WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:00.719 Trust me. 00:00:02.720 --> 00:00:05.040 But anyway, who has an Apple Watch? 00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:06.559 Apple Watch. 00:00:06.959 --> 00:00:13.119 Okay, if you have an Apple Watch, how many of you have your event for the day on the face of your watch? 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:16.640 Where you look at your watch and it says what's going on, your calendar. 00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:18.079 Anybody? 00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:19.839 Anybody? 00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:21.039 Anybody? 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:22.879 Okay, what is your say? 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:25.600 Say, loud and clear. 00:00:25.920 --> 00:00:30.960 What is your say you don't have your watch on? 00:00:32.719 --> 00:00:33.359 Oh, your watch. 00:00:33.679 --> 00:00:35.520 Anybody else have have their calendar? 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:38.399 I don't remember doing somebody else? 00:00:38.640 --> 00:00:40.159 Okay, tell me what your watch says. 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:41.600 What does it say today? 00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:43.119 Nothing? 00:00:43.439 --> 00:00:45.200 So it just says Sunday, right? 00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:46.719 Well, I have a watch here. 00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:50.799 I have an Apple watch, and it says, Pete speaks. 00:00:52.399 --> 00:00:54.000 That's not the good part. 00:00:54.320 --> 00:00:56.479 It says, listen, you can come up here and look at this. 00:00:56.560 --> 00:00:59.200 It says Pete speaks all day. 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:04.480 That's a prophetic word if I've ever seen one. 00:01:04.719 --> 00:01:05.120 Amen. 00:01:05.439 --> 00:01:07.439 That's a prophetic word right there. 00:01:08.319 --> 00:01:09.120 Praise God. 00:01:09.280 --> 00:01:10.799 Don't get to speak often. 00:01:10.959 --> 00:01:17.359 The Lord's already shown me even what the Lord does with me is during these worship sessions, the Lord gives me sermons. 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:20.879 So he just downloaded a whole sermon for me the next time I speak. 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:21.680 Praise God. 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:24.640 I'm not going to tell you what it's about, but it's going to be awesome. 00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:26.079 Thank you, Jesus. 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:30.879 Well, anyway, you know, people ask me, oh, how's retirement going? 00:01:31.120 --> 00:01:31.599 You know? 00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:35.439 October 1st, 2024, we steps aside. 00:01:35.599 --> 00:01:36.560 Sharon and I did. 00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:39.280 She did essentially officially a year later. 00:01:39.439 --> 00:01:41.840 So I thought I'd bring you up to speed. 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:43.519 Keep you in the loop. 00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:44.319 Right? 00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:45.280 Amen. 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:48.319 And uh so things have been going well. 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:53.280 I've been spending time doing things that I'm you know not used to doing a lot of things. 00:01:53.439 --> 00:01:54.959 Spend a lot of, I'll give you an example. 00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:56.879 Spend a lot of time in the kitchen. 00:01:58.000 --> 00:01:58.319 Okay? 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:04.159 Now, I know some of you don't are not aware of my culinary history. 00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:11.759 Let me put it another way, my exploits in the commercial kitchen that we have in here. 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:15.280 So I was in the kitchen the other day and I was thinking. 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:18.240 I was thinking, I was thinking of stuff. 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:25.039 And I had this thought, and I so I asked Sharon, you know, because I was in the kitchen. 00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:27.759 That was my kind of my environment. 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:38.560 She's sitting in the living room over there, and I said, have you ever noticed that every time I do anything in the kitchen, you can't even tell I've been here. 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:53.120 Hey, the problem with that question was how it began. 00:02:54.639 --> 00:02:56.159 Have you noticed? 00:02:56.560 --> 00:02:58.319 I even asked her this morning. 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:00.960 I got up and I have a lot of energy in the morning. 00:03:01.039 --> 00:03:09.360 When I get up, I have a lot of things I got to do, little chores and stuff, and I fixed a few things that were associated with things she needed to get done. 00:03:09.599 --> 00:03:12.639 And I said, Did you notice? 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:14.719 I said, Did you notice? 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:16.400 I said, I'm glad you noticed that. 00:03:16.560 --> 00:03:21.439 And she looked right at me and she said, I notice everything. 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:33.199 So it's probably not a good idea to, when you're thinking of stuff, to ask your wife, men, have you noticed? 00:03:35.439 --> 00:03:35.840 Amen. 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:38.000 Have you noticed? 00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:41.919 Because you don't you might go down the wrong path. 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:48.000 And then you ask that question to yourself and you say, was that a was that a was that the right question? 00:03:48.319 --> 00:03:50.159 Was that the right thing to do? 00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:52.719 That's kind of what I want to talk to you about today. 00:03:52.879 --> 00:03:54.479 Did we put up my thing yet? 00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:56.159 Fruit 2.0. 00:03:56.800 --> 00:04:02.240 There's some rotten fruit over here, and there's some ripe fruit, delicious fruit over here. 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:03.360 Praise God. 00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:07.680 We ask ourselves this question often. 00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:10.560 If you can identify with this, just say amen. 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:12.240 Have I made the right decision? 00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:13.520 Amen. 00:04:14.080 --> 00:04:16.079 Are we on the right path? 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:17.040 Amen. 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:20.720 I believe every church needs to ask that question constantly. 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:22.399 Are we on the right path? 00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:24.160 Have we made the right decision? 00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:26.240 Are we doing the right thing? 00:04:26.560 --> 00:04:28.399 Constant evaluation. 00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:30.240 This is the good news, though. 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:34.480 How about if you answer that or ask that question and the answer is no? 00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:37.120 Or maybe. 00:04:37.439 --> 00:04:37.920 Maybe. 00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:39.279 We're not sure. 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:42.160 But here's a scripture I want to share with you, and I'll put that up. 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:44.560 Lamentations 3.22. 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:48.720 Because the Lord's great love we are not consumed. 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:51.600 For his compassion say never. 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:53.040 Never fails. 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:54.079 And listen to this. 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:56.240 They are new every morning. 00:04:56.560 --> 00:04:58.399 Great is your faithfulness. 00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:02.560 How many of you know the compassion of the Lord is new? 00:05:02.879 --> 00:05:06.000 It's fresh like the dew every day. 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:09.680 Oftentimes in Scripture, the dew from Mount Hermon is referenced. 00:05:10.160 --> 00:05:15.920 It's referenced in the anointing of Abraham, or I'm sorry, of Aaron as the high priest. 00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:16.959 It's new. 00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:25.279 Every single day, every single year, every single time the sun comes up, the dew comes off of Mount Hermon. 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:27.279 That's our God. 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:30.639 His faithfulness, his goodness. 00:05:30.800 --> 00:05:45.680 In Romans 2 and 4 it says, or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you towards repentance. 00:05:46.879 --> 00:06:07.360 We do not want to despise the kindness of the Lord, and we do not want to allow ourselves when we make bad decisions, when we're unsure of what we've done, we don't allow that contemplation to cloud the fact that his compassions are new every day. 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:08.720 Every day. 00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:20.879 He's saying, don't despise or ignore the fact of the kindness of God. 00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:24.959 Because it leads us to repentance. 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:26.560 And how many of you know this? 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:29.839 In our modern time, we really need to hear this. 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:33.920 Repentance leads to forgiveness. 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:37.439 Forgiveness leads to salvation. 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:38.879 Did you hear me? 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:42.240 There is no salvation without repentance. 00:06:42.639 --> 00:06:44.639 Repentance leads to forgiveness. 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:46.800 Forgiveness leads to salvation. 00:06:47.040 --> 00:06:47.680 Amen? 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:49.519 It's important to keep that in mind. 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:53.519 I want to talk about what I've come up with, six propositions. 00:06:53.759 --> 00:07:01.839 A proposition is an offering of a proposal that can either be taken or rejected. 00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:08.720 But it's based on the assumption of the person making the proposition that they believe what they're saying. 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:11.600 So I believe what I'm saying this morning. 00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:14.079 I'm going to offer some propositions. 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:22.800 And my prayer and my true deep desire is that we would all receive these propositions. 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:27.680 We would say, yes, I'm going to propose something. 00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:33.040 Jesus proposed something. 00:07:34.160 --> 00:07:38.000 I proposed to my very fortunate spouse. 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:41.839 Didn't I? 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:47.279 I proposed a life of leisure. 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:51.600 Oh boy, that's a lie. 00:07:51.839 --> 00:07:52.879 Praise God. 00:07:54.240 --> 00:08:01.680 So, so even though God, even though God is compassionate, our Father, who said it today? 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:07.439 Relationship, our father is compassionate and forgiving and kind. 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:19.839 It still, it does not, this is the first proposition, it does not relieve us of our responsibility to ask ourselves the question, are we on the right path? 00:08:21.040 --> 00:08:22.720 Are we doing the right thing? 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:25.199 Have we made the right decision? 00:08:25.519 --> 00:08:27.360 So proposition number one. 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:32.799 Our Christian experience should be one of constant evaluation. 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:35.039 Testing. 00:08:36.639 --> 00:08:40.559 Says in 2 Corinthians 13, 5, examine yourselves. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:42.080 I love this scripture. 00:08:42.320 --> 00:08:43.440 Examine yourselves. 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:45.039 You know what we just did? 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:48.960 We just celebrated the Lord's Supper. 00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:54.960 I believe the essence of the Lord's Supper is examination. 00:08:55.600 --> 00:08:57.360 Two points of examination. 00:08:57.600 --> 00:08:59.919 One, what he did for us. 00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:03.039 Two, what we are doing for him. 00:09:04.399 --> 00:09:05.440 Examine ourselves. 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:10.159 So Paul says here in 2 Corinthians, examine yourself to see whether you are in the faith. 00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:11.200 Test yourselves. 00:09:12.320 --> 00:09:19.279 Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you unless, of course, you fail the test. 00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:23.200 Here's the test is for all of us. 00:09:23.360 --> 00:09:26.080 And this is something that we constantly do. 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:32.000 Every week I've given, I'm given the opportunity, and you are as well, to examine my life. 00:09:32.159 --> 00:09:37.120 And the question I want to ask myself, is Christ in me? 00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:43.840 Now you can theologically say that's a fact because when you were born again, you were adopted into his family. 00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:45.519 You received the end on time. 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:47.919 I think it's in chapter six. 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:50.559 He says, live the way you really are. 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:54.080 Live the way you really are. 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:56.799 Don't live the way you think you should be. 00:09:57.039 --> 00:10:02.000 Live the way you really are, and you really are in Christ Jesus. 00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:03.600 That's a fact. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:07.360 So, Christ Jesus in you, unless, of course, you fail the test. 00:10:07.519 --> 00:10:15.200 And Paul was not ashamed at all of a lacking Hebrews 13. 00:10:15.360 --> 00:10:17.039 I believe it's verse 7. 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:26.720 And imitate their faith and allow them to be your example. 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:31.919 Now he that's in verse, I think in 7, but in verse 13 of the same chapter. 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:34.240 Later on the chapter, he says the same thing. 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:38.879 Examine those, hey, the leaders who are over you in the Lord. 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:46.480 Obey them so that they will have joy and not a case I'm saying. 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:47.840 Examine the leaders. 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:50.080 The leaders live in a glass house, right? 00:10:50.399 --> 00:10:57.519 So we should never be in our own lives. 00:10:57.840 --> 00:10:59.919 We always start, who do we start with? 00:11:00.559 --> 00:11:00.879 Us. 00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:01.360 Amen. 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:02.720 So I'm I'm going somewhere. 00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:03.600 Proposition one. 00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:07.120 Our Christian experience should be of the constant evaluation or testing. 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:08.159 Here's another proposition. 00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:09.919 Our fruit. 00:11:10.159 --> 00:11:16.720 We have to ask our ex how am I doing? 00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:22.639 Now listen, some people, that's especially in today's church culture, biggest false prophets in the whole world. 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:25.120 Joseph Prince, are you familiar with him? 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:28.639 He says there's no need for Christians ever to examine themselves. 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:30.960 The Holy Spirit will never he says this. 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:32.879 I did a paper on his book. 00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:36.720 He says the Holy Spirit will never, never point out sin. 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:38.960 He said, that's false grace. 00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:41.200 That's not false grace, that's Bible grace. 00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:43.440 That's the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:46.080 The Holy Spirit points out sin. 00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:52.159 Then I get to come in here on Sunday morning, the first day of the week, and come before the Lord in the Lord's communion table and say, Thank you, Lord. 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:53.279 I'm examining myself. 00:11:53.440 --> 00:11:54.480 Thank you for forgiving me. 00:11:54.559 --> 00:11:56.000 I'm starting out a brand new week. 00:11:56.159 --> 00:11:59.279 I'm starting out a brand new week, ready to go. 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:00.879 Amen. 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:03.440 That's why communion is very important. 00:12:06.080 --> 00:12:13.200 Many years ago I was driving around listening to my car radio, and I heard a man describe a church of the name of it. 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:18.159 But he was describing how this church it was packed to the gills. 00:12:21.919 --> 00:12:24.639 Oil, wind, fire, rain of the Holy Spirit. 00:12:27.279 --> 00:12:28.480 He was visiting the people. 00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:30.159 Holy Spirit ministry. 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:31.440 Fire every day. 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:37.279 And he went there on a Sunday to visit the church. 00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:38.320 Guess what? 00:12:38.960 --> 00:12:40.399 It was empty. 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:42.720 The church was empty. 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:47.519 And he began asking himself the question: why did this happen? 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:54.080 Can I give you another example before we go on to some other propositions? 00:12:54.240 --> 00:12:55.759 Let me give you another example. 00:12:55.919 --> 00:13:03.360 When we started this church in 1997, the hottest thing in Christianity was the seeker center. 00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:07.759 And the hottest thing. 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:35.519 Unbelievable. 00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:38.159 Cafe, donuts, muffin. 00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:42.159 You just come into that church and it was like, who wants to leave? 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:43.360 Massive. 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:51.039 A few years later, after that after the founding pastor issued a statement, and I'm going to read it to you. 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:52.879 It's a little long, but would you bear with me? 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:54.799 Because I want to make a point. 00:13:55.039 --> 00:13:56.320 Examine the fruit. 00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:00.080 Nothing more accurate. 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:02.720 He says, we made a mistake. 00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:14.480 What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and became Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become self-feeders. 00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:24.399 How to do the spiritual practices, it reminds people using accurate terms. 00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:29.039 I like it when people speak with terms that mean what they say. 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:30.639 You know what religion means? 00:14:30.799 --> 00:14:35.440 Well, James says good religion is taking care of orphans and widows. 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:44.399 Did you know our praise when we come in on a church building that's religious? 00:14:47.840 --> 00:14:50.159 Devoted to expressing one's faith. 00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:51.519 That's what it means. 00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:55.360 Over here. 00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:58.480 And Sharon actually prayed. 00:14:58.559 --> 00:14:59.679 We pray together every day. 00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:06.720 But when we prayed together this morning, she prayed a prayer that I I felt obligated to agree with. 00:15:10.480 --> 00:15:14.879 Obligated because we want to be one in the spirit. 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:18.320 So we're we're praying, and she just blurts this out. 00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:21.519 Lord, help him not to go on any rabbit trails. 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:26.480 You prayed that. 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:33.279 Maybe you said go off on a tangent or something. 00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:37.279 Jesus. 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:42.080 Oh, like David? 00:15:42.159 --> 00:15:42.879 Don't do like David. 00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:43.840 Oh, that's what you said. 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:44.639 That's what you said. 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:46.000 Don't be like David. 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:51.519 We're gonna have to do an altar call. 00:15:51.919 --> 00:15:53.120 Okay, so here it is. 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:54.399 Here it is. 00:15:54.559 --> 00:16:01.840 I've and listen, if you said this, I know you said it with the best of heart and pure innocence, but I've heard people say this. 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:09.519 Well, then you need to leave. 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:12.799 Because you're here because of religion. 00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:14.399 It's a religious practice. 00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:17.759 You know, Jesus was the most religious person that's ever lived. 00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:23.519 He praises praise and worship. 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:25.200 That's a religious practice. 00:16:25.519 --> 00:16:28.320 Did you know that the Jews teach us how to praise? 00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:29.919 Romans 15? 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:31.039 Amen. 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:38.559 Praise is not something we from the Jews. 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:39.759 Just read it. 00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:57.679 What it means is religious practices serve a purpose. 00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:02.799 We're not saved because of religious practice, we're not affirmed because of religious practices. 00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:12.000 But the thing about it is, it helped it spiritual disciplines keep us in the right. 00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:21.920 You know, it's a humble thing to admit that we need structure. 00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:23.599 Oh my gosh, I need structure. 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:24.720 I wish I didn't, but I do. 00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:27.119 But that I'm off on Sharon, I'm off of this thing now. 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:28.160 Praise God. 00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:35.839 Okay. 00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:39.599 And ironically, here's what he says. 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:47.920 And ironically, these basic disciplines do not require multi-million dollar facilities and hundreds of staff to manage. 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:49.440 Here's what he said. 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:52.400 I won't go, it's not on my paper here, but I'll tell you because I've read this many times. 00:17:52.480 --> 00:17:53.920 I've done a lot of research on it. 00:17:57.759 --> 00:18:03.839 Was thinking that if we could get people to do things, they would grow spiritually. 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:14.640 If we could get people to be church ministers, workers, greeters, and ushers. 00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:16.960 If we could just keep them busy. 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:18.799 You see. 00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:20.559 There's a book. 00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:22.960 I'm I'm on another short tangent. 00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:24.640 This will be my short tangent. 00:18:27.359 --> 00:18:33.599 There's a book by excellent book. 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:34.319 I've met him. 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:36.559 We had we've sponsored a seminar for him. 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:39.119 He was in charge, he was a bad staff. 00:18:41.680 --> 00:18:47.200 So exhausted and yearn to be a greeter at Wall because of so many things. 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:50.799 Things don't make people grow spiritually. 00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:52.960 The church functions properly. 00:18:54.400 --> 00:19:04.880 But the things that make us grow and become more like Christ, prayer, Bible study, ministry amongst ourselves in the community. 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:11.599 That's what makes us more like cross the boundary of being lost to being saved and become Christians. 00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:15.440 And here's the question that I had because of after looking at this. 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:23.920 Is the seed that has been planted in a life of a Christian producing fruit? 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:26.640 Why ask this? 00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:35.440 Well, he used Galatians chapter 5, and he missed, he mentioned the works of the flesh and the fruit of the spirit. 00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:40.000 Well, the fruit of the spirit, when think of process. 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:41.680 Did you hear me? 00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:44.319 So listen to me when I say this. 00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:47.519 Fruit is not an event, it's a process. 00:19:49.440 --> 00:19:53.359 We tend to think in singular events as Christians. 00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:55.839 Where God thinks in process. 00:19:56.799 --> 00:20:00.960 We are not yet mature, but we're being matured. 00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:01.599 Right? 00:20:01.839 --> 00:20:05.759 So we're, and that's why we need to lean on that compassion and kindness of the Lord. 00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:07.839 Luke 8, 15, I'm going somewhere. 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:10.720 But the seed on good soil stands for those. 00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:19.200 Now, this is what the seed, remember the seed, a person who crosses from death to life, is like a seed planted in the ground, right? 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:33.599 So that seed is planted, and it says, but the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart who hear the word, retain it, and here it is, and by persevering produce a good crop. 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:38.720 See, fruit just doesn't so fruit grows. 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:41.599 So we make sure the soil is right. 00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:44.160 We make sure the reign of the Spirit is right. 00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:48.559 We make sure as much as we can to participate in what God is doing. 00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:50.880 How many of you know God's moving today? 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:53.599 I want to be right in the middle of that river. 00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:54.799 I want to be right in the river. 00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:55.920 I don't want to oppose it. 00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:57.039 I don't want to criticize it. 00:20:57.119 --> 00:20:58.480 I don't want to talk about other people. 00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:01.440 I want to be right in the river God has put us in. 00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:04.480 And that river, I believe, is happening in America today. 00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:06.160 That river is revival. 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:08.559 God's beginning to move. 00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:13.519 We're seeing it in families, we're seeing it in communities, we're seeing it on college campuses, right? 00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:16.720 We're seeing it in arenas, we're seeing it under tents. 00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:18.000 God is moving. 00:21:18.720 --> 00:21:30.960 So we want to make sure that if he's planted a seed of Jesus Christ in our life, we want to make sure that we are as much as we can tending that garden. 00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:33.680 We are persevering in it. 00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:35.920 Fruit takes time to mature. 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:39.680 Fruit responds to close attention. 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:40.559 Right? 00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:43.519 It is an incremental process. 00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:45.920 They call it horticulture. 00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:49.200 We are Holy Spirit horticulturists. 00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:52.000 We really are. 00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:55.440 Yielding to the Spirit and allowing the fruitfulness. 00:21:55.759 --> 00:21:56.559 Why is it? 00:21:56.880 --> 00:21:59.599 You know, let's just talk about it kind of in a selfish way. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.839 We're going to talk about it in two ways. 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:15.839 The fruit of the Spirit, the fruitfulness as a blessing, as a curse, and then more importantly, to go back to Galatians chapter 5, we're going to go and talk to about it as a community. 00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:25.920 How many of you know that if we don't, as individuals, take responsibility to make sure we are fruitful, it affects everybody. 00:22:26.960 --> 00:22:28.160 You got to keep that in mind. 00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:30.160 I'll be there in just a minute. 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:36.640 It is a pronounced blessing of the Lord to be fruitful. 00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:38.480 Leviticus 26, 3. 00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:48.960 If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crop and trees of the field their fruit. 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:54.960 It's a blessing pronounced many times in the Old Testament. 00:22:55.200 --> 00:23:00.400 But on the other hand, unfruitfulness is a pronounced curse from the Lord. 00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:02.480 Isaiah 18 5. 00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:14.640 For before the harvest, when the blossom is gone and the flower becomes a ripening grape, he will cut off the shoots with pruning knives and cut down and take away the spreading branches. 00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:21.759 Last week David made a number of mentions to the Galatians chapter 5, the fruit of the Spirit. 00:23:21.839 --> 00:23:23.279 Here's another proposition. 00:23:25.119 --> 00:23:25.839 Here it is now. 00:23:25.920 --> 00:23:27.119 Listen closely. 00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:34.720 The fruit of the Spirit is much more than a command for individuals to practice. 00:23:35.440 --> 00:23:39.039 It is a blessing for everyone affected. 00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:44.640 No fruit, big problems. 00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:49.680 We tend to look in our Christian walk about what does it mean to me? 00:23:50.960 --> 00:23:55.359 I told, I think I may have told David this the other day, maybe mentioned it, Randy. 00:23:56.160 --> 00:24:00.400 I made the mistake yesterday of visiting Randy and asking him a question. 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:06.880 I took a picture of all the books he got out. 00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:10.960 Because I I just want to have it in my record book. 00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:12.240 And he gave me a book. 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:15.440 Randy doesn't give books a lot, but he gave me a book. 00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:19.680 I don't even know how to pronounce the title of it, but it was excellent. 00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:20.319 Praise now. 00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:22.480 I'm just he's excellent stuff. 00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:36.559 So the proposition is the fruit of the spirit is much more than a personal command, it is a practice that blesses everyone it affects. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:48.079 Now, in Galatians, we we're not going to go through the works of the flesh or the fruit of the spirit, but there is a conclusion in verse 25. 00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:54.160 And this is where we see that he broadens it out from the command. 00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:55.519 Well, we all read it like that. 00:24:55.599 --> 00:25:01.759 You know, we command, oh, okay, Lord, I want to be kind, I want to be good, I want to be patient, you know, I want to be fruitful. 00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:04.160 But here's what he says in verse 25. 00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:05.599 Okay. 00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:09.519 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:10.559 Now here it is. 00:25:10.799 --> 00:25:16.799 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying or envying each other. 00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:19.440 Conceited, provoking, and envying each other. 00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:24.720 David probably doesn't even remember, but this morning during pre-service prayer, he mentioned envy a number of times. 00:25:25.359 --> 00:25:26.000 You see? 00:25:26.319 --> 00:25:28.480 Mentioned envy a number of times. 00:25:29.039 --> 00:25:42.000 So the conclusion of Paul's exhortation to bear fruit of the Spirit is that otherwise we will become conceited, provoking and envying each other. 00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:44.079 You hear what I'm saying? 00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:49.680 Conceited simply means glorifying ourselves without content, fruitlessness. 00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:55.920 Envy is the object of one's jealousy or fiercely pursuit of a thing or a person. 00:25:56.160 --> 00:25:57.279 Note this. 00:25:58.160 --> 00:26:04.720 This thing about envy is listed in virtually every vice list in the New Testament. 00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:06.319 You know what a vice list is? 00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:09.200 You read some of them this morning during preservice prayer. 00:26:09.599 --> 00:26:12.559 Ephesians chapter 6 has a has a vice list in it. 00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:14.880 These shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:19.440 Almost in every list in the New Testament, envy is listed. 00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:21.519 And here's my proposition. 00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:30.160 It's so true, but the night is not as bad like a wall. 00:26:30.880 --> 00:26:32.880 Hey, that'll preach. 00:26:34.400 --> 00:26:34.960