Planted Where You Are Planted
by Raymond Sloan
December 27, 2018 · Cornerstone Apostolic Church
Kind: teaching
Scripture: John 15:1-16, Colossians 3:16-17

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/raymond-sloan--planted-where-you-are-planted
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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thank you brother girl thank you so much it's good to be here trust you all had a good time with family and friends and you didn't make any more enemies you get what you wanted I did I got two deviled eggs instead of one this year you know you can never have too many deviled eggs Logan that's good isn't it I don't want to call them that but they're good good to see all of you outside have your Bible we're gonna be using it tonight well actually be in the Gospel of John again don't forget Sunday as our fifth Sunday it's our friends and family day that means it's for is theirs what food is involved so it can't be wrong if there's food involved we will have Church at 12 o'clock and then we want to invite everybody that will stay to stay with us in the Ark will have a time of fellowship and food sign-up sheet is out on the Welcome Center when you come in the door if you'd like to sign up to bring something do so and we'll just put it all together and just enjoy our time of fellowship how many are going to come and enjoy that know I'll be here I always look forward to friends and family day and of course the following Sunday will be the 6th of January and we will talk about vision for cornerstone for the next year excited about that as well John we're going to be reading several verses here but before we do of course the last several Wednesday nights before Christmas I talked a lot or each Wednesday and I should say about gifts that God gives I mean though God gives us what we need right he gives us what we need he's very good at that and as we approach the end of another year the truth of the matter is that we are now forced to look backwards at the last 12 months and see what we accomplished we are compelled then to ponder if we did everything we said we were going to do or want it to do or if we come up short how many are gonna take some time to remember no I'm gonna you're gonna take some time to just kind of get past and go on how many don't care all right I knew I'd hit somebody right truth is is that there are some of you sitting in here tonight that you weren't so sure that you would be here because the last few months have been very difficult in your life maybe some of you you uh you're still looking for answers for situations that are going on but yet you continue to come to the house of the Lord because you believe that God still answers your prayers amen regardless of where you are right now in your life we understand that each one of us are at a point of choice we make decisions right do we continue to believe God for everything or do we take him at his word what he says or do we we become angry and disgruntled and just say you know what doesn't matter anyway what do we look at it as another day to consider the faults the failures the UPS the downs the goods and the bags and to say you know what God and all of that I still want to love you I want to tonight if you would let's go to the book of John I want to read some verses here the John chapter 15 most likely in your King James these would be in the red letter John chapter 15 somebody began reading if you would at verse number one anybody please verse two okay verse three someone there's four okay verse five mm-hmm alright verse 6 someone hmm verse 7 verse 8 alright verse 9 someone stay with me guys first night verse 10 all right there verse 11 alright verse 12 right first 13 uh-huh ye all my friends he says you do whatsoever I command you henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth but I've called you friends for all things that I have heard of my father I've made known unto you you have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remained that whatsoever you shall ask in the father and my name he may give it you now I know this is a lot of reading and thank you all for bearing with me getting your Bible reading in for the day but when we understand the words of Jesus we know that specifically he's instructing his followers and it's interesting that he uses the the layout here or the the comparison between a branch and a vine it's interesting that he talks about love and how he talks about if you you know women you love him and you're connected to him you're gonna have a an ability to bear fruit in doing so when you were abide what does it mean to abide someone what does it mean stay live sure what else dwell good one what else remain what else abide oh that's the word yeah it means you stay there so over the last few weeks we've been talking on our Wednesday night sessions we've been talking about gifts God gives us things blessings abilities it gives us our minds and our capabilities to do it gives those as gifts he allows us opportunity to to rejoice in what we do we talked about that one night he he also tells us that there are gifts and then there are best gifts and and he also talks how that that knowing and serving and trusting and believing him tonight I want to spend the next little bit talking to you about planted where you are planted I have no doubt that everybody in this room wants to do is best and as much as you can see anybody here not want to succeed anybody here just just don't care about nothing in life don't care sorry that's the old-timer say no you want to be successful that's why you go to school that's why you study that's why you apply yourself that's why I've parents when you're young they say no you're getting up and you're going what are they trying to teach you hard work you got it you got to apply yourself and put yourself in it so we were coming now to the end of another year you're still here you're planted you are established in the things of God but my question that I would ask before we enter into next year would simply be this where to from here if you truly believe that abiding in Jesus means you dwell you stay you remain you you live you connect there then you have to trust that no matter what you've gone through no matter what the circumstances and things that your life is taking you through in his last 12 months in 2018 you've got to still believe Lord there are still fruit that I need to bear for you Jesus gave instruction to those who were following and they were very very simple and quite honestly in this parable miss and this account he's just basically telling them stay connected stay planted stay stay where you can receive the the word and then the the juices if you will the moisture and the sunlight and the minerals and what's necessary to produce fruit what does he say about those who do not produce fruit they're what they're cut off and they're thrown into a fire they're not useful only but to burn so in what we are looking at here if you stop believing in the power of bearing fruit then you are going to be in a position just like in this story to be cut off and cast into the fire I don't know about you but I want to be planted I want to be connected to the Lord God now I don't mind telling you in the last 12 months I haven't done and accomplished everything that I wanted to I have it I'm still not a Multi cabbage illionaire but my wife still loves me I still haven't dropped 48 pounds but I know where they are I still haven't you know gone back in and and reshaped myself and my youthfulness like I was when I was 20 but I can vaguely remember those days but to be more serious there's a lot of things in the church that sometimes friend you just got to know that you're connected to God and you may not see now you may not have seen yet the exact answer to prayers that you've been praying but you have to believe staying connected still brings the result if you want revival in your life if you an explosion of apostolic movement in your heart and your family in your home and your wherever it happens to be you'll never get there if you disconnect from him you won't being connected and planted if you will into him you've got to know that no matter your mistakes no matter the faults or the failures if you will that you have being fruitful says Lord I am still trusting you now question for you what what does fruit look like in your life I mean we're using that term and of course he's using it in a parable and an understanding of it it's a branch and it's a vine and so we can you know image and put this in our minds of a fruit that comes out let's call it grapes if you will but in your life what does your fruit look like does anybody have fruit that's being shown on the vine of your life lemons is that what somebody said I'm joking that means you're sour I'm joke what what kind of fruit in the spirit would you be producing have you seen me God do anything in your life over the last 12 months as God produced anything in you is it okay to ask that question I mean this is the last week of 2018 and and no no doubt sometimes were not content sometimes we we wish we were somewhere over the rainbow some times we consider that you know it's just toughed to go through all of the things that I'm going through in life and still serve God the way I want to the fact of the matter is friend is it's choice that you make facts are very plain is there another need for another Bible study in the kingdom I'm talking Wednesday night is there a need for another church service here at CAC I mean truth of the matter is we're never gonna be 100% satisfied nor 100% contentment with things are we when you come to the house of the Lord and you bring your requests or you you bring your petitions you know what you're doing on it don't you you're demonstrating the fact that there are fallacies and there are things in your life that you need help with otherwise we could calmly and very confidently lock the door and say you know what everybody has attained perfection so there is no need to come in here anymore some of you tonight you struggle you're struggling with things some of your sitting under the sound of my voice your mind's a thousand miles away cuz you're worried or concerned or or you're busy or you're you're trying to figure out things that you have yet to to figure out and because of that you're missing a great opportunity for the Word of God to flow through your system so that fruit can be produced I mean I I'm glad that every service when we come together that not everybody is up here at 100% aren't you aren't you thankful that that you can feel the encouragement of the word in a worship I don't know about you but there are times when I come into the house of the Lord that worship lifts me somebody else feel that I mean it literally lifts me there are times when I come into the presence if somebody says you know what how was your week this week and I said man it's fabulous how about you it was really tough but God made a way or when somebody says you know tell me something to happen in your life this week or this month or whatever and somebody reveals to you a miracle that God worked I don't know if you guys are aware of it but there are several miracles sitting here tonight on these pews I know it's sometimes it's difficult to remember all the good stuff God's done for us but the fact is if you are connected to him and his word is moving through you there will be fruit there will be evidence that something is working in your life there are times when you have it all together and there are times when you do not doesn't mean you're falling apart at the seams doesn't mean that your your your just hit the rock bottom and no it's just the fact of life let me tell you something if you've got a situation in your life right now it doesn't matter what it is doesn't matter the circumstance health finance physical mental emotional family loneliness whatever it is that you're going through whatever circumstance you may have multiplicity of these things happening in your life right now you need to understand something that if you will let God God will let you you can live a life of victory really how does that feel does that mean that I'm always up here no a life of victory means what you're constantly battling and winning you know tomorrow none of us really know what's gonna happen right we have plans the fact is is if we're trusting God and we're connected to him you can without a shadow of a doubt you can know that fruit is gonna be seen on your life now how is it to see the fruit of your brothers and sisters in the house of God what are you seeing them they don't walk in with a watermelon hanging off their arm much apples bananas what are they what do they come in here what do you see in the fruit that comes on there they're vine if you will on their branches if you will um new they are if you will faith what else love yes what else their worship certainly what else what is it Peaks yeah what else why do we call those fruit why do we call those things that are growing should they just be evident in your life all the time they may or may not be it might be today's an up day and your peace and love and joy and all that stuff shining but it might be then that you head down into a valley anybody like the valleys sometimes their struggles sometimes they're difficult sometimes the valleys hard and even you know that the mountains there because you can feel the ability to go up into a sin but yet I don't think there's many of us that really like the valley experiences see anybody like the mountaintop yeah but that the mountaintop it gets kind of crowded the interesting thing about the mountaintop is that only one can really be at the highest point the rest are where well it depends how point in the mountain is right so let's get them out like this and let's chop it off it so then everybody can stand up there together now what about when you're coming down the mountain their life's continuing what happens then who's in front of you what's their position they're lower they're descending well let the guy behind you he's higher you see them saying that's called the steps of life that's called just living life and you get into a valley or into a situation to where things are confused or things are falling apart or problems or whatever the fact is you don't stop there you continue to move and you let the Word of God produce fruit even in a valley I mean he knows you there's fruit that grows in valleys now I'm saying all this tonight because again what did you accomplish in 2018 I'll ask it that way what did you accomplish anybody graduated college high five that's a big accomplishment same another high five anybody else what is it you got the Holy Ghost yeah that's a great accomplishment high five knuckles anyone else what did you accomplish in 2018 got a job yeah that's a big accomplishment we're so glad that means a jobs get a paycheck right that means you got money in your pocket very good what else I know you're all sitting there saying well you know it's just a lot of things huh but the fact is this again are you satisfied with the outcome of your accomplishments because there are times graduated from college that's exciting but then you have a 200 cup of jillion dollar student loan debt to pay back now what accomplish this but reminded daily about it so all of a sudden the joy of that fruit what just happened just saying are you satisfied with the outcome that for an example got a job not the Holy Ghost is that enough or is that all part of who you are in your process see I have no doubt that every single one of us in here have dreams and visions if you have accomplished all of your goals if you have accomplished everything that you set your mind to then let me ask you this way what would be the next step then in your life what would be the next goal what would you be looking for to be produced in your life if you have yet to reach that or see that fruit come let me ask it this way what would you do differently well if you set a goal at the beginning of 2018 god this is where I want to be this how I want to this is what my purpose is I'm connected to you I know there are gifts and things that you give to us and Lord this is what I want to see by the end of this year by the end of summer whatever it is God this is who I am this is where I am but it didn't happen then the question is what should you do differently for 2019 because the truth is is that we can just finally decide you know what what's the use in believing what will be different in 2019 if you are connected with the Lord Jesus Christ day in and day out and you know that you know that you know that being connected to him is producing things in your life stay with me for a moment then you need to know it doesn't have to simply be a New Year's resolution if I may use that term but it can be a new year expectation God I believe that you can do things work things accomplish things in me if I am connected to you and yielded to you I don't know about you but as a church I want a determination and the family of God that says Lord I want to be involved in what you're doing if we really believe that Jesus is coming back for the for his church if we truly believe what the scripture says about the seasons of the end of time and and how that perilous times are coming and and situations are gonna happen and there's gonna be pestilences and there's gonna be Wars and there's gonna be rumors of wars and there's gonna be this and this and things going on then you got to understand are you able to handle them in your state of mind in your state of spirit right now Oh cuz some people quite honestly freaked out when the price of fuel goes up three cents so some people have difficulty when the Happy Meal toy is not what you want some people have a hard time with just basic things that are happening in their life what its gonna be what's it gonna be like when things happen we I mean I'm not here tonight I don't have time tonight to talk free-trade mid-trib post-trib but regardless of what you believe the fact of the matter is this is that the world in and of itself is going to go through some things to get to the place to where the church is crying out even so come Lord Jesus what if the Israelites have to do while they were in captivity in Egypt what did they do they worked they worked they worked they worked they worked they worked and they didn't even realize it but it was the Egyptians who said man if they ever figure out who they are they're gonna go connect with another group or another group of people and they're gonna overthrow us we better we better crack down on them and what they do say they put taskmasters over them and and with rigor they had to work and they had to work and they had to work and and then when when this guy comes along and says I've coming here to bring you out so I'm gonna go talk to the big guy and when he goes and talks to the big guy God says what he heard what you had to say Moses but I'm gonna harden his heart so what happened then all the more harder harder hard truth is as they were praying and crying out for salvation a deliverer to come to them that's what God told Moses when he spoke to him in the bush man the people are crying out so I'm gonna send you to go get them out and in the midst of the the this is a message for another day but the journey from the bush to Pharaoh's house what happened man things start to change now my question again 2019 how many believe Jesus is coming are you ready for it I mean what if we have to go through that Lord Jesus come when we have to begin to cry out are you still staying connected so that fruit will begin to show or doubt and fear going to settle in on you is that an okay question I'm using that simply as this Wednesday night study to let you know that the last few winds and nights got it we have looked and we have studied and we have seen there are gifts that God gives the church there are things that he allows you as one of his to be able to obtain let me show you something here written to the Church of Colossians Colossians 3:16 I think maybe most some of you have heard this let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord verse 17 says whatsoever you do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father by him everything you do do in the name of the Lord Jesus so if you are allowing the word and you are allowing the deed to be accomplished in you then you better be using the power of the name of Jesus it's not simply the name but it is the name that is above every other name so as you are setting your resolutions if it's okay to use that term as you are deciding now Lord I want to be closer to you than I've ever been then you've got to realize that is going to come with a price it might be that you'll have to disconnect from something that's in the world it may be that you may have to decide not to hang around that group of people or that influence that that family members got in your life listen friend there is nothing on planet earth that is worth losing your soul for nothing that said it's going to take some tough choices and decisions to allow the word and the movement of the Spirit to work in you to show fruit on who you are if you are truly a child of God then you've got to understand something serving God is choice loving him is a choice getting out of bed in the morning going to bed at night all the steps that you take throughout the day it's a choice that you make god I'm gonna love you I'm gonna serve you how many you know that the world will let you do and be whatever you want to be do whatever you want to do No Boundaries no limits are we finding that out 2018 yeah I take to the street scream as loud as you want to you don't like the judge you don't like the president you don't like the teacher you don't like the doctor you don't like the lawyer you don't like your parents you don't like we're neighbors whatever just scream it out loud say it and don't be offended when somebody does and the fact of the matter is is that is contrary to the laws of God and if you're listening to the voice of the world and the enemy guess what's going to happen to the fruit that's trying to grow on you it's gonna be stymied it's not going to produce what God wants to if you do things and you're establishing the root system of your life in the Word of God then what you're doing you allow the name of Jesus to be applied to it how many know you can still pray in public I mean you know you can still pray in private I mean you know you can pray in the big house or the little house the highway the superhighway the Internet you can pray what are you doing when you pray you're what you're doing what talking to the Lord thank you very much what else are you doing is he talking to you so there's communication going on I don't know about you but there's some times when I I have a lot to say to God and then there's times that I got a lot to be quiet about and listen to what he's telling me now I try to incorporate those really close together I don't know about you sometimes I spent a lot of time belly aching or asking anybody and if I'd stay there and wait for the answer I'd probably get it but then the phone vibrates or something this or I get distracted or something shiny goes by and squirrel you know and you wonder why you can't get answers the truth of the matters this is that when you are by in him and he abides in you then your desires your hunger your heartbeat your what what you're wanting what you what you want to see him accomplish and do you will see because every day you will become stronger now if you will remain connected to him regardless of what happens and you will decide at the end of 2018 going into 2019 Lord I don't want to just haphazardly make a decision but one thing is what I want is what I want to do God I want more of you I am hungry for a supernatural move of the Spirit in my life it might be that somebody in here tonight several of us maybe need to pray a prayer lord help me to get beyond the superficial of social the superficial of what somebody else says about this or somebody else thinks about this but God helped me get past that set that media aside and help me Lord to look in your word and say God what are you doing God what do I need to accomplish see we can all spend time with this and we can all see the really cute kitten pictures which I don't care for and we can all see the really neat doggy videos which are no and we can see somebody and what they do and we have a good time about that and it amuses us but mom I want to ask you a question when was the last time that brought you to your knees to pray for that situation do you understand I'm saying he's he's there and he's forever established his word is already spoken and it can't be changed so maybe in this coming year knowing that there are gifts and there are things that God gives to the church maybe we as a church body need to decide you know what God this year I want you I want to see you working in our altars I want to see you God work in our children's lives I want to see your Lord working in our young people and God I want to see them on fire just like they were on fire when they came back from Indianapolis Lord I don't know what happened to that fervency but God I pray you would reignite it again I want to see our moms and dads more worried about our children's future in heaven than our children's future at a school or college now don't get me wrong you got to set goals you have to set things that you shoot for in life but friends don't let the things of occupying in this world override your desire and hunger to make heaven your home one day let the word of Christ dwell in you richly let it have value in your life teaching admonishing one another singing songs and singing about the grace of God in him zand and things talking about things that's going on in in your life and how God is is showing fruit in you when you do that in Word and in deed and you understand God's working in your life then you can expect fruit to be seen so brother Doron if you'll come as you're becoming stronger daily and your life is demonstrating the power of the Word of God as it's working listen to me friend when you end up in a Sunday School class on a Sunday it's more than just a place to hang out but somebody is teaching the word to you teachers that are in here know that somebody's needing desperately that word that they're getting from you when you come into a worship service and the songs and the lyrics are on the board and the pianos playing and the guitar and the drums and whatever else and the voices are being sung it's not about hitting that note or making that presentation but it's about understanding when I encourage and admonish my brother while I'm singing about how great thou How Great Thou art then Lord you are working something in me the truth is God if I continue to love and to serve you and I hunger and I thirst for the gifts I seek for the things that you desire for me and the things around me they will begin to become dimmer and dimmer instead of brighter and in that and in that I am reminded there will be one light in heaven and it will not be me and it will not be you it will be him and he will illuminate everything that is walking on streets of gold his light will touch everything that is on that side were made very aware through what the guy saw when they looked into heavens view and there's no tears there's no sorrow there's no shadows there's no darkness there's only light love and peace fact one of the riders says I I noticed that tears were wiped from faces and noticed that smiles replaced broken heartedness I I'm seeing in that place Evan that something very powerful is transpiring as good as things can be on planet Earth friend you need to know something heaven is so much fairer so much fair so here we are the last Wednesday night of 2018 it's a small crowd and several are out traveling several with families some sick and so forth and and I'm sure if you looked around you could probably testified a lot of things going on in people's lives for those of you who came into the house of the Lord tonight I want you to know something being in the presence of Jesus is a choice and the things that God has for your life are going to happen because you make a choice to serve it doesn't mean those who are out of town or those who are here they're done I'm just saying for those who are here tonight starting 2019 with a mindset of God you're in control and I'm gonna run to you and I'm gonna be hungry for you and I'm gonna thirst for you and I want to stay connected to you I want to be in you and I want you to abide and work in my life as I remain and I dwell in you God and that connection and that highway of transfer if you will is going to be moving Lord and my life will be more than just something that other people's interested in it's going to be more than just something that I want to demonstrate to someone else God it's gonna be a reflection of you as you're working in me I want you to bow your head with me now if you would it's quiet on a Wednesday night and the clocks okay I want you to do some searching if you would for just a couple of moments here Lord am I at a place where you desire me to be more Durham I more worried about me Lord I had great plans and I had great ideas at the beginning of the year Here I am now at the end of it thank you for what's been accomplished thank you Lord for filling people with the Holy Ghost thank you thank you Lord for allowing people just study and graduate from school and get jobs and futures Lord and careers thank you thank you for that thank you for answering prayer Lord about children Lord about having babies about jobs and things that we do thank you thank you so much Lord for providing tonight Lord we reflect on the last twelve months and I'm asking the Lord one more time put a fire and a burden and hunger in the hearts of everyone that's in this building right now that we would desire to go deeper in you and hire you I believe your coming is soon and I believe the church is poised and in a position Lord for a great revival and outpouring but we're gonna have to be strong we're gonna have to be resilient we're gonna have to be determined to stay connected to you help us Lord not to be backbiters or murmurs or complainers but help us Lord to support what's going on I pray Lord for wisdom I pray for knowledge and I pray for understanding I pray Lord you'd give me a pastor's mind to be able to leave and I pray God that you would help the church Lord to connect to what you're doing you move forward this altar Lord filled with hungry hearts our Sunday School classes filled with hungry hearts our departments were working in harmony God to see revival in this our backsliders comfortable backslidden children husbands and wives coming home praying Lord for the weary traveler God in the life's journey that you would show them your love and compassion through the church or let us be what we need to be in the name of Jesus searching myself right now Lord and I'm asking search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me Lord in the way of her lasting that your word remain a lamp to my feet a light to my path I want to abide in you I want you to dwell and abide come on would you stand all over this place and lift your hands lift your voice to you Jesus you've been good you've opened doors you've made away you've healed bodies you have directed hearts and lives you've filled people with your spirit Lord you have been a miracle working God in so many aspects of our church and here we are once again Lord the end of another year we are thankful Lord for what's been accomplished the Lord and we're looking in the face of a new year I pray God that we would abide in you and whatever we do we do it in your name Lord and we go forward victorious through the battles Lord that are in front of us through the valleys and the mountains we we go forward victorious knowing it is all in you we are planted Lord in you we are established Jesus you're good to us don't anybody just want to love him for a moment but he just want to feel this place with a praise and a worship right now Jesus you're good you're good you are holy you are holy feel this place tonight breathe into this room Holy Spirit I pray in the name above every name Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus come on love him church would you turn your attention to him for a moment put your eyes on him for a while but the things of the world wrote down let your spirit Lord grow brighter go with this Lord this week let your hand be upon every home every heart that's in this room we're gonna come back on Sunday rejoicing and loving and worse should be here because your God your good your holy your righteous and perfect and I thank you for that you are a constant always always on the throne bleed your blood over each one of us god we're coming back Sunday expecting great things to be done in your name thank you Jesus for all that you are and all that you've done in the name of the Lord Jesus someday say man thank you so much for coming out on this Wednesday night shake hands be friendly be kind to somebody this week yeah the signup sheet is out on the Welcome Center for food for Sunday don't forget it starts at 12 o'clock so come 12:00 ready to rejoice and spend some time together love you all you're dismissed in the love of the Lord go with God