Summary: Gods Word, the Bible, is the fertilizer its talking about, *because there is life in it *there is sustenance in it *it has a proven track record of producing record breaking results! Amen?

Gods Word, "Miracle Grow For Your Soul"

Mark 11:12-14 NKJ

12. Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

14. In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.”

Luke 13:6-9 NKJ

6. He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.

7. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’

8. But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.

9. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’”

Here we have two different parables with the same common theme, the fruitless fig tree.

Neither tree was giving sustenance for life, Jesus cursed the 1st tree and it was finished.

The second one, it had an advantage over the 1st one, it was in a vineyard, planted in good soil, but it still yielded no crop of fruit and the man decided to give it one more chance.

Jesus was straight to the point, the man however was willing to continue on doing the same thing, with a slight twist.

He would cultivate and fertilize it.

Sometimes were the same way in our spiritual lives, we’ve been doing the same old thing for so long and it hasn’t worked yet,

It didn’t work for our ancestors, or for their ancestors either, but somehow we think if we give it just one more try, it will work for us!

Ill. Their was a tree at home and it looked kind of brown and dying this spring and we just kept thinking,

Well maybe it will come out of it, maybe it was feeling the repercussions of winter and it would green up soon.

But upon further investigation, we discovered it had died, there would be no chance for life again,

The decision was an easy one, cut it down

The moment it hit the ground, we discovered the reason why it had died,

Bags worms, bag worms had sucked the life right out of it,

oh they start out slow, but once their associated with a tree, unless the two part ways, one will surely die.

It’s the same way in our spiritual lives, the people we associate with, wether we admit it or not, influence the outcome of our lives.

They may not be killing us physically, but spiritually the relationships that we have,

sometimes can keep us from bearing fruit, or growing in our walk, or receiving the miracle we are praying about.

Tim’s sister Susan Smith, when she was diagnosed with Cancer, she didn’t want just anyone praying for her, she didn't want anyone that didn’t believe in the 100% possibility of her be totally healed and restored.

Why would you want anyone praying and believing for your need to be met, that wasn’t?

She did, what the bible says to do, she surrounded herself, with like minded people of faith

Matthew 18:18-20 NKJ

18. “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

19. “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.

20. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

First of all, you would want them to agree with you and be willing to ask boldly of the Father for you

and to be united with you, ready to circle the wagons around you as long as it would take!

Because there is strength in unity, and I especially like the part where it says, “I will be there also, in the midst of them”

That’s when your need is going to be met, when Jesus is a part of that unity, when the hem of His garment is close enough, in the midst His people,

That you can reach out and touch it and be Healed!

Amen! Thank You Jesus!!

If that’s the way, and there’s no reason to believe any one of us, would want it any differently if we were the ones who needed a Healing in our bodies, would do it.

Then tell me, why would we want any less, in each and every area of our lives, on a daily, moment by moment basis, even if we weren't going to die?

By the way, in case you were wondering, she received her healing she sought The Lord for! Praise God for His willingness to heal!

This is a hard one to accept sometimes, but Everybody can not go, where God has called you to go, or do the things He has planed for you,

and you no matter how hard you try, you can not make them come along if they don’t want to!

Will there be nay Sayers and people who will try to bring you down and point out all the negatives, when you do?

Yep, but they are no match for the Glorious Grace of God and what He longs to do in your life!

Habakkuk 3:17-19 NKJ

17. Though the fig tree may not blossom,

Nor fruit be on the vines;

Though the labor of the olive may fail,

And the fields yield no food;

Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,

And there be no herd in the stalls—

18. Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will joy in the God of my salvation.

19. The Lord God is my strength;

He will make my feet like deer’s feet,

And He will make me walk on my high hills.

TBS. I’m not moved by what I feel or see, I’ve got the Victor living in me!

It doesn’t matter what we see in the natural, its in Gods supernatural ability every need we have is met.

We can't be moved by what we see, only by what we believe!

With God, all things are possible, to him who believes!

Phil. 4:19 NKJ

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Gods Grace and Goodness, is your sufficient abundant source, for everything you need

If your so called friends are going to be that way, then its time to realize, they will not be accompanying you,

To the next level of relationship God has for you and wants to take you too!

Successful people, no matter what they are doing or trying to become, surround themselves with successful people,

It should be the same way in your spiritual walk

TBS. to not be spiritually yoked with unbelievers,

If the crowd your running with is bringing you down, its time to start running with another crowd! Amen?

Your diet changes throughout your life, first its milk, then soft food, then you get to the good part, meat and potatoes.

1st Cor. 13:11 MSG. says

11 When I was an infant at my mother’s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.

Gods Word is our meat and potatoes, Gods Word is what its talking about in

Luke 13:8 NKJ

8. But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.

Gods Word, the Bible, is the fertilizer its talking about,

*because there is life in it

*there is sustenance in it

*it has a proven track record of producing record breaking results! Amen?

John 6:63 NKJ

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

Gods word, is miracle grow for your soul!

Gods Word is where you learn about all He made possible for you to have and be a part of.

John 10:10 NKJ.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Your Growing Relationship, and that’s exactly the kind of relationship we all should have with God,

through His Son Jesus and the learning and studying of His Word is where you find the Abundant Life.

The more you learn about Jesus and the Grace message He gave to all who will believe,

The more you will grow and produce for the kingdom, as the His words fertilize and nourish your soul.

And that is our purpose here on this earth, to produce fruit, fruit of the Spirit!

Gal. 5:22 NKJ

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness

With Gods help, all those things are possible in our lives, to be harvested fruit for the Kingdom.

Fruit that can be partaken of and consumed, fruit that help someone experience the Life Changing Message of Grace,

Jesus died and gave His Life for whosoever would believe.

Its been said countless times, ”all that really matters in this life we live, is what we do for the Lord and His Kingdom”

Isaiah 40:8 NKJ

The grass withers, the flower fades,

But the word of our God stands forever.”

Still some say, maybe someday, someday I’ll get busy for the Lord

I would, but I have to finish this or that, or I would but, I have this and that to deal with first.

People have been saying the words I would but, as the first part of a sentence for eons,

Ill. The Bible is full of real and imperfect people, that could have said that but didn't and my oh my, how God was able to use them for His Glory!

Abraham was too old,

Sarah laughed at God’s promises,

Isaac was a daydreamer,

Jacob was a liar,

Joseph was abused,

Moses had a stuttering problem,

Samson was a womanizer,

Job went bankrupt,

Solomon was too rich,

Jeremiah was depressed,

Jonah ran from God,

Rahab was a prostitute,

Martha worried about everything,

Peter denied Christ,

Thomas doubted,

Zaccheus was too short,

And last but not least, Lazarus was dead!

Those all could have been considered good excuses by the worlds standards,

But God is not interested in the worlds standards, He’s interested in the heart,

The heart of every man, woman, boy and girl that was, or every will be.

That’s why He sent His Son, to die for the whole worlds sin, to reconcile mankind back to Himself.

And abolished the covenant of law and established Grace and forgiveness, and made it no longer about what we could do,

But made it about what He was capable of and is willing to do for us,

Which is everything, Praise God!

How will we win and influence this generation, generation X, Y and whatever new name they coin next year?

Many have thought about this, been perplexed about it and have written numerous books as well.

TB tells us, the way Jesus did it back in His day and the way we can still reach the lost for the Kingdom Today.

But you say, what about all the techno stuff that exists and the short attention span of everyone now a days and all of the other distractions?

What about them? Are they really a match for the God of all Capabilities?

Luke 10:27 NKJ

So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”

How will we win them?

Love them, change our mindset and show them the Love of God,

show them the Grace, Beauty and Goodness that can only be found in a relationship with God, through Jesus His Son!

Show someone a random act of kindness this week,

I'll. I heard a pastor say, someone in his church paid for the person behind them in the drive thru at McDonalds and said to tell them when they pulled up, that their church had been a blessing to them,

And because of that one act of kindness, some eighty people in line after them did the same thing,

The love of God when it's poured out, can become both infectious and contagious!

Do something new this week, Lift up the name of Jesus, by loving your neighbors and not expecting anything in return from them,

They'll wonder what got into you, and when they ask you about it, you can tell them the reason why!

The Love of God will soften hearts, each and every time it is displayed and it all starts with planting a seed and Loving someone,

Someone else will water, someone else may add fertilizer,

But God, who is always faithful, will give the promised increase!

Amen?