Rejected Fruitfulness
October 23, 2019
00:00:59
The Hamilton Minute is a power packed 60 seconds where we tackle the issues of the day through the lens of God’s Word. You don’t want to miss a moment of it.
The Hamilton Minute is a power packed 60 seconds where we tackle the issues of the day through the lens of God’s Word. You don’t want to miss a moment of it.
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“"Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.” Genesis 1:28 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
According to the most recent reports provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers looked at fertility rates for women of all age groups and ethnicities and found the nationwide rate was 16% lower than what is needed for a population to replace itself.
There has been much discussion about the demographic winter in various European countries. Well, that demographic winter has reached the United States.
The first command God gave mankind in scripture was “be fruitful.” But, man has the penchant to fancy his own ways over God’s.
Rejecting God’s ways always carries severe consequences.
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
In celebration of “National Coming Out Day,” the Van Buren Middle School in Kettering, OH, invited an actor to an all-school assembly to “relate his experience “believing he was “gay” back in 6th grade. And now he encourages students to embrace their own homosexual feelings.
He did this to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. To add insult to injury, the students’ parents had no advance notice this assemble would occur.
Efforts to indoctrinate our children aren’t limited to California.
This is psychological molestation!
We must protect our children!
“Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” 2 Timothy 3:5 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Today some professing Christians assert that Critical Theory, Critical Race Theory, and Intersectionality are helpful tools for the Church. These people have an appearance of godliness, but their assertions deny the sufficiency of God’s Word to guide the Church in living out the reconciliation Jesus secured for us on the cross.
Make no mistake, as Paul told Timothy, the God-breathed Scripture is sufficient for teaching, for correction, for training in righteousness.
Those who have an appearance of godliness, but deny the power of God’s Word for doctrine and practice must be identified and avoided.
“What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.” Genesis 4:10 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
According to the World Health Organization, abortion was the leading cause of death worldwide in 2018. As of December 31, 2018, 41.9 million babies were murdered in the womb last year.
That is more than the 8.2 million people who died from cancer in 2018, more than the 5 million who died from smoking, and more than the 1.7 million who died from HIV/Aids in 2018 globally COMBINED!!!
Thomas Jefferson once said, “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.”
LORD, please strengthen us to abolish this wickedness!
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.” Psalm 139:13 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
According to a recent study published by the Christian Post, 76.3% of all abortions are obtained by “God-fearing” women—with 68.7% who identify themselves as Christian women; and 18% of all abortions obtained by self described “born-again” or “evangelical” women.
A corresponding Care Net study found that many women with unplanned pregnancies go silently from the church pew to the abortion clinic, convinced the church would gossip rather than help.
America’s greatest need is repentance. When the hearts of the American people turn to God, everything else will be impacted.
“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” John 12:32 (ESV)
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Full weaponization of the federal government to crush a political opponent, politicians and a political party that bill themselves as pro-life while refusing to actually do what’s in their power to stop the killing of little babies, the successful and unrelenting advance of Regressivism…
All of these are signs that our national condition is not merely a natural phenomenon. It is spiritual.
Civic engagement without spiritual engagement produces political roller coasters. National course correction will only come by national repentance. We must elevate Him.
“"Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” Luke 19:5 (ESV)
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
When their mom passed the Landau brothers of NJ had a garage sale to clear out their mom’s house, but they decided to keep a few things including mom’s old creepy painting of a woman passed out in a chair and two men trying to revive her.
Fast forward to their estate auction and the brothers found themselves fielding bids from France and Germany for the painting.
Turns out it was a long lost Rembrandt that ultimately sold for $1.1 million.
A trained eye spots value where others don’t.
“From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth…” Ephesians 4:16 (KJV)
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is the Hamilton Minute.
It's not by chance that Jesus refers to his Church as “The Body.” Just as it is with our physical bodies every member has a distinct role and function to fulfill.
Unfortunately, in the era of celebrity Christianity we’ve reduced the concept of ministry solely to what occurs in what is often little more than Sunday productions and performances.
The key to thriving in God’s Kingdom is understanding that every member in The Body of Christ is vital called to ministry.
They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us on the road, while He opened to us the Scriptures?"
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is the Hamilton Minute.
These words were shared between Cleopas and his companion on the seven mile walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus as Jesus, in resurrected form, used the Hebrew scriptures to reveal himself to them as the Messiah.
There are at least 109 distinct biblical prophecies the Messiah has to fulfill. The mathematical probability of such a feat occurring is astoundingly absurd. Yet that absurdity is satisfied in Jesus the Messiah.
Come let us adore Him.
“Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail.” 1 Samuel 17:38 (ESV)
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is the Hamilton Minute.
40 days of twice daily taunting from Goliath sent Saul and the Israelite army reeling in fear. But David’s passion for YHWH, conviction, and full persuasion stirred King Saul.
When people are on fire for God it often provokes others to glob on to that fire.
But we must be careful to resist the well-meaning overtures of the flame-less by-standers.
Saul meant well, but his armor couldn’t help. It would only slow David down.
"Salt [is] good: but if the salt has lost its savour, how will it be seasoned?” Luke 14:34 (NKJV)
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Corner.
Matt Walsh wrote a piece for the Daily Wire where he said, "The contemporary American Christian is the most open-minded person to have ever existed. He’s so open minded you can hardly tell he’s Christian, or has a mind at all…
He has for a long time been open to the idea that marriage isn’t permanent and sex isn’t meant exclusively for marriage. He’s basically open to whatever notions are popular…
He is open, and where he is not open, he is silent."
“And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.” Mark 11:13 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Corner.
From a distance, the fig leaves gave Jesus the impression that there was fruit on the tree. Upon closer inspection, the tree was fruitless.
Perfect church attendance and ministry activity cannot replace actual Christ-like fruit produced in our lives.
From a distance, it can appear as though we’re bearing fruit but what would we find with a closer look?
Are we content with fruitful appearance or do we yearn for the real thing?
“Then Elisha prayed and said, 'O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see…'” Excerpt from 2 Kings 6:17 (ESV)
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Corner.
One morning, Elisha’s young servant went out first thing and saw the Syrian army surrounding Elisha’s home town. The servant was racked with fear and cried out to Elisha, “What will we do?” Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid. There are more with us than are with them.” Then Elisha prayed, "LORD, open this young man’s eyes.” The servant then saw mountain full of horses and chariots of fire!
As opposition mounts in our lives, fear not, the LORD - who is in us and with us - is greater than the hostility present in the world.
“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2
My name is Abraham Hamilton III and this is the Hamilton Minute.
No one likes to suffer difficult circumstances. In this era of easy believe-ism it's often conveyed, “If life isn’t always smooth we’re doing something wrong.”
The Scripture teaches us, however, that our LORD often meets fruitful branches with additional pruning. The pruning is not punishment. It's actually to make us even more fruitful.
If you’re in a rough spot right now, take heart. What may feel like the squeeze to end all squeezes could very well be the LORD’s pruning for additional fruitfulness.
When the LORD prunes us He does so for our good.
Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Psalm 119:89 (ESV)
My name is Abraham Hamilton III, and this is the Hamilton Minute.
The American republic was founded on the principle that rights are given to us by God, not man. As a result, men nor government can take them away. That’s why our Declaration of Independence refers to our rights as inalienable rights.
Government’s role then is to protect the rights that God has given to us.
The first freedom listed in the bill of rights, which government is entrusted to protect, is religious liberty. The founders did this because they know that free exercise of religion is the fulcrum for all liberty.
Wherever the flame of religious liberty is extinguished, all liberty is imperiled.
What is the source of America's greatness? Alexis de Tocqueville, a 19th century French political thinker and philosopher, had this exact same question.
This is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
On the heels of the French Revolution, he came to America in 1831 to investigate America's ascendency. In doing so, he found that America's greatness did not lie in her economic system. It did not lie in her banking system. Nor did it lie in her educational system.
He found that America's pulpits, aflamed with righteousness, was the source of America's greatness. He opined that America is great because she is good, but when America ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.
Let us pray for restoration of the flame of righteousness in our pulpits.
What would it take for you to compromise your principles?
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Recently I heard a statement that went like this. “I don’t think principles matter if you can’t get elected.” Principles form the core of who you are; principles form the foundation of a civil society.
George Washington in his farewell address identified religion and morality as indispensable supports. “In vain would that man claim attribute to patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness”, George Washington said.
It makes me think of a scripture; “What would it profit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his soul?” What would it profit a candidate to gain an election but lose his principles?
“Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, 'Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.' This is a desert place” Acts 8:26.
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
At the height of a Holy Spirit outpouring in Samaria, where the Gospel was being preached with great power and droves of people were converting to follow Christ, the LORD instructed Philip to leave Samaria and head south to Gaza.
Philip didn’t know a divine appointment awaited him.
Through his ministry to the Ethiopian Eunuch, the Gospel would spread to Africa.
He left the crowd. To serve one.
I call this step down faith. It's easy to step up for the attention and applause of the masses, but do we have step down faith?
“There were added that day about three thousand souls.” Acts 2:41
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is the Hamilton Minute.
The day of Pentecost concluded with 3,000 converts being added to the initial body of 120 believers. Then, that 3,120 spent time together daily going to the temple and interacting in each other’s homes.
They devoted themselves continually to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, sharing meals and praying together.
The 3,120 that made up the early church came from Turkey, the Middle East, and Africa and included Arabs and Romans. In addition to all of this geographic and ethnic diversity they spoke different languages. They were made one family in Christ Jesus.
Scripture has the answer to the issues we face today.
“And Moses said, ‘I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned’” Exodus 3:3.
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
In the burning bush encounter Scripture records that it began as Moses kept Jethro’s flock Exodus 3:1.
“When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, 'Moses, Moses!' And he said, 'Here I am'" Exodus 3:4.
Notice, God didn’t speak to Moses until He gave full attention to what God was trying to show him.
Diligent attention to daily duty is necessary. We must be careful, however, not to allow duty to become an idol. Are our hearts still sensitive to God? Can God still get our attention?
