King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Saturday, November 11, 2023
Chapters: JOHN 15-16
Message: Joy And Understanding In The Midst of Sorrow
Hello My Friend,
I started a new schedule at work this week so I do apologize for getting the devotionals out so late. There is so much written within these chapters regarding Christ’s passion that I did not want to just hand you something that did not come with thought and the Holy Spirit behind it. Then this showed up in my feed this morning, “Underneath are the everlasting arms.” from Deuteronomy 33:27, from which Charles Spurgeon said,
[God-the eternal God-is himself our support at all times, and especially when we are sinking in deep trouble. There are seasons when the Christian sinks very low in humiliation. Under a deep sense of his great sinfulness, he is humbled before God till he scarcely knows how to pray, because he appears, in his own sight, so worthless. Well, child of God, remember that when thou art at thy worst and lowest, yet “underneath” thee “are everlasting arms.” Sin may drag thee ever so low, but Christ’s great atonement is still under all. You may have descended into the deeps, but you cannot have fallen so low as “the uttermost”; and to the uttermost he saves.]
Does it feel like you are sinking in deep trouble? I do not mean sin, but perhaps you are dealing with some sin that keeps following you around like one of those gnats that fly around your face. I do not care how close our walk with Jesus is, we all feel as though we fail Him. In fact, the closer we get to Him the more wretched we do realize that we are, but human. Well, the rest of the passage says this, [Deuteronomy 33:26-27 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. 27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.]
We must remember that sometimes we cannot control everything, which is often why we find ourselves living defeated lives when we ought to be living victorious lives. God, is our refuge, Satan, is our enemy and he will do anything to deter us from giving some hope to those who are lost or struggling. And if you are saved, keep reminding yourself that Christ has saved you to the uttermost, Which then led me to this passage, [Hebrews 7:22-25 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. 23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.]
As we continue in the reading of the Gospels, Jesus had just got done telling the disciples that He was the only way to where He is going, then going to send them the Comforter to help them once He goes back until He returns for them. Now, He proceeds to tell them how He is the VINE that will bring all believers with Him.
[John 15:1-7 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.]
[except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.] Jesus, is telling them that things are going to change once this is all over. While there has only been one way to God and heaven, Jesus, in His flesh form changed the Law of Moses, which only gave a temporary atonement for their sin through the flesh of animals. However, what Jesus was about to do was not only give forgiveness to those who come to Him for forgiveness of their sins, He would also remove those sins permanently. And Jesus really does remove our sin as far as the east from west, [Psalms 103:11-13 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.]
Are you not glad that Jesus has pity on us? And the reason He does is because He knows we carry around this flesh that often fights against our spirit. To overcome that we need to walk in the Spirit and I know that is not so easy to do sometimes, especially when we have have so many demons among us. Can I tell you that while we are going to face many demons in this world our greatest foes are sometimes right under our noses. As much as we would like to believe that all Christians get along the honest truth is that they do not. Remember, Satan, will use any means to deter us, we just make it so easy for him to pin us against each other with such sins as envy, pride, or covetousness. Which is why Jesus goes on to say that if we accept Him then we need to obey Him.
[John 15:10-17 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. 17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.]
[Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.] This is why there will be so many people standing before Jesus and He will tell them that He never knew them. This is not about obeying every command that is written in the Bible, this is about doing what Jesus has commanded us to do, [that ye love one another.] We have enough to deal with in this life with the world and life itself discouraging us, people are hurting, people need Jesus, and if anything the only thing our hating one another does is keep them from Him. So, instead of hating each other, how about we love one another as Christ, [Galatians 5:13-15 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.]
We are going to spend eternity together so we better start getting along right now. And by getting along with each other, I do not mean that we need to all agree with each other, but we do need to get along. My husband and I do not always agree on things, which is why we say, “I agree to disagree, and I love you.” The world will forever hate us, which is why Jesus goes on to say that and why the world hates us. Watch what else He says that will get you thinking when you see the way some people act, “Is that person really saved?” or “They need to check their salvation.”
[John 15:18-23 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. 23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.]
[if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.] This reminds me of something that occurred at work the other day, a couple of months ago I marked something as previously done when it should have been treated as something new. The person who caught it was not a manager, but not only sent me an email to me, but my manager as well letting me know that it should have been reported, which by the way was already taken care of. “Keep beating the dead horse”, that is what Satan loves to do and if we make one mistake, even if it is minor, they will never let you forget it. Well, thank God, that He does not keep rehashing everything that we have done over and over again once we accept His Son and confess our sins, sincerely of course, [1 John 1:9-10 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.]
Perhaps one of the biggest demons we face is that of admitting that we have done something wrong that we thought was right, even if we believed with all our heart that it was done under good intentions. Now, once we get past that awkwardness of admitting that we did sin that is when Jesus starts the cleansing process in not only our spirit, but flesh as well. And let me tell you, Satan, is going to keep trying to find another horse to beat, but we are not to take offense to those who “point out our flaws” because they are just trying to cover their own flaws. Jesus, tells the disciples not to be offended by those who hate us because they only act the way they do because the do not know the Father. Watch what else He says.
[John 16:1-7 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. 2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? 6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.]
[that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.] Unfortunately, all but, one of the disciples was killed contending for their faith as well as many other Christians. However, killing someone is not always in the form physical murder, it can often be in the form of spiritual and mental murder as well. Satan’s, main goal in people finding out our flaws is to ruin our testimony so that others will not come to Christ, [Galatians 5:7-8 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.]
[these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember] We may not understand why fellow brothers and sisters are out to get us. We may not understand why the world is out to get us, although both are for completely different reasons. We may not even understand why Satan is out to get us, but we can understand that as long as we keep doing what God wants us to do He has our back. We will remember one day what Jesus said to us, we are not here to please everyone, if we tried to please everyone then we would be so far off the path that Christ is leading us on that we would get lost. Keep in mind though that we do need to respect each other, [Romans 14:19-21 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. 20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. 21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.]
Remember, your walk with Christ is not the same as mine, what the Holy Spirit tells you to avoid that will keep you from sin is not the same as what He tells me to avoid. The way that the Holy Spirit teaches you about the things of God is not always the same as how He teaches me. Now, with that said, the Holy Spirit will never lead us anywhere that will take us away from the simplicity of the Gospel. This is why Christians clash and become offended by one another. Now, when they attack us it can be easy to become offended, and sometimes we are, especially when they accuse or even mock us for our faith. Satan, is not really concerned about our faith because people get saved all day long and never go on to do anything for Christ. What he is concerned about is the ones who not only receive Christ, but make an impact on the lives of those who see Him through them.
[John 16:12-15,20 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.]
[many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.] This is exactly why we do not all learn everything that God wants us to know all at once and why we are to not only keep reading and studying our Bibles, but apply them to our walk with Him as well. The things we learn as we walk with Christ, especially concerning Christ and how we are hated by both fellow Christians and the world can bring much sorrow. Nevertheless, they will never take away the joy that is within our soul because Jesus is right there with us.
[John 16:22-23,26-27,32-33 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. 23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. 32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.]
[and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.] That joy that we receive from Christ is unlike any joy that we will ever receive from anyone or thing here on earth. Do you know why so many Christians do live defeated lives? And do you know why so many are so miserable that they feel the need to attempt to take our joy? And do you know why so many go from church to church, job to job, and hobby to hobby? They do not have the joy in their heart and know cannot take away ours either. All of this tells me one thing, well, two. One; Christ, gives us joy or peace that surpasses and of our understanding, [Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.]
And Two; Nothing can separate us from Jesus, [Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.]
Today’s Prayer: God, We all know that this world is getting more evil by the day, not only is Satan taking over the world, he is even coming into the Church and dividing us. This is not a battle of right or wrong, this is a battle of Christ or Satan. Naturally, those who come to realize that they want more than just this life and that You are the way to a life that goes beyond this one seek You. However, what they fail to do is come to You through Your Son, who is the VINE. We who come to You, fully trusting that Jesus died to save us, confessing our sins, and accepting Him are not only granted full access to You we are filled with Your Spirit. Now, the rest of our days on earth we do find joy in our hearts and peace that passes all understanding through Him, fully knowing that nothing and no one can separate us from You. Thank You, Jesus. We love You and pray in Your name, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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