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Impartation
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Missionary-Evangelist
Esther Thornton, Oregon
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Living
an Overcoming Life to bring in the harvest
Life
Lessons from James: Evidences of God’s First-fruits
It is time to get ourselves ready for harvest time. For the
time is short before Jesus comes!
The book of James deals with pastoral issues and
the most practical issues of Christian living. James, the pastor/apostle begins
by dealing with people who were under a lot of pressure. He understands the
confusion between trials and temptations. In Bible times they faced horrendous
trials and even death - They were taken from their homes; they were put in
arenas for the lions to tear them up. We saw the arena where this happened when
we were in Israel. They were driven from their churches and had to go
underground.
Jas. 1:12 “Our of Nowhere at the Wrong Time”. Then we talked about
the Seven Steps to Temptation and how a man yields. 1:18 God does not tempt
anyone and when we are tempted by evil it is because of desires that are
uncontrolled. We deal with habits and they become strongholds. Your desires
cause you to become hooked and it brings forth sin. The word, “sin” means,
“Missing the Mark”. So when you give in to desires you will miss the mark for
your life. Just because you ignore it, it will not stop until you remove it. If
you don’t deal with it, it will grow and become harder to remove. Because it
has spread to every area of your life - your mind, your will, emotions,
choices, priorities, your personality. It spreads like cancer and you cannot
then hide it any longer.
Jas. 1:18 Of His own will He brought us forth. If you write in
your Bible, you can circle how many times the word “Word” as referring to the
scriptures or Holy Rhema of God.
You will either have that which will bring forth death, or that
which will bring bountiful blessings upon your life. Firstfruits here does not
deal with money but with people who are firstfruits and samples of that which
should be coming. Salvation means deliverance to your soul. But, here he is not
talking about your first time salvation but rather that which is able to
deliver your soul. To move from the curse to the blessing you must have the
implanted Word, which is able to deliver your soul.
Jas. 1:22 We are to be doers of the Word and not hearers only.
There is a big difference between “hearing” and “implanting”. There is a
difference between “knowing” and “doing” and this has something to do with
implanting.
Jas. 1:23 The man who is a hearer but not a doer is like a man
looking into a mirror - seeing but then goes away and doesn’t do what he should
do. Every time you face the Word of God, you face the mirror. You see the way
you think and the way you feel. When the Word comes forth to you, you realize
it is talking about you. It is a clearly intense visual aid to what you look
like.
Women have makeup mirrors that show every zit, every scar, every
pore, and everything on their faces. They doctor their faces up before anyone
sees them. James says that when you look into that mirror and you see all of
these things, don’t leave until you have taken care of them. Otherwise, you
will go your way and say that you don’t really look like that. Than, deception
sets in
Jas. 1:25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and
continues in it, (he is continuing not just in the “Word” but in the “work”
that is being done in him.
James 1:26 If any man seems to be religious, but bridles not his
tongue, this man’s religion is vain.
James 1:27 “Pure religion is to visit the orphans and widows in
their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Chapter 3 deals with the whole thing about the tongue - it deals
with the rich and the poor, and how to treat people and the pure religion in
chapter 2.
Let’s go back to Jas. 1:18 “Of His own will He brought us forth by
the Word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits”. We are brought
forth by the Word of truth. There cannot be salvation without the scripture.
Before I can have anything further in my soul, I must have the Word of Truth.
Every time God deals with me about anything in my life, it is the scripture
that brings me into the point of reality and change. it’s the scripture that
brings me to the reality that I must do something about it. The Word of Truth
must enter into my spirit. It can happen through devotions; through preaching;
though counseling; but truth must enter into my spirit.
In the Old Testament, the word “truth or true” means “sound and
true” and one Hebrew word for this is “that which holds water”. It has
everything you need and it holds it in. If you put your life into it, it won’t
collapse but will hold it in.
James says that we are to be a first fruit. How I received the
Word of Truth? Truth about everything in life; have I received scriptures on
it? Have I rationalized any area of my life - morally, domestically, business,
work or any area. If I have, then deception can enter and my process of growth
will slow way down. So, first I must bring my life back to the truth. I truly
want to be what God wants me to be; I am serious about it.
If God convicts you in an area, you can write down five scriptures
about that area. Don’t go to other people first, but to the Word of Truth.
“Truth” is the perfect law of liberty. It is good to go to a counselor but,
first you should search what the Word says about your area of need.
If you have hatred or bitterness in your life, what does the Word
say about it? It says to love and even be good to those who hate you. It says
to put all bitterness away from you.
Hebrews 12:15
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any
root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
What the Lord is looking for is this: “Firstfruits”. It can be
money, tithe, and giving. There are things that we do such as: The first Sunday
of the month; the first priority of my life; there’s a first fruit theology in
the scripture. But, God wants you and I to be a “first fruit”.
Some translation say it as follows:
You are going to become the first speciman of a brand new creation
of which the world has never seen.
You are going to become a sample of what God can do in people.
You’ll be the first children of his new family.
You will be in earnest of a still further creation yet to come.
You are “first fruits”. That means that you are what God is going
to present to this world, to show the world what He can with a person who has
God in him - the Word of truth.
America has seen how people go to church and it really doesn’t
change people. It is not just going somewhere, but it is when the word of truth
works in you and you become a first fruits.
“Firstfruits” in Hebrew: The choicest; the first and the best
I am the first and the best husband or wife; the best father.
Pastor Damazio’s son, Andrew came in where his dad was studying and said that
he wanted to play checkers with him. So, Frank told him to go into his office
and play checkers. So he went into there but said that it wasn’t any fun
playing checkers by himself. Frank said that he had an open Heaven and
responsibilities so for Andrew to play his own checkers. Then, his daughter,
Jessica came in and said that she wanted him to draw something with her. He
said that she could come into his office and draw something herself, but he
could not do it as he was preparing his message for the church and he is the
first and the best preacher.
Frank said that when he came to this verse and writing down the
commentary, he started to feel bad. By then they were done with checkers but
Andrew said he wanted his dad to help him memorize a poem for school. So Frank
stole one of his poems for the church.
Are you the first and the best worker, parent, husband or wife,
friend or person of prayer?
I want to become the first and the best Christian. Everything that
God wants to do in your life is in the scriptures.
This scripture is such a paradox (a paradox is a seemingly
contradictory statement that my nonetheless be true) in Psalms 19. The law is a
schoolmaster to bring us to God. But, God says that the law is sweeter than
honey. How can the scripture in our fact be sweeter than honey? It is because
it is the only thing in life that will make your life sweeter than honey if you
follow it. And, when right is done in your spirit, it begins to taste right
Frank said that he is not dieting, but he has changed his way of
eating - no sugar; less coffee; lots of vegetables; and he watches the kind of
bread he is eating. He said at first that he thought it was the worst thing
that you could do to a human being! Everything he liked, he could not eat! It’s
like the scripture where Paul says that the things he should do, he doesn’t do;
and the things he should not do; that is what he does! It’s like the diet -
Everything you like, you cannot eat, and the things you don’t like, that is
what you have to eat. After six weeks, Frank said he actually liked vegetables
now. He likes that bread that looks like someone ran over it several times. He
said its fun to be judgmental when you go into a restaurant and and you are
losing weight, and other people are gaining weight They are ordering while he
is not. He said he has become a kill joy! He asks others if they know how much sugar
is in a can of pop? He said that he used to drink three Mountain Dews in one
day - 32 grams of sugar in each can. He says that sugarfree root beer and sugar
free Snapples are awesome and he has his kids eating and drinking everything
sugar free.
Seven Evidences of Firstfruits
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A. A person who has an eagerness to hear with a teachable spirit;
swift to hear.
When you have a teachable spirit, you want to listen more than you
want to talk. You realize that you don’t know everything so you want to listen
to learn more. You need to ask questions more than give your opinions. You need
to be humble enough to know that sometimes younger people know more than older
people; the uneducated might know more than the educated; and someone new in
Christ might have something to say to someone older in Christ. You are a
teachable person.
Frank’s son, Andrew had a poem that Frank decided to use and
Andrew was so thrilled!
This is the poem:
Drop a pebble in the water; just a splash and it’s gone.
But, there’s half a hundred ripples circling on and on and
on.
Spreading, spreading from the center, flowing on out clear
to the sea.
There’s no way of telling where the end is going to be.
Just a little pebble in the pond.
Drop a pebble in the water and in a minute you forget
but there’s little waves a flowing and there’s ripples
circling yet.
And, those little waves a flowing into a great, big wave
have grown.
You’ve disturbed a mighty river just by dropping in just
one little stone.
Drop an unkind word, careless, in a minute it’s gone.
But there’s a half a hundred ripples circling on and on and
on.
They keep spreading, spreading, spreading. From the center
they go
And there’s no way to stop them once you’ve started them to
flow.
Drop an unkind word, careless as it might be,
in a minute you’ll probably forget.
But there’s little waves a flowing and there’s ripples
circling yet.
And, perhaps in some sad heart a mighty wave of tears
you’ve stirred
And disturbed a life that was happy because you dropped
that unkind word.
Drop a word of cheer and kindness, just a flash and it’s
gone.
But there’s half a hundred ripples circling on and on and
on;
Bearing hope and comfort on each splashing wave
‘til you wouldn’t believe the volume of the one kind word
that you gave.
Drop a word of cheer and kindness and in a minute you’ll
forget
But there’s gladness still a swelling and there’s joy a
circling yet.
And, you rolled a wave of comfort whose sweet music can be
heard
over miles and miles of water just by dropping one, kind
word.
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What kind of first fruits are we going to be? We need to be
teachable and watch our tongue.
B. A disciplinedd tongue that is under the control of the Holy
Spirit
Prov. 10:19 says “Don’t talk so much; you keep putting your foot in
your mouth. Be sensible and turn off the flow. (Liv. Bible)
Prov. 13:3 says, “Self control simply means control your tongue. A
quick retort can ruin everything that you’ve been working for.
Prov. 17:27 says, A man of few words and settled mind is very wise.
Therefore, even a fool is thought to be wise when he keeps his big mouth shut.
(Liv. Bible)
C. A person who is not easily offended, resulting in deep seeded
anger.
For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
Frank saw a man in a store in line who got tired of waiting a few minutes and
banged his cart and was yelling at the person in front of him because they were
taking so long. This man lost it! His children were embarrassed. This probably
has happened over and over again.
Anger has a big part to play in marriages. We will be discussing
this more at our next home meeting.
D. Diligently prepares the spiritual soil of the heart for the
sure planting of the seed.
Lay aside every weight of sin that easily besets us.
E. Takes spiritual initiative to cleanse the inner life of all
ungodly habits.
He has good conduct and shows forth his works with meekness of
wisdom.
F. Mixes the Word with faith and immediately obeys.
Be doers of the Word; and not hearers only.
G. Sensitive to the needs of others, with a servant’s heart.
Dean Braxton spoke of what was so important in Heaven, besides our
worship of God, and that was the love that we will have one for another.
What are we as the first fruits exhibiting in our lives? Is the
Word of truth evident in our lives?
Are we the choicest; the first and best; and that which is holy
unto the Lord?
Are we eager to hear with a teachable spirit?
Is our tongue disciplined under the control of the Holy Spirit?
Are we not easy offended which leads to deep-seated anger.
Do we mix the Word received with faith and immediately obey?
And, lastly, Are we sensitive to the needs of others with a
servant’s heart?
Firstfruits are of great importance. God deserves our very best
before anyone or anything else.
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Global Evangelism Fellowship Inc. - Esther Thornton
