GROWTH

IF YOU COULD BE A TREE, WHICH TREE WOULD YOU BE?

THE FASTEST GROWING TREE IN THE WORLD IS THE EMPRESS TREE

GROWS 10-20 FEET EACH YEAR.

History of the Empress

1. A SACRED TREE

The Empress Splendor (Paulownia) is a sacred tree of the Orient, long revered for its fast growth, quality wood and uses in traditional Chinese medicine.

In Japan, it is the emblem of the prime minister.

In Japan, they associate the Empress Splendor tree with good fortune:

“They used to call paulownia ‘gold wood’ because you could pretty much sell the wood from one paulownia tree and buy a new car with the proceeds. When you gave birth to a daughter, you’d plant three paulownia trees, so that they’d be grown by the time she was ready to marry, and you could use them as dowry.” – Takeshi Suzuki.

Rapid growth, high quality timber, prolific flowers, ability to coppice and regrow, along with being able to grow in depleted soils, and a natural resistance to insect and disease pressures, make Paulownia trees an extremely useful and valuable plant in the permaculture toolbox.” KW Homestead

2. A SLOW GROWING TREE

The world's slowest growing tree is a White Cedar, located in Canada. After 155 years, it has grown to a height of 4 inches and weighs only 6/10th of an ounce.

It has green, needle-like foliage, and it grows relatively slowly. The average growth rate of a White Cedar tree is from 13 to 24 inches per year. However, growing conditions can affect the growth rate greatly.

So, even though our little Canadian buddy is healthy and happy, it grows slowly due to its environment. These types of trees can live to be 700 years old, so maybe in a couple of hundred years it will grow up to 10 inches tall!

3. A RESILIENT TREE

OLIVE TREES

They're tough. Equipped to handle drought, sub-zero temperatures, frost and even fire, olive trees are extraordinarily resilient. Their roots are so strong that they can re-grow even when it seems like they've been totally decimated.

OLIVE TREES LAST BETWEEN 300-6OO YEARS - 5-6 YRS TO PRODUCE FRUIT

INEDIBLE FROM THE TREE

GREECE HAS MORE OLIVE TREES THAN PEOPLE: 170MIL TREES

10 MIL PEOPLE. 7 COUNTRIES HAVE MORE PEOPLE THAN OLIVE TREES IN GREECE.

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WHY AM I TELLING YOU ALL THIS?

BECAUSE THERE IS EVIDENCE OF NEW LIFE EVERYWHERE, THE BUDS ARE OUT AND THE TREES ARE GETTING LEAVES , WELL THEY MOSTLY HAVE ALL THEIR LEAVES BUT THERE IS GROWTH OF SOMEKIND HAPPENING EVERYWHERE.

IN MY OPINION THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFIL TIME OF THE YEAR!!

THIS GROWTH THAT WE SEE ALL AROUND US, IT DOES NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT AND AS WE HAVE JUST HEARD SOMETIMES IT TAKES YEARS.

GROWTH HAPPENS AT THE RATE IT NEEDS TO GROW FOR THE PURPOSE THAT IT WAS CREATED FOR.

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JUST AS A REMINDER FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING ALONG , AND IF YOU ARE JOINING US FOR THE FIRST TIME, IN PERSON OR ONLINE, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT OUR OVERARCHING THEME FOR THE YEAR IS EVIDENCE:

the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid.

AND WE ARE WALKING THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS TOGETHER. THIS SECTION WE FIND OURSELVES LOOKING AT GROWTH.

MORE SPECIFALLY THE GROWTH OF THE CHURCH. THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED THAT JESUS WAS THE PROMISED MESSIAH AND HE CAME TO GIVE THEM A NEW WAY OF LIVING.

SO FAR WE HAVE BEEN:

FIRSTLY CHALLENGED IN THE WAY WE THINK - PETER ABOUT GENTILES. THE H.S. FELL ON THE GENTILES.

THEY BELIEVED AND RECEIVED

SECONDLY -EXPANSION & ENCOURAGEMENT - THIS IS EVERYONE -

THIS WEEK WE ARE EXPLORING THE:

TENSION BETWEEN GROWTH AND RESISTANCE

MAIN POINT

IF YOU WANT GROWTH, YOU BETTER GET COMFORTABLE WITH RESISTANCE.

RESISTANCE STRENGHTENS OUR ROOTS.

THERE WAS A GREAT EXPERIMENT IN THE DESERT CALLED THE BIODOME, THIS BIODOME WAS INTENDED TO CREATE THE PERFECT CLIMATE FOR GROWTH OF PLANTS AND FRUIT AND HUMANS TO THRIVE IN. ONE PROBLEM WAS THAT WHEN THE TREES GOT TO A CERTAIN HEIGHT THEY WOULD TOPPLE OVER. THIS BAFFLED SCIENTISTS FOR A LONG TIME UNTIL THEY REALISED,

ONE THING THAT WAS NOT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WAS THE NATURAL ELEMENT OF WIND. TREES NEED WIND TO BLOW AGAINST THEM BECAUSE IT STRENGTHENS THEIR ROOTS. AS THE TREE GROWS AND ENCOUNTERS MORE STORMS IT IS ABLE TO WITHSTAND. WHY BECAUSE THE ROOTS ARE ABLE TO ALLOW IT TO BEND IN THE STORM.

HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED THAT WHEN A TREE ENCOUNTERS WIND IT BENDS WITH IT, IT DOES NOT RESIST IT BUT LEANS INTO IT. THE WIND IS THE RESISTANCE.

THE WIND IS THE RESISTANCE THAT CAUSES THE TREE TO GROW STRONGER.

SO AS WE DIG INTO THE SCRIPTURES THIS MORNING AND MORE SPECIFICALLY ACTS 12.

WE ENCOUNTER A RESISTANCE TO THE GROWTH OF THE CHURCH, NOT ONLY BY HEROD AGRIPPA, BUT BY THE JEWISH PEOPLE.

SETTING THE STAGE

IT WAS AT ANTIOCH THAT THE BELIEVERS WHERE FIRST CALLED CHRISTIANS

-ACTS 11

Acts 12:1–17 NLT

1 About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. 2 He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword. 3 When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during the Passover celebration.) 4 Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover. 5 But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. 6 The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. 7 Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. 8 Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered. 9 So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening. 10 They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him. 11 Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!” 12 When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer. 13 He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, “Peter is standing at the door!” 15 “You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.” 16 Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. 17 He motioned for them to quiet down and told them how the Lord had led him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers what happened,” he said. And then he went to another place.

IF YOU WANT GROWTH, YOU BETTER GET COMFORTABLE WITH RESISTANCE.

GROWTH AND RESISTANCE

New Living Translation

12:1 Greek Herod the king. He was the nephew of Herod Antipas and a grandson of Herod the Great.

IN THIS TRANSACTION OF JAMES BEING KILLED AND PETER BEING TAKEN PRISONER AWAITING TRIAL WE SEE THE TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES.

BOTH OF THEM ARE BEING DRIVEN BY FEAR.

THE ROMANS ARE FEARFUL OF THE JEWS, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE HISTORY AND HOW GOD HAS DELIVERED THEM MANY TIMES.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 12

sword This type of execution may signify that Agrippa I considered the growth and mission of the Christian community to be not just a religious but a political threat.

THE JEWS ARE FEARFUL OF THE ROMANS AS THEY KNOW THEY CAN SHUT THEM DOWN. SO THERE IS THIS DANCE THAT TAKES PLACE.

WE WILL WORK ON PERSECUTING THE CHRISTIANS IF YOU DO THE DIRTY WORK OF PUTTING THEM TO DEATH.

The Jewish people were not allowed to issue the death penalty (see John 18:31 and note). The earlier execution of Stephen could have been construed by the Jewish people as an action of the mob (see Acts 7:57 and note), but Agrippa I would have had to conceal the death of James.

12:3 it was pleasing to the Jews According to the first-century Jewish historian Josephus, Agrippa I enjoyed a good relationship with the Jewish people (Josephus, Antiquities 19.328–31). Agrippa I may have seen persecution of Christians as an opportunity to further improve his relationship with the Jewish people (compare 9:1).

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POWER IN THE TEXT IS PRAYER

PRAYER IS THE ANSWER TO RESISTANCE.

Acts 12:5 NLT

5 But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.

Acts 12:12 ESV

12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

THE CHURCH NEVER STOPPED GROWING BECAUSE THE PEOPLE NEVER STOPPED PRAYING.

IN FACT THEY WERE SO BUSY PRAYING THEY NEVER EVEN REALISED THAT THEIR PRAYERS WERE ACTUALLY ANSWERED.

YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW POWERFUL THOSE PRAYERS WERE?

PETER WAS SLEEPING

THE ANGEL OF THE LORD HAD TO STRIKE HIM ON THE SIDE TO WAKE HIM.

ALL THROUGH THE BOOK ACTS WE SEE THE EVIDENCE OF GROWTH AND RESISTENCE.

IN THE 2ND CHAPTER WE SEE THE IMPARTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THE FOLLOWERS.

THEY ARE NOW FILLED WITH PASSION AND COMPASSION AND COURAGE.

THE SPIRIT ENABLES THEM TO SPEAK IN OTHER LANGUAGES AND TO ALL PEOPLE.

THE CHURCH GROWS. AND THE PERSECUTION INTENSIFIES.

THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME PETER WAS IN PRISON

BEFORE THE ANGEL OF THE LORD CAME TO RESCUE THEM

THERE IS MORE RESISTANCE AND THEN MORE GROWTH.

LIKE OUR MUSCLES THEY NEED RESISTENCE TRAINING TO GROW STRONGER.

WHEN WE GROW STRONGER AND IT SHOWS IN OUR LIVES, THE EVIDENCE IS THERE, THEN THE PEOPLE AROUND US WILL BE AFFECTED.

RHODA WAS THE SERVANT OF JOHN MARKS MOTHER, SHE WAS SO EXCITED AT HEARING PETERS VOICE THAT SHE FOTGOT TO OPEN THE DOOR. SHE DID NOT EVEN SEE HIM. BUT WHAT SHE DID SEE WAS THAT GOD HAD ANSWERED THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE. THAT IS HOW MUCH SHE HAD GROWN - SHE RECOGISED GODS HAND IN THAT.

WE HAVE BECOME SO CYNICAL AND SCEPTICAL AND EVEN PRAYERLESS.

IN ALL OF THESE SITUATIONS - GO BACK AND RE-READ THE CHAPTERS WE HAVE COVERED. YOU WILL BE SURPRISED HOW HOW OFTEN THE RESISTANCE IS ANSWERED BY PRAYER. PETER WENT BACK AND PRAYED.

Acts 4:23–31 NLT

23 As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. 24 When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— 25 you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying, ‘Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans? 26 The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.’ 27 “In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. 28 But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. 29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

PETE GREIG - ONE OF MY FAVOURITE AUTHORS IN HIS PRAYER COURSE SAYS THIS: WE GET TO TALK TO THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE. WE GET THE PRIVILEDGE OF HAVING HIS EAR.

RANDY CLARK OR BILL JOHNSON - I ASK FORGIVENESS IF I AM GIVING CREDIT TO THE WRONG PERSON BUTIN ONE OF THE BOOKS ON PRAYER AND PROPHESY I WAS READING PUT IT LIKE THIS.

WHEN WE PRAY FOR SOMEONE WE GET TO INTRODUCE THEM TO JESUS OR EVEN RE-INTRODUCE THEM.

HEAVENLY FATHER, LORD JESUS IM HERE TODAY TO INTRODUCE YOU TO ........

GOD THIS IS YOUR SERVANT, YOU KNOW THEM, YOU LOVE THEM MORE THAN I COULD EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE. SO LORD I WANT TO LIFT UP THEIR CONCERNS TO YOU.

I DONT HAVE A RECIPE BUT I DO HAVE THE RESULTS - IN MY OWN LIFE THERE ARE TIMES THAT I PRAY GOD TAKE THIS AWAY, GET ME OUT OF THIS PRISON

AND GOD SAYS TRUST THE PROCESS.

I HAVE NEVER HAD AN EXPERIENCE LIKE PETER BUT I HAVE SEEN MY CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE SO QUICKLY THAT I THINK I AM DREAMING.

APPLICATION

RE-INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO PRAYER

Matthew 11:28 ESV

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Psalm 121:1–3 ESV

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.

Philippians 4:6–7 ESV

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 ESV

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

PRAYER IS A TWO WAY STREET

LISTENING

CONTEMPLATIVE

INTERCESSORY

ASK FOR MYSELF

ABIDE -

MAIN TO DO

EXAMINE YOUR ROOT STRUCTURE TODAY

LOOK AT THE STATE OF GROWTH YOU FIND YOURSELF IN

PERHAPS YOU HAVE OUTGROWN THE VESSEL YOUR IN, PERHAPS YOUR IN THE WRONG VESSEL FOR YOUR TYPE OF GROWTH.

LET ME SHARE A WORD THAT WAS SHARED WITH ME OVER 6 YEARS AGO.

THAT WAS AT A TIME THAT I WAS DEALING WITH A LOT OF RESISTANCE.

HOUSE

JOB

MINISTRY

LETS JUST RECAP ABOUT THE TREES.

RHODA IS THE EMPRESS TREE

RHODA HAS GROWN IN LEAPS AND BOUNDS.

RHODA HEARS PETERS VOICE AND AT ONCE RUNS TO TELL THEM THAT THEIR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED. - SHE EVEN FORGETS TO OPEN THE DOOR.

THE DISCIPLES ARE LIKE THE WHITE CEDAR:

THEIR GROWTH IS STUNTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND THEM.

THEY ARE PRAYING BUT NOT BELEIVING.

NEVER IT CANT BE!!

THIS HAPPENS TO US ALL THE TIME, WHY BECAUSE WE SET OURSELVES UP NOT TO BE DISSAPOINTED.

IF YOU EXPECT THE WORSE THEN WHEN IT DOES NOT HAPPEN YOU WONT BE DISSAPOINTED.

THE CHURCH AS A WHOLE IS THE OLIVE TREE, EVEN IF YOU CUT ME DOWN - I HAVE THE ROOT SYSTEM TO PERSEVERE TO GROW AGAIN AND THRIVE.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

WITHOUT WATER PLANTS WILL NOT SURVIVE.

IT IS THE SAME WITH US WETHER IT IS PERSONALLY OR CORPORATELY WITHOUT PRAYER WE WILL NOT GROW

NOW DO NOT GET ME WRONG - YOU CAN SEE GROWTH SOMETIMES AND WE EVEN SAW THAT DEMONSTRATED WHEN GAMALIEL TOLD THE SANHEDREN LET THEM BE IF GOD IS NOT IN THIS IT WON’T FLY.

THINK OF THE BIODOME - NO WIND NO ROOTS

TURKEY - EARTHQUAKE

STRUCTURES NOT BUILD TO CODE

CORRUPTION

NO FOUNDATION

RESISTANCE HAPPENS THEY FALL DOWN

GROWTH HAPPENS AT THE RATE IT NEEDS TO GROW FOR THE PURPOSE THAT IT WAS CREATED FOR.

CLOSING

BUT LET US LEARN FROM THESE THREE TREES WHAT HELPS GROWTH AND WHAT HINDERS GROWTH.

WE REALLY NEED TO REINTRODUCE OURSELVES TO PRAYER IN OUR LIVES SO THAT WE CAN GROW IN A HEALTH WAY.

TRY LISTENING TO GOD THIS WEEK. TAKE TIME TO ASK GOD TO SHOW YOU. A PICTURE OR A WORD OR A SCRIPTURE PASSAGE.

SIT DOWN MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE

HAVE A PIECE OF PAPER / JOURNAL

A PEN

A BIBLE

WRITE DOWN THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO YOU

I KNOW ITS GOING TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE BUT YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT WHAT GOD HAS TO SAY TO YOU.

BE BOLD AND ASK GOD QUESTIONS

PRAYER

IF YOU WANT GROWTH, YOU BETTER GET COMFORTABLE WITH RESISTANCE.

COMMUNION

THE ROAD THE EMMAUS

EYES OPENED WHEN THEY BROKE BREAD