It’s Up To You

I have always wanted to raise my children in the house of God to use their gifts and talents for Christ.

My wife and I have taught them the ways of God.

We have worked hard to teach them how to be respectful and disciplined.

We want them to grow up and be the best version of themselves by showing the world Jesus through them.

I have found out that no matter how many things we teach our children, ultimately, in the end, they have to decide what to do for themselves.

To me, that is scary, but it is true.

It's the same way with us and God.

God tries to teach us right, but we decide if we will do right or not.

It's up to me, and "It's Up to You."

It's Up to You

Psalm 92:12–14 (KJV)

12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

13 Those that be planted in the house of the Lord Shall flourish in the courts of our God.

14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; They shall be fat and flourishing;

Now we should be growing as individuals and as a church.

But ultimately, the growth is up to us.

Let me show you why I say that.

So, spiritual growth is up to you.

Look at somebody and tell them, "It's Up to You.

You see, there is something that makes a plant grow.

I'm not a botanist, but if you look it up, there's something in every plant life, whether it's a tree, a flower, or a bush.

It has something called meristem.

The meristem, or the meristem line, 's where the plant takes in a specific spot on that plant where all the nutrients the plant takes in.

When it breaks out of the seed and comes up above the earth.

The meristem line on every living tree or plant is at the base of that tree, where it goes into the ground.

It receives the nutrients, divides parts of those nutrients, and causes part of the tree to grow up.

I don't know how it does it, but during the growth season, if you look well enough, you can see it.

Sometimes, it looks like a knot.

Sometimes, it's a different color in the tree; if you cut it down and look at the bark, you will see this colored line that goes through it.

It's where a decision is made.

The particular spot in the plant, where the plant takes what it's given, determines that I'm going to use this that I'm being given to cause this to go down or go up.

To cause you to go high or go low.

But the decision is made at the meristem line.

What's interesting about it is it's similar to cells in our body.

The body makes decisions from the cells and the nutrients it receives from its mother.

Coming to the infant's body, a decision is made.

You would make a suitable heart cell.

You would make a suitable eye cell at the body's stem cell line.

You would make a suitable ear cell.

They said that the cells that don't get identified can become dangerous cells, and unidentified cells can sometimes multiply into bad cells.

What's coming in can cause cancer if it's not sent and put in the right place.

So what I want you to understand is simply this, it's how the body handles what it's given.

It's how the plant handles what it's given that determines if it's good or if it's terrible.

There is a decision that is made.

It doesn't have much to say about what nutrients it's given, but it decides.

You would make, you would do good, I'm going to let you take me up, or I'm going to let you go down.

I will let you take me high, or I will let you take me low.

The tree makes that decision at the meristem line.

The body makes that decision at the stem cell line.

And when you think about it, 2 Corinthians 2:16 says that the preached gospel is a saver of life unto some and a saver of death unto others.

In other words, some people can hear the gospel and take in life, and their family is blessed, and they grow, and they get strong in the Lord, and there are people under the sound of my voice this morning who will hear the same gospel, and it does nothing for them.

There may be people going through challenging circumstances right now, some grieving over the loss of a loved one, a cancer diagnosis, or some tragedy that happens.

They go through challenging circumstances, and it is impressive that some people get bitter, and some get better.