Are you abiding in Christ? What does ABIDING in CHRIST really mean?

 Good morning everyone!  God is good all the time, all the time God is good. TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!!

   Today, as I often wonder where I am in Christ I find John 15 with the first few verses that we will look at together.  The question:  Are you abiding in Christ?  What does ABIDING in CHRIST really mean?  Well, let's look at these verses now.

  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

Jesus is saying HE is the true vine, meaning the life line to any fruit that may come about.  my Father (GOD) is the gardener who cares for the vine and does prune it as necessary.

 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. Here Jesus is saying that a branch that is not bringing forth fruit is taking away from the branches that do produce fruit, therefore, they will be pruned or cut off.  These are people who appear to be disciples of Christ, yet bear no fruit. But, we pruned ones will do even more.

 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.  Here, you, me, - we are clean - the WORD is powerful and what Jesus gave us is powerful.  God spoke the universe into being---HE spoke it, did not create it with his hands, saw, materials---HE SPOKE IT!

4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  If we are in Christ, then we are a branch that is bearing fruit; BUT , we cannot bear fruit by ourselves--we have to have the vine to give us the energy, the power, the supplements to produce fruit.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  The self made man is only kidding himself - it is God, Jesus, that makes us who we are.  If we remain in Christ the fruits of our labor will be seen.  I, myself, am nothing without Jesus Christ.

 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.  If a branch remains but does not remain in Jesus Christ then that branch will be severed from the vine, it will wither and then burned by fire. 

 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is a truth, however, many take if out of context. If HIS words remain in you, me, then when we ask it will be done.  This means what will be done?  Keep in mind the phrase "my words remain in you" and you will understand this means within God's will and also bring glory to God.  So, don't stand on the corner and say it is God's will you win the multi-million dollar lottery - it ain't gonna happen my friend.  

8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.  It is important that God receives the glory, by doing so we (you and I) will bear much fruit - show people the way to eternal life,- and we will be good disciples of Jesus Christ, of God, of our Father in Heaven.

  Thank you for reading. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny