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ITS TIME FOR THE WEEKEND! Every Fri-Sat-Sun at 3:00pm - 4:30pm on Indie Gospel will be played the...
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.
One of the ways that God's goodness is revealed is by His mercy. We may describe mercy as the readiness of God to relieve the misery of fallen creatures. Many times, mercy is called compassion or lovingkindness. It is expressed toward the sinner because of the misery that sin has brought upon him.
God's mercy to the believer is revealed by God taking away the misery of sin's consequences through the New Covenant of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Mercy is not something merited or earned, but a gift, as the apostle Paul states, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to HIS MERCY He saved us" (Ti....
Some have taught that Jesus did away with the tithe since it is not a specific part of the New Testament teaching. But in this instance, Jesus made reference to the scribes and Pharisees tithing and implied that they were right in doing so. The New Covenant did not do away with the tithe but it clarified what the motives for tithing should be.
Abram tithed over 430 years before the law was given. Jacob also tithed approximately 300 years before the time of the law. Therefore, tithing was a Biblical principle that didn't begin or end with the law of Moses. However, the law of Moses did include tithing as part of its commandments...
He who thinks that he will be exalted by acting as a servant, pretending to be humble so that he will receive the promise of God's Word, is sadly mistaken. Hypocrisy is an attitude or motive.
There are two main types of hypocrisy: 1) People don't practice what they preach. 2) People's motives are wrong even though their actions are right.
The second type of hypocrisy is why Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees.
It is more subtle than the first type and is very prevalent today in religion. They were seeking self-glory instead of seeking to glorify God.
Their priorities are wrong, and their focus is on outward displays instead of on the inner condition of their heart. Furthermore, they always persecute the true worshipers of God.
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In Romans 12:10 we are admonished to desire the welfare of others more than our own; to like others better than ourselves. That is an awesome command that is only obtainable through God's supernatural love. If this very simple, yet very profound truth could be understood and applied, then strife would cease (Prov. 13:10). The world would see Christianity as never before, and we would discover the true joy that comes from serving someone besides ourselves.
There is much confusion today on the subject of love because we have only one English word (love) to describe a broad aspect of meanings. For example, if I said, "I love my wife, I love apple pie, and I love my dog," obviously I am not talking about love in the same degree or definition.
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