Taking Root 3, Offended

Matthew 13:21b “… because of the word, by and by he is offended” [KJV].

The word, offended interests me from the Word of Christ, the interpretation of Matthew 13:5-6, the seeds fell on rocky ground and they had no root. Tony has a book called, Satan’s Bait and we use this for our devotion and I learned that there are many subjects related to what causes the “offended.”

The word, offended = 1. to do wrong: SIN; 2: to cause to be angry or annoyed: DISPLEASE <that language offends me> … Sin = 1. a breaking of a moral law; 2: an action that is or is felt to be bad; Displease = to cause to feel disapproval, dislike, or annoyance <was displeased by the delay> [Merriam-Webster Dictionary].   Really, the word offended is a broad subject even related to offense like in a game, defense and offense.

But here Jesus talked about trials and persecutions that might come and because of the word, he is offended. A person may become angry because it is not what he thought it should be. To become “offended” may be something like: “I thought this is how it should be. I thought … I thought …” Where do “I thought” come from? This is where one needs to read a book, “Satan’s Bait” where it shows how he uses a mind, a “thought” that influence the person’s thinking. It had taken me years to realize how to identify whose “thought” came from. I often say, “Hey, wait a minute! Where did that “thought” came from?” I would check the Word of God against my “thought,” my “imaginations.” 

II Corinthians 10:5 “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” Here the word, imagination means the act, process, or power of forming a mental picture of something not present and especially of something one has not known or experienced; 2: a creative ability; 3: a creation of the mind. [Merriam-Webster Dictionary] Thought is past and participate of THINK. The mind, what we think is a powerful stuff. It could influence our destiny, hell or heaven.

Taking root, Christ’s teaching is the key to our spiritual growth. Paul, the Epistle’s prayer is found in Ephesians 3:14-21 and there is one verse 17 that he prayed, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being ROOTED and GROUNDED IN LOVE …” If we have this in our heart, then we would not be offended. Why? It is because Christ lives in our heart by faith; we are rooted and grounded in the love of God. How wonderful it is to have Christ dwell in our heart!

So let us trust God today!

Dorothy