We trace how abiding in Christ reframes suffering, drawing on John 15–16, Hebrews 12, and stories from the early church to show why endurance is rooted in grace, not grit. We show how God turns what the world calls a curse into lasting fruit and how peace holds in real pain.

• abide in Christ as the source of strength
• stand firm, hold fast, endure across Scripture
• reconcile suffering with God’s love and purpose
• Jesus foretells persecution and promises peace
• the cross as curse turned blessing
• Stephen’s courage as a model of fruit that remains
• Romans 8:28 and an eternal perspective
• Hebrews 12 warnings against bitterness
• spiritual ways to strengthen weak knees and lift tired hearts
• comforted by God in order to comfort others

Blog Post: https://wakinguptograce.com/069-stand-firm-john-15-1-6/

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We challenge the fear that hardship equals punishment and show how John 15 reframes trials as pruning for more fruit. We press into abiding as believing, freedom from guilt through the finished work of Christ, and a humble dependence that endures.

• abiding as active belief and dependence
• pruning as spiritual growth, not punishment
• lessons from gardening applied to John 15
• fruit that remains into eternity
• weakness as the place God’s power is strong
• freedom from guilt through the finished work of Christ
• different yields from the same faithful vine
• praying for pruning over seeking more forgiveness

Blog Post: https://wakinguptograce.com/068-pruning-for-fruit-bearing-john-15-1-6/

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We trace how abiding in Christ clarifies what we ask for and why some prayers are answered with confidence. Through John 15, 1 John, and Paul’s thorn, we show how dependence on the Spirit shapes desires, grows fruit, and keeps us from falling away.

• abiding defined as continuing in belief
• fruit as evidence of dependence on Christ
• prayer aligned to God’s will, not wishlists
• John 15 and 1 John on confident asking
• Paul’s thorn redefining strength and grace
• the Holy Spirit as counselor and teacher
• love, assurance, and perseverance through the Spirit
• chosen to bear fruit that remains
• guidance, patience, and joy under trial

Blog Post: https://wakinguptograce.com/067-ask-and-it-will-be-done-john-15-1-6/

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We trace the vine from the prophets to the upper room and show why Jesus calls himself the true vine and how abiding is believing. Fear fades when we see that withered branches picture unbelief, while pruning affirms those loved by God.

• the problem of church rhetoric versus grace clarity
• abiding defined as believing, not performance
• addressing “taken away” and “fire” without legalism
• Israel as the vine in the Tanakh and the remnant
• Matthew’s Hosea quote and the second exodus
• Romans 11 on broken-off and grafted-in branches
• covenant promise before law, fulfilled in Christ
• clean because of the word, Judas as contrast
• pruning as care and fruit as evidence of life
• encouragement to value salvation and trust grace

Blog Post: https://wakinguptograce.com/066-thrown-into-the-fire-and-burned-john-15-1-6/

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Blog Post: https://wakinguptograce.com/065-what-is-abiding-in-christ-john-15-1-6/

We trace John 15 through the lens of the cross and the Spirit to show that abiding in Christ means believing the gospel, not performing for worth. Prayer, love, and confidence before God flow from this union and are sustained by the Spirit’s indwelling.

• timing and covenant context for John 15
• belief as the work of God
• discipleship and freedom after the cross
• new command to love one another
• prayer aligned with God’s will
• abiding clarified in 1 John
• confidence before God through reconciliation
• love as evidence of the Spirit’s work
• assurance and security in the Spirit
• interpreting burned branches without fear

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Blog Post: https://wakinguptograce.com/064-paul-rebukes-peter-part-2-galatians-2-11/

We test a hard question: did the apostles continue Jewish practice while preaching grace, and how does that reshape Acts 15, Acts 21, Galatians 2, and Romans 14? Do we see in the gospel distinction without discrimination—Jew and Gentile worshiping with one voice—while rejecting legalism’s return to boundary-making?

• Acts 15 as the table-fellowship framework for Gentiles via the apostolic decree
• Acts 21 and Paul’s purification to affirm he lived in observance of Torah
• Galatians 2 as a unity crisis, not a dietary ban on Jewish practice
• Hebrews 8 and the transition toward the new covenant consummation
• Ephesians 2 and the end of law-as-boundary, fulfilled in love
• Rethinking the “weak” in Romans 14 in synagogue settings
• AD 70’s impact on temple worship and covenantal shift
• Modern legalism critiqued; grace as the engine of love and unity

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Blog Post: https://wakinguptograce.com/063-paul-rebukes-peter-part-1-galatians-2-11/

The confrontation between Paul and Peter in Antioch reveals key insights about grace, fellowship, and the true meaning of the gospel.

• Paul rebuked Peter not for doctrinal error but for hypocrisy—his behavior contradicted the truth he proclaimed
• Early church fathers were so troubled by this apostolic disagreement that some suggested it was staged
• Peter's vision regarding Cornelius wasn't primarily about food but about not considering any person common or unclean
• Jewish separation from Gentiles was cultural practice, not a Torah command
• Different Jewish communities had varying attitudes toward Gentile relationships
• Two types of Gentile proselytes existed: "proselytes of the gate" who followed minimum requirements and full converts
• The real issue wasn't dietary laws but whether Gentiles were equal partners in salvation
• We must harmonize Paul's rebuke in Galatians with his teaching on tolerance in Romans 14
• The question remains: Did the apostles continue practicing Mosaic law after Pentecost?

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Blog Post: https://wakinguptograce.com/062-god-shows-no-partiality-romans-2-11/

The principle that "God shows no partiality" (Romans 2:11) shaped Paul's ministry approach as he navigated the complex relationship between Jewish and Gentile believers in the first-century church.

• Paul consistently went to Jewish synagogues first when entering new cities
• Early Christian Gentiles in Rome were deeply integrated with Jewish synagogue communities
• The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) established minimum requirements for Gentile believers in Jewish communities without imposing full Jewish law
• Synagogues served as centers for community, worship, education, and economic support in the ancient world
• Paul demonstrated cultural sensitivity by having Timothy circumcised and taking Nazarite vows
• First-century Christians lived in a transitional period between covenant ages
• Christ fulfilled the law and brought reconciliation to the saints at Pentecost
• The destruction of the Temple in AD 70 marked the full end of the old covenant age along with the Law.
• Paul's approach wasn't anti-law but pro-Christ, seeing Jesus as the fulfillment of the law
• Paul used the Jewish scriptures to prove Jesus was the promised Messiah King that the Jews awaited.

As Christians today, we are saints, fully forgiven and made perfect by the blood of our Lord. Let's live like it!

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