Dec. 05, 2021

Judas had: The best Pastor, The best leader, The best counselor, The best advisor

YET HE FAILED!

The problem is NOT what church you attend, what book you are or are NOT reading, or who is leading you. If you do not submit fully to God, your attitudes and behaviors will not change. Until there is real heart transformation you will stay the same.

The vine is both the source of life and the source of FRUIT.                                              

We get ourselves into BIG problems when we try to produce fruit on our own. 

The fruit of the Spirit can only come by the power of the Spirit.    

It requires a total surrender of my self-will to God

• Remain in God’s Word (be faithful to his teachings)…
• We will know the truth…
•  The truth will set us free. 

John 1:1.In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14.So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

Jesus himself ALWAYS pointed to the written word.

John 5:46.  If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.

Luke 24:25-27. Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26 Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” 27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Luke 24:44-45. Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 

1 Corinthians 2:14. But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

1 Corinthians 2:10. But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.

Ephesians 1:15-19. Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, 16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power

God gives His wisdom and revelation to the humble.

You can be sincere and dedicated to Jesus and still fall into error.

John 5:39-40.“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! 40 Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.

Proud people can never receive grace, because they will not receive grace.                 

Growing in the Lord

• Have a commitment to Scripture
• Humbly recognize How much I constantly need to depend upon the Spirit
• A heart that loves Jesus. 
• A teachable spirit.