I am the Vine

The Response of Praise

We cannot always or even often control events, but we can control how we respond to them. When things happen which dismay or appall, we ought to look to God for His meaning, remembering that He is not taken by surprise, nor can His purposes be thwarted (prevented from accomplishing a purpose.) in the end.

What God looks for is those who will worship Him in the midst of every circumstance. Who will keep going and not quit, stay in the race. This is our first responsibility: to glorify God. In the face of life's worst reversals and tragedies, the response of a faithful Christian is praise and give thanks - not for the wrong itself, certainly, but for who God is and for the ultimate assurance that there is a pattern being worked out for those who love Him. Give thanks in all you do and for all you have unto God. Giving “Thanks” is the one worded way to stop Satan in his tracks, just thank God.

John 15 (New International Version)
5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other.

[In John 14 Jesus tells His disciples what He would be doing for them and in John 15 He tells them what they would be doing for Him. 15: 1 – 9 – Jesus explains the divine-human relationship by the analogy of a grapevine. Jesus is the main vine. The disciples are the branches. The Father tends to the braches like a gardener. At that time of the year branches of grapevines would be budding in Jerusalem.]

[15:2 – Taketh away: Jesus here is not dealing with the loss of salvation but with the bearing of fruit. (Gal. 5:22 – 26)]

[15:5 – tells us two things – 1 – we need to fellowship with Christ, let him be a part of our lives. 2 – apart from Christ we can do nothing – we need to grab a hold of this and surrender all things to Christ and call on him to help us in all areas of our lives. A part from Christ we are dead.]

[15:6 – This refers to the judgment of believers at the judgment seat of Christ. (2 Cor. 5:10)]

[15: 10 – 17 – Several results of obedience are indicated (1) – Abiding in His love, (2) – full joy, (3) – love for one another, (4) – friends not servants, (5) – fruit remains and (6) – answered prayers.]

[15:16 – I have chosen you; By Christ’s appointment not by their choice, they were taken out of the world and sent out to bear fruit.]

[15:5 – The uniqueness of the Christian experience results from the union of Christ and the believer. This is expressed in Scripture – Christ being in the believer and the believer in Christ.]

“This is a basic fundamental foundation of being and living as a Christian. We cannot entertain our youth or any baby Christian into being a born again Christians. Only Christ saves lives from eternal death and hell. The Church today feels a need to “entertain” and turn the truth into Christ and heaven as this grand vacation where everything is peaches and cream. When in fact the Scriptures teach use that everything is not peaches and cream and it is a far way from entertainment. We are at war with SATAN, the ruler of this world and he will kill you, dead as a door knob. Run from sin and seek shelter in Jesus. Arm yourselves with God’s armor and pray at all times. Otherwise Satan will eat you alive. Just ask the man stricken with cancer, straight from hell, is everything peaches and cream.”

26"When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. 27And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.

[John 15:26 – The action of the word translated “proceedeth” is “in the process” – “continually proceeds.” The eternal procession of the Spirit means that He continually proceeds from beside, not out of, the Father. If the Holy Spirit came out of God, He would be less than God. To be more specific, the Holy Spirit not only proceeds from the Father, but also from the Son. This means the Father and the Son continually send the Holy Spirit.

Omnipresence - present everywhere at the same time:
Omnipotent almighty or infinite in power, unlimited power at the same time. As God himself is. He can answer all prayers at the same time in space and here on earth.
Omniscient having complete or unlimited knowledge, awareness, or understanding; perceiving all things.

This in no way suggests the Spirit is less in deity than are the Father or Son. Instead it explains the relationship among the three eternal persons of the Trinity. Yes, that’s right the persons of the Trinity. Not some mystical entity that is floating around in space in need of a makeover – a makeover that makes Christ more appealing to our youth, because the “old” Christ is boring and needs our help to break through in these days. – Just as Jesus came to do the will of His Father, so the Holy Spirit is sent to speak not of Himself, but of Christ (16:13). In this sense the Holy Spirit is the Promise of the Father who has been given to every Christian (Acts 1:4, 2:39)]

The Headship of Adam

Romans 5 (New King James Version)

¹² Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— ¹³ (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Headship of Adam

Romans 5:12. Adam the federal head of the human race was also the seminal head. The word seminal (seed) implies that everyone existed in seed form within Adam, and that he was the head of the human race. We were all in the body of Adam when he sinned, just as Levi was in the body of Abraham when he met Melchizedek (Heb. 7:10). In that sense, every member of the human race played a part in the fall of man. When Adam sinned we were actually sinning with him. Adam was also the federal head of the race. In this sense, Adams vote for sin is similar to the vote of a representative, (Congress or Senate), by Adams vote obligates his constituents for certain indebtness. While Adam’s disobedience resulted in the human race being plunged into sin, the obedience of Christ (the second Adam) gives Christians the power to overcome sin in their lives. (Rom. 5:12 – 21; Gen. 2:24) – this headship of Adam tells us that we were born of sin / into sin – therefore we must repent of our sins, ask and seek forgiveness from God, live at the Cross, for me most of all pray for God’s mercy and grace. Without God’s mercy and the forgiveness through the Cross on my soul I would still be dead to sin and living in God only knows what kind of life a this point. Let those that have ears hear; we must repent and be forgiven on a daily bases. We were in Him (Christ) from the foundations of the earth. What is just as amazing is we were also in the Last Adam. Therefore when he was on the cross we were in him and thus we WERE crucified with him, buried with him, and raised with him!! I also know that we were blessed in him with all spiritual blessings because he too was the "seminal" head. His seed is the Word of God!!!! We were healed in every which way you can be healed by virtue of this union just as we were cursed in every which way by our union with the first Adam. The second Adam saved us just as the first Adam killed us.

sem⋅i⋅nal (seed) /ˈsɛmənl/

1.	pertaining to, containing, or consisting of semen.

“Adam the federal head of the human race was also the seminal head. The word seminal (seed) implies that everyone existed in seed form within Adam, and that he was the head of the human race. We were all in the body of Adam when he sinned, just as Levi was in the body of Abraham when he met Melchizedek: “…through Abraham even Levi who is receiving tithes, hath paid tithes, for he was yet in the loins of the father when Melchisedek met him” (Hebrews 7:9-10).

In that sense, every member of the human race played a part in the fall of man. When Adam sinned we were actually sinning with him.

Adam was also the federal head of the race. In this sense, Adams vote for sin is similar to the vote of a representative. By “Senator” Adams vote, he obligated his constituents for certain in-debtness.

While Adam’s disobedience resulted in the human race being plunged into sin, the obedience of Christ (the last Adam) gives Christians the power to overcome sin in their lives (see Romans 5:12 – 21; Genesis 2:24). “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit” (1 Corinthians 15:45).

This headship of Adam tells us that we were born of sin / into sin – therefore we must repent of our sins, ask and seek forgiveness from God; live at the Cross, and for me, most of all pray for God’s mercy and grace. Without God’s mercy and the forgiveness through the Cross on my soul, I would still be dead to sin and living in God only knows what kind of life at this point. Let those that have ears hear; we must repent and be forgiven on a daily bases.

“The second Adam saved us; the first Adam killed us.”

This is a good word.

It is amazing that we were also in the Last Adam from before the foundation of the world. Therefore when he was on the cross we were in him and thus we WERE crucified with him, buried with him, and raised with him!! We were blessed in him with all spiritual blessings because he too was the "seminal" head. His seed was the Word of God!!!! We were healed in every which way you can be healed by virtue of this union just as we were cursed in every which way by our union with the first Adam. We were healed in every which way by the second Adam.

Speed Trap

Galatians 3:10-14 (New International Version)

¹⁰All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."^{[a] 11}Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."^{[b] 12}The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."^{[c] 13}Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."^{[d] 14}He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Galatians 3:10-14 (New King James Version)

The Law Brings a Curse

¹⁰ For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”^{[a] 11} But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”^{[b] 12} Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”^[c]
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”^[d]), ¹⁴ that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

[3:10 – As many as are of the works of the law – refers to all who rely upon obedience of the Mosaic Law as the means of winning divine approval (salvation). To be under the curse is to be subject to God’s wrath and condemnation. Continueth is explained by to do, which means “to obey.” The recipient of divine wrath is everyone who, believing salvation can be obtained by meritorious works (deserving praise, reward, esteem, etc.; praiseworthy: to receive a gift for meritorious service.), fails to obey the law perfectly. Complete obedience to the law is impossible for sinful man (Acts 15:10; James 2:10). All, then, who attempt to secure salvation by this route are doomed. **This is one analogy - Likewise one is either speeding or not. If the speed limit is 55 MPH and you get a speeding ticket for driving 56 MPH you are guilty of speeding, based upon the evidence presented. This is referred to a speed trap, just one little mile over the limit, is this really necessary? Even though it is “ONLY” one mile per hour over the speed limit, speeding is speeding and therefore, like wise sinning is sinning. If you commit one sin you have commit them all. The Officer that wrote this ticket relied on his/her radar device to determine the speed traveled. This is “concert evidence” in a court of law and will not be over turned, even if you have a witness that says otherwise, your earthly witness is of no use and will not be considered. In the same manner the officer “Satan” who wrote you the ticket of sin, shame and guilt relies on the same law to convict you. However, our witness in Heaven is Christ Jesus the one and only mediator before God, who sits on his thrown, in this case, the Thrown of Judgment. Through Christ this crime “sin” has been over ruled and stricken from the records. The charge of sin has been wiped clean, through the blood and the cross of Jesus Christ. I don’t know about you but I hired Jesus Christ as my attorney when I confessed my sins, repented and surrendered to Christ as my Lord and Savior, who takes away all sin and makes all things new. So, you lose the speeding ticket case in court and pay a fine then go home and all is done and forgiven, you simply paid the price. However, it is not that simply for you to write a check for your sins and pay the price so all can be forgiven. You must go to the cross and get Jesus to cash your check for your sins; Jesus is the only bank that can cash such a check. Once you are forgiven, repent and through God’s mercy and grace become born again, then all is forgiven and you are free. This check pays for all sins and is cashed by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Keep in mind however that the speed limit is still 55 and driving over that limit is breaking the law and “sinning.” Yes, even born again Christians can and will sin. We must live at the cross and plea for God’s mercy and forgiveness. **]

[3:12 – this verse declares that the law is a matter of performance, not of faith; it is a principle of doing, not believing. We must believe through faith that Christ did in fact “cash the check” for our sins]

[3:13 – The curse of the law, from which Christ hath redeemed [delivered] us, is that of versus 10, incurred because of incomplete obedience to the law, we all sin. Begin made a curse for us means “by becoming accursed for us.”]

[3:14 – The word that appears twice in this versus, identifying two reasons “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law.” 1 – That the Gentiles might receive the blessings of Abraham. 2 – That the believers might receive the Holy Spirit (the indwelling of the Holy Spirit) this implies that when one is justified, “cashed the check” he is at the same time granted the Holy Spirit.]

Since none of us can keep the law we need Christ and the cross to deliver us from our sins. We were born into sin and therefore must be delivered from sin. The good news today is that Christ is waiting to cash your check at the cross, to forgive you for all of you sins. Make the check out to Christ Jesus and For: ___ the forgiveness of your sin as you repent and submit all things to Christ. Your fine is paid in full. May the peace and joy of our Lord be with you all!

The Msytery

Ephesians 3

³ how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, ⁴ by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), ⁵ which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:

Mystery – Reference – Ephesians 3:3 – 5

The word mystery in the New Testament identifies truth that was previously hidden from common knowledge, but is now revealed, discernible only by the aid of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 16:25 – 26; 1 Cor. 2:7 – 10). There are seven aspects of “the mystery” concerning that period known as “the times of the Gentiles.” These are: - 1 – the mystery of the incarnation (1 Cor. 2:7; Col 2:2, 9); - 2 – the mystery of the gospel (6:19); - 3 – the mystery of Christ and His church (5:32); - 4 – The mystery of the indwelling of Christ (Col. 1:27); - 5 – the mystery of both Jews and Gentiles in one body (3:1 – 12). – 6 – the mystery of the kingdom of heaven (Matt 13); and – 7 – the mystery of the Rapture (1 Cor. 15:51 – 52). Illustration: Because the mystery of the gospel was not revealed clearly until after the church was established, the Devil and his demonic servants were the unwitting servants of God. Had they understood what they were doing, they would not have crucified the Lord (1 Cor. 2:8). Application: The Christian, however, who understands the plan of God for this word, should be eager to do his part. (First Reference, Matt. 13; Primary Reference, Eph 3:1 – 12; 2 Tim. 3:16)