"christ: The Ultimate Model Intercessor"

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES

(Luke 13:6-9) (6) "He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none." (7) "Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?" (8) "And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:" (9) "And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down."

(Mark 11:12-14) (12) "And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:" (13) "And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet." (14) "And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it."

(Mark 11:20-22) (20) "And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots." (21) "And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away." (22) "And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God."

(Hebrews 4:15) "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

(Romans 8:38-39) (38) "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (39) "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

PREFACE SUMMARY

Beloved, while seeking God for a message in an upcoming revival, the Lord reminded me of this message, and the reason this message means so much to me is that it is the very first message that I preached when I re-entered the ministry after suffering through several years of mental illness.

This message was delivered in 1995 at the truck stop Little Grace Chapel, located off Interstate 80 in Milton, Pennsylvania. What I did not know was that the lady Chaplain Kris Tackitt with The Association of Christian Truckers had recorded my message, which we called God's Flower Garden. In the message, I referred to myself as being God's flower in his garden.

Did you know that I had met Chaplain Kris and her husband Joe over ten years earlier at their Chapel in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where I had made the third attempt to end my life behind the cab of my truck beside their Association of Christian Truckers Chapel, but God had other plans. It may have taken more than ten years to get my life straightened out, but God, in his time, like Peter, re-instated me back into his ministry.

Did you know that Harvest for Jesus and two other gospel tape ministries asked for and produced that message on God's Flower Garden, which God used to touch people's lives worldwide?

Beloved, I do not remember the message except that it was centered on the woman at the well and how the model intercessor, the Lord Jesus, had met her in the heat of the day while sitting on Jacob's well in a land where the Jews had no dealings with the people of Samaria.

I remember ministering that night at that truck stop chapel with a message that was changing my life. I preached about the woman who met Jesus at a well in Samaria, whose life was in pain from all her past mistakes but who was used by God to touch a whole city for the kingdom of God.

Beloved, I remember speaking of how much I loved flowers, especially roses, and how often I would catch myself sitting beside a rose bush, showing signs of stress and talking to it, letting it know that my love for it is excellent. I will do everything I can to see it live to bloom in my beautiful rose garden.

This message provides a detailed examination of the 13th chapter of Luke, specifically focusing on the parable of the model intercessor and the fig tree. It explores the spiritual insights gained from studying the parable, which highlights the significance of having an intercessor spare the life of a specially planted fig tree in good soil.

In conclusion, this parable strongly emphasizes the crucial role of the vineyard caretaker in granting the fig tree another chance to thrive and bear fruit despite its initial shortcomings. Looking back on our lives, I believe many of us can readily identify with the fig tree's journey.