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The Three Little Pigs Allegory · Deep Waters

0:14
SPEAKER_00: Hello, this is Ken, your podcast preacher.
0:17
SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to my podcast, Deep Waters.
0:19
SPEAKER_00: This podcast is brought to you by Applied Strength Ministry, where we believe working together in our strengths is the effect of working out the will and calling of God enter through our lives.
0:28
SPEAKER_00: Thanks for joining me.
0:28
SPEAKER_00: Let's open up in prayer.
0:30
SPEAKER_00: Blessed be the God and Father of your Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed you with every spiritual blessing and heavenly places in Christ, just as he chose you and him before the foundation of the world, that you should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestined you to adoption as your son or daughter by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, which he purposed in himself, to the praise of the glory of his grace by which he made you accepted and a beloved.
0:52
SPEAKER_00: In him ye have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace which he made to abound towards you in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to you the mystery of his will, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth in him.
1:10
SPEAKER_00: I ask that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation and the knowledge of the mystery of him, to the deepest knowledge of him that you are willing and able to receive, that the eyes of your understanding would be open wider, and that you would be enlightened to who he is, that you may know what is the hope of his calling.
1:26
SPEAKER_00: What are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in you?
1:29
SPEAKER_00: What is the exceeding greatness of his power towards you who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and seated him in his right hand in the heavenly place, that he would grant that you would be strengthened with might through his spirit in the inner man, enter to your spirit and heart, consistently walking in the spirit so that you would be able to stand against the appetites of your flesh, the corrupted spirit of this world, the devil and his demons, and any and all fleshly desires and temptations.
1:55
SPEAKER_00: Pray that your love may become more and more and disturbed, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be real about your Christianity, and unoffendable until the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, which are by Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit to the glory and praise of God.
2:16
SPEAKER_00: I ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will and all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him, being fruitful in every good work, strengthen with all might according to his glorious power, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints who walk by the Spirit and the light.
2:33
SPEAKER_00: I pray that your hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love and unity, and that you would attain to all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, both of the Father and of Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
2:44
SPEAKER_00: I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which have been given to each of my listeners by Christ Jesus, that you are enriched in everything by Him, in all utterance and all knowledge, so that you do not come short in obtaining or operating in your calling and purpose, nor in using any spiritual gifts or talents to perform mighty miracle signs and wonders, and that we would do the greater works of Jesus yet to be accomplished.
3:05
SPEAKER_00: That we would be found eagerly waiting for the continued revelation of our Lord Jesus, who will confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the near coming of the day of our Lord.
3:13
SPEAKER_00: God is faithful by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son Jesus.
3:17
SPEAKER_00: Okay, so now therefore, my sisters and brothers in Christ, when things get tough, think about whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and whatever things are of a good report.
3:27
SPEAKER_00: If there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things alone.
3:32
SPEAKER_00: I pray that in these very end of end time days that you would let your love be without hypocrisy.
3:36
SPEAKER_00: Show people your faith by your works and service and love.
3:39
SPEAKER_00: Hate and loathe what is evil, cling to what is good and righteous, be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor, giving preference to one another, not lagging in diligence, fervent and fully engulfed in spiritual fire, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, walking in the peace of God, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer, distributing to the needs of the saints, that is each other, and that you would be given a hospitality.
4:04
SPEAKER_00: May the God of patience and comfort grant that you be like minded towards one another, according to Christ Jesus, that we learn to be of one mind in one accord, striving to get along no matter what disagreements we may encounter, operating completely and fully in love, always striving for the working out of God's specific will for each of our lives, while working in partnership with each other within the church and the Holy Spirit, as he manifests his miracle signs or wonders through the daily activities of our ministry and kingdom work, and while we also go out preaching the gospel in the word and deed.
4:33
SPEAKER_00: Let us love and serve one another, our enemy, and those who wouldn't expect us to do so, considering each person better than ourselves.
4:40
SPEAKER_00: Bind up any words or thoughts that are contrary to the love of God, or which would set you back in your Christian walk.
4:45
SPEAKER_00: Guard your hearts from anything that would hinder the growth of your character.
4:48
SPEAKER_00: Never forget that you can do all things in Christ, and never forget this means all things.
4:52
SPEAKER_00: Step out on faith today and walk with God and with each other, being assured that nothing will separate you from him as long as you abide in him.
5:00
SPEAKER_00: Call those things that don't exist as though they do.
5:02
SPEAKER_00: Remember the faith of God of which we have, created the universe by the Ray Man Logos Word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
5:10
SPEAKER_00: All you need for this life is invisible until you apply your faith to receive it, but make sure you make your requests known to God without fear, doubting, or unbelief.
5:17
SPEAKER_00: Always remember that he that is in you is greater than he that is in the world.
5:21
SPEAKER_00: Be more than a conqueror today, submitting to the will of God and everything.
5:24
SPEAKER_00: Never forget that you can do all things through Christ who will strengthen you this very today.
5:28
SPEAKER_00: Let each of us express uncompromising love towards one another, in humility, while maintaining a teachable spirit, seeking to grow no matter how much it challenges our current thinking.
5:38
SPEAKER_00: I pray that God would give you the revelation within this message that He intends you to receive with the understanding.
5:43
SPEAKER_00: Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
5:50
SPEAKER_00: To God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever.
5:56
SPEAKER_00: In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
5:58
SPEAKER_00: The title of this message is The Three Little Piggies Allegory.
6:01
SPEAKER_00: No, I'm not comparing believers in Christ to pigs, but I needed a title and a story of a story, whereby some of these lines lined up with this message.
6:09
SPEAKER_00: The three little pigs is that story.
6:12
SPEAKER_00: This message also connects to the prodigal son's story in the Bible, at one of his not so favorite places to dine, Luke fifteen eleven through thirty two.
6:20
SPEAKER_00: So right around two hundred thirty ish in the morning, I was having a dream or while I was slowly waking up, I thought about a story of three guys who used to be in close relationship, but due to testing circumstances, they have parted ways and taken their own paths.
6:35
SPEAKER_00: I will refer to the three guys as Piggy number one, Piggy number two, and Piggy number three.
6:40
SPEAKER_00: In the dream I saw a couple of friends, Piggy's number one, two, and I, Piggy number three, were sitting at a table attending an event.
6:48
SPEAKER_00: This maybe was an extended portion of another dream event in which a friend of ours was getting married, which may have drawn us together for the second event.
6:55
SPEAKER_00: I don't feel as if it was the after wedding dinner celebration, but it felt more like something else.
7:01
SPEAKER_00: Who knows, as sometimes dreams can seem a bit fractionalized as mine often do.
7:06
SPEAKER_00: So first I will share the discussion at the table and then tell you why what was said was said.
7:11
SPEAKER_00: Why do this message is a message at all podcast preacher?
7:14
SPEAKER_00: It's your dream.
7:16
SPEAKER_00: Because I don't want you to focus entirely on what happened to the three relationships, as much as I want to help you to see which of the three types of piggies you are.
7:25
SPEAKER_00: This will require some introspection and honesty on your part, and remember, truth is most often difficult to hear for humans, as our flesh seems so drawn to the false and deceptive.
7:35
SPEAKER_00: And for whatever reason, we can get very hypersensitive as to whether God could truly deliver and restore someone who had their collapsing story on the front pages of every gossip column in the state.
7:46
SPEAKER_00: No, Piggy number three didn't receive persecution from the church because it no longer existed.
7:52
SPEAKER_00: But stigmas are usually most applied and done so by individuals who lack the most truth as to how we got in the situation we found ourselves in.
8:01
SPEAKER_00: Taking a labeling circuit is much easier than just asking.
8:04
SPEAKER_00: Remember we are humans and susceptible to great sins and errors when the circumstances aligning with our weaknesses and or spiritual immaturity.
8:13
SPEAKER_00: I am being nice because I'm not condemning those who don't know because, as Jesus stated, they don't know what they are doing.
8:19
SPEAKER_00: And I would say this applies even to believers at times.
8:23
SPEAKER_00: Luke twenty three thirty four.
8:25
SPEAKER_00: Let's get an example.
8:26
SPEAKER_00: If a known liar comes up to you after you perform a speech or whatever task that you have just completed and fills your head with flatteries in front of your peers, you are likely to believe every lie that drips from his mouth, because unless you are a mature believer, you will seek the praises of men, even if you spout around that you wouldn't.
8:44
SPEAKER_00: It's in our nature to crumble from time to time.
8:47
SPEAKER_00: Now but if one comes to you and tells you how you might could improve on your next speech or task, you may be ever so quick to be resentful and eagerly willing and able to dismiss their very honest feedback.
8:58
SPEAKER_00: I know it is unfair to ourselves that we naturally have these knee jerk reactions, but as always the trouble lies in our nature.
9:05
SPEAKER_00: It is a knee jerk reaction that is intended to show us a defect that needs our spiritual attention, but our flesh is oftentimes most unruly and rude and will respond first right out of the gate when it is being fed by the hordes dispensing flatteries.
9:20
SPEAKER_00: As you can see this little head moment in the night warranted me to get a cup of my favorite decap and get to peckin' on my phone, a task, by the way, that justifies practical cell phone use above most all other phone activities.
9:35
SPEAKER_00: So back to the round table.
9:36
SPEAKER_00: The three piggies were performing their usual nicety greetings as if nothing was wrong, and then proceeded to sit down.
9:42
SPEAKER_00: There was some small chitty chat about what's been going on in each of the piggies' lives.
9:47
SPEAKER_00: And then as typical of the third piggy, he began to share some strange and unrelated to the current conversation, what seemed to be an irrelevant story to the current chitty chatty discussion.
9:58
SPEAKER_00: I will share that two of the piggies were indeed in the armed forces, and but I didn't think of this until now as I'm pecking out this message.
10:06
SPEAKER_00: This will make more sense in a moment, but it really isn't the point, as I'm sure you will see.
10:10
SPEAKER_00: The story goes that there are three types of people that make up the veterans pool of people.
10:16
SPEAKER_00: Now this story talks about the armed services, but it is really talking about the church and what happens to people who go through a season of battle, known in the military circles as a theater.
10:26
SPEAKER_00: Okay, so let's be sure we don't lose the audience using that word theater in a battle conversation.
10:32
SPEAKER_00: A war zone is called a theater because it functions like a stage whereby military actions are performed and contained.
10:39
SPEAKER_00: It's a place of action.
10:40
SPEAKER_00: The word theater originally comes from the Greek word for a place of viewing or performance.
10:45
SPEAKER_00: This is a definition that most of us know.
10:47
SPEAKER_00: A separate space, just like the dramatic play happens on a physical stage, a theater of war is a specific, self contained geographic region where the conflict is played out, separated from the rest of the peaceful world.
11:00
SPEAKER_00: I don't think any soldiers would use the word played out as a way to describe war.
11:04
SPEAKER_00: Independent events.
11:06
SPEAKER_00: Events happening on one stage do not instantly change what happens on another stage, much like the activities in a theater or warfare operate with relative independence from other distant regions.
11:18
SPEAKER_00: Okay, so we have three little piggies who have returned from the battle theater in three different conditions, of which these conditions are the moral of the story.
11:26
SPEAKER_00: The first piggy returning for more comes back less than they were pre war.
11:30
SPEAKER_00: Yes, they went out a hundred percent and came back way less than that.
11:34
SPEAKER_00: Their capacity for growth and challenge had shrank.
11:38
SPEAKER_00: It will be helpful to understand that capacity is elastomeric, meaning it can decrease, stay the same, or increase based on the response of the individual to whatever war torn environment they find themselves in.
11:51
SPEAKER_00: This also means that when you come back from a battle less than, you live in a world that is defined as safety first.
11:58
SPEAKER_00: It sounds like I will never let that happen to me again, but not because of growth, but out of fear.
12:04
SPEAKER_00: The second piggy is the one that comes back seemingly unchanged.
12:08
SPEAKER_00: Yep, it is if they never went to war in the first place.
12:11
SPEAKER_00: They simply pick up right where they left off before entering the battle theater.
12:15
SPEAKER_00: This condition is most harmful because all battles should invoke change, and it is up to the antendee just what kind of change it invokes.
12:24
SPEAKER_00: Unfortunately, too many end up as the second piggy, blending into the secular system undetected.
12:30
SPEAKER_00: The real bummer is that from the outside, it looks as if they never went through such opportunistic trauma, only to return as they were.
12:38
SPEAKER_00: The third type of piggy or spiritual war veteran is the one who comes back and comes back more than, meaning his capacity was enlarged and not purposefully, as we will see later in the story.
12:50
SPEAKER_00: Remember, no one goes to battle thinking that when they return, they will be better for it.
12:54
SPEAKER_00: So this piggy went in like the others at a hundred percent, and well, using percentages is misleading because we are used to one hundred percent equaling full or complete.
13:04
SPEAKER_00: But in this story, it's more about capacity, which can be likened to the condition of a wineskin, Luke five, thirty six through thirty nine.
13:12
SPEAKER_00: So but if we were to try and bring the word use of capacity back to Earth, we could say that the first piggy had less capacity to learn and grow, and so digressed when they entered back into civilization, where all that they could see was carnage from the battle.
13:28
SPEAKER_00: And because of this condition, taking additional spiritual risks were in fact very risky, and so their fear of repeat prevented them of moving into all that they might have been called to be.
13:38
SPEAKER_00: I know you're probably asking yourself how a piggy can be better off, and to which I would say if they were turned into country bacon prepared on a fall morning with a cool breeze blowing through the house, that sounds better.
13:51
SPEAKER_00: But then it really wouldn't be better for the piggy.
13:53
SPEAKER_00: The second piggy had no additional capacity and therefore continued life as it was prior to leaving for the battle.
13:59
SPEAKER_00: In other words, and although his capacity wineskin wasn't too old for new risks, it wasn't in any condition for new wine, least it burst.
14:08
SPEAKER_00: And this is where some deep introspection and soul searching would be invoked.
14:12
SPEAKER_00: However, it is easiest for the piggy to simply stick to what they knew and not to add anything new to what they knew, otherwise they will know something that they didn't know before they knew the truth.
14:24
SPEAKER_00: Yes, it's like that sometimes, but it makes the point.
14:26
SPEAKER_00: It's like celebrating the same birthday every year, and but also as we hear these little piggy stories, we have to watch for the false protector called denial.
14:35
SPEAKER_00: It is to no benefit to believe you do not line up with any one of these three piggy human stories.
14:40
SPEAKER_00: But enough about the second piggy.
14:42
SPEAKER_00: And but so the third piggy came back with additional capacity and excelled beyond where he was at pre war, and most doubtedly never did see it coming.
14:50
SPEAKER_00: Now when I finished sharing this portion of the story at the round table in my dream, I remember getting up to use the facilities, and when I returned, the table was bare.
14:59
SPEAKER_00: Everyone had left, and this was a scene that broke my heart.
15:03
SPEAKER_00: And but I think it did because it is in fact what really happened.
15:07
SPEAKER_00: Where once we would live and die for each other, we would become ever so uncomfortable being around one another.
15:13
SPEAKER_00: Okay, so let me land this plane.
15:15
SPEAKER_00: So we still see each other from time to time, and after a short chitty chat about insignificant non related to the current battle stuff, the effects of the last battle are still obvious.
15:25
SPEAKER_00: The air is thick with social awkwardness and discomfort as if we never knew each other pre war of the past battle theater.
15:33
SPEAKER_00: It was as if it never happened, and this is because it actually happened.
15:37
SPEAKER_00: How we got so out of sorts is because we as humans rely on our flesh all too much in a spiritual battle, and the flesh with Satan's help is always divisive.
15:46
SPEAKER_00: Now my comparison of using the Christian divorce rate as an example of the prevalence of the mindset divide and conquer has been changed with some pending questions.
15:55
SPEAKER_00: Nominal Christians, people who simply check a Christian box on a survey but do not actively practice their faith, have a divorce rate that is often equal to or slightly higher, about twenty percent higher than non Christians.
16:10
SPEAKER_00: Older, broad surveys, like early Barna group studies that grouped all self identified Christians together, led to the famous myth that Christians divorce at the exact same rate as the world.
16:22
SPEAKER_00: And a second definition is regarding active churchgoers.
16:26
SPEAKER_00: When researchers like social analyst Shanti Feldhon reanalyzed the data to look specifically at people who actively practice their faith, such as attending church weekly, the numbers changed dramatically.
16:39
SPEAKER_00: Regular churchgoers experienced a twenty seven to fifty percent reduction in their risk of divorce compared to non churchgoers.
16:47
SPEAKER_00: And so this is a good time to divert if there was ever a good time to divert for a minute.
16:52
SPEAKER_00: Maybe the Holy Spirit is just giving us rest from such an intense message.
16:56
SPEAKER_00: Because the active churchgoer's explanation uses the following marker as a rule of thumb for defining a real Christian, such as attending church weekly.
17:06
SPEAKER_00: My questions would be centered around what defines an active Christian, because going to church doesn't define an active Christian from the view of the Bible.
17:14
SPEAKER_00: Nowhere does it state that if you attend church, you will be defined as followers of Christ.
17:19
SPEAKER_00: Jesus says you will know them by their fruits.
17:21
SPEAKER_00: Matthew seven sixteen twenty.
17:23
SPEAKER_00: You will know them by their fruits.
17:25
SPEAKER_00: Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?
17:28
SPEAKER_00: Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
17:33
SPEAKER_00: A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
17:38
SPEAKER_00: Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
17:42
SPEAKER_00: Therefore, by their fruits you will know them.
17:47
SPEAKER_00: By this all will know that you are my disciples.
17:51
SPEAKER_00: If you have love for one another, we would know an authentic Christian, because they would exhibit with some level of spiritual maturity the fruit of the Spirit Galatians twenty two through twenty six.
18:02
SPEAKER_00: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
18:10
SPEAKER_00: Against such there is no law, and those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
18:17
SPEAKER_00: If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit.
18:20
SPEAKER_00: Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
18:24
SPEAKER_00: That would and should walk in love because he is love, and if we abide in him, we should exhibit with some level of spiritual maturity his love attributes.
18:34
SPEAKER_00: God is love, John four eight.
18:36
SPEAKER_00: Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love sixteen.
18:42
SPEAKER_00: And so we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.
18:46
SPEAKER_00: God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
18:52
SPEAKER_00: We must be attached to him by word and by our hearts, so that we can produce the fruit that he has called us to produce.
18:58
SPEAKER_00: The first part of the definition is our commitment to him.
19:01
SPEAKER_00: The command to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength appears in all four of the gospels.
19:07
SPEAKER_00: Jesus is actually quoted the Old Testament as he refers to the greatest commandment.
19:12
SPEAKER_00: Mark twelve thirty.
19:13
SPEAKER_00: Love the God your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.
19:19
SPEAKER_00: Matthew twenty two, thirty seven.
19:21
SPEAKER_00: Jesus replies, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
19:27
SPEAKER_00: Luke ten twenty seven.
19:29
SPEAKER_00: An expert in the law answers, love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind.
19:37
SPEAKER_00: Deuteronomy six five.
19:39
SPEAKER_00: The original Old Testament source states, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.
19:45
SPEAKER_00: Sure, you might be asking, what is the meaning of the four parts?
19:49
SPEAKER_00: Heart, soul, strength, and mind.
19:50
SPEAKER_00: I thought we should look in on that.
19:52
SPEAKER_00: These words are described as giving your entire being to God rather than dividing yourself into separate parts.
19:58
SPEAKER_00: Notice the word divide.
19:59
SPEAKER_00: We recently referred to it and the source of it.
20:02
SPEAKER_00: Heart, your emotions, desires, and deepest affections.
20:06
SPEAKER_00: Soul, your life, spirit, and core identity, also known or defined as a container for your mind, will and emotions.
20:14
SPEAKER_00: Your mind, your thoughts, reasoning, and choices.
20:18
SPEAKER_00: It is the thinking and speaking pot of your life and it determines your capacity.
20:22
SPEAKER_00: Proverbs twenty three seven.
20:24
SPEAKER_00: For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
20:27
SPEAKER_00: Eat and drink, he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
20:30
SPEAKER_00: Proverbs four twenty three.
20:32
SPEAKER_00: Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it springs the issues of life.
20:37
SPEAKER_00: Romans twelve two, and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
20:47
SPEAKER_00: Proverbs eighteen twenty one.
20:48
SPEAKER_00: Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
20:53
SPEAKER_00: Matthew twelve thirty four through thirty seven.
20:56
SPEAKER_00: Broad of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things?
21:00
SPEAKER_00: For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
21:03
SPEAKER_00: A good man out of the treasures of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
21:12
SPEAKER_00: But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give an account of it in the day of judgment, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
21:23
SPEAKER_00: James five six through seven.
21:25
SPEAKER_00: Even so the tongue is a little member and boast great things.
21:29
SPEAKER_00: See how great a forest a little fire kindles, and the tongue is a fire, a world of inequity.
21:34
SPEAKER_00: The tongue is also set among our members, that it defiles the whole body.
21:39
SPEAKER_00: It sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell.
21:43
SPEAKER_00: Second Corinthians ten five, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
21:54
SPEAKER_00: So it's not what you think and believe as much as it is more about what you say and do.
21:59
SPEAKER_00: Yes, you must be.
22:00
SPEAKER_00: Think and believe without excluding saying and doing.
22:03
SPEAKER_00: The voice you use is the choice you make.
22:05
SPEAKER_00: And the last of the four elements, heart, soul, mind, and strength is strength.
22:10
SPEAKER_00: Your physical energy, actions, and resources.
22:13
SPEAKER_00: Notice again we have been doing and how you use what God has given to you.
22:17
SPEAKER_00: Money is most tightly held onto because we are so afraid that God will allow us to go broke and starve.
22:22
SPEAKER_00: Psalms thirty seven twenty five.
22:24
SPEAKER_00: I have been young, and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.
22:31
SPEAKER_00: Okay, so this is a deeper distraction than I wanted to take, but we will go where God leads and leave the effects to him.
22:38
SPEAKER_00: The next bit is us remaining attached to him through the reading of his word, application of his word, remaining humble as we encounter spiritual success, and allowing him permission to deal with our inward character issues so that we bear the outward fruit of love and service.
22:55
SPEAKER_00: John fifteen four, abide in me and I in you, as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.
23:07
SPEAKER_00: I am the vine, you are the branches.
23:10
SPEAKER_00: Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
23:16
SPEAKER_00: Ephesians five two instructs believers to be imitators of God and to walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.
23:26
SPEAKER_00: The meaning of those scriptures to conduct your daily life and interactions through self giving, sacrificial actions rather than just feelings.
23:34
SPEAKER_00: And we close this diversion with some of the required to be manifested fruits in our life based on love.
23:40
SPEAKER_00: The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree, and the fruit of every tree reveals what type of fruit it is.
23:46
SPEAKER_00: First the fruit, then the love.
23:48
SPEAKER_00: Matthew seven, sixteen twenty.
23:50
SPEAKER_00: You will know them by their fruits.
23:52
SPEAKER_00: Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?
23:55
SPEAKER_00: Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
24:01
SPEAKER_00: A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
24:05
SPEAKER_00: Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire, therefore by their fruits you will know them.
24:11
SPEAKER_00: The following are attributes and characteristics of love, which can be found in Corinthians thirteen four through seven.
24:18
SPEAKER_00: These are the exact behavioral traits of love, patient and kind, not jealous, boastful, proud, or rude, does not demand its own way, not irritable, and keeps no record of wrongs, rejoices with the truth rather than injustice.
24:32
SPEAKER_00: It always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres, producing the fruit which comes from the very root of love.
24:38
SPEAKER_00: Galatians twenty two through twenty three for the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.
24:50
SPEAKER_00: Against such there is no law.
24:52
SPEAKER_00: I know, I know.
24:53
SPEAKER_00: That could have been its own message, but God wanted it right here.
24:56
SPEAKER_00: Why?
24:57
SPEAKER_00: So that we wouldn't be so quick to think that just because we might attend church weekly doesn't necessarily mean we are authentically born again believers.
25:06
SPEAKER_00: Where do the falsies hang out?
25:07
SPEAKER_00: You know, the false apostles, false prophets, false teachers, false Christs, and wolves in sheep's clothing.
25:14
SPEAKER_00: In the church, of course.
25:15
SPEAKER_00: And it would be strange to define them as Christians because they attend church every week.
25:19
SPEAKER_00: Now it's a strange and real thing as this happens every day to people in the church.
25:23
SPEAKER_00: What is that you say?
25:25
SPEAKER_00: Well, you see, battles happen every day to nonbelievers.
25:29
SPEAKER_00: But we know that they are always on the losing side, which is why they do sin stuff like drink, use drugs, sex everything and anything, act out acts of violence, and use their words to crush anyone who tries to truth them into reality.
25:43
SPEAKER_00: I use my own personal behaviors that I exhibited as a non believer as an example so that none of the other tables clear out.
25:51
SPEAKER_00: I'm just trying to keep it light in this very hits home message.
25:55
SPEAKER_00: Revelation twenty one eight and twenty two fifteen, first Timothy one, nine through ten, first Corinthians six, nine through ten, and Galatians five, nineteen through twenty one.
26:08
SPEAKER_00: So the backstory or pre battle story of these three piggies went something like this.
26:13
SPEAKER_00: They met each other at a church in close time proximity, and became good if not best friends.
26:19
SPEAKER_00: They seemed to have a similar passion to see God move upon the earth, and to do extraordinary miracles, signs and wonders through their lives and the church.
26:27
SPEAKER_00: They all appeared to be revival minded and were sold out to the mission of that little church with a strange spiritual or religious sounding name.
26:35
SPEAKER_00: It was the experience of two of the closer of the three piggies that they encountered God in extraordinary ways, which I believe bonded them so tightly together.
26:44
SPEAKER_00: When they got together, their gifts seemed to be magnified.
26:47
SPEAKER_00: I often wondered what would have become of those gifts had those piggies stayed together.
26:52
SPEAKER_00: Now I use such words like seemed and appeared, because of where the three piggies are at today, relationally speaking.
26:59
SPEAKER_00: Pre battle, though it was a tight knit herd that walked with God daily, which was evidenced by their daily commitment to tolerate differences, to love and serve, practicing righteousness, even in private, when no one was looking.
27:13
SPEAKER_00: Prior to meeting and attending the little community church, we all had spiritual experiences or saw others flow with and in God's power, so this may too have lent to our connectability.
27:24
SPEAKER_00: Anyways, things appeared to be growing in the church.
27:27
SPEAKER_00: We had discipleship classes, we were doing everything we knew to equip the saints with the work of ministry.
27:32
SPEAKER_00: We were hanging out all the time, and even at some of our meetings and barbecues, God would draw near, blessing us with his presence.
27:39
SPEAKER_00: I mean like so much so, a strange, eerie quietness would come into our conversations, and it was as if God walked right into the room and sat down next to us.
27:49
SPEAKER_00: I miss these times together the most.
27:51
SPEAKER_00: But then and this is where most fail, and I'm not trying to be depressive as much as I am trying to be equipped.
27:57
SPEAKER_00: Yes, lots of made up words, but you already know that's me.
28:01
SPEAKER_00: The leader of this precious movement became distracted and wanted a church to attract more middle class tithers who can make life a lot easier on him.
28:09
SPEAKER_00: I believe he got caught up with the wrong Christian leaders who had the big mega churches, nice suits, big watches, and drove luxury cars.
28:17
SPEAKER_00: And now none of these things are bad as long as God remains your first love.
28:21
SPEAKER_00: Revelation two four.
28:22
SPEAKER_00: Was this a test from God?
28:24
SPEAKER_00: Could it have been a loyalty test to see where our hearts were really at?
28:28
SPEAKER_00: To see if we could be drawn away from our first love?
28:30
SPEAKER_00: Was it simply a chink in our churchy armor?
28:33
SPEAKER_00: This all sounds very possible, and right here let me say that the fault of us ultimately losing the battle lies on me, the writer, as much as on the others, who may have thought that they were nothing more than casualties of war.
28:46
SPEAKER_00: Even Judas had the Holy Spirit for a minute, Matthew ten.
28:50
SPEAKER_00: I do and did take full responsibility for my part, and God knew this.
28:55
SPEAKER_00: More on this later and the impact that the battle had on the third piggy.
29:00
SPEAKER_00: Okay, so before I start booking this message of which I do believe our story needs to be told in a book, so that others will not fall into the same trap that we did, which by the way cost us fourteen years of a massive amount of effort to try and grow a church.
29:14
SPEAKER_00: I will return to and close with my current assessment of those three piggies who by all spiritual accounts seem to be linked together at the hips.
29:22
SPEAKER_00: Now the following assessments are made and formed by my own experiences.
29:26
SPEAKER_00: They are my opinions of what I see.
29:28
SPEAKER_00: In no way are they intended to hurt any one of the piggies, and but if they actually tuned into this podcast, I may reconsider how I present the message least I hurt or harm them in any way.
29:39
SPEAKER_00: I am doing my best to be a little political or archaic, so as to keep who they are confidential.
29:44
SPEAKER_00: This is why I am using the allegory method least any pigs be harmed from within this message.
29:50
SPEAKER_00: So the first veteran or piggy who survived the battle went on with life, eventually having a church level five hundred one C three given to him so that he can refer a marginalized people group out to governmental services, that they might be better equipped for life governmentally speaking.
30:05
SPEAKER_00: My opinion, and yes I know, that this ministry endeavor sounds great, and who should come along and ever try to diminish its need and value to a community?
30:15
SPEAKER_00: That would be me, but not to say or deal with that enterprise or ministry as much as it speaks to what I think is remaining in the piggy.
30:23
SPEAKER_00: And but again, look for yourself and these three.
30:25
SPEAKER_00: Yes, there could be more battle weary type groups and behaviors, but I am sticking to just three for now.
30:31
SPEAKER_00: So look to see if any of these piggies relate to your current position as it relates to God.
30:35
SPEAKER_00: The point of this whole message is to be restorative.
30:38
SPEAKER_00: It is my belief that this first piggy could have connected with a large ministry, one that focuses on character, love fruits, and the power of the Holy Spirit, and excelled at a much higher level in order to learn how to tap and to untap spiritual gifts that God gave him in order to flow and operate in them.
30:55
SPEAKER_00: When I say that there is more in this person's life, I mean it.
30:58
SPEAKER_00: I have seen and experienced it, and see it every time we see each other.
31:02
SPEAKER_00: Now but when we do talk, I hear and feel the wounds of the battle, and no matter how badly we want and desire for them to allow the last battle theater to equip them for the next battle theater, we cannot force it upon the wounded.
31:15
SPEAKER_00: I fear that Piggy may have left a part of himself on the battlefield, and so his capacity was reduced.
31:22
SPEAKER_00: The second Piggy actually found another church that was born from the original church that didn't survive the battle, and he has now found himself in a leadership position.
31:31
SPEAKER_00: Also, this too wouldn't sound like a bad thing, considering the last church, even after fourteen years, never gave their people titles or Bible named positions, just more work and baseless flattery.
31:42
SPEAKER_00: But back to the second piggy, and let me address the noise in the room before we get back to it.
31:47
SPEAKER_00: You might have a lot of why questions, especially if you are spiritual or religious, but I am choosing not to address those questions in order to keep to the three piggy storyline, with the exception of that middle part of the message.
31:58
SPEAKER_00: I sense God moving me to write a book on the experience so that it can be of use to a church that may be taking the same growth path that we did.
32:06
SPEAKER_00: So look forward in 2027.
32:09
SPEAKER_00: I think I will simply call it Remedy Life Church, the rise and fall of the localized kingdom of God.
32:15
SPEAKER_00: Back to the second piggy story.
32:16
SPEAKER_00: Not much is happening insofar as miracle signs and wonders.
32:19
SPEAKER_00: Is character important to see within a church community?
32:22
SPEAKER_00: Knowing and walking in the love of God are manifesting, or, should I say, practicing the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit is very important.
32:30
SPEAKER_00: Yes, even above, but but but not to the exclusion of the miracle signs and wonders, not to the exclusion of the power of God being present in every gospel presentation.
32:40
SPEAKER_00: Okay, so let's see a summary of the evidence of power being in operation along with love and good character.
32:46
SPEAKER_00: Luke four fourteen states that Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, following his temptation in the wilderness.
32:54
SPEAKER_00: Could we say his capacity enlarged as he came out of his battle theater?
32:59
SPEAKER_00: Acts ten thirty eight explains that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, noting that he went about doing good and healing people because God was with him.
33:08
SPEAKER_00: Luke five seventeen records that the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal.
33:13
SPEAKER_00: Paul also operated in the power of God.
33:16
SPEAKER_00: Romans fifteen nineteen mentions Paul's ministry being accomplished by the power of signs and wonders through the power of the Spirit of God.
33:36
SPEAKER_00: Acts nineteen eleven through twelve records that God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, even using handkerchiefs or aprons touched by him to heal diseases and to cast out evil spirits.
33:49
SPEAKER_00: Second Corinthians twelve nine.
33:51
SPEAKER_00: Jesus tells Paul, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness, leading Paul to boast in his weaknesses, so Christ's power rests on him.
34:02
SPEAKER_00: We could go into the many scriptures that talk about us authentically born again believers, receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, but this is not that message, so we will leave it right there.
34:11
SPEAKER_00: And so what does this have to do with my second piggy friend?
34:15
SPEAKER_00: He has a title, but not the testimony of power.
34:17
SPEAKER_00: Now I love this guy, and he does me, but again this is a message for future generations.
34:23
SPEAKER_00: He has stories, but they are usually of others working in the power of God.
34:26
SPEAKER_00: But personally, this little piggy lacks the visible outworkings in his own life.
34:31
SPEAKER_00: Again, just my opinion.
34:33
SPEAKER_00: Maybe he just hasn't shared those power testimonies with me, but I say we were pretty close at one point in time, so I thought that I would have heard them.
34:41
SPEAKER_00: He, by all accounts, appeared to be unchanged by the effects of the battle.
34:45
SPEAKER_00: He is truly loved by many, but in my own personal opinion, he is just not all that he could be.
34:51
SPEAKER_00: He is an untapped resource in the kingdom of God, and to be certain of which I am not, his troubles may have been present with him before he entered the theater of battle.
35:01
SPEAKER_00: He too leaves much untapped gifting on the table, because I don't know, maybe he has become battle resistant and doesn't want to fail again.
35:09
SPEAKER_00: So this piggy does what is comfortable, ensuring a lower failure or casualty rate.
35:15
SPEAKER_00: It has been my experience that taking this position also ensures a reduction in growth, or as I described above, a capacity that doesn't increase.
35:24
SPEAKER_00: It simply remains consistently the same.
35:26
SPEAKER_00: This little piggy is smart too, and so it is time to move on to piggy number three.
35:32
SPEAKER_00: Now the third piggy is one that comes out of the battle theater nearly destroyed because he lost a lot of men, including his leaders.
35:39
SPEAKER_00: And so his initial thought is to continue in the sins he picked up from the battle, thinking and believing that there is no hope for recovery or changing destiny.
35:48
SPEAKER_00: His initial thoughts were that he has gone too far away from God to ever again be accepted as a son.
35:54
SPEAKER_00: This piggy felt that it is one thing to be a prodigal when you simply chase the sins of the world, giving no regard to God, but it is another thing when there is no description in the Bible for one who becomes a prodigal while still believing that they are in pursuit of God's will and by all accounts missing it.
36:11
SPEAKER_00: This piggy became a prodigal while living in the same house as his father.
36:15
SPEAKER_00: Maybe King David's story is the same, and but so this little piggy is not saying so because he thinks his life lines up with that king.
36:22
SPEAKER_00: Surely this piggy has felt filthier than even Paul did when he reflected on what he did to God's own church.
36:30
SPEAKER_00: Corinthians fifteen nine, Ephesians three, eight, and first Timothy one fifteen.
36:35
SPEAKER_00: It was believed by this battle worn piggy, whose past behavior stunk to high heaven, that it is better to die than to expect that God would continue using him in spite of his extraordinary lack of leadership in the very midst of the battle.
36:48
SPEAKER_00: This guy took on the sinful attributes of the tribe and community, knowing that it was wrong, knowing that it wasn't going to work out well.
36:55
SPEAKER_00: And so because of his fear of man and lack of courage to challenge the status quo, he became a proponent of this sinful behaviors, and a casualty of a great spiritual battle.
37:05
SPEAKER_00: At that time, there was no consideration for the potential loss of Christian soldiers, or the potential to diminish the faith of the spiritual babies, youth, and mothers and fathers.
37:15
SPEAKER_00: In hindsight, the collateral damage was enormous, and the pain of bearing those losses was enormous as well, which is what initially led to this third piggy's end of himself.
37:25
SPEAKER_00: I would even go so far as to say it would have been arrogant for this piggy to believe that he could spiritually recover from such a calamity.
37:32
SPEAKER_00: And the most impactful thing was the absence of God that he felt while nightly dealing with the battle on his own.
37:38
SPEAKER_00: Fourteen years of ministry, thousands of people impacted, and there was no one to check in on the wounded.
37:45
SPEAKER_00: But little did this third piggy know that this was the point of the battle, to kill any idea that he could be successful spiritually speaking, absent and apart from faith and God's specific will for his life.
37:56
SPEAKER_00: He too, like the others, doesn't want to repeat the past, but he also doesn't want the potential negative effects of the battle to shape his future.
38:05
SPEAKER_00: And this is the difference in Christians all across the world.
38:08
SPEAKER_00: It is not the battles which could be very devastating and traumatic in many ways.
38:13
SPEAKER_00: It's what the battle reveals hidden down in our very souls that is the most important takeaway that a developing Christian can take away.
38:22
SPEAKER_00: I have heard that it is a specific call of God on a person's life that creates, for example, the three pigs to take different paths home rather than staying in the herd.
38:32
SPEAKER_00: Perhaps this is true, but I don't feel that this is the case.
38:36
SPEAKER_00: And right, wrong or indifferent, three paths have been taken.
38:39
SPEAKER_00: Should the fear of man turn into the fear of a growing capacity?
38:43
SPEAKER_00: The fear of once again getting fully engaged in the next battle, as there is always a next battle?
38:49
SPEAKER_00: No, and it is clearly so for this last pig.
38:52
SPEAKER_00: This again is not to say that the first and second pig have left their desire to see God manifest in all that they do.
38:57
SPEAKER_00: This whole story is simply being told from my perspective, and just because I believe there is more on a person's life doesn't mean I am right.
39:05
SPEAKER_00: And but even if I am wrong, this doesn't diminish the three piggy story because I know that this very same scenario occurs due to the battle for those who are actively in the battle.
39:15
SPEAKER_00: But now so that we don't think the process of restoration is easy, some new and old sin habits had to be cleared from the mind and heart if there was any chance of recovery for this last piggy, and but one by one, those weeds were supernaturally destroyed by God Himself, and a new restored man appeared, along with him a new vision of his god.
39:35
SPEAKER_00: So how can the same battle have such differing effects on the people who are engaged in them together?
39:40
SPEAKER_00: I think I could give a thousand reasons as to why, but this is not a why message, remember?
39:45
SPEAKER_00: It's a capacity message, and one that informs the greatest sinners who, in the very depths of their pathetic souls, that really do want to get their Christianity right, and to always walk in the truth, and that no matter what, all things are possible in God.
40:00
SPEAKER_00: Proverbs twenty four sixteen for a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity.
40:08
SPEAKER_00: Psalm 37, 23 through 24.
40:11
SPEAKER_00: The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights in his way.
40:16
SPEAKER_00: Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
40:22
SPEAKER_00: Psalm 51 12.
40:23
SPEAKER_00: Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me by your generous spirit.
40:29
SPEAKER_00: Let's close in prayer.
40:30
SPEAKER_00: May the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before your God and Father at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
40:40
SPEAKER_00: Now may the God of peace, the one in whom we call wonderful, Counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, may He Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
40:53
SPEAKER_00: To our Lord of Lords and our King of Kings, to our high and lifted up, great high priest, who has once and for all paid the price.
41:00
SPEAKER_00: That you might see and hear God, may He hear and respond to our prayers.
41:03
SPEAKER_00: To our God we stand and pray as He too always lives to make intercession for you while seated at the right hand of the Father.
41:09
SPEAKER_00: May the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you what is more pleasing in his sight.
41:21
SPEAKER_00: To Jesus Christ to him be glory forever and ever.
41:24
SPEAKER_00: Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.
41:31
SPEAKER_00: To him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, to all generations, forever and ever, amen.
41:37
SPEAKER_00: Well that's it for today.
41:38
SPEAKER_00: Remember, it's not what you can write more disagree with regard to these messages, but what you can take away from it.
41:44
SPEAKER_00: Together we can do more to impact the key than if we work alone.
41:47
SPEAKER_00: Let's click the script and steel killing this code that works for the enemy and create space for the light of light to shine through into people's lives.
41:54
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41:56
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42:07
SPEAKER_00: You can be assured it comes from called a teacher.
42:10
SPEAKER_00: We have the word committee used to test everything you say.
42:13
SPEAKER_00: Let's build this ministry together.
42:15
SPEAKER_00: Thanks to see you next time in Deep Honors.