Shadetree

27           SHADETREE          

There are many things that are needed and are called for because of its specific nature and need… People as well that go through school, college and special training to their specific fields to meet specific need…

There was a time at least back in the day of what we knew and often even noted of ourselves and others as “shade tree mechanics…” Meaning that while this wasn’t our particular field of labor and living or even to our training we got by in repairs that the broke down car demanded… Therefore, up under “the shade tree” the repair of the family car was done…

There is a term of description that perhaps may yet too, be still in use… Perhaps you have heard it… One called “a jack of all trades and master of none…” Meaning that there was no special training outside of working and doing and by experience taught themselves the particulars to the multiple demands of each trade…

It is of course today with the ever-changing times that without a doubt has increased the demands of certain trades… Licensing, insurances, hours on the job, hours of training and continual schooling in keeping up with the ever growing and increasing technology… This and more just to meet the certification necessary to do the job…

We understand when it comes to root canals not any so called “shade tree” type of dentist gets to do the job… The family car isn’t going down to the guy with the car pulled up under the shade tree… Were not taking the family member in need of a heart surgeon to the guy who said he would be glad to do it and save you a little money… “Yes sir, just come out back to the shed behind the house where we can perform the necessary lifesaving operation…” No thanks!!!

When it comes to specifics and qualifications necessary I think we can say “we don’t want a shade tree doctor” doing a valve replacement for our loved one… I think sometimes life does call for the “specialist,” the one who isn’t a “jack of all trades…” NO doubt, they that have given themselves to study and have completed the rigors of hours demanded to be certified is the one that performs the surgery needed…

·        What about the preacher of the word of GOD to you and for your family’s salvation???

·        Do you even have a pastor??? Or is it some person that comes across your television screen that doesn’t even know you or your family???

·        What about the matters of your soul???

·        What about our eternal destination???

We certainly don’t mind driving and flying across the country and even in some cases seeking knowledge and treatment out of the country for a chance at health… Yet, when it comes to our soul it is of little concern to some of us… Is this not what Paul was saying when in comparing the physical body to that of the spiritual???

1 Tim 4:8 Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next.

This ought to be our answer and yet, how error is so much alive today… Satan’s deception to get us to demean or ignore that which should be the greatest of importance… How easy it is for some to believe anything and anybody rather than seek out the word of GOD and the one who specializes in HIS word… How sad that some can give themselves to traditions of men and a word derived by man and from man rather than the word of GOD…

We seek out the specialist for this and that… We take confidence in our barber, our mechanic, our doctor, dentist, our plumber, roofer, the engineer, and so on… Yet, the word of GOD is absent and unheeded in our lives as no word from the LORD is sought… Yet, GOD has anointed a preacher and he stands against the devil and he preaches the truth of what is holy, what is righteous, and what is sin…

Hear the preacher…

Eccl 12:8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.    KJV

Hear the preacher…

Eccl 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.      KJV

 

Thanks for reading...

Knowledge

26                 Knowledge          

Knowledge is a powerful thing… Knowledge can be what makes the tool efficient and the thing repaired to run correctly… Knowledge to as a weapon it can define the winner of the battle and even the final victor of the war… Knowledge can be the work of education, diligence in study, and the investment of a good teacher… Yes, knowledge is a powerful thing. If you are sensing a pause or an explanation here, you are correct. Because while knowledge is a powerful thing it’s a very different thing to possess the knowledge needed and yet, not possess the understanding of when to use that knowledge…

Just a few days ago, Hawaii got a notice of a missile heading their way and the words was to take immediate action, and seek shelter… Someone had to type the message, someone had to verify the message and then someone had to push the send button… Maybe it’s not quite like the way I described it, but something similar to that description. The point is that someone was hired and trained for that, particular job… Someone possessed the knowledge of how and actions to take as recourse to evade, evacuate, and endure certain dangers. While they had the knowledge of what to do and how to do it… They knew what to say in the message and too how to relay the message. Someone that was trained and familiar with all the protocols… The person or persons that had the job and had the knowledge, according to what we now know, is there never was a missile. There never was a danger… Kim Jong Un never pushed his send button. However, it wasn’t until after the basements of hotels were filled with people… While moms and dads were running and driving frantically to pick up the kids, the grandparents… All of this to get their loved ones to a safer place. And still others, scared for their lives and now as I type this are now perhaps securing lawyers to sue for pain and suffering and loss of pay and perhaps even loss of mind… Even some I could go as far and say perhaps pursuing the passing of legislation to legalize marijuana use for their pain and suffering.

While the knowledge was there in how and in what to do. It is evident that the knowledge possessed of when to do it was not present.

Knowledge that day did the wrong thing because the failure was the lack of understanding as to when to use the knowledge they possessed.

Knowledge of what one knows and what one thinks they know is very different.

Jesus made a judgement… He separated what HE called the sheep and the goats…

Matt 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats :

33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.    KJV

Jesus describes and uses the analogy of a shepherd dividing these two animals in the gathering of the nations of this world… He used sheep and HE used goats. Neither are described as geniuses… Neither is described as knowing more than the other. The question, what does the sheep have that the goats don’t that win the favor of the shepherd??? It’s rather simple really. The sheep know how to be a sheep and of course it’s the sheep that are known to follow the shepherd.

What are you today??? Do you know the voice of the shepherd??? Let that be your answer…

Thank you for reading…

 

Workers

25                  Workers               

What is it that makes up the day of the church??? What can be attributed to this generation of the church???

To answer this, one must consider the times associated with the day and what callings are specific to the church…

Consider the words of Paul in his description of the church…

1 Cor 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.  KJV

Laborer’s--- meaning one who toils… Worker, or helper…

This is a description of the church 1) laborers together with GOD… 2) God’s husbandry--- farm… 3) God’s building or structure… Yet, my attention is on the first description… “Laborer’s together with GOD…”  It’s this one that holds that we are with GOD; a companion in labor with GOD…

This no doubt has been from the infancy of the church… We can even see it with Jesus… He sent HIS disciples out two at a time… He gave us “the great commission…” Everywhere we see in the gospels there is something that can be seen as one who is working…

When Jesus was left behind by Joseph and HIS mother Mary and they retraced their steps in seeking out Jesus… Note what Jesus says when they find HIM is the synagogue…

Luke 2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

Jesus seems to as one writer put it… Lay upon them but one of two things… 1) their ignorance of them not knowing why HE was doing what HE was doing… Or, 2) they forgot as to why HE was doing what HE was doing… Note the following verse…

50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.     KJV

They understood not the response HE gave them as to why HE was where HE was and doing what HE was doing… He was as HE put it, even as a child doing, “HIS FATHER’S BUSINESS…” Or can be translated as being in HIS FATHER’S HOUSE… The fact is they both agree to the one fact that Jesus was working and laboring as flesh in the behalf of HIS Father…

John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.  KJV

This again has to do with HIM working to fulfill the will of HIS Father…

There can be no greater description than of the church… There is not getting around it… There is no escaping it… The church is laboring with Christ… We are HIS servants in the field…

Jesus said in another place, “greater works than these shall you do…” John 14:12

Again this is pointing to HIS church and emphasis on “works…”

This cannot be the case if this isn’t the description that is seen… If we are missing this, then how can this be the church??? The primary purpose of there even being a John the Baptist was so that he could pave the way of the LORD… This was the anointed work of John the Baptist with the primary purpose that Jesus would be known of others… It was He, Jesus who had come to take away the sins of the world by baptizing with the Holy Ghost and fire… Again this again shows John the Baptist’s work and his pointing to what would be Christ’s work…

Show me where Jesus is seen and known today, and I will show you a working church… A revival church is a church that is working… Praying, giving, fasting, bible studies, and being consistent in these things, is a means of us being empowered to work in GOD’S kingdom… These things are the fuel in the tank that gives the “go” in the Great Commission…” Go ye into all the world… (etc…)

We read that all to familiar passage and parable of the “prodigal son.” His request was “give me” what is mine inheritance… I wonder, was it so much the enticement of the world and its riotess living that got him or was it the fact that he was looking to escape the responsibilities of the farm and his father???

We are seeing in this age the mentality of way too many trying to escape and get out of working in GOD’S farm… We even see this element in both the natural and spiritual…

Note the beginning of the parable of the “eleventh hour worker…”

Matt 20:6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?     KJV

·        This is last day church…

·        This is what is seen, and this is a danger because there is way too many standing idle, in this eleventh hour…

There are more today that even as one looks closer to this parable of those who are complaining of the wages of the eleventh-hour worker…

I point out that those that were complaining were those who had been in the field longer??? One would not have time to complain if their focus was more of a thankfulness of just being called to work in HIS field…

Maybe we’re just to familiar with the field and its positions rather than what we are all to be working for…

·        This attitude is in the church; and their complaint was about the wages…

·        Let’s not forget it’s the eleventh hour…

·        The church age is coming to its close, while we hold our positions and complain about our neighboring pastor and churches because of the power of GOD and what they are seeing and what they have… Sounds like jealousy to me…

·        Too many are pursuing after positions and titles for the sake of money and reputation…

·        To many churches have men in the pulpit that are taking up space and doing nothing, enjoying the ride of ease…

·        Many like their titles, their office and even some are like Demas, given to filthy lucre…  

·        To many churches have a revolving door of so called saints and call it revival, when in reality the table is full, but the field is empty…

·        To many churches have decreased in number, power, and anointing because leadership stands in the way of not just numerical growth but spiritual growth…

It’s the day of the eleventh-hour worker… There are those that are tying up cities and the witness of the gospel… Where is the church??? Where is the glory and power of GOD???

Cities, and communities are tied up because of not passing the torch to the ones who have the energy, the desire, and the fire for revival… There are those who have the energy and willingness to w-o-r-k… Yet, we keep them tied to a pew not releasing them into the field…

·        The idleness is in the pulpit…The standing around is the leadership and this translates into what is supposed to be the church… People that have become comfortable with idleness, gossip and complaint…

 

·        It’s a time to work…

·        It’s a time to be a disciple for Jesus…

Steven and Phillip were serving widows and waiting tables… They were workers… They weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty… The menial tasks yet determined that they got the job done… And all they are ever called is disciples of Jesus… Stephen preached his one sermon and then died… What an example of selflessness… What a showing of Jesus he lived out with his one message… He didn’t waste his one opportunity…

How often do we see Paul with the sewing of tents and making such statements like he did to the Thessalonians???

1 Thess 2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.    KJV

Paul along with others labored and travailed for the behalf of others night and day often on his own dime… He was willing to work…

How about today???

·        Where are the bible studies taught???

·        Where are the kids that are without father or mother or sometimes both???

·        Whose picking up the kids that have an odor and less than clean???

·        What is the perception of us before the community???

·        Does the community even know where you are???

·        Do the city officials even know the name of the church and pastor???

·        Do they drive by our houses of worship and see decreasing cars and empty parking places???

·        Do they remember what used to be, rather than what we should be???

Did not Jesus say???

John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.     KJV

Again, the emphasis is on work with the reminder that what time does remain, is short… The night is upon us and the complaint of the LORD is many are standing idle…  

C’mon lets get to work… Let’s push away from the table and get in the field… It’s time to work…