Introduction: Are you PRODUCING GOOD FRUIT? The key to living out the CHRISTian life is to stay ATTACHED to the Vine, which is JESUS CHRIST. Do you agree? But how does that work? What makes it possible? What is our Lord’s method of making us more FRUITFUL? Producing GOOD FRUIT comes through ABIDING in the Vine!

“1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2Every 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. 3Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4Abide 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. 5I 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. 6If 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. 7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:1-7)

The TRUE VINE is Jesus! Jesus gives His disciples, and us today, an everyday illustration concerning the CHRISTian life.

1. The BRANCHES job is to bear – produce FRUIT!

“2Every 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.” (John 15:2)

Without the VINE, the branch will wither and die. Likewise, as a believer in Christ Jesus if we fail to continually DEVELOP our RELATIONSHIP with Him we become FRUITLESS. That is what has happened to many believers today.
How is your intimacy with the soon coming BRIDEGROOM?

2. The BRANCHES will need to be PRUNED in order to PRODUCE more fruit!

“2Every 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.” (John 15:2)

The word “purgeth” is αἴρω (ah’-ee-ro), which means raise, lift up, take away, remove. This word connotes either cutting back the branch, or picking it up when it drops on the ground.

If you have ever pruned a fruit tree, it almost looks like you kill it! But new shoots, branches, and much more fruit is the result! Howbeit, it can be a PAINFUL PROCESS!

3. The BRANCHES need to stay ATTACHED to the VINE!

“4Abide 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. 5I 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.” (John 15:4,5)

Apart from Jesus, we are left to STRIVING in the FLESH, which results in No fruit, or Corrupt fruit.

Conclusion: Notice in the context of ABIDING in the VINE, Jesus mentions being “CLEAN” through the WORD.
That indicates, the WORD of God washes the FRUIT, and keeps us CLEAN! As His WORD gets IN US, it FLOWS THROUGH US creating luscious FRUIT.

People can TASTE it, and see the LORD is GOOD!

So what is the answer? The answer is by MAKING “LOVE DEPOSITS instead of BITTER withdrawals from your RELATIONSHIPS”!

LOVE DEPOSITS:

1. Love Deposit – Affirmation

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Eph 4:32)

2. Love Deposit – Appreciation

“18In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1Thess 5:18)

3. Love Deposit – Participation 

“2Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” (Gal 6:2)

4. Love Deposit – Alteration

BITTER WITHDRAWALS:

 1. Bitter Withdrawal – Anger

“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” (Eph 4:26)

2. Bitter Withdrawal – Resentment 

“31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.” (Eph 4:31)

3. Bitter Withdrawal – Annoying habits

“25Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.” (Prov 12:25)

4. Bitter Withdrawal – Negative  words

Conclusion: The Choice is ours! Are we going to continue with anger and resentment in our relationships or are we going to FOLLOW the Word of God by the Power of the Holy Spirit of God? If we do, then we can make “LOVE DEPOSITS instead of BITTER WITHDRAWALS” in our relationship accounts.

Introduction: Do you know someone who needs a BREAKTHROUGH? Are there irrevocable steps to take for someone who is caught in a chemical dependency situation? What about a co-dependent situation? Even though these are not the same, there are similar principles that can be applied to both. How would you lead someone who needs help?

1. Recognize – the first step is to admit you have a NEED!

“17And when he came to himself, he said.”  (Luke 15:17)

2. Responsible – the second step is to take RESPONSIBILITY of your actions!

“How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee.” (Luke 15:17,18)

3. Restitution – the third step is to make RESTITUTION where needed.

“And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.” (Luke 15:19)

4. Rededication – the fourth step is to come UNDER the LORDSHIP of Jesus Christ and SUBMIT to His AUTHORITY!

“And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22But the father said to his servants..” (Luke 15:21,22)

Conclusion: Our world, neighborhoods, and families are full of people who have developed co-dependencies and chemical dependencies. Remember. You cannot make yourself SICK in order to make someone WELL. Jesus is the HEALER! He HEALS and DELIVERS those who TRUST in Him. Without that TOTAL TRUST in Him, the solution becomes short-lived. But when a person really has a CHANGE of ATTITUDE like the prodigal son, then the POWER of GOD breaks the bondage of Satan’s grip and looses that person by the POWER of the Holy Spirit. Then they are FREE! A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH has occurred. Praise the Lord!! Our Lord is ABLE to do it AGAIN….Let’s Trust Him!!!

Introduction: Where do you draw the line between a co-dependent relationship and a co-operative relationship? In other words, can we be doing more harm than good when we try to “HELP” our friends and family? Since we are all in this boat together, let us discuss the different sides to this dilemma.

Have you ever had a LOVED one or friend that had a chemical dependency? Relational dependencies? Self worth insufficiencies? A Lacking of masculine or feminine affirmation? What about a lack of acceptance and affirmation in Christ….a need that only Jesus Christ can meet? What do you do? How can you help? What about chronically bad decisions that lead to major hardships?

How do you handle it when this loved one turns to you even though they did not obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit of God? Should we love unconditionally? Show “Tough” love? But how? When? What should we do or say? Should we Say, “I told you so!”

Should we be compassionate by remembering that there we go, yet by the “GRACE of God”? Where does the Bible give any insights?

“A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.” (Prov 19:19)

A, B, C’s to codependencies and things we cannot fix.

A’s…

1. Acknowledge we cannot CONTROL everybody.

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Prov 3:5,6)

2. Acknowledge we cannot FIX everybody.

“Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. 29And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.” (Luke 15:25-30)

Look out for an “ELDER” brother spirit!

3. Acknowledge we need our Lord’s WISDOM and GRACE to deal with difficult circumstances.

“9For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.” (Col 1:9-11)

4. Acknowledge some situations are a “NO WIN” situations.

“3And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” (Luke 9:23,24)

B’s…

1. Be CAREFUL not to get set up for a trap!

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” (Gal 6:7,8)

2. Be CAUTIOUS in your relationships!

“5See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Eph 5:15-17)

3. Be Spirit – Filled in your approach!

“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” 

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” (Eph 4:30; 5:18)

4. Be on GUARD that you don’t become BITTER!

“26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27Neither give place to the devil.”

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.” (Eph 4:26, 31)

5. Be AWARE of the Enemies strategy!

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” (2Cor 10:3-5)

6. Be ARMED with God’s ARMOR!

“10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand…” (Eph 6:1-18)

7. Be PRAYERFUL and CAREFUL!

“6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6,7)

C’s…

1. COMMUNICATE clearly!

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” (Eph 4:29)

2. COMPROMISE your goals from trying to FIX everything and everybody!

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1Pet 5:7)

3. COME back (step back) from being in the middle of the situation and focus on the BIG PICTURE!

“8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa 55:8,9)

Introduction: Remember the saying, “CHRISTians are not perfect, just FORGIVEN”!

Do you agree, there is a balance to this biblical message? On the one hand, we know we are going to, “slip and fall,” from time to time because of sin. But on the other hand, this is not an excuse to live habitually in sin.

John writes,

“1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1John 2:2)

But at the same time, John reminds his readers – me and you – that we are not to live a lifestyle of disobedience and rebellion. Why? Because God’s seed is in us.

“9Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” (1John 3:9)

Who do you know besides Jesus Christ who lived in perfection?

“21For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.” (1Pet 2:21-23)

1. David did not live in PERFECTION but was willing to follow CORRECTION!

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.” (Psa 51:1-4)

2. Peter did not live in PERFECTION but was willing to follow CORRECTION!

“1And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. 33And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. 34And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.” (Luke 22:31-34)

“And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. 61And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 62And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:60-62)

3. Jonah did not live in PERFECTION but was willing to follow CORRECTION!

“1Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. 3But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.” (Jonah 1:1-3)

“1Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly, 2And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.” (Jonah 2:1-2)

1. Ruth or Naomi could not FIX everything!

“And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. 4And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. 5And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.” (Ruth 1:3-5)

Because of a FAMINE in Bethlehem, Naomi and her family moved to Moab (Jordan). Her two sons married Moabite women, Ruth being one of them. But after about ten years, all the men died, leaving Naomi and her two daughter-in-law’s. What would she do? Ruth followed Naomi back to Bethlehem, while TRUSTING her new relationship with the God of the Bible.

Ruth affirmed:

2. Ruth and Naomi could TRUST the Lord!

“And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz. 2And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.” (Ruth 2:1-3)

With her new relationship with the Lord, Ruth set out to follow His will; consequently, God blessed her while leading her to meet a kinsman redeemer named Boaz. She found favor in his sight.

“Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? 11And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. 12The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. 13Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.” (Ruth 2:10-13)

3. Ruth and Naomi could TRUST but their FAITH would be TRIED!

“20And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.” (Ruth 3:20)

4. Ruth and Naomi TRUSTED and their FAITH was TRIED but because of GRACE they were TRIUMPHANT!

“8Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe. 9And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi. 10Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.” (Ruth 4:8-10)

Although he was not the very next of kin to Naomi, through a legal negotiation, Boaz redeemed Ruth to be his wife.

“3So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.” (Ruth 4:3)

Conclusion: What started off as a FAMINE, led to a FAITH, and eventually a FAMILY! Both Ruth and Naomi discovered that they could not FIX everything, but they could TRUST the Lord with things. The sooner we learn this, the better off we will be when it comes to pleasing our Lord Jesus and being TRIUMPHANT in Him!

Introduction: Have you ever wondered when you had problems if you were out of God’s will? Just because we follow Jesus Christ does not mean there will be smooth sailing the whole way. Here is an example of an Old Testament prophet who obeyed the Lord and yet ran into hardships. Even though the Lord PROVIDED, his faith was tested.

We can expect our faith to be tested as well.

1. God Guides. 

“2And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, 3Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.” (1Kings 17:2,3)

Elijah was a special servant with a special calling and anointing.

“1And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” (1Kings 17:1)

A true prophet will be 100% correct, according to Deuteronomy 18:21,22.

“21And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? 22When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.”

That means there are a lot of false prophets today. In fact, while studying this subject not long ago, this Pastor read where some preachers and charismatic movements claim that if 75% of predictions come to pass then whoever prophesied them, even though they were wrong 25% of time, they are still prophets.

But both Moses and Jesus spoke otherwise. In the Olivet discourse, Jesus was describing His second coming (not the rapture), warning us of false teachers.

“11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” (Matt 24:11)

2. God PROVIDES!

“And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. 5So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. 6And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.” (1 Kings 17:4-6)

Imagine birds (Ravens) being instructed by the Lord to stop by the butcher shop, grab some meat, and take it to Elijah!

3. God IMPROVISES!

“7And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.” (1Kings 17:7)

That is when the average CHRISTian begins to search to see if God’s promises are really true. Will the Lord PROVIDE where HE GUIDES?

“8And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, 9Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.” (1 Kings 18:8-9)

Unexpected occurrences do not catch JESUS CHRIST by surprise. Why? Because He is a God of foreknowledge. He knows tomorrow! That is why He is trustworthy.

Conclusion: We can derive several conclusions from this study. While the Holy Spirit GUIDES (Rom 8:14), He also PROVIDES (Phil 4:19). But make no mistake about it, there will be SETBACKS, which become SETUPS for COMEBACKS along the way. 

Praise the Lord!

Check out the Biblical INFORMATION and APPLICATION:

“15Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” (Heb 12:15)

The first word phrase to study is “looking diligently,” ἐπισκοπέω,(ep-ee-skop-eh’-o), which means to look upon, exercise oversight, care for, visit.

Next, notice the word “fail,” ὑστερέω (hoos-ter-eh’-o), which means fall behind, am lacking, fall short, suffer need, am inferior to. In other words, when it comes to bitterness we can fall short of the “grace of God.”

The word “grace” is χάρις, ιτος,(khar’-ece), which means…..

• grace, as a gift or blessing brought to man by Jesus Christ, 
• favor, 
• gratitude, 
• thanks, 
• a favor, kindness.

This indicates that as a CHRISTian we can miss out on the favor of God. Grace received – Grace extended.

The word “root” is ῥίζα, (hrid’-zah), which means a root, shoot, source; that which comes from the root, a descendent. Bitterness starts as a root or seed. Then, if left unchecked, it can blossom into a full grown plant with offshoots of leaves, branches and ultimately corrupt fruit. 

The word “bitterness” is πικρία, (pik-ree’-ah), which means bitterness, harshness, an embittered (resentful) spirit. Have you ever known someone who has a “bitter” (resentful) spirit? 

The word “trouble” is ἐνοχλέω, (en-okh-leh’-o), which means to crowd in, to disturb, cause tumult, trouble, annoy. Have you ever felt crowded by being annoyed? Troubled? Disturbed? 

The word “defiled” is μιαίνω, (me-ah’-ee-no), which means stain, pollute, defile, corrupt. Did you read in the text (Heb 12:15) where “many” will be “defiled” or polluted, stained, and corrupted?

Conclusion: Bitterness is a deadly disease. Life is full of opportunities to become bitter. Yet, God in His mercy, has provided a way of escape from being “bitten with bitterness” through His AMAZING GRACE displayed through JESUS CHRIST’S substitutionary death on the cross, and resurrection from the dead. After ascending into heaven, He poured out His Holy Spirit who now EMPOWERS the believer in Christ to deal with “BITTERNESS” before it deals with us.

Introduction: Honestly, are we finding the world has a bigger influence on us than we are willing to admit?

• T.V. industry
• Movie industry
• Social media outlets
• Hollywood
• Sports
• Corporate world
• New fads in culture, etc.

What does it mean to be IN the world but not OF the world?

1. What is the biblical definition of the WORLD?

“15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1John 2:15-17)

Someone has defined “the world” as the ideas, characteristics, mindset, and ways of sinful humanity. SELF is at the CENTER! The devil is driving the TRAIN.

The great evangelist D.L. Moody had these words inscribed on his epitaph…

“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

Moody was gloriously converted while a Sunday School teacher named Edward Kimball witnessed to him. Of all places, the new birth experience happened at a shoe store, as Mr Kimball put his hand on the older teenager -Moody- and said something of this effect, “Don’t you think it is about time to invite Jesus Christ to be your personal Lord and Savior?”
To which Moody responded by praying for forgiveness through the blood of Jesus and was then quickened by the Holy Spirit. The last words of the renown evangelist were something like this… “The earth is receding, God is beckoning, I must be away.”

2. What is the key to living in the WORLD but not being of the WORLD?

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1John 4:4)

3. What is the criteria of being in the “WORLD” but not being of the WORLD”?

“4For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1John 5:4, 5)

Notice the part of being “born again.”

Jesus said to a religious Pharisee, Nicodemus, who was a member of the prestigious Sanhedrin, “You must be born again.” (John 3:1-6)

Without being born by the Spirit, and left to ourselves, we will fall prey to the enticing things of the world every time. However, once regenerated, then the believing CHRISTian has the power to OVERCOME.

Conclusion: Paul writes, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Rom 12:1, 2)

The word “conformed” is συσχηματίζω,(soos-khay-mat-id’-zo), which literally means to conform to….be shaped by.

The Israelites are a good example of being influenced by their Egyptian culture; i.e. building a golden calf to worship after being delivered by the strong hand of the Lord.

Rather than being CONFORMED to the world, we are to be TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING of our minds. That is what our Lord is doing as you read these daily devotions. “BLESS the Lord”!

Jesus told His followers: “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

1. The Cure for Care is Prayer!

“6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6, 7)

If we focus on all our PROBLEMS and things we cannot CONTROL, then we become OVERWHELMED with CARE. But if we look to JESUS and TRUST in Him then we can have His PEACE and PRESENCE.

2. The Cause of Care is Fear!

“32Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)

3. The Comfort of Care is be Aware!

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1Pet 5:6, 7)