Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

 John 15:1-11

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:2-5

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 15:1-11, where Jesus seeks for believers to abide in Him as He is the vine, the Father is the vinedresser, and believers are the branches - ultimately God seeks for us to bear fruit in His Name. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God wants believers to bear fruit, so if we don't He will take us away (eternal condemnation) (see also v6).  Even if we do bear fruit, God prunes us and this process may not be enjoyable from an earthly perspective but He does this so that can be a healthy vine for His purpose. We need to abide in Him to bear fruit as "apart from Him we can do nothing" (v5).  We have this incredible promise that if we abide in Him, and His Words in us, whatever [we] wish, and it will be done for [us]" (v7).  However, we should be careful to misinterpret this text to think that anything we ask God will give us - without conditions.  The conditions are important.  We must abide in Him and His Words in us - this means that we seek what He seeks - there is alignment to His will.  If we know His voice we follow Him as He is the Good Shepherd. We then glorify the Father by doing His will - Jesus provides the example of how this is done - by keeping His commandments (v10) and abiding in His love just as He abides in the Father's love. Jesus shares these words with us so that His joy - which is incredible - will be in us and that this joy be full (v11).    
• What do we learn from the text about people?: People either bear fruit (believers) or they don't (non-believers), and if they don't there is eternal condemnation.  If you do, you are a believer, and you will have both eternal life and God's joy. 
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid not abiding in God's Words - be in the Word daily.  Claim the promise that if we abide in Him, God's joy will be in us and it will be full - incredible. Follow the example that Jesus did to abide in the Father's commandments by following Jesus' commandments.  Abide in Him.       

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves.  You prune me and keep me bearing fruit. Thank You for Your patience as I know there is more pruning to do in me!  I am not deserving of how You love and save.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.   

Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.

Jude

Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. Jude 5

I proceed with my study of Jude using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my study consists of an unassisted review of Jude 5-7. Here, we are reminded to remain in Jesus, so that He is in us (see also John 15:5-6), so that we are spared eternal damnation.  True believers cannot lose their salvation, but most commentaries I have read focus on those who are not true believers in the sense that they never truly had faith and what faith they did have was not strong enough to prevent apostasy.  In v5, I believe, this is the group where Jude focuses - those who believed in Jesus because they perhaps felt awe and wonder at one point (due to miracle perhaps) but beyond awe and wonder never truly believed and then focused on doubt and fell prey to sinful influences and false teaching.  Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega - He was their in the beginning during Creation (see Genesis 1:2 reference to Spirit of God) and the Fall (as the one who will destroy the serpent - see Genesis 3:15) and He will be there at the end coming on clouds (Revelation 1:7-8).  As such Jude (v5) refers to Jesus as "the one who saved a people out of the land of Egypt," but then because much of Israel refused to believe and have faith, God (Jesus) destroyed them in the wilderness. Jude not only uses Israel as an example of those who refused to believe but also fallen angels (v6), and then those in Sodom and Gomorrah (v7) - all of whom perish for eternity.  Key takeaway for those whose faith is weak is avoid focus on doubt but instead to lean into God and ask for strengthening of faith and not to fall away. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God that not only saved me but also provides a way out for me to remain in You and You in me - thank You for my faith.  I am not deserving of my faith.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

1 John 3

And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 1 John 3:23

I resume my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books.  Today, my focus is an unassisted review of 1 John 3:18-24.  Here, John builds his discussion of how we are to love one another - our brothers and sisters in Christ...and to do this not just in words but in actions. We are comforted in knowing that despite how we will not be perfect in our pursuit of obedience, but that when we fall short (and we will), we will not be condemned (see also Romans 8:1) for this despite the wages of sin being death (Romans 6:23) - this is the emphasis of vv19-21.  Our confidence extends beyond freedom from condemnation to God interceding on our behalf and responding to our prayers - v22.  We should be careful how we interpret this text because this does not mean we get anything we ask of God - no.  We must first abide in Him and Him in us - see v24. If we are in Him and Him in us (see also John 15 and discussion of how God is the Vine and believers are the branches), our asks of God will be in alignment of His will for us - see also Romans 12:2 how God transforms and renews our mind to understand His will for us. Abide in Jesus!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are good and perfect and I know that You hear and respond to all of my prayers and that I can approach You in confidence knowing this.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of this blessing nor any blessings You pour out for me or my salvation.  My sin is great and it is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.

 1 John 2

 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. 1 John 2:24-25

This morning, I continue my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books.  My study today focuses on an unassisted review of 1 John 2:18-27.  In the text for today, John focuses on end times, how it is approaching, and how we are to avoid false teachers/Christs and those who deny Jesus is the Christ.

Believers must hold fast to faith and to the knowledge imparted to us through the gospel (v20).  John's warning is urgent that we be reminded of the truth (v21) that it stands in contrast to the lies spread by false teachers and the prince of this world (Satan), and that this truth protects us in our efforts to hold fast.  The word "abide" appears 10 times in this chapter, and 5 times in the text for today - hence John considers that the truth abide in us as critical in our walk.  

I am reminded of Deuteronomy 6:4-9 how God's Word is to abide in us.  John 15:1-11 also shares how Jesus is the True Vine and how we are branches and to remain in Him.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who promises to give me life to the full now and forever in Heaven - and You are faithful as Your promises all find a yes in You.  Thank You Jesus for life and salvation and Your faithfulness....rich blessings that indescribable and I am undeserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Luke 11-13

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48

Day 299 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as I move further into the New Testament - focusing on primarily Jesus' teachings, particularly on hypocrisy as the Pharisees and Jewish leaders questioned Jesus on matters of the law while they failed to follow key aspects of the law.  On the question of hypocrisy, Jesus gives us the Parable of the Watchful Servants (Luke 12) which talks to those of us in positions of leadership and influence - and John Piper has a warning for us: "[t]he more knowledge you have of God’s will, the more you are accountable for doing it."

As someone in a position of influence - at least in my own household - I am driven into the arms of Jesus as God can only equip and assist me if I remain (abide) in Him.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." John 15:1-8

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has helped me produce good fruit and I know it is only because of You - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You have helped me produce good fruit - nor am I deserving of any of the blessings You pour out on me.  My sin continues...worry, distracted by the world, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

1 John 2

But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. v27

Jesus is to remain in us and we are to remain in Him - in v18-29, these words (or very close wording) are mentioned five separate times.  In John Piper's words, we are to "abide in Christ".

Both 1 John 2 and John 15 (the latter in particular), are referenced by Piper.  

Piper wants us to "believe, trust, savor, rest, and receive" Him. and "our fruit confirms us".

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You are of lasting value and I have seen You bear fruit in my life and in the lives of those around me - my brothers and sisters in Christ.  I love You.  You are an awesome God.  Thank You for being my God and for adopting me into Your family.  I am not worth such love.  My sin is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.