#John 15:1-7

[touchofgoddotworld]

Looking at the End Times (Part 6) (207) - August 19 2023

Play on other Podcast Apps Everyday God’s mercy is made new. During these end times that are so filled with distractions, let us focus on God more than ever! We do not want to miss instructions during this time. Mostly, we do not want to miss Jesus. Stay alert and sober minded. Focus on life in Christ. Pastor Catrice continues the series this week. This program covers the following Scriptures…

[walkswithmyfather]

Chosen by God

John 1:12 (NLT). “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. ”

Galatians 4:7 (NIV). “So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.”

1 John 3:1a (NIV). “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!”

Matthew 5:9 (ESV). “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Romans 8:16 (NASB). “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.”

Galatians 3:26 (NLT). “For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”

John 15:16 (NIV). “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”

Jeremiah 1:5 (NET). “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I chose you.Before you were born I set you apart.I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”

[disneynerdpumpkin]

~ Scriptures about forgiveness ~

Matthew 6:15 "But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

Colossians 3:13 "Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."

Daniel 9:9 "To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him."

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Proverbs 10:12 "Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses."

Micah 7:18 "Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love."

Mark 11:25 "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

Luke 17:3-4 "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him."

Luke 6:37 "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:"

Matthew 6:14 "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:"

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Isaiah 1:8 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

James 5:16 "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

[bojackson54]

Words Matter. Read These and See If You Don't Agree

Read every word of this quote, and see if it sounds sane, or crazy. “Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father, but by me.'” (John 14:6, NIV) This short statement is amazingly full, and it’s worth challenging. It’s also worth considering. Depth Not Length First of all, consider the first two words: Jesus SAID. The spoken word is incredibly important in the…

[oillampslit]

God looks on the heart is often used as a comforting verse and there is much truth to that but let us remember that if we harbor evil in our heart God will judge that.

But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Matthew 5:28

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

1 John 3:15

For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

Isaiah 14:13

But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7

I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

Jeremiah 17:10

Sources:

[for-the-writing-artist]

“O death, where is your victory?     O death, where is your sting?”

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Something, something, 1 John 5:4, and 1 Corinthians 15:22.

The thing I keep coming back to, with all the *gestures expansively* is that real life doesn't have peaceful epilogues.

Every single win has to be defended. Forever. I'm sorry. It sucks. The Nazis lost until they stopped losing. The US had abortion rights, and then 50 years later it didn't. Empires fall, and then they invade other countries again. Oppressive regimes are overthrown and replaced with other oppressive regimes. You will never finish the work etc etc etc. Which is why it's so fucking important to be able to acknowledge and celebrate progress, when it happens. The people who came before you didn't put in all that work for nothing, and you aren't, either. You can't save it all for the Ultimate Victory because there is never going to be an Ultimate Victory. There's no such thing as a time when everything is good, and ours shall not be the commune of Heaven.

[madewithonerib]

1 Corinthians 3:5-9 [ESV] What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the LORD assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but GOD gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only GOD WHO gives the growth. 8 He who plants & he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. [Matthew 20:8/John 15]

9 For we are GOD's fellow workers. You are GOD's field, GOD's building.

RE: Personal Tanya Day 21: Purposeful Living (CH 10.2) | Dovid Vigler January 12, 2025 | Sabbath, 12 Tevet 5785 | Tzaddik/Righteous

as it is written: “Ho, exclaims the prophet, all who are thirsty for godliness should go to the waters of Torah,” [Isaiah 55:1] i.e., let them engage in Torah, which is likened to water, as is explained elsewhere, that the “thirsty ones” of this verse refer to those who thirst for godliness.

"Like a well-watered tree" is a metaphor that appears in the Bible in Psalm 1:3, Isaiah 58, and Jeremiah 17:7-8

Psalm 1:3 [Berean] But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does. 4Not so the wicked! For they are like chaff driven off by the wind. Colossians 1:10 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the LORD [YHWH] & may please HIM in every way: Bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of GOD, He is like a tree planted by streams of water This imagery of a tree planted by streams of water suggests stability, nourishment, and vitality. In biblical times, water was a precious resource, especially in the arid regions of the Middle East. A tree planted by water signifies a life that is constantly nourished and sustained. This can be seen as a metaphor for a person who is rooted in GOD's Word, drawing spiritual sustenance from it. The idea of being "planted" indicates intentionality & purpose, suggesting the righteous person is deliberately positioned to receive divine nourishment. This imagery is echoed in Jeremiah 17:7-8, where the person who trusts in the LORD is compared to a tree by the water, emphasizing trust & reliance on GOD. yielding its fruit in season The phrase "yielding its fruit in season" highlights the natural and timely productivity of a life aligned with GOD's will. Just as a tree bears fruit at the appropriate time, so does a righteous person produce good works & spiritual fruit at the right moments. This concept is reinforced in Galatians 5:22-23, where the "fruit of the Spirit" is described, indicating the qualities that should be evident in a believer's life. The idea of "in season" suggests there is a divine timing for everything, as seen in Ecclesiastes 3:1, where there is a time for every purpose under Heaven. Isaiah 58:10-12 [Berean] and if you give yourself to the hungry & satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light will go forth in the darkness, and your night will be like noonday. 11 The LORD will always guide you; HE will satisfy you in a sun-scorched land and strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. 12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will restore the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of the Breach, Restorer of the Streets of Dwelling. Jeremiah 17:7-8 [Berean] But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in HIM. 8 He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit.

Masculine Waters: Mahd

These [“masculine waters”] are the “waters” of kindness that flow into & are contained in each of the 248 positive mitzvot, which are all in the nature of “kindness,” or benevolence, and “masculine waters.”

This term “masculine waters” as applied to mitzvot means the mitzvot draw GOD’s holiness from above, i.e., from the higher realms downward, so [GOD’s holiness] be clothed in & revealed within the lowest realms, i.e., our physical world, as explained elsewhere.) Thus, the two interpretations of the term “men of ascent” are complementary.

[feastingonchrist]

Ok so i have recognized that i can’t bring old things to a new season - old ways of thinking, believing and doing. This has helped me so much already - especially in the area of social anxiety and difficulty.

I did not realize how much i had still been condemning myself due to shame, self hatred, embarrassment, fear, perfectionism, people pleasing and pride that all stem from my past experiences, that i am still carrying. I didn't believe that it was possible for things to change in the area of my poor social skills and difficulties navigating that. i didn't think it was possible for God to work these things out. I just thought i was stuck like this forever because it's what has been my "normal" for so long.

But, God is working with me and i am so beyond grateful. The amount of emotional damage and insecurity that this exponential weight of bondage that i have been carrying for so long is finally being processed and I'm at the beginning stages of healing. All i can do is keep showing up to His table, taking steps of faith towards His grace, away from the fear and saying "no" to it and letting Him meet me in that, receive confidence and hope leading to the ability to make powerful decisions, and do the greater work of being more open and vulnerable with others about my struggles to create genuine and deeper relationships. i recognize this isn't easy, and there are gonna be setbacks, and there have been, but i do this with gentleness toward myself because i am tired of being held down by fear and bondage when Christ has already set me free. i just gotta believe that and live like it! i can already see Him breaking down these walls... it's so cool to see Him actively - spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically working! There is so much freedom in Christ; more than we can ever know. Until we experience it for ourselves!!

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” - Romans 8:15 NASB

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. - 1 John 4:18 NASB

Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. - 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10 NASB

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. - 2 Corinthians 3:17 NASB

Psalm 23 has also been all that i cling to in my bible reading as of these past few months. As you can see, it very much correlates with everything that i have been sharing! And i have seen the gospel through every circumstance, and have a greater understanding and appreciation for it! I pray someone is encouraged and blessed by this. Have a good day! ♥*♡∞:｡.｡

[compassionmattersmost]

The Relationship Between Faith, Works, and Salvation: A Comprehensive Exploration

Exploring the Interplay of Faith, Works, and Salvation in Christian Doctrine Introduction In the quest to understand salvation and its implications, we encounter a nuanced relationship between faith, works, and divine judgment. While mainstream Christian teachings often emphasize salvation by grace alone, a deeper examination reveals that works also play a critical role in the final evaluation…

[adventism-atheism-orthodoxy-me]

Nobody Cares. Period.

I said this to my daughter once.

That was a mistake, even though mostly true. Because I really did care, and I don't think she quite picked up that I wasn't talking about myself but of the World - "Out there".... However, even so, nobody else would have listened to either of us - her or me regarding her problem. That's why she was telling me about it, and I was helpless. It had to do with school, and interpersonal relationships, and I knew from experience that bullies don't care what others feel. It is completely beyond them - whether school administrators who were the problem, the garden variety playground bully who was the other problem, or corporate managers who were my most recent problems - nobody cares.

I think it might have been one of the things that damaged, broke even, our special father-daughter relationship - that failure to make clear that I didn't include myself among the 'nobody'.

Nevertheless, it's true. We live in a society where caring is institutionally useless, dangerous even. Nobody cares.

My family isn't rich or powerful. We don't give large amounts of money to prominent organizations or peddle influence to get friends and acquaintances into positions of wealth or power. We are nothing. We are representative of the nothings that have built pretty much everything that has defined every civilization since the dawn of man, while the credit has gone to our more powerful and connected superiors. Our Kings, Emperors, Caesars, and CEOs.

Nobody cares except God. He cares.

Scoff.

Feel free.

I believe in a God who so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him would have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

People get bogged down in details - what does "believe" mean, what about people who don't know to "believe", etc…

All nonsense.

"…the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:37-40)

Also,

"Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)

Some scoff at the idea of an "invisible Church".

Fine.

Scoff.

God will know his own.

"Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them." (Romans 2:14-15)

And the rest?

Well, there's the river of fire, the lake of fire… There's other imagery that various Christians use, some Biblical, some from Dante, some images come from other sources. But at the end of the day those who did not, or do not care, their self-absorbed entitlement, their narcissism, will be all they have to cling to in whatever future there is.

I believe that because of Christ's work on the cross, the infusion of divinity into the human condition, these people will live for eternity in the tatters of their self importance. Others believe in a different outcome. It really doesn't matter. None of it is good.

None of it will be punitive, as in, a transgression of a moral law, but will be entirely based upon the orientation of an individual's heart (Deuteronomy 30:6).

Our role on earth is to care as Christ did, when no one else will.

That's what makes Christianity so radical.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27)

[touchofgoddotworld]

The Lord! The Lord! A God Merciful and Gracious, Slow to Anger, and Abundant in Loving-Kindness and Truth (267) - October 12 2024

Choose your Podcast App to Play this episode Exodus 34:6 – The Lord! the Lord! a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness and truth.How important it is for us to not depend on our own understanding of God’s nature unless that understanding has come from entering into a relationship with Him. Our carnal mind will always be wrong about God until it is renewed to…

[martyschoenleber]

Nine Biblical Reasons to Reject Donald Trump as a Candidate for President

Wednesday is for Political Controversy I don’t want to write this post.  Despite the fact that I wrote a book with the title Picking a President or Any Other Elected Official, I’m not a really political person.  I’m a registered Independent. Have been all my life. I wish all Christians were registered Independents. I don’t think it is wise for Christians to be identified with either or any…

[dwuerch-blog]

Come Out -- Wherever You Are

Last week I blogged about the importance of face-to-face conversations with others. We need others in our lives to fully engage in meaningful times of sharing and caring for each other. Today, not only can we meet friends and acquaintances for lunch or dinner to get to know them better, we can also have face-to-face conversations by facetiming on our phones or Zoom meetings on our computers.…

[bojackson54]

The Three R's For Staying Happy: Repent, Refresh, Renew!

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.“ (Psalm 51:10-12, NIV) David was not a man of half measures. When he fell into gross sin, he did so dramatically and completely by committing first adultery and then…

[scripture-pictures]

[thinkingonscripture]

The Spirit’s Convicting Ministry to the World

In the NT, God the Holy Spirit took on a new ministry after Jesus returned to heaven (John 16:7-15; cf., Acts 1:6-8; 2:1-4; 15:7-9). Part of His ministry is to believers, and part is to unbelievers. Concerning the Spirit’s ministry to believers, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will…