October 16 2016 Connecting with Jesus - "I am the vine"

Connecting with Jesus - "I am the vine"

John 15:1-8. "I am the true grapevine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit. He prune the branches that do bear fruit, so they will produce even more." "You've already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me and I will remain in you for a branch cannot produce fruit if it severed from the vine. You can not be fruitful unless you remain in me." "Yes I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.","Anyone who doesn't remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned." "But if you remain in me my words remain in you. You may ask for anything and it will be granted. When you produce fruit you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my father."

FOUR VITAL STEPS TO LOVING JESUS AS OUR VINE

1. I start my connection to Jesus by believing in him.

John 14:6 " I am the way the truth and the life. No one can come to the father except through me.

John 15:16. You didn't choose me. I chose you.

2. I strengthen my connection to Jesus by obeying him.

John 15:10. Jesus says, "When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love. Just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in His love."

John 15:14-15 You are my friends if you do what I command. Underline that. He says, I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn't confide in his slaves. Now, you are my friends since I have told you everything the Father told me."

John 15:6-7. "Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you can ask for anything you want, and it will be granted."

3. I show my connection to Jesus by loving others.

John 15: 12-13. "This is my command. Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.

Galatians 5:22-23 "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."

4. I see my connection to Jesus in my joy.

John 15:11. "I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

Memory Verse: John 15:5. "Yes, I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who remain in me and I in them will produce much fruit, for apart from me, you can do nothing."

November 9 2014 Fully Engaged In Friends

Fully Engaged in My Friends

The eyes of the Lord search to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose hearts are completely His.– 2 Chronicles 16:9

““Never abandon a friend—either yours or your father's.  Then in your time of need, you won't have to ask your relatives for assistance.  It is better to go to a neighbor than to a relative who lives far away.” – Proverbs 27:10

FOUR ACTIONS TO ENGAGE MY FRIENDS THIS WEEK

1. Provide Encouragement

“For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means ‘Son of Encouragement’).” – Acts 4:26

• Through my words (see Matthew 12:36-37)
• Acts of kindness.
• Just listening.         

2. Play together.

“So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people to do in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them.” – Ecclesiastes 8:15

3. Pray specifically for my friends.

“God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God.” – Romans 1:9

(See other of Paul’s prayers for friends in Ephesians 1:16; Philippians 1:4;

4. Pursue an opportunity to talk about God.

“If you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way.” – 1 Peter 3:15-16

Memory Verse: “I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. And here is how to measure it – the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends.” – John 15:12-13

July 21 2013 God On Film: Monsters University

Memory Verse: “There are ‘friends’ who destroy each other, But a real friend sticks closer than a brother.” -Proverbs 18:24

Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend.”

TO BECOME A GOD-HONORING FRIEND:
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BE A GOOD FRIEND FIRST

1 John 3:18“Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions.”

John 15:12-13 (Jesus) “I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. And here is how to measure it—the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends.”
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ENCOURAGE MY FRIENDS DURING TOUGH TIMEs

Proverbs 17:17“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

3 Ways to Encourage a Friend in Need

1. PRAYER

2. Share a BIBLE VERSE

3. INVITE THEM TO CHURCH

1 Thessalonians 5:11 “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”
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SEEK TO RESOLVE CONFLICT QUICKLY

Ephesians 4:26-27 “…Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil.”

Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and gracious to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.”
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TRUST JESUS AS MY PRIMARY FRIEND

1 John 4:19 We love each other because he loved us first.”

Romans 5:11 “So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.”

November 13 2011 Love That Lasts

Love That Lasts

Isa. 54:8 - I will show you my love forever, so say the Lord who saves.

John 15:12 - I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you.

Col. 3:14 – Over all these virtues put on love which binds them all together in perfect unity.

I John 3:18 – Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Five Steps To Making Love Last:

Step One: Experience God’s love.

Eph. 3:17 -18 -I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you, as you trust in Him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love, and may you be able to feel and understand, as all God's children should, how long, how wide, how deep and how high His love really is and to experience His love for yourself.

I John 4:19 - We love because he first loved us.

Step Two: Forgive your enemies.

Col. 3:13 – Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.

Step Three: Think loving thoughts.

Phil. 2:4-5 – Don't just think about your own affairs, but be interested in others too, and in what they are doing. Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Christ Jesus. 

A Fact Of Life: Hurt people hurt people.

Step Four: Act in a loving way.

Luke 6:27-28 – Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Four Ways To Act Lovingly:
 

• Love your enemies
• Do good
• Bless those who curse you
• Pray for those who mistreat us

I Cor. 13

Step Five: Expect the best.

I Cor. 13:2 – You will always believe in Him, always expect the best of Him.

Taking the First Step:

Remember God loves you

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall have everlasting life.

Repent

Acts 3:19 – Repent then, and turn to God.

Trust Jesus

John 1:12 – All who received Him, He gave the power to become children of God.