The Holy Spirit speaks to us all truth from the Father and the Son. We receive His Truth through the printed Word, the preached word and His private Word. The printed Word is God-breathed, “these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31), so read it like it’s written personally to you (it is). Pray when you read and ask God to speak and open the eyes of your understanding. Listen to preaching like God is speaking to you (He is). So come prepared to hear, Spirit-filled preaching deserves Spirit-filled listening. The parable of the sower is really the parable of the soil. Prepare your soil to accept the seeds God has for you. And God has a private word for you, “when he, the spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). But the private word God has for you will never contradict His printed Word.
