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April /10/ 2005
Welcome and thank you for taking a bible break to
test your knowledge of God's word.
This week's question:
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to grant to those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified." (Isaiah 61:1-3) "And nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; and you will be called by a new name, which the Lord will designate. You will be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God." (Isaiah 62:2-3). As Jesus walked this earth, He spoke of the kingdom to come, "And He was saying to them, 'Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.'" (Mark 9:1). So we can understand that the kingdom of God has been established already as that generation of people would see its coming. It would have a new name given by the Lord and His followers would be as a crown of a royal diadem.
That brings us to our question, "What happens to any plant that the Father does not plant?" Jesus says, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me." (John 15:1-4).
So the plant here is the true vine, Jesus Christ, and as we abide in Him, He will abide in us, and not the other way around. We must truly be seeking Him and will find Him if we are seeking Him through the authority of His word. Jesus also says concerning His followers, "Do not love the world, nor the things in the word. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15) and, "Do not marvel, brethren, if the world hates you." (1 John 3:13). Jesus also tells His future followers, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20).
The plants must observe all that He has commanded, and by His authority. What truly is the love of God? "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith." (1 John 5:3-4), Remember, "So, faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17); "And by this we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, 'I have come to know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in Him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked." (1 John 2:3-6).
The true love of God keeping His word and walking as He walked. Let's look at these scriptures, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15); "All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17); "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, preach the word, be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths." (Timothy 4:1-4). Again Paul says, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither is the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 3:6-11).
So, to answer our question, we read, "Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be rooted up." (Matthew 15:13)! So there we have the answer to our question, as the plant not planted by the Father shall be rooted up.
Let us be careful how we build upon the Rock of our Lord for life eternal, according to His authority, and His word!
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This is Bible Break and have a good day.