Sowing Logs

A dream, some observations, and words of wisdom from the Word.

I had a dream.

A group of Christians had gathered for fellowship. A couple had a baby about four or five months old and wanted to dedicate him to the Lord.

There was a man present who was supposedly an apostle, and they wanted him to sign the document that would record their little son's dedication to Jesus. This apostle was a cynical and angry man. He despised doing minor duties to minister to the congregations; he considered them banal and mundane. I brought him the document to sign, and he did so condescendingly. Then he left the room.

I noticed he had not even tried to write neatly, and something seemed wrong. So, I fixed the first letter of his name, a J, and gave it a bit of a loving flourish for the parents who would treasure this piece of paper as a memento.

After that, I saw the apostle in another area of the hall where we were meeting, and he was sneering about the letter. He seemed to think that these people were fortunate that he had stooped down to put his signature on their silly paper.

It was then that I told him that I had fixed his signature. He was incredulous at first and demanded, "Why?!"

I said, "You wrote it as a sigil. It was a curse. I changed it to a blessing."

He rushed from the room to look at the paper, which I had not yet presented to the parents. He came back livid. He paced back and forth and fumed about it, muttering threats under his breath, and then finally left.

I was getting ready to gather with everyone when I passed a counter with a little basket on top with a brochure inside; it said: You can't sow logs.

Then I woke up.

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I pondered this dream for a while before rising.

I immediately thought of my old joke about living in Florida—I said it was so fertile that I could plant a pencil, and it would grow into a tree. It was absurd, but it almost seemed possible. With that in mind, imagine how silly it would be to plant a log! You would have a power pole, at best.

A power pole is helpful but not the same as a living tree. It will decay over time because it began with something no longer living.

Just as you can't plant a house and harvest more houses, you cannot sow a log cut from a tree and expect to grow anything. You have to start a tree with a seed or sometimes a cutting that has received specific care; it becomes a sapling or a grafted-in branch, which grows eventually into something that gives shade or bears fruit or is cut down and turned into lumber to build things like houses and fenceposts. There is much possibility in a living tree, and the hope is that it will grow to its full potential and fulfill its purpose.

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I immediately saw the dream's application concerning the Church (the Body of Christ in the whole world) and thought of Paul's words in his second letter to the Church at Corinth. As I read it, I considered the idea of sowing and reaping.

2 Corinthians 11:1-15  I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me!  (2)  I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.  (3)  But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.  (4)  For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.  (5)  I do not think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles."  (6)  I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.  (7)  Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge?  (8)  I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you.  (9)  And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.  (10)  As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine.  (11)  Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!  (12)  And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about.  (13)  For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.  (14)  And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.  (15)  It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

Paul was jealous on behalf of Jesus, desiring Him to be the only true Love of the Church. He highlighted the dangerous false apostles and insidious workers of deceit so the Church could avoid them. Though Paul hated to post his "resume," reminding others of his service track record was necessary. He did this to combat the false "super-apostles" who were masquerading and pumping up the volume so they got all the attention that robbed the Glory of God and lined their own pockets.

The Apostle Peter also addressed these false prophets and teachers in the Church:

2 Peter 2:1-22  But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.  (2)  Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.  (3)  In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.  (4)  For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;  (5)  if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;  (6)  if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;  (7)  and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless  (8)  (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)—  (9)  if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.  (10)  This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings;  (11)  yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on them from the Lord.  (12)  But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish.  (13)  They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.  (14)  With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood!  (15)  They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness.  (16)  But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet's madness.  (17)  These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.  (18)  For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.  (19)  They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for "people are slaves to whatever has mastered them."  (20)  If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.  (21)  It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.  (22)  Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud."

The war between good and evil begins subtly, so the devil infiltrates the Church in stages, trying to nullify the Cross of Christ's work, rob the Glory of God, and bring His creation to shame.

But God has equipped His Church with His Word—Jesus Christ is the Word, and the Holy Bible is the written Word—alive and sharp, keeping everything in the proper focus so that we disciples of Jesus will also be active and alert!

Hebrews 4:12-13  For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  (13)  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Jesus warned:

Matthew 7:15-20  "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  (16)  By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  (17)  Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  (18)  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.  (19)  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  (20)  Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

1.     False apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are worldwide.

2.     These false ones are scattered among the fellowships of the believers.

3.     True believers must be on guard for such ones since they can only minister death and not life. They do not sow the good seed of the Word of God, but they sow logs because they are dead inside and do not have the life of Christ in them.

4.     These false ones are trying to bring a curse to the fellowship of believers, but the Spirit of God will give us discernment so that we can turn back curses and bring blessings instead.

Now let us see what Jesus intended for us when He gave us gifts.

Ephesians 4:11-16  So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  (12)  to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up  (13)  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.  (14)  Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.  (15)  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.  (16)  From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Jesus gave us apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip HIS people...

FOR WORKS OF SERVICE to build up the body of Christ,

SO THAT we would be built up and come into unity,

UNTIL we all reach maturity, attaining the whole measure of the fullness of Christ!

1 Corinthians 12:27-31  Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.  (28)  And God has placed in the Church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.  (29)  Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?  (30)  Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?  (31)  Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

And, of course, that leads us to Chapter 13 and Paul's chapter on agape love.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13  If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  (2)  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  (3)  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.  (4)  Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  (5)  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  (6)  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  (7)  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  (8)  Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.  (9)  For we know in part and we prophesy in part,  (10)  but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.  (11)  When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.  (12)  For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.  (13)  And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

The stark reality of my dream was the lack of love I witnessed in the so-called apostle. Love is the hallmark of the Jesus-follower. All that we do is meant to be done unto God and intended to be in response to His love. All we do, then, should be done in love. We should not resent it when we are called upon to do some service for one another that helps to build each other up in our most holy faith.

Last year the Church was disappointed again by the sinful actions of a man who had a godly reputation but used his privilege to place himself above his brethren and indulge his flesh. I won't say his name, but he disgraced Christ's name and drew the cynical eye of worldly people who have come to expect nothing more than this from Christians.

It is not that he couldn't repent and receive forgiveness from the Lord. But he didn't. And until such repentance occurs with its accompanying fruit, we must consider him a false brother.

Furthermore, the institution he inherited from his father is now in turmoil. Many wonder about their future. Many will be disillusioned, and indeed, the degrees they are working for will now be tarnished by his actions. His signature on their papers will no longer be a blessing to them, but instead, it will be a curse.

My brothers and sisters, please remember we must not have our eyes on other humans. We tend to put others on pedestals when we love and appreciate them, but if they let us down, we are very quick to knock them off them: this is the fruit of human pride and arrogance.

Our eyes need to be on Jesus. He gave us gifts, but we must keep our eyes on the Giver. We must not lift ourselves up in pride but remain humble before the Lord.

We boldly come before the Father because Jesus made the way for us. We boldly proclaim the gospel because Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit. We boldly stand in our faith when others come against us to curse us because we know that greater is He in us than in the world.

You have the pure Word of God. It is the good seed that Jesus spoke about in Matthew. That good seed will bear good fruit and produce crops for the glory of God because God's Word will always accomplish what it was sent out to do.

May God give us all the discernment necessary to recognize bad seeds, dead logs, and the curses of false brethren. May we take action required to turn a curse into a blessing by the power of the Holy Spirit within us, for this is truly God's heart. Then we can say what the enemy meant for evil, God has turned into a blessing to save the lives of many.

Shalom,

Pastora Cate