Abide in Me

John 15:1-11

By Pastor Mark

The Truth and The Facts

Jesus is the vine and His followers are the branches. God the Father is the vinedresser. If one of His branches does not bear fruit it is trimmed away. If a branch does bear fruit He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.

If we are feeling distant from God’s blessing it is likely that we are not bearing fruit. If we are feeling close to God but are noticing that some things are being taken away from us, it is likely we are bearing fruit and will soon bear more fruit. This is a time to rejoice and press on.

We must abide in Christ and He in us else we cannot bear fruit. A vine branch cannot bear fruit by itself and a lone Christian cannot either. Apart from Jesus we can do nothing.

The Fruit and The Results

If anyone does not abide in Me he is thrown away as a branch and dries up, eventually to be gathered and thrown into the fire.

Yet if you abide (live, dwell) in Christ and His words abide in you, (live in you not just knowing them) you may ask whatever you wish and it shall be added unto you.

If you are getting ‘no’ frequently to your prayers then take a look at your abiding in Christ. Would someone who looks at you say, “yep, that person is abiding in Christ. He’s a true Christian.” A ‘no’ looks like an unanswered prayer as well as a no. A ‘no’ looks like powerless prayer. When we see a believer who prays for others with signs and wonders happening, we know that person is abiding in Christ and He in him.

God’s word is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the bone and marrow. Just believing in Christ does not bring us a living faith or a powerful faith. We must have His word abiding in us. We must see that His word is living and active in us. Else we have a dead faith.

God is glorified when we bear much fruit and prove to be Jesus’ disciples. A disciple follows Jesus and is constantly pressing in and trying to be closer to Him. A disciple shares the love of Jesus with others. A disciple fellowships with other followers of Jesus. A disciple keeps Jesus’ commandments (Love God, Love Others) and a disciple has the joy of Jesus in him and his joy is complete.