From the day the church began on the day of Pentecost, the church of Jesus Christ has faced opposition. Jesus balanced the promises of comfort found in John 14 and 15, with a warning to the disciples of the hostility that awaited them beginning in John 15:18. In the face of the world’s hatred, the disciples would need each other desperately. One reason why such love is imperative is because of the hatred of the world for the Lord and his own. The Lord therefore introduces this discordant note into the harmony he has been setting before his people, and shares with them the power of the Spirit in helping us overcome the hatred of the world. Jesus balanced the promises of comfort and blessing with a warning to the disciples of the hostility that awaited them. In the face of the world’s hatred, the disciples would need each other desperately. One reason why love is imperative is because of the hatred of the world for the Lord and his own. While we do not undergo the persecution that the early church did, love is essential for the body. Jesus reminds us that while the Holy Spirit, will provide the … READ MORE

We must understand that the source of our life is from God, and we can do nothing apart from him. We may have a relationship with Him, but be trying to establish our lives apart from Him. One may not have relationship with him, and try to live a life of satisfaction without Him. John 15:1-17 reminds us that it is impossible to have true life without that relationship, because He is the true vine. This can only come about as we understand that we need to CHOOSE to abide in that vine. No vine, no life, no life no peace, no peace, no joy. The manifestation of that life is seen in a willingness not only to love Bod but also to love each other. While this is a command, we do it not because we have to, we do it because it is our privilege. Just as we cannot control our physical life, we cannot control our Spiritual life. We are not alive spiritually because we are better than anyone else, we are alive spiritually because we have been made apart of the kingdom of God through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, based on the Work … READ MORE

n John 15:6-17 we see the secret of abounding in Christ. Here Jesus starts in verse 6 Jesus starts with the uselessness of the branch that is no longer attached to the vine. Thee is a notable change here in the Lord’s pronouns. Up to this point He has been using first and second person pronouns (I, me, ye), Now he uses third person pronouns (He, them, and they). Here the severed branches are carefully distinguished from the real ones. Judas was a severed branch, He had an attachment to the cause but not to the Christ. He is representative of those who attach themselves to the truth but who are alien to Christ. In verses 7-8 we se the tragedy of being severed with the triumph of abiding. These verses are not an unconditional guarantee that any child of God can make any demand and have instantly from God whatever they want. The key to getting what we want is wanting what He wants. To have Christ’s words abiding in us means more than merely memorizing them. It means meditating on them until our conscious natures are impregnated with them until they become a vital part of us, so … READ MORE