Every Christian I know wants to live an effective life for Jesus. The key to succeeding in this is abiding in Him. Abiding in Christ is foundational to centering your whole life around God. Tapping into Christ's presence and power is what will allow you to bear good fruit in this life.

It's my hope that after today, you are more equipped and empowered to live out a life centered around God.

Welcome to the first of team podcast. Our verse for today comes from John 155.

Scripture says,

Whoever abides in me and I in Him,

He it is that bears much fruit,

for apart from me, you can do nothing.

So often, out of a right desire to do good in God-honoring works, we try and force fruit out of

ourselves, without taking the time to rest and receive the nutrients we can only get from abiding

in our Heavenly Father. A branch disconnected from an apple tree can no more produce good fruit

than you and I can do good works, apart

from continually abiding in the love, grace, and presence of God. Without truly centering

our lives around meeting with God, we'll never produce the fruit we were created to make.

Jesus taught us in John 15, 1 through 5, I am the true vine, and my father is the vine dresser.

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away.

And every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.

Abide in me and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you

unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you in the vine. Neither can you, unless you abide in me.

I am the vine, you are the branches.

Whoever abides in me and I in him,

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