Essentials for Wholeness within.

Next two weeks we are going to topically look at the theme of Essentials for Wholeness.

Essential: Flourish. Prune. Repeat…I want to double click on this idea of wholeness as it relates to our flourishing.

Mark 11:11–25

Two things that have always caught my attention in the scriptures: Trees and Mountains.

Fig Trees

Fig trees are slow growing.

The fig tree is a member of the mulberry family, native to the Near East and Mediterranean region, particularly thriving in Palestine and Syria. These trees typically grow to 5-6 meters (15-20 feet) in height, though some can reach up to 9-12 meters (30-40 feet)12. Fig trees are valued for both their fruit and shade, often symbolizing security and prosperity in ancient cultures3. They produce fruit almost year-round in Palestine, with two main crops: the first in June (known as "first-ripe figs" or bikkûrâ) and the second, more desirable crop in August (called "late figs" or te˒ēnîm)1

Fig trees represent prosperity and wellbeing, peace, or God’s judgment.

The fig is often planted with the vine (Lk. 13:6), so that its branches and the vine’s foliage led to the well-known expression ‘to sit down under one’s own vine and fig-tree’ as a symbol of long-continued well-being and prosperity

3 John 2 “2 Dear friend, I pray that you are prospering in every way and are in good health, just as your whole life is going well.”

Jn 15 - bear fruit; fruit that remains

Fig trees, with leaves, should have figs.

When fruit is missing, it’s a problem of the roots.

Mountains are obstruction in our way.

whatever keeps you from being wholly seen.

Blocks our view of ourselves and of others.

honesty, integrity, prestige, clout, people pleasing, defense mechanisms like humor or sarcastic dismissiveness, pride, etc

Lack of vulnerability and confession — leaves but no figs.

whatever keeps you from being holy in your surrender.

attachments that you give priority and attention to

sources of comfort or distraction

ideologies or loyalties

what high places need to be lowered?

weights and sins to toss aside

whatever keeps you from being whole in your soul.

pain unhealed

trauma not dealt with

bitterness and withholding forgiveness

We all have a primal question that stems from unmet needs or pain in our life. Whenever we feel angst, stress, frustration, anxiety, or anger, you primal question has been rattled and you start to avoid or compensate….this is an indication God wants to heal. God wants to heal this self-protection actions that stunt our growth.

…many compensate with external attachments.

…many compensate with unbalanced religious truths

...for those who have primal question of “am i safe?” Look for absolutes and have difficult seeing nuance. Clear cut helps them avoid the uncertainty.

…for those who have PQ is “am i successful?” We look for blessing and avoidance of suffering…and slant our theology toward those things.

Also..pg 23 &

Mountains are places of encountering God — where heaven meets earth.

God, through His loving presence and power, make our weaknesses whole.

God wants you whole because of His love for you.

John 15:9 “9 “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love.”

Encountering His love, produces a prosperous inner & outer life.

Prospering is:

abundance of joy

serving others

seeing others without dismissing them

surrendered communion with Him.

Prayer is essential to wholeness, revealing a radiant faith.

John 15:16 “16 You did not choose me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.”

Mark 11:17 “17 He was teaching them: “Is it not written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves!””

Mark 11:24–25 “24 Therefore I tell you, everything you pray and ask for—believe that you have received it and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing.””

Types of prayer:

petition - asking

cares, concerns, confessions, requests

intercession - seeking

situations, people, tongues

contemplative (communing) - knocking

imagination, silent listening, meditation

In all these you can you use pre-written prayers, scripture, and extemporaneous (off the cuff)

prayer of examining/communion.

Silence of noticing your emotions and pain.

experiencing Jesus really & practicing the way exercises.

Weaknesses (obstacles), healed by Jesus, become gifts to the world around you.

God gets the most glory through our weakness.

…the most pronounced weakness and intense pain point are the conduit for God’s greatest work.

Paul was tormented, likely by demonic shouts of shame and vain arguments from “super apostles”, always pointing out his past. This is perhap why one of his greatest gifts and passions was helping gentiles know they can be justified by Jesus

2 Corinthians 12:7–10 “7 especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. 8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. 10 So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Philippians 3:7–10 “7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death,”

Pruning is the act of submitting to His suffering.

The secret to consecrating your life to God is subtraction — attitudes, actions, opinions, worldviews, habits, greed, drive for efficiency, control, distractions, etc.

what do i want them to do??

Pray: God reveal any mountain or rotten root within my soul. God, I ask you to remove _____ from my heart/soul.

Testimony: Cynism & Rejection

Proverbs 27:18–19 “18 Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever looks after his master will be honored. 19 As water reflects the face, so the heart reflects the person.”

The goal of prayer, communing with the Triune God, is that we reflect His loving face towards others.

______

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Talk it Over (being honest & open with friends, a spouse, or your Group)

The message was about becoming WHOLE within your Soul. What is one idea from Sunday’s message that impacted you?

Read Mark 11:11-25. What is the Holy Spirit saying through these verses?

How does the metaphor of the fig tree relate to spiritual prosperity according to the sermon?

What practical steps can you take to identify and address ‘mountains’ in your life that hinder your spiritual growth?

What role does prayer play in our wholeness? How so?

Read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. What does weakness have to do in relation to our weaknesses being a conduit for God’s work?