11-04-07: Good Word Good Ground

Good Word; Good Ground
Bishop Jakes
Nov 4, 2007

Mark 4: 1-9
1 And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. 2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, 3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: 4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: 6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. 9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Jesus chose to teach primarily through parables; understand the dimensions of the truth through symbolism
- use metaphors that we can relate to, to explain revelations that we cannot relate to
- parable requires that the reader have some degree of relevatory knowledge so that the hearer can understand the truth of the story
- to others it is just a story, but to the child of God, there is glory in the story

This is one of the few times that he follows the parable with an explanation
- he wanted to be sure that we get an understanding of the truth

Agricultural parable: power of his word
- God's seed is his word
- When he goes to create- he uses the word
- out of the invisible comes the visible, out of theintangible comes the tangible
- You cannot be a bonafied legitimate Christian and not love his word
- Christ himself is a derivative of the word
- Whenever the Word speaks - things are going to move
- If God's word is strong enough to hold up the sun, it's strong enough to hold me up

Most of us are good ground. What is growing in us is what was planted in us
- You have to be careful
- You can't sow negative words and reap positive children
- Faith cometh by teaching, and teaching by the word of God
- Just because you don't believe doesn't mean that it's lost its power
- Wether shall I go, oh Lord, for thy words are everywhere
- Jesus had to stop speaking because when he was speaking life, nothing could kill him
- What kind of ground are you?

The kingdom of God requires that you have the ear to hear and the eye to see
- How a woman can give up the man she can see for a man you can't see

The sower soweth the word
- When you get good word, you go home pregnant
- pregnant with hope and encouragement
- Some of you are one step away from the blessing that is coming into your life

15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
- The enemy comes to steal the word out of your heart
- There is nothing wrong with the word, but it fell in a shallow place. Shallow people who live on the edge
-- the highway side, and the birds ate it
- You flunk on Monday when you were trained on Sunday because you did not determine the word precious enough to preseve it

16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
- I used to be so impressed with outward expressions
- Sometimes the people who shout the loudest are the ones who live the lowest
- it's a dangerous thing to have more show than you have substance
- receive the word with gladness but have no root
- talking so loud that they can't hear
- You gotta have some roots, because life will try you by the roots
-- the trunk will bend but the roots will stand in the storm
- plant trees to tap into the spring, because it stops the ground from slipping when the roots get entangled in the dirt
-- one tree was twice as tall as the others: it was planted by the water
-- out growing your situation because you were planted by the living water
- When you get in a place where you are growing and have root, stay put- you are in good ground

17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
- if you get offended - check your roots. The roots of your soul, your spirit
-- knocked to your knees and you're still standing

18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
- You walk away with the blessing but leave the blessor
- Never allow your stuff to take you away from your God
- God doesn't mind you having things, he minds things having you
- The bible talks about the deceitfulness of riches- you start going after money instead of going after the kingdom
-- if you seek the kingdom, the money seeketh you
-- if you give it up, I'll give it to you, but if you try to hold onto it, I'll take it away
- It's a whole new level of test when God starts to bless you. You have to be careful not to worship what he gave you instead of worshiping him
- To him whom much is given, much is required
- The things God gave them, outgrew them-- the cares of the world distracted them from seeking God
- I don't care.
-- Cast all your cares on him, for he cares for you.
- One of the most horrific ways to die is to choke to death.
-- You are dying from the lack of something you are exposed to, but can't get to it, because something is in the way. Choking to death, and prospering- but choking on your own prosperity.
-- No one ministers to people who have too much: too much too fast
- Where God is taking you, you cannot afford to allow another thing to get in your windpipe and get in the way
-- I'm turning it over to God.
- If the enemy can't choke you with poverty - he'll choke you with too much success

20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
- The enemy wouldn't be trying to choke you if God wasn't getting ready to bless you
- If you hear the word of God, and receive the word of God, than all that's left is to bring forth
- The least you will bring forth is 30-fold

According to the almanac, there were certain seasons that were better for planting seed - this is your time. Do not count on tomorrow.

Message From the House - 10.21.07

"Show Me What You're Working With"

1 Cor 12:
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. 3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: ^F41 and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, ^F42 but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

One Spirit but many manifestations
- Every person in this room is gifted

8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

The Gifts of the Spirit
- Speaking Gifts: Prophecy - foretelling the future, Tongues
- Miracle Gifts: Healing, Alchemy (water to wine)
- Interpretation of Tongues
- Discernment
- Wisdom: Settle what you're going through, Knowledge
- Not meant to make you peculiar, meant as tools
- For helping the person, not to hurt, or belittle the person

Beyond the Nine
- Your gift making room for you
- A part of that gift ought to be used in the kingdom
- Administration (order), Helps (support, behind the scenes, Acts: ropes undergirding the boat), Giving, Mercy (forgiving, compassionate, reason to balance self-righteousness), Singleness (Paul: It is better for them to marry than to burn, you don't want no husband and if one comes up to you he'll get his feelings hurt),
Giving doesn't come from how big your check is, it comes from how big your heart is
When you were giving, God blessed you. You get more out of giving than the receiver enjoys
- You have to identify your gift. As a Christian, you're supposed to die empty
You may have more than one gift
You need to be around somebody who will encourage your gifts and release your creativity
"There's something else in you."
"I am gifted."
"Your mind is a gift."

"I said it, I meant it, and I'm here to represent it."

Gal 5 Fruit of the Spirit
- Nine descriptions of one fruit
Nine sections of one fruit
Fruit of the Spirit grows in you
- Priests wore bells: Silence beyond the veil meant the priest had died and the blood had not hit the mercy seat. If the priest died, there would be no year of atonement.
In between the bells were pomegranates: bell - fruit - bell...
The gifts are tempered by the fruit. When you're gifted but don't have mercy, temperance become arrogant
Balance between the fruit and the gift
- We have this treasure wrapped in earthen vessels that the excellency of God
The treasure is in you: Clay envelops, had to break the envelope to get the gift
"It's in me."
You are gifted in your youth. Before I formed thee in the womb, I knew thee.
- Your spouse is given as a spouse

The enemy attacks you when you're really gifted
- When God is ready to used you, your gift has been corrupted and you have trouble getting it out
- Gifts passed down generationally through the faith of your predecessors
Stir up the gift - so much trash on top of the treasure that you must get rid of the trash
Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world
- The enemy loves to hide your treasure in your trash
In all likelihood, the more you've been through, the more gifts you have

Bishop T.D. Jakes - Divine Connections

Divine Connections

1 Corinthians 12 (KJV)

14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

- Positionally placed in the body of Christ; baptized by the Holy Spirit

- Condition does not determine position

- Prodigal Son

o Conditions: like swine; in the pit

o “He came to himself” – he remembered who he was; his position

- God has placed us in the body that we might collectively we become the Body of Christ in the world

o We are many members of the body i.e. all the bones in the body, the organs, etc- distinctive, and differential in purpose

o Work together to get things done (function) effectively

- The church building is not the place where the work is done, it is a gas station where refueling is done

o Come in hungry to get someone to pour into you like you are pouring into someone else

o The only number that doesn’t add to the sum total is zero

o You were not saved to sit and watch and listen and be entertained

o “Are you a zero?”

- The church is a corporate body of believers

o Should be interconnected and interdependent; concerted effort

o Many people that come to church never worked well with others

§ They’re spirit is reborn, but their mind has not been renewed

§ They don’t seek how they fit in the body, they want to see how the body can fit them

o You have to conceive your own agenda for corporate use

- House: all stones have individual shapes, colors

o The mason must cut them down so they will fit together

o In the church: individualism, egoism, self-indulgency, cut down to fit on the wall of corporate ministry

o People who can’t get along could not be used: Can sing the paint off the wall, but just as hateful as a pregnant gorilla

- Dysfunctional because they can’t fit in a team

o Personality that refuses to change

§ A cause for marriages to end in divorce – goes real good until they try to be a team; no one is willing to cut off some of their past behavior for corporate results

o Have to willing to be interconnected: fitting means you are going to have to give up something

- You did not come to church to watch; not here to entertain

o You came to get your marching orders, to fill your tank with gas

o You have gone as far as you can go by yourself

o We are better together than we are apart

o You have great facts, but I have the charisma

- Divine connections are important

o “Hook me up, Lord”

- Ezekiel 37 – The Valley of the Dry Bones

o Dysfunctional ßà disconnected

o You cannot function as a wall when you are thinking like a bag of rocks

37:7 - So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

o You got to make some noise – you’re not a politician, say something

o You don’t need me to save somebody. God saved you.

§ You save them then you can bring them to church to be trained and taught

o “The ministry is in the pews – it’s not in the pulpit”

o We need a shaking- we need to stir something up

§ You keep waiting for someone to do something. You are the somebody now.

§ “You the man!”

- Connectivity through relativity

o Bone to his bone – natural flow

o You cannot connect to something you can’t relate to

o You cannot withdrawal where there has been no deposit

§ God will not ask you to deliver something that he has not put in you

o Adam said he didn’t see anything that was meant for him to hook up with, so God put him to sleep and reached into him and drew out

§ “That’s my bone”

- When something is out of place, it produces pain

o Dislocation – you were designed to fit a spot

o The reason you are struggling with your weakness is because you are focused on your weakness. If you find your correct place/purpose, you will focus on something else – that which you were called to do.

- Jesus called busy people – everyone was doing something

o If you are really a Christian, you can’t prove you are a Christian by going to church. You have to function.

o Your gift makes room for you

- God did not send you for me – he sent me for you

- Eph 4

4:11 - And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

o He gave pastors to the people

§ That makes you more important than me, because I am sent to serve you

4:12 - For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

o My role is to build you up and get you better and stronger, growing

§ It doesn’t matter whether I sweat, spit, jump

§ I don’t have to connect with you culturally to connect with you spiritually

o I wonder who you are that God would give me to you. He took what I had and made it a gift to what you had.

o There are many member in one body: You don’t see them, but they are functioning.

- Your faith is not lived out in this room (the church)

- The enemy knows that we are better together than we are apart

o One can chase a thousand, but two can chase ten thousand

§ He promises exponential growth

- Psalms 133

o “Something’s about to happen in here”

133:1 - Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together ^F364 in unity!

133:2 - It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;

o When Aaron was anointed, the oil was poured over him. Linen garments did not absorb the oil.

o God fixed the body like a linen garment because that which fell upon the head would slide onto the body

§ “Let it slide!”

o If you get in your place, everything that God has in store for you is coming your way

133:3 - As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

o God commands a blessing where there is unity; two or three touching and agreeing, God will command a blessing

- It’s not that they don’t have the strength – it’s that the body does not have agreement

o If you don’t commit, you won’t connect

- For all that God has done for you, what have you given back?