Page Six

Minister Clyde Derrick

Bible Studies
Week 1: Peace and happiness the Christian way
Week 2: False teachers are coming for you
Week 3: Your fruit shows your allegiance
Week 4: Keeping your shield high

I Timothy 6:5-12

5. Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 6. But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Philippians 4:11 - Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

Understanding
Most people won’t agree with this, no matter how many times or how many different scriptures you put in front of them, they will always believe money is the way to happiness. Where its true money can make life easier and help put you in a position to find happiness in this life, money alone is not the key to happiness and peace. Surround yourself with wealthy people and you will find some of the most miserable people on the face of this earth, 70 and 80 years of age, still chasing money, still not content.

To find peace in the kingdom of heaven you need to be content with the place that you are in currently even if you are working to change that position. Contentment doesn't mean you will stay some place that you hate, it simply means that you acknowledge where you are at this point in your life and that you understand, you may need to be there for the moment, or you have no choice but to be there at this point in your life. It could be that you might have caused yourself to be in that position with choices made, or it could be this is the way God is working your survival. Remember he sent the nation of Israel to Egypt to survive the famine, and they became second class citizens (not necessarily slaves but the work force for the Egyptian kingdom), they had to hold on until their change came.

Key Point
Most times there are other things that are taking away your ability to be content. Things like regret, living in the past, bitterness or un-forgiveness toward someone that may have played a hand in putting you in this position. Get rid of those things and it becomes easier to live in the now, to be content with the present situation while you work to change it.

The kingdom of heaven prefers godliness with contentment meaning life without regret; a life with forgiveness; without bitterness; not letting things of the past keep you a slave, the kingdom prefers this way over financial gain as a method of obtaining happiness. As I said, so many Christians will reject this teaching because their ears love to hear how God will give them all the financial blessing they desire. The scripture, not me, said of these people, “perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds.” Remember no matter where you are you are still washed in the blood of Jesus and awaiting your change into spiritual form, and even though we look forward to that, we must still be content to be in this earthly form for the time being. Truth is, everyone won’t be completely happy in this life but eventually the children of Israel left Egypt and if you are a living sacrifice to the kingdom of God, you too, eventually will walk out of Egypt taking their gold with you, even if this refers to you leaving this life and entering into eternal life with Jesus Christ. Be careful not to block your change because you are too business living in the past. (Egypt reference is about the exodus from Egypt by the children of Israel)

II Corinthians 11:13-15

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14. And no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into the angel of light. 15. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Understanding
There are so many out there teaching wrong, teaching what people want to hear, normally to line their pockets with money. They take the word of God and twist it so you are happy with what you are hearing and you will put lots of money in the collection plate. They may twist things just to gain control over you mind and body, in either case they aren't to blame for your destruction, they're just doing what they do. You should have opened up your bible and learned from the spirit of God what is the truth.

I know that sound unfair to say but here's why I say it.

After you take advantage of God's Grace and have faith unto the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ you receive the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit inside you all you need to do is read the word and pray for an understanding. Of course God does send people like me to explain some of the deeper things, but the Spirit of God will always give you enough to recognize light from darkness, good from bad, Holy from evil. The question is did you study the word?

II Timothy 2:15- study to show thyself approve unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16. But shun profane and vain babbling; for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Jesus gave you a warning:

Matthew 7:15 - Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves, 16. Ye shall know them by their fruits.

You should study and know what good fruit is because you should be working on developing good fruit in your life. Brings you back to question is Spirit of God in you? If you truly have faith unto the resurrection then yes, if no faith then no Spirit. No Spirit then no understanding, and no understanding leads to being deceived by the evil one.

Now do you see why it is your fault not there's. They can only take from you because you lack knowledge, you only lack knowledge because you don't seek it.

Matthew 7:7 - Ask and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 8. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9. Or what man is there of you whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10. Or if he ask a fish, will give him a serpent?

It's a war people, you are in the army of God. Who goes to war without weapons?
Ephesians 6:10-18
Put on the whole armour of God. Don't be a casualty.

1 John 4:4
Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Matthew 7:17-20

17. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth fort evil fruit. 18. A good tree con not bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Understanding
Following the lesson above, you will know that a person is of God or not based on the fruit. First you must understand there are two types of fruit. The first is fruit of the spirit or spiritual character. Once you have the Holy Spirit inside of you there should be a change of character. For some this will be a major change, for others not so much, of course all depending on how much you lived in the flesh and how much bad fruit you have (negative character).

Once you've developed some fruit of spiritual character you should, by that time, be doing your work and spreading the news of the kingdom of heaven. The results of this work should be others accepting and believing in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We call this fruit of your labor.

You can tell the person you are dealing with by their spiritual character. The problem with followers of Jesus is sometimes we have developed good fruit in some areas and have not gotten rid of the bad character in other areas. For instance maybe you are strong in avoiding temptations but when someone attacks you verbally you go off. You have not developed the fruit needed to handle attacks on your character. This makes it hard for the other person to see your good character and therefore they may not see you as a follower of Jesus Christ. As a member of the kingdom of heaven you will likely feel bad and ask this person for forgiveness showing the good fruit you have developed, this gives the other person a chance to show the kind of fruit they have. Have they developed the fruit of forgiveness? You'll find out. For this reason I believe it's very important that one of the first areas you work to develop fruit in is in the areas dealing with others. Developing good, positive, Christian like communication skills is very important. The hard one is learning to respond to negativity or attacks on your Character and still responding in a way that can still be considered Holy. You will be attacked so you might as well be ready to respond or not respond in a Holy way.

Now going back to the first lesson, being content, if there are things in your past that have a hold on you it will make it very hard for you to handle attacks in the present. You may find that an attack today is in your mind just the latest attack to be placed on top of the huge mountain of attacks that you are still bitter about. Your response will likely be one suited for a mountain of attacks but not measurably correct for the current attack.

Like wise remember you aren't suppose to judge people. They could just be having a really bad day and you just happen to be in their face when they are not feeling it. Remember the character of forgiveness the next time you run into them and they are apologizing for the attitude. All Christians should be understanding that just as they are working on filling out their tree with all good fruit and it's a work in process, the same applies to the other person.

Bad character normally leads to sin and you know what the bible says, Romans 3:23- For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. And Proverbs 24: 16 - For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. 17. Rejoice not when thin enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: 18. Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

Because we are always a work in process, I say as a spiritual man, sometimes you can't really tell what kind of tree they are (their allegiants) until after the conflict. Do they feel bad about the conflict? Do they want to reconcile with you? Have they forgiven you? Do they treat you with the same respect? Do they no longer say hello to you or is their hello some how different, less friendly. When I rented apartments I use to say, " I never judge my tenants by the way they come in, but rather by the way they leave." In the same way discerning by the spirit after the conflict is probably the most reliable measure of that persons character. By the way, there's no statue of limitation on when they come back to ask your forgiveness. They may not develop that fruit for ten years after the conflict, but if they remember and come to you asking for forgiveness, remember if you don't forgive then God won't forgive you.

Of course verse 19 just means a bad true is burned in the fire at the end as a result of judgment by God. This lesson wasn't really focused on that but we needed to give an explanation.

Ephesians 6: 10-13, 16 &18

You should read all 10-18

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

16. Above all, taking on the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Praise: Hebrews 13:15
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Understanding
It's a spiritual battle and you are a soldier. Soldiers don't go to battle without weapons and armour. The bible uses this picture of a soldier to make it easier for you to understand the spiritual things you need for this battle with the one that would destroy your spirit man by controlling the flesh man. The most important of these is faith to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If you believe in that strongly you will work to develop the spiritual character that you should have. You will study the word so to not be deceived and you will work to be content with your current state.

In addition to reading the word the one of the other three things you need to do to keep the shield of faith high is praise God. In doing this you are reaffirming your faith in the crucifixion and resurrection. You can't thank someone for something unless you truly believe it was done.

The next is prayer. (not in this order, it should be done at the same time) You need to pray to Jesus, your high priest, to help you stay strong as you work on developing the spiritual fruit. The bible say in Jude 24 - Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of this glory with exceeding joy. This scripture is one reason why you pray, praise and the the last one, practice.

You must put your faith into practice. This is not faith unto the resurrection, this is faith unto God's promises, Jude 24 is a promise. You must have faith that He is able to keep you from falling spiritually. If you don't practice this faith the same measuring stick used with resurrection faith applies, faith without works is dead.

If you do all of this your shield of faith will stay high and you will survive the battle.