829--The Church's seed is nought by Christ

The Church's seed is nought by Christ

829

	1.	The Church's seed is nought by Christ
		Himself
		Sown into human hearts as life, thereby
		Growing as wheat, producing flour fine
		For bread both God and man to satisfy.
	2.	But Satan hath the false believers sown
		Among the saints as tares among the
		wheat,
		To bring confusion and to hinder
		growth
		That they may not fulfill God's plan
		complete.
	3.	The Church's life just as the herb must
		be,
		Grown out of Christ, who is the
		mustard seed;
		Hidden and transient, little on earth,
		But good for food the hungry ones to
		feed.
	4.	But Satan came and made the little
		herb
		To change its nature and to change its
		form,
		That fully grown it did a tree become
		Where many evil ones may lodge and
		swarm.
	5.	Satan has also used the fallen "church"
		Evil and heathen practice to include,
		As leaven mingled with the meal of
		wheat,
		Thus to corrupt its purity as food.
	6.	But Christ as life would so transform
		the saints
		That they may be a pearl and precious
		stone,
		As the materials suitable to build
		Into His Church to make His Kingdom
		known.
	7.	Such an assembly grown in Christ as
		life,
		Transformed and built with Christ in
		them annealed,
		Is as the goodly pearl for preciousness
		And as the treasure hidden in the field.
	8.	Lord, separate us from the devil's
		"tares,"
		Each on deliver from the monstrous
		"tree,"
		>From all the "leaven" may Thou purify,
		That we may be as food to man and
		Thee.
	9.	Cause us to grow in life divine each
		day
		That we may be transformed and built
		by Thee
		Into a body to express Thyself,
		That Thou in us Thy Church and
		Kingdom see.