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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode is: “JUDGMENT BEGINS AT THE HOUSE OF GOD ”

I am going to talk to you today about wheat and chaff and wheat and tares. The chaff are people who enjoy the rituals of having faith. They look at church like a social club and not a place to gather and learn of God. They go through the motions but are not fruitful. They never grow fruit. They are an empty shell. The wheat farmers used to toss wheat into the air and the wind would blow away the chaff or husk.

Wheat represents those that have produced full fruit. It is that fruit that is harvested. The rest is thrown away. As we grow in wisdom and knowledge of God’s will and plan, we too become full of fruit. It is a good thing to be growing in the will of God. If you don’t grow, you become stagnate and empty. A husk without fruit.

Then they came to the threshing floor, in ancient times, there was not machinery to separate the wheat fruit from the rest of the plant that had grown. The wheat was extracted from the rest of the plant by beating it on a hard surface that was flat. This was known as the threshing floor. Sometimes they would have oxen pull carts across the wheat to separate the fruit from the chaff.

The threshing floor symbolizes judgment in both the old and new testaments. The prophet Hosea prophesied that God’s judgment would be on Israel because they went after false idols. Hosea said that God’s judgment would scatter them in the wind like the chaff is scattered on the threshing floor.

We all go through persecutions, troubles and trials. God allows each one to make us stronger. He protects us from a lot of stuff we do not even know about, but the things he allows in our lives is to make us more fruitful or spiritual.

We are in fast changing times, God is allowing things to happen that will separate the wheat and the tares. Only the ones with fruit will be left standing. Only those with fruit will be able to be a light and hope to the lost.

I Peter 4:16-19 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?  19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

We will not be able to bring in a large harvest as long as we are a divided body. There is a harvest that needs us to be who we were created to be by God. Notice verse 17 For the time is come that the judgment must begin at the house of God.  He is weary with the preachers that have the fake smile and are only out for their gain. They tell people lies and half truths, because people want a feel good message.

Do we remember the crucifixion? It was not pretty. It was horrible. Jesus didn’t die to give us an ear tickling message every week. Those messages do not transform lives they are like a pacifier. It gives people a sense of comfort, but there is no food to live on and their soul dies a little more every week.

This is not fruitful. The first chapter of the Psalms is all about being fruitful. As we grow in our faith walk, we will produce fruit. Verse Three says we will be like a tree planted by the water and will bring forth fruit in his season. As we bring forth fruit, whatsoever we do will prosper. Verse Four is the opposite of verse three. Verse four is all about how the ungodly are like chaff which is blown away in the wind. We want to be the fruit and not the chaff.

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Another way to look at the church as compared to wheat is when the bible discusses the wheat and tares.

God says let them grow together. In the early stages of the wheat, it doesn’t look much different than the tares. God warned that we may pull up wheat by mistake, but to let them grow together and He will separate them. The tares looks like young wheat that has not produced buds yet.

We are not to judge anyone. We will see soon enough if God’s fruit is produced in their lives. If they have the endurance to fight adversity and trials sent by the enemy. Troubles have a way of separating the wheat from the tares. Many that say they are wheat will turn from God at the first sign on trouble.

Matt 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Enemy comes in our churches often as false teachers and preachers and tries to deceive God’s children. This is why it is important to have God’s word in our hearts. So we will not be deceived. Tares will sow discord and cause trouble.

Matt 13:24-30 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

This is Jesus’ way of saying. We need to plant good seed. Then when the tares appear we are to leave them alone and pray for the ultimate judge to take care of the situation. In the end, they will be tossed into hell. The wheat will be gathered into the storehouse.

This is why we are to produce spiritual fruit. It is the easiest way for harvesters to tell the difference between wheat and tares. Remember that judgment is coming to the house of God. It is my prayer that we all produce fruit and walk in God’s love.

It is not God’s will that any perish, but they will have to yield unto God or be left behind.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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