Chapter 1 - A Spiritual Harvest
We are truly excited about our first study! We feel that God spoke to each and every one that was listening and the comments at the end were fantastic! If you missed the call, here's a summary of Chapter 1 - "A Spiritual Harvest" submitted by Cindella Attucks. Darlene Wilkinson acknowledged in the preface of her book that we must begin with a turning point in life, a pivotal experience-as a place to grow that will yield an abundance of what God has in store for us. Jesus talked about fruit. We must understand that during these times of our growth; there will be disappointment, crushed dreams, questions, and at times doubts. But we must stay focused on a picture of his plan. During this growth spurt it is just as important to know that, if we don’t understand what God does to bring about a harvest, we can actually work against his good in our lives without ever knowing it. So move aside, and let God hand touch us and have full control. The author proposed that an abundance life is full of Gods best. With that thought in mind, we can have the BEST of everything! Not just for a season, but ALWAYS! Also bear in mind of equal importance that no matter what circumstances we are in at the moment, God wants us to know how to respond to HIS WILL. He wants us to remember that every touch of his hand is intended to bring us to a place of great spiritual abundance. He continually intervenes for us. After all, he came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly! John 15:1-2- I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2:He cuts away every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit. But he trims clean every branch that does produce fruit, so that it will produce even more fruit. (CEV) To hear this lesson again, Listen to Your Recorded Conference from the Phone... Dial - (610) 214-0100 Enter Access Code - 121163# Reference 3# (We're still trying to figure out how to use the podcast feature, so stay tuned! ) Question of the Week: How did this first chapter influence your definition of "abundance"? Post your thoughts by clicking on Comments below - we'd love to hear from you! Chapter 2 - A Touch of Abundance In this chapter of the book, the author speaks of a bumper crop and explains that a Bumper crop doesn’t just happen. It takes a plan. It takes time, work, and plenty of close attention. Essentially, the vine is the main stem or trunk that grows up out of the ground, but the vine does not produce the fruit-the branches does. As with your life, as a branch when compared to that of a bumper crop, you should have three distinct characteristic, First- we must understand that Jesus is the vine-its his plan, Secondly, we must acknowledge that God the father is the vinedresser-who moves on his own time and not ours, and Thirdly, recognize that every follower of Christ is a branch-he pays very close attention to us. Fathom that with a touch of his love, God designed you, gifted you, and placed you in the world so that the fruit of your life would have an everlasting impact. Therefore, as a follower of Christ, you’re a branch and God has been purposefully at work on your branches, as the vinedresser. Every intention in your life circumstances has been with a goal in mind. Ms. Wilkinson called attention to the fact that, at the end of each day, we should first ask ourselves-Have I done what I could? and then ask God to show us every day what our specially prepared works are, and to help us do them for his glory, that we may continuously walk in good works. In closing, lets grasp hold to the fact that it’s not our good intentions to be fruitful that brings our father glory. Nor is it how hard we try. Yet, the first most important awareness of our good works that we must grasp and hold on to each day of our harvest season is: How much fruit comes from our branches. Remember, each branch bears a different amount of fruit, and all the fruit honors God! Knowing this, it is equally important that your branches always bear witness of a heart that is ready to do a good work for Jesus, at a moments notice! God cares so much about the outcome of your fruitfulness that you can count on him to work continuously in your life toward a HUGE harvest for him. Submitted by Cindella Attucks To hear this lesson again, Dial - (610) 214-0100 Enter Access Code - 121163# Reference 4# Chapter 3 - Lifted By Love The songwriter Tina Turner once asked in her song: What's Love Got To Do With It? Through our bible study of Chapter Three we searched SCRIPTUALLY and SPRITUALLY how to best answer that question. The author Darlene Wilkinson proposed that in Christ, we have an escape. In this chapter Ms. Wilkinson shared how God is our "AIRO" which means lifted up or take away! God the vinedresser himself carefully AIRO’s us up by his love. He is always nearby to lift us up and redirect our paths when nothing or no one else can. As twigs, it is during our storms, and strong winds, that God cleanses our dirty branches. Gently, he washed us off instead of throwing us away. He steps in to bring us back to fruitfulness. Then as a completion of his love and kindness, God’ mercy AIRO’s us, and the process to produce starts all over again. By example, Wilkinson imparts how Jesus teachings in the vineyard reminds us, that unaddressed sin in our lives is like dirt on a grape’s branches. If our life consistently bears NO fruit, God will intervene to discipline us. As God intervenes in our life situations, it may take him chastening us as a means to redirect us. Thus, we may feel pain, but his pain has one purpose and that is: PREVENTION of us experiencing a much greater pain! Simply stated, because he loves us, even if painful, we must bear fruit! The author further communicates that there are three different labels of discipline. And with each label (or level) when God intervenes to discipline us, there is intensity and increasing degrees we must encounter: 1st-REBUKE-a spoken warning, 2nd-CHASTENS-shows a more serious level of discipline like emotional anxiety, distress, or ongoing circumstances of extreme frustration, Finally-Scourges-physical pain. Just as a parent will first give warning and then chastening when disciplining their child. It is during this final level of physical pain or scourges; that God uses pain when all else seems to have failed to obtain our attention. In closing, the author ends the chapter with a mutual understanding that we are too valuable to God to be thrown away. That's why his loving correction is so important. As a result, we must never under estimate or limit Gods’ Love for us. Just think; you may be one step away from a fresh start with God! Take a self-inventory and ask yourself, are you in the path of God’s blessings or directly in the path of his discipline? If you are not pleased with the path you are taking, allow God’s Love to AIRO you up and fully direct your path! Consequently, we learned his LOVE has everything to do with bring us back to fruitfulness, so our process to produce may start all over again; time after time, after time! Submitted by Cindella Attucks Chapter 4 - Making Room for More As we continued our studies transitioning into Chapter Four: "Making Room for MORE"; this Chapter opened with a scripture from John 15:2 (KJV) which reads: “EVERY branch that beareth no fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it that it may bring more fruit”. According to the Meriam Webster dictionary; purging means to get rid of all together. Whereas pruning means to cut off, or cut back parts of something for better shape or more fruitful growth. By either account, even Webster in all his knowledge understood that purging or pruning both necessitates the process of eliminating something or clipping back parts of something for an improved form to obtain a more effective growth! The author Darlene Wilkinson shares this view concerning the matter; the secret of taking more is leaving MORE behind! In other words, to get more you must leave more behind. By example: if you are a home gardener you would pay special attention to the dwarf plants because you know the size and condition of the fruit or flower you hope to enjoy later. Thus, it depends on how you care for the plant now by pruning them back so that they can produce fully later. Basically, disposing of the unwanted plant parts is for a purpose, and therefore crucial to produce more. Inversely, with God, purging is his way of making room in our lives for what matters most. Simple example, ladies, getting rid of all the dead ends of our hair (the split ends) is needed that we may later produce a healthier CROP! The same holds true in our spiritual lives. The whole idea of spiritual pruning or purging requires us to let go of a lot of our “pretty good” to receive God’s best. By doing this we are only making room for our more! If God is pruning you than you are doing something right! But, God wants to help you bear even more for his GLORY! Submitted by Cindella Attucks
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CTP COOLJCCalvary Temple Pentecostal (CTP) COOLJC Archives
August 2020
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