The Sieve of Preconceived Ideas
We all know what a sieve is. It lets somethings through, while blocking others.
Well, the sieve of preconceived ideas, is where we let some of what God is telling us through; but blocking other things, because of an idea we had about what He was going to say.
How many of our children, turn us parents off? Because they know what we are going to say, and they just do not want to hear it again?
This is the sieve of preconceived ideas.
We think we know what God is talking to us about, so we just sort of, stop listening along the way.
Well, we can overcome this by the power of the Holy Spirit’s honesty.
He will enable us to see what is truth, but we have to will to see it.
There was a Pastor I knew once, who used to say to his wife, when they would disagree, “I will accept the correction.”
Sounds good, but it still places the parties at distance points; not together.
Acceptance is not yielding; but simply acknowledging another’s viewpoint.
No reconciliation there.
But “I will submit to the correction.” ; as we should do to God, brings us into the reconciliation to Him, that we need.
When we are reconciled to God, we are placed in that position to receive full power from Him. We are again sitting next to Him, holding hands.
Reconciliation makes us “partners” again. (That is what it means in the Greek)
If we are simply accepting His word, we can still be far from Him, and not receive the power He wants to give us.
Ok, fine, whatever; is really what it sounds like to God.
There must be an absolute surrender to Christ Jesus as Lord.
Then, there can be many reconciliations to His Word. And when we are, there will be more power in my life now.
We will know His will and be enabled to do His Will, that we might be blessed in His Will.
Matthew 16:5 “And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.”
This sets up an example of preconceived ideas getting in the way of our hearing what Jesus really is saying to us.
Matthew 16:6-7 “And Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.”
They were afraid Jesus was correcting them because they forgot to bring food for the trip across the sea.
But Jesus was not concerned about food. Had He not fed five thousand with a few loaves of bread and a few fishes?
Matthew 16:8,11-12. “Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, Oh ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have no bread?
How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees?
Then understood they how that he bade them not beware the leaven of the bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.”
Leaven was always in a bad connotation in the scriptures. It took substance and filled it with holes full of air.
(Now I love leavened bread, but when it comes to the Bible, leaven was making flour and water look larger than it was, bigger than it was. In other words it was a picture of hypocrisy.)
The disciples were not really listening, because as soon as Jesus started to speak about leaven…they thought of their mistake in not bringing bread.
How often we are the same. The Lord try’s to speak to us in a message or Bible teaching, and we are worried about this,
or thinking ahead to that.
Jesus wants us to understand all that He has for us, to come as close as we can.
Christ Jesus will lift us up, enlighten our path, give us courage, and so much more; But we must draw near, and hear Him.
Giving up our preconceived ideas; and really hear what He is saying to us.
There is so much He wants to give us, so much we need to receive; let us come close by yielding to Him, and hear.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 