Participants: John Lomacang (Host), Dee Casper, John Dinzey, Mollie Steenson
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY017072A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:11 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:29 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:39 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:50 Mending broken people 01:06 Hello, and welcome to 3ABN Today. 01:08 My name is John Lomacang. 01:09 Thank you for taking the time to tune into your network. 01:12 If you're tuning in for the first time, 01:14 remember this button, lock it in there 01:17 because this is we believe God's channel 01:20 and we have an exciting program today. 01:22 This is the Bible portion of 3ABN Today. 01:25 You know, whenever we get a chance 01:27 to talk about missions, it's great. 01:29 We talk about health 01:30 and number of other kinds of programs. 01:32 But this one is the Bible, the sure Word of God. 01:36 And today, our panel, who are no guest to 3ABN 01:39 but a part of our 3ABN family 01:41 are going to talk about a very important topic, 01:44 the Fruit of the Spirit. 01:47 Now you may have heard about the topic before you may say, 01:50 "I know about the Fruit of the Spirit." 01:51 But I can guarantee you, today, you're going to learn something 01:54 and we're going to learn something 01:56 because we're not here just to teach 01:58 but we're asking the Spirit of God 02:00 to guide and to direct in this program. 02:03 Now to get to the program, 02:04 we always have some wonderful music 02:06 but before that thank you for your prayers 02:08 and also your financial support of this network 02:10 that keeps us going and growing 02:12 as we prepare for the soon coming of Jesus. 02:15 Today, we have some music 02:16 from one of our very own Sandra Entermann. 02:18 She's going to be singing, I Am Willing Lord 02:21 and Sonia Kotarski is going to be accompanying her 02:23 on the piano. 02:52 Sometimes when I am down 02:57 And I don't feel like you're around, oh Lord 03:04 Feelin' so sorry for me 03:10 Not knowing that all the while 03:14 You're working to see 03:17 If when I'm put thru' the fire 03:23 I'll come out shinin' like gold 03:28 Oh Lord, please don't ever stop working with me 03:36 'Til you see I can be all You want me to be 03:48 I am willing, Lord 03:54 I am willing, Lord 04:00 To be just exactly 04:02 What You want me to be 04:12 I am willing, Lord 04:18 I am willing, Lord 04:24 To be just exactly 04:27 What You want me to be 04:37 Often when I ask why 04:42 Teach me then on You to rely, oh Lord 04:49 You surely know what is best 04:54 May I learn that in confidence and strength I can rest 05:01 Then, leaning fully on You 05:06 My questions fall one by one 05:11 Dear Lord, please don't ever stop working with me 05:19 'Til you see I can be all You want me to be 05:30 I am willing, Lord 05:37 I am willing, Lord 05:42 To be just exactly 05:45 What You want me to be 05:54 I am willing, Lord 06:00 I am willing, Lord 06:05 To be just exactly what You want 06:11 To be just exactly 06:14 What You want 06:16 I want to be just exactly 06:20 What You want me to be 06:43 Thank you so much Sandra and Sonia, 06:47 two friends of ours, 06:49 whenever we get to go to Australia, 06:50 we get a chance to minister with them 06:53 and whenever they come here, 06:54 we get a chance to reconnect. 06:56 Again thank you so much for the willingness. 06:58 And that's what this program is about, 07:00 the willingness of Christ to be reflected through our lives. 07:03 We have to be willing in order for Jesus to be seen. 07:06 Well, let me go ahead introduce our panel today. 07:09 To my right is Mollie Steenson, 07:11 general manager of 3ABN and vice president. 07:13 Good to have you here, Mollie. 07:14 Well, thank you very much. Good to be here. 07:15 And I'm glad you're here because you have been around, 07:17 you've been in ministry for all, 07:18 most of all your adult life, 07:20 and so this is a very good topic for you. 07:22 You've been the wife of a pastor, 07:24 still today you are the wife of a pastor 07:27 but you've been a speaker, teacher, mom, 07:30 all of those things 07:31 and above all that, a Christian woman. 07:33 And hopefully one that has 07:37 learned a few lessons along the way. 07:40 Yes. 07:42 And that's, that seems to be in talking with people 07:46 more than anything 07:47 they want to know your real life experiences 07:49 That's right. 07:50 Not how much you know 07:52 but what have you actually lived. 07:53 What are the fruits 07:55 that are actually coming forth in your life? 07:56 That's right. 07:58 And if I were to put you in the category of a tree 07:59 you've been in the orchard of Christ for a long time, 08:02 so He's pruned you and you've grown more, 08:05 and He's pruned you and you've grown. 08:07 And so good to have you here today. 08:08 Well, thank you so much. 08:09 And, Dee Casper, good to have you here, Dee, 08:11 one of our elders in Thompsonville. 08:13 And you are blazing the trail, 08:15 the Lord has kind of got you going from hither and yon 08:17 but glad that you've taken the time to be here today. 08:20 Good to be here, I appreciate it. 08:21 Yes, and you have a wonderful journey, 08:23 which also has allowed the Lord to develop fruit in your life. 08:26 We're gonna talk about that too. 08:27 It's true. 08:29 And to my far right Pastor John Dinzey, 08:30 the general manager of 3ABN Latino. 08:32 Good to have you here, Johnny. 08:33 It's great to be here. It's a blessing. 08:35 Yes, and I know, I've seen your journey 08:37 and personally I know 08:39 that the Lord has reflected and revealed 08:41 His fruit through your life 08:42 and I could say that about all of us. 08:44 And today we're going to talk about this topic 08:47 because oftentimes Christian churches are divided 08:52 based on doctrinal belief, 08:54 but there is something to the Words of Jesus 08:56 in John 10:16 08:58 when He said, "Other sheep I have, 09:01 that are not of this fold." 09:03 In other words, if the Christian is known 09:07 by his or her fruit, 09:08 then the Lord is recognizing that His fruit can be found 09:12 in different denominations in His people. 09:14 But He didn't just say 09:15 that they are found in different places, 09:17 He says, "Them also I must bring." 09:19 And so in these last days, 09:22 Jesus is not just going to gather sheep into His fold 09:26 but He's going to gather fruit into His basket. 09:29 He wants His life to be revealed on various planes, 09:34 and I want to begin with the cliche that you... 09:36 I'm sure you've heard before. 09:39 The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. 09:44 Let me just start with you, Mollie. 09:45 You've heard that before, haven't you? 09:46 Mm-hm. 09:48 What does that translate to you when it comes to fruit? 09:49 Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, 09:53 that to me that is talking about... 09:58 For instance, a mom and dad, parents they produce children, 10:02 and if there are strong godly principles in this mom and dad, 10:09 then what are they going to produce? 10:11 They are going to produce strong godly principle children 10:14 because the apple isn't going to fall far from the tree. 10:18 However, on the other hand, 10:20 if there are weaknesses and areas that need improving, 10:25 then you're going to see that manifestation as well. 10:28 Then that's going to be in the fruit that comes forth. 10:33 And another thing is you wouldn't find an apple 10:35 hanging out under an orange tree. 10:37 No, that reminds me of an illustration 10:41 that I've read not too terribly long ago. 10:44 These children, when they disobeyed, 10:50 the parents make them go up to their room 10:54 and that's where they would have time out 10:56 was in there room. 10:57 But the children didn't really mind that 10:59 because there was a tree right outside their window 11:02 and they would just climb down and go and play. 11:07 And then before very long, 11:10 they climb back up the tree, go back in the room 11:12 and then, "Have I been in the room long enough? 11:14 Is my punishment over?" 11:16 And so the parents started looking at the tree 11:18 unbeknownst to what the children were doing 11:21 and they say, "Do you know that tree isn't producing fruit. 11:25 It hasn't had fruit on it in years, 11:28 we're going to cut that tree down." 11:29 Now did the children want them to cut that tree down? 11:31 No. 11:33 No, because that was their escape route. 11:35 And so the children pulled all of their money, 11:38 they went down to the grocery store 11:40 and they bought a basket of apples 11:43 and they just put apples all over that tree 11:46 and the next morning the father looked at the tree 11:48 and said, "Mama, come and look at the this. 11:50 Look at this miracle, 11:52 there's apples all over this pear tree." 11:56 The children didn't know that it was a pear tree. 11:58 So the moral of that story was... 12:02 What is it? 12:03 Seed produces after its own kind. 12:05 The parents weren't deceived any longer. 12:09 That's a very good one, you know. 12:10 Apples don't grow on pear trees 12:12 and oranges don't hang on the apple trees. 12:14 That's true. 12:15 So the tree produces after its kind. 12:18 The seed produce after its kind. 12:20 First biblical principle laid down in the Word of God, 12:22 seed produces after its own kind. 12:24 I believe that's Genesis 3:5. 12:28 Seed produces after its own kind. 12:30 Wow. And that's true. 12:31 That they bring forth seed according to their own kind. 12:35 Dee, apple doesn't fall far from the tree, 12:37 what does that mean to you? 12:38 Well, if you're seeing something 12:41 whatever it manifests, 12:42 you pretty much get an idea of what the source is, 12:44 where it's coming from, 12:45 so if something seems to be exhibiting 12:47 apple like characteristics, 12:48 it's probably because it came from an apple tree. 12:51 It's very similar to what Mollie was mentioning, 12:53 I think that's pretty much the main gist of it. 12:55 Okay. 12:56 So we know the source when we understand the fruit. 13:00 When we see the fruit, we know the source. 13:02 Pastor Dinzey, apple doesn't fall far from the tree, 13:04 that may mean something different in Spanish but... 13:08 Well, actually it means practically the same 13:10 and it's... 13:12 That saying is really helping, 13:16 you hear it when somebody sees a child 13:20 behaving like the parent 13:21 and they say, "It's true. 13:23 The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." 13:25 So you expect to see similar characteristics 13:29 in the children as are in the parents. 13:31 Now the reason I started with that, 13:33 I want to come at a completely different angle 13:35 from all three of you is 13:36 because of the fact that the parent... 13:39 that's often used in a parent-child relationship. 13:42 The parent is concerned 13:45 about what is seen in the child's life, 13:47 in the same way Jesus is concerned about 13:50 what is seen in your life, in my life 13:53 because He is the tree in this illustration 13:56 and we are the apples. 13:58 Hopefully we are, 14:00 and what we're gonna talk about today 14:01 is the concern that Jesus has and this is... 14:05 I want to just make sure this is clear. 14:07 Our doctrinal positions are vitally important. 14:10 It identifies the truth about the character of God. 14:13 But He brings forth the illustrations in John 15, 14:17 one of the most powerful books on the connection 14:19 between the Christian and Christ 14:21 that the fruit is the evidence 14:24 of whether we are connected or we are not connected. 14:28 And so I want to throw this question out, 14:30 and we're going to start with Matthew 3:8 14:32 because this is, you know, we talk about 14:35 fruit in the sense of, 14:37 we'll talk about what they are 14:38 but for those of you who know 14:40 we'll reiterate this later on in the program, 14:42 love, joy, peace, longsuffering, 14:44 gentleness, meekness, patience. 14:46 But I want to begin with the fruit 14:47 that we often don't talk about. 14:48 Because before those fruit show up, 14:50 there needs to be a fruit before that, 14:53 before love, joy, peace, 14:55 longsuffering, gentleness, meekness, 14:57 patience shows up, 14:58 there needs to be a different fruit before that. 15:01 And so, Mollie, since you're right here to my right, 15:04 what does Jesus instructed to do in Matthew 3:8? 15:07 "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance." 15:12 So break that down for us? 15:15 Well, first and foremost, 15:18 when we are outside of the kingdom of God, 15:23 we're walking around in darkness 15:25 serving the God of this world, 15:26 something has to happen before we can be fruit bearers 15:29 in the kingdom of God. 15:30 We've got to be born again 15:33 and to be born again, what does that mean? 15:36 You accept the Lord Jesus Christ 15:38 and you repent of your former way. 15:42 Old things passed away, 15:44 behold, all things are going to become new. 15:45 Now that is for your initial coming into the image of God, 15:50 but then, Pastor Lomacang, I don't know about your life 15:54 but I can only say this is true for my life, 15:56 I thank God that there is that fruit of repentance. 16:01 is in the Word of God 16:04 that if we confess our sins, He is faithful 16:06 and just to forgive us of our sins 16:08 and cleanse us from unrighteousness. 16:10 That fruit of repentance isn't a one time thing, 16:14 it's something that we need the Lord to work within us. 16:20 I don't think it ever will stop in my life anyway. 16:22 Okay. Dee? 16:24 It reminded me of two aspects or two teachings on this topic, 16:27 one is Paul, Paul talks about 16:28 how the gentile world is grafted in to a spiritual tree 16:34 that they don't have what they need. 16:37 They need to be engrafted into something 16:38 that can provide what they need. 16:40 And Jesus kind of elaborates on this even further, 16:42 obviously he was writing before Paul, 16:44 but he was teaching before Paul 16:46 but the two kind of go together as far as these teachings that, 16:49 "Apart from me you can do nothing." 16:50 That's right. 16:52 I can't even find repentance without Christ. 16:53 Repentance is actually a gift from Christ 16:56 and what leads me to Christ is recognizing my nothingness. 17:00 When I see my nothingness, it points me to Jesus 17:02 and when I am grafted into Christ, 17:05 only then would I even be capable 17:07 of bearing any form of fruit. 17:09 And if I'm attached to Christ, the fruit I'm going to bear 17:11 would be the fruit of the spirit. 17:13 You know, admirable traits, Christ like traits. 17:16 Okay, all right. Pastor Dinzey? 17:19 You know, as we look at the verse before. 17:21 This was a time 17:22 when John the Baptist was preaching 17:25 and to his amazement, 17:27 the scribes and Pharisees were coming 17:29 and saying, we want to be baptized too. 17:31 And so then he says that, he told them to bear fruits 17:37 that show that there is true repentance taking place 17:41 because some can join the church 17:47 or say they are Christian for different reasons 17:49 not because they've given their heart to Christ, 17:52 and so the evidence 17:55 of something happening inside is by... 17:58 As the Scripture says, 18:00 "By the fruits, you shall know them." 18:03 And apparently there were not fruits or repentance 18:06 seen by John for him to say, 18:10 "You guys aren't ready for baptism, 18:11 you have, I see something that tells me you are." 18:15 And so we have to say that the Lord blessed John 18:20 with spiritual discernment in this case. 18:24 And we cannot bear fruit 18:27 unless we are connected to Christ, 18:29 we just cannot. 18:31 And that is true 18:32 and this statement was made to scribes and Pharisees, 18:35 religious people, 18:37 and so it shows that religion and Christianity 18:40 are not always the same thing. 18:42 You know, people could be very religious, 18:44 but what kind of life are they living. 18:46 Does it show the evidence 18:47 that they are still connected 18:49 to their former ways of living, 18:50 or does it show that they are connected to Christ now? 18:52 And, you know, the challenge as a Christian, 18:55 we know that the Christian life 18:56 and people have said this and I want to reiterate this. 18:58 The Christian life is not a cakewalk. 19:01 It demands a lot of us 19:03 but the demanding doesn't cause 19:05 us to be the ones producing it 19:07 because you mentioned just a moment ago 19:08 when we talked about John 15, the one who produces is Christ. 19:12 We have to remain connected the sap. 19:14 I think somebody once said, "The root of a tree is bitter 19:18 but the fruit is sweet." 19:20 You know, the Lord didn't say, you'll know them by their roots 19:24 but you'll know them by their fruits. 19:25 We don't eat the root, we eat the fruit. 19:27 The root is into the soil where all the nutrients are, 19:30 but you don't eat the root, we eat the fruit. 19:33 And so we have to remain connected to Christ 19:35 because unless we do, 19:36 that's really not true repentance. 19:38 And so church membership 19:42 is not the prerequisite for displaying fruit, 19:46 but repentance... 19:48 is the prerequisite for bearing fruit. 19:50 I see you smiling, Pastor Dinzey, there. 19:52 Something interesting happened to Peter 19:55 that happens to people 19:56 when they spend time with Christ, 19:58 he has spent three and a half years with Christ. 20:00 And so the time comes when Christ is taken away 20:03 and He's being going through a trial. 20:07 And Peter is around, Jesus had warned Peter, 20:11 you're going to deny me three times. 20:13 And somebody says to him, "Hey, you are one of them?" 20:17 And he denied. 20:18 And Peter did not realize 20:21 that his manner of speaking had changed. 20:24 Because he was a fisherman, they had foul language, 20:28 and they say you're one of them because you speak like him. 20:33 And so he realized so he had to change the way he spoke 20:38 and you get the idea that he used foul language 20:41 to kind of tell others, "Oh, no, I'm not." 20:45 And so the natural result of being with Christ 20:48 is that you are transformed. 20:52 I'm thinking of 2 Corinthians 3:18 20:56 that by beholding we become changed. 21:00 Daily he was with Christ, daily he heard Him, 21:02 daily he decided he made steps, 21:06 he made choices that he was being transformed. 21:09 Because I'm saying that he made choices, 21:12 because Judas was there. 21:13 Judas was listening, but he did not make choices 21:18 that allowed the Lord to transform him, you see. 21:21 So we can all hear the same message, 21:23 but we have to make choices by the message we hear. 21:28 Let us go to Galatians 21:29 and I want one of you to turn to Titus 1:16. 21:32 It's in the syllabus we have today but there's a... 21:35 The point you made is very well brought out 21:37 and I think each one of you 21:39 had a contribution to each one of these. 21:40 The point that we're talking about is 21:42 a lot of times people say, "I am a Christian, 21:45 or I'm a Baptist, or I'm an Adventist. 21:47 I'm a Pentecostal. I'm a Presbyterian." 21:49 They identify in denominational categorization 21:52 that they are connected to a particular movement 21:54 that is identified with Christ. 21:56 But that's not all that Jesus required of them. 22:00 He said that as was pointed out here, 22:02 he says make sure that your fruits are evidence 22:04 that you're connected to Christ. 22:06 Titus 1:16 because John you mentioned this 22:09 in reference to Peter. 22:11 He was identified as being connected to Christ 22:13 but there's something that made it evident 22:15 that he wasn't at that particular point. 22:17 Do you have that, Mollie, Titus 1:16? 22:19 1:16, "They profess to know God, 22:22 but in works they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, 22:28 and disqualified for every good work." 22:30 So they profess to know Him. 22:32 Let me say, "I'm a Christian, or I'm a Jew, 22:35 or I'm a Pharisee, I'm a scribe, 22:37 I'm Sanhedrin, I'm a Sadducees." 22:39 But, you say, wait a minute, 22:41 but no, your life does not show that you know him. 22:44 You are denying him by your life, 22:47 so one of the first points I want to bring out 22:48 is being denominational Christian 22:52 and being a Christian by fruit is not always the same thing, 22:57 any points on that? 22:58 It's true. 22:59 We call that the nominal Christianity. 23:01 You have something by name only 23:03 but through your behavior, through your acts 23:07 you don't exemplify the fruits 23:09 of what Christ life is really like. 23:10 Because first and foremost 23:12 to be a Christian is to be Christ like. 23:13 How did He speak? How did He act? 23:15 How did He treat the oppressed? 23:16 How did He, you know, associate with those who were, 23:19 you know, generally you don't associate with people like that 23:22 because they're this or they're that. 23:24 So just saying that I'm a Christian 23:26 doesn't really say anything necessarily. 23:30 What really says that I'm a Christian 23:31 is how I treat my fellow man, 23:33 how I treat my family, 23:34 how I speak to people and so forth. 23:36 So nominal Christianity isn't what we're looking for, 23:38 we're looking for a heart transformation 23:41 which is what John the Baptist is calling people to, 23:43 which is what Jesus' first message was, 23:45 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 23:47 Right. Anyone else? 23:48 You know, Romans 8 tells us that we have been predestined 23:52 to be conformed to the image of Christ 23:54 and that's not external, 23:56 it's internal to exemplify His attributes to be conformed. 24:03 And again going back to that seed 24:05 produces after its own kind. 24:07 The scripture says, "In the beginning was the Word, 24:09 the Word was with God, and the Word was God, 24:11 and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, 24:14 and then the Word is likened as unto seed." 24:18 And the seed that allows us to be changed, 24:23 to be conformed in the image of Christ, 24:25 it's the seed of the Word of God. 24:27 And as we read God's Word and consume God's Word 24:29 and allow that Word to be planted in our hearts, 24:32 it takes root, and it grows, and it produces 24:36 and seed is producing again after its own kind 24:40 in the image and likeness of Christ. 24:42 It's being produced within us 24:44 which is what we have been predestined to be conformed to. 24:47 What I'm hearing you say is, 24:49 the Bible, the written Word of God 24:52 which is a reflection of the living Word of God 24:54 when it's ingested, 24:57 I'm going to use that word ingested 24:58 because you could chew on it but not ingest. 25:01 When it is ingested, when it's digested, 25:02 it starts making a difference in our lives. 25:04 The entrance of this Word gives life. 25:06 So the entrance of God, 25:07 the Word of God is quick and powerful. 25:09 It's a vital living force and as we read the Word, 25:13 and as we hear the Word, and as we consume this Word, 25:17 it's a living force that is going into the field, 25:22 the soil of our hearts and it's changing us. 25:26 It changes us without our even being aware of it 25:30 as this Word becomes a living and vital within us. 25:35 The Word has creative power. 25:37 By His Word the worlds were created, 25:38 so when you see this it just makes sense 25:40 that the more time I spend in communing with Christ 25:43 and by taking His word into me, 25:45 letting it become a part of me 25:47 not just something that I'm near 25:48 or in proximity to 25:50 but it actually becomes a part of who I am, 25:52 it would lead to a logical transformation, 25:53 that's what it was meant to do. 25:55 That's right. Amen, amen. 25:57 I agree, this is a marvelous process 25:59 that takes place in the life, 26:01 in the heart of the individual 26:03 that as the person surrenders to Christ, 26:06 these changes take place. 26:08 It's, you know, you were talking about the... 26:12 Oh, it was Sister Mollie, talking about the tree 26:16 that the kids put the apples on to the pear tree. 26:20 And really that's what happens in life 26:23 and let me explain, the fruits grow on the trees 26:28 and nobody stands there watching them to see 26:31 when they finally a little flower comes out. 26:34 But you wake up 26:35 and the next day you see the little flowers 26:36 and the little, and little by little the process takes place, 26:39 it's a process. 26:41 The trees do not grow overnight, 26:43 I mean, the fruits do not grow overnight. 26:45 In this case it's a process that takes place 26:50 being in the soil, 26:53 the plant remaining in the soil, 26:54 the sun and the rain coming down upon it, 26:57 and the care that the people give to it. 27:00 It's a process, and that's why we put ourselves 27:04 in the hands of the Lord, 27:05 and we have the assurance, Philippians 1:6. 27:07 Yes. That's right. 27:09 And being confident of this very thing 27:11 that he who has begun a good work in you 27:14 will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. 27:17 And so we should not get discouraged that 27:21 perhaps we don't see something in us 27:23 that we see in someone else. 27:24 But to say, "Keep praying, keep following the Lord, 27:28 and the Lord is going to bear fruit to His glory in us." 27:32 And, you know, pardon me, go ahead. 27:34 Okay. Sure. 27:35 I was just thinking that a fruit tree doesn't... 27:38 When you first put that thing in the ground, 27:39 you're not going to have fruit in six months. 27:41 It could even be a couple of years 27:43 before you see visible fruit, 27:44 but that does not mean that nothing's happening 27:47 and that does not mean 27:48 that this person is not a Christian either. 27:50 And I think that this is, just in the same way 27:52 which an individual should not be discouraged 27:53 by what they may or may not see. 27:55 We as Christians particularly as more mature Christians 27:59 should not assume that just because we don't fully see it 28:02 what we think should be fruit doesn't necessarily mean that 28:04 something's not going on the inside 28:06 that's going to lead to fruit. 28:07 That's right. We can't know. 28:09 And this is why our job is to cultivate, right, 28:12 to nurture, and to nourish 28:13 the soil of the trees around us. 28:15 But our job is not to assume that we know where someone 28:18 is particularly during their infancy in their experience. 28:20 It could be a 75 year old man 28:22 just beginning his Christian experience 28:24 or it could be a young child 28:25 who's already thriving the Christian experience. 28:27 We can't fully know at certain stages of development yet 28:30 where they are. 28:31 Right, I want to make that point very clear. 28:33 That is very true because we have to give 28:35 what I'm hearing you see, 28:37 we have to give the individual time 28:38 for the fruit to show up. 28:40 Yes. And the Lord has... 28:41 Philippines 1:6, "The Lord has begun the work, 28:44 he's gonna complete the work, 28:48 the fruit will become full grown 28:50 and then able to nourish other people's lives." 28:52 And we've said statements like this, 28:54 "You've come a long way." 28:56 You've heard that before? 28:57 And how do you know? By the fruit they're producing. 28:59 Say it again? 29:01 The reason you know that 29:02 is by the fruit that they're producing. 29:03 You say, "Man, you're not the same. 29:05 I remember the last time, if I did that two years ago, 29:07 you would knock me out." 29:09 I mean, I've heard people say that. 29:11 Yes, yes. 29:12 Now you could approach Dee because he's at calm. 29:15 Man, if you've seen him when I knew him 29:17 and people have said, "Are you the same guy I grew up with?" 29:20 When I go to Brooklyn periodically I get to see guys 29:22 that I knew I grew up with in the pool halls 29:24 and the whole dark life of the New York City 29:27 and they say, "Are you John?" 29:30 I said, "Well, my name is but I'm not the same person." 29:33 They say, "Man, you're doing pretty good for yourself." 29:35 And I say, "Thank you Lord." 29:37 Because we have to give time 29:38 for the fruit to show up, Mollie? 29:40 Well, I'm just thinking about something 29:42 that you said earlier, 29:43 I think it was before the program started 29:45 when we were just talking 29:47 and that is that apple trees don't eat apples. 29:49 Yeah. Yeah. 29:51 The fruit is produced for others 29:54 and I'm thinking about that 29:56 like the fruit that we produce love, joy, peace. 30:01 The fruit of the spirit that is produced within us, 30:04 it's not for ourselves, 30:06 we become currency in the hand of God. 30:11 And the currency 30:13 that we have is the fruit that is in our lives 30:16 that God can take that now 30:19 and spend it on somebody that need... 30:21 If you've got love, 30:22 if the fruit you're producing is love 30:25 and there's somebody that needs love, 30:28 God is gonna take you as currency in His kingdom 30:32 and spend you on that person. 30:34 That's right. That love is for them. 30:35 You know, Danny Shelton sings this song 30:37 and he sang it before this program. 30:39 I want to spend my life mending broken people. 30:43 Well, that can be one of two things 30:46 spend the time of my life helping others or, Father, 30:50 take my life and spend it 30:53 on receiving others into the Kingdom of God. 30:57 Love, joy, peace, I've got great peace. 31:00 There's somebody that has no peace. 31:02 So God will take the currency of this peace 31:05 that He's placed within me and spend it on that person 31:08 that fat peace can go to them. 31:10 We don't produce this fruit for ourselves, 31:13 fruit is produced for others 31:15 and we become again currency in the hand of God. 31:18 Okay. Just thinking, 31:19 this is the amazing thing about God 31:21 is that God is using Christians as conduit basically. 31:25 That's right. 31:26 For His love to be transferred to communicate 31:29 and for people to be able to experience 31:31 the love of God 31:32 and of all things that God could use... 31:34 Paul talks about this in Ephesians 31:35 that God is making known 31:36 to the principalities and others 31:38 of His character of love 31:40 through of all means, the church. 31:42 That's right. 31:43 Like of all the people you could use as character 31:45 witnesses for God, 31:46 I certainly wouldn't be using me, right? 31:49 Because my life is not what I wish 31:50 that it would be, 31:51 but God sees in me things that I don't see in me. 31:54 In that faith of Jesus 31:55 and what I can be and lived out through me 31:58 is what shows other people 31:59 what God is actually like and He entrust that to us. 32:02 What a privilege that is that we can be used by Him 32:06 to communicate His love to fallen morals around us. 32:08 Well, let me say something 32:09 a little differently than you phrased it, 32:11 you know, in studying this topic 32:12 of righteousness by faith, 32:13 He doesn't see in us something worth developing, 32:16 He is in us being revealed. Yes. 32:21 Because if there was anything in me 32:22 worth developing, 32:24 then the apostle wouldn't say, 32:26 there is none that is good, no not one, 32:29 all of our righteousness is as filthy rags. 32:31 He comes in 32:33 and the amazing miracle of Christianity 32:36 is He takes this vessel that is unworthy, 32:38 and by His presence causes us to be worthy 32:40 and reflect His goodness. 32:41 And to the degree that we yield to Him 32:43 and surrender to Him. 32:44 That's right. 32:46 That's the degree 32:47 that He can expose Himself through us. 32:49 That's right. It's very, very good. 32:50 Pastor Dinzey? 32:51 And, you know, we are talking about 32:54 the process and what God does. 32:58 You can plant ten seeds in the ground 33:03 and you should not expect them to be growing at the same rate. 33:07 If you come in and measure each one, okay, 33:09 they're living up to their expectation, 33:13 you know, because they grow at different rates 33:17 and when they start producing fruit, 33:19 not all plants produce the same amount of fruit, 33:22 the same size of fruit. 33:24 And so the Bible says 33:28 we should know them by their fruits, 33:29 by their fruit, 33:32 and so we need to encourage one another. 33:38 And as the Bible says, 33:41 in love and that's why our word need 33:43 to be seasoned with grace 33:45 and so we should encourage one another 33:47 as they are also growing. 33:51 But we know that as God is working in us, 33:55 the devil is trying to work against us, 33:58 and that's why Jesus says to us, 34:01 "If any man will come who wants to follow Me, 34:04 let him take up his cross daily and follow Me." 34:07 So for us to cooperate with the Lord, 34:10 there's a part that we must do. 34:12 So every day we have talked about this, 34:15 already has been mentioned but worth repeating. 34:17 We must cooperate with the Lord 34:19 so the Lord can to do this marvelous work in us. 34:22 I want to just go to Luke 8:14 and the reason I want to go 34:26 there is because this is a text for people 34:29 that have been Christians for a while, 34:32 the challenges of life... 34:35 I have seen trees in orchards, I was, I lived in California, 34:39 my wife and I lived not too far from Napa Valley 34:40 there in Fairfield. 34:42 And we would go 34:43 through the Napa Valley quite often. 34:45 And one of the things that we've noticed 34:47 in the early part of the season, 34:49 the growers, they get out there really early 34:51 when they know the season to start. 34:54 You know, when the early rains come 34:55 then the latter rains later on, 34:56 they start to clean around the tree, 34:59 they make sure that it's free of weeds, 35:02 they're really digging up the ground, 35:03 you see a lot of activity and you think, 35:05 "Why they're doing all that, there's nothing out there, 35:06 there's no grapes out there?" 35:08 But this text indicates 35:09 why it's important as a mature Christian 35:11 to make sure 35:13 that your life remains uncluttered, 35:15 and this is the point I want to make. 35:16 Look at Luke... 35:17 Matter of fact, Luke 8:14, 35:19 do you have that for us, Mollie? 35:21 Yes. 35:22 "Now the ones 35:24 that fell among thorns are those who, 35:26 when they have heard, 35:27 go out and are choked with cares, 35:30 riches, and pleasures of life, 35:32 and bring no fruit to maturity." 35:34 Wow! 35:35 Notice what happens, notice the cares of life, 35:39 the what else? 35:41 Riches. Riches. 35:42 Pleasures of life. Pleasures of life. 35:45 All of a sudden surround the plantain starts to choke it 35:49 and it cannot bring fruit to maturity. 35:52 And one of the challenges we have in... 35:55 I know this happens 35:56 because we don't have orchards here in Illinois, 35:58 we like corn and soybean, 36:00 it's like we are the corn 36:01 and soybean capital of the world. 36:03 You see it everywhere. 36:04 But for oranges to get here and for them to be ripe, 36:07 they often pick before they are ripe 36:09 and then they're transported here, 36:10 also tomatoes. 36:12 But the maturity aspect 36:14 that is being talked about here is, 36:16 if something in the world comes in 36:18 that takes your attention away 36:20 from remaining vitally connected to Christ, 36:24 and His riches, the cares of the life, 36:26 the pleasures of life they bring with them, 36:29 and anti maturity virus. 36:33 And does not allow the fruit to come to maturity. 36:35 So how important is it for Christians 36:38 to remain aloof from these things 36:40 that can keep us 36:42 from becoming mature fruit bearers. 36:44 So in the winter 36:47 when we go to the store and we buy tomatoes, 36:51 do we ever make tomato sandwiches 36:53 in the winter time? 36:54 I don't think I have. Okay. 36:57 Is right now is the time 36:59 when tomatoes are really coming on here 37:02 in Southern Illinois. 37:04 Go out to... 37:05 I've got one tomato plant, it is just proliferating, 37:08 it is doing wonderful. 37:09 Go out and pick a tomato go in and... 37:11 Slice it. Oh, slice it and eat it. 37:14 Oh, it's delicious. So what is the difference? 37:17 One is, came to maturity. That's right. 37:20 The other was picked too soon, has no flavor, 37:22 it's merely, it's no... 37:24 The same is true with spiritual fruit, 37:28 and if it comes to full maturity 37:30 then it is useful, and vital, and helpful. 37:33 That's right. And desirable. 37:36 Good point. Yeah. 37:38 Hebrews 12 says this, "Therefore we also..." 37:40 What verse? Hebrews 12:1. 37:42 Okay. 37:43 "Therefore we also, 37:44 since we are surrounded 37:46 by so great a cloud of witnesses." 37:47 People who bore a lot of fruit, one would say, right? 37:50 "Let us lay aside every weight, 37:52 and the sin which so easily ensnares us, 37:54 and let us run with endurance the race 37:56 that is set before us." 37:58 Well, I'm not capable of doing that, 37:59 how does that happen? 38:00 Verse 2, "Looking unto Jesus, 38:03 the author and the finisher of our faith, 38:05 who for the joy that was set before Him 38:07 endured the cross, despising the shame, 38:09 and has sat down at the right hand 38:11 of the throne of God." 38:12 We are given this admonition to do our best, 38:16 to respond to the promptings of God, 38:19 to yield the things that are depriving our growth, 38:21 our potential, our maturity 38:23 and the way that is best done is by looking to Jesus. 38:25 When we look to Jesus, 38:27 we lose our appetite for the other things. 38:29 When you eat a delicious ripe garden growing tomato, 38:32 you lose interest 38:33 in every other substandard 38:35 piece of produce you could find. 38:36 It's no different. 38:37 When you taste of the fruit and see that He is good, 38:39 you're going to want Him 38:40 to produce the same fruit in you 38:42 and others will want what you have. 38:44 Amen. Look at Luke 13. 38:47 Pastor Dinzey, do you have a point before we go there? 38:49 Well, yes, because, 38:52 you know, as we consider our lives 38:55 sometimes we may mourn 38:58 and complain when some difficulties come. 39:02 And in James 1, 39:04 he says something that stunned or shocked some people 39:08 and that's James 1:2, 39:12 "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into diverse..." 39:16 I use of the word temptation here 39:17 but it means trials. 39:20 "Knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 39:23 But let patience have her perfect work, 39:25 that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." 39:28 The reason I mention this is because trials 39:32 are like God's instruments 39:35 to help us and mold us and shape us 39:38 and to develop the fruits of the Spirit in us. 39:40 That's right. 39:42 Because when you're talking about patience, 39:43 well, how do you develop patience? 39:44 You wait. 39:46 That's the pruning process. That's the pruning process. 39:48 So God allows trials to come up on us 39:51 that we may lean upon Him, 39:53 trust Him and He can prune us and purge us 39:59 and those fruits can come out, 40:05 let's say that we've talked about love, 40:07 joy, faith, meekness, gentleness. 40:11 And so when difficulties come, 40:14 let's not look at the difficulties. 40:16 But as it says here, 40:18 try to find some joy and understanding 40:19 that God has allowed this 40:21 for some good reason in your life. 40:24 Now I'm saying this 40:26 to the people that understand 40:28 that you're connected to Christ, 40:31 God is not going to allow anything 40:32 to come to you 40:34 that He has not looked at, measured and said, 40:37 "This is good for John Dinzey to go through. 40:40 I approve of this message as you want to say. 40:44 I approve of this 40:45 because if John Dinzey starts doing his own thing." 40:48 And I'm going to bring trials upon myself 40:53 that it was not God's plan for me to go through. 40:55 That's right. 40:56 You see so then I face unnecessary problems 40:59 and then I will be, "Oh, no, I'm going through this 41:03 and that's a totally different thing." 41:05 You manufacture your own trials 41:07 and that's not necessary for us to go through. 41:10 I'll just say briefly. 41:12 There's another form of grooming 41:14 that's for really severe situations 41:16 where it seems like it's hopeless 41:17 for something to grow, 41:18 it's kind of a last ditch effort 41:20 that's called scoring. 41:21 A friend of mine wrote a blog on this recently 41:22 that was really convicting to me. 41:24 Scoring is basically where they cut into the tree, 41:27 if they go too deep it could kill the tree 41:29 but they had to cut deep enough 41:30 to kind of awaken in the tree his desire to heal, 41:33 I guess, nourishment and other things that... 41:36 If you just kind of do a search on it, 41:37 you can find more information. 41:38 But it's really fascinating to me 41:40 that there are times 41:41 that those deep cuts seem arbitrary 41:43 and seem hopeless 41:44 but they're actually ways of rekindling life 41:47 and rekindling the need for the life nourishment to go 41:50 where it needs to go. 41:51 And sometimes that can be the case. 41:53 Yes. Mollie? 41:54 You know, where I believe john, I alluded to John 15:2, 41:59 I'll read that 42:00 out of the New King James Version, 42:01 "Every branch in me 42:03 that does not bear fruit He takes away, 42:04 and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, 42:07 that it may bear more fruit." 42:09 Now the purpose 42:10 for that of course is to bear more fruit. 42:11 That's right. 42:13 And in the King James it says, "He purges." 42:14 That's right. 42:16 So that's kind of like going through detox. 42:18 Now have any of you ever gone through detox? 42:20 And I'm not talking about for drugs or alcohol. 42:23 You know, there are times 42:24 when we have detox to our body because we get, 42:29 you know, because toxins just from everyday wear 42:32 and tear they build up. 42:33 So we'll go through a detox 42:35 whether it's drinking lots of water or whatever, 42:38 your form of detox would be. 42:40 Is that a pleasant experience? 42:42 Any of you have been through a detox? 42:43 No. And we do it to ourselves. 42:46 Why are we doing it? 42:47 To get the toxins out, 42:49 which is not a pleasant fun experience. 42:52 But what's the purpose of it? 42:54 When you detox your body, you're healthier, 42:57 you're happier, you're more productive, 42:59 you've got more energy. 43:00 So there are times when God in the spiritual 43:03 will look and say, "Mollie, needs a detox." 43:06 Why is that? So I bear more fruit. 43:07 I like that sermon title by the way, detox. 43:10 I could find something in there. 43:12 But it's very true 43:14 and that's why this whole idea of producing fruit 43:16 is essential for the Christian 43:18 because, you know, we often think 43:20 that in the real tree growing world, 43:24 I'm just so elementary in my reference 43:26 to the tree growing world, 43:28 there's a particular word that's used. 43:30 But the gardener doesn't leave a tree 43:35 there in an undetermined period of time. 43:38 If he sees its not gonna... 43:40 If he sees it's just taken up space 43:43 and my point is, 43:44 the Lord will give us as much time as we need. 43:48 But look at this parable in Luke 13 43:50 and our time is coming and going so quickly. 43:53 Luke 13:6-9, 43:56 and then we're going to run through some scriptures 43:58 before the clock shuts us down. 44:02 Verse 6, he also spoke this parable, 44:05 "A certain man had a fig tree planted 44:07 in his vineyard, 44:08 and he came seeking fruit on it and found none." 44:11 Now once it's in the vineyard of the Lord, it's in good soil. 44:15 "Then he said to the keeper of the vineyard, 44:17 "Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit 44:19 on this fig tree and find none. 44:21 Cut it down, 44:23 why does it use up the ground or cumber up the ground?" 44:25 But he answered and said to him, 44:26 'Sir, let it alone this year also, 44:29 until I dig around it and fertilize it. 44:32 And if it bears fruit, well, but if not, 44:34 after that you can cut it down.'" 44:36 And this was a parable often referred 44:38 to as the unfinished parable 44:40 but we know that for the Jewish leaders, 44:43 they only had a certain period of time 44:45 to respond to the call 44:47 on the invitation of the Messiah. 44:48 And after that the Lord said, "You know what? 44:50 I need Me some disciples." 44:52 Because they are not responding 44:54 and He had given them a long time 44:56 and the final aspect 44:57 of it was three and a half years. 45:00 So it's amazing how Lord points out the fact 45:02 that He gives us room to grow 45:04 but after time if He sees no good there, 45:07 if He sees 45:08 that we're not responding to His soil, 45:10 His fertilization, His Holy Spirit, 45:13 then we're not good for anything 45:15 but to be cut down and thrown into the fire. 45:17 What a sad ending to a life 45:19 that could have been so much more productive. 45:21 Any comments? 45:22 You know, God is so wonderful, so loving, so kind, 45:24 so merciful, so patient, 45:26 and I want to praise His name 45:28 because you know He is very patient with us. 45:33 He works in our lives 45:35 and He doesn't get discouraged as you want to say. 45:40 Right. 45:41 But it's interesting because in the process of life, 45:46 we see sometimes that, you know, you mentioned. 45:51 Sometimes there seems to be 45:53 and you also alluded to this that a person, 45:58 let's say you're talking about a person 45:59 who is following the Lord and goes away from the Lord. 46:03 The Lord doesn't give up, oh, that person's gone, 46:05 that's it, I'm done. 46:07 You know, I gave him enough. 46:08 No, the Lord, Bible shows us that there's a shepherd 46:11 that goes after the sheep to bring it back to the fold. 46:15 And so God is very patient with us, 46:18 and so one of the things I want to say about this is, 46:22 you know, we talked about all these fruits. 46:25 And just like 46:26 we don't expect to see the fruit overnight, 46:28 God at the same time doesn't say, 46:31 "Okay, by tomorrow, you know, you have to..." 46:35 But there is a time of, 46:37 I don't want to get out of people's mind 46:39 that there's not a time of probation that closes. 46:42 I'm talking about the process of bringing fruit 46:45 that it is God's desire for us to advance 46:49 at the fastest rate possible. 46:51 Right. 46:52 But it is up to us to choose 46:54 because God brings us to decisions, 46:56 and I've noticed in my life 46:58 that God has brought me through. 46:59 I said, "Man, I have been 47:01 through a similar trial before." 47:02 And I think about it and I say, 47:03 you know, I failed that time 47:05 but perhaps the Lord is allowing this for me 47:06 to go through again to see how I will respond now. 47:10 Let me bring you an example, Abraham. 47:13 Abraham was put in the same circumstance 47:16 and two or three times, he said, "That's my sister." 47:20 You see but he was brought to that again for him 47:22 to be able to say, that's my wife. 47:25 And so because if we don't learn the lesson 47:27 the first time, 47:28 it's going to be harder the next time. 47:30 And sometimes the Lord brings us back 47:31 to the same place. 47:32 I want to get a few scriptures 47:34 before our time goes away from us. 47:35 Let's look at Romans 6:22 and then I'll have you, 47:38 as we're turning there, go ahead and make the point. 47:39 Yeah, I'll make it super brief 47:41 that God is not looking for reasons 47:42 to give up on us, but there are times, 47:44 author of the Book of Jeremiah God's making this appeal, 47:47 "If you repent, you can come back. 47:49 If you repent, you can come back." 47:50 And the response they give in Jeremiah 12:18 47:52 is it that it's hopeless. 47:54 So we'll each walk according to our own plans 47:56 where we each one obey the evil dictates of his heart. 47:59 And the point is, 48:00 God is not looking for reasons to give up on us. 48:03 But at some point 48:04 He's going to have to yield to us 48:06 giving up on ourselves 48:08 and not responding to His pleas of love, 48:10 in His view of what we could be in Christ, 48:12 what we are in Christ. 48:13 That's why I like Romans 6:22. Mollie, do you have that? 48:15 Romans 6:22. Look what it says. 48:19 "But now having been set free from sin, 48:21 and having become slaves of God, 48:24 you have your fruit to holiness, 48:26 and the end, everlasting life." 48:28 Ain't that wonderful? 48:30 So this is the rescue aspect of Christ. 48:32 He sets us free from slavery to sin 48:35 and then connect us to Him, 48:36 now we're slaves to righteousness 48:38 and then the end result 48:39 is not only fruits of holiness in our lives 48:41 but the end result is everlasting life. 48:43 In the note of the program is 48:47 that we need the indwelling power of Christ. 48:51 We cannot produce fruit of our own. 48:52 We don't have any self sap as it were that's righteous. 48:58 None of our righteousness is acceptable to God. 49:00 As a matter of fact, 49:03 one more I want to bring very carefully to that is, 49:06 there's a quotation I want to read here 49:08 from Gospel Workers speaking about the fruit. 49:12 Gospel Workers, 288 paragraph 1, 49:16 "Those who have the Spirit are earnest workers together 49:20 with God. 49:21 The heavenly intelligences cooperate with them, 49:24 and they go weighted with the spirit of the message 49:28 that they bear. 49:30 They speak words of solid sense from the treasury of the heart 49:34 and they bring forth pure sacred things 49:38 after the example of Christ." 49:40 So when we're connected to Christ, 49:41 there is nothing that we produce 49:42 that will be adverse to Christ, 49:44 but everything that we produce will be in harmony with Christ. 49:46 Mollie, a few final words. 49:48 Well, I'm just thinking 49:50 there are some scriptures in the Word of God 49:52 concerning bearing fruit that really touch my heart 49:55 and one of them is, it's Psalms 92:12-14, 50:00 I may read it and I'm reading it 50:02 out of the Amplified. 50:03 "The righteous will flourish like the date palm, long-lived, 50:07 upright and useful. 50:09 They will grow like a cedar in Lebanon, 50:11 majestic and stable. 50:13 Planted in the house of the Lord." 50:14 Prerequisite, you have to be planted 50:15 in the house of the Lord. 50:17 That's right. 50:18 "They will flourish in the courts of our God. 50:20 Growing in grace, they will still thrive 50:23 and bear fruit and prosper in old age," Pastor Lomacang. 50:26 Wow, I like that. 50:28 "They will flourish and be vital and fresh, 50:30 rich in trust and love and contentment." 50:33 Even in old age, 50:34 if you're planted in the house of the Lord, 50:36 you will still be fruitful and productive for the kingdom. 50:38 That's right. 50:39 Matter of fact, the tree that's been producing 50:41 all its life you don't expect it 50:42 to get old and not produce you say, 50:44 "Well, that's a reliable tree." 50:45 That's true. 50:46 As we get older we should be reliable Christians 50:48 not pulling away but getting closer to Christ. 50:50 Dee? 50:51 I just think the encouragement 50:53 I would give is that it's easy for us to think 50:54 that I'm not producing the fruit 50:56 that I wish that I would produce. 50:58 There's an answer, that answer is Christ, 51:00 you can come to Him, 51:01 you can receive nourishment and sap from Him. 51:03 He can give you the gift of repentance 51:05 if you haven't repented. 51:06 He can give you the gift of the fruits of the spirit 51:08 to ensure that what you're doing 51:10 is in harmony with His will. 51:11 He longs to see you there and when you do, 51:13 what's required to do that to make that a reality, 51:16 but He needs permission, 51:17 He need a willing heart and an obedient heart. 51:19 Pastor Dinzey, 45 seconds, 30 to 45 seconds. 51:23 I am encouraged to the fact that we went before, 51:25 Philippians 1:6, 51:26 "He that has begun a good work in you 51:29 will keep on that work 51:30 and will complete it to the day of Christ." 51:32 And I want to encourage everyone 51:33 to allow the Lord to continue that work, 51:37 continue following the Lord 51:39 as we've said before looking on to Jesus, 51:42 the author and finisher of our faith. 51:44 You know the Words of Jesus. 51:45 Thank you so much. 51:47 In John 16:16 Jesus said, 51:49 "You did not choose Me 51:50 but I chose you and appointed you 51:52 that you should go and bear fruit, 51:54 that your fruit should remain 51:56 that whatever you ask the Father in My name, 51:59 He will give you." 52:00 And so encouragement is this, the Lord chooses us. 52:04 We don't choose Him. 52:05 He knows we are more in need of Him 52:08 than He is in need of us, 52:10 and the beauty of the Christ that works in us 52:13 and produces fruit is everything that we do. 52:16 Let your light so shine before men 52:17 that they may see your good works 52:19 and glorify your Father, which is in heaven. 52:21 Let the fruit of God continue to glorify your life. 52:24 We're going to take a short break 52:25 and after this news break 52:27 we'll come back with a few closing comments. |
Revised 2018-01-18