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Wednesday, 17 March 2021
The Kingdom of Heaven

In Matthew 13:31-33; Yeshua teaches two parables; one likening the Kingdom of Heaven to a mustard seed and the other to leaven. Before that He speaks about the good and bad seed in the teaching of the wheat and tares in Matthew 13:24-30.

In each case we are given the lesson of how a little seed can have such a profound effect on the outcome of a situation or in the immediate surroundings. This example is best seen in the parable of the leaven, when the woman puts a small amount of leaven in what is by comparison a huge amount of flour.

What happens is that from the beginning the flour or the surroundings are influenced, yet because it is hidden or unseen, its influence is not immediately recognized. It appears as if there is no change for a long time in the wheat, but the outward appearance was not the true condition, for the process of change from flour to dough had begun.

When Yeshua speaks these parables, what he is calling us to do is to plant seeds and deposit leaven in the hearts of the people. Even though for now they may be far away from God, we don't know what the seed or leaven which we put in their heart is doing on the inside. We don't know where they are in the process.

Look how the little leaven from Yeshua's time has progressed in our day. It began with twelve disciples that accepted Yeshua; then two years later the number of people gathered together in Acts 15:12 was one hundred and twenty. In I Corinthians 15:6 we see that Yeshua revealed himself to more than five hundred brothers. Then came the Feast of Shavuot and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and 3,000 new believers came into the Kingdom of God. This event was followed by the account in Acts 4:4 where it is recorded that there were 5,000 believers in the holy city.

This whole process began with Yeshua's great willingness and desire to bring the Kingdom of God to all mankind. That's why in Acts 1:8 Yeshua says, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth".

So even now we continue to see the influence of the Word of God on the kingdom of God which covers the ends of the earth. There is no doubt that the seeds and leaven continue to influence mankind and that our job as believers is to take care that this influence touches those around us. Especially in our days where fear is trying to steal the heart of the people, taking them far away from their true character as sons and daughters of God.

In Romans 14:17 it is written for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. We as believers are called to walk with the Holy Spirit in us and remember that we are called to plant seeds and deposit leaven in people's lives.

We do this when walking with confidence and trust in God, reflecting the peace and joy of God. As we stand in humility, with His love in our hearts; often without saying a word, the seeds are planted, and the leaven deposited and hidden away in the hearts of the people.

You may ask how it is possible to affect people's lives this way. When I was a waiter in a hotel here in Acco, I would see those whom today I realize were believers. They never approached me in word about the Lord, yet I was drawn to them. I wondered how is it that I, raised as a religious Jew, having the knowledge of Torah, am missing something which I see in them. It was their reflection of Yeshua and God's love that deposited that leaven in my heart; the leaven which was hidden in my life. This hidden process was preparing me for the day when my heart would come to recognize Yeshua. Their reflection of His character in their lives; part of the process which has developed into the faith and walk I have today with Him.

This is taken from the Harvest of Asher Facebook page.

Posted By Guy Cohen, 11:15am Comment Comments: 0