Flourishing or Languishing?

Notes: Flourishing or Languishing?
Pancho Juarez
Sunday, February 18, 2018
John 15:1–8
Music: Phil Wickham

https://www.harvest.org/watch-and-listen/webcast/watch/flourishing-or-languishing

An American idiom “a rolling stone collects no moss”

You have to die to yourself to adapt to become a Christian.

Institutionalized by choice for Christ. Expected behavior as a Christian.

Jesus is speaking to believers but these verses apply to all.

John 15:1-8 NKJV
[1] "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. [2] Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. [3] You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. [4] 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

[5] "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. [6] If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. [7] If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. [8] By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

To abide in God.

A Christian is hooked up with God

Colossians 3:23 NKJV
[23] And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,

Ephesians 4:15 NKJV
[15] but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ-

Matthew 19:21 NKJV
[21] Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

Philippians 2:3 NKJV
[3] Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

Philippians 2:14 NKJV
[14] Do all things without complaining and disputing,

John 7:24 NKJV
[24] Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."

Genesis 2:24 NKJV
[24] Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

You can not be a child always, you must grow up.

Ephesians 5:25 NKJV
[25] Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

Hosea 2:19-20 NKJV
[19] "I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice, In lovingkindness and mercy; [20] I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the LORD.

Proverbs 20:3 NKJV
[3] It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel.

Proverbs 20:3 NLT
[3] Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.

Proverbs 20:3 ESV
[3] It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.

Luke 14:26-27 ESV
[26] "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. [27] Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Colossians 1:10 ESV
[10] so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

John 15:8 ESV
[8] By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

The  more you know the more you change. The more you will abide in God.

Are you hooked up with God?

John 15:9-11 ESV
[9] As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. [10] If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. [11] These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Joy, is greater than happiness.

John 15:12-17 ESV
[12] "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. [13] Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. [14] You are my friends if you do what I command you. [15] No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. [16] You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. [17] These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

Jesus is accessible to you.