Can we lose something God tells us or shows us if we don't apply it? What did Jesus mean in Mark 4:24?
Have you ever been in church and heard a teaching that literally rocked your world? You thought, that is life changing. Wow! So good. You left church uplifted and believed you were changed.
Two weeks later, a friend asks you what the sermon was because she was out of town and couldn’t attend church. You think for a while, but can’t remember.
What happened? You were given a spiritual truth God meant to change your life, you felt that when you heard it. But you did nothing with it. You didn’t take notes. You didn’t pursue more understanding through scripture and prayer. And you didn’t take an action step to apply that life-changing truth to your life. The result: you lost it.
Mark 4:21-25, NIV, Jesus was talking about revealing spiritual truths.
24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”
Let’s look at this in the AMP translation to help unpack what Jesus meant.
Mark 4:24 AMP
24 Then He [Jesus] said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By your own standard of measurement [that is, to the extent that you study spiritual truth and apply godly wisdom] it will be measured to you [and you will be given even greater ability to respond]—and more will be given to you besides.
Having a teachable heart means you desire, you yearn for more of God – more relationship, more truth – just more. And you open your Bible to meet God and to learn and be transformed into a new person. And what you learn, you treasure. You journal it. And you take action to make it part of your life.
If you do that, God will give you a greater ability to hear Him, to know Him, and to understand and live out spiritual truths that will transform your life and your nation.