SSLS 2017-02-12
2017 1st Quarter
Lesson 7, February 11-17, The Holy Spirit and the Fruit of the Spirit
Sunday, February 12
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every 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. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide 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. I 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. If 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. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” KJV, John 15:1-11, emphasis added.
“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” KJV, Jude 1:21, emphasis added.
“There are lessons of the highest importance that not one in twenty of those who claim to be children of God have yet learned. Shall not we learn them before our destiny is forever settled? Shall we cherish and cultivate the very thing which Satan originated in heaven, which resulted in his fall, and which through his temptations has successfully accomplished the fall of thousands and thousands? Shall we separate ourselves from God, and take the enemy’s side? Professed believers in the truth are doing this. When circumstances arise to tempt them, they do not resist temptation, but fall an easy prey to the Devil. That which individuals need is practical godliness. This is the only antidote for the snares of the Devil.” (Ellen White, Review and Herald, June 28, 1887, emphasis added.)
“Christ was the greatest teacher that the world ever knew. I am willing to be in His school. I am willing to learn from His lips. I am willing to learn from Him that lesson which will make me great in the eyes of the Lord. And what is that? ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly of heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light’ ( Matthew 11:28-30). Now Jesus, I submit myself to Thy teaching. I am willing to be taught by Him who created the heavens and the earth, who made the lofty trees, the spears of grass, and every shrub. I am willing to be taught of Him that set the stars in their order in the heavens, and appointed the sun and the moon to do their work. I can drink at that fountain. I do not need to go to infidel authors, but to God. I want to know God and the power of His grace. I will make no boast of knowledge. Those who know not God, even while they look upon His works, say there is no God. The fool hath said that in his heart. Shall we go to such men for knowledge, from whom Christ is hidden, when the very things they ought to know, they do not know? God help us that while we shall have to communicate more or less with those who have no knowledge of the truth, we may be so grounded and rooted in the truth, that nothing can move us. We are to bear rich clusters every day. Why? Because we are converted every day….
“May God help us to come right into that position where no gem of light need come to us from impure channels, mingled with the remains of evil and heresies, and those things that lead in paths which God has not cast up. Rather, we may have the light that comes direct from the throne of God, which will lead us in paths of righteousness, of holiness, of purity and godliness.—Manuscript 8b, 1891, pp. 1, 3-11.” (Ellen White, Vol. 9, Manuscript Releases, 70, 71, emphasis added.)