In Hebrews 6:1 we read “Therefore leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection”. Perfection here means completeness or maturity; it is like moving from first to second grade, not repeating the first over and over again, but building on the foundation that has already been laid. 2 […]
The second “let us” in Hebrews is in 4:11, “Let us therefore be diligent”. Here in verses 8-10 God is showing us that the rest of Canaan was not His ultimate rest, for after Joshua had led the people into this rest, another day, another rest, is spoken of which comes to us only through […]
Dust and spirit In Genesis 2:7 God created our body out “of the dust of the ground” and then breathed into it “the breath of life”, we could say the spirit of life; remember “God is Spirit” John 4:24, and we were created “in the image of God” Genesis 1:27. Then God gave us […]
Galatians 6:7-9 brings us a clear message using an illustration from the field of agriculture. As in agriculture you plant and cultivate the crop you want to grow and harvest, so it is with our spiritual life; the message in these verses clearly warn us against living to gratify those inherently corrupted works of the […]
Vineyards and the growing of grapes were a very important part of Israeli culture, with grapes and grape products being important commodities in their economy, the vine also being a symbol of peace and prosperity. The people thus being very familiar with viticulture and its value in their lives, God used it to describe them […]
God does not violate the human will, but the Scripture makes it very clear that from start to finish our salvation depends on Him! Philippians 2:13 says, “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” The Living Bible paraphrases it like this, “For God is […]
A vine without branches does not produce fruit; neither does a branch produce a harvest without a vine! This is the backdrop Jesus used in John 15:1-8 to teach His disciples about their relationship with Him. In verses 5, 8 He makes it very clear, “I am the vine, you are the branches…By this My […]
Isaiah prophesied over Israel of a time when they would be in captivity in a foreign, pagan land and they would feel dejected and forsaken. In 40:27 they seem to be in that place feeling that God no longer saw them and no longer answered their prayers. But in chapter 41:13 God gives this assurance […]
No less than seven times in John’s gospel did Jesus identify Himself as “I am”, I see these powerful statements linking Him with God the Father who in Exodus 3:14 indentified Himself to Moses as “I AM WHO I AM”. As “God manifest in the flesh” 1 Timothy 3:16, Jesus is everything God the Father […]
“But the fruit of the Spirit is…goodness”. This fruit obviously is closely related to kindness, actually we can look at goodness as kindness in action; indeed all of these fruit are related to each other, they are the fruit of the Spirit (singular) not fruits (plural) with each manifestation working together with the others to […]