The Moment to Moment Connection

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5

Key Points

º The ultimate judgment of your life is your fruitfulness.

Fruitfulness is the result of using your full potential to produce the greatest spiritual benefit for God.

º We cannot produce fruit on our own.

º The way to fruitfulness is for us to stay connected to the new source of life.

To abide in the vine is a moment to moment connection to God’s presence, power and purpose.

God holds our lives in his hand, but our minds can wander.

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:5-8

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead…  Phil. 3:12-13

To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily. Col. 1:29

The competing life sources are our fleshly desires and the influence of the world around us.

For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. Gal. 5:17 NIV

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15

How do we Abide?

º Following the inner leadings of the Holy Spirit.

The three prongs of connection are:

º Abide in His love.

As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. John 15:9

º Abide in His word.

Then Jesus said… “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:31-32

º Abide in His Name.

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Col. 3:17

3 Questions to ask yourself:

1. What keeps you in the presence of God?
2. What distracts you?
3. How can you better abide?