The Axe Is Laid Unto the Root of the Trees by Brother Duke Hansen

         We have a couple of places we are going to read in the Bible this morning. The first scripture we are going to read is in the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 11 starting at the first verse. Our selection is about sowing into spiritual things. It does not make your life better to see anyone's junk but your own. God is not revealing someone else's faults to you. The devil can assist you with that and cause you to overstep in your walk. There are too many who think if someone is nice to them, that's a sign they are blessed and favored. Someone nice or showing you favor when you don't deserve it, does not mean you are saved or even well liked. 

        1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

        2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knows what evil shall be upon the earth.

        3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

        Let us look at verse 3 a little closer. If you fall toward the north or toward the south, that's where the tree falls. What does the tree represent? You and me are what the tree represents. The direction north is toward God and south is toward the devil. A question for you this morning; Which direction are you leaning towards? How can you lean toward God? Look at how you lean on things of the world. Do you lean upon your own understanding or the Bible? the Bible always points to God. Until you can hear God's voice because you are walking so close to him, you only have your pastor or the mouthpiece of your church to guide you. What do you trust in daily? It's easier to trust God in your own life than seeking the trust for others. A great story of faith in action is the story of Elisha and empty vessels found in 2 Kings chapter 4 verses 1-7.

        Trees after they are planted and nurtured will grow up toward heaven. Our direction in life is everything. How do we grow? Be careful on what you hear and what you listen to. People's actions should not affect you if you are grown and have maturity. It is in how you treat others that affect you. Basic communication is the key to success. We don't see this in terms of direction pointing to heaven or hell. How we grow is everything. Many choices in life presented will have you lean one way or the other. Taking a neutral position in all subjects will not work because there is no growth. If you aren't growing north, you are leaning south. You are either seeking for truth inwardly or for self justification. God sets up situations for us to chase after him. Examine the story of the woman at the well with Jesus. Did she go expecting a blessing that morning? No, but Jesus was expecting her. Afterwards she went back into town to tell the people of what had happened and as Christians that's one of our tasks. Go into town and tell of the good news, bid people to come and hear it. That is all! You don't start debating the word or social issues with them. You are a vessel of peace and not of strife. What you lean upon and trust in is everything. Do not put all your trust in what you know.

        Now, turn over to the book of Matthew chapter 3. We will begin at verse 5. 

        5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan,

        6 And were baptized of him in Jordan confessing their sins.

        Pause. Where are we in this scripture? We are speaking about John the Baptist who was baptizing people into repentance. Moving on and he gets some guests.

        7 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?

        8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

        9 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.

        10 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.

        People act different when they are truly repented and not side-eyeing you in suspicion such as verse 8. John was speaking out to the haughty and self involved spirit of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Both groups so wrapped up in being of the seed of Abraham and of the old ways they cannot comprehend the truth which would walk before them. Verse 10 speaks about the axe at the root of the trees, and if the tree does not have good fruit, it is cut down and cast into a fire. Bad fruit and no fruit are getting the same reward. Your intentions in your life matter to God and not to you. How do we grow to God? What is good fruit? Good fruit is when you do something that is written as a commandment in the Bible and not allow your flesh to respond. We know the difference between good and evil by the worlds standards, but the standards in the scripture are more black and white than the grey that the world presents. God is still doing the work listed in the scripture to this day, though many men have rested their trusts in things of this earth rather than God. Look where you come from in life. Examine your life here on earth. Some of you have grown greatly and are bearing good fruit. If you are able to remain submissive to the word, that will lead to you bearing fruit.

        Now please turn to Romans chapter 8. There are a number of messages you could take from this chapter alone. I want you to know that when you sow into the spirit and reap in the spirit, obstacles in your life are removed. Mountains that seemed unconquerable are crumbled. You should write every victory God has given you and your walk to re-read and reflect. Those moments added up should build and strengthen your faith. We are going to start in verse 5 and read to verse 14. Something key for you to remember and that's to trust in God and not in the vices and various advices of the world.

        5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

        6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

        7 Because the carnal mind is enmity(enemy) against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

        8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

        9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

        10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

        11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by the Spirit that dwelleth in you.

        12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

        13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

        14 For as many are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

        In some cultures of the past, they would tie down the branches of a tree either to the left or the right. The tree would continue to grow upward but also grow out more tied down. If we are as a tree toward God, it does us no good to bend in one way or another because we aren't growing upward like we should.

        Wrapping the message up this morning, I have a few questions for you to ask yourself and answer. What type of tree are you and what direction are you growing? Are you pointing to the north or to the south? The ax is laid at the root of the tree in our times. If you want to try and stay in neutral areas, riding the fence so to speak between the world and heaven, you are heading to hell. The truth has always been here for us to share with others and to live by, but we cancel its power if we just merely present the look of a good Christian walk. We invest more time and energy in being a fraud and a phony. You have enough for God to work with today. Whenever you are at a temptation, any type of temptation know that if you had already partaken in it and enjoyed the sensation it gave, that feeling is going to come back. To overcome it, you need to shut off your mind. Go and look back at scripture, at stories in the Bible where men and women of faith were tempted and how they overcame it. Pray without ceasing to God and submit to his will. The temptation will leave you, but unlike the lie we tell ourselves that it's gone for good, that temptation will be back. This exercise done again and again in your walk, this is how you build that protective hedge. God has given us the tools to build that hedge and wants his people protected.