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The Bible presents salvation as a life transforming experience. Change is one of the distinguishing characteristics of a true believer. Yet, failure to understand that this change takes place in the spirit first, and then is reflected in our outward appearance through our thoughts and actions in direct proportion to the way we renew our minds, causes much confusion.
This change has to take place in our born-again spirit first. Why is that? If you were fat before you got saved, you will be fat after you get saved, unless you go on a weight loss program. Your body doesn't instantly change and neither does your soul or mind.
It is your spirit that is instantly changed at salvation. It is perfect (Heb. 12:23). It cannot sin (1 Jn. 3:9). Everything that is...
Temptation is linked directly to what we think upon (Heb. 11:15). Temptation has to be entered into. We can avoid temptation by avoiding thoughts that generate temptation (Prov. 23:7). Since it is impossible to not think, we cannot just try to reject the negative thoughts in this world, but we must choose to think on the positive truths of God. This is where prayer comes in.
In prayer, we have our minds stayed upon God and therefore, are not receptive to thoughts that conceive temptation. Temptation or sin must be conceived (Jas. 1:14-15). In the physical realm, the easiest way to avoid an unwanted birth is to avoid conception, so it is in the spiritual world.
It is easier to avoid being tempted by being in constant communion with God, than it is to overcome...
ARE YOU BEARING FRUIT? IF YOU ARE BORN AGAIN YOU SHOULD BE. JESUS SAYS YOU ARE A BRANCH AND HE IS THE VINE. IF YOU ARE NOT ABIDING, OR CONTINUING PERMANENTLY, WHICH IS WHAT ABIDING MEANS, IN THE VINE, THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN BE FRUITFUL. HERE IS WHAT JESUS SAID IN JOHN 15:4-5 "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 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." WE LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, THIS IS GREAT, BUT IS IT? IT IS IF WE ARE BEARING FRUIT. WE KNOW THAT JESUS IS ABIDING IN US FROM WHAT HE SAYS ABOVE BUT ARE WE ABIDING IN HIM. I PUT THE DICTIONARY DESCRIPTION "CONTINUING PERMANENTLY" TO PUT A LITTLE MORE POWER TO THE WORD ABIDE.
It is interesting that Luke is the only one of the gospel writers to mention that Jesus' sweat was as great drops of blood. This is probably because Luke was a physician (Col. 4:14), and therefore, this had special significance to him.
There have been documented cases of people actually sweating drops of blood under extreme emotional pressure. This might explain why Luke is the only writer to mention the angel strengthening Jesus. Just as when Jesus encountered Satan during His forty days of fasting and temptation in the wilderness and the angels ministered unto Him (Mk. 1:13), so here, He needed supernatural strength to endure His sufferings.
The use of the words "as it were" might also mean that the sweat of Jesus was...
I WAS READING MATTHEW 6 AND IN VERSES 25 JESUS SAYS NOT TO THINK ABOUT OUR LIVES OR THE THINGS WE NEED TO SURVIVE. (MATTHEW 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?) I WONDERED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE HOW COULD WE NOT THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS. JESUS, HIMSELF, THOUGHT ABOUT PAYING HIS TAXES. (MATTHEW 17:27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.) WHY WOULD JESUS TELL US TO "TAKE NO THOUGHT" OF THESE THINGS.
Although God was referred to as our Father in the Old Testament, Jesus' frequent use of this title brought a whole new understanding of our relationship with God. Jesus referred to God as His Father, and He spoke of God as being our Father as well. This infuriated the religious Jews of Jesus' day who considered it blasphemy to call God their Father, because they understood that to mean they were equal with God.
We are instructed to call God our Father, revealing the kind, gentle, loving nature of our God. The term "Abba" is an affectionate term that a young child calls his father, which corresponds to our term "daddy." It is a term used to express intimacy and affectionate fondness. It removes the idea of God as a strict judge...
Jesus knew it was the Father's will for Him to be made an offering for the sins of the world. This is true because He prophesied His death and resurrection many times before. However, because of His unique relationship with God, Jesus was asking God to accomplish His will some other way, but at the same time affirming His commitment to do His Father's will and not His own.
He was not at a loss to know God's will and therefore, left this time of prayer trusting that whatever the Father deemed best for Him would happen.
He knew, when He began praying what the Father's will was and He knew at the close of His prayer, that God's will could not be accomplished any other way.
For us to pray, "Lord, if it be thy will" in response to a...