I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello, and
welcome to 3ABN Today.
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My name is John Lomacang.
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Thank you for taking the
time to tune into your network.
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If you're tuning
in for the first time,
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remember this
button, lock it in there
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because this is we
believe God's channel
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and we have an
exciting program today.
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This is the Bible
portion of 3ABN Today.
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You know,
whenever we get a chance
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to talk about
missions, it's great.
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We talk about health
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and number of
other kinds of programs.
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But this one is the
Bible, the sure Word of God.
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And today, our panel,
who are no guest to 3ABN
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but a part of our 3ABN family
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are going to talk
about a very important topic,
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the Fruit of the Spirit.
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Now you may have heard about
the topic before you may say,
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"I know about the
Fruit of the Spirit."
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But I can guarantee you, today,
you're going to learn something
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and we're going
to learn something
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because we're not
here just to teach
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but we're asking
the Spirit of God
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to guide and to
direct in this program.
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Now to get to the program,
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we always have
some wonderful music
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but before that
thank you for your prayers
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and also your financial
support of this network
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that keeps us going and growing
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as we prepare for
the soon coming of Jesus.
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Today, we have some music
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from one of our very
own Sandra Entermann.
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She's going to be
singing, I Am Willing Lord
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and Sonia Kotarski is
going to be accompanying her
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on the piano.
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Sometimes when I am down
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And I don't feel like
you're around, oh Lord
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Feelin' so sorry for me
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Not knowing that all the while
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You're working to see
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If when I'm put thru' the fire
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I'll come out shinin' like gold
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Oh Lord, please don't
ever stop working with me
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'Til you see I can
be all You want me to be
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I am willing, Lord
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I am willing, Lord
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To be just exactly
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What You want me to be
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I am willing, Lord
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I am willing, Lord
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To be just exactly
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What You want me to be
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Often when I ask why
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Teach me then on
You to rely, oh Lord
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You surely know what is best
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May I learn that in confidence
and strength I can rest
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Then, leaning fully on You
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My questions fall one by one
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Dear Lord, please don't
ever stop working with me
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'Til you see I can
be all You want me to be
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I am willing, Lord
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I am willing, Lord
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To be just exactly
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What You want me to be
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I am willing, Lord
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I am willing, Lord
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To be just exactly what You want
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To be just exactly
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What You want
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I want to be just exactly
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What You want me to be
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Thank you so
much Sandra and Sonia,
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two friends of ours,
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whenever we get
to go to Australia,
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we get a chance
to minister with them
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and whenever they come here,
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we get a chance to reconnect.
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Again thank you so
much for the willingness.
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And that's what
this program is about,
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the willingness of Christ to
be reflected through our lives.
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We have to be willing in
order for Jesus to be seen.
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Well, let me go ahead
introduce our panel today.
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To my right is Mollie Steenson,
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general manager of
3ABN and vice president.
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Good to have you here, Mollie.
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Well, thank you very
much. Good to be here.
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And I'm glad you're here
because you have been around,
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you've been in ministry for all,
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most of all your adult life,
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and so this is a
very good topic for you.
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You've been the
wife of a pastor,
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still today you are
the wife of a pastor
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but you've been a
speaker, teacher, mom,
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all of those things
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and above all
that, a Christian woman.
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And hopefully one that has
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learned a few
lessons along the way.
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Yes.
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And that's, that seems
to be in talking with people
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more than anything
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they want to know
your real life experiences
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That's right.
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Not how much you know
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but what have
you actually lived.
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What are the fruits
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that are actually
coming forth in your life?
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That's right.
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And if I were to put you
in the category of a tree
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you've been in the orchard
of Christ for a long time,
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so He's pruned you
and you've grown more,
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and He's pruned
you and you've grown.
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And so good to
have you here today.
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Well, thank you so much.
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And, Dee Casper, good
to have you here, Dee,
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one of our
elders in Thompsonville.
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And you are blazing the trail,
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the Lord has kind of got
you going from hither and yon
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but glad that you've
taken the time to be here today.
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Good to be
here, I appreciate it.
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Yes, and you have
a wonderful journey,
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which also has allowed the Lord
to develop fruit in your life.
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We're gonna talk about that too.
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It's true.
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And to my far
right Pastor John Dinzey,
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the general
manager of 3ABN Latino.
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Good to have you here, Johnny.
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It's great to be
here. It's a blessing.
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Yes, and I know,
I've seen your journey
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and personally I know
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that the Lord has
reflected and revealed
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His fruit through your life
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and I could say
that about all of us.
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And today we're going
to talk about this topic
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because oftentimes
Christian churches are divided
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based on doctrinal belief,
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but there is
something to the Words of Jesus
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in John 10:16
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when He said,
"Other sheep I have,
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that are not of this fold."
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In other words, if
the Christian is known
00:09:03.71\00:09:07.58
by his or her fruit,
00:09:07.61\00:09:08.94
then the Lord is recognizing
that His fruit can be found
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in different
denominations in His people.
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But He didn't just say
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that they are found
in different places,
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He says, "Them
also I must bring."
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And so in these last days,
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Jesus is not just going
to gather sheep into His fold
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but He's going to
gather fruit into His basket.
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He wants His life to be
revealed on various planes,
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and I want to begin
with the cliche that you...
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I'm sure you've heard before.
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The apple doesn't
fall far from the tree.
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Let me just
start with you, Mollie.
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You've heard that
before, haven't you?
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Mm-hm.
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What does that translate
to you when it comes to fruit?
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Well, the apple
doesn't fall far from the tree,
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that to me that
is talking about...
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For instance, a mom and dad,
parents they produce children,
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and if there are strong godly
principles in this mom and dad,
00:10:02.50\00:10:09.70
then what are
they going to produce?
00:10:09.74\00:10:11.47
They are going to produce
strong godly principle children
00:10:11.51\00:10:14.31
because the apple isn't
going to fall far from the tree.
00:10:14.34\00:10:18.38
However, on the other hand,
00:10:18.41\00:10:20.72
if there are weaknesses
and areas that need improving,
00:10:20.75\00:10:25.75
then you're going to see
that manifestation as well.
00:10:25.79\00:10:28.82
Then that's going to be in
the fruit that comes forth.
00:10:28.86\00:10:33.40
And another thing is
you wouldn't find an apple
00:10:33.43\00:10:35.56
hanging out
under an orange tree.
00:10:35.60\00:10:37.00
No, that reminds
me of an illustration
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that I've read not
too terribly long ago.
00:10:41.34\00:10:44.71
These children,
when they disobeyed,
00:10:44.74\00:10:50.88
the parents make
them go up to their room
00:10:50.91\00:10:54.25
and that's where
they would have time out
00:10:54.28\00:10:56.12
was in there room.
00:10:56.15\00:10:57.52
But the children
didn't really mind that
00:10:57.55\00:10:59.52
because there was a tree
right outside their window
00:10:59.55\00:11:02.92
and they would just
climb down and go and play.
00:11:02.96\00:11:07.43
And then before very long,
00:11:07.46\00:11:09.96
they climb back up the
tree, go back in the room
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and then, "Have I been
in the room long enough?
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Is my punishment over?"
00:11:14.44\00:11:16.07
And so the parents
started looking at the tree
00:11:16.10\00:11:18.87
unbeknownst to what
the children were doing
00:11:18.91\00:11:21.14
and they say, "Do you know
that tree isn't producing fruit.
00:11:21.18\00:11:25.45
It hasn't had
fruit on it in years,
00:11:25.48\00:11:28.35
we're going to
cut that tree down."
00:11:28.38\00:11:29.92
Now did the children want
them to cut that tree down?
00:11:29.95\00:11:31.75
No.
00:11:31.79\00:11:33.12
No, because that
was their escape route.
00:11:33.15\00:11:35.62
And so the children
pulled all of their money,
00:11:35.66\00:11:38.76
they went down
to the grocery store
00:11:38.79\00:11:40.56
and they bought
a basket of apples
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and they just put
apples all over that tree
00:11:43.63\00:11:46.03
and the next morning the
father looked at the tree
00:11:46.07\00:11:48.20
and said, "Mama,
come and look at the this.
00:11:48.24\00:11:50.71
Look at this miracle,
00:11:50.74\00:11:52.47
there's apples all
over this pear tree."
00:11:52.51\00:11:56.18
The children didn't
know that it was a pear tree.
00:11:56.21\00:11:58.88
So the moral of
that story was...
00:11:58.91\00:12:02.28
What is it?
00:12:02.32\00:12:03.65
Seed produces
after its own kind.
00:12:03.69\00:12:05.32
The parents weren't
deceived any longer.
00:12:05.35\00:12:09.26
That's a very
good one, you know.
00:12:09.29\00:12:10.96
Apples don't grow on pear trees
00:12:10.99\00:12:12.53
and oranges don't
hang on the apple trees.
00:12:12.56\00:12:14.33
That's true.
00:12:14.36\00:12:15.70
So the tree
produces after its kind.
00:12:15.73\00:12:18.93
The seed produce after its kind.
00:12:18.97\00:12:20.30
First biblical principle
laid down in the Word of God,
00:12:20.34\00:12:22.57
seed produces
after its own kind.
00:12:22.60\00:12:24.41
I believe that's Genesis 3:5.
00:12:24.44\00:12:28.18
Seed produces
after its own kind.
00:12:28.21\00:12:30.08
Wow. And that's true.
00:12:30.11\00:12:31.65
That they bring forth seed
according to their own kind.
00:12:31.68\00:12:35.08
Dee, apple doesn't
fall far from the tree,
00:12:35.12\00:12:37.29
what does that mean to you?
00:12:37.32\00:12:38.72
Well, if you're seeing something
00:12:38.75\00:12:41.42
whatever it manifests,
00:12:41.46\00:12:42.79
you pretty much get an
idea of what the source is,
00:12:42.82\00:12:44.49
where it's coming from,
00:12:44.53\00:12:45.86
so if something
seems to be exhibiting
00:12:45.89\00:12:47.56
apple like characteristics,
00:12:47.60\00:12:48.93
it's probably because
it came from an apple tree.
00:12:48.96\00:12:51.87
It's very similar to
what Mollie was mentioning,
00:12:51.90\00:12:53.23
I think that's pretty
much the main gist of it.
00:12:53.27\00:12:55.54
Okay.
00:12:55.57\00:12:56.91
So we know the source
when we understand the fruit.
00:12:56.94\00:13:00.28
When we see the
fruit, we know the source.
00:13:00.31\00:13:02.04
Pastor Dinzey, apple
doesn't fall far from the tree,
00:13:02.08\00:13:04.51
that may mean something
different in Spanish but...
00:13:04.55\00:13:08.28
Well, actually it
means practically the same
00:13:08.32\00:13:10.75
and it's...
00:13:10.79\00:13:12.92
That saying is really helping,
00:13:12.95\00:13:16.29
you hear it when
somebody sees a child
00:13:16.32\00:13:19.96
behaving like the parent
00:13:20.00\00:13:21.46
and they say, "It's true.
00:13:21.50\00:13:23.06
The apple doesn't
fall far from the tree."
00:13:23.10\00:13:25.80
So you expect to see
similar characteristics
00:13:25.83\00:13:29.10
in the children as
are in the parents.
00:13:29.14\00:13:31.67
Now the reason I
started with that,
00:13:31.71\00:13:33.04
I want to come at a
completely different angle
00:13:33.07\00:13:35.04
from all three of you is
00:13:35.08\00:13:36.91
because of the
fact that the parent...
00:13:36.95\00:13:39.05
that's often used in a
parent-child relationship.
00:13:39.08\00:13:42.02
The parent is concerned
00:13:42.05\00:13:45.25
about what is seen
in the child's life,
00:13:45.29\00:13:47.82
in the same way
Jesus is concerned about
00:13:47.86\00:13:50.53
what is seen in
your life, in my life
00:13:50.56\00:13:53.43
because He is the
tree in this illustration
00:13:53.46\00:13:56.90
and we are the apples.
00:13:56.93\00:13:58.70
Hopefully we are,
00:13:58.73\00:14:00.14
and what we're
gonna talk about today
00:14:00.17\00:14:01.77
is the concern that
Jesus has and this is...
00:14:01.80\00:14:05.17
I want to just
make sure this is clear.
00:14:05.21\00:14:07.58
Our doctrinal
positions are vitally important.
00:14:07.61\00:14:10.01
It identifies the truth
about the character of God.
00:14:10.05\00:14:13.08
But He brings forth the
illustrations in John 15,
00:14:13.11\00:14:17.65
one of the most
powerful books on the connection
00:14:17.69\00:14:19.45
between the Christian and Christ
00:14:19.49\00:14:21.42
that the fruit is the evidence
00:14:21.46\00:14:24.69
of whether we are connected
or we are not connected.
00:14:24.73\00:14:28.13
And so I want to
throw this question out,
00:14:28.16\00:14:30.43
and we're going to
start with Matthew 3:8
00:14:30.47\00:14:32.50
because this is,
you know, we talk about
00:14:32.53\00:14:35.80
fruit in the sense of,
00:14:35.84\00:14:37.27
we'll talk about what they are
00:14:37.31\00:14:38.67
but for those of you who know
00:14:38.71\00:14:40.64
we'll reiterate this
later on in the program,
00:14:40.68\00:14:42.31
love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
00:14:42.34\00:14:44.18
gentleness, meekness, patience.
00:14:44.21\00:14:45.98
But I want to
begin with the fruit
00:14:46.01\00:14:47.35
that we often don't talk about.
00:14:47.38\00:14:48.85
Because before
those fruit show up,
00:14:48.88\00:14:50.59
there needs to be
a fruit before that,
00:14:50.62\00:14:53.76
before love, joy, peace,
00:14:53.79\00:14:55.89
longsuffering,
gentleness, meekness,
00:14:55.92\00:14:57.26
patience shows up,
00:14:57.29\00:14:58.63
there needs to be a
different fruit before that.
00:14:58.66\00:15:01.46
And so, Mollie, since
you're right here to my right,
00:15:01.50\00:15:04.90
what does Jesus
instructed to do in Matthew 3:8?
00:15:04.93\00:15:07.60
"Therefore bear
fruits worthy of repentance."
00:15:07.64\00:15:12.51
So break that down for us?
00:15:12.54\00:15:15.51
Well, first and foremost,
00:15:15.54\00:15:18.65
when we are outside
of the kingdom of God,
00:15:18.68\00:15:23.75
we're walking around in darkness
00:15:23.79\00:15:25.25
serving the God of this world,
00:15:25.29\00:15:26.69
something has to happen
before we can be fruit bearers
00:15:26.72\00:15:29.46
in the kingdom of God.
00:15:29.49\00:15:30.83
We've got to be born again
00:15:30.86\00:15:33.70
and to be born
again, what does that mean?
00:15:33.73\00:15:36.70
You accept the Lord Jesus Christ
00:15:36.73\00:15:38.90
and you repent
of your former way.
00:15:38.93\00:15:42.50
Old things passed away,
00:15:42.54\00:15:43.97
behold, all things
are going to become new.
00:15:44.01\00:15:45.87
Now that is for your initial
coming into the image of God,
00:15:45.91\00:15:50.75
but then, Pastor Lomacang,
I don't know about your life
00:15:50.78\00:15:54.45
but I can only say
this is true for my life,
00:15:54.48\00:15:56.92
I thank God that there
is that fruit of repentance.
00:15:56.95\00:16:01.46
is in the Word of God
00:16:01.49\00:16:04.69
that if we confess
our sins, He is faithful
00:16:04.73\00:16:06.93
and just to
forgive us of our sins
00:16:06.96\00:16:08.70
and cleanse us
from unrighteousness.
00:16:08.73\00:16:10.53
That fruit of repentance
isn't a one time thing,
00:16:10.57\00:16:14.07
it's something that we
need the Lord to work within us.
00:16:14.10\00:16:20.01
I don't think it ever
will stop in my life anyway.
00:16:20.04\00:16:22.74
Okay. Dee?
00:16:22.78\00:16:24.41
It reminded me of two aspects
or two teachings on this topic,
00:16:24.45\00:16:27.52
one is Paul, Paul talks about
00:16:27.55\00:16:28.95
how the gentile world is
grafted in to a spiritual tree
00:16:28.98\00:16:34.49
that they don't
have what they need.
00:16:34.52\00:16:37.16
They need to be
engrafted into something
00:16:37.19\00:16:38.79
that can provide what they need.
00:16:38.83\00:16:40.63
And Jesus kind of
elaborates on this even further,
00:16:40.66\00:16:42.66
obviously he was
writing before Paul,
00:16:42.70\00:16:44.03
but he was teaching before Paul
00:16:44.07\00:16:46.50
but the two kind of go together
as far as these teachings that,
00:16:46.53\00:16:49.47
"Apart from me
you can do nothing."
00:16:49.50\00:16:50.94
That's right.
00:16:50.97\00:16:52.31
I can't even find
repentance without Christ.
00:16:52.34\00:16:53.94
Repentance is
actually a gift from Christ
00:16:53.98\00:16:56.54
and what leads me to Christ
is recognizing my nothingness.
00:16:56.58\00:17:00.35
When I see my nothingness,
it points me to Jesus
00:17:00.38\00:17:02.68
and when I am
grafted into Christ,
00:17:02.72\00:17:05.29
only then would
I even be capable
00:17:05.32\00:17:07.36
of bearing any form of fruit.
00:17:07.39\00:17:09.26
And if I'm attached to Christ,
the fruit I'm going to bear
00:17:09.29\00:17:11.56
would be the
fruit of the spirit.
00:17:11.59\00:17:13.16
You know, admirable
traits, Christ like traits.
00:17:13.19\00:17:16.16
Okay, all right. Pastor Dinzey?
00:17:16.20\00:17:19.03
You know, as we
look at the verse before.
00:17:19.07\00:17:21.14
This was a time
00:17:21.17\00:17:22.50
when John the
Baptist was preaching
00:17:22.54\00:17:25.14
and to his amazement,
00:17:25.17\00:17:27.51
the scribes and
Pharisees were coming
00:17:27.54\00:17:29.28
and saying, we
want to be baptized too.
00:17:29.31\00:17:31.55
And so then he says that,
he told them to bear fruits
00:17:31.58\00:17:37.12
that show that there is
true repentance taking place
00:17:37.15\00:17:41.02
because some can join the church
00:17:41.06\00:17:47.30
or say they are
Christian for different reasons
00:17:47.33\00:17:49.86
not because they've
given their heart to Christ,
00:17:49.90\00:17:52.87
and so the evidence
00:17:52.90\00:17:55.57
of something
happening inside is by...
00:17:55.60\00:17:58.77
As the Scripture says,
00:17:58.81\00:18:00.41
"By the fruits,
you shall know them."
00:18:00.44\00:18:03.14
And apparently there
were not fruits or repentance
00:18:03.18\00:18:06.38
seen by John for him to say,
00:18:06.41\00:18:10.29
"You guys aren't
ready for baptism,
00:18:10.32\00:18:11.89
you have, I see something
that tells me you are."
00:18:11.92\00:18:15.42
And so we have to say
that the Lord blessed John
00:18:15.46\00:18:20.36
with spiritual
discernment in this case.
00:18:20.40\00:18:24.80
And we cannot bear fruit
00:18:24.83\00:18:27.54
unless we are
connected to Christ,
00:18:27.57\00:18:29.64
we just cannot.
00:18:29.67\00:18:31.01
And that is true
00:18:31.04\00:18:32.37
and this statement was
made to scribes and Pharisees,
00:18:32.41\00:18:35.04
religious people,
00:18:35.08\00:18:37.11
and so it shows that
religion and Christianity
00:18:37.15\00:18:40.65
are not always the same thing.
00:18:40.68\00:18:42.82
You know, people
could be very religious,
00:18:42.85\00:18:44.25
but what kind of
life are they living.
00:18:44.29\00:18:46.45
Does it show the evidence
00:18:46.49\00:18:47.82
that they are still connected
00:18:47.86\00:18:49.19
to their former ways of living,
00:18:49.22\00:18:50.73
or does it show that they
are connected to Christ now?
00:18:50.76\00:18:52.86
And, you know, the
challenge as a Christian,
00:18:52.89\00:18:55.23
we know that the Christian life
00:18:55.26\00:18:56.60
and people have said this
and I want to reiterate this.
00:18:56.63\00:18:58.47
The Christian
life is not a cakewalk.
00:18:58.50\00:19:01.64
It demands a lot of us
00:19:01.67\00:19:03.34
but the demanding doesn't cause
00:19:03.37\00:19:05.47
us to be the ones producing it
00:19:05.51\00:19:07.18
because you
mentioned just a moment ago
00:19:07.21\00:19:08.54
when we talked about John 15,
the one who produces is Christ.
00:19:08.58\00:19:12.41
We have to remain
connected the sap.
00:19:12.45\00:19:14.62
I think somebody once said,
"The root of a tree is bitter
00:19:14.65\00:19:18.52
but the fruit is sweet."
00:19:18.55\00:19:20.66
You know, the Lord didn't say,
you'll know them by their roots
00:19:20.69\00:19:24.09
but you'll know
them by their fruits.
00:19:24.13\00:19:25.66
We don't eat the
root, we eat the fruit.
00:19:25.69\00:19:27.76
The root is into the soil
where all the nutrients are,
00:19:27.80\00:19:30.23
but you don't eat the
root, we eat the fruit.
00:19:30.27\00:19:33.54
And so we have to
remain connected to Christ
00:19:33.57\00:19:35.27
because unless we do,
00:19:35.30\00:19:36.94
that's really
not true repentance.
00:19:36.97\00:19:38.81
And so church membership
00:19:38.84\00:19:42.91
is not the prerequisite
for displaying fruit,
00:19:42.94\00:19:46.51
but repentance...
00:19:46.55\00:19:48.25
is the
prerequisite for bearing fruit.
00:19:48.28\00:19:50.22
I see you smiling,
Pastor Dinzey, there.
00:19:50.25\00:19:52.19
Something
interesting happened to Peter
00:19:52.22\00:19:55.32
that happens to people
00:19:55.36\00:19:56.69
when they spend
time with Christ,
00:19:56.73\00:19:58.06
he has spent three and
a half years with Christ.
00:19:58.09\00:20:00.73
And so the time comes
when Christ is taken away
00:20:00.76\00:20:03.77
and He's being
going through a trial.
00:20:03.80\00:20:07.77
And Peter is around,
Jesus had warned Peter,
00:20:07.80\00:20:11.41
you're going to
deny me three times.
00:20:11.44\00:20:13.81
And somebody says to him,
"Hey, you are one of them?"
00:20:13.84\00:20:17.08
And he denied.
00:20:17.11\00:20:18.65
And Peter did not realize
00:20:18.68\00:20:21.48
that his manner of
speaking had changed.
00:20:21.52\00:20:24.89
Because he was a fisherman,
they had foul language,
00:20:24.92\00:20:27.99
and they say you're one of
them because you speak like him.
00:20:28.02\00:20:33.36
And so he realized so he
had to change the way he spoke
00:20:33.40\00:20:38.00
and you get the idea
that he used foul language
00:20:38.03\00:20:41.07
to kind of tell
others, "Oh, no, I'm not."
00:20:41.10\00:20:44.97
And so the natural
result of being with Christ
00:20:45.01\00:20:48.81
is that you are transformed.
00:20:48.84\00:20:52.75
I'm thinking of
2 Corinthians 3:18
00:20:52.78\00:20:56.28
that by beholding
we become changed.
00:20:56.32\00:21:00.09
Daily he was with
Christ, daily he heard Him,
00:21:00.12\00:21:02.36
daily he decided he made steps,
00:21:02.39\00:21:06.56
he made choices that
he was being transformed.
00:21:06.59\00:21:09.60
Because I'm saying
that he made choices,
00:21:09.63\00:21:12.17
because Judas was there.
00:21:12.20\00:21:13.54
Judas was listening,
but he did not make choices
00:21:13.57\00:21:18.17
that allowed the Lord
to transform him, you see.
00:21:18.21\00:21:21.44
So we can all
hear the same message,
00:21:21.48\00:21:23.65
but we have to make
choices by the message we hear.
00:21:23.68\00:21:27.98
Let us go to Galatians
00:21:28.02\00:21:29.35
and I want one of you
to turn to Titus 1:16.
00:21:29.38\00:21:32.42
It's in the syllabus we
have today but there's a...
00:21:32.45\00:21:35.36
The point you made
is very well brought out
00:21:35.39\00:21:37.63
and I think each one of you
00:21:37.66\00:21:38.99
had a contribution
to each one of these.
00:21:39.03\00:21:40.93
The point that
we're talking about is
00:21:40.96\00:21:42.86
a lot of times people
say, "I am a Christian,
00:21:42.90\00:21:45.77
or I'm a Baptist,
or I'm an Adventist.
00:21:45.80\00:21:47.94
I'm a Pentecostal.
I'm a Presbyterian."
00:21:47.97\00:21:49.67
They identify in
denominational categorization
00:21:49.70\00:21:52.91
that they are connected
to a particular movement
00:21:52.94\00:21:54.58
that is identified with Christ.
00:21:54.61\00:21:56.54
But that's not all
that Jesus required of them.
00:21:56.58\00:22:00.15
He said that as
was pointed out here,
00:22:00.18\00:22:02.15
he says make sure that
your fruits are evidence
00:22:02.18\00:22:04.82
that you're connected to Christ.
00:22:04.85\00:22:06.19
Titus 1:16 because
John you mentioned this
00:22:06.22\00:22:09.29
in reference to Peter.
00:22:09.32\00:22:11.23
He was identified as
being connected to Christ
00:22:11.26\00:22:13.93
but there's
something that made it evident
00:22:13.96\00:22:15.43
that he wasn't at
that particular point.
00:22:15.46\00:22:17.57
Do you have that,
Mollie, Titus 1:16?
00:22:17.60\00:22:19.27
1:16, "They profess to know God,
00:22:19.30\00:22:22.77
but in works they deny him,
being abominable, disobedient,
00:22:22.80\00:22:28.11
and disqualified
for every good work."
00:22:28.14\00:22:30.78
So they profess to know Him.
00:22:30.81\00:22:32.85
Let me say, "I'm a
Christian, or I'm a Jew,
00:22:32.88\00:22:35.32
or I'm a Pharisee, I'm a scribe,
00:22:35.35\00:22:37.19
I'm Sanhedrin, I'm a Sadducees."
00:22:37.22\00:22:39.19
But, you say, wait a minute,
00:22:39.22\00:22:41.12
but no, your life does
not show that you know him.
00:22:41.16\00:22:44.53
You are denying
him by your life,
00:22:44.56\00:22:47.00
so one of the first
points I want to bring out
00:22:47.03\00:22:48.66
is being
denominational Christian
00:22:48.70\00:22:52.77
and being a Christian by fruit
is not always the same thing,
00:22:52.80\00:22:57.04
any points on that?
00:22:57.07\00:22:58.41
It's true.
00:22:58.44\00:22:59.77
We call that the
nominal Christianity.
00:22:59.81\00:23:01.51
You have something by name only
00:23:01.54\00:23:03.55
but through your
behavior, through your acts
00:23:03.58\00:23:07.88
you don't exemplify the fruits
00:23:07.92\00:23:09.38
of what Christ
life is really like.
00:23:09.42\00:23:10.75
Because first and foremost
00:23:10.79\00:23:12.12
to be a Christian
is to be Christ like.
00:23:12.15\00:23:13.86
How did He
speak? How did He act?
00:23:13.89\00:23:15.46
How did He treat the oppressed?
00:23:15.49\00:23:16.83
How did He, you know,
associate with those who were,
00:23:16.86\00:23:19.93
you know, generally you don't
associate with people like that
00:23:19.96\00:23:22.13
because they're
this or they're that.
00:23:22.16\00:23:24.73
So just saying
that I'm a Christian
00:23:24.77\00:23:26.77
doesn't really say
anything necessarily.
00:23:26.80\00:23:30.14
What really says
that I'm a Christian
00:23:30.17\00:23:31.64
is how I treat my fellow man,
00:23:31.67\00:23:33.38
how I treat my family,
00:23:33.41\00:23:34.74
how I speak to
people and so forth.
00:23:34.78\00:23:36.68
So nominal Christianity
isn't what we're looking for,
00:23:36.71\00:23:38.95
we're looking for a
heart transformation
00:23:38.98\00:23:41.22
which is what John the
Baptist is calling people to,
00:23:41.25\00:23:43.15
which is what
Jesus' first message was,
00:23:43.18\00:23:45.29
"Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand."
00:23:45.32\00:23:47.42
Right. Anyone else?
00:23:47.46\00:23:48.79
You know, Romans 8 tells us
that we have been predestined
00:23:48.82\00:23:52.09
to be conformed to
the image of Christ
00:23:52.13\00:23:54.53
and that's not external,
00:23:54.56\00:23:56.46
it's internal to exemplify
His attributes to be conformed.
00:23:56.50\00:24:03.41
And again going
back to that seed
00:24:03.44\00:24:05.31
produces after its own kind.
00:24:05.34\00:24:07.51
The scripture says, "In
the beginning was the Word,
00:24:07.54\00:24:09.81
the Word was with
God, and the Word was God,
00:24:09.84\00:24:11.75
and the Word became
flesh and dwelt among us,
00:24:11.78\00:24:14.48
and then the Word is
likened as unto seed."
00:24:14.52\00:24:18.75
And the seed that
allows us to be changed,
00:24:18.79\00:24:23.53
to be conformed in
the image of Christ,
00:24:23.56\00:24:25.23
it's the seed
of the Word of God.
00:24:25.26\00:24:27.06
And as we read God's
Word and consume God's Word
00:24:27.10\00:24:29.60
and allow that Word to
be planted in our hearts,
00:24:29.63\00:24:32.67
it takes root, and it
grows, and it produces
00:24:32.70\00:24:36.74
and seed is producing
again after its own kind
00:24:36.77\00:24:40.31
in the image and
likeness of Christ.
00:24:40.34\00:24:42.44
It's being produced within us
00:24:42.48\00:24:43.98
which is what we have been
predestined to be conformed to.
00:24:44.01\00:24:47.55
What I'm hearing you say is,
00:24:47.58\00:24:48.98
the Bible, the
written Word of God
00:24:49.02\00:24:52.25
which is a reflection
of the living Word of God
00:24:52.29\00:24:54.42
when it's ingested,
00:24:54.46\00:24:57.39
I'm going to use
that word ingested
00:24:57.43\00:24:58.76
because you could
chew on it but not ingest.
00:24:58.79\00:25:01.06
When it is
ingested, when it's digested,
00:25:01.10\00:25:02.70
it starts making a
difference in our lives.
00:25:02.73\00:25:04.23
The entrance of
this Word gives life.
00:25:04.27\00:25:06.17
So the entrance of God,
00:25:06.20\00:25:07.54
the Word of God is
quick and powerful.
00:25:07.57\00:25:09.57
It's a vital living
force and as we read the Word,
00:25:09.60\00:25:13.24
and as we hear the Word,
and as we consume this Word,
00:25:13.27\00:25:17.18
it's a living force
that is going into the field,
00:25:17.21\00:25:22.02
the soil of our
hearts and it's changing us.
00:25:22.05\00:25:26.15
It changes us without
our even being aware of it
00:25:26.19\00:25:30.19
as this Word becomes a
living and vital within us.
00:25:30.23\00:25:35.10
The Word has creative power.
00:25:35.13\00:25:36.97
By His Word the
worlds were created,
00:25:37.00\00:25:38.63
so when you see
this it just makes sense
00:25:38.67\00:25:40.54
that the more time I
spend in communing with Christ
00:25:40.57\00:25:43.77
and by taking His word into me,
00:25:43.81\00:25:45.84
letting it become a part of me
00:25:45.87\00:25:47.21
not just something that I'm near
00:25:47.24\00:25:48.78
or in proximity to
00:25:48.81\00:25:50.15
but it actually
becomes a part of who I am,
00:25:50.18\00:25:52.31
it would lead to a
logical transformation,
00:25:52.35\00:25:53.92
that's what it was meant to do.
00:25:53.95\00:25:55.28
That's right. Amen, amen.
00:25:55.32\00:25:57.32
I agree, this is
a marvelous process
00:25:57.35\00:25:59.82
that takes place in the life,
00:25:59.85\00:26:01.66
in the heart of the individual
00:26:01.69\00:26:03.69
that as the person
surrenders to Christ,
00:26:03.73\00:26:06.73
these changes take place.
00:26:06.76\00:26:08.63
It's, you know, you
were talking about the...
00:26:08.66\00:26:12.53
Oh, it was Sister
Mollie, talking about the tree
00:26:12.57\00:26:16.17
that the kids put the
apples on to the pear tree.
00:26:16.20\00:26:20.78
And really that's
what happens in life
00:26:20.81\00:26:23.45
and let me explain, the
fruits grow on the trees
00:26:23.48\00:26:28.95
and nobody stands
there watching them to see
00:26:28.98\00:26:31.39
when they finally a
little flower comes out.
00:26:31.42\00:26:34.22
But you wake up
00:26:34.26\00:26:35.59
and the next day you
see the little flowers
00:26:35.62\00:26:36.96
and the little, and little by
little the process takes place,
00:26:36.99\00:26:39.86
it's a process.
00:26:39.89\00:26:41.76
The trees do not grow overnight,
00:26:41.80\00:26:43.50
I mean, the fruits
do not grow overnight.
00:26:43.53\00:26:45.63
In this case it's a
process that takes place
00:26:45.67\00:26:50.61
being in the soil,
00:26:50.64\00:26:53.07
the plant remaining in the soil,
00:26:53.11\00:26:54.84
the sun and the
rain coming down upon it,
00:26:54.88\00:26:57.11
and the care that
the people give to it.
00:26:57.15\00:26:59.98
It's a process, and
that's why we put ourselves
00:27:00.02\00:27:04.12
in the hands of the Lord,
00:27:04.15\00:27:05.49
and we have the
assurance, Philippians 1:6.
00:27:05.52\00:27:07.92
Yes. That's right.
00:27:07.96\00:27:09.29
And being
confident of this very thing
00:27:09.32\00:27:11.09
that he who has
begun a good work in you
00:27:11.13\00:27:14.33
will complete it until
the day of Jesus Christ.
00:27:14.36\00:27:16.97
And so we should
not get discouraged that
00:27:17.00\00:27:21.00
perhaps we don't
see something in us
00:27:21.04\00:27:23.07
that we see in someone else.
00:27:23.10\00:27:24.87
But to say, "Keep praying,
keep following the Lord,
00:27:24.91\00:27:28.94
and the Lord is going to
bear fruit to His glory in us."
00:27:28.98\00:27:32.48
And, you know,
pardon me, go ahead.
00:27:32.51\00:27:34.12
Okay. Sure.
00:27:34.15\00:27:35.48
I was just thinking
that a fruit tree doesn't...
00:27:35.52\00:27:37.99
When you first put
that thing in the ground,
00:27:38.02\00:27:39.65
you're not going to
have fruit in six months.
00:27:39.69\00:27:41.72
It could even be
a couple of years
00:27:41.76\00:27:43.09
before you see visible fruit,
00:27:43.12\00:27:44.86
but that does not mean
that nothing's happening
00:27:44.89\00:27:46.96
and that does not mean
00:27:47.00\00:27:48.33
that this person is
not a Christian either.
00:27:48.36\00:27:50.37
And I think that this
is, just in the same way
00:27:50.40\00:27:52.10
which an individual
should not be discouraged
00:27:52.13\00:27:53.94
by what they may or may not see.
00:27:53.97\00:27:55.90
We as Christians particularly
as more mature Christians
00:27:55.94\00:27:59.67
should not assume that just
because we don't fully see it
00:27:59.71\00:28:02.24
what we think should be fruit
doesn't necessarily mean that
00:28:02.28\00:28:04.95
something's not
going on the inside
00:28:04.98\00:28:06.55
that's going to lead to fruit.
00:28:06.58\00:28:07.92
That's right. We can't know.
00:28:07.95\00:28:09.55
And this is why our
job is to cultivate, right,
00:28:09.58\00:28:12.25
to nurture, and to nourish
00:28:12.29\00:28:13.76
the soil of the trees around us.
00:28:13.79\00:28:15.82
But our job is not to assume
that we know where someone
00:28:15.86\00:28:18.19
is particularly during their
infancy in their experience.
00:28:18.23\00:28:20.86
It could be a 75 year old man
00:28:20.90\00:28:22.23
just beginning his
Christian experience
00:28:22.26\00:28:24.17
or it could be a young child
00:28:24.20\00:28:25.53
who's already thriving
the Christian experience.
00:28:25.57\00:28:27.57
We can't fully know at certain
stages of development yet
00:28:27.60\00:28:30.51
where they are.
00:28:30.54\00:28:31.87
Right, I want to make
that point very clear.
00:28:31.91\00:28:33.81
That is very true
because we have to give
00:28:33.84\00:28:35.78
what I'm hearing you see,
00:28:35.81\00:28:37.15
we have to give
the individual time
00:28:37.18\00:28:38.81
for the fruit to show up.
00:28:38.85\00:28:40.18
Yes. And the Lord has...
00:28:40.22\00:28:41.95
Philippines 1:6, "The
Lord has begun the work,
00:28:41.98\00:28:44.79
he's gonna complete the work,
00:28:44.82\00:28:48.49
the fruit will become full grown
00:28:48.52\00:28:50.03
and then able to
nourish other people's lives."
00:28:50.06\00:28:52.89
And we've said
statements like this,
00:28:52.93\00:28:54.76
"You've come a long way."
00:28:54.80\00:28:56.43
You've heard that before?
00:28:56.46\00:28:57.80
And how do you know? By
the fruit they're producing.
00:28:57.83\00:28:59.60
Say it again?
00:28:59.63\00:29:00.97
The reason you know that
00:29:01.00\00:29:02.34
is by the fruit
that they're producing.
00:29:02.37\00:29:03.77
You say, "Man,
you're not the same.
00:29:03.81\00:29:05.14
I remember the last time,
if I did that two years ago,
00:29:05.17\00:29:07.18
you would knock me out."
00:29:07.21\00:29:09.68
I mean, I've
heard people say that.
00:29:09.71\00:29:11.05
Yes, yes.
00:29:11.08\00:29:12.41
Now you could approach
Dee because he's at calm.
00:29:12.45\00:29:15.08
Man, if you've
seen him when I knew him
00:29:15.12\00:29:16.99
and people have said, "Are you
the same guy I grew up with?"
00:29:17.02\00:29:20.16
When I go to Brooklyn
periodically I get to see guys
00:29:20.19\00:29:22.29
that I knew I grew up
with in the pool halls
00:29:22.32\00:29:23.99
and the whole dark
life of the New York City
00:29:24.03\00:29:27.56
and they say, "Are you John?"
00:29:27.60\00:29:30.43
I said, "Well, my name is
but I'm not the same person."
00:29:30.47\00:29:33.13
They say, "Man, you're
doing pretty good for yourself."
00:29:33.17\00:29:35.50
And I say, "Thank you Lord."
00:29:35.54\00:29:37.31
Because we have to give time
00:29:37.34\00:29:38.67
for the fruit
to show up, Mollie?
00:29:38.71\00:29:40.18
Well, I'm just
thinking about something
00:29:40.21\00:29:42.18
that you said earlier,
00:29:42.21\00:29:43.95
I think it was
before the program started
00:29:43.98\00:29:45.61
when we were just talking
00:29:45.65\00:29:46.98
and that is that apple
trees don't eat apples.
00:29:47.02\00:29:49.78
Yeah. Yeah.
00:29:49.82\00:29:51.25
The fruit is produced for others
00:29:51.29\00:29:54.59
and I'm thinking about that
00:29:54.62\00:29:56.26
like the fruit that we
produce love, joy, peace.
00:29:56.29\00:30:01.00
The fruit of the spirit
that is produced within us,
00:30:01.03\00:30:04.53
it's not for ourselves,
00:30:04.57\00:30:06.87
we become currency
in the hand of God.
00:30:06.90\00:30:11.61
And the currency
00:30:11.64\00:30:12.97
that we have is the
fruit that is in our lives
00:30:13.01\00:30:16.95
that God can take that now
00:30:16.98\00:30:19.15
and spend it on
somebody that need...
00:30:19.18\00:30:21.32
If you've got love,
00:30:21.35\00:30:22.68
if the fruit
you're producing is love
00:30:22.72\00:30:25.35
and there's
somebody that needs love,
00:30:25.39\00:30:28.06
God is gonna take you
as currency in His kingdom
00:30:28.09\00:30:32.43
and spend you on that person.
00:30:32.46\00:30:34.06
That's right.
That love is for them.
00:30:34.10\00:30:35.56
You know, Danny
Shelton sings this song
00:30:35.60\00:30:37.77
and he sang it
before this program.
00:30:37.80\00:30:39.73
I want to spend my
life mending broken people.
00:30:39.77\00:30:43.57
Well, that can
be one of two things
00:30:43.61\00:30:46.47
spend the time of my life
helping others or, Father,
00:30:46.51\00:30:50.38
take my life and spend it
00:30:50.41\00:30:53.35
on receiving others
into the Kingdom of God.
00:30:53.38\00:30:57.42
Love, joy, peace,
I've got great peace.
00:30:57.45\00:31:00.02
There's somebody
that has no peace.
00:31:00.06\00:31:02.49
So God will take the
currency of this peace
00:31:02.52\00:31:05.63
that He's placed within me
and spend it on that person
00:31:05.66\00:31:08.66
that fat peace can go to them.
00:31:08.70\00:31:10.33
We don't produce
this fruit for ourselves,
00:31:10.37\00:31:13.60
fruit is produced for others
00:31:13.64\00:31:15.34
and we become again
currency in the hand of God.
00:31:15.37\00:31:18.54
Okay. Just thinking,
00:31:18.57\00:31:19.91
this is the
amazing thing about God
00:31:19.94\00:31:21.78
is that God is using
Christians as conduit basically.
00:31:21.81\00:31:25.08
That's right.
00:31:25.11\00:31:26.45
For His love to be
transferred to communicate
00:31:26.48\00:31:29.72
and for people to
be able to experience
00:31:29.75\00:31:31.35
the love of God
00:31:31.39\00:31:32.72
and of all things
that God could use...
00:31:32.75\00:31:34.09
Paul talks about
this in Ephesians
00:31:34.12\00:31:35.46
that God is making known
00:31:35.49\00:31:36.83
to the principalities and others
00:31:36.86\00:31:38.79
of His character of love
00:31:38.83\00:31:40.16
through of all
means, the church.
00:31:40.20\00:31:42.10
That's right.
00:31:42.13\00:31:43.47
Like of all the people
you could use as character
00:31:43.50\00:31:45.30
witnesses for God,
00:31:45.33\00:31:46.67
I certainly
wouldn't be using me, right?
00:31:46.70\00:31:48.97
Because my life
is not what I wish
00:31:49.00\00:31:50.34
that it would be,
00:31:50.37\00:31:51.71
but God sees in me
things that I don't see in me.
00:31:51.74\00:31:54.44
In that faith of Jesus
00:31:54.48\00:31:55.84
and what I can be
and lived out through me
00:31:55.88\00:31:58.41
is what shows other people
00:31:58.45\00:31:59.78
what God is actually like
and He entrust that to us.
00:31:59.81\00:32:02.78
What a privilege that is
that we can be used by Him
00:32:02.82\00:32:05.99
to communicate His love
to fallen morals around us.
00:32:06.02\00:32:07.99
Well, let me say something
00:32:08.02\00:32:09.36
a little
differently than you phrased it,
00:32:09.39\00:32:10.99
you know, in studying this topic
00:32:11.03\00:32:12.36
of righteousness by faith,
00:32:12.39\00:32:13.73
He doesn't see in us
something worth developing,
00:32:13.76\00:32:16.60
He is in us being revealed. Yes.
00:32:16.63\00:32:20.97
Because if there
was anything in me
00:32:21.00\00:32:22.34
worth developing,
00:32:22.37\00:32:24.34
then the apostle wouldn't say,
00:32:24.37\00:32:26.47
there is none that
is good, no not one,
00:32:26.51\00:32:29.24
all of our
righteousness is as filthy rags.
00:32:29.28\00:32:31.91
He comes in
00:32:31.95\00:32:33.52
and the amazing
miracle of Christianity
00:32:33.55\00:32:36.35
is He takes this
vessel that is unworthy,
00:32:36.38\00:32:38.59
and by His presence
causes us to be worthy
00:32:38.62\00:32:40.46
and reflect His goodness.
00:32:40.49\00:32:41.82
And to the degree
that we yield to Him
00:32:41.86\00:32:43.56
and surrender to Him.
00:32:43.59\00:32:44.93
That's right.
00:32:44.96\00:32:46.29
That's the degree
00:32:46.33\00:32:47.66
that He can expose
Himself through us.
00:32:47.70\00:32:49.03
That's right.
It's very, very good.
00:32:49.06\00:32:50.40
Pastor Dinzey?
00:32:50.43\00:32:51.77
And, you know,
we are talking about
00:32:51.80\00:32:54.20
the process and what God does.
00:32:54.24\00:32:58.47
You can plant ten
seeds in the ground
00:32:58.51\00:33:03.51
and you should not expect them
to be growing at the same rate.
00:33:03.55\00:33:07.72
If you come in and
measure each one, okay,
00:33:07.75\00:33:09.75
they're living up
to their expectation,
00:33:09.78\00:33:13.29
you know, because they
grow at different rates
00:33:13.32\00:33:17.23
and when they
start producing fruit,
00:33:17.26\00:33:19.76
not all plants produce
the same amount of fruit,
00:33:19.79\00:33:22.26
the same size of fruit.
00:33:22.30\00:33:24.60
And so the Bible says
00:33:24.63\00:33:28.04
we should know
them by their fruits,
00:33:28.07\00:33:29.90
by their fruit,
00:33:29.94\00:33:31.97
and so we need to
encourage one another.
00:33:32.01\00:33:38.51
And as the Bible says,
00:33:38.55\00:33:41.08
in love and
that's why our word need
00:33:41.12\00:33:43.22
to be seasoned with grace
00:33:43.25\00:33:45.29
and so we should
encourage one another
00:33:45.32\00:33:47.66
as they are also growing.
00:33:47.69\00:33:51.49
But we know that as
God is working in us,
00:33:51.53\00:33:55.20
the devil is
trying to work against us,
00:33:55.23\00:33:58.43
and that's why Jesus says to us,
00:33:58.47\00:34:01.77
"If any man will come
who wants to follow Me,
00:34:01.80\00:34:04.61
let him take up his
cross daily and follow Me."
00:34:04.64\00:34:07.31
So for us to
cooperate with the Lord,
00:34:07.34\00:34:10.68
there's a part that we must do.
00:34:10.71\00:34:12.71
So every day we
have talked about this,
00:34:12.75\00:34:14.98
already has been
mentioned but worth repeating.
00:34:15.02\00:34:17.65
We must cooperate with the Lord
00:34:17.69\00:34:19.45
so the Lord can to do
this marvelous work in us.
00:34:19.49\00:34:22.52
I want to just go to Luke
8:14 and the reason I want to go
00:34:22.56\00:34:26.36
there is because
this is a text for people
00:34:26.39\00:34:29.60
that have been
Christians for a while,
00:34:29.63\00:34:32.63
the challenges of life...
00:34:32.67\00:34:35.04
I have seen trees in orchards,
I was, I lived in California,
00:34:35.07\00:34:39.01
my wife and I lived not
too far from Napa Valley
00:34:39.04\00:34:40.94
there in Fairfield.
00:34:40.98\00:34:42.31
And we would go
00:34:42.34\00:34:43.68
through the Napa
Valley quite often.
00:34:43.71\00:34:45.15
And one of the
things that we've noticed
00:34:45.18\00:34:46.98
in the early part of the season,
00:34:47.02\00:34:48.98
the growers, they get
out there really early
00:34:49.02\00:34:51.55
when they know
the season to start.
00:34:51.59\00:34:54.12
You know, when
the early rains come
00:34:54.16\00:34:55.49
then the latter rains later on,
00:34:55.52\00:34:56.86
they start to
clean around the tree,
00:34:56.89\00:34:59.39
they make sure
that it's free of weeds,
00:34:59.43\00:35:02.10
they're really
digging up the ground,
00:35:02.13\00:35:03.47
you see a lot of
activity and you think,
00:35:03.50\00:35:05.30
"Why they're doing all
that, there's nothing out there,
00:35:05.33\00:35:06.87
there's no grapes out there?"
00:35:06.90\00:35:08.24
But this text indicates
00:35:08.27\00:35:09.87
why it's important
as a mature Christian
00:35:09.90\00:35:11.87
to make sure
00:35:11.91\00:35:13.24
that your life
remains uncluttered,
00:35:13.27\00:35:15.18
and this is the
point I want to make.
00:35:15.21\00:35:16.54
Look at Luke...
00:35:16.58\00:35:17.91
Matter of fact, Luke 8:14,
00:35:17.95\00:35:19.71
do you have that for us, Mollie?
00:35:19.75\00:35:21.42
Yes.
00:35:21.45\00:35:22.78
"Now the ones
00:35:22.82\00:35:24.15
that fell among
thorns are those who,
00:35:24.19\00:35:26.25
when they have heard,
00:35:26.29\00:35:27.92
go out and are
choked with cares,
00:35:27.96\00:35:30.23
riches, and pleasures of life,
00:35:30.26\00:35:32.43
and bring no fruit to maturity."
00:35:32.46\00:35:34.33
Wow!
00:35:34.36\00:35:35.70
Notice what happens,
notice the cares of life,
00:35:35.73\00:35:39.13
the what else?
00:35:39.17\00:35:41.44
Riches. Riches.
00:35:41.47\00:35:42.80
Pleasures of
life. Pleasures of life.
00:35:42.84\00:35:45.24
All of a sudden surround
the plantain starts to choke it
00:35:45.27\00:35:49.44
and it cannot
bring fruit to maturity.
00:35:49.48\00:35:52.78
And one of the
challenges we have in...
00:35:52.81\00:35:55.25
I know this happens
00:35:55.28\00:35:56.62
because we don't have
orchards here in Illinois,
00:35:56.65\00:35:58.52
we like corn and soybean,
00:35:58.55\00:36:00.42
it's like we are the corn
00:36:00.46\00:36:01.79
and soybean
capital of the world.
00:36:01.82\00:36:03.59
You see it everywhere.
00:36:03.63\00:36:04.96
But for oranges to get
here and for them to be ripe,
00:36:04.99\00:36:07.23
they often pick
before they are ripe
00:36:07.26\00:36:09.26
and then they're
transported here,
00:36:09.30\00:36:10.63
also tomatoes.
00:36:10.67\00:36:12.07
But the maturity aspect
00:36:12.10\00:36:14.30
that is being
talked about here is,
00:36:14.34\00:36:16.54
if something in
the world comes in
00:36:16.57\00:36:18.81
that takes your attention away
00:36:18.84\00:36:20.81
from remaining
vitally connected to Christ,
00:36:20.84\00:36:24.01
and His riches,
the cares of the life,
00:36:24.05\00:36:26.82
the pleasures of
life they bring with them,
00:36:26.85\00:36:29.45
and anti maturity virus.
00:36:29.48\00:36:33.19
And does not allow the
fruit to come to maturity.
00:36:33.22\00:36:35.42
So how important
is it for Christians
00:36:35.46\00:36:38.29
to remain aloof
from these things
00:36:38.33\00:36:40.63
that can keep us
00:36:40.66\00:36:42.00
from becoming
mature fruit bearers.
00:36:42.03\00:36:44.17
So in the winter
00:36:44.20\00:36:46.97
when we go to the
store and we buy tomatoes,
00:36:47.00\00:36:51.04
do we ever make
tomato sandwiches
00:36:51.07\00:36:53.07
in the winter time?
00:36:53.11\00:36:54.88
I don't think I have. Okay.
00:36:54.91\00:36:57.78
Is right now is the time
00:36:57.81\00:36:59.81
when tomatoes are
really coming on here
00:36:59.85\00:37:02.58
in Southern Illinois.
00:37:02.62\00:37:04.22
Go out to...
00:37:04.25\00:37:05.59
I've got one tomato
plant, it is just proliferating,
00:37:05.62\00:37:08.09
it is doing wonderful.
00:37:08.12\00:37:09.46
Go out and pick a
tomato go in and...
00:37:09.49\00:37:11.96
Slice it. Oh,
slice it and eat it.
00:37:11.99\00:37:14.13
Oh, it's delicious. So
what is the difference?
00:37:14.16\00:37:17.57
One is, came to
maturity. That's right.
00:37:17.60\00:37:20.04
The other was picked
too soon, has no flavor,
00:37:20.07\00:37:22.70
it's merely, it's no...
00:37:22.74\00:37:24.87
The same is true
with spiritual fruit,
00:37:24.91\00:37:28.18
and if it comes to full maturity
00:37:28.21\00:37:30.71
then it is useful,
and vital, and helpful.
00:37:30.75\00:37:33.65
That's right. And desirable.
00:37:33.68\00:37:36.15
Good point. Yeah.
00:37:36.18\00:37:38.12
Hebrews 12 says this,
"Therefore we also..."
00:37:38.15\00:37:40.56
What verse? Hebrews 12:1.
00:37:40.59\00:37:42.02
Okay.
00:37:42.06\00:37:43.39
"Therefore we also,
00:37:43.43\00:37:44.76
since we are surrounded
00:37:44.79\00:37:46.13
by so great a
cloud of witnesses."
00:37:46.16\00:37:47.50
People who bore a lot of
fruit, one would say, right?
00:37:47.53\00:37:50.37
"Let us lay aside every weight,
00:37:50.40\00:37:52.33
and the sin which
so easily ensnares us,
00:37:52.37\00:37:54.54
and let us run
with endurance the race
00:37:54.57\00:37:56.71
that is set before us."
00:37:56.74\00:37:58.07
Well, I'm not
capable of doing that,
00:37:58.11\00:37:59.44
how does that happen?
00:37:59.47\00:38:00.81
Verse 2, "Looking unto Jesus,
00:38:00.84\00:38:03.38
the author and the
finisher of our faith,
00:38:03.41\00:38:05.61
who for the joy
that was set before Him
00:38:05.65\00:38:07.32
endured the cross,
despising the shame,
00:38:07.35\00:38:09.68
and has sat down
at the right hand
00:38:09.72\00:38:11.09
of the throne of God."
00:38:11.12\00:38:12.72
We are given this
admonition to do our best,
00:38:12.75\00:38:16.46
to respond to the
promptings of God,
00:38:16.49\00:38:18.99
to yield the things that
are depriving our growth,
00:38:19.03\00:38:21.36
our potential, our maturity
00:38:21.40\00:38:23.33
and the way that is best
done is by looking to Jesus.
00:38:23.37\00:38:25.87
When we look to Jesus,
00:38:25.90\00:38:27.24
we lose our appetite
for the other things.
00:38:27.27\00:38:29.17
When you eat a delicious
ripe garden growing tomato,
00:38:29.20\00:38:32.27
you lose interest
00:38:32.31\00:38:33.64
in every other substandard
00:38:33.68\00:38:35.01
piece of produce you could find.
00:38:35.04\00:38:36.38
It's no different.
00:38:36.41\00:38:37.75
When you taste of the
fruit and see that He is good,
00:38:37.78\00:38:39.48
you're going to want Him
00:38:39.51\00:38:40.85
to produce the same fruit in you
00:38:40.88\00:38:42.25
and others will
want what you have.
00:38:42.28\00:38:44.49
Amen. Look at Luke 13.
00:38:44.52\00:38:47.02
Pastor Dinzey, do you have
a point before we go there?
00:38:47.06\00:38:49.72
Well, yes, because,
00:38:49.76\00:38:52.19
you know, as we
consider our lives
00:38:52.23\00:38:55.83
sometimes we may mourn
00:38:55.86\00:38:58.33
and complain when
some difficulties come.
00:38:58.37\00:39:02.64
And in James 1,
00:39:02.67\00:39:04.47
he says something that
stunned or shocked some people
00:39:04.51\00:39:08.58
and that's James 1:2,
00:39:08.61\00:39:12.65
"My brethren, count it all joy
when you fall into diverse..."
00:39:12.68\00:39:16.42
I use of the
word temptation here
00:39:16.45\00:39:17.79
but it means trials.
00:39:17.82\00:39:20.79
"Knowing this that the trying
of your faith worketh patience.
00:39:20.82\00:39:23.32
But let patience
have her perfect work,
00:39:23.36\00:39:25.03
that you may be perfect
and entire, wanting nothing."
00:39:25.06\00:39:28.03
The reason I mention
this is because trials
00:39:28.06\00:39:32.50
are like God's instruments
00:39:32.53\00:39:35.37
to help us and
mold us and shape us
00:39:35.40\00:39:38.21
and to develop the
fruits of the Spirit in us.
00:39:38.24\00:39:40.61
That's right.
00:39:40.64\00:39:41.98
Because when you're
talking about patience,
00:39:42.01\00:39:43.35
well, how do you
develop patience?
00:39:43.38\00:39:44.71
You wait.
00:39:44.75\00:39:46.45
That's the pruning process.
That's the pruning process.
00:39:46.48\00:39:48.58
So God allows
trials to come up on us
00:39:48.62\00:39:51.82
that we may lean upon Him,
00:39:51.85\00:39:53.66
trust Him and He can
prune us and purge us
00:39:53.69\00:39:59.53
and those fruits can come out,
00:39:59.56\00:40:05.07
let's say that
we've talked about love,
00:40:05.10\00:40:07.54
joy, faith,
meekness, gentleness.
00:40:07.57\00:40:11.17
And so when difficulties come,
00:40:11.21\00:40:14.08
let's not look
at the difficulties.
00:40:14.11\00:40:16.54
But as it says here,
00:40:16.58\00:40:18.08
try to find some
joy and understanding
00:40:18.11\00:40:19.81
that God has allowed this
00:40:19.85\00:40:21.48
for some good
reason in your life.
00:40:21.52\00:40:24.55
Now I'm saying this
00:40:24.59\00:40:26.52
to the people that understand
00:40:26.55\00:40:28.62
that you're connected to Christ,
00:40:28.66\00:40:31.19
God is not going
to allow anything
00:40:31.23\00:40:32.63
to come to you
00:40:32.66\00:40:34.16
that He has not
looked at, measured and said,
00:40:34.20\00:40:37.47
"This is good for
John Dinzey to go through.
00:40:37.50\00:40:40.60
I approve of this
message as you want to say.
00:40:40.64\00:40:44.17
I approve of this
00:40:44.21\00:40:45.54
because if John Dinzey
starts doing his own thing."
00:40:45.57\00:40:48.51
And I'm going to
bring trials upon myself
00:40:48.54\00:40:53.11
that it was not God's
plan for me to go through.
00:40:53.15\00:40:55.32
That's right.
00:40:55.35\00:40:56.69
You see so then I
face unnecessary problems
00:40:56.72\00:40:59.95
and then I will be, "Oh,
no, I'm going through this
00:40:59.99\00:41:03.36
and that's a
totally different thing."
00:41:03.39\00:41:05.89
You manufacture your own trials
00:41:05.93\00:41:07.86
and that's not
necessary for us to go through.
00:41:07.90\00:41:10.80
I'll just say briefly.
00:41:10.83\00:41:12.17
There's another form of grooming
00:41:12.20\00:41:14.20
that's for
really severe situations
00:41:14.24\00:41:15.97
where it seems
like it's hopeless
00:41:16.00\00:41:17.34
for something to grow,
00:41:17.37\00:41:18.71
it's kind of a last ditch effort
00:41:18.74\00:41:20.08
that's called scoring.
00:41:20.11\00:41:21.44
A friend of mine wrote
a blog on this recently
00:41:21.48\00:41:22.81
that was really
convicting to me.
00:41:22.84\00:41:24.48
Scoring is basically
where they cut into the tree,
00:41:24.51\00:41:27.32
if they go too deep
it could kill the tree
00:41:27.35\00:41:29.05
but they had to cut deep enough
00:41:29.08\00:41:30.79
to kind of awaken in
the tree his desire to heal,
00:41:30.82\00:41:33.25
I guess, nourishment
and other things that...
00:41:33.29\00:41:36.02
If you just kind
of do a search on it,
00:41:36.06\00:41:37.39
you can find more information.
00:41:37.43\00:41:38.76
But it's really
fascinating to me
00:41:38.79\00:41:40.13
that there are times
00:41:40.16\00:41:41.50
that those deep
cuts seem arbitrary
00:41:41.53\00:41:43.20
and seem hopeless
00:41:43.23\00:41:44.57
but they're actually
ways of rekindling life
00:41:44.60\00:41:47.47
and rekindling the need
for the life nourishment to go
00:41:47.50\00:41:50.21
where it needs to go.
00:41:50.24\00:41:51.61
And sometimes
that can be the case.
00:41:51.64\00:41:53.07
Yes. Mollie?
00:41:53.11\00:41:54.61
You know, where I believe
john, I alluded to John 15:2,
00:41:54.64\00:41:59.01
I'll read that
00:41:59.05\00:42:00.38
out of the New
King James Version,
00:42:00.42\00:42:01.75
"Every branch in me
00:42:01.78\00:42:03.12
that does not bear
fruit He takes away,
00:42:03.15\00:42:04.85
and every branch that
bears fruit He prunes,
00:42:04.89\00:42:07.62
that it may bear more fruit."
00:42:07.66\00:42:08.99
Now the purpose
00:42:09.02\00:42:10.36
for that of course
is to bear more fruit.
00:42:10.39\00:42:11.73
That's right.
00:42:11.76\00:42:13.09
And in the King
James it says, "He purges."
00:42:13.13\00:42:14.73
That's right.
00:42:14.76\00:42:16.10
So that's kind of
like going through detox.
00:42:16.13\00:42:18.77
Now have any of you
ever gone through detox?
00:42:18.80\00:42:20.54
And I'm not talking
about for drugs or alcohol.
00:42:20.57\00:42:23.20
You know, there are times
00:42:23.24\00:42:24.57
when we have detox to
our body because we get,
00:42:24.61\00:42:29.34
you know, because
toxins just from everyday wear
00:42:29.38\00:42:32.31
and tear they build up.
00:42:32.35\00:42:33.68
So we'll go through a detox
00:42:33.72\00:42:35.05
whether it's drinking
lots of water or whatever,
00:42:35.08\00:42:38.49
your form of detox would be.
00:42:38.52\00:42:40.72
Is that a pleasant experience?
00:42:40.76\00:42:42.09
Any of you have
been through a detox?
00:42:42.12\00:42:43.46
No. And we do it to ourselves.
00:42:43.49\00:42:46.26
Why are we doing it?
00:42:46.29\00:42:47.73
To get the toxins out,
00:42:47.76\00:42:49.20
which is not a
pleasant fun experience.
00:42:49.23\00:42:52.70
But what's the purpose of it?
00:42:52.73\00:42:54.44
When you detox your
body, you're healthier,
00:42:54.47\00:42:57.11
you're happier,
you're more productive,
00:42:57.14\00:42:59.44
you've got more energy.
00:42:59.47\00:43:00.88
So there are times
when God in the spiritual
00:43:00.91\00:43:03.51
will look and say,
"Mollie, needs a detox."
00:43:03.55\00:43:06.21
Why is that? So
I bear more fruit.
00:43:06.25\00:43:07.82
I like that sermon
title by the way, detox.
00:43:07.85\00:43:10.45
I could find something in there.
00:43:10.49\00:43:12.55
But it's very true
00:43:12.59\00:43:14.36
and that's why this
whole idea of producing fruit
00:43:14.39\00:43:16.89
is essential for the Christian
00:43:16.93\00:43:18.76
because, you
know, we often think
00:43:18.79\00:43:20.80
that in the real
tree growing world,
00:43:20.83\00:43:24.27
I'm just so
elementary in my reference
00:43:24.30\00:43:26.94
to the tree growing world,
00:43:26.97\00:43:28.90
there's a
particular word that's used.
00:43:28.94\00:43:30.91
But the gardener
doesn't leave a tree
00:43:30.94\00:43:35.61
there in an
undetermined period of time.
00:43:35.64\00:43:38.91
If he sees its not gonna...
00:43:38.95\00:43:40.42
If he sees it's
just taken up space
00:43:40.45\00:43:43.22
and my point is,
00:43:43.25\00:43:44.72
the Lord will give us
as much time as we need.
00:43:44.75\00:43:48.59
But look at this
parable in Luke 13
00:43:48.62\00:43:50.66
and our time is
coming and going so quickly.
00:43:50.69\00:43:53.16
Luke 13:6-9,
00:43:53.19\00:43:56.83
and then we're going to
run through some scriptures
00:43:56.87\00:43:58.50
before the clock shuts us down.
00:43:58.53\00:44:02.07
Verse 6, he also
spoke this parable,
00:44:02.10\00:44:05.01
"A certain man
had a fig tree planted
00:44:05.04\00:44:07.08
in his vineyard,
00:44:07.11\00:44:08.74
and he came seeking
fruit on it and found none."
00:44:08.78\00:44:11.78
Now once it's in the vineyard
of the Lord, it's in good soil.
00:44:11.81\00:44:15.35
"Then he said to the
keeper of the vineyard,
00:44:15.38\00:44:17.05
"Look, for three years
I have come seeking fruit
00:44:17.09\00:44:19.82
on this fig tree and find none.
00:44:19.85\00:44:21.62
Cut it down,
00:44:21.66\00:44:22.99
why does it use up the
ground or cumber up the ground?"
00:44:23.02\00:44:25.09
But he answered and said to him,
00:44:25.13\00:44:26.46
'Sir, let it
alone this year also,
00:44:26.49\00:44:29.30
until I dig around
it and fertilize it.
00:44:29.33\00:44:32.33
And if it bears
fruit, well, but if not,
00:44:32.37\00:44:34.77
after that you
can cut it down.'"
00:44:34.80\00:44:36.84
And this was a
parable often referred
00:44:36.87\00:44:38.61
to as the unfinished parable
00:44:38.64\00:44:40.21
but we know that
for the Jewish leaders,
00:44:40.24\00:44:43.01
they only had a
certain period of time
00:44:43.04\00:44:45.21
to respond to the call
00:44:45.25\00:44:47.18
on the
invitation of the Messiah.
00:44:47.22\00:44:48.68
And after that the
Lord said, "You know what?
00:44:48.72\00:44:50.89
I need Me some disciples."
00:44:50.92\00:44:52.75
Because they are not responding
00:44:52.79\00:44:54.12
and He had
given them a long time
00:44:54.16\00:44:56.52
and the final aspect
00:44:56.56\00:44:57.89
of it was three
and a half years.
00:44:57.93\00:45:00.80
So it's amazing how
Lord points out the fact
00:45:00.83\00:45:02.36
that He gives us room to grow
00:45:02.40\00:45:04.63
but after time if
He sees no good there,
00:45:04.67\00:45:07.07
if He sees
00:45:07.10\00:45:08.44
that we're not
responding to His soil,
00:45:08.47\00:45:10.94
His
fertilization, His Holy Spirit,
00:45:10.97\00:45:13.91
then we're not good for anything
00:45:13.94\00:45:15.28
but to be cut down
and thrown into the fire.
00:45:15.31\00:45:17.58
What a sad ending to a life
00:45:17.61\00:45:19.21
that could have been
so much more productive.
00:45:19.25\00:45:21.25
Any comments?
00:45:21.28\00:45:22.62
You know, God is so
wonderful, so loving, so kind,
00:45:22.65\00:45:24.85
so merciful, so patient,
00:45:24.89\00:45:26.92
and I want to praise His name
00:45:26.96\00:45:28.29
because you know He
is very patient with us.
00:45:28.32\00:45:32.99
He works in our lives
00:45:33.03\00:45:35.43
and He doesn't get
discouraged as you want to say.
00:45:35.46\00:45:40.14
Right.
00:45:40.17\00:45:41.50
But it's interesting
because in the process of life,
00:45:41.54\00:45:46.14
we see sometimes that,
you know, you mentioned.
00:45:46.17\00:45:51.35
Sometimes there seems to be
00:45:51.38\00:45:53.15
and you also alluded
to this that a person,
00:45:53.18\00:45:58.09
let's say you're
talking about a person
00:45:58.12\00:45:59.45
who is following the Lord
and goes away from the Lord.
00:45:59.49\00:46:03.86
The Lord doesn't give
up, oh, that person's gone,
00:46:03.89\00:46:05.73
that's it, I'm done.
00:46:05.76\00:46:07.10
You know, I gave him enough.
00:46:07.13\00:46:08.46
No, the Lord, Bible shows
us that there's a shepherd
00:46:08.50\00:46:11.63
that goes after the sheep
to bring it back to the fold.
00:46:11.67\00:46:15.77
And so God is
very patient with us,
00:46:15.80\00:46:18.61
and so one of the things
I want to say about this is,
00:46:18.64\00:46:22.78
you know, we talked
about all these fruits.
00:46:22.81\00:46:25.41
And just like
00:46:25.45\00:46:26.88
we don't expect to
see the fruit overnight,
00:46:26.92\00:46:28.62
God at the same
time doesn't say,
00:46:28.65\00:46:31.25
"Okay, by tomorrow,
you know, you have to..."
00:46:31.29\00:46:35.26
But there is a time of,
00:46:35.29\00:46:37.73
I don't want to get
out of people's mind
00:46:37.76\00:46:39.89
that there's not a time
of probation that closes.
00:46:39.93\00:46:42.46
I'm talking about the
process of bringing fruit
00:46:42.50\00:46:45.33
that it is God's
desire for us to advance
00:46:45.37\00:46:49.94
at the fastest rate possible.
00:46:49.97\00:46:51.31
Right.
00:46:51.34\00:46:52.67
But it is up to us to choose
00:46:52.71\00:46:54.68
because God
brings us to decisions,
00:46:54.71\00:46:56.91
and I've noticed in my life
00:46:56.95\00:46:58.28
that God has brought me through.
00:46:58.31\00:46:59.65
I said, "Man, I have been
00:46:59.68\00:47:01.02
through a similar trial before."
00:47:01.05\00:47:02.38
And I think about it and I say,
00:47:02.42\00:47:03.75
you know, I failed that time
00:47:03.79\00:47:05.12
but perhaps the Lord
is allowing this for me
00:47:05.15\00:47:06.65
to go through again to
see how I will respond now.
00:47:06.69\00:47:10.23
Let me bring you
an example, Abraham.
00:47:10.26\00:47:13.26
Abraham was put in
the same circumstance
00:47:13.29\00:47:16.43
and two or three times,
he said, "That's my sister."
00:47:16.46\00:47:20.24
You see but he was
brought to that again for him
00:47:20.27\00:47:22.50
to be able to
say, that's my wife.
00:47:22.54\00:47:25.34
And so because if we
don't learn the lesson
00:47:25.37\00:47:27.48
the first time,
00:47:27.51\00:47:28.84
it's going to be
harder the next time.
00:47:28.88\00:47:30.21
And sometimes the
Lord brings us back
00:47:30.25\00:47:31.58
to the same place.
00:47:31.61\00:47:32.95
I want to get a few scriptures
00:47:32.98\00:47:34.32
before our time
goes away from us.
00:47:34.35\00:47:35.68
Let's look at Romans
6:22 and then I'll have you,
00:47:35.72\00:47:38.42
as we're turning there,
go ahead and make the point.
00:47:38.45\00:47:39.79
Yeah, I'll make it super brief
00:47:39.82\00:47:41.16
that God is not
looking for reasons
00:47:41.19\00:47:42.66
to give up on us,
but there are times,
00:47:42.69\00:47:44.93
author of the Book of Jeremiah
God's making this appeal,
00:47:44.96\00:47:47.50
"If you repent,
you can come back.
00:47:47.53\00:47:49.06
If you repent,
you can come back."
00:47:49.10\00:47:50.47
And the response they
give in Jeremiah 12:18
00:47:50.50\00:47:52.87
is it that it's hopeless.
00:47:52.90\00:47:54.24
So we'll each walk
according to our own plans
00:47:54.27\00:47:56.60
where we each one obey the
evil dictates of his heart.
00:47:56.64\00:47:59.21
And the point is,
00:47:59.24\00:48:00.58
God is not looking for
reasons to give up on us.
00:48:00.61\00:48:03.08
But at some point
00:48:03.11\00:48:04.45
He's going to
have to yield to us
00:48:04.48\00:48:06.15
giving up on ourselves
00:48:06.18\00:48:08.42
and not responding
to His pleas of love,
00:48:08.45\00:48:10.52
in His view of what
we could be in Christ,
00:48:10.55\00:48:12.29
what we are in Christ.
00:48:12.32\00:48:13.66
That's why I like Romans
6:22. Mollie, do you have that?
00:48:13.69\00:48:15.79
Romans 6:22. Look what it says.
00:48:15.82\00:48:19.03
"But now having
been set free from sin,
00:48:19.06\00:48:21.73
and having become slaves of God,
00:48:21.76\00:48:24.43
you have your fruit to holiness,
00:48:24.47\00:48:26.74
and the end, everlasting life."
00:48:26.77\00:48:28.60
Ain't that wonderful?
00:48:28.64\00:48:29.97
So this is the
rescue aspect of Christ.
00:48:30.01\00:48:32.07
He sets us free
from slavery to sin
00:48:32.11\00:48:35.11
and then connect us to Him,
00:48:35.14\00:48:36.48
now we're
slaves to righteousness
00:48:36.51\00:48:38.05
and then the end result
00:48:38.08\00:48:39.41
is not only fruits
of holiness in our lives
00:48:39.45\00:48:41.55
but the end result
is everlasting life.
00:48:41.58\00:48:43.82
In the note of the program is
00:48:43.85\00:48:47.26
that we need the
indwelling power of Christ.
00:48:47.29\00:48:51.23
We cannot
produce fruit of our own.
00:48:51.26\00:48:52.96
We don't have any self sap
as it were that's righteous.
00:48:52.99\00:48:58.07
None of our righteousness
is acceptable to God.
00:48:58.10\00:49:00.90
As a matter of fact,
00:49:00.94\00:49:03.00
one more I want to bring
very carefully to that is,
00:49:03.04\00:49:06.78
there's a
quotation I want to read here
00:49:06.81\00:49:08.41
from Gospel Workers
speaking about the fruit.
00:49:08.44\00:49:12.91
Gospel Workers, 288 paragraph 1,
00:49:12.95\00:49:16.12
"Those who have the Spirit
are earnest workers together
00:49:16.15\00:49:20.42
with God.
00:49:20.46\00:49:21.79
The heavenly intelligences
cooperate with them,
00:49:21.82\00:49:24.69
and they go weighted
with the spirit of the message
00:49:24.73\00:49:28.66
that they bear.
00:49:28.70\00:49:30.03
They speak words of solid sense
from the treasury of the heart
00:49:30.07\00:49:34.30
and they bring
forth pure sacred things
00:49:34.34\00:49:38.17
after the example of Christ."
00:49:38.21\00:49:40.14
So when we're
connected to Christ,
00:49:40.18\00:49:41.51
there is nothing that we produce
00:49:41.54\00:49:42.88
that will be adverse to Christ,
00:49:42.91\00:49:44.38
but everything that we produce
will be in harmony with Christ.
00:49:44.41\00:49:46.68
Mollie, a few final words.
00:49:46.72\00:49:48.52
Well, I'm just thinking
00:49:48.55\00:49:50.45
there are some
scriptures in the Word of God
00:49:50.49\00:49:52.62
concerning bearing fruit
that really touch my heart
00:49:52.65\00:49:55.76
and one of them is,
it's Psalms 92:12-14,
00:49:55.79\00:50:00.76
I may read it and I'm reading it
00:50:00.80\00:50:02.16
out of the Amplified.
00:50:02.20\00:50:03.53
"The righteous will flourish
like the date palm, long-lived,
00:50:03.57\00:50:07.77
upright and useful.
00:50:07.80\00:50:09.17
They will grow
like a cedar in Lebanon,
00:50:09.20\00:50:11.24
majestic and stable.
00:50:11.27\00:50:12.97
Planted in the
house of the Lord."
00:50:13.01\00:50:14.54
Prerequisite, you
have to be planted
00:50:14.58\00:50:15.91
in the house of the Lord.
00:50:15.94\00:50:17.28
That's right.
00:50:17.31\00:50:18.65
"They will flourish
in the courts of our God.
00:50:18.68\00:50:20.32
Growing in grace,
they will still thrive
00:50:20.35\00:50:23.12
and bear fruit and prosper
in old age," Pastor Lomacang.
00:50:23.15\00:50:26.96
Wow, I like that.
00:50:26.99\00:50:28.32
"They will flourish
and be vital and fresh,
00:50:28.36\00:50:30.89
rich in trust and
love and contentment."
00:50:30.93\00:50:33.23
Even in old age,
00:50:33.26\00:50:34.60
if you're planted in
the house of the Lord,
00:50:34.63\00:50:36.06
you will still be fruitful
and productive for the kingdom.
00:50:36.10\00:50:38.50
That's right.
00:50:38.53\00:50:39.87
Matter of fact, the
tree that's been producing
00:50:39.90\00:50:41.24
all its life you don't expect it
00:50:41.27\00:50:42.60
to get old and
not produce you say,
00:50:42.64\00:50:44.04
"Well, that's a reliable tree."
00:50:44.07\00:50:45.41
That's true.
00:50:45.44\00:50:46.78
As we get older we
should be reliable Christians
00:50:46.81\00:50:48.41
not pulling away but
getting closer to Christ.
00:50:48.44\00:50:50.58
Dee?
00:50:50.61\00:50:51.95
I just think the encouragement
00:50:51.98\00:50:53.31
I would give is that
it's easy for us to think
00:50:53.35\00:50:54.92
that I'm not producing the fruit
00:50:54.95\00:50:56.28
that I wish
that I would produce.
00:50:56.32\00:50:58.25
There's an answer,
that answer is Christ,
00:50:58.29\00:51:00.09
you can come to Him,
00:51:00.12\00:51:01.46
you can receive
nourishment and sap from Him.
00:51:01.49\00:51:03.43
He can give you
the gift of repentance
00:51:03.46\00:51:05.03
if you haven't repented.
00:51:05.06\00:51:06.39
He can give you the gift
of the fruits of the spirit
00:51:06.43\00:51:08.73
to ensure that what you're doing
00:51:08.76\00:51:10.10
is in harmony with His will.
00:51:10.13\00:51:11.47
He longs to see you
there and when you do,
00:51:11.50\00:51:13.40
what's required to do
that to make that a reality,
00:51:13.44\00:51:16.00
but He needs permission,
00:51:16.04\00:51:17.37
He need a willing
heart and an obedient heart.
00:51:17.41\00:51:19.54
Pastor Dinzey, 45
seconds, 30 to 45 seconds.
00:51:19.57\00:51:23.51
I am encouraged to the
fact that we went before,
00:51:23.55\00:51:25.58
Philippians 1:6,
00:51:25.61\00:51:26.95
"He that has
begun a good work in you
00:51:26.98\00:51:29.08
will keep on that work
00:51:29.12\00:51:30.45
and will complete it
to the day of Christ."
00:51:30.49\00:51:31.99
And I want to encourage everyone
00:51:32.02\00:51:33.82
to allow the Lord
to continue that work,
00:51:33.86\00:51:37.59
continue following the Lord
00:51:37.63\00:51:39.23
as we've said
before looking on to Jesus,
00:51:39.26\00:51:42.80
the author and
finisher of our faith.
00:51:42.83\00:51:44.23
You know the Words of Jesus.
00:51:44.27\00:51:45.60
Thank you so much.
00:51:45.63\00:51:46.97
In John 16:16 Jesus said,
00:51:47.00\00:51:49.20
"You did not choose Me
00:51:49.24\00:51:50.57
but I chose you
and appointed you
00:51:50.61\00:51:52.91
that you should
go and bear fruit,
00:51:52.94\00:51:54.78
that your fruit should remain
00:51:54.81\00:51:56.68
that whatever you ask
the Father in My name,
00:51:56.71\00:51:59.18
He will give you."
00:51:59.21\00:52:00.55
And so encouragement is
this, the Lord chooses us.
00:52:00.58\00:52:04.29
We don't choose Him.
00:52:04.32\00:52:05.79
He knows we are
more in need of Him
00:52:05.82\00:52:08.82
than He is in need of us,
00:52:08.86\00:52:10.73
and the beauty of the
Christ that works in us
00:52:10.76\00:52:13.50
and produces fruit is
everything that we do.
00:52:13.53\00:52:16.00
Let your light
so shine before men
00:52:16.03\00:52:17.73
that they may
see your good works
00:52:17.77\00:52:19.10
and glorify your
Father, which is in heaven.
00:52:19.13\00:52:21.64
Let the fruit of God
continue to glorify your life.
00:52:21.67\00:52:24.54
We're going to
take a short break
00:52:24.57\00:52:25.91
and after this news break
00:52:25.94\00:52:27.44
we'll come back with
a few closing comments.
00:52:27.48\00:52:30.48