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HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THINKING YOU WON'T REMEMBER WHAT TO SAY WHEN SOMEONE ASKS YOU WHAT MUST THEY DO TO BE SAVED? THAT QUESTION GIVES A LOT OF CHRISTIANS TROUBLE AS THEY HAVEN'T, TO DATE, LEAD ANYONE TO JESUS. WE MUST BE PREPARED BECAUSE WE WOULD NOT WANT SOMEONE TO BE LOST BECAUSE OF US. PRACTICE IF YOU HAVE TO, BUT BE READY.
This is a profound truth, that is the key to bearing fruit, but it is so easy to forget. Because the fruit is borne on the branch, it is easy to credit the branch with the fruit, when it is the vine that drew the life from the earth and channeled it through the branch.
Likewise, since we are the branch through which the life of God flows, we sometimes think that it is our own holiness that produces the fruit. The moment we think that way, we are no longer abiding (trusting in; clinging to) in the vine and we will become fruitless if we persist in this mind set.
This is actually a great relief if the believer understands this and applies it properly. It puts all the responsibility on Jesus. Our only responsibility is to...
THE FIRST TIME JESUS MINISTERED IN JERUSALEM WAS AT THE TEMPLE RIGHT AFTER HE HAD DRIVEN OUT THE ONES WHO WERE SELLING THE SHEEP, OXEN AND DOVES FOR THE OFFERINGS. HE HAD MADE A WHIP AND DROVE THEM OUT AND TURNED OVER THEIR MONEY TABLES. HE SAID THEY WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE HIS FATHER'S HOUSE A HOUSE OF MERCHANDISE.
This purging has been interpreted in many ways. The illustration that Jesus is using is one of pruning; therefore, some have said this purging is a very painful process where the Lord cuts and slashes us through things like sickness, death, poverty, and other forms of tragedy so that eventually we will bear more fruit. This teaching not only promotes problems as being good, but necessary, if we want to bear more fruit.
That thinking is not consistent with the rest of God's Word or even the context of this verse. The text makes it very clear that the purging that Jesus speaks of is done through the Word that He has spoken unto us.
Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that God's Word was given to us "for doctrine, for...
Jesus stated His union with the Father so clearly that He was accused of blasphemy more than once. This statement about the Father being greater than Jesus must harmonize, not contradict other claims.
A key to understanding this is given in Philippians 2:6-8, where Paul states that Jesus didn't think it was robbery to be equal with God, but humbled Himself, taking on the form of a servant (speaking of His humanity). Jesus was equal to God in His divine nature but He made Himself inferior to the Father in regard to His humanity. Jesus didn't lose any of His deity when He became a man, but He did clothe it in flesh and submit it to the consequent limitations. In this sense, the Father was...
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY JESUS' MINISTRY SPREAD SO QUICKLY? YES, HE WAS GOD BUT THE BIBLE SAYS HE PUT AWAY HIS DIVINITY. HE WAS A GOOD TEACHER BUT HE ALSO USED MIRACLES OF HEALING AND CASTING OUT UNCLEAN SPIRITS. MARK 1:25-28 TELLS US THIS AND I QUOTE "And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee." ALSO, JOHN 6:2 TELLS US "And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased." HE BECAME VERY POPULAR BECAUSE OF THE MIRACLES HE DID.
Remember that Jesus was saying these things to His disciples so that they would not be offended. Jesus is speaking to His disciples about the Holy Spirit, who is the Comforter. The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is the front line of defense against the devil and his devices of defeat. The phrase, "The God of all comfort" carries the idea of a divine comforter who encourages, refreshes, strengthens, aids, assists, and is an ever present help in the time of need. The ways that God chooses to comfort are not always the same. He may deliver you or remove the cause of the affliction, or He may comfort you with words giving you a hope for the future. He also uses people to share their faith with you by prophesying. He sends...
CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE THAT SINCE THE WORD "TRINITY" IS NOT FOUND IN THE BIBLE THAT THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN A TRIUNE GOD. I SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT THESE PEOPLE DON'T CARE THE FIRST THING ABOUT GOD BUT JUST LOVE TO ARGUE WITH ANYONE ABOUT THE BIBLE. THEY HAVE READ IT AND EVEN STUDIED IT, NOT TO LEARN OF GOD, BUT TO BE ABLE TO ARGUE WELL. WE JUST HAVE TO PRAY FOR THESE PEOPLE.
HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN A TEST WHERE THE TEACHER GAVE YOU THE ANSWERS BEFOREHAND? THIS IS WHAT GOD DID FOR THE ISRAELITES WHEN HE GAVE THE WORDS OF THE COVENANT TO MOSES IN THE LAND OF MOAB. DEUTERONOMY 30:19 SAYS "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." HE TELLS THEM TO CHOOSE LIFE AND GOES ON TO TELL THEM "HE IS THAT LIFE". EVEN WITH KNOWING THE ANSWER, SOME OF THEM DID NOT CHOOSE LIFE.
Knowing Jesus is knowing the Father. This is not only because Jesus did exactly what He saw His Father do, but Jesus was God in the flesh.
The disciples didn't realize that seeing Jesus was seeing God. They were expecting something more. Many times we miss seeing God work in our lives and circumstances because we are looking for something stupendous. Although it is true that God is totally awesome, He doesn't usually choose to manifest Himself in that way.
God spoke to Elijah not in the fire, wind, or an earthquake, but in a still, small voice. Jesus didn't come to this earth in a grand way by man's standards, but was born to poor parents in a stable. Isaiah 53:2 says that Jesus had no form nor beauty that would make us think that He was anything more...