In the world but not of the world...

1 John 2: 15-16  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

We all live here in the world but according to the Bible, God requires that as Christians we do not become attached to the worldly things that we see around us everyday. "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Those are pretty strong words. We cannot be loving the things of this world since then the love of our heavenly Father will not be in us.

Worldliness is the enemy of holiness. God is holy and he wants to make us holy through Jesus Christ.

Worldliness is satan's way. We must not love anything that is in satan's domain. Unbelievers being a part of the world system oppose Christ. This is obvious in their lifestyle - living for self and for the things of the world.  Christ demands our complete loyalty and devotion. We cannot be on the fence with this. Choose to live wholeheartedly for the Lord and do not allow self and worldliness to rule your life. We are living in worldliness when we allow our fleshly desires to control us - that is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. It is an evil attitude, it is a heart that says " I want this for me and I want it now, I don't care if others are hurt by my actions". As Christians we can not be living a life that serves self and the world. Neither can we live in worldliness and live for the Lord Jesus at the same time. There are many things that people will use to try to satisfy themselves, to fill that loneliness and the emptiness of their heart. Examples are money, hobbies, travelling, job, food, sex, music and entertainment. The truth is that Jesus is the only One who can fill that void in our lives.

Proverbs 11:6  The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.

The unbeliever is trapped by his own evil desires. Each of us is accountable to God Himself for our actions. God does not play favorites and each one will receive accordingly to what he or she has done in this life. This is why it is so important that turn our lives over to the Lord and we take our sins to God. We need to confess our sins to the Lord God, turn from them once and for all. He is faithful to forgive us when we come to him in this way. God doesn't give anyone a break or make excuses for anyone's sin - no, he poured it all on Jesus. Jesus took our sin to the cross and died there in our place. Our sin was paid for by the Lord Jesus Christ. Repent of every sin and turn your life over to Jesus. May I encourage each of us to CLING to JESUS!!

Ephesians 5:8-10  For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

Becoming Withered - Answered Prayer ( Sunday Sermon Review )

February 3, 2013 - Sunday Sermon Review
( from my home church I attend regularly )

Topic - The Fig Tree Withers
Text -  Matthew 21: 18-22
Speaker - Pastor Ben

Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Thought for the week: Every experience God gives us, every person He puts into our lives, is the perfect preparation for a future only He can see.
 quote from Corrie Ten Boom

The service began with singing of several songs including "Your Grace is Enough" and "I'll Fly Away".

We are continuing on in our Matthew series. We are in Matthew chapter 21 and today we studied verses 18- 22 where is says this:
¹⁸ Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
 ¹⁹ And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
 ²⁰ And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
 ²¹ Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
 ²² And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Here is some of what Pastor Ben said.
Jesus looks for figs and when he doesn't find any, he withers the tree.
It was not the season for figs.
Pastor Ben compared this to your apple tree in your back yard. If Jesus came in the spring, looked at your apple tree, He would find no apples. You would be disappointed if He withered your tree. It wasn't the time for fruit to be ready.

Jesus is driving home a point. It's symbolic.
The prophets of the Bible often did bizzare strange things to make a point. eg. Jeremiah.
Jesus is also a Prophet and as a prophet does this symbolic act.

Point #1
Judgment results as a failure to bear good fruit.  (Read Isaiah 5:1-7)
The people of God are like a vine and are to bear good fruit.
By their fruit you will know them.
A good tree bears good fruit.
A bad tree bears bad fruit.
If the tree or vine bears bad fruit - you must work with the tree, the vine. 

This is Jesus's last week before His cruicifixion.
He has just cleansed the temple, now he withers the fig tree.
We must take this story in context.

What type of fruit is God looking for?
Galatians 5: 22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

God looks for this kind of fruit in our lives. Are these qualities evident in our lives? - love, joy, peace, etc in growing measure?
Failure to produce these fruits results in our lives becoming withered.
These fruits are the result of a life that pursues God.
Drive yourself closer to God, Seek Him more.
Fruit is not instant, takes awhile to grow.

Point #2
When you pray to God, He will hear and respond.
God will listen to your prayers.

Jesus is about to send his followers ( disciples ) out on a great mission.
This was about 500 people sent out to take His message to the ends of the world, and God gives them this amazing promise that he will hear them.

Jesus is not promising them comfort.
Some preachers will take this out of context and imply this means anything you might like to have. eg. relaxing time and pray for a pizza, and boom you should have it. This is not what Jesus means here.

This is about God's mission - taking the gospel to the ends of the world.

Faith is loyalty - it is not just believing.
Faith and loyalty toward a sports coach is a good example.
You are loyal to your coach, you believe in what he says, you obey what he says.
Same with our loyalty toward God.
We trust God with our lives.
Lord, I will be loyal to You!!
Loyalty is obeying God even if you do not understand.

Doubt is not about asking questions.
God invites us to bring our questions to Him. He loves to communicate with us. He loves it when we ask Him our questions.
Good example of this is Moses at the burning bush.
Asking question is not doubt and it is not wrong.

If we are loyal to God, mountains will be moved.
We are warned of judgment when we fail to bear good fruit.

God answers the prayers of His people.

Today's Christians are complacent.
The Canadian Church is described as the "frozen chosen".

We have the very mission that the disciples got. It applies to us.

We are called by God to bring His Word to this world - to our family, our friends, in our workplace, to the ends of the world!

Jesus didn't get his followers from the local Seminary. He chose ordinary people - people like us.
We are not talented enough or smart enough but Jesus chooses us anyway. His Spirit works through us and in us!

Jesus gave us this promise - God will hear us when we pray!
If we are loyal to God we will see mountains moved, prayers answered.
We will see amazing things!!

Closing song - " I Am Free to Run"