Through Circumstances.
Through a simple sense of knowing. {Think inner peace.}

Jesus tells us that we need to always be ready as well. 

"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."

Jesus is telling us to be Faithful always 

"Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh."{Matthew 24:42,44}

Luke 12:

35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;

36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

If you allow yourself to run on empty, you will not be prepared. As we discussed before, running on empty Physically can make you sick, and even kill you. Running on empty Emotionally can also make you sick, and can also kill you. Running on Empty Spiritually, will drain you both Physically and Emotionally, and make you completely unproductive as a Child of God, and may even miss God speaking to you, and you will not be ready when He comes. Never forget to take time to recharge, Physically, Emotionally, and Spiritually, and always be ready.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}