Step 4. Cut the Feed

Hopefully, you’re still with me. Perspective. Not conforming. Cleaning house.

All to successfully plant the seedling of a “Crazy Faith” in your life.

Now the last step – and maybe the most difficult of all – feeding your seedling so it can grow.

“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” – Matthew 13:23

Jesus already gave an example of how difficult this can be in his short chat with the rich young ruler who came to him asking how to gain eternal life. He kept all of the commands – no adultery, no lying, honoring his parents, and loving his neighbor as himself. Yet, Jesus pointed out just one thing that sent him away sad:

“Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” – Matthew 19:21

Ouch. All that effort to seek righteousness and gain eternal life and Jesus killed it with just one thought: sell your stuff and give it all away.

Collecting money may be your thing and so Jesus’ words may be the one change you need. More likely, though, you’re relationship with money doesn’t conform to the pattern of this world (greed) so you can breathe a sigh of relief on that. For now, anyway.

So what would Jesus tell most of us in the 21st century today? If we’re not in love with money, what then would he point out as our problem?

It’s pretty obvious, actually. It wasn’t a problem back in Jesus‘ day, but these days it is bad and getting worse.

Our problem today is MEDIA.

What we view online, what we watch on TV or at the theater, and what we listen to all day long is how we feed that seedling of “Crazy Faith” that we want to plant in our lives. And so much of it is actually NOT God-honoring, Kingdom-building, or spiritually enriching, is it? In fact, much of it is diametrically opposed to our first three steps of perspective, non-conformity, and good housekeeping to build a “Crazy Faith,” isn’t it?

Fortunately, Jesus has helpful insights and advice, even for us in this 21st century. Check what he says:

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.” – Matthew 6:22

You are what you watch, apparently. But then Jesus also said this, didn’t he?

“If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” – Matthew 5:29

The second verse might seem too harsh, but I believe Jesus was serious. Even his disciples balked at some of his teachings, but Jesus had the answer for them that we need today also:

“When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” – Matthew 19:25-26

Praise God that you, too, can follow Jesus with a “Crazy Faith” and that the path to eternal life has been opened by God Himself!

Do you need help on any of this? Do you need encouragement? Then, find a Bible-believing church or a set of good Christian friends and go through these readings with them.

===========

I hope this reading plan helps clarify God’s plan for your life. For more readings like this, please visit our website or search for other plans authored by "Roland Heersink" in the YouVersion app. Or, if you prefer to do a status check on the health of your salvation, then read this Bible plan next: ”4 Ways To Be Sure That You Are Really Saved.”

Blessings to you!