The Garden Within (Part 3) - Why Did You Forget?
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Dr. Anita Phillips
“When weeds arrive, it’s often an index of what is wrong with the soil . . . They are a symptom . . . If we learn to read the weeds as clues to our soil’s condition, we can help the soil recover. ”
We understand that soil represents my heart…
Last week we dealt with our desires choking our spiritual development causing us to not be productive or “unfruitful”
The key to being productive is…
As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
“Hears the word and understands it”
Moving from hearing to doing…
James tell us…
Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
“Of his own will”
He = God
“Brought us forth”
By the word of truth - “The Gospel of our salvation
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
Remember the word is a seed…
As a new creation we are a kind of firstfruits of his creatures…
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
James is giving us the playbook and the rules to follow.
Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
You have to put away and receive with meekness the “Implanted word”
Meekness: Humility
Implanted word - The word has been placed in us like a seed.
The Word is able to save our souls!
Wait! My soul depends on it…
I Can’t forget…
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Last week we dealt with choking our development…
This week… “Being hearers only.” Only deceives ourselves
Deceiving: delude
Delude: impose a misleading belief upon (someone); deceive; fool.
Being a hearer only misleads “ME” to believe something I’m not
But I am the one misleading myself…
Wait!!!!!!
Jesus talked about four types of people/soils… Think about this, 3 of the 4 covers every aspect of our struggles…
First… The person who had no desire to understand the word at all. Satan came in and took seed.
Satan is seeking for those who have no desire…
Second… The person who had Joy but no root because when tribulation or persecution came they fell away
Third.... The person let the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches to cause them to be unfruitful!
1) Satan
2) Tribulation / Persecution
3) Lustful Desires
Every struggle will fall in 1 of the 3 categories
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
Intently: to perceive clearly v. — to be fully aware of through thoughtful viewing; realize fully with the eyes and mind.
Being just a hearer… Jesus said they heard the word!
I heard what is being preached…
I see it for myself on the screen or in the Bible
For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
But why do I go away from what I was fully aware of and forget what I just saw in the mirror…
Examples....
#1 Anxiety
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The mirror told me to be calm.....
So what happened?
Understanding the word means doing it!
In order for me to experience peace
Prayer
Supplication
With Thanksgiving
Make your request be made known to God!
# 2 Un-forgiveness
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
The mirror told me to put it away....
The mirror showed me a kind, tenderhearted, forgiving person.
So what happened?
Understanding the word means I have to “put it away”
# 3 Fear
fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
to fear v. — to be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a situation or event.
The mirror told me “I am with you”
So what happened?
I can’t leave the mirror and mislead myself…
Understanding means… Fear not / Be not dismayed…
We have to be a doer of the word!!!
You can’t forget what you look like!
Moses told the people…
“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.
And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.
blessing (cause of) n. — something bringing prosperity and life.
Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock.
Blessed: to be blessed (speech) v. — to be spoken about with words of excellence.
Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
The Lord will command the blessing on you in your barns and in all that you undertake. And he will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them,
The key is “Being careful to do them”