Sister Dorothy Sunday School 3/11/12

Sister Dorothy Sunday School 3/11/12

The conditions and preparations to produce fruit:  We need light and substance.

Heb 10:35  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

Heb 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

We need a firm foundation and preparation to nourish and strengthen the true vine. 

Rom 16:2  That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

This is a wonderful testimony and a perfect example. 

Heb 12:12  Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

Heb 12:13  And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Let’s lift each other up.  We don’t always know how feeble the other is.  Prepare and nurture and strengthen those grafts.  We need balance, the pure, good, and certified seed, the correct ratio to grow.  We are laborers together with God.

9. watch.  There are several things in our garden that we need to watch for.  The first is SELF.  This is the biggest problem in our own and in the King’s garden.  Self is individuality and identity.  Self wants to have its own identity.  We must lose that.

Heb 6:11  And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:

Heb 6:12  That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Watch slothfulness.  It is easy to fall into that and let slide.  Tomorrow may not come.  Today is the day of salvation. 

Watch weeds.

Joh 15:2  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

Take away and purge. 

2Ti 2:20  But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

2Ti 2:21  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

Purge yourself from dishonor.  There are no dishonorable vessels in the King’s garden. 

Some of the dishonorable things that we must purge ourselves from are habits, out in secular denominations they continue in their same old habits and call themselves Christians.  Where is the power of the blood?  It is slighting His power to not be able to overcome habits. 

Foolishness and complaining bring dishonor to God’s garden.  We must be purged from these things.

Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

The blood of Christ is the only source to purge the mind and the conscience.  It purges the soul of guilt.  Guilt causes dread.  It makes God and eternity awful.  If it is purged then man is peaceful and happy.

Watch roots.  The stone that the plowman nudges if we are mindful and careful we will immediately dig it out and measure up to the Word of God.  If we don’t then the stone gets roots and buries itself down into the heart. 

Most times we need help to remove the stone if it gets buried.  We should never be ashamed of getting help.  If we cannot nudge it or get it out by our self, then please get help.  We can get help.  There is a source of help in the King’s garden. 

Bro Bill - It is easier to pull out a tree when a tree is really little.  Some years back I ran into some people that got disgruntled and left.  In visiting with them they brought up something from way back, years ago when they had an ought against someone.  It must have just festered and finally got to a point where they left God. 

If they would have taken care of it right away when that first attitude got the root to grow, it could have been eliminated and they could have had a peaceful mind.  “There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed.”  If we don’t get things taken care of then eventually it will come out.  God will undress us and we will have to face what caused that root to take hold.

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

The root of carnality must be done away.  The branch graft in is free of a root.  Therefore it draws its life from the true vine.  The root of carnality is my right to myself.  It must be eliminated.

Rom 6:14  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Rom 6:15  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

Rom 6:16  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Adam and Eve yielded and became servants of sin.

We cannot continue in the kings garden and have a partial experience of salvation.  We must have the root of carnality removed.

1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

It is an awful root to let take hold, remember Ananias and Sapphira?  They lied to the Holy Ghost.  While the money remained with them it was their own.  They did not have to give it, their lie was their sin.  The love of money has split families it has caused people to plan deaths and carry them out.  It pierces through with sorrows.  I would rather have nothing than to have the love of money.

Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Yesterday I was out digging up the old fashioned lilac roots that kept creeping in.  It was not only one that shot up, but it was several. 

Hypocrisy and partiality are weeds that need to be removed. 

Jas 3:17  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

1Ti 4:2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Partiality in the garden of God: when we see partiality it causes division and strife.  We must be purged from those things.

We must watch for critters.

Mat 13:4  And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

Swept away by false prophets who base the wisdom of the wise on rationalization.  We cannot rationalize the truth of God’s word.  It must be experienced and felt.

The things in false religion can cause us to look at truth in a wrong way and question.  I’ve seen people go off and change from what they once knew and have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof.  We must guard against this and make sure we are grounded in the truth and resist the enemy strongly or we will be going the wrong way or get silent.

Religious rites are a stumbling block to true religion.  Rules and regulations outside of the Bible are a stumbling block to the worship of God.

Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Isa 4:1  And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

We cannot have on something else and be clothed with the robes of righteousness and eat the bread of God.

Son 2:15  Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

The tender flesh inside is the essential part and the substance that provides life.  The little foxes will tear away at that flesh and destroy and kill.  Criticism, accusations, gossip, are tools of the little foxes.  They like to use these and more.  Sometimes the fox criticizes me and discourages and accuses right from my shoulder sometimes it comes from someone else.

Mat 7:15  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Mat 7:16  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Mat 7:17  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

Act 20:29  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Act 20:30  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

Watch for wolves.  You will know them by their fruit.  Do they care about the flock or their own welfare?  The wolves come in and divide.  They work out those that haven’t taken care of their soul.  The watchman tries to tell them to get close to God and get things taken care of. 

The wolf says, “they don’t understand, I have compassion.”  They don’t use both the word and spirit together.  They get carried away with strong feelings.  They work that deception easily if we don’t keep close to the shepherd.

Jud 1:3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Jud 1:4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jud 1:12  These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

They have no godly fear upon them.  They are without fruit.  Lord help us to recognize the wolves.  Stay close to each other and to the shepherd.

Joh 10:10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

The lion seeks; the wolf comes in sheep’s clothing.  If you allow yourself to get discouraged or faint then the lion is seeking.  The wolf likes to put a cloak over himself.  Let’s be mindful of who our enemies are.

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

In this garden there is an armor for us to wear for our protection.  There is no excuse for us to not have it on.  He has supplied, from the top of the head to the soul of the foot, what is needed for us to escape the enemy.

Watch for the pollutants.

1Co 5:6  Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

1Co 5:8  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Purge out the old leaven so that there is nothing there but the bread of sincerity and truth.  Leaven may be self realization: How big I am and how much I know.  See, hear, speak no evil will keep out the old leaven.  Keep yourself pure.

Ecc 10:1  Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.

Ecc 10:2  A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.

Ecc 10:3  Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

These flies spoil a lot of people: foolish, silliness and folly.  A little folly is more weighty than honor.  By one foolish act a reputation that has grown for years can be destroyed.

Jer 5:5  I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

Jer 5:6  Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.

The lion, the wolf and the leopard, how do these ravenous beasts get into the garden?  If they haven’t come in through the door then they are a thief and a robber and have come to kill, steal, and destroy.

Their transgressions are many and their backslidings are increased.  They come in to get our ear and cause us to backslide.  We must watch for lack of church attendance and discouragement, attitudes, and criticism. 

Spiritually we must stay in the city.  When we depart out of the city spiritually then we have opened our self up to the wolves.  If we stay in the city then we will have discernment.  The wolf will not be able to take us if we stay close to the shepherd and each other.  Listen to the watchman, be on guard and watch.  We can’t procrastinate or be slothful and remain protected. 

If it walks and talks like a duck, then it is probably a duck.  Early on we must recognize the attributes of the wolf and not sympathize with them.  We must be full of discernment.

Rev 16:15  Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

Isa 51:3  For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

Isa 51:4  Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.

Isa 51:5  My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.

Isa 51:6  Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

Isa 51:7  Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

Isa 51:9  Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?

God has comforts in the King’s garden and will make all her places fruitful.  He makes his people cheerful and joyful.  Joy and gladness is found therein.  We have a committed eternal purpose in the King’s garden to bring our King glory.  This is His garden. 

Rom 12:9  Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Rom 12:10  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Rom 12:11  Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

Rom 12:12  Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Rom 12:13  Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

1Pe 1:14  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

1Pe 1:15  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

1Pe 1:16  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Joh 15:8  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

We are the keepers of the King’s garden, we cannot shirk our duty.  When our will is completely His will then we can walk and commune with the Lord God.