Christianitree pt1 - Roots/Sapling

Roots/Sapling

19/07/09

Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivulets of water that brings forth its fruit in its seasons, and its leaf shall not wither, and all which he does shall be blessed.

There are 191 references of the word "tree" in the bible.

Of these references, there are many different contexts and applications that we can look at.

Life Cycle of A TREE.

What is the goal of a tree?... to bear fruit.

In the tree of Christianity, your goal is to bear good fruit so that others can eat, CHRISTIANITY IS NOT ABOUT YOU GETTING YOUR BLESSING.

It is about you blessing others by being used by God. To be surrendered as a living sacrifice. (Rom 8:1)

We can use many references such as vessels like pots and treasure in earthen vessels... but more than anything Trees were used.

HISTORY/CONTEXT

Why were trees used?

Simply because for most of the time that the bible was written, agriculture was a major part of the culture and one of the cheif sources of income. It should be noted that trees were integral in the garden and the fall of man.. .so their history and heritage in the bible is important.

In this series of messages we will go through the life cycle of a physical tree and see how this marvel of nature applies to our lives as christians.

THE SEED - SAPLING

A tree's life cycle begins with germination. An adult tree will drop a seed to the ground, usually in fall or winter, and the seed will lie dormant until spring. When the conditions are right, the dormant seed will start to receive warmth, water, sunlight and oxygen. This will spark the growth of the baby tree embryo and begin its life cycle.

To become a christian a seed has to be first planted in your life. This is why the gospel has to be preached, when it is preached it falls on the hearts of men and leaves a seed that once the spirit wills and the heart is not hardened the person makes a decision to follow Christ by faith in him alone because of what they have heard.

A simple example of this is.

Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without preaching?

So some of us have seeds in our life and we have not removed the hardness from our hearts. So when you see someone in church for a long time and they are not making any decisons to follow Christ, their heart is simply hardened to the gospel and the seed cannot germinate.

How do we deal with a hardened heart? How does it get softened?

By the spirit of God.

When you are constantly exposed to situations where the spirit of God is prevalent you expose yourself to the power of the spirit. YOU DO NOT HAVE A SAY IN WHEN THE SPIRIT MOVES.

BUT YOU DO HAVE A SAY IN WHERE YOU PLACE YOURSELF..... is it in places where the spirit is moving or where Satan is working?

To people with children, friends, family and whatnot who have hardened hearts..... keep exposing them to places where the spirit is moving and keep praying, trust in God to move on their hearts.

There are a lot of things you cannot control, but there are things you can in terms of exposure.

I am speaking from a purely theoretical perspective, but from a sound biblical perspective.

What better way to expose them to GOD than THROUGH YOURSELF?!!!!

1Co 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit in you, whom you have of God? And you are not your own,

When I was talking about exposing people to places where the spirit is moving, you were probably thinking about Sunday School, and Bible study and prayer meeting............ NO I WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU.

GET THE SPIRIT MOVING IN YOUR LIFE AND THEN YOU WILL BE PUTTING THE PEOPLE YOU INTERACT WITH IN A POSITION TO ALSO RECIEVE FROM GOD......

BECAUSE CHRISTIANITY IS NOT ABOUT YOU.... JUST LIKE A TREE IS NOT ABOUT ITSELF....... as we go along the series of messages you will see what a tree is really there for. Remember Psalm 1:3

So the seed germinates and turns into a sapling.

SAPLING

The baby tree will sprout a root, which will instinctively seek out groundwater. If it finds it, the root will then become submerged in the earth. As it takes root, a stem will sprout up towards the sun, usually carrying the seed casing with it, up into the air. As it straightens up and grows upright, it will drop the protective casing and start its life as a seedling.

1Co 13:11 When I was an infant, I spoke as an infant, I thought as an infant, I reasoned as an infant. But when I became a man, I did away with the things of an infant.

The first thing the sapling starts to do is become rooted. Some of us been at the sapling stage for yearssss...... trying to become rooted. You know the amazing thing about the rooting process? At that point in time it is extremely difficlut for it to push those roots down and look for water, but it searches heavily and digs deeeppppp...... if it is not really set on doing it, it will never become rooted properly which can lead to many difficulties later.

Seedlings need extremely favorable conditions to survive to adulthood. Just a few too many days of dry conditions or sunlight can quickly kill a seedling.

Heb 10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

They need water and nutrition externally, this could be a farmer who throws fertilizer, sades it, props it up, fumigates it and what not.

That is the role of the Church.... to nurture and bring these saplings to a tree where it can STAND ON IT'S OWN.

Sapling digs deep.... asks questions, seaches, deliberates, trusts finds water and FEEDS!!!

Problem with a sapling is that it takes alot of work, the ground must remain fertile.

For us, ever heard the phrase "rooted in the word?"

Yeah the reason a whole lot of us are still saplings is cuz we have stopped pushing our roots down and we get accustomed to the farmer (pastor/church) shading and tending. spraying fumigation (praying)... throwing fertilizer (breaking down the word for us).....BUT WE DON'T PUSH OUR ROOTS DOWN!

After a while, that farmer is going to become frustrated and wonder if that tree will ever grow.... you know what is going to happen?

you will hear this scripture a lot in the series of messages.

Mat 3:10 And now also, the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.

Stay a sapling and see what happens.... remember you goal IS FRUIT!

How do you spread your roots down?....... You have to do it yourself, Get into your bible show the farmer that you are trying and the farmer will be more than willing to assist in the growth process. As you dig deeper you will have questions and concerns.... the most important thing in rooting yourslelf in SOUND DOCTRINE is not taking everything at face value..... cuz there are corrupt farmers (pastors) out there who will cause trees to bend how they want.....

But ROOTING YOURSELF IN SOUND DOCTRINE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING AS A SAPLING.

That determines what direction the tree grows in.

Ras Shorty I has a song called "Change Your Attitude"...... it contains my favourite quote

"When de tree young and you bend it wrong, it hard to straighten when it old and strong"

False doctrine is alll around us..... ALLL AROUND US. The only way you can fight it is to get sound teaching... not lecturing eh... cuz lecturiing just talks to you.... TEACHING ALLOWS YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS AND UNDERSTAND....and when you do that, you GROW IN UNDERSTANDING....

We can't count the amount of times the disciples asked questions of Jesus' doctrine and he explained and they asked and he explained and they asked and he.... explained.....

That time Peter was a sapling.... but he grew into a HUGE TREE........ (Read 1st and 2nd Peter) lol .... why cuz he pushed his roots down and did not just take shade and propping up from the farmer!

Eph 4:13 And this until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

Eph 4:14 so that we no longer may be infants, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, in the dishonesty of men, in cunning craftiness, to the wiles of deceit.

What is one of the most dangerous things to trees? THE WIND. ever see a hurricane uproot a tree? Yeah that is wind.

the goal is to get your roots as deep as possible so when the WIND OF FALSE DOCTRINIE blows you will be firmly rooted and grounded and WILL NOT BUDGE!

replace the word infants with saplings and you will see how any wind of doctring can toss you to and fro .... the only thing that can help that is being rooted...

If you are still a sapling you are just asking for wind to blow you down.....GROW UP!

Start to DIG.....so that you can grow into a propper tree and fulfill the purpose you have which is FRIUT......

Stay Tuned for the continuation next week.

HOW TO MAKE IT TO YOUR MARRIAGE A VIRGIN.

Now that I have your attention.
This note is not me boasting or taking pride in any accomplishments. My accomplishments are nothing unless God gets the due glory for it.

As most of you know, I just got married and my wife and I (always wanted to say that lol) made it to the marriage as virgins.

What I hope to accomplish is to help anyone out there who want's help on the strategies we used to keep pure. Each one is backed up by the word of God from the Bible so that you know it's God who gives the strategy to overcome anything.

1. DON'T ATTATCH
1Co 7:1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

Now up to the time I was writing this note, I took the scripture literally, but in deeper analysis the word touch means attach . Paul was a single man and he was a proponent of the single life and all that can be accomplished through it. So he was saying to the Corinthians that it's good for a man not to touch a woman. It's good for people to be single and nothing is wrong it doing the single thing.

We live in a culture that promotes quick attachments for the purposes of gratifying our fleshly desires. If we only knew that EVERYTHING even our relationships are there to gratify God.

With this in mind we would not be going around "looking for love" as much as we are right now because instead of looking for "love" we would be looking for God and how to get into a relationship that GLORIFY'S HIM....... NOT OUR FLESHLY DESIRE FOR A MATE.

You see.... staying single until you understand what glorifying God begins to mean is very important to me because when you start to understand the whole Romans 12:1 "surrender your body as a living saccrifice" thing then you stat to understand that your life is not yours and everything about your life is for God and then the choice becomes a whole lot easier when you want to attach.

2. See your relationship as a budding COVENANT.

It does not hit much people that marriage is the 3rd of only 3 UNIONS in God's eyes.
1st. God - Son - Holy Spirit
2nd Christ - Church
3rd Husband - Wife

A union covenant (not to play down all other covenants) is the most important of all.... just look at the company it's in.... the Trinity... and The Bride and Bridegroom!....... yeah.....

God won't break those unions (xcept for when he disconnected his son for 3 hours to judge the sin on his shoulders)..... but that was to create the 2nd one.

If you are in a relationship and you understand the concepts of serving and gloryfing God, then you would understand the implications of damaging the covenant.

1Co 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

Paul says.... NEVER THE LESS....... meaning even though it is good not to be married and single and what not TO AVOID FORNICATION let every man and woman have his own wife and husband respectively.

Why is is to avoid fornication? because you will be attracted to people and even if you want to be single you may see the need to enter into covenant relationship with someone as an act of fulfillment of God's purpose for your life.

This natural human attraction will always lead to instinctive mating. (see society). But your job is to ensure that you seek out your wife and husband and when you have found him or her it's not to experiment.... it's for marriage so you will be avoiding fornication.

For those of you who don't see it as a budding covenant you may be one of those who has "divorce" as an option if it does not work out.
In that case I suggest you read this not by my buddy Joseph
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=77372364272

3. RUN
Now for those who may already be in relationships and have begun touching and feeling because they did not see it is a covenant and what not as yet and probably now starting to see it that way.............well that snowball has begun........once you start YOU CAN'T STOP!!!......... no matter how strong you feel you are and how good your will is.... the human instinct to pro-create is almost unstopable....it can be slowed... but it just overtakes you.

What do you do in these cases?.........RUN!!!

Gen 39:12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

Joseph was a man experienced the pull of a woman, not just any woman, but a HOT woman too. In dem days the wifes of high ranking officials were well kept and treated like goddesses.
Home boy Joseph just had to RUN!!!.... cuz if he tried to fight it by himself he knew he would have succombed..... becuase it is just sooo easy to lose control.

I don't say this theoretically... i say it from experience..... whenever you are alone (it doh even have to be dark) the attraction takes over all your logic and you can easily find yourself in a compromizing position..... EASILYYYYYYYYY.

Minimizing ONE ON ONE interactions is a KEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY STEP IN PRESERVING PURITY.

No matter how much you want to spend time in each other's company once you have already started the touching game you are on the snowball down the hill.
I don't reccomend you try to stop it cuz.... plain and simple you don't have it in you... all you have in you is a natural inclination to sin.

The most that can be accomplished is small spurts of non activity which leads to a big explosion after.

Make the interactions much more open and as harrrdddd as possible to have sex. It only takes one interaction in the dark to lose it.

4. ACCOUNTABILITY
It always helps to have somebody you know that you can talk too in the faith and who would challenge you daily in your Christian walk. You should be accountable (willfully) to them and they should be always keeping tabs on you to ensure that you are not going down a road where you cannot see the dead end, but they might be seeing it and pull you up.

Gen 4:9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

If I did not have to tell one of my good friends about my sexual relationship with my now wife leading up to my wedding......... boy oh boy.... I could have slipped. He helped me just because I knew there was someone I was accounting to, it addas a human aspect that no super spiritualism can superseed.

5. DESIRE GOD MORE THAN A PERSON
At the end of the day, sex before marriage is a sin against God. Christians are not SINLESS....... but they do try to SIN LESS This is important because the only thing that is going to prevent you from sinning is your desire to please God.

Most people try not to sin so that they will not be seen as sinful in the public's eye. But true believers in Christ GENERALLY attempt to sin less and not put themselves in a position where they can sin. This includes in your relationships with people.

You won't go playing pranks around someone who is given to anger easily. Nor would you make a sentimental joke with someone who get's emotional easily.

Therefore you won't go around someone you are courting in a one on one situation ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT when you know they are heavily attracted to you.

Sin is something we have to face daily, but the methods that we use to combat is have a part to play in our victory through Christ.

Pro 5:21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.


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Above ALLLLLLLL things, your growth in GOD must always be your NUMBER 1 PRIORITY!!!!! No relationship or feeling of attraction should ever overtake that feeling or desire.... or else it becomes your idol.

Again I do not write this with any amount of boastful pride in my accomplishments.

Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

My aim is to help those of you out there who may be going through what I just went through and how to overcome it so that God will be well pleased with your COVENANTS when they are sealed.

The ART of Evangelising.

Before u read this one you should read After the Beat Stops if you have not done so already.

The ART of Evangelising.

If we really get it straight nowhere that I know of in the bible is a story related that the apostles used the ARTS to evangelize. I am open to correction..... (please if you find any let me know. thanks)

So if it is not seen as being done by someone in the bible where do we get the whole notion that the arts can be used to evangelize the lost?....... hmmmmmmm

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Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 

Rom 12:6  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 

Rom 12:7  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 

Rom 12:8  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 

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Here see gifts clearly defined as spiritual gifts. Where do natural gifts come in? where is the dance? where is the drama? the artistry? the music?????..........lol

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1Pe 4:10  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 

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|GREEK MOMENT|

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Lets look at the word "GIFT"... you know what it is translated to?

charisma

char'-is-mah

From G5483; a (divine) gratuity, that is, deliverance (from danger or passion); (specifically) a (spiritual) endowment, that is, (subjectively) religious qualification, or (objectively) miraculous faculty: - (free) gift.

funny that the word gift translated to CHARISMA huh?... lol

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|END GREEK MOMENT|

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So we have been given charisma (not pride, but natural personalities) to minister to one another as good stewards... the what????....... the what????  ...... MANIFOLD GRACE OF GOD!

And the grace of god... is what saves us.... cuz it is by GRACE you are saved.

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1Pe 4:11  If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 

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LET HIM DO IT AS OF THE ABLITY WHICH GOD GIVETH.

Peter when he was writing surely did not know all these kind's of 'talents' would be in the world today... but he surely did not limit them. God kinda knew what he was telling him to write not so (sarcasm implied).

So yes God does give ability.

So we have the talents and what not.... .make no mistake about it....... THEY ARE NOT THERE TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY AND SMILE.

it is to minster to one another the manifold GRACE of God.

Now the primary goal of God is that all men come to the knowledge of his saving GRACE...

Grace is applied to Christians in many instances... but that is nothing in comparison to the Grace given to a sinner to come to repentance.

So now that we see what our talent is supposed to do, how do we get that done?

Some talents are geared towards doing this easily and some aren't.

How does faith in Jesus Christ come about? ........ yeah you probably just said it in your head.

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Rom 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 

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Ah boy, we have come to the word of God.........

If your talent does not explicitly place the word of God before the people it is ministering to YOU ARE FAILING AT USING YOUR TALENT FOR THE MANIFORD GRACE OF GOD.

So we can go into all different kinds of talents and nit pick. But we can all do it for ourselves. 

At the end of your dance, after they watch your painting, after you play football, after you sing your song, after your dj set ....... do the "people that were ministered to" have something to hold on to that is from the word of God.

Now we could go down to the line of do we have to give them the scripture with verse and chapter?

As I said..... different talents are inclinded to send messages in different ways..... so some may hold the verse and chapter easily and some may not..... but the goal is to maximise the talent as much a possible to get that word of God in them so that the FAITH CAN COME.....

oh yeah.....faith cometh by hearing..... so it has to be said? no.... when someone reads they 'hear' in their 'head' too.

Ah mean is not rocket science... if the Goal is to reach ppl for God.... then you have to give them GOD.... not the talent. God through the talent is what people NEED and what God WANTS.

Evange-LIES?

Probably one of the greatest issues that young believers face is evangelism. Young believers go through all the works of the church and what not, determining purpose, spiritual gifts marriage but they never get schooled on evangelism or going out in the field.

I think this is partly because:

1. The elders don't really teach the younger ones

2. The methods that are used are not relevant to the times

3. The young people are just afraid

Now when I say young people I don't mean young believers eh. I am talking about those "on fire" youths that dig in to their word, can encourage other young believers in a heartbeat! and have the ability to apply a mature understanding to the scriptures.

Yes... you might be one of them.

What stops them from evangelizing?

I think the concept of evangelism has been skewed because of the precident that has been set by the church in terms of it's showmanship. The showtime stigma of the modern day church may have skewed what are the fruits of evangelism in our eyes

If we think first of all that evangelism is going out and handing out tracts and praying for people at the side of the road asking them to give their lives to Christ...... we only have part of it. 

This part what we are fed..... but we are never fed the fact that we are living epistles known and read by all men.

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2Co 3:2  Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 

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Now why would Paul tell the Corinthian Church this for?

In chapters 1 and 2 Paul was explaining to them why he was writing, because he was far aways but he heard of what was going on.

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2Co 2:3  And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. 

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He was writing it after he had planted the church. I am not sure how long he stayed with them when he helped plant it but he had a connection to them that's why it seems to be one of his more passionate and instructional letters.

So he tell them that you are our epistle....meaning you are a testimony of what God had done through us. In essence you are a testimony of GOD. 

He says read of all men cuz, Corininth was huge mannnnn..... and to be the biggest church in Corinth and everyboy watching you, it's hard not to be seen.

A city that is set on a hill comes to mind. (Matt 5:14)

So back to evangelism by speaking/preaching. Our life is evangelism... to a point. We sometimes use this as an excuse not to talk to ppl about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We are so scared to tell people about the gospel because we are scared. Why because we will be:

1. Ridiculed (WHICH IS NORMAL)

2. Will not live up to expectations of showtime evangelism

BEING RIDICULED

This is the most normal part of declaring Jesus' name, even believers may ridicule you sometimes. That's nothing new and that will never stop. I can draw among the many references the time God was telling Ezekiel what he had to face when he had to talk to the Israelites that were neck deep in idolatry after they were exiled to Babylon.

(ESV)***********************************(ESV)

Eze 2:3  And he said to me, "Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. 

Eze 2:4  The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.' 

Eze 2:5  And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them. 

Eze 2:6  And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. 

Eze 2:7  And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house. 

Eze 2:8  "But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you." 

(ESV)***********************************(ESV)

God was telling Ezekiel what he was going to have to go up and speak to.......... Man Ezekiel had gonads!!!........ here are some of the words used, rebellious, impudent and stubborn. yet he says be not dismayed.

Verse 6 is where we sometimes fail to apply. God says, be not afraid of them.

vs 7 YOU SHALL SPEAK MY WORDS TO THEM....... wait for it, wait for it........ WETHER THEY HEAR OR REFUSE TO!!

SHOWTIME GOSPEL

Showtime gospel has thought us that ppl need to fall down, beat up on the ground, start to bawl and/or start to cry to show that God is touching them..... lol......

But we don't have to care if God is touching them or not, That's up to them and God, it's the spirit that does the touching. All we have to do is tell them heartily..... but anytime we think that or ferverent sharing of the gospel is not producing fruits we are in danger of expecting a result that God may not have planned or the fact that the hard heart of someone is resisting..

When you go and try your best and preach the gospel from your heart to someone. Smile and LET GOD WORK.

Evangalism is not converstion...... evangeslism is spreakind the message of Jesus Christ with passion.

The spirit of God does the work of drawing men to God.

(ESV)***********************************(ESV)

Joh 12:32  And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." 

(ESV)***********************************(ESV)

You can't draw them. You CAN EVANGELIZE TO THEM....in many ways might I add......but i'm talikng about going boldly like the apostles in acts.

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Act 4:31  And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. 

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so Go... but don't go with the expectation that they will change and ask to be baptized.

Go with the expectatoin that they would be opened up to God and he will draw them.

I'll talk about the expectations in MUSIC AND ARTS MINISTRY next week.

AFTER THE BEAT DROPS

AFTER THE BEAT DROPS

Lecrae has a song called "After the music Stops" that may put this whole blog in perspective after you read it, but I want to go into a lot more.

ARGUABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF MINISTERING TO PEOPLE IS AFTER THE MUSIC STOPS. (or dance or drama or ... you know what I mean)

You see all these vehicles that we use are gifts and talents that are given to us by the almighty God for THE SOLE PURPOSE OF.........................wait for it........................................ BRINGING PEOPLE TO SALVATION!

There I said it... so we might wonder what about edification, upliftment encouragement and what not. Well all these things are part of the goal of bringing people to salvation.

When u edify believers (those already saved) you bring them to a greater understanding of the things of God and this is not for them to just take and bury like the wicked servant did in Luke 19: 11-22.

If someone is truly edified and focused on the right things everything they do is purposely done to lead to SALVATION OF THE LOST. There are no two ways about it. If this is not the sole purpose of anyone ministering, then what are they ministering for?

If our goal as saints is the furthering of God's kingdom.... who is God's kingdom... the saints....and what is a saint..... a born again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. So there is no problem with an 'uplifting' 'inspirational' 'educational' song (dance... etc)..... but the question that must asked is.

WHAT IS THE FRIUT OF IT?

aka.... WHAT DAT PRODUCING?

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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. 

Mat 7:18  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 

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Careful analysis of the producing fruit scripture would reveal that. In verse 15 he said to beware of false prophets. Of course he does not mean the person that is predicting the future in the purest sense. He means those that come in his name.

You shall know them by their friuts.

Realistically now... a FIG TREE CANNOT BEAR ORANGES...... it can't. If it does.... it's not a fig tree.

The fruit of your ministry should always be..................... the apparent desire for those who were ministered to, TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES. There is no if but of maybee about it.

Change their lives how...? What is the measuring stick?..... Here we go with one of those tough questions.......

cuz somebody who is ministered to may change their life by occasionally listening to you again or watching you dance again..... they most probably have not been changed... they have been attacted by something.... which is good.... but not the goal.. that's a sub goal.

Jesus did many things that woudl have benefited people. He made things that were bad in their life better by healing, feeding, encouraging and teaching. These are the same things that we do but I am dealing specifically with the Gospel Music industry that I am in. We do the same things, which is meet peoples needs with music and arts and what not.... but Jesus did not just do it and leave them... he got them to follow him .... and from that followership.... HE MADE DISCIPLES.....he established the new Kingdom..

I will apply it to myself for the sake of clarity. 

If the music i play is bearing people who like sounds for liking them sake and just want to hear them for enjoying themselves.... I AM FAILING AT BEARING THE RIGHT FRUIT.... 

something is wrong with my tree.....

If the way DJ is coupled with OTHER things that fit into the whole scheme of the Goal...(which is salvation)... is causing people to see God in a different light and serve him more diligently and in turn purposely do things that ULTIMATELY are geared toward the salvation of the lost.... then I WOULD BE BEARING THE RIGHT FRUIT.

This is why after the beat stops is soooooooooo important. Many ppl see ministry as one thing... dancing, singing, preaching, deejaying, sports.

But simply put.... MINISTRY IS LIFE. 

Talent is one of the COMPONENTS OF LIFE that we seems to exalt as the be all and end all of ministry.

I'll put it this way... talent is the part of our life that draws people to the rest. The question is what is the rest like? The the rest firmly rooted in the soil of the Word Of God? and the trunk solid so that it does not blow to and fro? If so, then the fruit that is beared will be the desired fruit of God.

After the beat stops is the true test of any ministry to see if it is producing more change in an effort to produce mature believers...... or if it is just entertaining the masses.

Albert Barnes Notes on the Bible:

"People do not judge of a tree by its leaves, or bark, or flowers, but by the fruit which it bears. The flowers may be beautiful and fragrant, the foliage thick and green; but these are merely ornamental. It is the “fruit” that is of chief service to man; and he forms his opinion of the nature and value of the tree by that fruit."

B4 The beat Drops

I'm writing this one not as Andre Charles, but a djlivstrong. It's been a few years in the gospel music industry of Trinidad and Tobago so far and there are some things I have learrnt that should definitely be taken into consideration.

BEFORE THE BEAT DROPS

As a dj, you are technically a song worship leader, only difference is the way you lead is not with your voice, u choose the songs and the how it flows, but instead of singing them you play them. It's tricky seeing it that way because automatically the term 'leader' becomes intimidating. But it's true within your grasp is the ability to lead crowds of people in a particular direction without them even knowing.
I am always reminded of the scripture with saul in 1 Samuel 16:23

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1Sa 16:23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
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This is the most irrefutable proof that the playing of music has the ability to drive out evil spirits. Yes evil spirits, if you don't believe in them get out of the hole you are in.
So in you, as a son of the most high God and a recipient of redemption and atonement through the blood of Christ, is the ability to authouritatively drive out spirits my many different means. Music is one of them. The flip side is, that the same speed you can drive out an evil spirit, you can also invite them.

Let's look at david again.
Could it simply be the way he plays the instrument that caused the spirit to depart? of course skill has something to do with it no doubt, but the most skillfulest of philosophers can disect the bible and still not have the revealed word because of the lack of one thing... or person rather.............. The Spirit.

Man by himself cannot drive out spirits.... only God (The spirit of god, Jesus) can do so. Humans are used a vessels to do this under the authority of Jesus.

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Joh 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 
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David's heart was pure and he was a servant of God he was anointed and had his SPIRIT

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1Sa 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. 
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So when david played the harp, it was not merely his skill that played but the spirit of God transcended through the music. Giving the music the ability to not just drive out the evil spirit, but REFRESH Saul.

What is to be taken from this is that before the beat drops...... there must be a spiritual check that affirms the role of the spirit in your life. When I say affirms, you don't have to be talking in different tongues and what not to be affirmed in the spirit. The evidence of the spirit if the fruit in your life. The bearing of fruit that is plainly evident. What fruits are you bearing? are they love joy peace...etc? Aside from the music, can it be said that the spirit of God is upon you and you have been anointed by God. It's ticklish, cuz there is no clear cut standard per say that one can hold on to. That is best known by the person.

Without the affirmation of the spirit of God in your life, you just play music that happens to be gospel. That does not by any means say that people will not be blessed and maybee converted.... cuz the GOSPEL alone is the power of God unto salvation.... but that application and effectiveness is aided by the spirit of God. Without that spirit of God working through the agent the odds of reception are drastically dimished.

This does not just stop at playing music, it goes for dance, drama, preaching, teaching but I want to apply it to deejaying......
and this is alll BEFORE THE BEAT DROPS....
While it is playing God has free reign to what he desires with the submitted vessel (namely you)....... SO always remember it is THE SPIRIT that does the ministering.... but it cant minister through a vessel that it does not own or it is not being given access to.

look out for AFTER THE BEAT STOPS next week.

Milk and Meat.....The differentiation

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Heb 5:12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 

Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 

Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 

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Ok I did some heavy reading and a nice exegesis on the passage. There are other mentions of milk and strong meat but I want to point out this one to bring across the point.

Now since we dealing with with the book for Hebrews here we eh really too sure who wrote it even though it seems like Paul but seems like a more eloquent person in some ways. http://www.gotquestions.org/author-Hebrews.html

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' For when for the time ye ought to be teachers'

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Translated trini (based on the greek comparison i did)

ALL NOW SO ALLYUH SUPPOSED TO BE TEACHING MEN.

Meaning that these people being addressed have been in the faith for a substantial amount of time where they should have the ability knowledge and knowhow to teach someone the tenets of the faith. So here we see TEACHING or EXPLAINING.

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"ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God"

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translated trini

ALLYUH NEED SOMEBODY TO COME AND TEACH ALLYUH DE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF WHAT GOD SAY

The key part i see there is the oracles of God which translates to the utterences of God. Basically waht God said. 

Now the first principles of Christianity are best focused in Romans 4:22-25

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Rom 4:22  And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 

Rom 4:23  Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 

Rom 4:24  But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 

Rom 4:25  Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. 

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(Among other scriptures which you are free to add) This says that we are justified through the belief (faith) that our sins were imputed to Christ so that we can be seen righteous in God's eyes, SAVED.

Thats basically the first principle.

1Co 15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 

Aight back to Hebrews now ... lol

I know this is going long, but what I am about to say at the end would really scripturally determine if you are at the milky stage or meaty stage........ (some ah allyuh continue reading cuz you doh want to be milky ent????? lol)

Yeah so.... they needed someone to teach them the first principles of their actual faith cuz it seems like they never moved off from there.

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"and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat."

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translated trini

BECAUSE ALLYUH EH GROW SINCE DEN ALLYUH, INSTEAD OF MOVING ON TO MEAT WHICH YOU SHOULD HAVE, MAKE ALLYUH SELF NEED MILK AGAIN TO GET TO MEAT.

Now it is not stated what caused them not go grow, but we working with the fact that they have not grown past the elementary truths of God.

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For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 

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translated trini

EVERYBODY THAT IS DEEMED AS MILKY IS UNSKILLFULL (ALSO INEXPERIENCED in Greek) IN THE WORD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (ALSO JUSTIFICAITON in Greek): CUZ HE IS AH LIL BOY CHRISTIAN (IMMATURE, UNSKILLED, INEXPERIENCED)

Homeboy (whoever wrote it) is just saying that a milky person does not have a good grasp of the Word of God

Now this is tricky!!!!!!!!!

Who really has a good grasp on the word of God? now the word 'word' in that sense is translated to implication of a topic or something said. Remember those guys did not have a bible yet, they had the cannon and letters. The word they had to go on was word of mouth and word by the letters. So the word of righteousness for us right now is the bible of course. But the word of righteousness for them was the word communicated about the saving Grace of Christ and all the other teachings that the apostles were spreading around to Jews and Gentiles at that point in time.

wheyyyyyyy.... ah just had to stretch dey.

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But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age

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translated trini

MEAT IS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCED AND MATURE.

Full of age (mental, physical, moral growth) is not a old guy with grey hair. The three synonyms used to translate are Mental, physical, moral growth which point to someone understanding more about SECULAR LIFE HOW THE WORLD WORKS and what not, PHYSICAL GROWTH UNDERSATNGING THE HUMAN BODY TO AN EXTENT OF LIMITATIONS AND FUNCTIONS.... that is why sometimes the human body is used to illustrate certain teachings like the church as a body with Christ at the head and MORAL GROWTH, right and wrong society standards and customs.

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even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

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"even" is added in there to add continuity to it. But it really means MEAT BELONGS TO THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCED AND AND MATURE, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO, BECAUSE THEY USE THE TEACHINGS (THE MEAT NOT THE MILK) IN PRACTICE BY EXERCISING THEIR SENSES (translated ORGANS OF PERCEPTION) CAN DISCERN BOTH GOOD AND EVIL (NOT MORAL GOOD AND EVIL BUT SPIRITUAL GOOD AND EVIL)

So here is where we wrap up. Now milky teachings bring one to the point where they are able to be self sufficient int he faith. A teacher is someone who is self sufficient because they don't have the extreme need to ask someone what they need to do. They know enough to show someone what to do up to their level, cuz that is as far as they know. Teaching at the milk level however is not easy beacuse you only know the FIRST PRINCIPLES.

CHRIST DIED FOR ME AND ALL MY SINS SO NOW I AM SAVED.

Teaching at the Meat level however shows that you have a firm all around understanding of things and you are now able to apply the word or righteousness to that maturity that you have and apply it (exercise it). Not just exercise it but seek it out. Cuz nobody exercises with a 20lb weight forever, you go and pick up more and more cuz you have passed the stage of the 20. 

Milky person would have a personal traininer giving them a 5lb and they would stay with that until someone TELLS THEM to pick up more. Until they realise that they have the ability to get their own exercise plan and pick up weights for themselves.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO IN CONCLUSION

########## MILKY ###########

~ Has to be taught fundamentals

Would say things like:

"Christ Died For Me"

"I am born again cuz Christ Died"

"Jesus died on the cross for me"

"I am saved cuz Christ died"

(notice everything is centered around Christ dying, (sometimes no even the resurection power is understood) because at 1cor 15:3 puts it that is the thing we must understand first of all)

~ They may also be in need of teaching all the time because what they know is not enough for them to be teaching as the scriptures says they should be doing (at meat stage)

~ They exhibit high amounts of carnality

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. 

1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 

1Co 3:4  For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? 

Once someone passes the fundamentals of Christ dying I believe according to the analysis of the scriptures they can be declared as having moved to meat.

########## MEATY ###########

~ Has past fundamentals

Would say things like:

"Christ's death and ressurection has made me justified in the eyes of God and therefore I am no longer seen as sinful"

"I am born again because my spiritual being has come alive in the regeneration of my inner man"

~ Is concerned with the whole application of Christianity based on the tenents of it's history all the way up the expected end. Therefore the old testament, the prophets, the kings, the empires and there signifigance have a part to play in the whole grand scheme of things. The holiness of God and such things are important to him/her

~ Desires more of the word and applies it. And as the word is applied more certain things are no longer accepted because the knowledge of Good and Evil compells them to be more righteous and go through Sanctification.

~ Is socially mature and begins to socially apply the word of God because the exercising of the word is acting it out, but if one is not seen as mature socially it would be unreasonable to think that they would be able to be spiritually mature when the secular world would not even recognize them as mature by their standards.

~ Questions and judges according to the word of God and does not take everything that is taught to him as the final word. (This one is important... cuz when meat is seasoned wrong you can make all different kinds of dishes that can poison people)

SO IF YOU MADE IT TO THIS POINT YOU HAVE OBVIOUSLY SHOWN THAT YOU HAVE THE DESIRE TO SEEK OUT THE WORD OF GOD AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF IT FOR PRACTICAL LIVING AND A DESIRE TO ANALYZE SOMEONES TEACHING FROM A SCRIPTURAL VIEWPOINT AND ASSESS MATURELY.

So I am waiting for comments and questions. (are you milky or meaty?)

GUYS I THINK THIS IS THE LONGEST EXPOSITION i HAVE EVER DONE ON A SCRIPTURE. PLEASE PRAY FOR ME AS THIS TEACHING THING HAS BEEN REVEALED AS ONE OF MY MANY AVENUES OF MINISTRY.