- Feb 4, 2024The Produce of Abiding (John 15:5)
The Produce of Abiding (John 15:5)“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5)When a person trusts Christ as their Savior, he is placed in Christ, and Christ dwells in them so that His eternal life flows into and through us. Our eternal destiny is secure because of our position in Christ, but how His life manifests itself in our lives depends on our choices. We have to maintain a constant awareness of our total dependency on Christ.When you are “abiding” in Christ with consistent, close fellowship, Jesus promises that we will bring “forth much fruit.” Your life will overflow with actions and attitudes that God produces in and through you. This will not be a result of your works but of God’s working in your life.If you are not abiding in Christ, then the opposite will be true. Jesus said, “For without me ye can do nothing.” Nothing good and beneficial, that is. A dead branch only produces rot, disease, and trash that you must pick up from your yard and dispose of. This is what our life is like when we are trusting in our flesh instead of living in dependence on Christ: a dead, worthless branch.Abiding in Christ ensures that our Christian life is vibrant and fulfilling. Not every Christian experiences that kind of life, but every Christian can experience it if they will live in consistent, close fellowship with Christ.
- Jan 28, 2024Abide in Me (John 15:4)
Abide in Me (John 15:4)
In John 15:4, Jesus said, “Abide in me.” Those words form the only command found in the entire lesson on the vine and branches. Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches, meaning that Jesus is our only source of spiritual life, and we are totally dependent on Him. For Christ’s life to flow through us unhindered, we must maintain our vital connection to Him, purposely living in total dependence on Him. When we do, Jesus reassures us that He will abide in us. His life will be in us and flow through us.
We must abide in Him. That is the one command he gave and the one responsibility we have in the relationship. Everything that comes from our lives will be Jesus working in and through us to produce the fruit He wants to see.
Too often, Christians try to live independently of Christ. They attempt to reform themselves instead of letting God conform them into Christ’s image. They perform religious rituals instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in them. They depend on their willpower and discipline to change their behavior more than they depend on Christ to strengthen and enable them.
The result of not abiding in Christ is frustration and failure. Jesus reiterated this fact when he said, “ As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” We cannot succeed in anything that truly matters unless we abide in Christ.
- Jan 21, 2024The Pruning Shears of Scripture (John 15:3)
The Pruning Shears of Scripture (John 15:3)
As the Heavenly Husbandman tends His vineyard, He frequently prunes the branches. The process involves discarding the unfruitful branches and trimming the fruitful branches so they can bear more fruit in the future. In John 15:3, Jesus said, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” The Bible is the Father’s tool to prune and purge the branches.
To prune a vine, a vinedresser has to come close and put the pruning shears in contact with the branches. Force is then applied, and cuts are made. For God’s word to do this kind of pruning work in us, there must be regular contact with the Bible. The healthy branch understands the need for pruning and submits to it, but the unfruitful branch fears the pruning and avoids it.
A proper relationship to God’s word is essential, then, to abiding in Christ. If His words do not abide in you, then you are not abiding in Him. (John 15:7) If His words are abiding in you, then they will have a sanctifying effect on your life. God uses His word to show us sinful attitudes and actions and selfish thoughts and desires so that we might remove them through repentance and confession. No other tool can accomplish what the Bible does. No writings of man, no self-help seminary, and no secular TED Talks will do what God’s word can do for you. It is a hammer that chips away the rough edges of our hard hearts. It is a sword that cuts clean to our innermost being, even revealing motives and thoughts we might not have acknowledged were there.
- Jan 14, 2024The Pruning of the Branches (John 15:2)
The Pruning of the Branches (John 15:2)
Every good farmer and gardener knows that to get maximum yield from plants, you have to weed and prune. A field, garden, orchard, or vineyard that is left to itself will grow wild, and the harvest will suffer. It is especially true for plants like grape vines that regular pruning is necessary. The dead wood must be trimmed away, and the fruitless branches must be cut off. Without pruning, the fruitless branches would take water and nutrients away from the fruitful ones, and the dead branches would invite disease and rot that could infect the otherwise healthy parts of the plant.
Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches,” and God the Father is the sovereign husbandman of this spiritual vineyard. As an all-wise farmer, God the Father employs the same techniques on the branches of the true Vine as an earthly farmer does on a grapevine. God’s will is for our lives to be more and more fruitful, and for that to happen, providential pruning is necessary.
God’s pruning comes in two forms. John 15:2 says, “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” When God prunes, the fruitless parts are removed, and the fruitful parts are trimmed to enable even greater fruitfulness. Cutting, amputating, and trimming are violent processes, but they are necessary for the health of the vine and its branches. Though God’s work in our lives may often be uncomfortable in the moment, it is necessary, and it is worth it to let God prune us so that we can live a more fruitful life.
- Jan 7, 2024Abiding in Christ (John 15:1-5)
Abiding in Christ (John 15:1-5)Our home is built on a piece of land that was left untouched for generations. When we purchased it, it was a tangle of pine trees, hardwoods, and lots of vines. There were vines everywhere, and most of them were undesirable. To pull them all out of the trees would have been impossible without damaging the trees themselves, and spraying them with herbicide would have cost a fortune. Instead, I have employed a simple but effective solution. I cut the vines off at the ground and over time, the vine branches in the tops of the trees will wither and fall to the ground. This is remarkably effective because the vine branches are incapable of sustaining themselves. The branches cannot live without their vital connection to the vine.As simple as this may sound, it has profound implications in the spiritual world. In John 15:5, Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” Just as a branch cannot exist without the vine, we are completely dependent on Christ for everything. For that reason, it is of vital importance that we stay connected with Christ by “abiding” in Him. He’s not just our main source of spiritual life. He is our only source. If we distance ourselves from Him, we will become dry, fragile, and fruitless. Our life will be a drudgery, not a delight. But if we abide in Him, we will enjoy the blessings of His life flowing through us, resulting in a fruitfulness that brings joy to us and glory to Him.
- Dec 31, 2023The Doctrine Of The Atonement (I Peter 1:19)
The Doctrine Of The Atonement (I Peter 1:19)There are so many aspects of the Christmas story that serve to illustrate Christ's purpose in coming to earth. For instance, Jesus is the Good Shepherd and the Lamb of God. It is fitting then that he was born in a stable and laid in a manger and that the shepherds were the first to receive the news of his birth.But the imagery of a lamb goes much deeper than just illustrating the humility of Christ's birth. It goes back to the garden when God first sacrificed an animal to make a covering to replace man's self-righteous attempt to hide his guilt and shame with fig leaves. It continues through the Passover story when the Jews sacrificed a spotless lamb and painted their doorposts with its blood so the death angel would pass over their homes, and they would be saved. It culminates with Jesus shedding His blood on the cross to atone for our sins.The basic meaning of the word translated "atonement" is a covering. It describes how our sins are pardoned by God, "hidden" in a sense. Our English word conveys the idea of how we have been restored to a right relationship with God. "At-one-ment" is the literal meaning of the word. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice and made atonement for our sins once and for all on the cross of Calvary. It is through Him that we enter into a relationship with God, and it is through Him that that relationship remains right. Our sins are covered, and we are redeemed by "the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:" (1 Peter 1:19)
- Dec 3, 2023Challenges to Sanctification (2 Timothy 2:19-21)
Challenges to Sanctification (2 Timothy 2:19-21)
- Nov 26, 2023The Concept of Sanctification (Leviticus 20:7)
The Concept of Sanctification (Leviticus 20:7)The Christian life is a journey of sanctification. So, what exactly is sanctification? Sanctification is the work of God in us, whereby we are separated from sin and consecrated to His service. At the moment of salvation, we are sanctified in Christ so that our position before God is one of complete holiness. When we die, we will be perfectly sanctified, having been freed from the presence of sin and perfectly into the image of Christ, a concept known as glorification. Between salvation and glorification, we cooperate in the process of sanctification by consecrating ourselves to God, changing through growth in Christ-likeness, and confessing our sins regularly. From the moment we are saved until the day that we die, we should be becoming progressively more like Jesus in our thoughts, words, and actions. We put off sin from our lives, and we put on Christ-like behavior. Our thinking continually changes, improving to be more and more consistently in line with God’s way of thinking. As we go through life, we learn to devote more time and energy to God’s purposes and less to our selfish desires.
When God’s work of sanctification is unhindered, God’s peace and joy can fill our hearts. We can withstand the storms that will come without our spiritual house being flattened. Life will still be full of unexpected circumstances, but we are safe in the knowledge that they are all a part of God’s plan to make us more like Christ. If we want to experience the joy and satisfaction God designed the Christian life to bring, then we must live a life of sanctification. - Nov 19, 2023How God Speaks: The Certainty of Scripture (Psalms 119:160)
How God Speaks: The Certainty of Scripture (Psalms 119:160)“Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.” (Psalms 119:160)The Bible would not be sufficient and it would not be supreme if it were not absolutely true. If there were any legitimate doubt as to its accuracy and reliability, then we could never be sure that what we read in the pages of the Bible was all that we need.So, it is extremely important that we know and believe that the Bible is absolutely true. The Bible does not only contain truth, but everything it says is the truth. From the big ideas about God down to the smallest detail of historical events, the Bible is without error, and is incapable of error.The implications of this truth are huge. Since everything the Bible says is true, there is no other book in the world that we should devote more of our time and energy to. We should read it, study it, memorize it and meditate on it so that we might live according to its teachings. The Bible must be our guide, and not the words, thoughts or feelings of man. We must seek to know God better and draw closer to Him through the pages of scripture and not through mystical, irrational experience centered or emotionally driven means.God is speaking to us through the scripture, but are we really listening to what He is saying?
- Nov 12, 2023How God Speaks: The Supremacy of Scripture (Psalm 138:2)
How God Speaks: The Supremacy of Scripture (Psalm 138:2)“I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” (Psalms 138:2)God has spoken to man in several ways. God has spoken through the magnificence of creation, revealing His existence and His power to all humanity. God has put His law in the hearts of man and declares to our consciences a knowledge of what He declares to be right and wrong.But neither conscience nor creation is the greatest revelation of God to man. To fully reveal all that man needed to know, God gave man the scriptures. The Word of God is the greatest communication of God to man.God’s word is better than creation and conscience, and it is infinitely better than the words of man. The words of men are inconsistent, unreliable, and uncertain. God’s word is perfect. It never changes, it is always true, and it always accomplishes its purpose.Since God’s word is the greatest, it should be most important to us. We should live according to what God says and not what we think or what anyone else says.
- Sep 24, 2023Johnathan and the Young Lad (I Samuel 14:6)
Johnathan and the Young Lad (I Samuel 14:6)
- Sep 17, 2023A Father’s Faith (Mark 9:14-29)
A Father’s Faith (Mark 9:14-29)Nothing feels quite so awful as seeing your child suffer and knowing there is nothing you can do to stop it. If you have ever been in a situation like hat, then you understand the utter helplessness that one feels in that situation. Suppose, then, that you took your child to an expert who was supposed to be a specialist in fixing your child’s problem, but even they could not solve the issue. Your disappointment would be doubled, and you would be on the verge of despair. If you can imagine such a scenario, then you can begin to imagine how the father we meet in Mark 9 must have felt. His son was possessed by a devil and there was nothing he could do for him. He brought his son to Jesus’ disciples to be cured, and there was nothing they could do for him. He was on the verge of despair when Jesus arrived. When he asked Jesus to heal his son, Jesus responded by saying, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” That was not the answer the man was looking for, and in desperation, he cried, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” Jesus did help that man’s unbelief. He healed the son, and that man’s faith grew that day because he learned that faith is not just believing that God can do whatever you need, but He is the only one who can do whatever you need, and He will meet your needs when you have Faith in Him.
- Sep 10, 2023The Cost of Discipleship (Mark 8:34-36)
The Cost of Discipleship (Mark 8:34-36)How hard is it to be a follower of Jesus? In an effort to persuade people to accept Christ as their Savior, we can mistakenly give people the idea that there is no cost involved in being a disciple of Jesus. The reality is that it is not easy to be a follower of Jesus. It costs something to be a disciple.In Mark 8:34 -36, Jesus gave His disciples a lesson on the cost of following him. He made it clear that the process of being a disciple is costly. There must be a denial of self, a decision to bear the burden of discipleship, and a daily commitment to keep following.The payoff, however, is more than worth it. If we willingly surrender our lives to God and the ministry of the gospel, then we are actually saving it. If we try to save our lives for ourselves, then we will lose it. For this reason, following Christ should be a priority over pursuing material gain or earthly pleasures.As high as the cost of discipleship is, the penalty for not following Jesus is even higher. Jesus said He would be ashamed of those who were ashamed of Him. Whether you follow Jesus or not, you will pay a price, but the cost of following Jesus is well worth it.
- Sep 3, 2023Beware of the Leaven (Matthew 16:1-12)
Beware of the Leaven (Matthew 16:1-12)We are constantly surrounded by things that would kill us if they could. There are many creatures and organisms that are deadly to us if they attack us. There are chemicals and substances all around us that are potentially fatal. The world’s most deadly toxin, according to many scientists, is so poisonous that just one nanogram per kilogram of body weight is enough to kill a person. For this reason, we take reasonable precautions to protect ourselves. We cook our food to kill any potential germs that would make us sick. We wear bug spray to keep parasites from attacking us. Most of us do not go swimming with sharks. We are very good at protecting our bodies from things that would harm us. But what about our souls? Are we careful to guard against things that are potentially harmful to our souls? In Matthew 16, Jesus warned His disciples to be on guard against the evil influences that surrounded them. The language He used, however, left them wondering what He really meant. He said, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” They thought at first that He might have been referring to real food. But what Jesus was really talking about was the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees. Their false doctrine was like leaven because just a small amount would permeate a large loaf. We cannot afford to let our guard down when it comes to false doctrine. Any belief that contradicts scripture must be avoided at all cost, because it will eventually taint many other beliefs and behaviors.
- Aug 13, 2023How To Have Compassion (Mark 8:1-10)
How To Have Compassion (Mark 8:1-10)Humans are naturally selfish creatures. Left to our own devices we will always turn inward, doing the things that make us happy and that satisfy our desires. We will view our relationships with others as a means to achieve a self-serving goal. Because of our sinful, selfish tendencies, it is hard for us to have true compassion. Even acts of kindness that we do can be motivated by a selfish desire to feel good about ourselves or be viewed positively by others for what we have done. Jesus had no selfish tendencies, therefore everything He did was motivated by the holy desire for the good of others. He is the model of true compassion. In Mark 8:1-10, we find a record of one of the two famous miracles when Jesus fed the multitude by turning a tiny amount of food into an abundant feast. We often focus on the material aspect of the story, how seven loaves and a few fish could become a feast for 4,000, and we sometimes overlook Jesus’ motivation for the miracle. He stated that motivation in Mark 8:2 when He said, “I have compassion on the multitude.” If we follow that line of thought we find details in this story that show us how to have true compassion. Having true compassion means paying attention to other people and to their needs. It means taking the time to get to know them personally. It means
you are willing to sacrifice what little you have for their good, trusting God to stretch your resources so that neither you nor they will end up empty handed. Having true compassion means that you are not living for yourself, but that you honor God by genuinely caring for others.
