Chapter 15 

Love and Bear Fruit  

     I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 

     If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 

     I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down is life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will last. This is my command: Love each other. 

     If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. I have chosen you out of the world. That's why the world hates you. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But now, they have seen these miracles, and they have hated both me and my Father. When the Counselor comes, the Spirit of truth, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. 

Tomorrow: The work of the Holy Spirit

 

 I oved you.Now r

 Chapter 14

Jesus, the Way to the Father 

     Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. I am going there to prepare a place for you. I will come back and take you to be with me. You know the way. Thomas said, "Lord, we don't know where you are going." Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know the Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.  

     Phillip said, "Lord, show us the Father." Jesus answered, Don't you know me Phillip? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father living in me, who is doing his work. ...at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.

     If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever...the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. 

     My Father will love him, and we will...make our home with him. The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father. 

     I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me. (the cross) 

Tuesday. The Vine and the Branches

Chapter 13

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

     Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me 'Teacher and Lord,' and that is rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I have washed your feet, you should also wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. No servant is greater than his master. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. 

     This is to fulfill the scripture. He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me. I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it happens you will believe that I am He. He who accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me. I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said,

     Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.  

     Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later. 

     Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." Will you really lay down your life for me? Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! 

Monday: Jesus promises to return

His Time Had Come

     Jesus made a school for himself, the teacher. He selected 12 men to be his students. No schoolhouse. They walked throughout Israel for maybe three years. The teacher sometimes made speeches, sometimes healed people, sometimes debated with the chief priests and Pharisees, who were annoyed by him. 

     John likely was the last disciple, living about 60 years after Jesus returned to heaven. He wrote a long letter to refute heresy; it became one of four "gospels." We think the Holy Spirit gave John the words Jesus spoke decades earlier. The 12 men expected Jesus to take command over Israel. Jesus begins to educate them about his plan that predates the world.

     Coming on Views: Jesus predicts his betrayal. He tells them what's coming and how to live (after he is gone). He tells them he is going to heaven and will prepare a place for them. He speaks of a Counselor to come with many abilities. 

     There is a true vine, a source of life, fruit to produce, never a static relationship, and there is the fire of hell. Dealing with opposition, the age of the Spirit, love, forgiveness, redemption, power, gifts of healing, and faith. Finally, how to pray, unity of heart, authority over us all, joy, holy thoughts and deeds, eternal life, obedience, salvation for the lost...and more. 

                                                                             😇

        

A Meteor Strike 

     We stole a few post-election comments from Epoch Times. Then we'll return to normalcy. Vice President J.D. Vance blamed the Iran war. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis described the rout as the "political equivalent of a meteor strike." He adds, "Results were votes against Republicans in Washinton, rather than votes for Democratic policies," and blamed the GOP "for not focusing on kitchen table issues." 

     Exit polling shows that voters rejected Republican candidates because of concerns about the cost of living and Iran. There were massive swings toward Democrats in deep Republican regions and among young men and Hispanics. 

     President Trump agreed the war and high gas prices played a part. Still, he wouldn't have done anything differently. He is open to Democrats in his final two years, while saying he's also prepared to be "Mr. Veto." 

     House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries may become speaker, leading a large Democratic caucus. He spoke of Democrat's 100-day agenda, focused on accountability and affordability. We'll see what actually happens. 

     Jeffries said no House Democrat has raised impeachment with him. Other House Democrats have zeroed in on Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. 

General George Patton 

     When yours truly became old enough to read about WWII, I became fascinated with General George Patton. But I hadn't read this story: Patton in North Africa was about to face Nazi Gen. Erwin Rommel, who had written a book after WWI about strategies. 

     Patton had read his book, and when they got close enough in battle, Patton was said to have yelled, "I read your book!" Patton, knowing Rommel's strategies, defeated him and helped overcome all Hitler's military. 

     Have we read God's book? It says we are not ignorant of Satan's devices and strategies. Serving the Lord in His war against Satan can be hard, but the Bible says we will "overcome." 

Tomorrow: Introduction to our coming series on Jesus' revealing directions.

 The Maker makes makers 

     "We are told in Genesis that humans are made in God's image, male and female, and set over God's creation as caretakers and stewards. We are to be creative. God told Adam to name the animals. We name our children. To draw or sculpt or paint or write or sing is to evoke the character of God.

by Bruce Herman

     "We are meant to be creative - not to distinguish ourselves - but to serve and bless and complete God's creation alongside Him. Our creativity can result in loss, as we give ourselves into the work. 

     "When Jesus emptied Himself, he was giving Himself away. He fed the apostles and said, 'This is my body...this is my blood.' He was inviting us to follow. This is the heart of creative acts: to give ourselves to another in and through what we do. To make a painting or write a sonnet or repair an elderly person's front stairs - these are creative acts that involve self-donation (a gift), the very essence of Christ Jesus." 

...who gave Himself on the cross to pay the penalty for sin...

...to forgive and adopt as his children all who believe, trust and obey...

I pledge allegiance to the flag, 

one nation, indivisible with liberty and Justice for all. Something missing? Yes, that was what they drafted in 1892, when Benjamin Harrison was President. He may or may not have had any connection with the pledge. Years later, "the Republic" was added. The government first recognized the pledge in 1942, during WWII. President Eisenhower added "under God." 

     Every day of grade school, we stood up and recited the pledge before class. I probably assumed it was the law. Today in our Florida homeowner's association, attendees at the monthly board meeting say the pledge before business begins. 

     Patriotism, love of country, was adopted by Greeks and Romans two thousand years ago. It was/is for the common good: liberty, loyalty and civic spirit were designed to resist corruption and tyranny. To love (the nation) was/is to be willing to sacrifice one's own good - even life - for the protection of common liberty. Unity and coherence are desired. Freedom - preservation of unique people and patriotic sacrifice - promote long term survival of a nation. 

     Today there are critics of patriotic pride, considered to be "morally dangerous." Tensions among citizens. Common good is considered as redistribution of income, collective goods and services, and education and health care. There are new forms of patriotism. Political culture must not discriminate against any subculture. We no longer have shared language or cultural origin. Every month we receive our healthcare report. The last two pages list foreign countries that our fellow citizens come from, and continue speaking their languages.  

                              "It's no coincidence that socialism is often just another brand name

for communism, where corrupt rulers gain total control while

promising freedoms and benefits that are mere propaganda."

                                                                           House and Senate