Sermon Cut The Tree At The Root

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[2] The title of the sermon today is “CUT THE TREE AT THE ROOT.”

Cutting The Tree At The Root Does Not Equal Loss Of Salvation

• Throughout the Bible, God uses seeds, trees, vines, branches, and roots to teach us things.
• Some people take this teaching the wrong way.
• Some people say that this verse or that verse is teaching you can LOSE YOUR SALVATION.
• So today, I want to go over trees, branches, roots and see what God really means.
• “CUT THE TREE AT THE ROOT” and throw into the fire. What does that mean?
• Let’s figure this out today and stop allowing false preachers to teach you can lose salvation.

[3] Matthew 3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

That verse right there is from John the Baptist in Matthew Chapter 3.

• And remember, John the Baptist came BEFORE Jesus Christ. He led the way for Jesus.
• He was preaching in the wilderness, and he wasn’t scared to say what needed to be said.
• False preachers will look at that verse right there and say this:
• They’ll say: “If you don’t produce good fruit, then you lose salvation and are thrown into hell.”
• The funny part is they are the ones that aren’t producing GOOD FRUIT.
• That’s what I love about God. He ALWAYS turns it around on those FALSE PREACHERS.

So they say: “Produce good fruit, or you’ll be thrown into hell and lose your salvation.”

• But they’re talking about themselves BECAUSE they aren’t even saved.
• If someone teaches you can lose your salvation, then they aren’t saved. They’re never sure.
• They don’t produce good fruit because they sow evil and corrupt seed that’s a lie.
• You can’t grow a GOOD TREE from a corrupted, evil, and wicked seed. Won’t happen.
• Sow a seed from a thorny tree, you won’t grow an apple tree. You have to have an apple seed.
• Good seed leads to a good tree. A false preacher can’t grow a tree that brings forth good fruit.

[4] Matthew 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

• Now, in Matthew Chapter 7, this is Jesus speaking. Saying the same thing that John the Baptist said.
• So, let’s say that someone accepts Jesus and is SAVED right before they pass away.
• That happens all the time. 151,000 people die each day.
• You can’t produce good fruit until you’re SAVED. But those people didn’t have any time to produce fruit.
• Do you think God sent them to hell even though they trusted Jesus Christ to save them? NO!!!
• They are saved and went to heaven. Did they produce good fruit? No. They went to heaven.
• God didn’t throw them into hell. They didn’t get eternal life and then God threw them into hell.

[5] Luke 3:9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

• This is John the Baptist again in the Gospel of LUKE.
• “THE AXES IS LAID UNTO THE ROOT OF THE TREES.”
• It’s cut down at the roots and cast into the fire.
• In other words, get rid of that tree, burn it completely, don’t leave any of it.
• START OVER with a good tree. The tree isn’t you. It’s not your soul. You aren’t a tree.

What About The Bad Tree In Your Yard?

Let’s say you have a BAD TREE in your yard. I mean it’s a really bad tree. EVIL TREE.

• It’s dark looking. It has mold growing all over it. It’s rotting everywhere.
• It has vines with thorns growing up the tree. It’s just nasty looking.
• It’s still alive and produces poisonous fruit. Touch it and you die.
• How do you get rid of that tree? Do you just go out and cut a couple branches off?
• Do you go cut it with a chain saw? Some trees will continue to shoot out little branches.
• They keep growing. You can’t stop them. Then they start producing more poisonous fruit.
• How do you STOP that tree? You got get a shovel and you start digging that tree up.
• I’ve done it myself to many trees before. You dig it up at the roots.
• YOU CAST IT INTO THE FIRE. Burn it up. Roots and all. Guess what? That tree won’t be back.

To get rid of your problems in this life, you have to find the ROOT OF THE PROBLEM.

• In my work, when we have issues, we have to find the ROOT CAUSE.
• If we don’t find the root cause, the problem can come back. And it can get worse.
• When you go pull weeds, you go down to the root. If you don’t get the root, that weed will multiply.
• You have to UPROOT your problems to completely REMOVE THEM from your life.
• CUT THE TREE AT THE ROOT AND CAST IT INTO THE FIRE.

And remember, ROOTS are under the ground. You can’t see them.

• They’re tricky. They’re invisible to our eyes when under the ground.
• They FEED the entire tree. So, the roots are like what’s on the INSIDE OF US.
• The tree trunk, the branches, the leaves, the fruit are what we can see on the OUTSIDE.
• That’s like the outside of us.

I want to look at Matthew Chapter 23 and show you something today.

• In Matthew Chapter 23, Jesus Christ is tearing into the Pharisees. He sure isn’t being nice.
• He’s calling them names. He’s telling them how NASTY they are.
• So, for anyone who says “MY JESUS” is always nice and loving. He never preaches against sin.
• You can do whatever you want and “MY JESUS” will always love you. Hey, that’s a FALSE JESUS.
• That’s a fairy tale JESUS. That’s a MADE UP JESUS.

Jesus says the following about the Pharisees or the RELIGIOUS LEADERS of that day.

• Does He say it privately? Does He talk behind their back? NOPE. Not Jesus. Straight to their face.
• He says this, “WOE UNTO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES!!!”
• You produce fruit that is “TWOFOLD MORE THE CHILD OF HELL THAN YOURSELVES!!!”
• He calls them “Blind Guides.” He says to them: “YE FOOLS AND BLIND!!!” He repeats it.
• He says this in verse 33 of Matthew Chapter 23.

[6] Matthew 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

• But watch what Jesus says in the following verses in Matthew Chapter 23.
• Remember, we’re talking about a tree and it’s roots. And how the roots are hidden.
• You can’t see on the inside of somebody. But you can see what’s on the outside.
• And Jesus is telling us: there could be a good looking tree BUT watch what it bears as fruit.
• You might have a beautiful looking tree that bears some nasty and corrupt fruit.
• Then, you’ll know what kind of tree that is.

[7] Matthew 23:25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

• He’s saying: “HEY, you make the outside look good but the inside is just NASTY.”
• Religious people make themselves look all great to you. “Hey, look how great I am!!!”
• But inside, they’re sick, nasty, and vile people. You got to watch out for that.

[8] Matthew 23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

• That verse right there is JESUS talking about the same that we saw about CHOPPING THAT TREE DOWN at the roots.
• CLEANSE THAT WHICH IS WITHIN! Why? So the outside may be clean also.
• The inside produces the problems on the outside. IT ALWAYS HAPPENS THAT WAY.
• People make the outside look really good but the inside is ROTTEN and NASTY. Corrupt.

[9] Matthew 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

• Sepulchres are tombs of the dead. Jesus says, inside those sepulchres are dead men’s bones.
• He says those sepulchres are full of uncleanness. Nasty on the inside.
• But they’ve painted them up to look real nice on the outside.

[10] Matthew 23:28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

• It reminds me of the homes people flip to make fast money off of people.
• They’ll flip the home. Don’t even know what they’re doing. Sell it because it looks good on the outside.
• But inside those walls are nasty mold, mildew, mice, rats.
• They just put a cover of new paint, new siding, and it all looks good on the outside.

The Outside Does Matter

But look, don’t take all of this wrong way either. Some people will say:

• “SEE!!! The outside doesn’t matter.” It only matters what’s on the inside.
• Jesus doesn’t say that. He didn’t say: “THE OUTSIDE DOESN’T MATTER. IT’S ONLY THE INSIDE.”
• That’s not in the Bible. What did Jesus say? Let’s look back at verse 26.

[11] Matthew 23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

• So He says to clean FIRST that which is within so the outside may be clean also.
• If you someone has a problem that can be seen on the outside, that comes from a problem on the inside.
• Let’s say you saw me dressing like one of the Backstreet boys and my hair all pretty.
• And I started wearing skinny jeans and tight shirts to show off my arms.
• I started trying to look like one those men who tries to be feminine.
• That all comes from homosexuals who are leading all the fashion trends in Hollywood.
• That’s another reason to not watch TV. It’s evil because it trains our children.
• The movie stars are cool, and I want to look like them. No, you don’t.

That’s an issue that comes from the inside. If I started acting like that, I have an issue on the inside.

• If I see a man that has long hair, that’s an external problem. But it starts on the inside.
• Most people would say: “Hey, that’s not a problem because it’s on the outside.”
• Yeah, but the problem starts on the inside. Do you want to please God?

[12] 1 Corinthians 11:14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

• So, does it matter if a man has long hair? It’s just an outward appearance thing.
• Yes, it matters! Does it save you? No, it doesn’t SAVE YOU.
• What’s on the inside, that we can’t see, saves you. BUT the outside is important too.
• Not having faith in the word of God, that verse on the screen right there, is an INWARD problem.

[13] 1 Corinthians 11:15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

• The Bible teaches a man should have short hair and a woman SHOULD have long hair.
• Is that going to save you or send you to hell? No, it’s not.
• The Bible asks the question: “WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?” MUST.
• The answer is “BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.”
• It doesn’t say: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ AND make sure you have long hair if you’re a woman.”
• The Bible is telling us what we SHOULD look like on the outside. This is what pleases God.
• So again, do you want to please the ALMIGHTY GOD who gave you life and saved you?

Good On The Outside Does Not Equal Good On The Inside

Just because you see me dressing modestly, not like Hollywood, not to show off, not to be WOW look at him.

• That doesn’t mean that I’m right on the inside either. I could be really messed up.
• You can be perfectly clean looking and modestly dressed and have big issues on the inside.
• So again, you need to get the inside and the outside right. It goes both ways.
• But FIRST, you need to make sure you have the inside right. The roots of the tree must be right.
• So, I can look at a woman who has hair cut like a man and see there’s a problem on the inside.
• She doesn’t want to accept what God says in the Bible. Same thing with a man who has long hair.
• Most women in this country are RUNNING their households. That’s not God’s design.
• The men are lazy and need to step up and take the leadership role as GOD designed. HIS DESIGN.

[14] Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

[15] Colossians 3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

• Do you believe what that says? If not, there’s a problem on the inside.
• That problem on the inside could show up on the outside with short hair cut like a man.
• Dressing like a man. Looking like a man. Ruling over your husband. And so on.
• “Hey, my husband isn’t going to tell me what to do. I give him the to-do lists. He does what I say.”
• “I take care of the money. He just does what I tell him to do.” There’s something wrong on the inside.
• And with the husband, there’s something WRONG on the inside.
• For both, in that marriage, it’s not going to turn out good. It could be much, much better.

So, you can FIX the outside and it doesn’t mean it’s going to fix the inside.

• You can let your hair grow out as a woman OR cut your hair as a man.
• It doesn’t mean it’s going to fix the issues on the inside.
• It’s a great start if you’re doing it for the right reasons.
• But remember, we’re talking about CUTTING A TREE AT THE ROOT and burning it in the fire.
• So, to fix something, you have to get to THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM. To the root of that tree.
• You have to take that TREE that’s grown up that’s causing you problems AND cut it at the root.
• Take you a GREAT BIG AXE and chop that tree at the ROOTS.

So, let’s see some examples of things people do today that ISN’T stopping a problem at the roots.

• Let’s say you’re getting sick all the time. WHY ARE YOU GETTING SICK ALL THE TIME?
• God created REAL FOOD for us to eat. That food gives us nutrients that heal our bodies.
• But most people eat fast food all the time. And it has little to NO nutrients at all.
• It gives you more that hurts your body than it adds to your body.
• So then, instead of helping your body, your body has to work harder to get rid of the bad stuff from that food. It’s overtime work for your body.
• Instead, you should have given your body all good stuff AND your body would be ready to fight off sickness. That’s the key.

Get To The Root Of The Problem

But instead, what do most people do? They get sick and they go to the doctor and get medicine.

• The medicine is put into your body and it hurts your body and makes it even tougher for your body to fight off sickness the next time around.
• So you get sick sooner next time, and you continue eating bad foods and drinking bad drinks.
• You are killing your body slowly. Death will come sooner. You don’t want that. It’s not good.
• In other words, you aren’t finding the ROOT CAUSE and chopping that tree down at the root.
• So today, if you eat bad foods most of the time, it’s time to CHOP DOWN that tree at the roots.
• “Well, I don’t have the money to buy healthier food or the time to fix it.”
• Oh yes you do. You have the money and the time. You have the money for all the doctor visits.
• You have the money for the prescriptions. You have the time to watch TV.
• God gave you all the time you need to do things the right way. There is no excuse.

Here’s another example: People have headaches and take Tylenol, Advil, pain relievers all day long.

• I have a headache every day. I’ll take Tylenol every day. No, that’s not good.
• If you drink caffeine all day in coke, coffee, tea, and energy drinks, what do you think the problem is?
• It’s what you’re putting in your body. And it’s what you’re not putting in your body.
• You need water. You need good food. God is warning you with all the headaches.
• What do you do? Take pain relievers. That’s not cutting the tree at it’s roots.
• That’s adding to the problem. That’s putting things in your body that it doesn’t need.

[16] 1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

• You don’t want to put all that stuff in your body that it doesn’t need or want.
• It affects your mind and your thinking. It hurts you.
• You want and need a clear mind when you’re reading the BIBLE.
• If you want to understand it the best possible, have a clear mind without anything affecting it.
• When something hurts, don’t just pop a pill. Try to figure out why and fix it at the ROOT.
• Head hurts? Get a big glass of water and add some fresh lemons to it.
• Fix you a good meal like chicken fajitas on brown rice, spices, peppers, onions, vegetables.
• All those things will FEED YOUR BODY. Read the Bible BEFORE and during your meals. FEED YOUR SOUL.
• Pray and ask God to help you get better. Ask the others around you to pray with you.

[17] John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

• Notice what it says right there: IF YE ABIDE IN ME AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU.
• That’s a condition right there. Read the word of God, stay in the word of God.
• Then ask and then you will receive. You learn who God is before you ask something.

A Good Doctor Guides You To The Actual Root Cause

If you go to the doctor, a good doctor will guide you in the right direction.

• Well, Doctor, I have high blood pressure all the time. What should I do?
• How’s your diet? What foods are you eating? How much water are you drinking?
• How much are you sleeping? Are you working way too much?
• Well, I eat fast food most of the time. I drink a lot of liquids. Diet Coke. Red Bull.
• I sleep a few hours each night. I have trouble sleeping. Acid reflux sometimes.
• A good doctor will tell you to fix your diet, drink water all the time. Eat natural foods. Not processed.
• Your sleep will get better. Stop working so much. 80 hours a week is too much!!!
• A bad doctor will give you a choice.
• Fix everything OR take these pills to lower your blood pressure. Here’s some sleeping pills too.

Most people say: “Hey, I would rather eat what I WANT and take the pill.” WRONG ANSWER.

• That’s choosing your desires over what God chose for you.
• “Well, I can’t give up the fast food. It’s so good. Can’t do it.” Yeah you can. I did.
• I’m doing MUCH better than I ever have. No fast food in almost 2 years. NONE. Wow, the difference.
• 170-180 over 90 to 110 blood pressure down to 125-135 over 70-80. Feel great. Mind is clear.
• I take ZERO MEDICINE. I trust in the WORD OF GOD. I have it at every meal. That’s what we need.
• That’s taking a BAD TREE and chopping it down at the roots and burning it in the fire. NEVER AGAIN.
• Let’s do it God’s way. Not our own way. 2 choices: 1) Do it your way by your desires. OR
• 2) Do it God’s way through HIS DESIRES for you. His way is better ALWAYS. Not even close.

So, think of a tree that you’ve grown up and you keep getting all those bad little branches growing out.

• You get a sickness here. You get aches over there. You get pains over here.
• Headaches over there. Money problems springing out over there. Problems at work over here.
• Family problems there. You just keep getting all of these branches springing up.
• You keep cutting off the little branches with band aid fixes. But the TREE is growing larger.
• It’s a corrupt tree. It gets worse and worse over time.

What do you do? YOU CUT THE WHOLE TREE DOWN AT THE ROOTS. Throw it into the fire.

• Burn it up so nothing is left. START OVER. Now, let’s grow a good tree.
• Let’s start that foundation with JESUS CHRIST. Let’s be saved today. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Be rooted in the WORD OF GOD. That’s the roots you need.
• Once you have those roots growing, it’s amazing. A little tree pops up. You keep it growing.

You obey God. You read the Bible. God starts to open your eyes. You feed that good tree.

• You eat healthy foods, drink water all day. All the problems go away. God is growing the tree now.
• You aren’t doing it any more. God is doing it. And you feel great on the inside and the outside.
• You got a good tree growing now. And what happens?
• You see that the word of God says to preach the Gospel. You learn the Gospel. You study the Gospel.
• You start preaching the Gospel to your family, friends, strangers. You win souls to Jesus Christ.
• Your tree has now turned into a TREE OF LIFE. Not death any more. It’s a tree of life.

[18] Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

• Your tree is NOW producing FRUIT for God. This is GOOD FRUIT!!!
• God is producing that fruit through you. You are saving souls through God.
• That’s what God wants. CHOP DOWN THAT OLD TREE at the roots. Grow a good tree.

Do You Have A Bad Tree Growing?

So, let’s say you have a bad tree growing right now. Why is a bad tree growing?

• Why do these bad branches keep shooting out all over the place? Let’s see.
• I want you to understand the root cause of all the problems in your tree.
• All the sin in your life is causing all the problems. The bad branches are coming from sin.
• You say: “Well, I don’t believe drinking coke is a sin.” Oh yes it is.
• God doesn’t want you drinking that trash. It’s 100% pure trash. It hurts your body.

And you might be thinking: “Wow, Josh, you are too strict.”

• Listen, Coke is hurting you. I promise you that. It messes up your head, your thinking.
• That’s not from God. If you can’t think clearly because of something, it’s not from God.
• Hey, I’ve been there. I got rid of all that stuff. It’s so much better!
• I’m not being strict to condemn you for drinking something. I’m saying it to help you feel better.
• I’m saying it so you can see and hear the words of the Bible better each day.
• You can drink what you want. We don’t have rules against that here. God gave you choices.
• We don’t have a rule that says YOU MUST go Soul Winning with us.
• We don’t have a rule that says you MUST dress this way or that way.
• God gives us things in the Bible that we SHOULD DO. He doesn’t say YOU MUST do this to be saved.

[19] Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

• I absolutely love that Scripture right there. You might think I’m preaching against everything today.
• You might say: “You’re talking about everything I eat, drink, work, sleep, dress, my hair, everything.”
• No, I’m not. We’re going to fix everything all at once. What does Jesus say right there?
• He says: “COME UNTO ME ALL YE THAT LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY BURDEN.”
• Jesus says: “Hey, I WILL GIVE YOU REST.”
• He says: “Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart.”
• You shall find REST unto YOUR SOUL. He says: “Hey, my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
• He’s trying to give you the solution to everything. Do you see it today?

Where Do These Rules Come From?

You have all these churches and organizations and schools and Bible colleges that have all these RULES.

• They say: “You MUST do this and this OR we WILL kick you out.”
• No facial hair. That’s not in the Bible. Women, you can’t trim your hair. That’s not in the Bible.
• You MUST shave every day. That’s not in the Bible. Men have beards in the Bible.
• Men, you must wear pants with pleats in the pants. That’s not in the Bible.
• Women, your dress must come to your ankles. That’s not in the Bible.
• But what do you see on the outside from a Bible college? The people look amazing.
• They are spectacular!!! Perfect hair. Perfect clothes. Ironed perfectly. No wrinkles. Groomed.
• But they don’t understand why they must follow all these rules.
• There’s no basis for the rules. They don’t teach them the Bible. They are confused.

Instead, they should be teaching them WHY we should do things IN THE BIBLE.

• Here’s why you SHOULD read the word of God every day.
• Here’s why you SHOULD come to church.
• Here’s why you SHOULD go Soul Winning.
• Here’s why you SHOULD pray to God throughout the day.
• Here’s why you shouldn’t have long hair as a man.
• Here’s why you shouldn’t have short hair as a woman.
• But yet, all of those churches, Bible colleges, seminaries: they confuse people.
• They take man-made rules and mix in some rules from God. It’s confusing.
• They don’t teach the Bible. They teach more of what man says.

YOU need to know the word of God. Once you understand Him, you’ll want to please Him.

• People REBEL against all of those rules because they no authority backing those rules.
• They don’t understand the rules. They’re all just made up and don’t make any sense.
• Once you know the Bible and what He asks, you’ll want to do it. And it’s YOUR DECISION.
• You won’t be doing it because WE GAVE YOU THIS RULE or that rule.
• You’ll understand on your own, and do it on your own. God’s not making you do it either.

In other words, it’s your choice. I’m not going to make you. I’m going to teach you what He says.

• Then, you choose. Jesus says: “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
• Jesus doesn’t say you have to be perfect. He knows you aren’t. He knows you mess up.
• He knows you’re a sinner. He knows everything about you. Everything you’ve ever done.
• He created you. He shaped your face, your eyes, your ears, your nose, mouth.

[20] Matthew 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

• He knows the number of hairs on your head. He knows every thought you’ve ever had.
• That’s scary for me. He knows I’m not a good person. He knows my thoughts.
• And yet, He went to that cross and died for you and I. He went to hell for you and I.
• He already knows that you’re going to mess up. That’s why HIS YOKE is easy and HIS BURDEN is light.

So, what’s CAUSING us to sin? We need to get to the actual root cause of all the sin.

• Then, we don’t have to fix little problems like drinking Coke. Let’s take care of it all at once.
• Doesn’t that sound easier? You get to the ROOT OF THE PROBLEM.
• You have all these issues in your life. Try to fix them one at a time. It’s going to take you a long time.
• It’s hard work fixing all of those things. It’s not easy to do.
• Why is there so much sin in our lives? Well, let’s fix it all at once. It’s not hard.
• We simply need to know what the Bible says.

Rehab Might Help For A Little While

If someone has a drug problem, you can put them in rehab, they can do good for a little while.

• Then what happens? They get around a bad influence and it happens again.
• Why? Because they didn’t fix the root of the problem.
• You need to learn how to make the right choices each day.
• Making the right choices leads to less sin in our lives. Where does sin come from?
• Let’s see what the KING JAMES BIBLE says.

I want you to turn to 1 Timothy Chapter 6 in your Bibles if you have one with you.

• If not, I’ll have the verses on the screen. But, I want you to see this today.
• 1 Timothy is the 15^th book in the New Testament towards the back of your Bibles.
• It’s after Philippians, Colossians, 1^st and 2^nd Thessalonians. It’s before 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon.
• The Apostle Paul wrote the book of 1 Timothy.
• I want to start there in Chapter 6 of 1 Timothy. Last chapter in the book of 1 Timothy. Verse 5.

[21] 1 Timothy 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

• Why would we want to get away from people who teach than gaining worldly things is godliness?
• Let’s see what all this means. Keep reading there in verse 6. Why do we have all this sin?

[22] 1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

• Godliness is following what the Bible says. It’s not what man says.
• God says to be content or satisfied with what you have. Read the Bible. Know the Bible. Understand God.
• And be happy with what you have. Be satisfied. This is GREAT GAIN the Bible says.
• You don’t need to gain all the worldly things in this world. That’s not gain. That’s going to hurt you.
• That’s what the Bible is teaching us here. Why is that? Let’s keep reading. Verse 7.

[23] 1 Timothy 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

• When you were born into this world, you didn’t bring anything with you.
• Did your Mother ever tell you that you brought things with you when you came out?
• Did you have a suitcase packed full of things ready to live your life? No, you didn’t.
• It’s CERTAIN the Bible says that you will carry NOTHING out of this world.
• So why spend all your life trying to obtain things in this world.
• Why is this so important today? Let’s see how this is the ROOT of the bad tree you have growing.

[24] 1 Timothy 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

• Raiment is clothing in the Bible. Look what that verse says.
• If you have food and clothing, BE CONTENT. Be satisfied the Bible says.
• If you’re truly satisfied with that, you’re going to be happy.
• You don’t need anything else in this world. FOOD and CLOTHING. We all have that.

Be Happy With Food And Clothing Alone

Why can’t we be happy with that? We MUST BE satisfied with just food and clothing.

• Does it need to be expensive clothing? NOPE, sure doesn’t.
• Healthy food actually costs less for the NUTRIENTS you get in that food.
• A whole bag of brown rice contains a lot of nutrients and a lot of calories for energy.
• A whole bag of apples contains 100 times more nutrients than a bag of fast food.

[25] 1 Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

• If you’re rich, what’s that say? You fall into temptation and a snare.
• You want more and more and more. You’re NEVER satisfied with anything you have.
• You want a new home, a new vehicle, a new boat, new shoes, new clothes, new hairstyle.
• You want a daily massage. You need more satisfaction. You start alcohol, drugs. You need more.
• You go out to bars. You need more women. More men. MORE, MORE, MORE.
• Never happy, never satisfied, never content. DESTRUCTION AND PERDITION the Bible says.
• Right there at the end of verse 9. It leads to total destruction. TOTAL LOSS. No happiness.

[26] 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

• So, if you have issues and problems today, the Bible tells us where they come from.
• If you have an evil tree growing in your life, the Bible tells you the problem.
• “FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL.”
• It doesn’t say MONEY is the root of all evil. It’s the LOVE OF MONEY is the root of SOME evil?
• No, it says the LOVE of money is the ROOT OF ALL EVIL.

Child molesters? How did that start? The love of money. Thieves? How did that start? The love of money.

• Compulsive liars? The root of all evil is the love of money. Fornication? You want more women?
• That all is rooted in the love of money. The Bible says so.
• You start with that root all of these branches are going to start growing out.

Now, you have these prosperity preachers teaching that godliness is through how much money you have.

• They say: “Hey, look at how God has blessed me!!! I have a 5 million dollar home. A private jet.”
• My last church, the preacher says: “You all don’t even want to know how much money God blessed me with. You all can’t handle it.”
• They relate MONEY with GODLINESS. The Bible warns about that in verse 5 is Timothy Chapter 6.
• We just read it. Mark it down and study this Chapter. You’ll see.
• It’s preaching against those FALSE PREACHERS. That’s how you know them as FALSE.
• It says: “FROM SUCH, WITHDRAW THYSELF.” In other words, GET AWAY from those false preachers.
• They are evil because they have ROOTS in the LOVE OF MONEY.

[27] 1 Timothy 6:11-12 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

• God says right here: “FLEE THESE THINGS!!!” Be happy with what you have. You don’t need ANY OF THAT.
• Follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
• How do you do that? Stay ROOTED in the Word of God. Don’t let any corruption into your ROOTS.
• The word of God kicks all of that other stuff OUT. God does it.
• Fight the good fight of faith. LAY HOLD ON ETERNAL LIFE!!! Do you see that today?

Why Would You Need Anything Else But Eternal Life?

If you understand that YOU HAVE eternal life, you don’t need any of that other stuff.

• You can’t take it with you. If you HAVE eternal life, that changes EVERYTHING for you.
• But you have false preachers, denominations, churches teaching that you don’t have eternal life.
• Once you BELIEVE, you HAVE IT. LAY HOLD ON IT. In other words, take it. Understand what you have.
• So why do these FALSE PREACHERS teach all of these other things?

What’s the root of all evil? Teaching falsely is GREAT EVIL. Their roots are the love of money.

• Coveting is wanting everything other people have. It’s not good. Why?
• Because God is saying: “Hey, I’ve given you something WAY BETTER! You don’t need those things.”
• God says: “I clothe you. I feed you. I give you eternal life. I’m prepare a place in heaven just for you.”
• “What’s your problem? Now, you need the things of this world that everyone else has?”
• God says, “Hey, wake up. The love of money is the root of all evil.” Coveting is EVIL.

[28] Psalm 10:3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.

• The wicked bless the covetous. Wicked people LOVE people who COVET what they have.
• “Hey, look at my new pool. You don’t have a pool. Don’t you want a pool like mine?”
• “How big is your house? Oh, well, it’s not as big as my house. You don’t have as much money as me.”
• “Look at my new car. Oh, yours is older than mine. Did you see the leather seats? Amazing.”
• Do you see that verse on the screen? People who do that are WICKED!!! Evil.
• They want you to covet everything they have. When you don’t, they don’t like you. That’s okay.
• ABHORRETH is greatly HATE. The Bible says that the LORD greatly HATES the people who are covetous.

So, in other words, don’t be like that. Don’t mess with God. Be content with what you have.

• Every day THANK GOD for what you have.
• When you’re happy with what you have, God might give you more.
• But do you expect it from God. Do you want more things from God? I hope not.
• That’s the entire point. Don’t covet. Don’t love money. Don’t NEED things of this world.
• Other preachers can’t get this right BECAUSE they don’t have the word of God.
• They use a CORRUPTED BIBLE which comes from an EVIL TREE. I want you to see this today.
• If there’s a corrupted and evil tree, why is it evil? It’s roots are the love of money.

Corrupted Bible versions even change those words showing you how evil they are.

• And why are corrupted bible versions evil? Because they seek after money.
• They create new versions to make money off the WORD OF GOD. They copyright their NEW VERSIONS.
• It’s evil because they seek after money. They get rich by changing God’s words.
• Now, look, that’s evil. I don’t want any part of that. Look at what the NIV does.

[29]

• No wonder false preachers can’t get it right. They use corrupted BIBLE versions.
• They don’t tell us that the root of ALL evil is the love of money.
• The evidence is there. The truth is there. New versions make MORE MONEY.
• EVIL is harming other people. When you harm other people, it’s not LOVING.
• The love of God is doing what’s best for other people. Not what they think is BEST.

It’s what God says is best.

• So, the death penalty for certain crimes that God sets is the best for all people.
• If you give a serial rapist prison time instead of death, that’s not best for other people.
• People might say: “Well, how is an evil rapist rooted in the love of money?”
• It’s always true. The evil comes from new branches that are being developed.
• But the root is hidden, it’s developed due to the love of money.
• It’s because someone wasn’t happy with what they had. They needed more.
• They coveted someone else’s wife, daughter, children, women. Coveting is wishing you had something.
• “Oh, I WISH that was my house. I wish that was my car. I wish that my boat. I wish that was my wife.”
• “I wish that was my husband.” Hey, that’s evil GOD SAYS. Be happy with what you have.

The Love Of Money Is The Root Of All Evil

The love of money is where it all STARTS and BEGINS.

• That can start as a very young child. And develop and grow over your life.
• You lust after other things BECAUSE it started with the love of money. Then you want other things.
• Do you see how that works? Do you trust what the Bible says or not?
• False preachers will say: “How can the love of money be the root of all evil?”
• I’ll tell you how: “BECAUSE GOD SAYS SO!!!” He knows more than you. He sees the roots. You don’t.

BE HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE. BE SATISFIED WITH WHAT YOU HAVE.

• Then your tree will start with the right roots.
• Be happy with your life. Your parents. Your children. Your job. Your home. Your friends. Your car.
• Your bike if you don’t have a car. Your clothes. Your shirts. Your shoes. Your socks.
• Be happy with the food you have. The water you have to drink. “Well, I don’t want water. PSSSH.”
• “Oh no that’s the last roll in the buffet!!!! Give it to me!!!!” Calm down. Be happy with what you have.
• People get mad over what they get to eat. People fight over Pam’s bread. It’s amazing.

[30] Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

• Don’t talk about getting things you really want with other people. NO CONVERSATION ABOUT IT.
• You should be content with what you have. Why? UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU HAVE.
• Understand what you have WITH GOD. It’s all you need. He gives you everything you need.
• He says: “I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE NOR FORSAKE THEE.” Once you’re saved, He’s not leaving you.

SIN COMES FROM THE LOVE OF MONEY. It is the root of all evil. Then an evil tree grows up.

• Covetousness gets stronger and stronger. New branches grow. They get larger.
• They grow leaves. They grow evil fruit to destruction of their lives.

[31] James 1:13-14 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

• You are tempted through your own lust. That’s what you really, really want.
• Oh, I really want to win the lottery THEN my life would be amazing. No, it wouldn’t.
• Why, because YOUR EVIL TREE just got large. It’s leading to destruction.
• And if you’re not careful and not SAVED, it can lead to an early death BEFORE you’re saved.
• That leads to hell, which is eternal destruction.

[32] James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

• The love of money is lusting. The love of something else you don’t have is coveting.
• That’s where sin begins. When lust HATH conceived it bringeth forth sin.
• So, you need to cut those roots from the tree BEFORE you take action.
• LUST is there in your heart and your mind BEFORE you do it. You think about it.
• Instead of WANTING all these other things, BE CONTENT the Bible says.
• Don’t wish you had more of this or more of that. Don’t let what somebody else has lead to SIN.

Evil Trees Lead To More Hurt And Pain For Others

And look, if you allow AN EVIL TREE to spring up in your life, it’s not just you that’s going to be HURT.

• It’s going to hurt others also. In your marriage, in your immediate family, in your extended family.
• With your friends, with your job, with your church, with all that come into contact with you.
• You’ll grow more and more branches. You’ll cut some off but some might keep growing.
• One person in a family can cause the entire family to go in the wicked ways.

[33] Deuteronomy 29:18 Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;

• Bad trees growing up in your life will AFFECT others. There’s no doubt.

[34] 1 Corinthians 5:6-7 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

• So today, what do you need to do? Do you need to be around the evil and wickedness?
• If you know there’s a bad tree in your life. A bad influence in your life? What do you do?
• Let’s see what the Bible says.

[35] 1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

• You see that verse right there? It tells you to GET AWAY from the bad influences in your life.
• That’s why you don’t send children to public schools.
• This is serious. When you go there, there’s about a ration of 99.99% bad EACH DAY. It’s evil.
• School buses. EVIL. Innocent younger children learning and hearing all things from older evil children.
• Cussing. Fornication. Drinking. Drugs. Homosexuality. Girls wanting to be boys. Boys want to be girls.
• Kids coveting what the popular kids have. Kids making fun of each other. Being nasty. It’s sick.

Nobody needs ANY OF THAT STUFF. They never hear about God ONCE in a school day. Not once.

• If I put my children in the public schools, do you think they wouldn’t pickup on ANY of those things?
• I know 100% without a doubt, FACT, that my children would have evil roots spring up in their life.
• If they’re friends with children from public schools, that stuff comes over through the child. It spreads.
• If a public school says a child has ADD, give them drugs.
• Don’t actually love and care for that child the GODLY WAY!!! Give them drugs. That’s the world.
• Instead, bring them home. Teach them at home. Show them how to concentrate.
• Get them away from all those things. It doesn’t help a child to experience all those things.

[36] 2 Peter 2:7-8 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

No way I’m sending my children to public schools. YES, I choose GOD over MONEY.

• I could tell Pam to get another nursing job and put our children in public school. NOPE.
• We could have another $75,000 per year. NOPE. I choose what God wants over what I want.
• I don’t want the SOUL of my children to be VEXED from being around wickedness.

The Right Way = God’s Helping You Along The Way

CHOOSE THE RIGHT WAY and God takes care of you. We do what HE SAYS, and HE takes care of us in all things.

• We have everything we need. WE ARE CONTENT with what we have.
• We have way too much!!! We have more than we could ever need. And God knows I’m thankful.
• And HE KNOWS I’m content. Are you content today with what you have?
• We don’t NEED anything else BUT GOD. That’s the point you MUST get to in your life.

So today, what do you NEED to do?

• CUT DOWN THE BAD TREE at the roots. Take it, burn it. Get rid of it for good.
• How do you do that? It’s very simple. It’s going to be a big change, but it’s easy to make.
• Watch how much simpler and easier your life gets when you do this.
• First step: BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST and BE SAVED. Happens in a moment.
• Understand YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. That old tree is CUT DOWN. Don’t let it come back.
• Be baptized. This is saying: “Hey God, I want to OBEY YOU. You said to be baptized. Here I am.”
• All you have to do is tell me any time you want to be baptized. We’ll do it.

How do you keep this wicked tree from coming back?

• Read the King James Bible every day multiple times per day. If you don’t, that tree will come back.
• That’s a warning today. Then, you pray to God throughout the day.
• You allow God to lead your life. You get instruction from HIM within this Bible.
• You learn to FEAR GOD because of what you see in this Bible.
• Come to Church every time the doors open. Learn more about God. Don’t miss out on Church.

I learn things here WHILE I PREACH that I never saw when studying for hours.

• God does special things in Church. Learn how to worship Him with spiritual songs, psalms, and hymns.
• That’s what He wants. He chose songs like that in the Bible. You don’t pick what you want. He tells us.
• You stay away from bad influences. Bad TV, movies, friends, music. All of that.
• Surround yourself with people who love God. Be a part of this Church. Go soul winning.
• Hey, your life gets much easier and much simpler. You figure out what’s important in life.

Lay The Axe To The Root Of The Trees That Aren’t Bringing Forth Fruit

So, as we close this out today, I want to go back to the verse we started with.

• I want to take a look at these verses now and see if you understand what God means.
• If you’re saved today, this is what you need to be doing in this verse.

[37] Matthew 3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

• Watch what Jesus says in this next passage of Scripture and see if this makes more sense now.

[38] Matthew 7:15-20 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. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot 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.

• If you have a tree ROOTED in the WORD OF GOD, Jesus Christ, you have a good tree.
• That’s what you want. A tree with those roots is everlasting. Evil can’t enter there!
• Any tree that NEVER had the root of Jesus Christ will be HEWN DOWN by God and thrown into EVERLASTING FIRE.
• Those verses that we just went over: false preachers use those to say you can have everlasting life and then lose it.
• Do you see how that’s ridiculous? An evil tree doesn’t have the root of JESUS CHRIST.
• It’s saying the tree was evil and corrupt from the ROOTS. Those trees should be CUT DOWN and burned so they don’t come up again. They are like weeds.

I’ve had those EVIL trees. I cut them down and burned them all up. And they aren’t coming back.

• If you have issues today and think you need help. All the help you need is in the BIBLE.
• The word of God has POWER. It fixes everything in your life. You need help today.
• Go home and read this word of God. And keep reading. You might not understand it all.
• But you will. Keep working. Seek God with all your heart. Your troubles go away.

[39] Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

• Those words right there are 100% truth. Put your trust in HIM. He is a SHIELD for you.

Today, I’ve got a tree with the ROOTS OF JESUS CHRIST.

• And I will win souls to Jesus Christ. My tree WILL BE a tree of life.
• How do I know this? Because the Bible tells me so.
• How about you? Did you cut those evil trees down today? CUT THEM DOWN.

[40] Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

• Make the choice right now to serve God. Not later. RIGHT NOW.
• Believe. Receive everlasting life. Be baptized.
• Pray. Read the Bible. Come to Church. Study. Learn. Win Souls to Jesus.
• Be content with what you have and with the life God wants you to live.
• Because what you have is AMAZING. You HAVE everlasting life.

Let’s pray.