Beware of What Springs Up Quickly - Santosh Poonen - May 31, 2020
http://rlcfchurch.org/beware-what-springs-quickly River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The speaker emphasizes that genuine spiritual growth and the ability to prove God's promises are only realized through enduring trials, comparing this to the necessity of weeding a garden. He warns that a lackadaisical attitude toward one's Christian life allows sin (the weeds) to flourish, requiring a zealous, active effort—a 'violent gardening'—to cultivate the fruit of righteousness and allow the life of Christ to manifest.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
The violence of taking the kingdom by forceMeditating on Matthew 11:12 reveals that spiritual growth requires a careful, deep-seated violence against the weeds of the flesh, much like digging out deep weed roots in a garden.Matthew 11:12
If you do nothing, bad things still happenSin naturally sprouts in our flesh if we maintain a lazy attitude, whereas cultivating good spiritual fruit requires proactive, zealous effort.
Planting, watering, and God causing the growthWhile Paul and Apollos did the faithful work of planting and watering, only God can cause the supernatural growth in the church and in individual lives.
The parable of the sower and the rocky soilExamining the sower in Mark 4, we see that seed falling on rocky ground springs up immediately because it lacks deep soil, leading to eventual withering.Mark 4:3–8
The hidden foundation behind acts of revivalExplosive church growth in Acts 2 was built upon thirty-three and a half years of Jesus faithfully laying a hidden foundation of obedience.Acts 2:43–47
Growing down before growing upWhen God plants His word, He intends for it to grow deep roots downward; if it cannot grow deep, the devil offers an alternative upward growth that lacks genuine substance.
The moisture of an honest and good heartLuke's account highlights that rocky soil lacks moisture, which corresponds to an honest and good heart that is willing to receive correction instead of blaming others.Luke 8:6–15
Obedience to God over human activismChurch practices and guidelines stem from a desire to obey God and care for His flock rather than engaging in external religious activism.
Can a sincere believer be deceived?Deception happens when we lack an honest and good heart, a pattern that traces back to Eve's self-justification in the Garden of Eden.
Perishing because of rejecting the love of the truthSecond Thessalonians warns that those who perish do so because they did not receive the love of the truth, leading God to send a deluding influence.2 Thessalonians 2:9–11
Judging ourselves daily to remain safeOur ultimate protection against end-time deception and the mark of the beast is to continuously love the truth about ourselves and judge our own sin daily.
The sun that brings life or brings scorchingThe same word of God that brings life to good soil can act as an affliction that scorches those who lack deep roots and become offended.
Falling away when difficulty arrivesThe message paraphrase of Luke 8 shows that shallow character collapses when emotions fade and difficulties arise because of the word.Luke 8:13
More than conquerors through God's faithful careConcluding with Romans 8, nothing in all creation can separate believers from the love of God, who faithfully works everything together for our good and conforms us to His Son.Romans 8:28–39
