Sunday, June 8, 2014

Todays Word: Be A Palm Tree Christian by Brother Khrystus V. K. Wallace

8th June, 2014

Dare 2 Be Different International (SKN) Victory Centre Church Report by Brother Khrystus V. K. Wallace



Dear Global Following!

Godly Greetings!

Whenever we sing the song below at any of our services, our younger children at our service go wild and the energy catches on to ALL! They ensure they do all the actions and run up and down the place and they sometimes SCARE  ME. I am at times tempted to stop and sing another song, but I am always reminded that during the week, many folks feel depressed at school, at work and at home and are always happy to PRAISE  GOD  AND  FREELY  EXPRESS  THEMSELVES  HOWEVER  THEY  FEEL COMFORTABLE before the rocks cry out as the scripture reminds.

CHORUS: I  FEEL  LIKE  RUNNING

I feel like running, skipping,
Praise the Lord.
For what He has done for me,
He has set my spirit free.
I feel like running, skipping,
Praise the Lord.
For what He has done for me.


TODAY's  WORD:  BE  A  PALM  TREE  CHRISTIAN

Scripture: Psalm 92: 12 - 15

Introduction:  The Palm Tree is a plant with a single trunk. It is one of the most useful plants in our world today. Some palms grow to heights of over one hundred feet. It is said that its cultivation dates back to some five thousand years.

The fruits that the palm trees bear usually hang in clusters just below the leaves. A sing inflorescence may have as many as ten thousand flowers.

As to its usefulness: The leaves can be woven into mats and the fibers can provide thread and rigging/ropes for boats. The sap, after fermentation, becomes liquor or vinegar.

We can see from the information given about this plant that it indeed contributes greatly to society and is a blessing to nature. This is only a fraction of its importance and usefulness. We are going to mention several characteristics of the Palm Tree which are well worth considering because we really need PALM  TREE CHRISTIANS in our world TODAY!

POINT  1:  NOTICE  ITS  UPRIGHT  FEATURE

A. With the Palm Tree's upright feature, it is unlike many other trees

1. Whether it is growing on the flat or on a slope, it still grows uniformly upright. Palm Trees don't seem to enjoy growing in slanted or bent positions. They are more likely to break under severe pressure, than to adopt a foreign slant or curve. The very same should be said of Christian Youth.

2. There is a great need for Christian Youth who are UPRIGHT, Christian youths who will REFUSE to bend under pressure, even when the storms of life compel you to shake and tremble. Even when THE  GOVERNMENT  LOCKS  YOU UP  AND  LOCKS  YOU  DOWN  in an effort to try to SHUT  YOU  UP  AND  SHUT  YOU  DOWN  LIKE  THEY  DID  TO  JESUS. Christian Youth, God wants us to STAND  FIRM - STAND  STRONG - STAND  UPRIGHT in situations like those. I've been there  - DONE  THAT! I  KNOW  HOW  THAT FEELS!


POINT  2:  OBSERVE  THE  PALM  TREE'S  OVERCOMING  POWER

A. It grows! It even flourishes amid the death / shortage and the drought of the desert. (Exodus 1:12)

1. Where most other trees would find survival impossible. It lifts its branches and lives in VICTORY.

2. Dear Lord, we long for more of this flourishing among Christian Youth. Despite the changing circumstances in the deserts of life - WE  MUST  ALWAYS  BE  OVER COMERS!

 There is so much emphasis today on improving the environment, education, working conditions and recreational facilities. THIS  IS  ALL  GOOD, but there is something even BETTER - that is a CHANGE  IN  PEOPLE. It is not eh environment that changes a man, but MAN makes the environment reflect himself.

3. A spirit filled person will live a HOLY  LIFE in the midst of the most UNHOLY  SURROUNDINGS.


POINT  3:  THE  PALM  TREE  GROWS  INWARDLY

A. Unlike most other trees, instead of adding a new outer ring to the trunk every year, it grows inwardly from he center, shedding branches and leaves, which help tremendously to increase its height

B. And so, indeed, it should always be with TRUE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE - VITAL  CHRISTIANITY!

We should aim to grow inwardly daily and CUT  OFF  THINGS  AND  PEOPLE  THAT  ARE  KEEPING  US  BACK  AND  CAUSING  US  NOT  TO  GROW!

Cut off the girl friend, the boy friend, the bar friends, the gossipers, sometimes even sacrifice YOUR  JOB  and go find ANOTHER if these things and PEOPLE are HOLDING  YOU  BACK  FROM  GROWING  INWARDLY  IN  CHRIST  AND  RISING  TO  HIGHER  HEIGHTS  OUTWARDLY!

When you cut off such people or things - YOU  FEEL  MUCH  FREER  AND  AT  PEACE! I speak from EXPERIENCE!

Vital Christianity is an inward renewal by the HOLY  SPIRIT

1. An inward sanctification of the heart
2. An inward development of the character
3. Which then manifests itself in UPRIGHTNESS, BEAUTY and FRUITFULNESS

POINT  4:  THE  PALM  TREE IS  NOT  AMENDABLE  TO  GRAFTING

A. Many other trees may be grafted, but not the palm tree. The way it begins to grow, it continues.

B. This is also true of the Christian Life

1. Having begun in the SPIRIT, we CANNOT now be made perfect by the FLESH. (Galatians 3:3)

2. We cannot GRAFT law into GRACE; FLESH into SPIRIT. MOSES into CHRIST; SALVATION  BY  WORKS into SALVATION  BY  FAITH


POINT  5:  THE  USEFULNESS OF  THE  PALM  TREE

A. Strong and goodly (Leviticus 23:40)

B. Yields palm sugar and wine

C. Gives welcome shade, and points to where water is (Exodus 15:27)

D. A symbol of REJOICING  AND  VICTORY. (Revelation 7:9)

Psalms 92:12-15

1. The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree. "SO a good Christian; the greater weight he carries, the more he flourishes.

2. He shall grow like a CEDAR in Lebanon: Cedar-wood is not consumed by worms or time; nor the CHURCH by antiquity (olden times) nor PERSECUTION. The GATES  OF  HELL  SHALL  NOT  PREVAIL  AGAINST  THE  CHURCH  OR  ANY  TRUE  MEMBER  OF  IT.

3. Because of these palms and cedars - these righteous Christians - these PALM  TREE  CHRISTIANS ar PLANTED - SET  BY  FAITH,  WATERED  BY  THE  WORD  AND  SACRAMENTS,  ROOTED BY  CHARITY  FOR  GOD  AND  THE  CHURCH, which is the house of the Lord; and therefore they shall flourish - be GREEN  AND  VIGOROUS in the courts of our GOD.

Nay, which is yet more, they shall be full of SAP and LADEN  WITH  FRUIT!


SUMMARY

Brothers and Sisters - Youth! Are you a PALM  TREE  BELIEVER?  A  PALM  TREE  CHRISTIAN? Are you UPRIGHT  AND  STRONG? Flourishing even in times of difficulty? Are you growing inwardly? Do you resist COMPROMISE to modern standards and styles that try to graft themselves into your life? Are you standing straight and tall and strong for the LORD? Reaching up to the SKY?

May God help us - ALL - to take our place as FAITHFUL  CHRISTIANS - PALM  TREE CHRISTIANS -  FEARLESS  CHRISTIANS   -  BOLD  CHRISTIANS - TALK  LOUD CHRISTIANS. Let us be constantly reminded in our hearts of a song which says.

RISE  UP  O  MEN  OF  GOD,
HAVE  DONE  WITH  LESSER  THINGS.
GIVE  HEART  AND  SOUL  AND  MIND  AND  STRENGTH
TO  SERVE  THE  KING  OF  KINGS





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