DON'T PUT THE FOREST BEFOR THE TREES

Luke 6:45; “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”

Mankind is plagued with evil thoughts and imaginations because of the condition of his heart. When man seeks his own way, he infects the next generation.

1. YAHWEH shook Moses' generation in the wilderness because their actions of idolatry and disobedience would eventually cause their children to stumble:

• Numbers 16:30; “But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.”

YAHWEH has promised that He will shake the Earth again, but it will include the heavens as well.

1. The world will be shaken and destroyed, but YAHWEH’s Word will remain:

• Matthew 24:35; “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

When we trust in YAHWEH’s Word, we become like trees that are planted and well-rooted.

1. Being grounded in the Word keeps us from falling when things are shaken:

• Ephesians 3:17; “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love.”

We do not have to worry about the shaking that is coming because our strength comes from YAHWEH’s supply.

1. What we have been taught and what we have applied will keep us standing:

• Jude 24; “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.”

When we remain in fellowship with YAHWEH's Word and with His people, we will be strengthened and encouraged in perilous times.

1. We must prepare for the shaking by fortifying ourselves with YAHWEH’s truth and borrowing strength from the household of faith: Hebrews 10:25; “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

• Jeremiah 17:7-8; “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit. ”

1. Balance: A tree must maintain a perfect balance between its branches and its roots. If the branches and leaves are too heavy for the roots to support it, the tree will fall. Allow your roots to grow before you branch out!

• Supply: Water, air, and light are essential materials for sustaining life. The water and light during photosynthesis create food, nourishment, and oxygen in the air. The air is the Spirit, the water is the purification and the light is the Word. If you lack these elements, you cannot grow.

1. Power: A tree can show signs of life under the toughest circumstances. Once a tree begins to take root, it really doesn't matter what you do to the branches and leaves, it still has the power to grow from within. We must make sure that we have YAHWEH's power inside of us, so we can endure turbulent times and continue being a light for others.

Trees are made to withstand storms. When the Bible likens us to being as trees planted by the river, it’s suggesting that we become strong enough to endure YAHWEH’s shaking. The children of Israel experienced a great earthquake where many people were swallowed up by the ground. However, Moses, Aaron, and those that followed YAHWEH’s commandments were still standing afterward. Obedience to YAHWEH preserves us. When we trust Him and stand on His Word, we are preserved as trees and we are sustained by Him.

1. During this time of great shaking, we must trust in the LORD and stand tall in this last and evil day: Hebrews 12:25-27; “See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN.”

• This expression; “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain:

1. Hebrews 12:28-29; “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to GOD an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our GOD is a consuming fire.”

The first thing we must do in order to become stable Believers is to avoid ungodly alliances, and people that practice ungodliness will soften our stance and cause us to fall.

1. Godly counsel nourishes us and makes us steadfast: 1 Corinthians 15:33; “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”

Standing in the sinners' way causes us to experience issues that could have been avoided because the way of the sinner is hard, so we should always choose the path of the righteous.

1. Standing in the way of righteousness keeps our yoke easy and our burdens light:

• Proverbs 13:21; “Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.”

People that have been severely hurt without properly dealing with it become scornful. The scorner believes that their feelings supersede the Gospel and obedience to YAHWEH's Word.

1. The seat of the scornful is essentially a place where your feelings are greater than YAHWEH’s desires, which will cause you to place your will above YAHWEH’s plan:

• Proverbs 15:12; “A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise.”

YAHWEH’s law (desires) should be at the forefront of our existence.

1. We should die to our will and accept YAHWEH’s way in order to stand strong:

• Galatians 5:24; “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

When our delight is in material things and achievements, we must follow our own way to get them. Our striving does not ensure that we will find true joy and contentment once we receive our fleshly pursuits.

1. But, when we delight in the will of the LORD, He gives us the right desires and it doesn’t add sorrow to us: Psalms 37:4; “Delight thyself also in the LORD, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

Meditating on YAHWEH’s law, day and night, doesn’t mean that we think about the Word all day. It means that no matter what circumstances we face, they should always be filtered through His Word.

1. Everything must be tried and tested with YAHWEH’s will for us, so we will not fall:

• Proverbs 3:6; “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

When we are planted, we will bring forth fruit in due season.

1. The fruit produced out of season lacks the flavor and nutritional value of fruit that is in season: Luke 6:43; “For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.”

• Trees planted in fields are dependent upon the seasons for nourishment, but trees planted by the river have sustenance at all times so that they will consistently yield good fruit: Jeremiah 17:8; “For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.”

Good fruit comes from being planted in a good place and forsaking the fellowship of the ungodly or being in a place that is unfruitful.

1. When we are well planted, delighting in YAHWEH’s way, and avoid the counsel of sinners, we are like trees that cannot be moved: John 15:4; “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself.”

A tree can only yield good fruit if it is planted in a good place, where it can receive what it needs to sustain itself. It cannot bear any fruit if it cannot first sustain itself. It must have enough sustenance for its own growth before it can ever branch out and bear fruit. The same principle is true for us as believers; but in order for us to help others and advance the Kingdom of YAHWEH, we must first experience growth ourselves. We must avoid fellowship with sinners and ungodly people and align ourselves with those who can aid our growth. We must plant ourselves on good ground near a consistent water supply, which will help keep us growing despite what seasons we go through. Once we grow, we can sprout leaves and then bear fruit. This process cannot be avoided.

1. We must do it YAHWEH’s way to get Godly results: John 15:6-8; “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”

When a seed is planted, its first priority is to sprout roots.

1. We, as Believers, must grow good roots in order to be strong enough to prepare for further growth: Romans 11:16; “For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.”

Structural roots stabilize trees. If we hope to be unmovable like a tree, our structural roots must be strong enough to keep us standing through tough times.

1. These roots are fortified by our faith in YAHWEH: Matthew: 17:20; “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”

• Feeder roots are the small fibrous extensions that absorb water and minerals; but as Believers, our roots in the Word will supply us with what we need to grow into what YAHWEH has purposed: Luke 8:13; “They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.”

The function of the tree trunk is to encourage the plant to grow upward toward the light.

1. The more light the tree receives, the taller it will grow because Believers should always endeavor to grow toward the light; however, darkness will always stunt our growth: 2 Corinthians 4:6; “For GOD, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of GOD in the face of Jesus Christ.”

As a tree grows, old cells die. These cells form the bark of the tree. The bark protects the inner life of the tree from disease and harsh elements; and as Believers, when we deny ourselves daily, we slowly grow a defensive, mental barrier to protect us from reverting and damaging ourselves.

1. This lengthy process requires patience: James 1:4; “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

The girth of the trunk decides how much the tree can store and distribute; but the greater the width of the trunk, the more power the tree will have to grow tall. This growth represents the good things that we put into ourselves.

1. We can only do good if good is in us: Matthew 12:34; “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

• Branches sprout out to carefully position the leaves so they can all remain in the light of the sun. In our lives, everything we do must be done in the light because YAHWEH’s light will keep us from falling: John 11:10; “But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.”

Leaves specialize in converting light energy into chemical energy. This process is known as, photosynthesis. Likewise, we must be able to translate what we receive from GOD spiritually into our natural walk.

1. Our physical lives must reflect His Spirit: Romans 6:4; “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so, we also should walk in newness of life.”

Fruit is produced to nourish others, reproduce, and show the condition of the tree. Christ stated that we would know false prophets by the fruit that they bear. When a tree is corrupt, it will bear bad fruit and reproduce itself, similarly.

1. The bad fruit proves that the tree was bad inwardly: Matthew 7:20; “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

Being like a tree means more than just standing tall. The arduous process that a tree goes through to stand, is of utmost importance. We must endure YAHWEH’s growth process, so we can be like the tree that stands and grows toward the light. When we take our time and allow life’s processes to occur, we will be fruit-bearing trees in YAHWEH’s due season. Our lives will be stable and secure because we walk through YAHWEH’s plan instead of running aimlessly with a greater chance of missteps. Growing roots for stability and nourishment is the first step in maturation. Next, we must store up good works to fortify our trunk, so that it pushes us up towards the light. Lastly, allowing old issues and dead things to make us tougher like bark is essential to protecting us from things that come to destroy us. Only then can we sprout branches, leaves, and fruit?

Bearing good fruit is YAHWEH’s plan for us all.

1. If we desire to be like a tree, we must follow these stages to completion:

• Matthew 12:33; “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.”

A good tree is known for good fruit.

1. When we produce good things, we are testifying of the goodness that is within us:

• Luke 6:45; “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”

Fruit does not allow us to pretend. It will always tell the truth about us and our commitment to do what is right.

1. A person that does what is right will reap the benefits of it: Hosea 10:12; “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he comes and rain righteousness upon you.”

Salvation may save our souls, but it should also alter our fruit. When we are cleansed from sin, we should bear the fruit of righteousness.

1. Our families should be the first example of what we profess: Romans 6:2; “GOD forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”

• To make the tree good, we must first recognize when the tree is corrupt, but knowing what we are doing wrong is the key to getting help: 2 Corinthians 13:5; “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye, not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

Pride makes us cover up our wrongs or masquerade as something that we are not.

1. When we are puffed up, we cannot be helped: Psalms 101:5; “Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor, him will I cut off: him that hath a high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.”

A puffed-up person justifies their issues by blaming others for them.

1. When you blame others and do not own your error, you can never bear good fruit because the fruit will always remain in the same condition as the tree:

• Matthew 7:16; “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?”

1. Sin from our past should no longer affect our present fruit. If we have been replanted, pruned, and nourished properly, then we should become fruit-bearing trees no matter what our original state was: Psalms 104:16; “The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted.”

We were all rotten trees until YAHWEH replanted us. Now, His Word and the fellowship of believers can reinvigorate us so we can bear fruit.

1. Once Yeshua becomes our vine, our branches and leaves should become fruitful:

• John 15:5; “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

We can claim salvation, brag on our kingdom citizenship, and even gloat about being strong Believers, but if our fruit is bad, then the tree is corrupt and is only good for firewood.

1. All of his works will be burned up: John 15:6; “If a man abides not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”

In Matthew chapter 12, Yeshua makes references to allegiance. Whose side are you really on?

If you are with Satan, then be with Satan. But if you are in Yeshua, then bear good fruit!

Making clear distinctions is the theme of this passage. He is making a difference between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light; but ultimately, it’s up to us to make the tree bear good fruit or corrupt fruit. Yeshua commands us to make it one or the other. He is also inadvertently stating that it will be one or the other regardless of us making a verbal declaration. Our actions choose for us and if we do what is good, it is telling of the condition of the tree. If we bear good fruit then we have made the tree good for YAHWEH’s purpose, but when the fruit is corrupt (bad children, bad marriages, bad reputations, bad feelings toward one another, bad deeds, etc.) then we know that the tree was made corrupt and will either be cut down because of pride or replanted because of surrender.

1. The choice is always ours; but what kind of tree will you be? Matthew 3:7-10; “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance and think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that GOD is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore, every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.”

All trees start out as a seed.

1. A seed must first be planted in good ground, in order for it to grow: Luke 8:8; “And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit a hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

When we bear fruit, we are sowing seeds simultaneously because our fruit should contain seeds within.

1. Seed-bearing fruit keeps the Message of Yeshua going forward: John 15:8; “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”

Our seed can only take root if we are properly planted.

1. Being planted in the right ground is essential for good growth:

• Psalms 92:13-14; “Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our GOD. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.”

Our upbringing prepares our ground for seeding.

1. Our child rearing and our experiences as youth, mold and shape the ground into which seeds are planted: Proverbs 22:6; “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

• When the ground of our heart is properly cultivated while we are young, we will have a good understanding of what YAHWEH expects of us when we are older; and this preparation keeps the seed from falling by the wayside, where it can be taken away:

1. Matthew 13:19; “When anyone heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the wayside.”

When we lack stability in our homes and upbringing, it hinders us from growing roots.

1. Instability causes issues that produce stony grounds (hardened hearts) which will result in the seed (of the Word) not taking root: Matthew 13:20; “But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.”

Being pushed to succeed and to be better than others incites the deceit of riches within us.

1. This causes us to create cares that can choke the Word out of us: Matthew 13:22; “He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.”

Hearing and understanding the Word is possible when we truly deal with ourselves and all of our past hurt.

1. Dealing with our past can change our hearts and allow the Word to take root in us:

• Matthew 13:23; “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

1. In order to be receptive to YAHWEH’s plan for us and to understand when the Word is challenging us, our hearts must be free of our past issues: Hebrews 10:22; “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

The parable of the sower is a great illustration of the tree's origin. The seed needs to be properly planted before it can take root and sprout into a productive, fruit-bearing tree, but Yeshua thoroughly explains the things that hinder this process. This is why we must do our best to raise our children the right way. Protecting them from early care and trauma will keep their hearts ready for the seed of the Word to be planted within. When they struggle at early ages, their hearts can harden and cause problems with their understanding and receiving the Word when they are older. Most people that struggle with understanding and accepting the truth of the Word have issues from their upbringing. Some may understand and accept it, but it doesn’t last long because it can never truly penetrate the issues in their hearts. All of these things come from the youthful struggles and the foundation that is laid during our formative years. When the foundation of Yeshua is laid and we train up our children in the way they should go, when they are old, they will be fruitful.

1. The Word takes root in their hearts and will grow into trees that will produce good fruit and seeds for others: Ezekiel 11:19-20; “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their GOD.”

In order to grow a tree, you must first have patience.

1. No matter how good the ground is or how plentiful the elements, a tree needs time to develop: James 1:4; “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

Trees take a long time to mature.

1. The processes that trees endure are lengthy because a tree must be of the proper stature before it can bear fruit: Ecclesiastes 3:1; “To everything, there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

Because branches and fruit weigh trees down, the base must be solid in order to support the fruit yielded.

1. Being rightly aligned with YAHWEH will cause us to sprout branches that can support the weight of the fruit we bear: Proverbs 12:12; “The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.”

Taking our time and maturing before we attempt to do certain things is imperative to our spiritual growth.

1. The Bible gives us orderly instructions by exhorting us to seek the kingdom first so that things can be added afterward: Matthew 6:33; “But seek ye first the Kingdom of GOD, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

YAHWEH has prepared certain stages of development for us to endure, so that we may bear fruit.

1. We should never try to acquire fruit before we are ready: 1 Peter 1:7; “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

• Planting comes first, then comes growth, and lastly, fruit comes in due season:

1. Galatians 6:9; “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Only a well-established tree can produce fruit.

1. This is a tree that has gone through its growth phases and is full of sustenance:

• Colossians 2:6-7; “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the LORD, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”

YAHWEH also prunes fruit-bearing trees, so that we can grow upward and not laterally.

1. When a tree is pruned, it shapes the tree so that the branches will continue to be aligned with its center: John 15:2; “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

Trees are pruned to encourage optimal growth. When the diseased and dead limbs are cut away, the tree is able to bear more fruit.

1. This is a continual process and must be done when needed: 2 Timothy 2:21; “If a man, therefore, purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”

Yeshua walked up to a tree and wanted something to eat but it had no fruit on it. The Gospel of Mark’s account of this story states that it was not the correct season for figs. But because Yeshua saw it in a leaf (bearing leaves is an indicator that it has fruit or the time for fruit was near), he was disappointed when we did not find figs. This parable illustrates that we should be content with the process of YAHWEH preparing us and we should not appear to have fruit before His timing. Everyone has to endure YAHWEH’s progression of making us fruit-bearing trees. We must not go before the LORD and get ahead of His plan for us. We must trust the One that created us and the ONLY one that knows the future.

1. When we trust in Him and endure His course for us, we will bear fruit, more fruit, and much fruit in due season: James 5:7-8; “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the LORD. Behold, the husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the LORD draws nigh.”

A tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast away.

1. Being a fruitless branch is an insult to YAHWEH because He gave His Son so that we could bear good fruit: Luke 3:9; “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

• The fruit that we bear should reflect the Word of GOD in every way, but we should all strive to have what YAHWEH’s Word says we should have: James 3:17; “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”

When we are a good tree, we will have good fruit. Whatever is inside of us will be in our fruit.

1. This is why we must be sure to make the tree good so the fruit can be good:

• Matthew 12:33; “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.”

1. The Fruit of our Heritage: Our family is our fruit. The Bible says that children are YAHWEH’s heritage. This is how He multiplies Himself on the earth. When a man and woman come together and have children, they are bearing fruit.

• YAHWEH is rewarded when we bear children that we train up righteously:

1. Psalms 127:3; “Lo, children are a heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”

• The Fruit of Good Character: The fruits of the spirit should be borne from the goodness of YAHWEH that resides in us. Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance should be fruit that we bear.

1. We should be known for having this type of character and our fruit should plant seeds in others to cause them to bear the same fruit in their character: Galatians 5:22; “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

• The Fruit of Good Behavior: Our conduct is fruit. Our behavior should be reflective of the spirit that resides in us and not just our fleshly desires. We should bear the fruit of righteousness, which signifies choosing good over evil.

1. Our behavior should reflect YAHWEH: James 3:18; “And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”

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