The Baobab Tree God gave me a picture of a Baobab tree set amongst the African savannah at bible study a week last Wednesday and said that this tree was the picture of his church hear in Mazarron. That he was grafting in , transplanting in his people into his church adding them one by one into his family. When I got home he would not let it drop I could not sleep and he gave me further revelation as to the significance of the Baobab tree.

The Baobab tree is said to be a tree planted upside down African Legend says that God threw this tree out of his garden of paradise in heaven and it fell on the earth upside down Head first. It had its roots in the air and yet where it fell it began to grow upside down.

In Psalm 29 it talks of the voice of the Lord, it breaks the cedars (Baobab trees), shakes the wilderness, causes the great oak trees to swirl. God is saying to us through this that he is about to turn his true (Holy spirit filled church) upside down. No longer are we going to do church our way with 10 minute praise 40 minute sermon etc etc He wants his church to be done his way as the Holy Spirit leads much like we have already seen in this church over the last couple of months. He is doing this because he wants us to operate in the fullness and the power that he intended us to operate in. Don’t worry God is a god of order and not of disorder and chaos he wants his spirit to move in our church but in a God kind of order which is different to a man kind of order. Church is not about rules, regulations and timetables it is about the spirit of God moving among his people. In Romans 12 Vs 2 the bible says: Do not be conformed to this world (With its rules and regulations and agendas and Mans ways) but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (By the spirit) so that you may discern what the will of God is , What is good and acceptable and perfect. You see Gods way is good, it is acceptable and it is perfect and we need to be led by the spirit to operate in the will of God.

I was then lead to Ezekiel Chapter 17 verses 22 to 24

Thus says the Lord God
I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of a cedar tree (Baobab)
I will break off a tender one from the topmost of its young twigs
I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain
On the mountain top of Israel I will plant it
In order that it may produce boughs and bear much fruit.
And become a noble cedar (Baobab)

Under it every kind of bird will live, In the shade of its branches will nest winged creatures of every kind. All the trees of the field will know that I am the Lord.

I bring Low the high tree. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.
I the Lord have spoken I will accomplish it.

Where the name of the cedar tree is God replaced it with Baobab tree

God likened all the birds that nest in the tree to be the people that will walk through our doors of the church that he is bringing into his kingdom. There will be very many different kinds of people from all backgrounds they may not all be our cup of tea.

All the trees of the field are likened to all the different churches around the world that are his true spirit filled church.

When it talks about high trees low and low trees high etc etc that is like the baobab tree being upside down they are opposites God is changing the way we do church to his way. God will accomplish it it will be his way and his will God is shaking his church his true church to become a powerful presence to do his work. The spirit of Gods Gota Fria is the power we are being filled with to operate in the dimension he wants and needs us to operate in. The Baobab tree has another name in Africa and that name is The tree of Life. I am just now reminded that Walt Disney even made a film about it in the Lion king and the whole animal kingdom revolved around this great mighty tree. So too the kingdom of God revolves around his great mighty church which is us his people his feet and his hands on earth. Anyway the tree of life is mentioned right the way back in the book of Genesis alongside the tree of good and evil and likewise in the last book of the bible Revelation chapter 22 is the tree of life again when there will be a new heaven and a new earth there will stand by the river the mighty tree of life. This tree has 12 different fruit one for each month of the year and fruit are produced in due season at the appointed time and in this trees leaves it is said is healing for the nations.

God wanted me to talk about Ezekiel 47 which was part of the vision I have already given to Andrew regarding the new church building.

In Ezekiel It talks about a vision of A temple and from the temple flows water from the threshold as he is taken further into the vision the water increases from ankle deep to knee deep to waist deep and in verse 5 it says: and then it became a river that I could not cross: for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in , a river that could not be crossed. God is showing us here about the spirit coming like the water ankle deep first then knee deep then waist deep the more you enter in the more the spirit comes. The chapter goes on to say that on the banks of the river a great many trees are on each side. God is saying here that the trees on either side of the river represent his churches around the world (including us the Baobab tree) that are moving in the flow of his Holy Spirit. The chapter goes on to say where the water (in other words the spirit) touches stagnant waters they will become fresh. The stagnant waters represent those who have yet to come into his kingdom and also those who are in the kingdom but who are not moving forward in the spirit. The verse goes on to say “Wherever the river goes every living creature that swarms will live and there will be very many fish of all kinds”. It says that people will stand fishing beside the sea, It will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of a great many kind, like the fish of the great sea. We his church will be those fishermen just like the disciples were fishermen and the fish are those we will catch for the kingdom of God. The last verses say “On the banks on both sides of the river there will be all kinds of trees for food. (Those trees once again represent Gods churches. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.

God is saying I suppose much like his words to us about the Arks the first Noah’s ark in Genesis and the last Ark God himself in Revelation where the power of god dwells. so too with the tree of life until revelation happens and there is a new heaven and a new earth We his church are the tree of life to the nations. God’s family is a signpost to the nations Jesus working through us offers eternal life to all who come to Know Jesus. We are life not death, eternal life through Christ alone. And God is going to use us to heal the nations through his power and through his spirit. Even the leaves and seeds of the Baobab tree are said to hold many healing powers even to protect from crocodile attacks (attacks from the enemy) and the enemy is on the attack as we can all clearly see around the world the enemy is trying to up his antics and that is why God needs a people of power. God is looking for a chosen people who are after his own heart, to be used in a mighty way. We are that people he is calling.

The Baobab tree is renowned as it provides Food, Water, Shelter, and relief and cures from sickness it is said to be a self sufficient ecosystem that survives in desert arid wilderness. God is saying we his people his church his holy people will provide the same to the nation of Spain in the power of the Holy Spirit we will produce the fruits he requires in their season. But God warns us that we need to arise and wake up to what he is doing, we need to look and search for his agenda, his heart, his plans, his people. We need to understand his calling on each of our lives and understand the responsibility he has given us Like Andrew said on Wednesday God needs his people to grow up and mature.

Then lead to Isaiah 41 Vs 17 to 20 and 42 Vs 5 to 9
41 Where God talks about the different trees he adds another tree the Baobab tree
42 Vs 5 those who walk in the spirit we need to walk in the spirit that God gives

Through these verses God was showing me that many new people will be walking through these doors at church and God needs us to step up and step out of our comfort zones as he has given us as a covenant to the people. He has pledged us as a light. He has not just saved us for life in heaven in paradise when we die, so that we live life as we want right now. NO he has promised us to those who are lost who are searching for him. He has given to us so that we can give to them. The Baobab tree is renowned and highly regarded in Africa because every single part of it can be used in some capacity. Many hollow Baobab trees serve as bus shelters, prisons, shops, homes, shelter from storms, refuge at night from wild animals and God lead me again to Isaiah 4 which again was part of a vision I gave to Andrew regarding the new church building In Isaiah 4 It reads: Vs 2: On that day the branch (or Tree) of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the Land shall be the pride and the glory of the survivors of Israel.

Vs 5: Then the Lord will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over its places of assembly a cloud by day and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night. Indeed over all the glory there will be a canopy. It will serve as a pavilion, a shade by day from the heat, and a refuge and a shelter from the storm and the rain.

So once again God was just reminding me that we the church will be a shelter, and a refuge for his people. Just like the Baobab tree is for those who live in Africa. And his glory cloud and fire of the Holy Spirit will rest upon us his people. And he needs us to be strong unified body of people to fulfil this role.

Through all these scriptures God is saying that every one of us is useful to him and has the responsibility to be a light to the nations, a light to those who walk through that door. God is bringing in more people into this church and there is going to be a quickening of the harvest and God’s Word to everyone is you need to step up and step out, grow up and mature so you can welcome in the newcomers. No longer is it the responsibility of just the greeters at the door, the pastor, or the likes of Amanda who heads up the helps team. God is saying it is your responsibility every one of you. You might be saying well I am just too shy, I’m an introvert, I just do church on a Sunday and then have to shoot off, Or I have my certain set of friends I do not need any more, God is saying stop the excuses and step out for him he wants his church prepared to welcome the multitudes. He needs his labourers, which is you and me equipped for his harvest and it needs to start TODAY. Things are changing fast and I know we do not like change but it’s going by Gods agenda and Gods timetable not ours. He is saying whether the time is favourable or unfavourable to us, he wants us, he wants you to do it........ because the time is favourable to him. Now is the fullness of time..... Now he wants move .....now is the appointed time. He is urging you to step out and welcome everyone who walks through those doors and take the time, make the effect to get to know them to make them feel welcome to include them in part of your family. Whether they are your cup of tea or not they are God s cup of tea and he says follow my example embrace my people welcome those whom I have called into my kingdom.

God says “I will hold you accountable for your actions”. God lead me to Mathew Chapter 25 to confirm what he was saying on this situation. It talks of on Jesus return separating the sheep from the goats.

I was going to do a short recap a summing up but God has impressed on me that I need to read it all out: Read Matthew Chap 25 Verses 31 to 46.

I will not comment much on this chapter because I believe God just wants to minister to your hearts individually through those verses and even though they are very well known I would encourage you to read them again in your own time and ask God to speak to you through them. Jesus himself says that whoever believes in him shall have eternal life. But he also says that he only does what he sees the father do and we should do what we see him do. He is asking us to follow his example and if we don’t he will hold us accountable. Faith without Works is dead.

Back to the Baobab tree It is said that many of the trees alive now in Africa those whose diameters are more than 10 meters are around 2000 to 3000 years old. So these mighty trees where just young plants when Jesus Christ himself walked this earth and was crucified and rose again. That is when the church also first began so the church like those plants has been around more than 2000 years and has not died out and through the centuries we have had persecutions and the Devil has tried to kill the church and close it down But we the church stand strong because we worship the living Christ and the church is going to become more powerful and more influential in these coming last days of this the church age. We need to be ready we need to be strong like the Baobab tree God is urging us into action.

You see the baobab tree is unlike any other tree as it is almost impossible to kill. You can set fire to it and burn it you can strip it completely of its bark, it can be struck with lightening and topple over flat to the ground, you can even cut it completely down and yet it will survive. The bark regenerates its self and the tree continues to grow and even when it is cut down it will re-sprout. It seems to have resurrection life just like Jesus Christ. Just like the church the devil has tried to destroy us, and he will not stop trying. But God his church, his true church will never die. His plans will not fail if we keep our eyes on Jesus and listen to his voice and follow where the spirit leads, we will stand strong until Christ returns for his Church. In Joel chapter 1 Vs 7 Talking about an enemy invading the land it says “It has laid waste my vines, and splintered my fig trees. It has stripped off all their bark and thrown it down to the ground, their branches have turned white” This is what the devil has tried to do to Christ’s Church but we will survive because we have Christ as our leader he is the head and God is a mighty warrior with victory in his right hand. The battle belongs to him and we will win.

When a Baobab tree does eventually die something happens on the inside of that tree it rots on the inside first and once dead all of a sudden it will collapse with a great thud to the ground leaving just a heap of fibres on the ground. Just like I was explaining on Wednesday about the molecule Laminin this molecule holds the human body together its molecular structure is amazing as it is so simple and is in the perfect shape of a cross. Without that chemical molecule our bodies would simply collapse just like the tree in a heap of mush on the floor. You see God is a God of order and everything works perfectly in harmony with each other and there is always something that holds things together and Christ himself holds together his church his body.

God was revealing to me that some so called churches have the missing ingredient that is the Holy Spirit and unfortunately they start to rot on the inside. They still look like a church they have the sermons, the agenda, the name of Jesus mentioned, but inside they are dying because the spirit has been quenched and not embraced. That is by no means saying that they are not saved or don’t have a ticket to heaven so to speak but they are not endued with power from on high and God cannot accomplish the great and mighty deeds he want to achieve here on Earth for such a time as this.

You see it is all about the Holy Spirit. That is where the power is, the boldness, the miracles, signs and wonders,the gifts and the fruits of the spirit, the victory lies where the Holy Spirit dwells. We cannot do it in our own strength even the very first Christians, the disciples, had to wait until Pentecost to receive the power from on high, once they had received, then they stepped out in all boldness and proclaimed the gospel not in word only but the spirit confirmed the word with power, miracles, signs and wonders. We no longer have to wait for Pentecost we have the spirit available to all of us, to all who believe. ALL, no one is excluded, all can have the power, all can have the gifts that the spirit chooses to give. And God wants and needs us all to receive and operate in his power.

God says “I will hold you accountable for your gifts” He wants us all to recognise what gifts he has already given us. Because believe you me if you are born again he has already given you gifts and talents, and he wants you to recognise what they are and begin to use them. Like the parable in Matthew 25 the man who hid the one talent that his master had given him was called a lazy and wicked servant because he did nothing with what he had been given instead he hid it in the ground. We would normally think wickedness was murder , rape, pornography etc. But God through this parable is saying that not using what he has given to us is likened unto laziness and wickedness. God is saying this morning recognise what gifts he has already given to you and do not be afraid to use them because as the bible says “to him who has.. more will be given but, but to him who has not... even what little he has will be taken from him”. I shall leave it at that for now because I know God wants to speak more on this at a later date, just to say “use it or lose it” , don’t bury your gifts and talents in the ground, don’t be as the bible itself says a lazy and wicked servant, recognise your gifts and start stepping out in them. Do not be afraid or embarrassed but step out in what God wants you to do

The last thing I want to say about the Baobab tree is its unusual ability to hold the water that is rained down upon it from the heavens. In the clefts and hollows and grooves of its large branches it can store huge amounts of water. Villagers of Africa actually use them as a reservoir to store this valuable water resource holding over 5000 litres of water in the rainy season. This water gives life to both humans and animals alike. Not only that but inside of the trees in its very fibre it contains over 120, 000 litres of water. In times of drought both humans and animals bite and chew on the bark just to quench their thirst.

And what God is saying through this was expressed in Isaiah 41..... When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and there tongue is parched with thirst I the Lord will answer them I the lord will not forsake them.

And in Psalm 104 Vs 16 and 17

The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, The cedars of Lebanon (Or the Baobabs which is us his church) that he has planted, In them the birds build their nests, the stork has its home in the fir tree.

You see he has planted us his church as a reservoir for this life giving water A strong, unbreakable, unmovable, powerful body with Jesus Christ as our head and he is saying to us that we have the responsibility to accept, to make the choice, to receive the power, of his life giving spirit that he is pouring down upon us. He is watering us abundantly with the power of the Holy Spirit to come into our lives so that we are able to relieve the thirst of all those that he has called into his kingdom. He asks that we take his gift and we endeavour to make ourselves a mighty body useful to all his people. Producing much fruit.

The baobab tree has fruit called monkey bread it is a fine powdery like substance this reminds me of the powdery bread that came down from heaven to feed and nourish the Israelites in the wilderness.

And the scripture god has given me for this are some verses in John chapter 6

Vs 28 What must we do to perform the works of God?. Jesus answered them “This is the Work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent. So they said to him “What sign are you going to give us then so that we may see it and believe in you? What work are you performing. Our ancesters ate manna in the wilderness as it is written “He gave them bread from Heaven to eat”

Vs 32 Then Jesus said to them “ Very truly I tell you it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world. VS 35 Jesus said to them “ I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty Vs 37 Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and ANYONE who comes to me I WILL NEVER DRIVE AWAY.
Vs 40 This is indeed the will of the father , that all who see the son(Jesus Christ) and believe in him may have eternal life and I will raise them up on the last day

Jesus says that he is the bread of life. It is through his death and resurrection that we have eternal life. He gave his life freely on that cross so that we might live in paradise for all eternity. That whoever believes in the name of Jesus will have eternal life. His words to us this very morning are that he gives to us so that we can give away. Proverbs 11 v 30 says The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. We need to give away heavenly food to those who cross our paths ,we need to produce much fruit to those God is transplanting into his kingdom here on Earth. God is asking for change but he is not asking for anything that he does not give you the power to achieve. You have the Holy Spirit inside of you but you have to take the first step and step out of your comfort zone. Just like Andrew says you have to be comfortably uncomfortable.

You see once you step out a little at first you may feel uncomfortable but after a while you will begin to settle down and that is when God may ask you to take another step. But always moving forward in the direction he wants you to go. As the Spanish would say Adelante ....... Forward. God is saying do not worry about fear, do not worry about failure. Do not worry about anything except worry that you do not take that first step. God says he needs you to start stepping out for him you need to make the first move. And God says if we all do that this is one huge Baobab tree that will never die but instead it will grow from strength to strength until his return.

To emphasise this point and to end God has lead to to Isaiah 55: End.