A New Work in Your Life
There are thousands of acres of vineyards that surround where I live. We often take drives along country roads lined with rows and rows of grapes just to get away from the busyness of our lives. Every fall, you can watch as the workers harvest the crops and take them to be processed into wine. The color of the grape determines what their juice will be stored in. White wines go into stainless steel vats, and red wines go into oak barrels. This preserves the wine as they go through the fermenting process. Today, Jesus shows you a new work in your life that He wants to accomplish.
LUKE 5:37
“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined.”
Jesus uses an example in life that everyone would’ve understood. Wine was stored in wineskins, which were converted goat bladders. New wine emits gasses that stretch the container in which it is placed. Old wineskins have already expanded to their limit, so you wouldn’t put new wine in them. Jesus uses this to refer to the new work He is doing. The old system of obeying the law wasn’t going to work with the new work of grace. You are no longer going to be judged by your good works or by keeping the rules, but instead if the righteousness of Christ is on you.
Make Your Name Great
Some people in history can go by one name, and you know who they are. Think of people like Einstein, Churchill, and Luther. Their accomplishments during their lifetime will be studied for centuries to come. Abraham falls under that category in the Bible. The father of Israel is still revered today. God told him that He would “make your name great.”
GENESIS 12:2
“And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing.”
This is God’s promise to Abraham to bring the great nation of Israel out of his lineage. Multiple times in Genesis, God tells him that his descendants will be as many as the stars in the sky or the sands on the sea. What makes this promise even more impressive is that at the time, Abraham has no children. He won’t become a father until he is 100 years old! He had to wait many years for this promise to begin, and then he only had one child.
Triumphant Procession
In the time of Jesus, when a Roman General defeated an enemy, there would be a parade welcoming him and the soldiers home. The general would enter on a white horse wearing his finest military attire. Behind him would be all of the spoils of his victory. There would be carts of the bounty brought back, followed by his soldiers, and at the end were all of the captured people. It was a triumphant procession that the whole city came out to celebrate.
2 Corinthians 2:14
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.”
When Jesus defeated sin and death on the cross, that victory became ours. We are now part of the triumphant procession because we are no longer slaves to our sins. We joyfully march behind Jesus because his bloodshed on the cross has restored us to a right relationship with God, and now we are heirs to the inheritance to come. You are an overcomer who is victorious because you put your faith in Jesus Christ. You may have never won anything else in your life, but you have with Jesus.
More Than You Need
Have you ever gone to the store to buy some supplies for dinner and ended up with more than you need? We’ve all done it. Maybe you measured wrong or couldn’t buy the quantity you wanted at the store. What do you do with the leftovers? Do you save it for later, or do you throw it away? Most people store it for later. That is the principle you need to remember when God comforts you. He always gives you more than you need.
2 Corinthians 1:5
“For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”
As Paul starts to address the Corinthians in his second letter, he lays out how much he has suffered taking the Gospel to different parts of the Roman Empire. At the same time, he has suffered dramatically, each time Jesus has given him comfort that overflows. Interestingly, he uses the term “overflows” because it means more than you can handle. When you are going through suffering, rest assured that if your trust is in the Lord, He will give you more than you need.
Equipped to Endure
Have you ever heard the term “Preppers?” These are people preparing for Armageddon and have their garages packed with goods to survive when the food shortages happen. You can watch videos on how to get ready for the end of the world and have enough to survive. For the saints, during the tribulation, they will be equipped to endure by following the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
Revelation 14:12
Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
The tribulation will be a tough time for everyone who remains on earth. There will be food shortages, water will be damaged and undrinkable, and pervasive pests and plagues will cover the earth. Those saints who started to follow Jesus during the tribulation will be equipped to endure the difficulties. It will take strict adherence to the Word of God and strong faith, but they will make it.
Wholeheartedly Devoted
Elections can bring about the worst in people. Candidates exaggerate how good they are and tell lies about their opponent. When a candidate wins they think it is because they are the better person. This can go to their head and cause major issues down the line. As Christians we need to be different. The Lord is looking for those who wholeheartedly devoted to Him so He can show HIs Strength.
2 Chronicles 16:9
“For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth to show himself strong for those who are wholeheartedly devoted to him. You have been foolish in this matter. Therefore, you will have wars from now on.”
King Asa was one of the worst kings in Israel’s history, if not the worst. He was cruel and refused to acknowledge or follow the Lord. Instead, he looked to the armies of Syria and Ethiopia. When the prophet Hanani came to him and gave this message Asa locked him up and cruelly treated the people. God had judged the king and found him foolish and lacking strength in his dependence on others instead of the Lord. Because of that Asa would know wars for the rest of his life.
Getting Close
COVID has really made more people aware of the mark of the beast. Type in on Google or Youtube, “Is the vaccine the mark of the beast?” and you will get millions of hits. There are so many wacky prophets out there just trying to get clicks by perpetuating this myth. Granted, the vaccine shows us how easy people will take the mark, but it isn’t it. Revelation tells us that when the Antichrist comes, he will make the people get his mark on them. We are getting close.
Revelation 13:16-17
“And it makes everyone — small and great, rich and poor, free and slave — to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark: the beast’s name or the number of its name.”
As the tribulation goes on and the judgments of God get more severe, the Antichrist, Satan’s puppet, will turn his wrath against the church. He will make life miserable and even murder millions. One of his tactics will be to squeeze them out of everyday life by getting a mark of the beast. This will be a visible mark or chip that will allow people to buy and sell goods. It will be challenging to survive without the mark. Going off the grid will work for a while, but eventually, they will track those down. It’s all an attempt to get back at God for what He is doing.
What is Your Testimony?
A little old lady in her eighties was attending a Sunday school conference. She had faithfully taught at her church for over fifty years. When the leaders of the conference heard about it, they asked her on stage. She received a thunderous ovation from all in attendance. The leader asked her what the key to […]
Words of Instruction
Most Christians around the world would be considered charismatic. They believe in and operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is not uncommon to hear a word from the Lord or a message in tongues. While these are valuable in encouraging the church body, they always take a back seat to the teaching of the Word of God. Words of Instruction build up the believer.
1 Corinthians 14:19
“yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, in order to teach others also, than ten thousand words in another tongue.”
The church in Corinth was really into the spiritual gifts like speaking into tongues and prophesy. Paul had to give them instructions on using those gifts in the services because they spoke over one another and interrupted the services. Paul also makes it clear that while those gifts are significant, teaching was of utmost importance. He would instead teach five words of instruction over thousands of words spoken in tongues.
Consumed With the End of the World
Some people are consumed with a coming apocalypse. That is why shows like “The Walking Dead” are so popular. Whether it be a zombie apocalypse or a meteor cratering towards earth, people are consumed with the end of the world. The Bible talks about the end times, and it describes two characters that will hold the world’s attention.
Revelation 11:5
“If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and consumes their enemies; if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way.”
During the Tribulation, there will be two men who are called witnesses. They will be in Jerusalem, and they will preach non-stop the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the coming wrath of God. Those who have hardened their heart towards God will hate them and will try to kill them. If someone tries to harm them, fire will come from the witnesses’ mouths and consume them. Pretty scary scene, huh? It shows us that God means business. He doesn’t want anyone to perish, but they will be judged if they reject the Gospel.