Grace Bible Church
Pastor teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
Sunday October 27, 2019
Hakuna Matata — “There are no worries here” or “don’t worry, be happy, because everything is going to be alright.”
The Lord wants us to recognize the importance of having a positive attitude no matter where we are because at any moment a satanic lie can “sneak attack” against the believer.
It is vital to remain positive toward God and His plan rather than be concerned and negative because things don’t seem to be going our way.
Prin: Everything in your life has the potential to either be a blessing or a curse, it all depends upon your outlook in life especially when we are facing certain challenges.
This passage is definitely a verse which challenges members of “The Royal Family of God,” who are also called “The Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ” or “The Body of Christ.”
Mankind was prepared to receive God’s highest and best in spite of the fact that he was reprobate, He was highly elevated in the Holy Mountains of Jehovah.
One of the major doctrinal privileges that we have in Joh 15:1-8, on the Vine and the branches is the subject of pruning.
Pruned — which refers to God shaping their lives in general to help them towards spiritual growth.
Given the analogy that we have, remember that pruning is about cutting away something from someone.
Pruning is the process of cutting away anything that would hinder the believer’s spiritual growth.
Sometimes pruning gets rid of dead leaf’s that hinder the growth of the plant or of the vine and sometimes, if the damage is really bad, it can hinder the roots from functioning properly with the branches.
One of the most important functions of pruning is to separate the live branches from the dead branches.
If we do not receive the spiritual pruning that is needed at the time, there is no way we will ever live the spiritual life that our Lord desires for us to live.
Prin: Pruning is the benefit of having our Lord do the changes needed in our life even if it hurts some, at the time.
In fact, what time is it?
It is time to plant!
Unless you have removed the dead branches, certain problems that produce death will take all the strength that should go into the fruit not the dead branches.
In our study of Joh 15, on the road to the Garden of Gethsemane, the last thing that the apostles needed was to be around the wrong kind of people.
The apostles had enough problems with their own ability to handle the situation, and so the last thing they needed was to be around others who had a negative attitude on a consistent basis.
Pro 13:20 “He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
2Ti 3:5 “They hold to external forms of godliness, but have renounced the power of that same godliness; you also be turning yourself away from these men.”
In Rom 16:17‑18 “turn away from them” is physical separation from troublemakers.
God has assigned to you a number of days to live on this earth according to PSA 90:12; 31:15.
PSA 90:12 “Teach us to number our days, that we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom.”
In PSA 31:15, David said, “My times are in Thy hand.”
God has created you for His glory and until you believe that and then live for that purpose, you will never find true happiness and contentment in life.
This is why the mature believer regards every day as the Lord’s day, Rom 14:5‑6.
Every day we live is a gracious gift from God and it should be a day that we have time set aside for our relationship with Him.
The only time we possess to honor God in this life is the number of days He provides for us in the Christian life, Psa 90:12; Jam 4:13‑15.
JAM 4:14 “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”
Lam 3:22‑23, “The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness.”
One of the principles that make time so important is the fact that it is so rare.
You can never get back the time that you lost or wasted…..it’s gone forever.
The Philosopher William James said, “The great use for one’s life is to spend it for something that will outlast it!”
Only one life, twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be,
If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.
Philosopher William James said, “The great use for one’s life is to spend it for something that will outlast it!”***
God’s timing is perfect and if you are in fellowship with Him, you will have peace of mind with everything you do.
It says, a time to give birth because time begins at birth not in the womb.
Regardless of the circumstances and events that surround your birth, God gave you life at that moment, so that was the right time for you to be born.
When you were born, where you were born, who you were when you were born, which includes your gender, your race, and what period of human history you were born in, Our Lord chose for you.
DEU 32:4 “The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He.”
When you were born;
Where you were born;
Who were you born to;
What gender you are;
What race you are;
What time in human history would you be born in.?
This means that you did not choose your parents; God did.
God created soul life and imputed it to your soul at your birth.
Don’t say you were born too late or too early or you would have been better off if you lived during another generation.
God is perfect, His ways are perfect, and you and I were born under the perfect timing of God!
If we complain about anything related to our birth or our environment, or our parents, or our home, we are blaspheming God.
Anyone who resents his parents or his early environment, no matter how bad or how good it was, is totally out of sync with life.
Every time you use your environment as an excuse for your bad habits or your bad decisions, you are so far out of line that you are disoriented to life.
Just like we had no control over our birth, we also have no control over our death, the Lord does the controlling of both of them, birth and death.
When we are born and when we die is a matter of the sovereignty of God or God’s judgment.
We will die in the manner and at the time that God selects; Psa 68:19-20.
One of the major doctrinal privileges that we have in Joh 15 on the Vine and the branches is the subject of pruning.
- Pruning mans to cut off the negative elements that are hindering and destroying the branches of the trees, especially including the Vine and the branches, as in our passage.
- Pruning is also defined as the action of clearing away anything that could hinder you from growing spiritually including people.
- The branches that were pruned because of their faithfulness and fulfillment of the calling of God upon their life, were the type of branches or believers who our Lord called “winner believers.” (Rev 2 & 3.
- Pruning process = a process that God the Holy Spirit will empower us to meet the enemies of our Lord with a greater power no matter what the challenge; 1Jo 4:4.
- The biblical meaning of the word pruning which is to “cut off” or “cut away” dead things that may be are poisoning the branches that are alive.
- We are also commanded to learn that those branches that bear fruit will continue do so as long as they continually accept the doctrine of pruning.
- This pruning process is something that we should all be very thankful for and something that should motivate and reveal our appreciation to all of those believers who have PVTD.
- We are also commanded to learn that those branches that bear fruit will continue do so as long as they continually accept the doctrine of pruning.
- This pruning process is something that we should all be very thankful for and something that should motivate and reveal our appreciation to all of those believers who have PVTD.
- Pruning is the need that all of God’s people have at certain times of having certain things taken away from us or it is the cutting away of something from someone.
*** The Philosopher William James said, “The great use for one’s life is to spend it for something that will outlast it!”***
Only one life, twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgement seat;
Only one life,’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, the still small voice,
Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave,
And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, a few brief years,
Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill,
living for self or in His will;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
When this bright world would tempt me sore,
When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way,
Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Give me Father, a purpose deep,
In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife,
Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Oh, let my love with fervor burn,
And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone,
Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, “twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one,
Now let me say,”Thy will be done”
And when at last I’ll hear the call,
I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”
Only one life,’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be,
If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.
Hakuna matata — “There are no worries here,” — Don’t worry, be happy.