Know Your Bible

John 15:4-5 (KJV) 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.

The word “remain” (or “abide”) means to stay in one place. It is used ten times in vs 4-10. This is some indication of its importance in this context. The one place believers are to stay in is Christ. Stay in Him as plants in the ground of His love as members of His body, as stones in His temple, as members of His household, and as branches in Him the Vine. He tells believers to stay in Him. Does this imply that they may not or that some will not? Not necessarily. It implies that God will enable them to do so – otherwise He would not command it. It implies also that He wants them to know their freedom. Remaining in Christ is something believers do consciously, willingly. They are not puppets or robots. God wants them to apply their minds and wills to the business of being Christians.

The spiritual life is not automatic but dynamic. It is not a life of mutual compulsion between Christ and His people but one of mutual love. Believers are in Christ and remain in Him because they want to do so. He chose them and they choose to follow Him. They love Him. Their freedom does not cause them to leave Christ but to remain in Him. Christ’s true disciples, in a sense, were free to go away from Him just as the others did, but they would not. And it was God’s work in them that produced this determination not to go away. And what God did in them He does in all believers the way we can be sure of remaining in Christ – we must let His truth remain in us and continue to believe what He revealed.

Have you ever tried to build something with instructions? How about without tools or materials? Before we can do our work, we must make sure we have the things that the work requires. That is why Jesus tells us to remain in Him- we cannot serve God’s kingdom without the king. For it is Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to do good for Him.

Luke 13:24 (KJV) Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

When driving, we tend to use the main highways as much as possible. Those roads are big, they’re designed to accommodate a lot of traffic, and they lead to popular destinations. But our spiritual journeys are different. It is the narrow gate, Jesus himself, that leads to eternal rest. No other road, no matter how well-traveled, will get us there. The ways and ideas of this world may be popular, but they don’t lead to a good destination.

Jesus is saying that an individual should not speculate about the number of people God may save, but make sure he or she is among them.

“Strive zealously”– this is one word in the Greek. Everyone should attempt with great zeal and earnestness to enter God’s spiritual kingdom. This does not mean that a person can gain entrance into it by hard work, or piling up merit, or some such thing. Rather, it indicates that there will be difficulties and obstacles in the way of those who would go through the narrow door into it, there will be opposing forces. Also it suggests that there is great danger for those who have not entered. It indicates also that there is something very great and wonderful to be received and experienced by those who enter, something worth all the struggle.

Matthew 7:13-14 (KJV) Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Matthew 11:12 (KJV) And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

Matthew 5:29-30 (KJV) And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Ephesians 5:4 (KJV) Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

It’s hard to control the tongue. It doesn’t take any effort at all to grumble and complain, or to lapse into profanity or dirty jokes. There is a constant flood of that kind of talk in our culture, and we can easily be swept along in it. How can we resist the flood? By replacing negativity and coarse talk with thankfulness, as our text says, “but rather thanksgiving.” Instead of grumbling about our job, we can thank God that we have one. Instead of criticizing our spouse, we can focus on their strengths and how much they mean to us. Resist the flood by being thankful, and your God-honoring talk will be a lighthouse to those around you.

Ecclesiastes 9:3 (KJV) This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Romans 1:29-32 (KJV) Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

A sinful life is like insanity. Men live as they please without God and without hope, violating God’s laws and their own consciences, seemingly not caring about God’s judgment and the punishment that awaits them. They are like men recklessly playing foolish games in a building burning and ready to collapse on their heads. In the light of the truth of the Bible, to run after the empty things of the world, to be filled with illusions and delusions of their worth, to chase after the wind and live for vanity is madness. Literal insanity means to be out of touch with reality. Spiritual insanity is to be out of touch with spiritual reality. The spiritually insane are deluded and regard their fantasies about the spiritual world as reality and reality as fantasy.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 (KJV) For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Mark 7:20-23 (KJV) And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

1 Samuel 17:33 (KJV) And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

In any venture of faith there may be those who speak words of discouragement. What Saul did not realize was that David was trusting God for victory, not himself.

God calls people of all ages at all seasons in life to pick up their cross and follow Him. We each have a precious testimony to share with non-believers, and our stories begin at different ages. We unintentionally view younger pastors and teachers as inexperienced or immature in their faith. We must remember that once someone has surrendered their lives to the Lord, the Holy Spirit will begin to guide their steps. We are responsible for spiritually mentoring young leaders and helping them flourish in their relationship with the Lord.

Jonah 4:6 (KJV) And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.

God begins to teach Jonah a very important lesson. Jonah was concerned about trifling things such as personal comfort, and cared nothing for the salvation of people other than his own. It is a sad fact that in this matter there are a great many in Christian churches just like him. They are glad for comforts and luxuries but care nothing for the souls of men.

Jonah was displeased with God’s decision to offer salvation to the wicked people of Ninevah. He left the city and watched to see what would happen. Would God destroy Ninevah or save it? The love of God is unconditional, so He provided shelter for Jonah in his moment of anger. God always knows what’s best for us. We become disgruntled when He does not give us what we think we want or need, yet He is merciful in His knowledge that we do not understand His plan. He loves and protects us regardless of our emotions toward Him in a moment of frustration; He will remain present and persistent until we realize the blessings His perfect plan bestows.

If you could meet a historical figure, who would it be and why?

Jesus. To put an end to everyones questions about him.

John 6:47 (KJV) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

John 8:12 (KJV) Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 14:6 (KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Isaiah 2:22 (KJV) Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?

In the light of the above truth, however trustworthy individual men may be, it is foolish to trust in man in general. Isaiah chapter 1; and 2 show what mankind is like and what will happen to mankind. In the light of this is mankind to be trusted? Absolutely not.

Men are but limited in death. Their reach in this world only so far, their character only so good as their last breath. This goes as much for our enemies, despots, or unbelievers as ourselves. But count yourselves blessed for only those who truly believe in our Christ and savior shall know the eternal beyond this. Only we understand that life is beyond these earthly foibles.

Romans 5:3-4 (KJV) And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

The question arises: Will sufferings and troubles be able to take away the peace believers have with God and destroy their hope of heaven? Paul very emphatically says, “no”. Suffering actually increases the hope of believers. So they can rejoice knowing that troubles are doing them good. The gradual process of transforming suffering into hope is something believers learn by experience. It comes step by step in the life of faith.

Suffering produces patient endurance and perseverance. Believers learn that God enables them to endure troubles and tribulations, that they can face sufferings and not draw back into unbelief. They learn that God is with them through the worst that can happen and keeps them in the faith.

Perseverance produces character. Enduring trials and troubles makes believers better, stronger people, more able to face such things in the future. And by this process the hope they had when they first believed increases and becomes even stronger.

Trials and tribulations can be very painful things for us to go through. Most times, we find ourselves begging God to remove us from the troubles we face. What we don’t see in that moment is as we are carried through these tough times, with God’s strength, our characters are developing. The next time we are faced with similar trials or tribulations, we are more confident, and experienced because we know God will help us out of them again.

1 Peter 3:15 (KJV) But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

“Sanctify the Lord”– see the use of the word “sanctify” here. It means to set the Lord apart from everyone else to be the one we worship, adore, and obey. We must consciously, willingly, continuously make Him Lord in our hearts.

“Always be ready”– We should know why we are believers in Christ and why we have our hope in heaven, and we should be able to tell others about it in a clear and convincing way.

Always have the Lord’s name ready to tell others your reasons for hope. Always. However, it is important to remember what the Bible tells us in James 4:10 : “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. ” Do not use the Lord’s name with arrogance or aggression. Be meek and gentle when using his name, as the Lord did when he sent Jesus Christ to earth.