- Some recent psychological research suggests that people’s personalities and character are like wet cement before age 8,
- 8 to about age 25 is j change very much, even if they go through significant trauma.
- Some people are shattered by life events still no change
- Only a few grow and are transform during adulthood.
- In other words, personal growth doesn’t just happen.
- Consistent growth is truly rare.
- When it does happen, it’s on the order of a miracle
- Transformation is by the Spirit of God & through the Word of God and with the help of the people of God
- He can and will perform this miracle in any person willing to cooperate.
I. Creating the Difference
Grafting is a horticultural technique whereby tissues from one plant are inserted into those of another so that they may be joined together
One plant is selected for its roots and this is called the stock or rootstock. The other plant is selected for its stems, leaves, flowers, or fruits and is called the scion.
Advantages
• To increase fruitfulness
• To make tolerant to environment conditions
• To make hardy making a weak one into strong one
• To repair damage
II. Making a Difference
a. v. 21 – Renounce
- Lay apart, Get rid
- As in a filthy garment
- Filth of the coveralls into Bowden Cave
Superfluity of naughtiness (Has to do with abundance)
• Immoral Behavior – GW
• Evil Excess – NET
• Rampant Wickedness – ESV
• Overflow of wickedness – NKJV
• All to do with disobedience
- We need to be honest – we are full of sin
- Is 2:10-12, 17-19 - Israel about to be destroyed
- Ezk 18:31 – Israel into captivity
- Rom 13:12-13
- Col 3:5-8
b. v. 21 Receive – Take hold, To come into possession
Matthew 7:24 (AV)
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
- Receive with meekness to govern your lives
- Meekness is connected with Humble
- Opposite to wrath –v.19-20
- Childlike willingness
- Engrafted - Rom 11:17
- Cut has to be made
- A piece taken out
- Another has to bind unto the cut and sealed
- DOER - Connected to the word RECEIVE
c. Recognize
v. 21- the value of the soul
v.26 Knowing he will be Blessed
- Applying God’s Word
(Matt. 13:1–9, 18–23
The hard heart, it did not understand or receive the Word
The shallow heart, Emotional but had no depthore no fruit;
The crowded heart, Lacked repentance permitted sin
The fruitful heart, Received the Word, allowed it to take root, and produced a harvest of fruit.
v. 22 Doer (do) – Not just knowing the word but apply the word
- Take action, Take responsibility for ourselves
– To form, fashion, to shoot forth, to produce
- Note it is doers - continually
