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
another 3ABN Family Worship.
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We are so glad that you
have joined us this evening.
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It's always a busy week at 3ABN,
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but we're always looking forward
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to the Sabbath.
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The Sabbath hours
here we are Friday evening,
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and we're looking
forward to the blessed hours
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that God has
promised during the Sabbath.
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We know that you
probably had a busy week,
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don't know exactly
what you've been doing.
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Sometimes you're
writing emails and stuff to us,
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we get a little
glimpse, but here at 3ABN,
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there's always
programming that's happening,
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trips or places
that people have gone to
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and coming back from,
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meetings and all
kinds of exciting things,
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because God is continually
growing the ministry of 3ABN.
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And we again just always
say thank you for your support
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and prayers for
the ministry of 3ABN.
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That's a blessing to join
you because you are family.
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We have our family
here around the table
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and I know you're
going to introduce them
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to everyone in just a moment.
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But this evening,
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we're gonna
talk about gardening.
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And that doesn't really
sound like maybe a Sabbath topic
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that we should talk about that
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but it's actually gardening
in our own souls and the growth
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that God can do in
each one of our lives.
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And relating that to a seed,
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and watering, and
cultivating the soil.
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I know that I enjoy gardening.
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You do too,
especially the flower.
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He's actually much
better at gardening than I am.
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I enjoy it, but he
actually produces fruit,
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which is a good thing.
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Well, you know, I've
had some of the plants die.
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We were just talking...
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Well, Tim's on the set,
we haven't introduce everyone
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but, Tim, we were
talking about plants,
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your blueberry bush is thriving.
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It is. Mine
unfortunately have died.
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And we've tried them
two times and they've died.
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But there's other
plants that are growing flowers
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and that sort of thing.
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But there's powerful
lessons in the book of nature
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that God wants for us to learn
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so that's what we're gonna
be talking about this evening.
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Amen.
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I'm excited about this
program and about the topic
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because God
wants to grow His fruit
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in each one of
our hearts and lives.
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And we're still thankful
that you have joined us,
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you're part of the 3ABN family.
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And we have our 3ABN
family around the table with us.
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We're gonna start
on this side with Dee,
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Dee Hilderbrand,
production coordinator.
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But, Dee, it is always a
joy to sit on the set with you,
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and to work
with you at 3ABN too.
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I love working with both of you.
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I love working with everyone.
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We have such
wonderful people here
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and we pulled
together, and work together,
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and we're all
producing fruit together.
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Everybody has
their own little job.
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And together we produce.
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Do you've been a 3ABN,
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I wouldn't say
since the beginning
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but close to it.
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Twenty two years.
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That's a long time.
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But they're gonna have
their 35th anniversary,
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so I missed out
on those early years.
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You have your big part of 3ABN
and a lot of people know you,
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whether they ever
met you in person,
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but I know you work
with a lot of the guests
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that are coming
in at ASI and things,
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so a lot of people
know 'Dee Hilderbrand,
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a senior name all on
the Kruger's for many years.
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They see the name sometimes.
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That's right. Thank
you for what you do.
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Dee does a great job,
we love working with Dee
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and she's just a
joy here at 3ABN.
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She kind of keeps me in
line to with the schedule.
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Well, no, I
don't mean in a bad way
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but, you know, we
have lots of schedules
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because of all the program
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and all the
networks, Tim, and Praise Him,
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and other networks
Dare to Dream, and others.
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And so Dee is always
working with Jorge my assistant
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on, you know, the schedule
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and what's coming up
months down the road,
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weekly schedules,
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it's a big job,
so I appreciate it.
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I gently nags, at
least I try to gently nag.
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Well, does, doesn't it?
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That's fabulous.
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You think of
yourself much pretty.
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Okay, go ahead.
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Over here we have Tim Parton
who is our friend, and brother,
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and general
manager of 3ABN Praise Him,
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and we always love it
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when we can have
family worship with him.
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Yeah, it's been a long time
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since I've been
with the Morikone's.
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I always enjoy a
family worship time with you.
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So thanks for inviting me
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and I'm looking
forward to this study.
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Always, Tim, it is a blessing.
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We appreciate the gifts
that God has given to you.
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But, you know, it's
not just the talent,
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it's who you are as a person
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and that's what we
really appreciate is you.
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And so yeah, what
a blessing you are,
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thank you for the good work
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you're doing with the
Praise Him Network as well.
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Yeah, it's a real privilege.
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Because this is worship
and music is a part of worship
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and we're gonna do a
song here in a moment
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but I know, you know,
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that's the main
thrust for the Praise Him.
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And I think that's really key
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because people
can get in worship
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throughout the week.
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You know, as well but
especially on Friday night
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as we head into
the Sabbath hours.
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Why is music so important,
Tim, you feel for worship?
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Oh, my goodness.
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Well, to me music is just a way,
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a great way of expressing myself
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and, you know,
because it is the gift
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that God has given me.
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I remember just as a kid,
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I would just sit in
the dark and play the piano
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and it wasn't about practicing.
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It wasn't, you
know, I was just...
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If I felt like
no one was watching,
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and sometimes my dad
would sit on the couch.
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And in the dark,
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we would just sit
there and I would just play
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and so still to this
day, every once in a while
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to steal away into the studio
we're at the sound center,
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and just turn off
the lights and just play.
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It's a great way for me
to connect with the Lord
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and just, you know,
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just kind of
speak my heart in a way
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that no other way I've
found that works for me.
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Everybody has their way
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maybe of expressing
yourself to God and worshiping
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but music always does it for me.
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And I think also with music,
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I'm not very good
because I'm not a musician.
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So the right
terms, Tim, on this,
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but, you know, there's the tune,
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hope that's right but
then there's also the lyrics.
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Sure.
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You know, those together,
it's just a powerful thing.
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You know, the
words, the praise to God,
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what He's done for
us, it's very powerful.
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Yeah. Amen.
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And sitting next to
Tim and next to Greg
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here is Robert Pierce,
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and you are a newer
addition we could say
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to the 3ABN family,
working in production,
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you wear several
hats in production,
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but we are so blessed
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not only by what you
do at the ministry here,
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but your spirit
and your walk with God.
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So thank you for
coming on the set with us.
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Thank you for having me.
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That's really interesting
to go from behind the cameras,
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behind the scenes to,
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you know, coming out
here and being on set.
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I'm humbled, and
grateful, and appreciative.
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We appreciate you, Robert.
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'Cause, I mean, you
put a lot of effort,
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you know, you go for perfection
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which many of
our employees do here
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and it's a real blessing.
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But you're always so
willing to learn so many things.
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And I wanna say,
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push the
envelope in the right way
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some people that may
take it as negatively
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I meant that positively.
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You know, you and
many of the staff here
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and we appreciate that so much.
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God has given you
many skills and talents.
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And it's really
neat how you and I met,
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you know, several years ago.
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I believe, you
know, back in the day
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now looking back,
that was providential.
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Our first meeting which has been
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five, six, seven years ago,
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and how God has
brought you here,
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and he live just
down the road from 3ABN
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and it just amazes me
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the talent, you
know, so close here,
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just right down the
road for a number of years
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and we just didn't know it.
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And here God tapped your
heart and brought you here.
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Sure, absolutely.
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Couldn't have
foreseen the Lord's moving.
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And, in fact, I remember
10 years ago I moved here.
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And drove to
Thompsonville, little town here.
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Five hundred and fifty people.
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And I remember
driving down the road
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and looking off to
the right and I think,
00:08:01.54\00:08:02.88
"What in the world is that?"
00:08:02.91\00:08:04.71
It's a huge building
with satellite dishes
00:08:04.75\00:08:06.92
and all the stuff.
00:08:06.95\00:08:08.28
I was like, "What
in the world is that?"
00:08:08.32\00:08:10.19
3ABN, what does that
stand for? Very interesting.
00:08:10.22\00:08:12.69
Out of middle of nowhere,
00:08:12.72\00:08:14.06
you know, for
those who have visited
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it's, we really are out
in the middle of nowhere.
00:08:15.46\00:08:18.66
But the Lord brought me here.
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For people, just real quick.
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Do you have a
family, a wife Tammy,
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you have how many children?
00:08:23.37\00:08:24.70
Four kids. And
one grown grandbaby?
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One grandson.
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And he's as much fun
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as they always
said grandson would be.
00:08:29.64\00:08:31.97
That's right. Yes.
00:08:32.01\00:08:33.58
How old is he now?
00:08:33.61\00:08:34.98
He'll be two in July.
00:08:35.01\00:08:36.51
So he's just
starting to talk a little bit,
00:08:36.54\00:08:38.88
got some words coming
out, got some communication.
00:08:38.91\00:08:41.08
So that's really fun.
00:08:41.12\00:08:42.55
Is he saying grandpa yet?
00:08:42.58\00:08:43.92
He calls me papa.
00:08:43.95\00:08:47.32
So yeah, that's a blessing.
00:08:47.36\00:08:48.79
Amen.
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Well, we should probably
have prayers before we start?
00:08:50.19\00:08:51.53
We should. Absolutely.
00:08:51.56\00:08:52.89
We're so glad that
you have joined us.
00:08:52.93\00:08:54.93
We hope your
families around the TV,
00:08:54.96\00:08:57.70
hope you have your Bibles.
00:08:57.73\00:08:59.37
Join us for music
00:08:59.40\00:09:00.74
and for just a
study of God's Word.
00:09:00.77\00:09:03.04
Amen. Yeah,
let's open in prayer.
00:09:03.07\00:09:04.77
Dee, do you wanna open in prayer
00:09:04.81\00:09:06.14
and then we'll
have some music next.
00:09:06.17\00:09:07.64
Please.
00:09:07.68\00:09:09.01
Our dear Heavenly Father,
00:09:09.04\00:09:10.38
we just thank You
for these beautiful hours
00:09:10.41\00:09:11.95
that You have given us
that we can come together
00:09:11.98\00:09:14.72
and come closer
to You as a family.
00:09:14.75\00:09:17.35
That we can open our hearts
with You and for You, Father,
00:09:17.39\00:09:20.66
this is the time
that You inhabit,
00:09:20.69\00:09:22.69
and that You grow
closer to Your people.
00:09:22.72\00:09:25.59
And we just thank
You for this time,
00:09:25.63\00:09:27.33
and for the
blessing that You give us.
00:09:27.36\00:09:29.26
That each of us
learn something today
00:09:29.30\00:09:31.43
and share with each other
00:09:31.47\00:09:32.93
and grow as Your
sons and daughters.
00:09:32.97\00:09:34.64
And we just thank
You in Jesus' name, amen.
00:09:34.67\00:09:36.87
Amen.
00:09:36.91\00:09:38.24
Yeah, fantastic.
00:09:38.27\00:09:39.61
We're getting ready, Tim
is on his way to the piano.
00:09:39.64\00:09:42.84
This is, this is live.
00:09:42.88\00:09:44.21
This wasn't
prerecorded with piano.
00:09:44.25\00:09:45.58
He's gone over to the piano,
00:09:45.61\00:09:46.95
we're gonna
sing a wonderful hymn
00:09:46.98\00:09:48.32
entitled Day By Day,
00:09:48.35\00:09:49.68
the words will be on the screen.
00:09:49.72\00:09:51.05
So sing along with us.
00:09:51.09\00:09:52.42
I love this song.
00:09:52.45\00:09:53.79
Day by day, and
with each passing moment
00:09:57.89\00:10:03.16
Strength I find to
meet my trials here
00:10:03.20\00:10:08.00
Trusting in my
Father's wise bestowment
00:10:08.04\00:10:13.21
I've no cause
for worry or for fear
00:10:13.24\00:10:18.45
He, whose heart is
kind beyond all measure
00:10:18.48\00:10:23.79
Gives unto each
day what He deems best
00:10:23.82\00:10:29.16
Lovingly its part
of pain and pleasure
00:10:29.19\00:10:34.60
Mingling toil
with peace and rest
00:10:34.63\00:10:40.20
Help me then, in
every tribulation
00:10:40.24\00:10:45.71
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord
00:10:45.74\00:10:51.15
That I lose not
faith's sweet consolation
00:10:51.18\00:10:56.65
Offered me within Thy holy Word
00:10:56.69\00:11:01.92
Help me, Lord, when
toil and trouble meeting
00:11:01.96\00:11:07.33
E'er to take, as
from a father's hand
00:11:07.36\00:11:12.97
One by one, the
days, the moments fleeting
00:11:13.00\00:11:18.77
Till I reach the Promised Land
00:11:18.81\00:11:23.04
Amen. Amen.
00:11:26.05\00:11:28.75
Don't you love this?
00:11:28.78\00:11:30.12
I love the part of
reach that Promised Land.
00:11:30.15\00:11:32.25
That's right. Amen.
00:11:32.29\00:11:33.66
Because it also mentions
about the toils and the things
00:11:33.69\00:11:36.42
that we go through
and trouble in this life,
00:11:36.46\00:11:38.59
none of us are immune
00:11:38.63\00:11:39.96
to that in our
lives, but God is there.
00:11:40.00\00:11:43.37
Yeah. Pain and pleasure.
00:11:43.40\00:11:45.00
It's part of the
growing process, you know?
00:11:45.03\00:11:47.00
Day by day,
that's why I like that.
00:11:47.04\00:11:48.70
It's just, life is so daily.
00:11:48.74\00:11:50.91
It's not year by year, is
it? No, it's not. It's no.
00:11:50.94\00:11:53.98
Moment by moment.
00:11:54.01\00:11:55.44
It's second. Yeah, exactly.
00:11:55.48\00:11:57.01
Thank you, Tim,
for playing the piano.
00:11:57.05\00:11:58.38
I appreciate it.
00:11:58.41\00:11:59.75
Amen.
00:11:59.78\00:12:01.12
So we jump into our
topic of Christian growth.
00:12:01.15\00:12:03.55
Let's look at a couple of
scriptures here to start with.
00:12:03.59\00:12:05.75
And then we'll talk
about the cultivation process,
00:12:05.79\00:12:08.49
and the planting, and
the watering, sunshine,
00:12:08.52\00:12:11.09
and all of that
process of growth we have.
00:12:11.13\00:12:13.96
Not only in the
physical world in the garden,
00:12:14.00\00:12:16.00
but in the spiritual as well.
00:12:16.03\00:12:17.43
So let's look at
2 Corinthians 5:17.
00:12:17.47\00:12:18.90
So I love that scripture, yes.
00:12:18.93\00:12:20.27
This is probably one of my
all time favorite scriptures.
00:12:20.30\00:12:26.07
I just did some
women's retreats recently,
00:12:26.11\00:12:27.68
and this is our theme scripture.
00:12:27.71\00:12:29.18
So every single
program by the end
00:12:29.21\00:12:32.25
I think we had it memorized.
00:12:32.28\00:12:33.62
Yes.
00:12:33.65\00:12:34.98
2 Corinthians 5:17.
00:12:35.02\00:12:37.49
Who has that? I have it.
00:12:37.52\00:12:39.15
Good. I love this one.
00:12:39.19\00:12:40.92
"Therefore, if
anyone is in Christ,
00:12:40.96\00:12:43.53
he is a new creation.
00:12:43.56\00:12:46.03
Old things have passed away,
00:12:46.06\00:12:47.40
behold, all
things have become new."
00:12:47.43\00:12:50.77
That speaks so heavily
to me because I guess when,
00:12:50.80\00:12:55.47
you know, the more God
has forgiven the more you love
00:12:55.50\00:12:58.77
and he's forgiven me so much.
00:12:58.81\00:13:01.44
And the chance to
be a new creation,
00:13:01.48\00:13:06.21
I need that so much
because the old was so bad.
00:13:06.25\00:13:10.59
I think that's
important to what you just said,
00:13:10.62\00:13:13.36
the old was so bad.
00:13:13.39\00:13:14.92
The fact, how long
have you been a Christian?
00:13:14.96\00:13:16.96
Only about 20
years and I'm pretty old.
00:13:16.99\00:13:19.13
But even at 20
years, that's a long time
00:13:19.16\00:13:22.20
and I know a lot of
people who have forgotten
00:13:22.23\00:13:24.83
what they were
forgiven for originally.
00:13:24.87\00:13:28.57
You know, we were all forgiven.
00:13:28.60\00:13:30.84
You know, there's
nothing like that new car smell.
00:13:30.87\00:13:34.01
But I think a lot
of us have lost that.
00:13:34.04\00:13:36.68
Because this verse says,
00:13:36.71\00:13:38.05
"If anyone is in
Christ, he's a new creation."
00:13:38.08\00:13:41.12
Some people have
been Christian so long,
00:13:41.15\00:13:43.12
they forgot
what new smells like,
00:13:43.15\00:13:46.35
what new looks like.
00:13:46.39\00:13:47.79
Wow, that's powerful. Yeah.
00:13:47.82\00:13:49.36
And so they forget.
00:13:49.39\00:13:51.59
And that's why
it's important to pray
00:13:51.63\00:13:53.09
that restoring me
the joy of thy salvation
00:13:53.13\00:13:58.03
that bring back the new again.
00:13:58.07\00:13:59.93
Yeah.
00:13:59.97\00:14:01.30
The whole, that's
the important thing.
00:14:01.34\00:14:02.94
Even though I said 20
years, I better correct that.
00:14:02.97\00:14:05.21
It's been about 30 years.
00:14:05.24\00:14:06.57
I lost track of time
'cause I'm at 3ABN 22 years,
00:14:06.61\00:14:09.24
I'm excited. I
was thinking that.
00:14:09.28\00:14:10.71
I was a
Christian when I came here.
00:14:10.75\00:14:12.68
I was
surprised, been five years.
00:14:12.71\00:14:14.58
But anyway you know I'm joking.
00:14:14.62\00:14:16.82
No, it's been about 30 years.
00:14:16.85\00:14:18.39
But the majority of my
life was spent as an old person.
00:14:18.42\00:14:23.19
And even though I don't
do, I never dwell or look back,
00:14:23.22\00:14:27.60
occasionally it kind of rises up
00:14:27.63\00:14:29.20
and it kind of
pops into your head.
00:14:29.23\00:14:30.87
And it's like,
"Oh, thank You, Lord."
00:14:30.90\00:14:33.94
You know, and you drive it out
00:14:33.97\00:14:35.74
that you have that
new life, a new creature.
00:14:35.77\00:14:38.07
Well, the
importance is that you remember
00:14:38.11\00:14:39.91
what new smells like?
00:14:39.94\00:14:41.58
Oh, yes.
00:14:41.61\00:14:44.31
I know you've got
this nice iPad here
00:14:44.35\00:14:46.15
so you can change versions.
00:14:46.18\00:14:47.52
So the NIV, do you have that
actually 2 Corinthians 5:17.
00:14:47.55\00:14:52.85
I'm just kind of
curious as to like what the,
00:14:52.89\00:14:55.32
you have on this one,
you can bring up any version.
00:14:55.36\00:14:56.96
You have NIV for that.
00:14:56.99\00:14:58.33
Yeah, so 5:17 What
does that say from NIV?
00:14:58.36\00:15:00.43
"Therefore, if
anyone is in Christ,
00:15:00.46\00:15:02.16
the new creation has come,
00:15:02.20\00:15:03.53
the old has
gone, the new is here!"
00:15:03.57\00:15:05.47
With an exclamation point.
00:15:05.50\00:15:07.27
Old is gone, the new is here.
00:15:07.30\00:15:08.64
Yeah, amen. Here and now.
00:15:08.67\00:15:10.27
Yeah, that's great.
00:15:10.31\00:15:11.64
Do you have the Amplified,
Tim, I put you on the spot.
00:15:11.67\00:15:13.74
Did you bring Amplified?
00:15:13.78\00:15:15.38
Yeah, it's real similar, I mean,
00:15:15.41\00:15:17.11
"Therefore if any
person is in Christ,
00:15:17.15\00:15:19.75
he is a new creation,
00:15:19.78\00:15:21.58
the old previous moral
00:15:21.62\00:15:23.95
and spiritual
condition has passed away,
00:15:23.99\00:15:25.72
behold, the fresh
and new have come."
00:15:25.75\00:15:28.19
Yes.
00:15:28.22\00:15:29.56
Yeah. Amen.
00:15:29.59\00:15:30.93
So the key there is
to what be in Christ?
00:15:30.96\00:15:33.03
Yeah, I think that's
what we're talking about here
00:15:33.06\00:15:34.40
is that Christian growth.
00:15:34.43\00:15:35.76
But I like that,
that yours says spiritual
00:15:35.80\00:15:37.13
and it lists
moral, it lists all areas.
00:15:37.17\00:15:38.73
Spiritual
condition has passed away.
00:15:38.77\00:15:41.04
Yeah.
00:15:41.07\00:15:42.40
You know, in the
Greek for new is kainos,
00:15:42.44\00:15:44.71
which is not new in time.
00:15:44.74\00:15:48.01
It's new in quality.
00:15:48.04\00:15:50.05
And so to me, I
love that about this.
00:15:50.08\00:15:53.85
It's also translated
in English, you know,
00:15:53.88\00:15:56.48
and in the Hebrew,
the word is chadash,
00:15:56.52\00:16:00.59
but it means the same thing.
00:16:00.62\00:16:02.29
It's new in
quality not new in time.
00:16:02.32\00:16:04.73
In Psalm 51, where it says,
00:16:04.76\00:16:07.13
"Create in me a
clean heart, O God,
00:16:07.16\00:16:09.10
and renew a right spirit."
00:16:09.13\00:16:10.47
The word for renew is the
same, as this word for new.
00:16:10.50\00:16:13.64
So instead of meaning,
00:16:13.67\00:16:15.10
God creates
something entirely new,
00:16:15.14\00:16:16.91
what it really means
00:16:16.94\00:16:18.27
is He takes the
old and He renews it.
00:16:18.31\00:16:20.21
You know, He take
the quality changes
00:16:20.24\00:16:22.34
what we used to be the
person is still the same,
00:16:22.38\00:16:25.75
but we just have new habits,
and a new thought process,
00:16:25.78\00:16:28.65
and everything
becomes transformed or new.
00:16:28.68\00:16:32.59
You're still
outgoing or you're still shy,
00:16:32.62\00:16:35.06
you still are you
00:16:35.09\00:16:36.83
but you are the best you
that He created you to be.
00:16:36.86\00:16:40.13
Nice. God's vision.
00:16:40.16\00:16:42.23
I'm thinking about, I
kind of like building,
00:16:42.26\00:16:44.23
so for me it's like
doing a remodel then.
00:16:44.27\00:16:46.03
I don't just tear
the whole house down,
00:16:46.07\00:16:48.04
but I'm
actually just redoing it,
00:16:48.07\00:16:49.40
doing some new paint,
or refurb a little bit.
00:16:49.44\00:16:52.34
Yeah, that's good.
00:16:52.37\00:16:53.71
I like that. It's powerful.
00:16:53.74\00:16:55.21
Fresh. Yes.
00:16:55.24\00:16:57.45
Should we move to Isaiah?
00:16:57.48\00:16:58.81
Absolutely. Okay.
00:16:58.85\00:17:00.18
And then we gotta go to
cultivation of the soil.
00:17:00.22\00:17:01.62
Yeah.
00:17:01.65\00:17:02.98
We're gonna go
to the painful part.
00:17:03.02\00:17:05.12
That's right, that
is a little painful,
00:17:05.15\00:17:06.62
isn't it, preparing the soil.
00:17:06.65\00:17:08.26
Isaiah 43:18, 19.
00:17:08.29\00:17:13.16
Who has that?
00:17:13.19\00:17:14.53
"Do not earnestly
remember the former things,
00:17:14.56\00:17:16.63
neither consider
the things of old.
00:17:16.67\00:17:19.27
Behold, I am doing a new thing!
00:17:19.30\00:17:21.27
Now it springs forth, do
you not perceive and know it
00:17:21.30\00:17:25.14
and will you
not give heed to it?
00:17:25.17\00:17:27.24
I will even make a
way in the wilderness
00:17:27.28\00:17:29.21
and rivers in the desert."
00:17:29.24\00:17:30.65
Amen.
00:17:30.68\00:17:32.01
Yes. Yes.
00:17:32.05\00:17:33.72
Basically, that, to me
almost seems impossible
00:17:33.75\00:17:35.62
to put a river in a desert.
00:17:35.65\00:17:37.42
So God can take
something that's impossible
00:17:37.45\00:17:39.79
and make something,
I think, worthwhile.
00:17:39.82\00:17:41.66
And I believe
that's key for all of us.
00:17:41.69\00:17:43.43
You know, you may be at home
00:17:43.46\00:17:44.79
and you feel your
life's worth nothing,
00:17:44.83\00:17:46.90
you have nothing to give,
00:17:46.93\00:17:48.26
but God can do
something powerful in your life.
00:17:48.30\00:17:52.10
And I like that too, that God,
00:17:52.13\00:17:55.67
wherever we're at,
accepts us wherever we're at,
00:17:55.70\00:17:58.14
and He expects us to
obey what He's shown us.
00:17:58.17\00:18:01.81
And to go forward,
00:18:01.84\00:18:03.18
and not to just
think about the past always
00:18:03.21\00:18:04.61
and be discouraged
about where you've been,
00:18:04.65\00:18:06.45
but look that God can do
something new in your life.
00:18:06.48\00:18:09.38
You know the desert,
00:18:09.42\00:18:10.75
it can look like
it's just a desert,
00:18:10.79\00:18:13.12
but it can rain and it
will bloom forth beautifully.
00:18:13.15\00:18:17.49
So even if you
feel like a desert,
00:18:17.53\00:18:19.09
if you let the
spirit rain upon you,
00:18:19.13\00:18:20.90
you will bloom forth,
brand new and beautiful.
00:18:20.93\00:18:23.80
Amen.
00:18:23.83\00:18:25.17
Amen. It's beautiful
00:18:25.20\00:18:26.74
because often we might feel like
00:18:26.77\00:18:28.10
we're in a
desert place, you know,
00:18:28.14\00:18:30.14
in life or in the
journey we go through.
00:18:30.17\00:18:32.47
Just this week I went
through a desert experience,
00:18:32.51\00:18:35.61
you can say one of those.
00:18:35.64\00:18:37.28
Oh, one of those
days and you just think
00:18:37.31\00:18:40.38
this is, God can
still pour something new.
00:18:40.42\00:18:42.95
God can still bring
something beautiful,
00:18:42.98\00:18:45.89
even if it looks dry or
it looks barren and dusty,
00:18:45.92\00:18:49.76
God can bring
forth something new
00:18:49.79\00:18:51.86
which is just precious.
00:18:51.89\00:18:54.56
I know we try not to
date these programs too much,
00:18:54.60\00:18:56.20
but where they
had that lots of rain
00:18:56.23\00:18:58.83
in California out west
00:18:58.87\00:19:00.20
where it tends to be
desert and they talked about...
00:19:00.24\00:19:02.10
Again, it's the
great poppy bloom
00:19:02.14\00:19:04.01
of all those wild poppies out.
00:19:04.04\00:19:05.71
Have you seen those out there?
00:19:05.74\00:19:07.08
I haven't seen it, I
just saw some pictures
00:19:07.11\00:19:08.78
that happened this spring
00:19:08.81\00:19:10.41
from all the rain that they had,
00:19:10.45\00:19:12.25
I guess all those valleys
00:19:12.28\00:19:13.62
and stuff out
there in California
00:19:13.65\00:19:14.98
where it tends to
be kind of barren,
00:19:15.02\00:19:16.35
looking just like, come to
life and just all this orange,
00:19:16.38\00:19:18.92
it's just incredible.
00:19:18.95\00:19:20.29
Absolutely barren.
00:19:20.32\00:19:21.86
For sure there's life there.
00:19:21.89\00:19:23.36
Yeah, for sure.
00:19:23.39\00:19:26.59
So when you get
ready to plant some.
00:19:26.63\00:19:28.53
Okay. You're starting, sorry.
00:19:28.56\00:19:30.17
No, I'm just thinking,
00:19:30.20\00:19:31.53
yeah, Dee, like you're saying
this can be kind of painful,
00:19:31.57\00:19:34.34
the cultivation process.
00:19:34.37\00:19:36.87
In springtime here
in Southern Illinois,
00:19:36.91\00:19:38.47
I like that because
there's, you know, the tractors
00:19:38.51\00:19:40.61
and, of course, I
like heavy equipment
00:19:40.64\00:19:41.98
and, man, they go
out there in the field
00:19:42.01\00:19:43.35
and that ground that
kind of gets compacted.
00:19:43.38\00:19:46.41
They take their
little disks or little plows
00:19:46.45\00:19:49.62
and they start
plowing that soil up
00:19:49.65\00:19:52.49
and there's a
reason they do that.
00:19:52.52\00:19:55.62
Why did they plow the soil
00:19:55.66\00:19:56.99
in preparation
to plant the seed,
00:19:57.03\00:19:58.36
do you think?
00:19:58.39\00:19:59.76
That's why they do it.
00:19:59.79\00:20:01.13
In preparation to plant the seed
00:20:01.16\00:20:02.50
you have to get the air.
00:20:02.53\00:20:04.33
You can't stick that seed down.
00:20:04.37\00:20:05.70
I just answered my
own question, didn't I?
00:20:05.73\00:20:07.14
You did. But that was good.
00:20:07.17\00:20:08.50
And it's not just big equipment.
00:20:08.54\00:20:09.87
If I don't have big equipment,
00:20:09.90\00:20:11.64
I'm just planning little things
and I have to take this spade,
00:20:11.67\00:20:15.58
and I drive it into
the ground and loosen up.
00:20:15.61\00:20:18.38
And make it light,
and loose, and airy
00:20:18.41\00:20:20.25
to get the seed down in there,
and the water, so it can grow.
00:20:20.28\00:20:23.92
The seed can't grow if
it's locked like in rock
00:20:23.95\00:20:26.86
and some of our
ground feels like rock
00:20:26.89\00:20:28.56
around here sometimes.
00:20:28.59\00:20:30.26
But it takes strength
to dig up that ground.
00:20:30.29\00:20:34.56
Yeah. The power of the Lord.
00:20:34.60\00:20:36.67
The personal, you got it.
00:20:36.70\00:20:39.07
God has His own.
00:20:39.10\00:20:40.97
I don't think He uses a big...
00:20:41.00\00:20:43.27
Sometimes you may have to
use like a big cultivator.
00:20:43.30\00:20:45.57
But even more often
00:20:45.61\00:20:47.31
I find Him using
like a little spade,
00:20:47.34\00:20:49.74
and I'm getting right
00:20:49.78\00:20:51.11
in the
nitty-gritty, personal crevices
00:20:51.15\00:20:53.18
that He needs to
get my attention.
00:20:53.21\00:20:55.62
And if He wants me
to go there sometimes.
00:20:55.65\00:20:58.02
He's just run
over me the tractor.
00:20:58.05\00:20:59.49
Yeah, right. That's true.
00:20:59.52\00:21:00.86
You may feel like you've
been run over by a tractor.
00:21:00.89\00:21:03.02
But yeah, that's
true too, anyway.
00:21:03.06\00:21:05.29
I think it's true.
00:21:05.33\00:21:06.93
Right, exactly.
00:21:06.96\00:21:08.46
The scalpel. Yep.
00:21:08.50\00:21:10.47
But it's important, I
believe, to till the soil
00:21:10.50\00:21:11.97
like you're saying to, Tim,
00:21:12.00\00:21:13.34
because that's where
it gets 'cause the seed,
00:21:13.37\00:21:14.70
if you just lay the seed out,
00:21:14.74\00:21:16.07
I mean, there's some
seeds that would do this,
00:21:16.10\00:21:17.44
you laid it out on the table
might somehow come to sprouting
00:21:17.47\00:21:18.81
if you got a
little moisture there,
00:21:18.84\00:21:20.18
but most of the time,
00:21:20.21\00:21:21.54
the seed needs to be put
and planted into something.
00:21:21.58\00:21:24.61
You know, there's the parable
00:21:24.65\00:21:26.21
that Christ gave of
the sower and the seed.
00:21:26.25\00:21:28.95
Was it in Luke?
00:21:28.98\00:21:30.32
I think I wrote
that down here in Luke 8.
00:21:30.35\00:21:31.69
That's why He takes
our stony heart out,
00:21:31.72\00:21:34.79
and puts a heart
of flesh in there.
00:21:34.82\00:21:37.39
So it is soft and can be planted
00:21:37.43\00:21:39.63
to grow what He puts in there.
00:21:39.66\00:21:41.16
So how do you
think then God plows us?
00:21:41.20\00:21:42.66
We're talking about the soils
we know about planting a seed.
00:21:42.70\00:21:44.87
So how do you
think God plows us?
00:21:44.90\00:21:48.17
With the gentlest
hand that we allow.
00:21:48.20\00:21:50.34
So what would that be?
00:21:50.37\00:21:51.71
I mean, what would
be something in our life
00:21:51.74\00:21:53.07
that would be
maybe a plowing apart?
00:21:53.11\00:21:55.44
Now sometimes if...
00:21:55.48\00:21:57.91
Sometimes don't
we kind of go along
00:21:57.95\00:21:59.38
and we're kind in
a rut or something,
00:21:59.41\00:22:02.85
and God can get our
attention several ways.
00:22:02.88\00:22:07.99
There's been
times when I thought
00:22:08.02\00:22:09.92
maybe God was
telling me to do something,
00:22:09.96\00:22:12.46
and I didn't do it.
00:22:12.49\00:22:14.40
And then later there
was this regret or you saw,
00:22:14.43\00:22:16.83
"Oh, I should
have helped that person
00:22:16.87\00:22:18.20
or I should have done that."
00:22:18.23\00:22:19.57
So I think He gets our attention
00:22:19.60\00:22:21.27
by letting us see something
that He was going to let us do.
00:22:21.30\00:22:26.54
And we were so hard hearted
00:22:26.57\00:22:29.14
that we didn't pay any attention
00:22:29.18\00:22:30.51
and didn't do it,
so that's one way.
00:22:30.55\00:22:32.78
That's a small way that
He can get our attentions
00:22:32.81\00:22:36.05
through big things
like illnesses or death.
00:22:36.08\00:22:40.92
I mean, it can...
00:22:40.96\00:22:42.29
It's the gamut
of whatever we need,
00:22:42.32\00:22:44.49
whatever it's gonna
take to get our attention,
00:22:44.53\00:22:47.33
but it's usually something
00:22:47.36\00:22:50.53
that is not
pleasant in our life.
00:22:50.57\00:22:52.27
It gets us out
of our comfort zone.
00:22:52.30\00:22:54.17
There's some of the
plowing that God can do.
00:22:54.20\00:22:56.91
Any other
thoughts about plowing,
00:22:56.94\00:22:58.31
how our lives can be plowed?
00:22:58.34\00:23:00.88
I think this point in my life
00:23:00.91\00:23:03.04
being older and
being around a while,
00:23:03.08\00:23:05.81
I often experiences
not, "Oh, I disobeyed."
00:23:05.85\00:23:09.18
I heard God and I
decided not to do it.
00:23:09.22\00:23:10.89
But it's much more for me
00:23:10.92\00:23:12.25
that just kind
of closed my ears.
00:23:12.29\00:23:14.52
I don't want to
listen right now, you know.
00:23:14.56\00:23:16.52
So that often leads to
God getting my attention
00:23:16.56\00:23:21.96
in ways and that, to
me, that's what I think of
00:23:22.00\00:23:23.90
when I think of
this plowing as it.
00:23:23.93\00:23:26.74
He wants to do good work in me
00:23:26.77\00:23:28.10
and oftentimes
I'll not be ready for it
00:23:28.14\00:23:30.77
or be unwilling.
00:23:30.81\00:23:32.67
It's not that I'm
out doing bad things,
00:23:32.71\00:23:35.31
but I'm just
not attuning my ear.
00:23:35.34\00:23:37.15
I'm not listening.
00:23:37.18\00:23:38.51
And the plowing
for me at that point
00:23:38.55\00:23:41.58
is some circumstance
or some remembrance.
00:23:41.62\00:23:45.45
God will either,
00:23:45.49\00:23:46.82
He'll get my attention usually
in a way that is necessary.
00:23:46.86\00:23:50.69
I think one time He
said last time or something
00:23:50.73\00:23:52.39
that the volume that's necessary
00:23:52.43\00:23:54.46
to get your attention.
00:23:54.50\00:23:56.20
So that's a
good incentive to be,
00:23:56.23\00:23:58.97
to tune your ear to the
Lord as quietly as you can.
00:23:59.00\00:24:02.84
That's good.
00:24:02.87\00:24:04.21
Maybe we get into
where we're kind of
00:24:04.24\00:24:05.94
taking our
relationship for granted,
00:24:05.97\00:24:07.64
maybe we're not
doing bad things.
00:24:07.68\00:24:10.31
We're just kind of going along
00:24:10.35\00:24:13.11
with how we've always
gone along and not grown.
00:24:13.15\00:24:16.32
So what happens
if you don't grow?
00:24:16.35\00:24:18.55
If your blueberries are
not growing, what happens?
00:24:18.59\00:24:20.52
Yeah, that's a good point?
00:24:20.56\00:24:23.32
I think He uses
our friendships too,
00:24:23.36\00:24:26.23
till we kind of, I know,
00:24:26.26\00:24:28.43
with you and Jill,
it's fun to know each other,
00:24:28.46\00:24:31.63
work with each other enough
00:24:31.67\00:24:33.97
to where we can be
involved in each other's life
00:24:34.00\00:24:36.30
and speaking into, you
know, and we can share things
00:24:36.34\00:24:39.71
and so sometimes I
think He helps us grow.
00:24:39.74\00:24:42.34
And that's why it's important
to cultivate friendships.
00:24:42.38\00:24:45.68
You're right. That's good.
00:24:45.71\00:24:47.12
The words, where we can
speak into each other's lives
00:24:47.15\00:24:48.92
and not be offended
00:24:48.95\00:24:50.29
or not take it offensively
when I see something in you
00:24:50.32\00:24:54.72
that I think that
could stand improvement,
00:24:54.76\00:24:58.59
especially when you
show signs of maybe something
00:24:58.63\00:25:01.76
that you're going through.
00:25:01.80\00:25:03.90
Yeah.
00:25:03.93\00:25:05.27
No, that's a good point, Tim.
00:25:05.30\00:25:06.63
Yeah, here God is
using us as human beings
00:25:06.67\00:25:08.44
to actually speak
into someone else's life.
00:25:08.47\00:25:10.87
I like that.
That's loving each other.
00:25:10.91\00:25:13.11
Proverbs 27 says,
"As iron sharpens iron,
00:25:13.14\00:25:15.91
so one man sharpens the
countenance of his friend."
00:25:15.94\00:25:18.31
So God does some
cultivating and some sharpening,
00:25:18.35\00:25:22.15
but we help to
refine each other as well.
00:25:22.18\00:25:25.52
You know, that's powerful.
00:25:25.55\00:25:27.19
And use the
person as a tool. Right.
00:25:27.22\00:25:29.22
I was gonna say that
to add to my comment,
00:25:29.26\00:25:31.39
God's voice sounds remarkably
like my wife a lot of times.
00:25:31.43\00:25:35.80
Yeah, that's
sweet in other words.
00:25:35.83\00:25:37.53
Yeah.
00:25:37.57\00:25:38.90
You know, I think cultivation
even for me personally,
00:25:38.93\00:25:40.27
could be like, you
know, in the devotions,
00:25:40.30\00:25:41.67
you know, I can
read a text one day,
00:25:41.70\00:25:43.81
and then I'm
going through it again,
00:25:43.84\00:25:45.17
several months
later, read the same text,
00:25:45.21\00:25:46.54
and it's like, oh, so to me,
00:25:46.57\00:25:48.08
it's almost the
conviction of the Holy Spirit.
00:25:48.11\00:25:50.35
I think
sometimes then, you know,
00:25:50.38\00:25:51.81
trying to plant that seed,
trying to till that soil up
00:25:51.85\00:25:53.82
just so I'm like
recognizing that,
00:25:53.85\00:25:55.18
wow, "I'm trying to
plant a seed here, son.
00:25:55.22\00:25:57.55
You know, listen, I'm
trying to speak to you
00:25:57.59\00:25:59.35
through the
Word, through friends.
00:25:59.39\00:26:02.19
Yeah, to me
that's cultivation too.
00:26:02.22\00:26:03.93
It's just the
conviction of the Holy Spirit
00:26:03.96\00:26:06.13
stirring up the soil.
00:26:06.16\00:26:08.46
Don't you love how
you read a scripture once
00:26:08.50\00:26:10.27
and God shows you one thing
00:26:10.30\00:26:11.70
and then six
months down the road
00:26:11.73\00:26:13.44
you read the same
scripture and it's entirely new
00:26:13.47\00:26:16.71
or what you glean from it
00:26:16.74\00:26:18.11
or what the Holy
Spirit convicts you up.
00:26:18.14\00:26:20.24
I was thinking,
we're talking cultivation.
00:26:20.28\00:26:21.84
I know we need to
go to a scripture here.
00:26:21.88\00:26:23.51
Let's look at Hosea.
00:26:23.55\00:26:26.15
But as we turn to Hosea,
00:26:26.18\00:26:28.35
do you think cultivation
is a one time process?
00:26:28.38\00:26:30.82
What I mean by that is
cultivation the first time
00:26:30.85\00:26:34.52
when I accept
Jesus as my Savior?
00:26:34.56\00:26:36.62
You know, does He
cultivate my heart
00:26:36.66\00:26:38.59
before He first
plants that seed in my heart?
00:26:38.63\00:26:41.16
And we could say born again
00:26:41.20\00:26:43.26
or born a new or is
cultivation a process
00:26:43.30\00:26:46.07
that happens on a daily process?
00:26:46.10\00:26:50.54
It's daily.
00:26:50.57\00:26:53.58
How does the land
work in the physical world?
00:26:53.61\00:26:56.51
Can you just plow
up the ground once
00:26:56.54\00:26:58.81
and it never needs
to be plowed again?
00:26:58.85\00:27:00.35
You got to go down the
rows and get the weeds out.
00:27:00.38\00:27:02.12
The weeds out,
yeah, that's correct.
00:27:02.15\00:27:03.59
Yep.
00:27:03.62\00:27:04.95
So that's still cultivation too.
00:27:04.99\00:27:06.32
Ongoing... And I believe that...
00:27:06.35\00:27:07.69
Go ahead. No, after you.
00:27:07.72\00:27:09.76
Well, I believe that
God has also planted...
00:27:09.79\00:27:11.13
We have the initial seed,
00:27:11.16\00:27:12.49
let's say of, you know,
the conversion experience.
00:27:12.53\00:27:13.86
But there's
always these little seeds
00:27:13.90\00:27:15.23
that God is planting
00:27:15.26\00:27:16.60
and wanting to plant in my life.
00:27:16.63\00:27:17.97
It's just a great
thing, I guess, I don't know.
00:27:18.00\00:27:19.80
But then so He
tried to plant new things.
00:27:19.83\00:27:21.90
So that's where the
soil needs to be fresh
00:27:21.94\00:27:23.41
and kind of tilled up,
00:27:23.44\00:27:24.77
then like you mentioned,
Tim, taking out the weeds
00:27:24.81\00:27:26.51
and that for the
stuff that's maturing.
00:27:26.54\00:27:27.91
Go ahead.
00:27:27.94\00:27:29.28
It was same
thing when Jesus says
00:27:29.31\00:27:32.51
to, was it Peter
about washing his feet,
00:27:32.55\00:27:35.25
and he says, "Well,
just give me a bath."
00:27:35.28\00:27:36.92
The whole thing.
00:27:36.95\00:27:38.29
And He said, "No, just the
feet is that all you need."
00:27:38.32\00:27:40.12
So you don't have to go out
and till up the whole field,
00:27:40.16\00:27:43.63
just go down the rows in between
00:27:43.66\00:27:44.99
and around the
plants that's going.
00:27:45.03\00:27:46.96
So, yeah. Oh, that's good.
00:27:47.00\00:27:48.53
You pick the right
verse obviously for this,
00:27:48.56\00:27:51.60
talking about the fallow
ground or the unplowed ground.
00:27:51.63\00:27:53.37
That's right.
00:27:53.40\00:27:54.74
Yeah, you wanna
read that, Robert.
00:27:54.77\00:27:56.10
Well, Hosea 10:12,
00:27:56.14\00:27:57.47
"Sow
righteousness for yourselves,
00:27:57.51\00:27:58.84
reap the fruit
of unfailing love,
00:27:58.87\00:28:00.84
and break up
your unplowed ground,
00:28:00.88\00:28:03.35
for it is time to seek the Lord,
00:28:03.38\00:28:04.71
until He comes and showers
His righteousness on you.
00:28:04.75\00:28:08.38
That's a good
verse. Wow. That's great.
00:28:08.42\00:28:10.52
What does your
say, Tim, the Amplified?
00:28:10.55\00:28:11.89
Yeah, it just
says, that one part says,
00:28:11.92\00:28:13.72
"Break up your
uncultivated ground,
00:28:13.76\00:28:15.12
for it is time to seek the
Lord to inquire for and of Him
00:28:15.16\00:28:17.99
and to require His
favor till He comes
00:28:18.03\00:28:21.16
and teaches you righteousness
00:28:21.20\00:28:22.76
and reigns His righteous
gift of salvation upon you."
00:28:22.80\00:28:27.10
So perhaps we have
ground that we don't recognize
00:28:27.14\00:28:31.67
as uncultivated and
He points it out to us.
00:28:31.71\00:28:36.54
Oh, you have this
little piece over here then.
00:28:36.58\00:28:39.55
The back 40 as I
say, till up the back 40.
00:28:39.58\00:28:44.69
Yeah, you've got the front done.
00:28:44.72\00:28:46.05
Let me show,
00:28:46.09\00:28:47.42
let me shine a light
back here in the back 40
00:28:47.46\00:28:48.86
and so he was laying back there.
00:28:48.89\00:28:51.79
And that's what could be painful
00:28:51.83\00:28:53.16
and hurts a little bit,
00:28:53.19\00:28:54.53
but that's we have to learn to.
00:28:54.56\00:28:55.90
'Cause you're
already a Christian.
00:28:55.93\00:28:57.27
That's true.
00:28:57.30\00:28:58.87
Yes, I think to
answer your question.
00:28:58.90\00:29:00.64
As far as, you know, do we,
is it just a once cultivation,
00:29:00.67\00:29:03.10
I don't think so.
00:29:03.14\00:29:04.47
What do you think? No, I agree.
00:29:04.51\00:29:05.84
I think it's,
00:29:05.87\00:29:07.21
I think you definitely are
cultivating in the beginning,
00:29:07.24\00:29:08.58
we know it's the goodness of God
00:29:08.61\00:29:09.94
that leads us to repentance.
00:29:09.98\00:29:11.31
So for us to even desire God,
00:29:11.35\00:29:12.68
it means the Holy
Spirit's working in our heart.
00:29:12.71\00:29:14.95
And that's a beautiful thing.
00:29:14.98\00:29:16.48
And then we accept
Him as our Savior but then
00:29:16.52\00:29:19.32
that cultivation
process is continual.
00:29:19.35\00:29:22.19
It's a lifetime.
00:29:22.22\00:29:23.56
It is a lifetime
allowing Him to cultivate.
00:29:23.59\00:29:27.60
If we're lucky or
if not we're lucky,
00:29:27.63\00:29:29.50
if we're smart, if we
will pay attention to it,
00:29:29.53\00:29:33.13
those who again who
don't take a clue from God,
00:29:33.17\00:29:38.74
you know, that
things need to be weeded.
00:29:38.77\00:29:41.91
Yeah, because there are
those who don't, you know,
00:29:41.94\00:29:43.88
and they, they've
just stopped bearing fruit
00:29:43.91\00:29:46.92
because they've
let the weeds anyway.
00:29:46.95\00:29:49.28
Yeah, choke them out. So, yeah.
00:29:49.32\00:29:51.15
That's how we stay new
with the cultivation constantly.
00:29:51.19\00:29:55.82
Right.
00:29:55.86\00:29:57.19
I always look
it as the Three R's
00:29:57.23\00:29:58.56
when we look at
this whole section,
00:29:58.59\00:29:59.96
sowing
righteousness, reaping in mercy,
00:30:00.00\00:30:01.90
breaking up the fallow ground.
00:30:01.93\00:30:03.26
To me it's recognition,
00:30:03.30\00:30:04.90
it's repentance,
and it's revival.
00:30:04.93\00:30:06.47
That's good.
00:30:06.50\00:30:07.84
So first of all
you have to recognize
00:30:07.87\00:30:09.70
you need your
fallow ground plowed up.
00:30:09.74\00:30:11.71
You know, we have to recognize
00:30:11.74\00:30:13.07
that we need God to
do some cultivation.
00:30:13.11\00:30:15.44
And the Holy Spirit
is the one who shows us.
00:30:15.48\00:30:18.01
So the Holy Spirit
does the recognizing,
00:30:18.05\00:30:20.72
if we're willing
to let Him show us.
00:30:20.75\00:30:23.92
And then the Holy Spirit's
00:30:23.95\00:30:25.29
the one who
draws us to repentance.
00:30:25.32\00:30:27.12
So and then the Holy Spirit's
the one who brings revival,
00:30:27.16\00:30:30.79
so it's all about God
is just me allowing Him
00:30:30.83\00:30:34.93
to plow up the ground,
00:30:34.96\00:30:36.67
me allowing Him to
do that work inside.
00:30:36.70\00:30:40.14
That's a good point.
00:30:40.17\00:30:41.50
So really, we're not the
ones that do the plowing, right?
00:30:41.54\00:30:44.91
No, He has to do it.
00:30:44.94\00:30:47.44
I think sometimes we may
try and plow other people
00:30:47.48\00:30:49.84
or we try and do a
little plow in ourselves
00:30:49.88\00:30:52.68
and make the road all
crooked and not very straight.
00:30:52.71\00:30:57.09
You damage.
00:30:57.12\00:30:59.02
For the next verse, you
picked out Jeremiah 24:7.
00:30:59.05\00:31:01.52
Oh, yeah, let me
turn their real quick.
00:31:01.56\00:31:03.53
Robert's on a mission.
00:31:03.56\00:31:06.19
I love that one too.
00:31:06.23\00:31:07.56
Listen to this, I'll
give them a heart to know Me.
00:31:07.60\00:31:09.00
Jeremiah 24:7.
00:31:09.03\00:31:12.17
This is the Lord speaking,
00:31:12.20\00:31:13.54
"I will give them a heart
to know Me that I am the Lord.
00:31:13.57\00:31:16.77
They will be My people,
and I will be their God,
00:31:16.97\00:31:18.71
for they will return to
Me with all their heart."
00:31:18.74\00:31:21.54
Wow. Whole heart.
00:31:21.58\00:31:25.01
That's when I'm broken
hearted is when I realize
00:31:25.05\00:31:28.55
that I'm not where
I'm supposed to be,
00:31:28.58\00:31:30.09
or I hurt
somebody else, or I hurt,
00:31:30.12\00:31:31.59
and really you hurt the Lord
00:31:31.62\00:31:32.95
no matter who you
hurt, you hurt the Lord.
00:31:32.99\00:31:35.02
And it's like,
"I want to come back
00:31:35.06\00:31:36.83
with all of me
with my whole heart,
00:31:36.86\00:31:38.79
take my whole heart,
all of me needs renewing."
00:31:38.83\00:31:44.10
And I'm just so grateful
00:31:44.13\00:31:47.20
that He returned
that I can return to Him
00:31:47.24\00:31:50.01
with my whole heart and
He accepts my whole heart,
00:31:50.04\00:31:54.21
even though that whole
heart is not what it should be.
00:31:54.24\00:31:56.64
Yeah.
00:31:56.68\00:31:58.01
I love the verse before
00:31:58.05\00:31:59.38
because it goes
with the planting as well
00:31:59.41\00:32:00.92
in verse 6,
00:32:00.95\00:32:02.28
"I will build them
and not pull them down,
00:32:02.32\00:32:04.19
I'll plant them
and not pluck them up.
00:32:04.22\00:32:07.62
Amen.
00:32:07.66\00:32:08.99
Yeah.
00:32:09.02\00:32:10.36
You start off
talking about gardening.
00:32:10.39\00:32:12.36
I had a brooder pluck
up one of my apple trees.
00:32:12.39\00:32:18.13
Several years ago I
planted two apple trees
00:32:18.17\00:32:20.97
and for some reason
00:32:21.00\00:32:23.64
I don't know I
think one withered,
00:32:23.67\00:32:25.54
one of them
flourished and is flourishing.
00:32:25.57\00:32:27.78
In fact, this last week
00:32:27.81\00:32:29.21
had all the
beautiful apple blossoms on it.
00:32:29.24\00:32:32.15
But the other one is withered,
not that far apart really.
00:32:32.18\00:32:37.39
Isn't that the same with people?
00:32:37.42\00:32:38.79
Put the same love and
care I think to both of them,
00:32:38.82\00:32:42.72
planted them the same.
00:32:42.76\00:32:44.09
And that's a good
object lesson for me,
00:32:44.13\00:32:46.49
it's just.
00:32:46.53\00:32:48.86
I don't know.
00:32:48.90\00:32:50.23
I don't understand
gardening enough to know
00:32:50.27\00:32:51.63
what exactly happened physically
00:32:51.67\00:32:53.30
but metaphorically
00:32:53.34\00:32:54.80
it was a very
interesting lesson for me.
00:32:54.84\00:32:57.31
Two trees planted side by side,
one flourished and one didn't.
00:32:57.34\00:33:02.51
With people it's the
choices that we make.
00:33:02.54\00:33:06.41
Speaking of the
planting process,
00:33:06.45\00:33:07.88
should we look at the planting?
00:33:07.92\00:33:09.25
I think we should.
00:33:09.28\00:33:10.62
So we're talking
about cultivating the soil.
00:33:10.65\00:33:11.99
Let's look at John 12:24,
00:33:12.02\00:33:13.36
the planting process
'cause that's important.
00:33:13.39\00:33:15.42
Nothing ever grows
unless you first plant it,
00:33:15.46\00:33:18.66
so that's important.
00:33:18.69\00:33:20.66
Yeah, you can just till up
the soil nice, looks pretty,
00:33:20.70\00:33:22.60
without planting your seeds.
00:33:22.63\00:33:24.17
Free from weeds
and I think it's even.
00:33:24.20\00:33:26.07
I got some volunteer dandelion
00:33:26.10\00:33:27.94
that I did not
plant and they come up.
00:33:27.97\00:33:30.81
So I don't have to...
00:33:30.84\00:33:33.38
That's the weeding process.
00:33:33.41\00:33:34.74
You bounced that. Okay.
00:33:34.78\00:33:37.01
But they say that
those dandelion greens
00:33:37.05\00:33:38.58
are good for
you, so I don't know.
00:33:38.61\00:33:39.95
See, that's right.
Yeah, though they say.
00:33:39.98\00:33:42.65
So you can actually
eat the yellow flower too?
00:33:42.85\00:33:44.79
They say so, yes.
00:33:44.82\00:33:46.29
And the leaves. After you.
00:33:46.32\00:33:48.49
Don't go home
and eat dandelions.
00:33:48.52\00:33:50.66
I always tell them
they can have all they want
00:33:50.69\00:33:52.46
out of my yard.
00:33:52.49\00:33:55.26
So John 12:24.
00:33:55.30\00:33:58.57
Isn't this interesting?
00:33:58.60\00:33:59.93
Yeah, you read, Tim.
00:33:59.97\00:34:01.30
"I assure you most
solemnly I tell you,
00:34:01.34\00:34:02.90
unless a grain of wheat
falls into the earth and dies,
00:34:02.94\00:34:06.04
it remains just one grain.
00:34:06.07\00:34:08.28
It never becomes more,
but lives by itself alone.
00:34:08.31\00:34:12.01
But if it dies, it
produces many others
00:34:12.05\00:34:14.15
and yields a rich harvest."
00:34:14.18\00:34:17.32
I want to just go
ahead and read 25,
00:34:17.35\00:34:18.79
'cause it's so close.
00:34:18.82\00:34:20.36
"Anyone who loves
his life loses it,
00:34:20.39\00:34:22.12
but anyone who hates
his life in this world
00:34:22.16\00:34:23.93
will keep it to life eternal."
00:34:23.96\00:34:25.96
Amen. It's powerful.
00:34:25.99\00:34:27.56
So, the Lord has really shown me
00:34:27.60\00:34:32.33
a lot about death lately.
00:34:32.37\00:34:34.04
And how, you know, we are dead
to our sins, that reminding me,
00:34:34.07\00:34:40.94
you know, I have friends
who are battling addictions,
00:34:40.98\00:34:45.11
and,
00:34:45.15\00:34:47.18
you know, I try not to be
00:34:47.22\00:34:50.05
really over spiritual with it,
00:34:50.09\00:34:55.62
but I just, you
know, say as a Christian,
00:34:55.66\00:34:58.03
"I am dead to my sin."
00:34:58.06\00:34:59.39
That means I'm dead to it.
00:34:59.43\00:35:00.76
You know, if a dead
person doesn't know anything,
00:35:00.80\00:35:02.93
then I don't know to sin.
00:35:02.96\00:35:05.40
But I've got to take that
on, I've got to die to it.
00:35:05.43\00:35:09.50
I've got to, you know,
00:35:09.54\00:35:10.87
I've got to sign the
death certificate myself
00:35:10.91\00:35:13.44
and say, "I'm not
gonna do this anymore."
00:35:13.48\00:35:14.91
So in the same way,
00:35:14.94\00:35:18.25
we have to die to
ourselves as verse 24 is saying,
00:35:18.28\00:35:23.45
"If it dies, it
produces many others
00:35:23.49\00:35:25.45
and yields a rich harvest."
00:35:25.49\00:35:27.59
So anyway. Yeah.
00:35:27.62\00:35:29.32
So when we die to ourselves,
00:35:29.36\00:35:31.09
it's really God who
produces that produce,
00:35:31.13\00:35:33.93
that rich harvest
00:35:33.96\00:35:35.63
because it's His
seed living in us
00:35:35.66\00:35:38.20
that grows abundantly.
00:35:38.23\00:35:40.04
'Cause we really can't
produce anything on our own,
00:35:40.07\00:35:43.57
it's the Holy Spirit
and God who produces it.
00:35:43.61\00:35:46.64
I mean, kind of sounds
like an oxymoron, doesn't it?
00:35:46.68\00:35:48.08
Actually, something die
to live and to produce more.
00:35:48.11\00:35:51.91
I mean, you think
about those people
00:35:51.95\00:35:54.75
in different
parts of the country,
00:35:54.78\00:35:56.12
even up here in the US,
00:35:56.15\00:35:57.49
but they have seeds and
it's like, let's say corn.
00:35:57.52\00:35:59.79
Okay, do I eat the
corn because it's food
00:35:59.82\00:36:02.29
or should I plant some of
that in order to make more?
00:36:02.32\00:36:04.76
Well, I know when I plan
it, it doesn't make sense
00:36:04.79\00:36:07.06
it's like my food
going into one kernel
00:36:07.10\00:36:08.86
at a time in there.
00:36:08.90\00:36:10.23
It's like, wow, I could
eat that little kernel of corn.
00:36:10.27\00:36:12.77
But when you plant
that kernel of corn,
00:36:12.80\00:36:14.14
and it dies, or
as rots, so to speak,
00:36:14.17\00:36:16.60
and puts that little root down,
00:36:16.64\00:36:18.14
then before you know
that little shoot comes up,
00:36:18.17\00:36:19.87
and then that corn stock,
00:36:19.91\00:36:21.24
they plant corn
behind our house,
00:36:21.28\00:36:22.98
it grows 10 feet tall or
so maybe even 12 feet tall.
00:36:23.01\00:36:26.08
And then sure enough,
00:36:26.11\00:36:27.45
there comes that ear
of corn and then wow,
00:36:27.48\00:36:30.49
I don't know how many
kernels are on that ear of corn.
00:36:30.52\00:36:32.62
Do you guys know?
00:36:32.65\00:36:33.99
Anyway, it's a lot more than one
00:36:34.02\00:36:35.36
because they planted one.
00:36:35.39\00:36:36.76
And then you have
multiple ears of corn
00:36:36.79\00:36:38.33
and now that you
have so much more.
00:36:38.36\00:36:40.56
And like you're saying, Tim,
00:36:40.60\00:36:41.93
you know, for us to die
when we were all in agreement.
00:36:41.96\00:36:45.07
It can be a tough thing.
00:36:45.10\00:36:46.43
It may not make sense
like why am I dying to myself,
00:36:46.47\00:36:49.14
but God can
then make more fruit.
00:36:49.17\00:36:51.44
Yeah, and we can produce
tremendous amount of fruit.
00:36:51.47\00:36:54.81
Because they make those packages
00:36:54.84\00:36:58.01
at down at the Rural King
here in Illinois we have them
00:36:58.05\00:37:00.68
and they have these
racks of seed packs.
00:37:00.72\00:37:04.62
And the picture is so beautiful.
00:37:04.65\00:37:08.42
So I could take that home
and just set it on my shelf.
00:37:08.46\00:37:11.79
And there's I mean,
it's just a pretty picture.
00:37:11.83\00:37:16.03
Yeah.
00:37:16.06\00:37:17.40
So that thing has to
go in the ground to die.
00:37:17.43\00:37:19.47
And that's just
like us we have to die.
00:37:19.50\00:37:24.14
Yep, anyway.
00:37:24.17\00:37:25.51
That's why spiritual things
00:37:25.54\00:37:26.88
have to be spiritually discerned
00:37:26.91\00:37:28.24
because they seem so
strange to secular earth.
00:37:28.28\00:37:32.18
They're backwards of God's ways.
00:37:32.21\00:37:36.08
Opposite, yeah.
00:37:36.12\00:37:37.55
You gonna say something, Robert?
00:37:37.59\00:37:39.12
It wasn't really relevant.
00:37:39.15\00:37:40.49
I was gonna say it in my mind,
00:37:40.52\00:37:41.86
I was gonna go look
at few times beforehand,
00:37:41.89\00:37:43.22
I looked up how many,
00:37:43.26\00:37:44.59
what the average
number of kernels on it.
00:37:44.63\00:37:46.49
Yeah, on ear of a corn I
can see your wheels turning.
00:37:46.53\00:37:49.66
Wheels turning. Yeah.
00:37:49.70\00:37:51.37
But it is interesting
when we make those choices.
00:37:51.40\00:37:55.20
Do I plant the one
kernel and grow a lot of fruit,
00:37:55.24\00:37:58.44
or do I hold on to this
one, this is mine, it's mine.
00:37:58.47\00:38:03.71
So do I hang on to
self or do I blossom?
00:38:03.75\00:38:07.45
You know, it's interesting to me
00:38:07.48\00:38:08.82
and I love the Book of Romans.
00:38:08.85\00:38:10.19
It's just one of my
personal favorite books.
00:38:10.22\00:38:12.75
And if you look
at Romans Chapter 7,
00:38:12.79\00:38:15.32
there's that whole battle
00:38:15.36\00:38:16.69
between what I do
and what I wanna do.
00:38:16.73\00:38:21.66
So I want to do right
but yet I'm not doing right.
00:38:21.70\00:38:24.93
And yet the
things I don't wanna do,
00:38:24.97\00:38:26.53
I end up doing.
00:38:26.57\00:38:27.90
And he ends it with saying,
00:38:27.94\00:38:29.27
"Wretched man that I
am, who can deliver me
00:38:29.30\00:38:31.41
from this body of death."
00:38:31.44\00:38:32.94
And then, of course, Romans
8 the Holy Spirit comes in
00:38:32.97\00:38:35.64
and we see the
transforming grace
00:38:35.68\00:38:37.88
and power of God in
the Christian's life.
00:38:37.91\00:38:40.18
But if you look at Romans 7:17,
00:38:40.22\00:38:42.42
this talking about
this whole thing of death,
00:38:42.45\00:38:44.82
"It is no longer I who does
it, but sin that dwells in me."
00:38:44.85\00:38:50.36
So on the one side, it's
not even me doing the bad
00:38:50.39\00:38:53.86
it's because I allowed sin
00:38:53.90\00:38:55.66
to take up residence in my heart
00:38:55.70\00:38:57.37
and if you contrast that
with Galatians 2:20, it says,
00:38:57.40\00:39:01.80
"I'm crucified with Christ,"
00:39:01.84\00:39:03.24
there's that
death to self and sin.
00:39:03.27\00:39:05.27
"Nevertheless I live yet
not I but Christ lives in me."
00:39:05.31\00:39:10.28
So the one case
it's not me doing it,
00:39:10.31\00:39:13.88
it's sin that's living in me.
00:39:13.92\00:39:15.68
Over here, it's not
me doing anything good,
00:39:15.72\00:39:18.69
it's Jesus that's living in me.
00:39:18.72\00:39:21.39
And the difference
00:39:21.42\00:39:22.76
is who takes up
residence in our heart.
00:39:22.79\00:39:25.56
We're willing to die to self
to have that planting process,
00:39:25.59\00:39:29.86
but then it's God living in us,
00:39:29.90\00:39:32.47
God's producing
fruit, He's doing it.
00:39:32.50\00:39:34.54
It's not me gritting my teeth
00:39:34.57\00:39:36.40
and trying harder or doing more.
00:39:36.44\00:39:38.97
It's letting Him live.
00:39:39.01\00:39:40.84
The more we relax into
the Lord and die to self
00:39:40.88\00:39:44.71
and just commit to
that, the easier it is,
00:39:44.75\00:39:49.82
the more you walk in that
life, the more you want it.
00:39:49.85\00:39:53.32
I do not wanna go backwards,
00:39:53.36\00:39:55.02
I don't even want to go
back to what I was 10 years ago.
00:39:55.06\00:39:58.73
I appreciate what
God is doing in me.
00:39:58.76\00:40:04.53
And it's what
and who I want to be.
00:40:04.57\00:40:08.04
Because the closer
you draw to the Lord,
00:40:08.07\00:40:10.31
the more you become like Him,
00:40:10.34\00:40:11.74
but the more you
wanna be like Him.
00:40:11.77\00:40:15.48
So then you wanna
die, you want to cultivate,
00:40:15.51\00:40:18.71
you want that cultivation.
00:40:18.75\00:40:21.32
I love having God use
my friends and co-workers
00:40:21.35\00:40:25.95
to grow me.
00:40:25.99\00:40:27.56
I wanna listen,
00:40:27.59\00:40:29.12
and nobody hesitates
around here to say now, Dee.
00:40:29.16\00:40:33.96
But it's you do it out of love.
00:40:34.00\00:40:36.36
And I wanna pay
attention because and I love it.
00:40:36.40\00:40:39.87
Somebody said to
me not too long ago,
00:40:39.90\00:40:43.00
that they could
see a change in me
00:40:43.04\00:40:44.77
and so that's God also planting
00:40:44.81\00:40:48.74
into your life
water to help grow.
00:40:48.78\00:40:52.78
So He doesn't just cultivate,
00:40:52.81\00:40:55.45
He plants the water to grow
that makes you wanna grow more.
00:40:55.48\00:41:01.66
But that is
interesting, you know,
00:41:01.69\00:41:03.19
there is that that
seed of weed in there
00:41:03.22\00:41:07.33
because again as I'm
looking out my window,
00:41:07.36\00:41:11.13
I'm seeing these dandelions,
00:41:11.17\00:41:12.50
I'm thinking
nobody planted that,
00:41:12.53\00:41:14.10
you know, you
got all this grass,
00:41:14.14\00:41:15.47
this grass is growing along.
00:41:15.50\00:41:16.84
Along come some
weed, I'm thinking,
00:41:16.87\00:41:18.21
"How did it
that even get there."
00:41:18.24\00:41:19.87
And so that sin it's not
me, it's that sin that...
00:41:19.91\00:41:26.75
Satan is a roaring lion.
00:41:26.78\00:41:28.42
Yeah, but this seed of weed...
00:41:28.45\00:41:32.65
Sinful nature we're born with.
00:41:32.69\00:41:34.02
Yeah.
00:41:34.06\00:41:36.16
And yet we want
Christ to be the overbearing,
00:41:36.19\00:41:39.69
overpowering source
of course in our life.
00:41:39.73\00:41:43.03
But if you water
and plant the grass,
00:41:43.06\00:41:46.13
the grass can outgrow the weed
00:41:46.17\00:41:48.20
if you don't let the
weed get out of control.
00:41:48.24\00:41:50.84
If you let the
weed get out of control,
00:41:50.87\00:41:52.57
it will take over the good.
00:41:52.61\00:41:54.24
But if you will
keep that grass growing
00:41:54.28\00:41:58.31
and keep the good growing,
you can overpower the weed.
00:41:58.35\00:42:02.92
But you have to
be paying attention
00:42:02.95\00:42:06.49
I was thinking
to the seed packs,
00:42:06.52\00:42:07.86
Tim, you unpackaged it,
00:42:07.89\00:42:09.22
like you mentioned Rural King,
00:42:09.26\00:42:10.59
well, you go to
Rural King, right?
00:42:10.63\00:42:12.09
You know, the springtime
all those seed packets
00:42:12.13\00:42:14.40
and you look at all
those pretty pictures
00:42:14.43\00:42:15.80
like you're mentioning, Tim,
00:42:15.83\00:42:17.17
and, you know, you can see
I mean there's like beautiful,
00:42:17.20\00:42:18.67
a watermelon, and squash,
and tomatoes, and lettuce,
00:42:18.70\00:42:21.94
you know, you wanna
like buy all of them
00:42:21.97\00:42:23.30
because like, "Wow, this
is gonna be really good."
00:42:23.34\00:42:25.47
But you know if I just
take those seed packets
00:42:25.51\00:42:27.14
and just sit them in my window
00:42:27.18\00:42:28.58
and don't do anything with them,
00:42:28.61\00:42:31.18
well that's not
gonna give me anything.
00:42:31.21\00:42:32.55
I'm not going to get
any lettuce, or squash,
00:42:32.58\00:42:33.92
or tomatoes, or anything.
00:42:33.95\00:42:35.52
So I have to do something,
00:42:35.55\00:42:37.95
I have to actually take
the seed out and plant it,
00:42:37.99\00:42:40.02
and then we start getting a
harvest just something grows.
00:42:40.06\00:42:42.99
Through our own lives, you know,
00:42:43.02\00:42:44.36
we can look at
other people and say,
00:42:44.39\00:42:45.83
"Well, look at
Mary, look at Tim,
00:42:45.86\00:42:48.53
well, they got so many
talents, they're doing so well.
00:42:48.56\00:42:51.20
I'm just sitting back here."
00:42:51.23\00:42:52.57
But, you know, we ourselves
can also become something
00:42:52.60\00:42:55.00
because easy to look
and compare ourselves
00:42:55.04\00:42:56.37
is what I'm getting
at amongst ourselves
00:42:56.40\00:42:57.91
and other people,
00:42:57.94\00:42:59.27
but God wants us to do something
00:42:59.31\00:43:00.64
in our own lives.
00:43:00.68\00:43:02.01
Take action, when
He's speaking to us,
00:43:02.04\00:43:03.61
do some cultivation.
00:43:03.65\00:43:04.98
Let God plant those
little seeds in our life
00:43:05.01\00:43:07.12
and let them come
to a positive fruition.
00:43:07.15\00:43:11.32
See, I could be
just very jealous of Tim,
00:43:11.35\00:43:13.69
I love music.
00:43:13.72\00:43:15.52
But I'm not,
00:43:15.56\00:43:17.09
God did not give me that talent.
00:43:17.13\00:43:19.16
So I could just
sit back and say,
00:43:19.19\00:43:20.73
"Well, I can't do music
so I'm not gonna do anything.
00:43:20.76\00:43:24.47
You got a lot of gifts, Dee.
00:43:24.50\00:43:26.17
I know, but
everybody has a lot of gifts.
00:43:26.20\00:43:28.80
That's the point.
00:43:28.84\00:43:30.54
Do not covet
other people's gifts,
00:43:30.57\00:43:33.48
pay attention to your own gifts.
00:43:33.51\00:43:36.21
Don't look at other gifts,
00:43:36.24\00:43:38.41
let God cultivate in
you what He planted in you.
00:43:38.45\00:43:43.69
Not what He
planted in someone else.
00:43:43.72\00:43:45.99
And there's too many people
that wanna be somebody else.
00:43:46.02\00:43:51.46
Be yourself.
00:43:51.49\00:43:52.83
So once you plant the seed,
00:43:52.86\00:43:54.20
then it has to get some
type of moisture, right?
00:43:54.23\00:43:56.33
You want to do watering.
00:43:56.36\00:43:58.63
Because you can
put it in a dry ground
00:43:58.67\00:44:01.97
and it takes an awful
lot if you just put it
00:44:02.00\00:44:04.44
with no water, no
moisture, whatsoever.
00:44:04.47\00:44:06.78
For seed to sprout, to
have seeds need moisture.
00:44:06.81\00:44:10.71
And it's really neat
00:44:10.75\00:44:12.08
if you've seen
some of the time lapse,
00:44:12.11\00:44:13.45
if you ever seen time lapse,
00:44:13.48\00:44:14.82
you could see the
sprout, isn't that neat?
00:44:14.85\00:44:16.18
You see swells,
and also you can see
00:44:16.22\00:44:17.55
the little green thing come out,
00:44:17.59\00:44:19.52
you know, one leaves,
two leaves, three leaves,
00:44:19.55\00:44:21.02
then there's the
stock, it needs water.
00:44:21.06\00:44:23.99
What do you think the
water is for us spiritually?
00:44:24.03\00:44:26.83
What is water?
00:44:26.86\00:44:28.20
Dee, you're trying
to raise your hand?
00:44:28.23\00:44:29.63
You don't have
to raise your hand,
00:44:29.66\00:44:31.00
just say it.
00:44:31.03\00:44:32.37
It's the Holy Spirit. Okay.
00:44:32.40\00:44:33.74
You have any scripture for that?
00:44:33.77\00:44:35.40
I think right. Let's see.
00:44:35.44\00:44:37.91
I'm in John 7:37.
00:44:37.94\00:44:40.11
Okay.
00:44:40.14\00:44:41.64
If I'm on the
right page here, 37.
00:44:41.68\00:44:46.05
"On the last day, that
great day of the feast,
00:44:46.08\00:44:48.98
Jesus stood and
cried out, saying,
00:44:49.02\00:44:50.45
'If anyone thirsts, let
him come to Me and drink.'
00:44:50.49\00:44:55.29
He who believes in Me,
as the Scripture has said,
00:44:55.32\00:44:57.73
out of his heart will
flow rivers of living water.
00:44:57.76\00:45:01.70
But this He spoke
concerning the Spirit,
00:45:01.73\00:45:04.50
the Holy Spirit
00:45:04.53\00:45:06.33
whom those believing in Him
00:45:06.37\00:45:07.74
would receive
for the Holy Spirit
00:45:07.77\00:45:09.87
had not yet been given there."
00:45:09.90\00:45:11.67
But this is where we flow
the Holy Spirit and the water.
00:45:11.71\00:45:16.78
Amen.
00:45:16.81\00:45:18.15
Yeah, why do y'all
think water is important?
00:45:18.18\00:45:21.68
What is it...
00:45:21.72\00:45:23.49
I mean, obviously we know
it's important for the seed.
00:45:23.52\00:45:25.22
It nourishes the soul
and water is life giving.
00:45:25.25\00:45:30.69
It is life giving.
00:45:30.73\00:45:32.06
Do you know what
water does to a seed?
00:45:32.09\00:45:33.70
I don't, so I'm asking you.
00:45:33.73\00:45:36.10
I'm not a scientist
or nor really a farmer
00:45:36.13\00:45:38.40
but to me it
actually makes the seed
00:45:38.43\00:45:39.77
actually get soft,
00:45:39.80\00:45:41.34
you know the shell
get a little bit soft
00:45:41.37\00:45:42.90
and then allows it...
00:45:42.94\00:45:44.67
I don't know how God
does it to me, it's a miracle
00:45:44.71\00:45:46.47
that there's life in that seed
00:45:46.51\00:45:48.14
and it allows the
shell the whole become soft,
00:45:48.18\00:45:51.41
and somehow it gets a
little bit of life into it.
00:45:51.45\00:45:53.75
And it wants to put
the little shoot out
00:45:53.78\00:45:55.12
because what's amazing to
me it's buried in the soil
00:45:55.15\00:45:57.69
so it's not
getting light, right?
00:45:57.72\00:46:00.39
But it's interesting
that the root goes down
00:46:00.42\00:46:01.82
and the little shoot
comes up to try and get light,
00:46:01.86\00:46:03.59
which is the photosynthesis
00:46:03.63\00:46:04.96
and the sunshine that
we're gonna talk about.
00:46:04.99\00:46:06.59
But to me the water is actually
with the softening of the seed.
00:46:06.63\00:46:09.60
I like to think and this just
kind of popped into my mind,
00:46:09.63\00:46:12.60
no pun intended either way,
00:46:12.63\00:46:14.54
but like with popcorn,
00:46:14.57\00:46:16.60
you know, it's the
moisture whenever the...
00:46:16.64\00:46:19.01
The kernel.
00:46:19.04\00:46:20.38
Yeah, in the kernel, that
once it gets hot, it pops.
00:46:20.41\00:46:24.61
And so I think the
kind of the same way
00:46:24.65\00:46:26.41
and so I'm trying to,
00:46:26.45\00:46:28.08
you know, correlate the spirit,
00:46:28.12\00:46:29.98
you know, allowing that,
00:46:30.02\00:46:31.92
the Holy Spirit in our
lives to, you know, make us...
00:46:31.95\00:46:35.02
Open yourself.
00:46:35.06\00:46:38.76
Yeah, break through
that shell, so to speak.
00:46:38.79\00:46:41.13
Yeah, that's good.
00:46:41.16\00:46:43.13
Maybe those of
you at home can...
00:46:43.16\00:46:45.27
Let the Holy Spirit let us know.
00:46:45.30\00:46:47.50
Let us know right in.
00:46:47.54\00:46:49.70
He uses other
people to do that too
00:46:49.74\00:46:51.47
because watering is when
you also encourage someone else,
00:46:51.51\00:46:56.64
the Holy Spirit
impresses upon you.
00:46:56.68\00:46:58.85
"Oh, that person looks like
00:46:58.88\00:47:00.22
they could use a
word of encouragement."
00:47:00.25\00:47:01.92
A word of
encouragement is watering too
00:47:01.95\00:47:03.85
and it's
through the Holy Spirit.
00:47:03.89\00:47:05.55
And so it lifts
you up and it expands.
00:47:05.59\00:47:09.92
So that when you're thirsty
it satisfies you physically,
00:47:09.96\00:47:15.63
if you get thirsty
and you drink water,
00:47:15.66\00:47:17.30
that's the only thing
that's really satisfying.
00:47:17.33\00:47:19.47
Right.
00:47:19.50\00:47:21.10
Good. No, go ahead.
00:47:21.14\00:47:22.47
I was just thinking obviously,
00:47:22.50\00:47:23.84
you know, once the
seed actually sprouts?
00:47:23.87\00:47:25.21
and comes
through, that's not it.
00:47:25.24\00:47:26.57
It doesn't need the
water just for that.
00:47:26.61\00:47:27.94
So we're not
talking just watering
00:47:27.98\00:47:29.31
to get the seed going,
00:47:29.34\00:47:30.68
but we need to continually,
00:47:30.71\00:47:32.05
you know, water.
00:47:32.08\00:47:33.42
You ever water
your plants, Robert?
00:47:33.45\00:47:34.78
Occasionally.
00:47:34.82\00:47:36.28
That means they need
a little more watering.
00:47:36.32\00:47:38.42
You have all these stories.
00:47:38.45\00:47:39.79
I was just thinking
my 19 year old daughter
00:47:39.82\00:47:41.79
she loves
cactuses and desert plants,
00:47:41.82\00:47:43.79
so she had them all arrayed.
00:47:43.83\00:47:46.19
She recently moved out
00:47:46.23\00:47:47.56
and left her
cactus collection at home
00:47:47.60\00:47:51.07
and my wife and I
managed to kill her cactuses.
00:47:51.10\00:47:53.20
Certainly some of them. No way.
00:47:53.23\00:47:54.57
Not sure how we did that.
You probably overwatered them.
00:47:54.60\00:47:55.94
Did you
overwater them, you think?
00:47:55.97\00:47:57.57
No. Under water them.
00:47:57.61\00:47:58.97
I'm not sure.
00:47:59.01\00:48:00.88
Neglect, either way.
00:48:00.91\00:48:02.38
I say, I'll put a
little green thumb
00:48:02.41\00:48:03.75
when you grow cactus, right?
00:48:03.78\00:48:05.11
Yeah, I'm not sure.
00:48:05.15\00:48:06.82
Yeah, but all plants
need some type of water,
00:48:06.85\00:48:08.38
some like cactus don't
need water, very little,
00:48:08.42\00:48:11.09
but everything needs,
you know, some type of water.
00:48:11.12\00:48:12.75
Yeah, my little African violet,
if you overwater it, it'll die.
00:48:12.79\00:48:16.83
It needs the right amount.
00:48:16.86\00:48:19.89
And the Holy Spirit
knows the right amount,
00:48:19.93\00:48:24.07
but water is always...
00:48:24.10\00:48:28.00
Water is what it takes
for the continual growth.
00:48:28.04\00:48:31.24
The Holy Spirit, we
cannot lose the Holy Spirit
00:48:31.27\00:48:33.94
or we lose our
connection to life.
00:48:33.98\00:48:36.54
That's a good point, Dee,
00:48:36.58\00:48:37.91
'cause the Holy
Spirit knows how much water,
00:48:37.95\00:48:39.41
you know, if
you plant like here,
00:48:39.45\00:48:40.78
there's a lot of
soybean and corn.
00:48:40.82\00:48:42.72
And if you plant it
and you get a heavy rain,
00:48:42.75\00:48:45.49
it'll actually
make the soil so hard
00:48:45.52\00:48:47.16
once it dries out
00:48:47.19\00:48:48.69
that the seed actually
they call it suffocating
00:48:48.72\00:48:51.13
is what the
farmers here told me.
00:48:51.16\00:48:52.49
That it suffocates
00:48:52.53\00:48:53.86
and the seed can't
even get through the soil,
00:48:53.90\00:48:55.33
and that's where
it gets too much rain.
00:48:55.36\00:48:56.97
So I like what you said
00:48:57.00\00:48:58.33
the Holy Spirit knows
just the right amount,
00:48:58.37\00:49:00.00
what type of
plant we are for cactus,
00:49:00.04\00:49:02.57
or for an apple
tree, or I don't know...
00:49:02.60\00:49:04.77
A blueberry. A blueberry.
00:49:04.81\00:49:06.51
Yes, cherries.
00:49:06.54\00:49:07.88
God knows exactly what
we need and how to water us.
00:49:07.91\00:49:09.98
That's good, Dee.
00:49:10.01\00:49:11.35
And watering also
is coming together
00:49:11.38\00:49:13.82
to worshipping together.
00:49:13.85\00:49:15.18
That's why it's important
to fellowship together.
00:49:15.22\00:49:18.75
I know some people say,
00:49:18.79\00:49:20.12
"Well, I don't need to go
to church to be a Christian."
00:49:20.16\00:49:21.76
Well, no, you don't.
00:49:21.79\00:49:23.12
But first of all,
00:49:23.16\00:49:24.83
you get watered
by worshipping there.
00:49:24.86\00:49:26.66
If you go there and you worship
00:49:26.70\00:49:28.60
and the Holy Spirit
falls upon you, it's watering.
00:49:28.63\00:49:31.50
But you water each other too.
00:49:31.53\00:49:34.04
Fellowship is very
important for the growth
00:49:34.07\00:49:36.87
and the watering of each other.
00:49:36.91\00:49:39.34
Now, the studies have been...
00:49:39.37\00:49:40.71
I spoke with Jill earlier,
00:49:40.74\00:49:42.08
the studies been
really challenging for me
00:49:42.11\00:49:43.78
because I've never
really pictured in my life
00:49:43.81\00:49:46.41
and growth in Christ
in terms of quite this...
00:49:46.45\00:49:49.92
Yeah, planting. Plants.
00:49:49.95\00:49:51.39
It's always been more
00:49:51.42\00:49:53.76
in context of Jesus is the vine,
00:49:53.79\00:49:57.36
we're the branches.
00:49:57.39\00:49:58.73
And so my concept of growing
00:49:58.76\00:50:00.93
has always been post to
ground and seed and all that,
00:50:00.96\00:50:04.00
it's always been more
00:50:04.03\00:50:05.37
in terms of the
vine and the branches.
00:50:05.40\00:50:07.37
And so it's been interesting
00:50:07.40\00:50:10.01
diving into this
and breaking it apart
00:50:10.04\00:50:11.47
like you did, it's really good.
00:50:11.51\00:50:13.21
I guess I've just always
00:50:13.24\00:50:15.58
ties in with the Holy Spirit
as I've always seen my recipe
00:50:15.61\00:50:20.12
for success and growth
00:50:20.15\00:50:21.48
in the Christian
life has been being,
00:50:21.52\00:50:25.85
you know, I'm
three parts basically
00:50:25.89\00:50:27.22
body, soul, and spirit.
00:50:27.26\00:50:28.66
And my body and
my soul power in it.
00:50:28.69\00:50:33.16
And we've talked
about this complicated
00:50:33.19\00:50:34.66
trying to unpack that, but
basically our body and soul
00:50:34.70\00:50:36.56
are not very good masters.
00:50:36.60\00:50:38.03
They're good servants,
but they're not good masters.
00:50:38.07\00:50:40.40
And my spirit,
00:50:40.44\00:50:41.77
full of the Holy
Spirit is a great master
00:50:41.80\00:50:43.14
and should be the
master and should be,
00:50:43.17\00:50:44.97
you know,
controlling body and soul
00:50:45.01\00:50:49.01
subjugated to my spirit.
00:50:49.04\00:50:50.55
When I somehow get
that aligned right,
00:50:50.58\00:50:53.08
that's when I'm most successful.
00:50:53.11\00:50:55.45
That's when I'm
hearing the voice of Lord.
00:50:55.48\00:50:56.95
That's when I'm growing.
00:50:56.99\00:50:58.45
And so that's going
through this kind of construct
00:50:58.49\00:51:01.56
the seed, and the
watering, and the cultivating,
00:51:01.59\00:51:03.99
and all those things
really been interesting
00:51:04.03\00:51:05.89
and fruitful for me.
00:51:05.93\00:51:07.26
No pun intended. Fruitful.
00:51:07.30\00:51:08.76
Well, it's good, Robert.
00:51:08.80\00:51:10.23
See, John. Go ahead.
00:51:10.27\00:51:12.27
It's been very helpful.
00:51:12.30\00:51:13.64
So I thank you for
allowing me to join.
00:51:13.67\00:51:16.34
This has been very
interesting and eye opening.
00:51:16.37\00:51:19.74
John 6:63, it says,
00:51:19.77\00:51:22.94
"It is the
Spirit who gives life,
00:51:22.98\00:51:25.35
the flesh profits nothing."
00:51:25.38\00:51:27.68
The words that I speak
to you, that's the Bible.
00:51:27.72\00:51:31.39
"I speak to you are
spirit and they are life."
00:51:31.42\00:51:34.39
So the words, the Holy
Spirit, they are alive.
00:51:34.42\00:51:37.63
Amen.
00:51:37.66\00:51:38.99
And if you take that along
00:51:39.03\00:51:40.36
with the words
or spirit in life,
00:51:40.40\00:51:41.73
I think of Ephesians
5:26, it talks about,
00:51:41.76\00:51:43.67
"God cleanses us
00:51:43.70\00:51:45.77
with the washing of
the water of the Word."
00:51:45.80\00:51:47.70
So the word that He
speaks to us is the spirit,
00:51:47.74\00:51:50.84
but it's also the living Word.
00:51:50.87\00:51:53.27
And so I think
about the Word of God
00:51:53.31\00:51:56.58
has to me equal part
in this growing process.
00:51:56.61\00:51:59.81
We need the Holy
Spirit desperately
00:51:59.85\00:52:02.52
in that growing process.
00:52:02.55\00:52:03.95
But I also need to
spend time in God's Word
00:52:03.99\00:52:06.42
because when I read
His Word, it changes me.
00:52:06.45\00:52:10.33
And God uses that in
that watering process
00:52:10.36\00:52:13.33
and that, you
know, soaking the soil
00:52:13.36\00:52:16.26
and helping the plant grow.
00:52:16.30\00:52:17.63
And it brings
sunshine into our life.
00:52:17.67\00:52:19.53
Jesus, the Son of
God is the sunshine
00:52:19.57\00:52:21.54
that grows us too.
00:52:21.57\00:52:22.90
Amen.
00:52:22.94\00:52:24.27
We have much
more, we have sunshine.
00:52:24.31\00:52:25.64
So this is not the
whole growing process.
00:52:25.67\00:52:27.18
We have the
sunshine, the weed care,
00:52:27.21\00:52:28.94
and then we talked
about the harvest and fruit,
00:52:28.98\00:52:30.38
but we are not gonna have time.
00:52:30.41\00:52:32.01
We might have to do part two.
00:52:32.05\00:52:34.12
We may, let's do that
00:52:34.15\00:52:35.48
as they're growing,
planting, harvesting.
00:52:35.52\00:52:36.85
I tease Jill when I saw this,
00:52:36.89\00:52:38.22
I said, "Jill, you know,
we only get to spend an hour."
00:52:38.25\00:52:41.92
But I think, you
know, God wants fruit
00:52:41.96\00:52:43.56
to come from all of us,
00:52:43.59\00:52:44.93
you know, that's the key.
00:52:44.96\00:52:46.29
And so it's not
just for ourselves,
00:52:46.33\00:52:47.96
to nourish ourselves
00:52:48.00\00:52:49.33
but to give fruit to
others, and to be an example.
00:52:49.36\00:52:51.23
I like what you
mentioned about the Word.
00:52:51.27\00:52:52.83
There's a lot that can
be found in God's Word.
00:52:52.87\00:52:54.70
That's the cultivation of
Holy Spirit speaking to us
00:52:54.74\00:52:56.91
as listening to him.
00:52:56.94\00:52:58.54
Should we have
some short prayers here
00:52:58.57\00:53:00.24
as we close?
00:53:00.28\00:53:01.61
We hope that
you've enjoyed the study.
00:53:01.64\00:53:03.24
And hopefully you
pray with us here,
00:53:03.28\00:53:04.61
bow your heads and
have your own prayers.
00:53:04.65\00:53:06.25
We pray here.
00:53:06.28\00:53:07.62
Dee, do you want
to start this evening,
00:53:07.65\00:53:08.98
we'll just go around the circle.
00:53:09.02\00:53:10.35
My dear Heavenly Father,
00:53:10.39\00:53:11.72
we just ask that our
hearts will be open to You,
00:53:11.75\00:53:13.82
so that You can plow the ground
00:53:13.86\00:53:15.66
and plant the seeds in us, Lord,
00:53:15.69\00:53:18.16
because we want
to draw closer to You
00:53:18.19\00:53:20.20
and we'll spend the
Sabbath hours with You
00:53:20.23\00:53:23.73
growing and being watered
and we just thank You, Father.
00:53:23.77\00:53:28.84
Father, I thank You
that Your Word is practical.
00:53:28.87\00:53:32.04
Thank You that
Your Word is life.
00:53:32.07\00:53:35.04
Thank You that You
can work in my life.
00:53:35.08\00:53:38.91
And as I allow You to,
00:53:38.95\00:53:41.35
You can make
things obvious to me
00:53:41.38\00:53:44.05
that I need to work on.
00:53:44.09\00:53:45.45
I appreciate Your
patience, Your guidance.
00:53:45.49\00:53:48.59
Thank You for
not throwing me away,
00:53:48.62\00:53:50.33
not throwing me
into the compost pile.
00:53:50.36\00:53:52.63
But I just pray that
00:53:52.66\00:53:55.56
You will give me the wisdom
to continue to grow in You
00:53:55.60\00:53:58.80
and to do all the things
00:53:58.83\00:54:00.17
that I know Your
Word commands me to do
00:54:00.20\00:54:02.70
and Your Spirit
reminds me to do.
00:54:02.74\00:54:04.71
So, I want to
be pleasing to You.
00:54:04.74\00:54:07.51
And thank You, Father,
for this time together.
00:54:07.54\00:54:10.51
I love You, Lord.
00:54:10.55\00:54:12.95
Lord, thank You
that You called me
00:54:12.98\00:54:14.92
and all of Your disciples
to be followers of You,
00:54:14.95\00:54:17.75
to be disciples.
00:54:17.79\00:54:19.79
I thank You that
You've equipped us
00:54:19.82\00:54:22.16
with all that
we need to do that,
00:54:22.19\00:54:23.93
and You've not
left us alone or astray.
00:54:23.96\00:54:28.20
You've given us
Your Holy Spirit.
00:54:28.23\00:54:31.20
And, Lord, I pray for myself
00:54:31.23\00:54:32.63
and for all the people watching.
00:54:32.67\00:54:35.90
And we will tune our
ears to hear Your voice,
00:54:35.94\00:54:40.18
and follow Your commands.
00:54:40.21\00:54:42.54
Lord, fill us
with Your Holy Spirit
00:54:42.58\00:54:44.11
even more than we
know how to practice.
00:54:44.15\00:54:48.75
I just thank You today, Lord.
00:54:48.78\00:54:50.85
You've given us what we need,
00:54:50.89\00:54:52.62
to fulfill Your
commission and Your commands.
00:54:52.65\00:54:55.56
And I pray that we
would all love each other.
00:54:55.59\00:54:58.33
Yes.
00:54:58.36\00:55:00.16
Thank You.
00:55:00.20\00:55:02.40
Thank You, God,
You're on the throne.
00:55:02.43\00:55:06.20
Thank You for Your mercies
that are new every morning.
00:55:06.23\00:55:08.84
And that You are the one
00:55:08.87\00:55:10.21
who draws us with
Your courts of law.
00:55:10.24\00:55:13.34
Right now we just respond to,
00:55:13.38\00:55:15.21
Lord, we ask that
You would come in,
00:55:15.24\00:55:18.18
that You would plant
Your word deep in our hearts
00:55:18.21\00:55:21.88
that we would allow You.
00:55:21.92\00:55:25.22
I asked that I would allow You
to do the hard work necessary,
00:55:25.25\00:55:29.46
Father, that I could
die to myself and my sin.
00:55:29.49\00:55:34.86
And by the power
of Your Holy Spirit,
00:55:34.90\00:55:37.97
that You would do a new thing,
00:55:38.00\00:55:39.60
God, where there's deserts
where it's dry and barren.
00:55:39.63\00:55:43.51
Lord, we ask that
00:55:43.54\00:55:44.87
You would bring
forth fruits in abundance.
00:55:44.91\00:55:47.68
I pray for my brothers
and sisters at home right now.
00:55:47.71\00:55:51.21
And, Lord, You know
what they're going through.
00:55:51.25\00:55:53.85
You know what's in their hearts.
00:55:53.88\00:55:55.22
You know the pain and
burdens that they carry.
00:55:55.25\00:55:57.29
We ask Lord
Jesus would lift them.
00:55:57.32\00:56:00.26
Would you fill them
00:56:00.29\00:56:02.22
with the
sunshine of Your presence?
00:56:02.26\00:56:04.89
Would Your Holy
Spirit rest upon them?
00:56:04.93\00:56:07.66
God, where they are right now
00:56:07.70\00:56:09.23
and that they would
know that they are loved,
00:56:09.26\00:56:12.90
they would know
that they are chosen,
00:56:12.93\00:56:15.87
and that You call them just
now as Your son and daughter.
00:56:15.90\00:56:20.31
And we thank You.
00:56:20.34\00:56:22.94
Father in heaven,
Lord, we thank You
00:56:22.98\00:56:24.65
for this time of
study in Your Word.
00:56:24.68\00:56:28.32
And, Lord, in my own life,
00:56:28.35\00:56:29.68
I want to allow You to break up
00:56:29.72\00:56:31.85
that hard, compact clay
soil, Lord, in my heart.
00:56:31.89\00:56:37.06
Lord, thank You so much
00:56:37.09\00:56:38.43
for being willing to
plant those little seeds.
00:56:38.46\00:56:40.80
And You're there
knocking at my heart's door.
00:56:40.83\00:56:43.93
I know everyone's heart's door.
00:56:43.97\00:56:45.70
You're not forcing Your way in,
You're just knocking politely
00:56:45.73\00:56:49.04
and then You want
to plant those seeds.
00:56:49.07\00:56:50.87
And, Lord, we want them to grow,
00:56:50.91\00:56:52.94
and to flourish, to water them,
00:56:52.97\00:56:55.01
to allow the
sunshine of your love
00:56:55.04\00:56:56.54
to shine down on us,
00:56:56.58\00:56:58.15
and, Lord, that
we'd be fruitful.
00:56:58.18\00:56:59.61
And, Lord, that we'd be able
to share with others Your love,
00:56:59.65\00:57:03.08
and Your goodness,
and the plan of salvation.
00:57:03.12\00:57:05.69
And You love each one of us.
00:57:05.72\00:57:07.06
We thank You and
in Jesus' name, amen.
00:57:07.09\00:57:09.92
Amen.
00:57:09.96\00:57:13.60
Hard to believe our
time's almost all gone.
00:57:13.63\00:57:15.53
Thank you so
much, Tim and Robert.
00:57:15.56\00:57:18.53
And, Dee, thank you for
sharing with Family Worship.
00:57:18.57\00:57:21.50
And we thank you
for joining us as well.
00:57:21.54\00:57:24.21
What a privilege to
come into your home.
00:57:24.24\00:57:26.21
What a privilege
to call you family.
00:57:26.24\00:57:29.08
We're all part of
the family of God.
00:57:29.11\00:57:30.55
Know that we love
you and pray for you.
00:57:30.58\00:57:32.11
Happy Sabbath.
00:57:32.15\00:57:33.48