THEMES
FOR THE WEEK:
By
Trevor Davis
www.soundingthealarm.com
July
12, 2011
1.
Gardening 101: The Garden Of God The Father, The True Vine Jesus
Christ With His “Branches” Those Abiding In Him.
A.
Jhn
15:1 ¶ I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Jhn
15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and
every [branch] that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring
forth more fruit.
B.
Note the severity of the above text in John 15. God the Father is the
“husbandman”. Believers in Jesus Christ are likened to
branches in the True Vine Jesus. God has planted a tender planting in
His own dear Son. The nature of Jesus is not of Adam that is out of
the earth, but is from above from God the Father. Every
branch
that does not bear fruit the Father 'taketh away'. Are you bearing
Christ's fruit? Is their evidence that you are in the Son Jesus?
C.
Every
branch
in Jesus that is bearing fruit shall be purged by the Father in order
that it bring forth more fruit. Understand this process and expect
it.
D.
Jhn
15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of
itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide
in me.
You
will never ever be able to do anything pleasing to God the Father
that is outside of Jesus. You can do nothing except you abide in
Jesus. To attempt otherwise is rebellion.
You must
abide-remain attached, to Jesus, and He abiding in you.
E.
Jhn
15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what
ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
This
is is a vital thing to recognize that it is not enough to be abiding
in Christ. You must have the Words of Christ abiding in you. Many
many people think they are in Christ but they do not have the words
of Christ abiding in them.
What does this mean?
Christ
is living and He is speaking to His own. Moses is dead and His words
are written in tables of stone. But, Moses spoke of Jesus, another
that would come speaking the Words of God and that the people were
commanded to hearken to Him. Jesus words are living words. They are
spirit words. You must abide in what Jesus has and is speaking. This
is having the Words of God abiding in you.
F. The Jewish
religion in the time of their visitation by Jesus were not abiding in
the Word of God. When Jesus came speaking words that were given Him
to speak from His Father, they would not nor could not receive them.
They would hear the sounds of His words but their message was foreign
to them. This is because they were not abiding in what God the Father
was saying. Hence, they missed the time of their visitation and
sought a way to kill Jesus the Prince of Life the Messiah. Woe, woe
woe.
The Jewish religious system had the oracles of God. They
had the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the writings. Though they
honored God with the lips and drew near to God with the mouth, their
hearts they had removed far from God. The fear of the LORD had been
degenerated into a precept of man (Isaiah
29:10-13) Isa
29:13 ¶ Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw
near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but
have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is
taught by the precept of men: .
Religion religion religion. Religion is the work of man. The Kingdom
of God is the work of God. To enter, one must be humble as a child
and receive with meekness the en-grafted Word of God. Abide in Jesus
and have His words abiding in you; then you shall be a branch of the
Lord Jesus. You then shall bear fruit to the glory of the Father. You
then shall partake of the divine nature that is in the new man
created by God that we should walk in newness of life.
Jhn
5:38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent,
him ye believe not. Though
the religious system in Jesus' day used the scriptures, they did not
have the revelation of the Word of God for the most part. They had a
form of godliness but denied the power of godliness.
Jhn 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? [even] because ye cannot hear my word. They could hear the sound of the words--”latria”, but could not hear the “logos” or concept of the message. The words of Jesus plainly did not and do not register to the hearts minds of the religious yet alone those of the world.
2Pe
1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:
that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
G.
The admonition of the LORD here is that each and every one of us that
profess faith in Jesus make
sure that we are abiding in Christ and that the Word of God and
Christ is abiding in you.
You can't be one without the other. You can not abide in Christ
without having His words abiding in you! I am convinced this is the
error of too many that profess faith in Jesus. They may 'go to
church' and read their bible but they are not in Christ as evidenced
by His nature revealed through their lives; nor, are the words of
Jesus reflected in the lives of the majority of religious people.
They are therefore deceived and have deceived their own souls. They
think they have been in the presence of the Lord and that they have
sat under the teachings of Jesus but Jesus does not know them.
2.
Stunning Bizarre Truth Jesus Proclaimed Regarding The “Few That
Will Be Saved”.
A.
Luk
13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto
you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
B.
Let me ask you this question. Out of all the people you ever met or
observed in your lifetime, how many of those actually 'strived to
enter the strait gate'?
C. Jesus is recorded in this text in
Luke 13 that out of those who do
strive
to enter the strait gate that “many” will seek to enter
in and shall not be able! Forget the people that hate Jesus and
ignorantly despise Him, obviously they are lost unless God grants
them repentance unto life. But “many” that do strive to
enter the strait gate shall not be able according to Jesus
Christ.
D. Stunningly, Jesus told the rebellious religious
Jews that they would see Abraham, the prophets and people coming from
the north, south, east and west but they themselves would be thrust
out! Fear the Lord. Fear lest their be a promise of entering into His
rest any of us fall short of it. Jesus is this strait gate. He is the
way, the truth and the life, no man can come to the Father except
through Him. Hbr
4:1 ¶ Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left [us] of
entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Luk
13:28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom
of God, and you [yourselves] thrust out.Luk 13:29 And they shall come
from the east, and [from] the west, and from the north, and [from]
the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
3.
Press For The Mark For The Prize Of The High Calling In Jesus
Christ.
A.
Phl
3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God
in Christ Jesus.
Paul
the apostle was writing to the Philippians that he forgot the things
of the past and looked forward--”pressing” toward the
“mark”...
B. To “press” Lexicon:
"Press" 1) to make to run or flee, put to flight, drive
away2) to run swiftly in order to catch a person or thing, to run
aftera) to press on: figuratively of one who in a race runs swiftly
to reach the goalb) to pursue (in a hostile manner)3) in any way
whatever to harass, trouble, molest onea) to persecuteb) to be
mistreated, suffer persecution on account of something4) without the
idea of hostility, to run after, follow after: someone5) metaph., to
pursuea) to seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavour to acquire
C.
Salvation is a personal thing. Salvation is something that God gives
to you. Salvation is something that belongs to you. Therefore, do not
neglect the great salvation that God has given you! Pay attention to
it. Guard it. Keep your heart and mind in Jesus Christ and rely
completely on the saving power of the Lord to save you to the
uttermost.
Phl
2:12b...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Phl 2:13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his]
good pleasure.
Hbr
2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at
the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us
by them that heard [him];
D.
We can thank God that Jesus served the Father with all of His heart
and fulfilled the Will of God completely without any reservation or
lackadaisical attitude. Jesus said His meat was to do the will of the
Father Jn
4:24.
May this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus!
Though He were
in the form of God, He thought it not robbery to be equal with God,
but made Himself of no reputation, humbled Himself and was obedient
to the point of death.
Jesus
our life and example
Philippians
2:5-11
5Let
this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in
the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But
made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a
servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in
fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted
him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the
name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things
in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
E.
We can observe by this testimony regarding Jesus how Jesus was the
very opposite of Adam who did desire to be equal with God, was not
obedient but was disobedient, and then spiritually died bringing sin
into the earth and upon all mankind.
Whereas Jesus, as a Son
of God in the very image of God, sought it not to be equal with God
and humbled Himself, became obedient to the point of death, even the
death of the cross for the sins of the world. Therefore, God the
Father has exalted Him and given Him a name above every name that at
the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow whether in heaven, in earth
or under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord Master to the glory of God the Father. Hallelujah! Praise be
to God and how worthy is the Lamb that was slain.
Jesus lived
a focused intense life before His Father and so should we as we are
in Him.
1Pe
2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered
for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
4.
Our Daily Need To Be Crucified With Jesus.
A.
Not My will O God but thine be done was the heart cry commitment of
Jesus.
B. Luk
9:23 ¶ And he said to [them] all, If any [man] will come after
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
C.
Paul said, 1Cr
15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our
Lord, I die daily.
D.
Gal
2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but
Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I
live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself
for me.
E.
Double
crucified!
Gal
6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto
the world.
F.
“F” for failure. To fail to crucify our flesh, our own
selfish will is to miss the mark. It is to not effectively strive to
enter the strait gate. Those who do not glory in the cross of Christ
are doomed for deception and to fail the grace of God. Consider that
those who navigate at sea if they are off the mark by one degree on
the compass they will never arrive at the desired destination. The
same is true for us if we do not crucify our lives on a daily basis
and press for the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Strive to enter the strait gate that is narrow. Strive to enter the
rest that is of faith. Strive not in your flesh but strive in your
heart commitment to obey the words of Jesus that He speaks to your
life.
5.
God Wants To Know Why He Is Mistreated. He Has Asked, “What Did
I Do To Deserve This?”
A.
Mic
6:3 O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I
wearied thee? testify against me.
B.
Isa
5:4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not
done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth
grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?
C.
Jer
2:5 Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me,
that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are
become vain?
6.
Thus Saith The LORD: The True Condition Of The Religious People Who
Say They Love Me...
A.
Isaiah 1: 2Hear, O
heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have
nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against
me...
1.
They are rebels.
2. They do not know Me.
3. Sinful nation. Full
of sin. Offspring of evil. The children are corrupters. (Very sad
when God says children are corrupt liars—Is 30:1,9)
4.
Provoke God and walk backwards doing the opposite of what pleases
God.
5. The head is sick and the heart is faint.
6. From the
sole of the foot to the head there is no soundness or health. Only
wounds, bruises, putrefying sores that have not been healed or
dressed. No attention to the vileness only oozing stench of sin.
7.
Nation of desolation.
8. Cities on fire.
9. Foreigners conquer
from within and take your goods in front of your helpless
observations.
10. A conquered people. Defeated and held in
bondage.
11. A people under judgment from God as Sodom was judged
by God.
12. Only a few are the remnant of faithful to God.
13.
Religious though not spiritually right with God. Going through the
religious motions of sacrifices of a religious skeleton without a
true heart.
14. God hates their sacrifices, celebrations and
prayers.
15. God says their hands are full of blood and violence
from the heart.
16. God calls the people to repent and get clean
before Him of all the evils that have swallowed them whole.
17.
God calls the people to return to the simple basic way of loving God
and others in His name. Help others. Plead the cause of the helpless.
Stop doing evil! “Stop it!”, says the LORD.
B. The
LORD says, “I called and none did answer. I spoke and none
would listen. You chose that which I delighted not.”
Isa
65:12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow
down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when
I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did
choose [that] wherein I delighted not.
Isa
66:4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears
upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they
did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose [that] in
which I delighted not.
C.
Grace and Mercy, or Judgment and destruction?
1. Grace and mercy
for those who repent.
2. Judgment and destruction for those who
don't.
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision. What will
it be for you?
D. Political corruption. The government has
gone into error loving bribes and lies.
E.
Spiritual corruption. The spiritual leaders of the church world have
become ravenous wolves who gnaw all night at the bone until there is
no more flesh to consume! They have chosen the fear of man rather
than the fear of God. They have chosen the praise of man rather than
the praise of God. They have censored the voice of the LORD. They
have sought to make converts of their establishment rather than
disciples of Jesus Christ. They have banned together to cover their
sins. They have not sought the LORD. They have turned from the
Fountain of Living Waters unto broken cisterns that cannot hold
water. They are hypocrites that burn in their pride and lust for
power, money and honor of man. Woe, woe woe unto the unrepentant
religious leaders. They have not submitted to the Head even Christ.
They make fair speeches but despise the cross of Christ. Woe woe woe.
The LORD is coming to visit the iniquity of the religious temples.
The
Word of the LORD:
Zep
3:2 She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she
trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God Zep 3:3 Her
princes within her [are] roaring lions; her judges [are] evening
wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow. Zep 3:4 Her prophets
[are] light [and] treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the
sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
F.
The government leaders whom God called to govern in peace and order
have forsaken the call of God to rule uprightly; and the religious
leaders for the most part have joined with the government in
establishing their rule. And the people, they do not perceive but
love it so.
G. Thus saith the LORD, “I will ease Myself
of Mine enemies, those who have hated Me and rejected Me. I will
confound them utterly, says the LORD. The LORD said, “The
destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be
together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.”
Isa
1:24 ¶ Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty
One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me
of mine enemies: ...Isa 1:28 And the destruction of the transgressors
and of the sinners [shall be] together, and they that forsake the
LORD shall be consumed.
7.
When The Door Is Shut.
A.
Luk
13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto
you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Luk 13:25 When
once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door,
and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying,
Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I
know you not whence ye are:
1.
Strive to enter the strait gate.
2. Many will try and not be able
to enter in.
3. The time comes when the door is shut and if you
are not inside the door you will not be able to enter. It will be too
late. Too late. Too late.
4. Does the Master know you?
5. Are
you abiding in Christ? Does His Word abide in you?
6. Does your
life reflect the teachings and words of Jesus? Are you a
contradiction?
7. When the Master is risen up...and shuts the
door...it is shut. No more time. No more games. No more church.
8.
The cries of the religious ones wanting to enter.
9. They shall
see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets entering the Kingdom
of God. They shall see people from the north, south, east and west
entering in that had simple true heart faith in Jesus Christ. They
shall enter the joy of the Lord prepared for them while the wicked
weep and wail in eternal fire of judgment banished from the presence
of God.
10. These are woeful truths.
11. Repentance is a gift
from God. He grants it or refuses it. Consider Judas. Consider Esau,
that profane fornicating person who did not value his birthright. He
sold his position for vileness and a bowl of pottage. God the judge
said no to them. No repentance granted.
Hbr
12:16 Lest there [be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who
for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.Hbr 12:17 For ye know how
that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was
rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it
carefully with tears.
B.
Goofy excuses the religious ones believe.
1. “We ate and
drank in your presence Lord...”
2. “You taught in our
streets.”
3. “I listened to “Christian TV and
radio” and boogied to “Christian music.”
Luk
13:26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy
presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
Luk
13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are;
depart from me, all [ye] workers of iniquity.
C.
Just like the church goers believe in today's times.
The Lord is
not looking for church goers, He is looking for disciples!
D.
“D” for “Dumb Foolish Virgins”.
1. Jesus
spoke a parable about 10 virgins. Five were wise and had oil for
their lamps, and 5 were foolish and did not have oil for their lamps.
After the Bridegroom had tarried, a cry came at midnight to go and
meet Him. The wise virgins had oil for their lamps and could
therefore see during the midnight hour whereas the foolish virgins
had no oil being foolish, unprepared and unrecognized by the
Bridegroom. There was no oil to buy at this late hour and the door
was shut as the marriage of the Bridegroom ensued. The foolish
unprepared virgins stood outside the shut door crying to let them in,
but the Bridegroom said, Mat
25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you
not.
E.
We are in the last days preceding the coming of the Lord and the
culmination of this age. The coming of the King Jesus Christ is at
hand. He comes in power and glory of His Holy Father and shall
execute righteous judgment and dole out the wrath of God upon the
wicked. And Jesus also comes with salvation for those who trust in
Him.
Those whom Jesus is coming to deliver are looking for
Him, watching and praying, and being about their Master's business.
Those who are not looking for Him will be caught unawares, cut
asunder and given their portion with the hypocrites.
Mat
24:48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord
delayeth his coming; Mat 24:49 And shall begin to smite [his]
fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; Mat 24:50 The
lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for
[him], and in an hour that he is not aware of, Mat 24:51 And shall
cut him asunder, and appoint [him] his portion with the hypocrites:
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
8.
The Age Of Redemption Through The Proclamation Of The Gospel Of Jesus
Christ.
A.
The Sower and the Seed. The Sower is the Son of Man Jesus Christ. The
Seed is the Living Word of God. The Word goes forth and grows and
produces fruit according to the condition of the heart of the
hearer.
Matthew
13: The Parable of the Sower.
1.
Among the multitudes of hearers of the Word of God there are those
who do not understand and Satan steals the Word. No fruit here.
2.
Others hear the Word and endure for a time but when persecution and
affliction come for the Word's sake they give up. No enduring fruit
here either.
3. Others hear the Word of God but due to the
cares of this world and lusts entering the heart, the Word of God is
choked and becomes unfruitful in their heart. No fruit. No salvation
here.
4. A small portion of hearers receive with meekness the
en-grafted Word and it delivers and saves their soul by grace through
faith in Jesus Christ. Only a few will enter the strait and narrow
way that leads unto life.
Examine yourselves today and make
sure you are in the faith. Are you abiding in Jesus Christ? Does His
Word abide in you? Are you exhibiting godly fruit by the very life of
Jesus within you? Is Christ your life?
Col
3:1 ¶ If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which
are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Col 3:2 Set
your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Col 3:3
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Col 3:4
When Christ, [who is] our life, shall appear, then shall ye also
appear with him in glory.
God
bless you,
Trevor Davis
www.soundingthealarm.com