SCRIPTURE:
“Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." (Mark 4:24-25, NIV)

Observations:
I asked myself what does Jesus continue to tell the disciples and those around Him?

“Consider carefully what you hear.”
“With the measure you use, it will be measured to you-and even more.”
“Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”

Interpretation:
I asked myself what all this could mean?
Jesus had just talked to them about concealment and making a point for them to hear what He tells them. Now, Jesus goes a step further and wants them to consider carefully what they hear.

I asked myself why?
Jesus wanted them to put into practice and take seriously what they hear from Him. This is evidenced by using the word, ‘CAREFULLY’ and what follows:

“With the measure you use, it will be measured to you-and even more."

I asked myself what this could mean?
It reminded me so much of sowing again. Jesus had just given them the ‘Parable of the Sower’ and now it was like Jesus telling them whatever and however they sow in their life, it will be reaped back in their own life-even more.

This is evidenced by the next point Jesus makes, “Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”

I asked myself what this could mean?
I believe it is all tied into obedience. Jesus had just told his disciples not to hide their light under a bowl or bed followed by those that have ears to hear to hear after telling them the 'Parable of the Sower'. Now, Jesus wanted them to consider carefully what they heard so they could put it into practice. It is not enough just to hear if it is not put into effect so Jesus lets them know with the measure they use, it will be measured back to them-even more. Also, Jesus goes a step further to let them know if they are obedient, more will be given to them and if they are not, even what they have will be taken from them.

Implications:
I saw important implications for my own life and the Gospel of Jesus Christ! The most important thing has to do with applying what I hear from Jesus through His Word, through His Spirit, through Prayer, and through the Church as it is tested through the Word. Then, the results will be blessings because of obedience.

The Good News of what Jesus Christ did for us has to be acted out in our own lives by the way we carefully hear and apply what we hear. For there is no Salvation in any other name than the Name of Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ needs to be heard and followed for He alone redeems and saves. For we are helpless and bound in the bondage of sin on our own without Christ's intervention in our lives. No amount of self-help books etc can help us unless we hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and put it into practice in our lives.

I ask you now dear friend, what do you do with what you hear?
Dear friend, we can do a lot with what we hear. We can tune it out; we can take it in; we can share it with others; we can be obedient; we can keep it to ourselves; we can be disobedient, etc. Jesus wants us to consider carefully what we hear and be obedient to His Word. Whatever you hear from Jesus, Jesus wants you to put it into practice whether you hear it through His Spirit, through Prayer, through the Church, etc all tested by the Word of God to make sure we are actually hearing from Jesus.

When we are obedient, with the measure we use, it will be measured back to us-even more. This is exciting to know especially when we are obedient and do the right things. However, if what we hear we do not put into practice we place ourselves in a precarious position hurting only ourselves. When we do not heed the call of Jesus, whatever we have could be taken away from us because it is not for our good and we attained it without the blessings of Jesus. For Jesus wants to bless us with His abundant life that comes through the Salvation that Jesus alone offers. Without His grace and mercy, we are helpless and what we hear will go through one ear and come of the other.

I believe it is so important that we hear what Jesus wants to tell us and put it into practice starting with the Gospel. The Gospel of Jesus Christ exists to save and bring you into a knowledge of your own sin and helplessness that only Christ's justification, sanctification, and pontification can bring about your Redemption when you hear what Jesus is telling you and apply it. Jesus wants you to believe on Him, for to all those who believed in Him, He gave them right to become children of God, children born not of natural descent but by the will of God. Believing also means acknowledging your helplessness and sinful nature that only Christ's cleansing blood can wash away and set you free. Acknowledging alone is not enough unless you act upon that knowledge, confessing all your sins to the Lord, repenting of them, and asking for forgiveness so Jesus can be your Lord and Personal Savior for Jesus already paid the price while we were yet sinners.

Friend, when you take the Gospel seriously about what Jesus did for you and why He did it for you, you should be so thankful and grateful for the cross that Jesus did not wait for you to change your ways before going to the cross but went to the cross while we were yet sinners. Yes, friend Jesus died to save you.

Now, the question is will you really hear Jesus and give your life to Him and apply His Word in your life so you can be on good soil?

Friend, you can do it right now and need not wait for a special time. Hear that the Lord Jesus desires to save and save you. No matter where you have been or what you have done, you are never out of His saving grace and forgiveness. If it is merited than it won't be grace anymore but Jesus came to give you grace. So, please come to Jesus just as you are and put into practice what you hear from Jesus for you will hear from Jesus when you pick up His Word and read it, spend time in prayer meditating on the Word, waiting for the Holy Spirit to lead you, and allowing the church-body of believers to speak to you through the Word.

May you hear the Lord and consider carefully what He tells you so you put it into practice because He loves you and only wants the best for you! Amen!

“Hearing Emmanuel Always Redeems!” (H.E.A.R)/”What do you do with what you hear?”

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us so much and dying for our sin and coming back to life to save us. Thank you for your Word and the power of your Word. Oh Lord, we want to hear from you and need to hear from you. However, many times we let the things of this world cloud out our time with you; to be able to listen to you. Please forgive us and help us Jesus. We are so sorry for our sin and ask you to help us please. Thank you Jesus you are so loving and whatever you do in our lives is for our own good. I love you Lord. Help us to always trust in you. Thank you Jesus! I confess to you all my sin, repent of my sin, and ask you for forgiveness and to cover me in your precious cleansing blood. Thank you so much Jesus. Thank you Jesus for coming into my heart as I ask you. Thank you Jesus for making my heart your home as I ask you! Live in me Jesus and I will live for you and serve you the rest of the days of my life. Please Jesus be my Lord and Personal Savior. Thank you Jesus and thank you, you have heard my prayer and answered me. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

Now won’t you accept what He did for you and come into His presence and give your life to Him so He can cover the virus of sin with His blood cleansing us and making us clean?

He will give us a transfusion of change! Yes, He will my friend!

PRAYER:
Dear Jesus, I love you. Thank you for loving me so much and thank you for choosing the cross to die for me. You became the Son of Man and lived here on earth. Then you humbled yourself and became obedient to death-even death on the cross. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. You died on the cross so that I can be covered in your blood and cleansed by your blood as I acknowledge that I need you and cannot enter Heaven without you being my pathway. So, Jesus I confess all my sins to you and all the ways I have tried to get into Heaven when you already provided the means and the Way. Thank you for all that you have done for me. The cross is the place, a wonderful place where accused and condemned find mercy and grace. Thank you Jesus, it is at the cross where the wrongs we have done and the wrongs done to us were nailed at the cross. Thank you Jesus, at the cross you died for our sins and at the cross you gave your life for us. I thank you for that and thank you for coming back to life to save us. Thank you Jesus for being there for me! Thank you for loving me. I love you Jesus! Please take me as I am and make my life into something that you will be proud of. I surrender my life to you and need your help to live for you. I am forever grateful for what you have done for me and I can never repay you. I want to live for you and need your help. Help me Jesus please. I thank you Jesus for saving me! Thank you for hearing my prayer and answering me. Whatever your will give me the willingness and strength to bear it. Thank you Jesus! I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior! In Your Name I Pray precious Jesus! Amen!

Friend, if you have prayed this prayer and meant it in your heart, you are a new creation in Christ and all old things are passed away and everything has become new! You may feel something or may not but don’t base it on feelings but base your new life in Christ on the promises of our Savior who will never leave you nor forsake you! Amen!

Spend time in His word and let the Lord speak to you! Start out in the Gospel of John! You can also check out the Gospel of Mark which are the devotionals I have been going through. Learn from Jesus through study and prayer. Also find yourself a church fellowship and a college fellowship you can be part of where you can be part of a community of believers to supplement your own walk with the Lord. Let it be a Bible-believing and Bible-breathing church! Believe in Bible Live Eternally!

Feel free to email me at reddy4hisglory2004@yahoo.com if you want to meet to study the Bible, pray with, talk about Spiritual issues or whatever is on your mind! My number is 412-720-4579

"This is my work and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work within me." (Colossians 1:29, TLB)

Love in Christ,
Ramesh

Express Your View

.Click picture to read my dad's memoriam:

' I AM ' Series Archives:

What kind of L.I.G.H.T do you follow? (Dec 13, 07, 10:09 a.m.)

"What kind of B.R.E.A.D do you eat?" (Dec 08, 07, 10:10 a.m.)

"Who is your S.H.E.P.H.E.R.D?" (June 30, 06)

Gospel of Mark Archives:

Mark 1:1: "What does the G.O.S.P.E.L mean to you?" (Jan 15, 08, 1:15 p.m.)

Mark 1:1-4: "How seriously do you T.E.S.T.I.F.Y about prophesy?" (Jan 12, 08, 11:18 p.m.)

Mark 1:5-8: "Who do you P.O.I.N.T to?" (Jan 16, 08, 8:48 a.m.)

Mark 1:9: How will you take a S.T.A.N.D? (Jan 17, 08, 11:21 a.m.)

Mark 1:9-11: "How is your loving P.R.A.I.S.E?" (Jan 18, 08, 8:53 a.m.)

Mark 1:12-13: "How do you handle T.E.M.P.T.A.T.I.O.N?" (Jan 19, 08, 12:27 p.m.)

Mark 1:14-15: How do you handle T.I.M.E given to you? (Jan 21, 08, 1:31 p.m.)

Mark 1:16-18: "What kind of P.R.O.F.E.S.S.I.O.N are you in?" (Jan 26, 08, 10:22 a.m.)

Mark 1:19-20: "Without having to P.R.O.C.R.A.S.T.I.N.A.T.E, what should you do?" (Jan 29, 08, 10:44 a.m.)

Mark 1:20-22: "How do you rate in the B.U.S.I.N.E.S.S of Jesus?" (Jan 30, 08, 11:29 a.m.)

Mark 1:20-22: "Whose T.E.A.C.H.I.N.G.S do you follow?" (Jan 31, 08, 11:52 a.m.)

Mark 1:23-28: "What C.A.P.T.I.V.I.T.Y are you facing today?" (Feb 01, 08, 10:35 a.m.)

Mark 4:3-20: "What if Jesus talked F.O.O.T.B.A.L.L?" (Feb 02, 08, 10:35 a.m.)

Mark 1:29-31: "Where do you need H.E.A.L.I.N.G?" (Feb 05, 08, 11:44 a.m.)

Mark 1:32-34: "Where do you need an A.N.S.W.E.R?" (Feb 06, 08, 11:16 a.m.)

Mark 1:35-39: "Where do you give your S.O.L.I.T.A.R.Y time to the Lord?" (Feb 07, 08, 11:41 a.m.)

Mark 1:40-42: "Where do you need to be C.L.E.A.N?" (Feb 09, 08, 11:00 a.m.)

Mark 1:43-45: "What do your actions C.A.U.S.E?" (Feb 11, 08, 9:23 a.m.)

MARK CHAPTER 2:

Mark 2:1-2: "What do you do with your P.O.P.U.L.A.R.I.T.Y?" (Feb 12, 08, 9:52 a.m.)

Mark 2:2-5: "What kind of F.R.I.E.N.D are you?" (Feb 13, 08, 11:49 a.m.)

Mark 2:5-12: "Where does P.A.R.A.L.Y.S.I.S take hold of you?" (Feb 15, 08, 7:42 a.m.)

Mark 2:5-12: "What are you thinking in your M.I.N.D?" (Feb 16, 08, 11:08 a.m.)

Mark 2:5-12: "What do you represent by your A.C.T.I.O.N.S?" (Feb 18, 08, 8:23 a.m.)

Mark 2:13-15: "Where are you looking for A.C.C.E.P.T.A.N.C.E?" (Feb 19, 08, 11:22 a.m.)

Mark 2:15-17: "Who do you I.N.V.I.T.E to Jesus?" (Feb 20, 08, 9:57 a.m.)

Mark 2:18-20: "When do you F.A.S.T?" (Feb 21, 08, 9:32 a.m.)

Mark 2:21-22: "How do you see your L.I.F.E?" (Feb 22, 08, 9:56 a.m.)

Mark 2:23-28: "What kind of L.E.A.D.E.R will you be? (Feb 23, 08, 10:46 a.m.)

Mark 2:23-28: "What does the S.A.B.B.A.T.H mean to you?" (Feb 25, 08, 10:46 a.m.)

CHAPTER 3:

Mark 3:1-6:"Whose N.E.E.D.S do you meet?" (Feb 26, 08, 9:54 a.m.)

Mark 3:7-8: "What is your I.M.P.A.C.T?" (Feb 27, 08, 8:17 a.m.)

Mark 3:9-11: "What S.P.A.C.E do you give yourself?" (Feb 28, 08, 9:38 a.m.)

Mark 3:11-12: "How do you fight E.V.I.L?" (Feb 29, 08, 9:11 a.m.)

Mark 3:13-16: "What emphasis do you put on your R.E.L.A.T.I.O.N.S.H.I.P with Jesus?" (March 01, 08, 9:29 a.m.)

Mark 3:17-19: "Where do you have your A.P.P.O.I.N.T.M.E.N.T in?" (March 03, 08, 9:49 a.m.)

Mark 3:20: "Where do you G.A.T.H.E.R?" (March 04, 08, 12:07 p.m.)

Mark 3:21: "How are your actions seen by your F.A.M.I.L.Y?" (March 05, 08, 10:24 a.m.)

Mark 3:22-27: "How do you handle S.L.A.N.D.E.R?" (March 06, 08, 7:57 a.m.)

Mark 3:28-30: "What is your V.I.E.W of Jesus?" (March 07, 08, 8:18 a.m.)

Mark 3:31-34: "What do you do with God's Will?" (March 08, 08, 8:45 a.m.)

CHAPTER 4:
Mark 4:1-20: "What do P.A.R.A.B.L.E.S mean to you?" (March 10, 08, 7:15 a.m.)

Mark 4:1-20: "What if Jesus talked F.O.O.T.B.A.L.L?" (Feb 02, 08, 10:35 a.m.)

Mark 4:1-20: "Where are you in your W.A.L.K with the Lord?" (March 11, 08, 9:32 a.m.)

Audio: "Where are you in your W.A.L.K with the Lord?" (March 11, 08, 11:05 a.m.)

Mark 4:21-23: "What kind of L.A.M.P will you be?" (March 12, 08, 9:40 a.m.)

Audio: "What do you C.O.N.C.E.A.L?" (March 14, 08, 10:11 a.m.)

"What do you C.O.N.C.E.A.L?" (March 14, 08, 8:52 a.m.)

John 12:12-15: "How can you B.L.E.S.S the Lord?" (March 17, 08, 1:25 a.m.)

Philippians 2:8: "What does the C.R.O.S.S mean to you?" (March 20, 08, 1:16 p.m.)

"How do you handle D.O.U.B.T.S?" (March 25, 08, 12:36 p.m.)

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EXPRESSIONS

Video: Delta Zeta Deliciously Delivers Lusciously with Lambda Chi Alpha

Video: Chi Omega's Operation Offers Nothin' But a Gangsta Party at Kappa Alpha Psi's Place

“Hearing Emmanuel Always Redeems! (H.E.A.R)”

By Ramesh C.ReddyPittsburgh StandardMarch 31, 2008

Editors Note: The devotional has a background song by Michelle Wagner called 'Simpe Devoted and True' which can be heard if you use Internet Explorer.

Express Your View

By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

March 31, 2008