Fall 1996
Understanding His Ways
Wade E Taylor

The message of Matthew chapter thirteen, is only understood through the Holy Spirit. Each verse can be compared to the interlocking pieces of a puzzle that lay mixed within the box. The picture is there, but each piece must be fitted into its particular place before it can be rightly viewed.

"The secret of the LORD is with them that
fear Him; and He will shew them His
covenant" Psa 25:14.

This word "fear" does not mean to be afraid. Rather, it speaks of a love that is expressed in a worshipful reverence, or respect. Thus, the secret of the Lord - the inner intention of His heart, is revealed only to those who express the depth of their love to Him.

"I love them that love Me; and those that seek
Me early shall find Me ... that I may cause
those that love Me to inherit substance; and
I will fill their treasures" Prov 8:17-21.

The Biblical account of Samson and Delilah illustrates this. Because Samson hid the secret of his strength, Delilah (falsely) expressed "love" to him and extracted the truth from him. So also, as we (truly) worship the Lord and express our (pure) love to Him, He will open His Word to us, and reveal to us things that are hidden from others.

As we come to the Lord, seeking Him for Himself, and open our heart to Him in worship, those things spiritual within us which had been foggy, will begin to clear and come into focus. We will see and understand the Word as never before, and our spiritual life will begin to unfold and develop, as a flower responding to the sun.

As the Lord came "in the cool of the evening" seeking Adam, so also, He is ever reaching out toward us, seeking our fellowship. When we respond, He may (seemingly) withdraw, to see if we were sincere in our initial response to Him. If we will, in worshipful rest, wait before Him in anticipation, He will reveal Himself in His manifest presence, and begin to make known His heart intent to us.

"Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily
at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For
whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain
favour of the LORD" Prov 8:34-35.
It is into the lives of these who have prepared themselves to receive Him, that the Lord begins to sow the "seed of the Kingdom," which is hidden from those who do not have spiritual perception. Thus in Matthew 13:9, Jesus said, "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."

"And he spake many things unto them in
parables, saying, Behold, a sower went
forth to sow" Matt 13:4b.

When Jesus was asked why He spoke this way, "He answered and said unto them,"

"Because it is given unto you to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but
to them it is not given" Matt 13:11.

Jesus then gave the reason as to why this is so. It had to do with their lack of spiritual interest and sincerity.

"Therefore speak I to them in parables: because
they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not,
neither do they understand" Matt 13:13.

If we are to go beyond the surface of "the letter of the Word," then we must unconditionally commit the totality of our being to the Lord. This is not required for salvation, which is a free gift, but for discipleship.

"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any
man will come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross, and follow Me. For
whosoever will save his life shall lose it:
and whosoever will lose his life for My sake
shall find it" Matt 16:24-25.

Thus, there are conditions which are given that the seed might develop into a one-hundred fold harvest. The different aspects of these conditions are revealed through the parables in chapter thirteen of Matthew.

"But he that received seed into the good
ground is he that heareth the word, and
understandeth it; which also beareth fruit,
and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold,
some sixty, some thirty" Matt 13:23.

As we respond in heart obedience (good ground), He will take us further in our spiritual understanding and bring us into a cooperative relationship with Himself. This requires of us that we are both receptive and obedient to those things which He shows us.

"He that hath My commandments, and keepeth
them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that
loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and
I will love him, and will manifest Myself
to him John 14:21.

These commandments are not the Ten Commandments, nor the Law. Rather, they are those things which are required to "open the door" into our participation with Him in His present purpose.

"Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the
field; let us lodge in the villages. Let us
get up early to the vineyards; let us see if
the vine flourish, whether the tender grape
appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: THERE
WILL I GIVE THEE MY LOVES" SS 7:11-12.

Here, He will begin to reveal the secrets of His Kingdom to those who intently love Him, and who rightly respond to His love toward them. These will be given spiritual perception and understanding, which is hidden to all others.

"After this I looked, and, behold, a door
was opened in heaven: and the first voice
which I heard was as it were of a trumpet
talking with me; which said, Come up hither,
and I will shew thee things which must be
hereafter" Rev 4:1.

Draw me, we will run after Thee; the King
hath brought me into His Chambers" SS 1:4a.

Now, in the secret place of His presence, we will come to intimately know Him, and, that which pertains to His present day purposes.