(KJV) John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
I AM THE TRUE VINE / JOHN 15:1
The vine is frequently used in the Old Testament as a symbol of Israel (Psalms 80:8-16; Isaiah 5:1-7: Jeremiah 2:21), but it was often shown as inadequate or lacking in some way. But in this word picture, Jesus describes Himself as “the true vine” and those who have become His followers as “the branches.” By remaining attached to Him as the source of life, they produce fruit. To produce spiritual fruit means to develop godly character (Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:9; Philippians 1:11), set a godly example (Matthew 3:8; 7:16-20), do effective service and lead others to Christ. God is the gardener who takes care of the branches in order that they may be fruitful (John 14:2, 8). God expects all of us to grow and produce spiritual fruit (Matthew 3:8).
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(KJV) 1 Thessalonians 5:19-20 Quench not the Spirit. 20 Despise not prophesyings.
DO NOT PUT OUT THE SPIRIT’S FIRE / 1 THESSALONIANS 5:19-20
Paul equates despising and rejecting the expressions of the Holy Spirit in the church with putting out the Spirit’s fire. Paul encourages the believers to let the Spirit operate through people by His spiritual gifts (God-given abilities and empowerments to benefit the church), such as the gift of prophecy. This special gift enables a Christian to deliver a message or revelation directly from God under the impulse and prompting of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:24-25, 29-31). For any of God’s people, to repress or reject the orderly use of prophecy or other spiritual gifts can result in the loss of the Holy Spirit’s activity among a group of believers (1 Corinthians 12:7-10, 28-30).
These two verses clearly teach us that churches in the first century commonly experienced spiritual gifts in public worship (Hebrews 2:4). Notice that although prophetic messages were not to be automatically rejected as unacceptable, they were to be evaluated carefully and supervised properly by the standard of God’s Word before the were received as a genuine message from God (1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 14:29).
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(KJV) Galatians 5:17-18 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
THE SPIRIT … THE SINFUL NATURE / GALATIANS 5:17
The spiritual conflict within believers involves the whole person – mind, body, and spirit. The struggle is whether they will give in to their own sinful desires and yield to sin’s control, or whether they will surrender to the spirit’s demands and continue under Christ’s authority and control (Galatians 5:16; Romans 8:4-14). The battlefield is within each Christian, and the conflict will continue throughout their earthly lives if they are to reign with Christ in the future (Romans 7:7-25; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 12:11; Ephesians 6:11). However, by relying on the power of the Holy Spirit and by following His guidance, a Christian will overcome his or her own ungodly desires and win the battle over the sinful nature (Galatians 5:16).
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KEPT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT FROM PREACHING / ACTS 16:6
Every effort to take Christ’s message to other people, lands and cultures must begin with and continue to be guided by the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:2-3). This was certainly true of the missionary journeys and ministry missions recorded in Acts (Acts 1:8; 2:14-41; 4:8-12, 31; 8:26-29, 39-40; 10:19-20; 13:2; 16:6-10; 20:22). The Spirit’s guidance may have taken the form of a prophetic revelation (someone speaking a God-given message as motivated by the Holy Spirit), an inner sense of direction to one’s mind or spirit, external circumstances, or visions (Acts 16:6-9). Under the impulse of the Holy Spirit, God’s messengers moved forward to take Christ’s message to those who had not yet heard of Him and were still spiritually lost. The fact that they depended on the Spirit’s guidance did not mean that they waited for an unmistakable sign at each turn. Trusting that God was putting His desires and thoughts of guidance within them, they moved forward in their plans. When God kept them from going in one direction, they would go in another, trusting the Holy Spirit to either approve or disapprove of their plans. The Spirit honored their faithfulness and proved His desires and purposes by opening or closing doors of opportunity, depending on where He wanted them to go.
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(KJV) Luke 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
THE WISE … LITTLE CHILDREN / LUKE 10:21
Jesus rejoices that His Father has revealed the deep but simple truths about God’s principles and purposes to those who humbly accept the truth revealed in His Word rather than to those who are intellectually wise in their own opinions. Those who question or reject the truth of God’s Word based on what they see as “superior” wisdom or knowledge will not be able to understand and accept the complete truth. As a result, they will not have true knowledge or a saving relationship with Christ (Luke 10:22).
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(KJV) Luke 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
DO NOT REJOICE / LUKE 10:20
Christ warns the disciples that they must not base their joy on the fact that they must not base their joy on the fact that they have power over demons or success in ministry. Their highest joy and fulfillment must come from the fact that they are forgiven and freed from the power of sin and destined for heaven (Matthew 7:22-23).
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(KJV) Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
SNAKES AND SCORPIONS / LUKE 10:19
“Snakes and scorpions” are terms representing the most dangerous forces of spiritual evil. Christians have power over evil spirits because Christ has given us His authority over Satan.
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(KJV) Revelation 6:1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
THE LAMB OPENED / REVELATION 6:1
Jesus Christ Himself – the only one with the authority and worthiness opens all the seals (Revelation 5:12), which reveal God’s devasting end-time judgments on the world (Revelation 6:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12). Throughout the book of Revelation, the plagues and judgments are called God’s “wrath” (His justified anger, judgment and punishment, Revelation 6:16-17; 11:18; 14:10, 19; 15:1-7; 16:1, 19; 19:15).
THE FIRST OF THE SEVEN SEALS
Some interpreters understand the opening of the first seal as the beginning of the seven-year tribulation – the future time of unprecedented suffering and judgment leading up to Christ’s second coming to destroy the forces of the antichrist and reign on earth (Daniel 9:27; 12:1; Jeremiah 30:7; Revelation 6:17; 7:14). Others believe that the seals describe a final three and one-half years on the seven-year tribulation, often called the great tribulation. Still others see the seals as the beginning of the sequence of God’s judgment toward the end of the age. God’s judgments are revealed in three successive series. The first series is the seven seals (Revelation 6); the second, the seven trumpet judgments (Revelation 8-9; 11:15-19); and the third, the “seven bowls of God’s wrath” (Revelation 16; Revelation 8:1).
Note, however that while the releasing of the various plagues and judgments is described in sequence, these descriptions are not necessarily meant to convey a strict chronological order of events. That is to say, the visions do not mean that each plague lasts only until the next is released or that each catastrophe follows the completion of the one before it. once unleased, it is likely that the effects of several plagues or disasters are going on at the same time and may linger throughout much of the tribulation period. Some of the events described with the opening of the seals (the fifth seal) clearly seem to anticipate or preview things that will be fully revealed or executed in later judgments. The sixth seal actually appears to give an overview of the entire period of judgment yet to come. It is quite possible that nothing is actually happening on earth until the seventh seal is broken. Up to that point, as each of the preceding seals is broken, John simply receives a vision of what will happen after the final seal is broken and the entire scroll can be opened, revealing what is to come. From that point on (Revelation 8:1, 7), God’s direct judgments will begin to throw the visible universe out of its natural order, eventually leading to the destruction of the present world system and ushering in Christ’s millennial (thousand-year) reign of peace on earth to close out time as we know it (Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45; Revelation 6:12).
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(KJV) Hebrews 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CITY / HEBREWS 11:10
Abraham knew that the earthly promised land was not the end of his journey of faith. Rather, God’s promise pointed beyond everything on earth to the heavenly city that God has prepared for His faithful servants. Abraham serves as an example for all God’s people, reminding us that we are only traveling through this world on our way to God’s city and His home for us in heaven. We are not to look for unending security in this present life or be attached to this present world (Hebrews 11:14, 16: 13:14). We must consider ourselves as strangers and exiles on the earth. This is not our homeland; the end of our journey will be “a better country” (Hebrews 11:16), “the heavenly Jerusalem” (Hebrews 12:22) and the “city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14).
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(KJV) Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
SEND YOU THE PROPHET ELIJAH
Malachi prophesies that Elijah would come and minister before the coming day of the Lord. The New Testament reveals that this prophecy refers to John the Baptist (Matthew 11:7-14), who, “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17), prepared the way for the Christ. Some also believe that Elijah will come again during the tribulation period and will be one of the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation (Revelation 11:3).
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