The Hope of a Good Tree: The Watch Letter

Just because a tree is set on fire doesn't mean it will burn up. These are words our Pastor, Chief Apostle H.C. Gunn, taught during a revival on June 23, 2015, in Garland, Texas.

The fire that Chief Apostle Gunn was referring to is the fire of God's judgment and his holy correction. It comes to cleanse us, heal us, rid us of worldly poisons, and reposition us so that we may grow upright and bear much fruit. I recently learned that a synonym for judge is to gather. That is mind-blowing. When God sends judgment or correction to a people or a person, he is working to regather them to himself. God is holy and he cannot mix with unholy -- so because of how much he longs to be with his children, he sends judgment and correction to cause us to repent and draw us close to him again.

Have you ever noted that a parent who properly corrects a child and gathers them has the child's attention, respect, and love? Children search for boundaries and direction, that's why after they do something wrong they usually look back at you. Knowing a parent is setting those boundaries and giving them direction, helps them to feel safe and secure. Chief Apostle Gunn has always taught us that. When you try to be a child's homegirl or homeboy they don't see the value of your instruction and eventually will wander away from you because they see you as a friend, which friendship is often temporal, rather than a parent, which is supposed to be eternal.

Seven years later, the message Chief Apostle preached is not only still relevant but right on time! And that's who God is! He has perfect timing because he is perfect. He will send a word that stretches forth into the future and meets you right where you are. I found a snippet of the sermon in my files today. The Lord brought to my mind to check for old videos of Chief Apostle Gunn preaching and the message was the encouragement I needed. The Lord judged me today and corrected me today and I am grateful. After I received a message of instruction from Chief Apostle Gunn today about an area of improvement the Lord expects from me, it was like God gently showed me places where my actions and thought processes were wrong, and he used visual examples throughout the day to get my attention. It was something some would say is not a big deal but anything thing that will be a weight, a hindrance, pride, or lead to sin or distraction is a big deal to God because he has high expectations for his children, just like any parent would. God warned, through Chief, to be careful of little foxes. Those little things seem to be not serious but have serious and destructive implications and consequences.

So, back to the tree set on fire...

In forestry, trees are often set afire during a prescribed time not to burn them up but to remove from them hazards, insects, disease, and unwanted species and to recycle nutrients and promote growth. So, as Chief said, a tree can be set on fire and not be burned down. In the spirit, we need to be set on fire to be purified and useful and fruitful in the kingdom. If we refuse the burning of God's judgment and correction, then we will become or remain a corrupt tree and as Matthew 7:15-20 shows us, corrupt trees do burn up. In other words, when we refuse to heed God's judgment and correction, we're choosing not to be good trees with good fruit but instead corrupted trees with corrupt fruit. And as we know, corrupt things cannot be in God's kingdom, so we need to make up our minds on what kind of tree we are.

Matthew 7:15-20

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.

A good tree is willing. It will not treat correction or judgment as a defeat but as a victory because that means there is an opportunity to overcome the thing that hindered them and fully flourish.

Trees are often also cut down for myriad reasons: to be healthy, sound, and reproduce. Sometimes the word of God cuts like the two-edge sword that it is. It cuts down our way and penetrates our flesh, which may seem painful at the time. But once the infection is out or the wound/damage healed, we actually have healthier and new skin or become more of use and fertile in the spirit.

Our choir, Holy Fire, wrote a song a while go using lyrics based on the scripture below. It is a powerful message. It talks about a tree being cut down many times but willing to wait on God for its change to come so it can grow again!

Chief Apostle Gunn shared the lyrics during that revival in 2015, and it set our hearts on fire. We can choose to be trees that keep growing despite where we fail or where we feel hurt, etc. We can sprout and choose to have hope and rejoice in how the power of the fire and judgment of God gives us vitality and new strength. God and a father chastise those he loves.

Job 14

7 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;

9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant