Sister Dorothy Sunday School 3/4/12

Sister Dorothy Sunday School 3/4/12

The first garden was Paradise Lost, the second Paradise redeemed.  The third garden restores the soul to its full potential.  God cannot make us good or obedient our will must share in the making.

The king’s garden is the hard-scape and the soft-scape.  Hard-scape:  planes, wall, furnace, winepress…  Soft-scape:  beautiful garden giving off sweet fragrance lived in by the king, peaceful dwellers and innumerable company of angels.  It is wonderful to live among this. 

1. light is needed to produce fruit.  We cannot survive without it.  There is no shadow in this light, the Lamb is the light.

2. the substance to produce fruit.  Faith, hope, and knowledge increased

3. the foundation must be cleared so we can stand straight on the rock.  If a pebble is on a hard surface and we step on it, we will get hurt or fall.  There must be nothing between my soul and the savior. 

4.  We must prepare the garden to receive those that He grafts into the vine.

Rom 11:16  For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

Rom 11:17  And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

Rom 11:18  Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

Rom 11:19  Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.

Rom 11:20  Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

Rom 11:21  For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

Rom 11:22  Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

This is very in depth admonition: remember we are just graft in by His goodness.  “Behold the goodness and severity of God.”  Unbelief is why the other branches were removed.  How much unbelief is in the world today! 

Picture this beautiful vine, the fruit big and sweet, the leaves large and green.  The husbandman brings along a sharp knife, a compound, tape, and in His hand is a branch.  Right beside me on the vine He peels back the bark and makes a sharp cut on the branch, he dips the branch into the compound and tapes it into the vine. 

He is hoping that it will take.  I’m thinking as I’m observing the branch newly graft in just below me.  I ask, “How are you doing.”  He says, “I’m so thankful that I’m here.”  I ask again a little later and He says, “I’m feeling a little wilted.  Do you think I’ll make it?”  I say, “I’ll carefully shade you but you must draw from the root.”  I call the others and ask them to help me shade.  We need the care of one another no matter how long we have been saved.

The husbandman chooses a good atmosphere to graft in, not harsh with wind and cold weather.  We want to not have coldness among the body.  We want to be warm and conditioned so that we can give growth to that graft.  I remember how the saints hovered around my little branch when I came where I could get my soul fed.  The saints were warm and cared for me. 

Heb 6:7  For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:

The rain that will fall upon that little branch the root will drink in and give forth blessings.

5. we must have balance. 

Jas 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

We see so much knowledge and access to knowledge.  We can find out about anything.  We don’t gain much wisdom with just knowledge. 

Pro 4:7  Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Pro 2:5  Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

We cannot have just knowledge.  We must have wisdom and understanding to keep it in balance.

Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

Eph 5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

There is a beautiful balance here.  The Word which is the water, comes, washes, cleanses, takes away the impurities, and leaves us without spot and holy; it takes away the wrinkles.

Jas 2:14  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

Jas 2:17  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Jas 2:18  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Jas 2:26  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

This shows us a perfect balance of faith and works.  Faith by works and works by faith, there is a perfect balance.  If faith stands alone then there is no balance the same with works alone.  Together God works them perfectly.

Eph 4:3  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Eph 4:4  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

Eph 4:5  One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

Eph 4:6  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

The balance is in the oneness of the Spirit, it will keep the hope balanced, the body is kept in balance by unity of the Spirit.

Psa 133:1  Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

We’ve experienced unbalance by division.  It is a horrible thing and it works to unbalance God’s saints.  God hates division.  Unity is good and pleasant.  It is a wonderful thing for brothern to dwell together in unity.

1Co 12:25  That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

1Co 12:26  And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

1Co 12:27  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

None of us were unbalanced when the body gave its attention to Sister Alice.  It strengthened all of us and it strengthened Sister Alice too.  I remember when I needed it so desperately and the saints gathered around me and gave me that care.

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

There is another balance, be a doer and a hearer.  Not only doing your own thing, what you’ve heard, that do.  Not just a hearer and not doing anything about it.

Col 3:17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Col 3:22  Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

Here is another balance, we cannot please men, no way.  We can please God; He looks upon the heart.  If we try to please men we will be unbalanced.  If we please God and don’t care what men think we will be balanced.

Jesus said, “If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me.”

I can tell about my life’s experience and give glory to God but that is not what that soul needs.  They need the saving grace and their soul’s needs met.  That will give him balance.  Lift up Jesus and He will meet the needs.

Isa 32:20  Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass.

Waters represents people.  Sow the seed.  We don’t know who will be good soil.  Sow it all, to everyone, whosoever will.  We don’t know who will be good ground.

Psa 126:6  He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

What does that do to our soil?  When we want to dig the best thing we can do is wet the soil.  It digs up wet much better than dry.  First I must prepare my soil.  It will do something for the one that you are weeping for.   

It will help dig up their soil too.

1Pe 1:23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

This seed is good, pure, certified, incorruptible seed.  It will remain and live forever.  How many times do we see someone older talking about the good things of God that they remember from when they were young: the seed was sown. 

We plant and think that seed will never germinate.  We’ve done everything right, heat, moisture and we think it will never germinate.  One day you see a little sprout.  This may be years down the road but that seed of the Word of God will never rot.  Have faith and it will bring forth.  It will never become dead seed.

2Co 9:10  Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

This seed gives a high yield and increase.  It benefits the sower; it gives bread for your food and increases fruits righteousness.  We have food and fruits that produce from the seed that will increase the fruits of our righteousness

7. the correct ratio to sow.

1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

We must be careful to feed those that need milk, that which brings growth and doesn’t choke out.  We know a little baby only needs milk; it couldn’t take even pureed meat. 

Some people are just curious or maybe really want to know.  They ask questions.  We need to give an answer of truth in milk form and not meat.  It takes a real pondering to give an answer in this way.

1Th 3:12  And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

1Th 3:13  To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

2Th 1:3  We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

The correct ratio increases in faith and love and having charity before God.  Patience must be administered.  Some come to full growth earlier than others.

8. labor

1Co 3:6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

1Co 3:7  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

1Co 3:8  Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

1Co 3:9  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

We are laborers together.  This is family gardening.  This brought to mind last fall when we were planting and laboring together.  We were asked; we had to have a vision, then a plan, then to buy materials and equipment.  We then needed those that had knowledge to run the equipment and strength to put the rocks in place.  Then digging must be done, some dug, others brought nutrients, then put the plant in, then filled in dirt around the plant with water.  When it was done it was beautiful and we are looking forward to the fruits of our labor.

Col 3:22  Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

Col 3:23  And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

1Ti 4:13  Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

1Ti 4:14  Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

1Ti 4:15  Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

1Ti 4:16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Rev 12:10  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

Rev 12:11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Make use of the strength of others.  Draw strength from their profiting.  Make use of that strength.  As someone is prospering we see it and it does something to us.  Draw strength from that one’s strength.

There is strength given to all by our overcoming and our testimony.  We draw from the strength of seeing each other grow.