Tuesday 4 February 2014

WHEAT AND TARES

MEMORY VERSE: Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles, Matthew 7:16

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ruth 3-4, Acts 28, Jer 38, Luke 7

BIBLE STUDIES: Matthew 13:24- 30

In the early stage of development, wheat and tares look alike. They have the same height, color; respond to the same conditions in the same way. As they grow, it becomes even harder to tell the difference. If care is not taken tares could be taken for wheat and vice and versa. You only know which is which until they mature. At maturity, the wheat has fruits in its head while the tares are filled with little black seeds. Tares are weeds and like any other weeds they are harmful. In elementary agricultural science we learnt that weeds reduce crop yield because they compete for water, nutrients & lights with the real plant. They reduce the value of the land. They are harmful to human beings and animals. Also some harbor insects –pests & disease pathogens e.t.c. 

The field in the parable of the wheat and tares is the church of God. There is a need for the church to be spiritually awake. Because the church of God is asleep, the enemy has sown a lot of tares among the wheat. The enemy has sown a lot of satanic doctrines some of which are it is ok to smoke cigarette because cigarette only destroys the body not the spirit. 1 Cor 6:19-20 says our body belongs to God not us. Destroying the body with alcohol, cigarette, weed, cocaine and so on is demolishing God’s temple. The wheat are the genuine Christians, those who have been washed clean by the blood of the lamb and tares are the look alike. The tares are spiritual weed in the church. Some of them just come to church to look for a husband or a wife. They do not want to be saved but they want to marry a saved brother or sister. We have them everywhere in the church - evangelism team, choir, usher, prayer warrior e.t.c. The fact that a brother is in church does not mean he is a Christian. The fact that a sister is always leading praise and worship every Sunday does not mean she is a Christian. How do you tell the difference between the wheat and tares? By their fruits. 

When the servants of the householder wanted to go and gather the tares from the field, the householder told them not to bother because whilst gathering the tares they might uproot the wheat with them. Asides from the fact that the tares looked just like the wheat, the wheat grew too close to the tares which makes it very difficult to uproot the tares without destroying the wheat. A trained servant could be able to tell the difference between the two but whilst gathering tares, he might uproot the wheat also because of their closeness. This is why heaven minded believers must choose their friends carefully. The day the wicked is going to get punished for his actions, the righteous close to him might partake in it if care is not taken. Proverbs 13:20 says he that walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. The fools will get their reward but their companion would not be spared either. The companion of the fools might include one or two not so wise men.

PRAYER POINT: Father , every plant you have not planted in your church please uproot them.

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