Abiding in God's Presence: The Source of Life

In my sermon, I focused on the essential theme of remaining in God's presence, emphasizing the importance of abiding in Christ as the source of our spiritual life and fruitfulness. I began by referencing John 15:4, where Jesus instructs us to abide in Him, and Romans 8:6, which contrasts the outcomes of a carnally minded life with a spiritually minded one. I stressed that our very purpose is to be close to God, and without this closeness, we are merely existing rather than truly living.

I highlighted the dangers of dry and dead religion, especially in the face of the challenges ahead, and the necessity of being presence-centered individuals who not only live but transform the world. I warned against the idols of self and vanity, particularly prevalent in our city, and called for a re-centering on God's presence, which should be the measure of our success, not worldly metrics like wealth.

I urged the congregation to consider their spiritual address, whether it's rooted in the presence of God or if they are vacillating between two worlds. I pointed out that the fruit of our lives is a testament to what we are connected to, and that we must be branches that bear good fruit, indicative of our discipleship in Christ.

I also spoke about the process of grafting, as an analogy for how we, though not naturally part of the 'tree' of God's people, can be engrafted into Christ and become indistinguishable from those naturally born into faith. I warned that just as branches can be broken off due to unbelief, we too must remain in faith and not take our salvation for granted.

I concluded by calling for a response to God's presence, not just in worship and prayer but also in how we receive and act upon His word. I emphasized that our relationship with God should not be casual but marked by a deep, abiding connection that influences every aspect of our lives.

Key Takeaways:

- Abiding in Christ is not a passive state but an active, continuous choice to live in harmony with the Spirit of God. It requires a conscious decision to align our lives with God's will and to prioritize our relationship with Him above all else. This alignment is not just for moments of worship but should permeate every aspect of our daily lives, from our thoughts to our actions. [01:10:24]

- The presence of God is not a location we visit but a reality in which we are called to dwell. The New Testament speaks of a life where God's presence is a constant, not an occasional experience. This shift from visiting to dwelling in God's presence is a result of the access granted to us through Christ's sacrifice, which tore the veil and opened the way to a personal relationship with God. [01:08:39]

- The fruit of our lives reveals the source we are connected to. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit without the tree, our spiritual fruitfulness is dependent on our connection to Christ, the true vine. The presence or absence of fruit in our lives is a clear indicator of our spiritual health and our discipleship. [01:18:59]

- Grafting is a powerful metaphor for our inclusion in the family of God. Regardless of our origins, through faith, we can be grafted into Christ and become part of His living body. This process is not based on our natural birthright but on the grace of God that allows us to be adopted into His family. [01:20:42]

- The fear of the Lord is a foundational aspect of wisdom and discipleship. It is not merely reverence but a recognition of God's holiness and justice. This fear should lead us to a life of humility and obedience, understanding that our standing with God is not based on our merits but on His grace and our continued faithfulness. [01:23:12]

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. John 15:4 - "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."
2. Romans 8:6 - "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace."

#### Observation Questions
1. According to John 15:4, what is necessary for a branch to bear fruit? How does this relate to our spiritual lives? [56:21]
2. In Romans 8:6, what are the outcomes of being carnally minded versus spiritually minded? [57:05]
3. The sermon mentioned the process of grafting as an analogy for our inclusion in the family of God. Can you describe this process and its spiritual significance? [01:20:03]
4. What are the two idols mentioned in the sermon that are prevalent in our city, and how do they affect our spiritual lives? [01:28:49]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of abiding in Christ as described in John 15:4 challenge the idea of casual Christianity? [01:11:04]
2. What does it mean to be spiritually minded, and how can this mindset lead to life and peace according to Romans 8:6? [01:27:02]
3. The sermon emphasized the importance of remaining in God's presence. How does this idea of "remaining" differ from merely visiting God's presence? [01:08:00]
4. How does the metaphor of grafting help us understand our relationship with Christ and our place in the family of God? [01:20:03]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your daily routine. Are there specific times or activities where you can intentionally focus on abiding in Christ? How can you make this a consistent practice? [01:10:24]
2. The sermon warned against the idols of self and vanity. Can you identify any areas in your life where these idols might be present? What steps can you take to re-center on God's presence? [01:28:49]
3. Think about your spiritual address. Are you rooted in the presence of God, or do you find yourself vacillating between two worlds? What changes can you make to ensure you are consistently dwelling in God's presence? [01:16:01]
4. The sermon mentioned that the fruit of our lives reveals the source we are connected to. What kind of fruit are you currently bearing, and what does it say about your spiritual health? [01:17:09]
5. How can you cultivate a deeper fear of the Lord in your life, recognizing His holiness and justice? What practical steps can you take to live a life of humility and obedience? [01:23:12]
6. The sermon called for a response to God's presence in worship, prayer, and action. How can you ensure that your relationship with God is not casual but marked by a deep, abiding connection? [01:31:42]
7. Identify one specific area in your life where you need to remain in Christ more faithfully. What practical steps will you take this week to abide in Him and bear good fruit? [01:34:01]

Day 1: Active Pursuit of Divine Harmony
Living in harmony with the Spirit of God is an active pursuit that requires a conscious decision to align our lives with God's will. It is about making a continuous choice to prioritize our relationship with Him, ensuring that our daily thoughts and actions reflect this commitment. This alignment goes beyond moments of worship; it is about letting the Spirit infuse every aspect of our lives with divine purpose and direction. It is a journey of constant self-examination and reorientation towards God's desires for us, a path that leads to a deeper understanding of His will and a more profound experience of His presence. [01:10:24]

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." - Colossians 3:16 ESV

Reflection: How can you actively seek to align your daily decisions with God's will, starting today?

Day 2: Dwelling in God's Unceasing Presence
The presence of God is a reality we are invited to inhabit continually, not merely a place we visit sporadically. This shift from occasional visits to a permanent dwelling in God's presence is made possible through the sacrifice of Christ, which grants us unfettered access to a personal relationship with the Divine. As believers, we are called to recognize that God's presence is not confined to specific locations or times; it is an ever-present reality that we can experience in every moment of our lives. By embracing this truth, we can live in a way that reflects our constant communion with God, allowing His presence to shape our identity and actions. [01:08:39]

"For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father." - Ephesians 2:18 ESV

Reflection: What practical steps can you take to cultivate a greater awareness of God's presence in your daily routine?

Day 3: Bearing Fruit Through Divine Connection
The fruitfulness of our lives is a direct reflection of our connection to Christ, the true vine. Just as a branch cannot produce fruit by itself, we cannot exhibit the qualities of love, joy, peace, and other spiritual fruits without a deep and living connection to Jesus. Our spiritual health and discipleship are evidenced by the fruit we bear, which serves as a testament to the source we are connected to. It is essential to remain intimately joined to Christ, allowing His life to flow through us so that we may flourish and contribute to the kingdom of God. [01:18:59]

"I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." - John 15:5 ESV

Reflection: What specific steps can you take to nurture your connection with Christ to ensure you are bearing His fruit in your life?

Day 4: Grafted into the Family of God
Grafting serves as a powerful metaphor for our inclusion in God's family. Through faith, we are grafted into Christ, becoming an integral part of His living body. This spiritual grafting is not dependent on our natural lineage but on the grace of God, which allows us to be adopted into His family. As engrafted members, we share in the life and nourishment of the vine, growing and thriving alongside those who were naturally born into faith. This process of grafting reminds us of the transformative power of God's grace and the new identity we receive as His children. [01:20:42]

"And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree." - Romans 11:17 ESV

Reflection: In what ways can you embrace your identity as a grafted member of God's family and live out that identity in your community?

Day 5: Embracing a Life of Godly Fear and Wisdom
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, guiding us into a life of humility and obedience. This reverential fear acknowledges God's holiness and justice and leads us to recognize that our standing before Him is based on His grace and our faithfulness. It is a fear that transforms our hearts, inspiring us to live in a way that honors God and aligns with His righteous standards. By cultivating this fear, we develop a foundation for wise living that influences our decisions and actions, drawing us closer to the heart of God. [01:23:12]

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!" - Psalm 111:10 ESV

Reflection: How can the fear of the Lord reshape your approach to challenges and decisions you face today?

Amen? Hallelujah! Worthy is Your name, Worthy is Your name, Jesus, You deserve our praise. Can you just lift a hand up to heaven as you sing this right now? Worthy is Your name, Worthy is Your name, Jesus, You deserve our praise. Worthy is Your name, Worthy is Your name, Jesus, You deserve our praise.

There is a vertical connection that's been established in this room right now, and heaven's attention has come down upon this group tonight where the Bible says He inhabits the praises of His people. There's been a connection established between heaven and earth in this room right now, and what I want us to do right now is to just lean into that connection with God.

You just lift your hands to heaven, and however it is that it comes forth from your mouth, would you just begin to lift your voice and cry out unto God? Will you begin to pray in the Spirit? Oh, hallelujah! Come on, there's something happening in heavenly places that God has given us access to tonight, tonight. Right here in this room, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords has made Himself known, has stepped and made His entrance.

Oh, we worship You, Lord! We worship You, Lord! We worship You, Lord! Come on, let the Lord speak to you right now. Let the Holy Spirit begin to move on you right now. Cast your cares on Him because He cares for you. He cares for you.

If it's appropriate and agreeable with the person beside you, we're going to link up and pray. Whether you link hands with them or lay your hand on their shoulder, again, if they're okay with it, we're going to go before the throne of grace boldly, and we're going to do it as one body. We're going to do it as one group.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! You can feel it moving now. Why don't you just begin to lift your voice together? Maybe you've never prayed like that before, but God might be stretching you right now in your faith and your experience with Him. Maybe you've never prayed fervently like maybe some of the people that are around you right now.

I encourage you, whatever you need from God, just lift your voice unto Him right now. He's able to perform it. He has not left you. He's not forsaken you. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! That's good. Come on, let's press in before the King tonight, entreating before His throne with prayer.

Jesus said, my house will be called a house of prayer. So this is totally in order right now. Hallelujah! God, we simply ask You to have Your way here tonight. This is not our service. This is Yours. Your presence is everything to us, God.

Oh, Lord, be totally, totally welcome in this room, Lord. Be attracted to the praises and the sacrifices of Your people here tonight. Settle here. Stay here. Remain here. Abide here. Set up Your throne. Take Your seat here. Don't leave, God. Stay, Lord.

There's some desperation in the atmosphere right now. There's some people who need You, God, desperately. You can feel it. One more time, would you just lift your hands? Now, remember, you don't have to work for God's presence. You don't have to earn it, but we do respond to it and go before it.

However it is that you feel right now in your heart's response to the presence of God, will you just love Him right now? Come on, open your heart to Him fully and love Him right now. He sits enthroned on every seat of every heart that He is welcomed on.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! I love You, Lord. Come on, tell Him, I love You, Lord. I need You. I am nothing without You. I can't do anything without You. I don't even know how to go forward if You don't go with me. God, I need You. Everything that's in my life, You brought it. I can't sustain it without Your presence, Jesus.

Everything that's here in my life, Lord Jesus, You brought it. I need You to sustain it, God. I need You here to sustain my soul. I need You to satisfy the longing of my heart for a connection with God.

Hallelujah! Yes, there's something happening right there. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Oh, wow. The gift giver is here right now. The gift giver is here right now. The Father that gives good gifts to His children. Thank You, Lord. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Oh, praise God. Yes, there's a prophetic move of God here. The gifts of the Spirit are in operation. If God is moving on you, I'm confirming to you that God is doing it. Hallelujah. Praise God. Praise God.

This might seem like an odd request to you, but if the ladies, you could just lift your voice right now and travail in prayer. Yes. Yes. Come on, women of God. We're praying things into alignment right now. Men, let's join them now.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! I'm going to do my best to preach the word of the Lord, but I encourage you not to leave this atmosphere of prayer. You've heard me say many times we don't move from worship and prayer into the preaching of the word of God; we move in it.

So this response that you have to the presence of God, did you know that His word exists inside or His presence exists inside of His word? So if we respond to His presence in worship and in prayer, that's an amazing thing. But how much more ought we to respond in our spirit to His word as it goes forth and it covers us?

How many of you love the word of God here tonight? You love God's word. Praise God. I love God's word. You know, every prophetic word, every gift of the Spirit, every vision seen, dreamed, dreamed is not as important as the word of God.

How do I know that? Because one prophesies and another judges, the Bible says, but judged by what? By the word of God. And we believe, and I've said this a few times, we believe in the power of the name of Jesus. How many of you believe in the power of the name of Jesus? I believe in the power of the name of Jesus.

It's the only name that heals, saves, sets free. But the Bible says He exalted His word above His name, and His word will not pass away. Heaven and earth will pass away, but His word will remain. His word endures forever, the Bible says.

So how many of you are excited to hear the word of the Lord tonight? I'm not saying if you're excited to hear me preach. You're excited for the word of the Lord. I want you to take a couple of seconds. I know we've done this already, but here's what I want you to do. I want you to encourage two or three people that are around you right now. Go ahead and find a couple of people, encourage them. Tell them, hey, I love you. God bless you. Welcome to the house of God. So glad that you're here. So glad that God is here.

Thank You, Lord. Thank You, Lord. And if you're still praying, you ain't got to stop. You're good. Praise God. If we could stand for the reading of the word of God.

At the end of the month on Easter Sunday, following our service on the 31st, we will be having our welcome to apostolic gathering immediately after service with food provided. If you've never been to one of those or you are new here in any capacity, we want to invite you to register for that. You can do that by texting "hi," and we'll send you an invitation link or just see somebody with a badge, one of our team members, and they'll get that for you.

We'd love to help you learn more about this church and what we believe is God's vision for this city and for your life. Y'all ready to go? Let's go.

John chapter 15, verse four. If you're turning there or you just want to read it on the screen, that's fine. I'll give you a couple of seconds. If you are turning there, got a couple turning there right now. John 15 and verse four. I'm also going to read Romans chapter eight, verse six.

The title of the message that I want to bring to you tonight is "Remain." Everybody say "remain." Remain. John 15, four says this. Jesus is speaking. Abide in Me. Everybody say "abide." 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.

Romans eight, verse six. For to be carnally minded, or that would be naturally minded, just how I think is death. But to be spiritually minded is life and peace. I know we've prayed a lot, but that's what we do as Christians. We pray.

So why don't we just lift our hands one more time and you just say, God, help me tonight to receive Your word. Let Your word go forth, God, with power tonight, Jesus. Let it go forth and confirm Your word with signs following, Lord. You said You sent Your word and healed them. You sent Your word and healed them with supernatural manifestations at the power of Your word here tonight, God.

I pray that You would anoint me to preach Your word tonight. That there would not be a word that comes out of these lips that doesn't first come forth from Yours. I pray tonight that You would remove my humanity out so that Your deity and Your power and Your holiness, God, can flow in great strength tonight.

I pray that tonight Your kingdom will come. Your will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus' name, amen. You clap your hands to the Lord.

I'll give you the plan. I'm going to preach, and after that, we're going to pray, cool? All right, praise God. You can be seated, by the way.

You were made to be close to God. You were made to be close to God. And when I make that statement tonight, I don't want to just skip past it as like an introductory remark. I want to say it again. You were made to be close to God.

And when I make that statement tonight, how does it land on you? Do you respond in your heart with a swift and hearty amen? Because your life matches that statement. I'm close with God, so therefore I know that God created me to be close to Him.

Or do you react with a deep longing? Because right now you don't feel close to God, and the desire of your heart is this deep longing to be close to Him. Do you want that to be your reality? But today you just don't know how to get there.

Or do you fear the idea of being close to God? You like it, but you know if you are going to get close to God that it might require you to lay something down. It might require you to exchange a few things for His presence. Does that idea make you nervous?

Church, I'm here to tell us tonight from the jump of this message. You and I were made to be in the presence of God. And if we are not living in the presence of God, we are not living. We are just simply existing. If we are not living day in and day out in the presence of God, I've come to tell you today, you're just existing.

But if you're tired of existing, can I tell you that there's a God in heaven whose name is Jesus who died so that you could be in His presence not just on Sunday, but every day of the week. There's an open table for you to come and dine with Jesus, and His presence is extended to you.

Oh, I feel the Holy Ghost, why don't you just lift your hands right now and say, I need the presence of God. Come on somebody, you've been weary and laden, but God is going to give you refreshing. I need the presence of God.

Hallelujah, I'm tired of just existing. It's time to live in the Spirit. There's a certain type of life that comes when you shift from existing. See, religious people can exist, but spiritual people, they live because we're not just going through routines and traditions and rituals that were made by man.

We're connecting with something that transcends earth. The heavenly places have extended an invitation for you and I to receive and partake in what is happening in heavenly places right here, right now.

And if anything that we do at any level, both individually and as a corporate church body, ever becomes about anything else than God's presence, we have missed the mark entirely. If your life ever becomes about anything less than just His presence, can I tell you tonight, you have missed the mark of what living is.

We are a presence-centered church, building a presence-centered people, individuals, and thereby a presence-centered home. Homes filled with people that are centered around His presence, therefore homes that are centered around His presence, marriages and parents and children that are centered around the presence of God.

And presence-centered people, not only do they live, but they transform the world. I've said this before, but in the times that are coming that are ahead of us, dry and dead religion will not cut it. When the wind begins to blow, the thing that has no life is going to crack and crumble, but there is something that is going to stand against the wind.

You ever seen a tree that was dead and the wind begins to blow? It just collapses, but a tree that is living can resist the wind that is blowing because of the life that is moving through it. I am telling you tonight, if you want to thrive in the kingdom of God and yet even survive in the hour ahead, you've got to get in His presence.

If when you wake up, it should be His presence. When you go about your day, it should be in His presence. When you talk to somebody, you should be so full of the presence of God that just the simple conversation alone is an invitation to His presence.

His presence is our guide. It is our measure of success. Can I tell you, I said this when we had a living room full of ten people before we ever started this church and we were just having prayer meetings. If we have ten people in the presence of God in this church, I don't care as long as Jesus is here.

We're not worried about anything else. All we're worried about is does the King inhabit this house? Does the King show up here? He is our measure of success for this church, for your life, for your home. It's not your bank account that determines the measure of your success because one day that bank account is not going to matter, and the only account that you have is the account that you had with God.

And I'm telling you tonight, if you will put His presence in it, it will stand the test. Our neighborhoods that we talk about should be centered around His presence. Our church gatherings should be fixated on His presence. If we don't have His presence, we don't have anything because if He is not here, we should go home.

I want you to take a second today in this service tonight and re-center yourself. If you're living outside of the presence of God, if you don't have that deep shalom, that steady peace of God in your soul or you have gotten caught up working for God versus being with God or if you have gotten distracted by what God can do versus who God is, I am inviting you today to a re-centering adjustment to understand that today is a day where you can re-center your heart and your mind.

You don't have to be Martha anymore, busy working for God. God, you can get like Mary and do the good thing and sit at His feet. It is imperative that His presence have preeminence in everything.

You've heard me talk about this over and over again, but it is the context of mankind's creation is the presence of God. That God created man for fellowship and that that man He created for fellowship He put in His presence. Therefore, His presence. Everything that Adam had was in His presence. Everything that Adam did was in His presence. He lived there, he slept there, he worked there. Everything. He found a wife there.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hold up. He found a wife there. Eve found a man there. Don't try and find that outside of His presence. Don't do it. We got some single people here. Don't do it. You're going to save yourself some time and some heartache. Praise God.

The kingdom umbrella covered every bit of Adam's life. You have to understand this. Your business is not outside the kingdom umbrella. Adam worked in His presence. Adam lived. Your marriage is not outside of the kingdom umbrella. Your work that you do, your business is not outside of the kingdom umbrella.

If you are truly a presence-centered person, there is nothing that you do that says, well, this is business and this is kingdom or this is me and this is the kingdom. If you're in the kingdom, you're in the kingdom with everything you got.

Did you know that you can come to church and not know Jesus? Did you know that you can meet Him and not befriend Him? And if He is our groom that you can encounter Him and court Him but not marry Him? Did you know that you can feel His presence but have no deep intimate fellowship with Him?

God's presence was never meant to be something that we would venture in and out of. And I know this is something that at times it is easy for us to do, sometimes to go in and go out of the presence of God, but God never created us to venture in and out of it. His presence was meant to be the place where you would dwell, where you would abide, where you would remain.

The Bible speaks nothing in the New Testament specifically about the presence of God being something that we merely visit. Now, in the Old Testament, before the Gospel of Jesus Christ, there was a visiting to the presence of God, but it was only for a certain few, and you had to rely on somebody else.

But when Jesus got on the cross and He uttered, it is finished, and the earth shook, the veil that separated mankind from His presence was torn from top to bottom and it split open wide signifying this, because of the death of Jesus Christ and the coming life thereof, every single person now has access to His presence.

What He was saying is, is Eden is no longer held behind a curtain, and Eden is no longer held to a geographical zone, but the delightful spot in the presence of God, which is that Edenic place, now is open and available for everybody, because you don't have to be special, and you don't have to be a high priest, and you don't have to have a degree, and you don't have to go through all these rituals to get in.

All you have to do is know this, he that comes to God must first believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. I'm telling you tonight, if you want His presence, just believe that He is, and that He will reward you with His presence more and more and more.

The Bible tells us this in the New Testament, reading in the English Standard Version, Galatians 5:16, but I say, walk by the Spirit. Walk by the Spirit. Now it's not saying walk by the Spirit. You know, we do that a lot. You know, sometimes you're out and about and you feel God move on you. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Okay, I'll pray when I get home.

You walk by the Spirit. He's not saying that; He's saying walk beside the Spirit. Walk in the Spirit, through the Spirit. A couple of verses later, nine verses later, He says in verse 25, to live by the Spirit. So we're walking by the Spirit, therefore we're living by the Spirit.

And He says, if we live by the Spirit, praise God, let us also keep in step with the Spirit, in step with the Spirit. We must walk by the Spirit to live in the Spirit. And if we're going to live in the Spirit, we must stay in stride with the Spirit.

You have to understand, this is a picture of like being in lockstep with the Spirit. If you've seen a marching band or an army, there's somebody that's got a cadence going, and everybody is moving with the cadence that is going forth, and they're walking and marching in lockstep and they're not separating one from another. They're in harmony in unity.

They're walking in cadence with something. Can I tell you, there is a cadence in heaven called the Spirit of the Living God and the will of the kingdom, walking in harmony with the rhythm and cadence of the Spirit.

Now, this is very different than casual Christianity, which has been termed as of late, but has no foundings in the Word of God because casual Christianity is not Christianity. It is compromise, deception, and it is not the will of God and it will not get you to Him.

There is no casual cross, a bloody one. There is no casual gospel. It's one that has a death in it. Beyond simply walking in harmony with the Spirit of God and marching in step with the beat of heaven's drum, it goes deeper than that as Jesus speaks to His disciples in John 15 beginning in verse 4 and He says this, abide in Me.

That word abide there is a word called, in its original language, you would pronounce it "minnow." Minnow. This word means to remain, to stay, to reside. He was talking to His disciples; understand this, they could not have been His disciples if they had only walked with Him in convenience or on occasion. So modern disciples can't do the same.

He said, remain in Me and I in you, and as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself lest it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me. He goes on to say, 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.

If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out. Now we love to talk about the first part of this. Abide in Him, bear fruit, amazing, that's great, awesome. But if anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered. And if they gather them and throw them into the fire, they are burned.

You ever tried to burn something that's alive, like a living green piece of wood? It just smokes; it doesn't burn very well. The only way it will burn is if it's dead. And the Bible says the carnal mind is death, but the spirit is life and peace. And if you abide in the spirit, you abide in God through love. And if you do that, you bear much fruit.

We've got to remain. If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it will be done for you. There are layers, you know, to prayer requests with God that trigger His reaction to provide. He is able to provide; He's able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or think according to the power that works within us.

The Bible also says sometimes you ask and you don't have because you ask that you would spend it on your own pleasures. We've got to pray in alignment with the kingdom of God and the will of God. We've got to pray according to what God wants.

Did you know that God loves to answer His prayer requests? If you pray what He's praying, you're going to see it. But let me give you another layer right now that I've never shared with the church. If you abide in Him and He in you, then you will ask what you need and He will give it.

If you're praying and you're not seeing, I want to challenge you tonight, maybe abide. By this, my Father will be glorified that you bear much fruit. He's saying, it glorifies me that you bear fruit. And then He says this, so you will be my disciples.

He says, you will be my disciples if you bear fruit. And you cannot bear fruit unless you abide. That is unless you remain in Him, unless you stay in Him, unless you walk, walk, step with Him in the Spirit.

Can I be real with us tonight? Christianity and its fruitfulness in your life can be distilled down to this one very thing. Do you remain in Him? Is Christianity to you going to church so that you can get what you need and then going home to do what you want? Or is it to remain in Him?

Because if it's not to remain in Him, do you guys want me to preach the Bible to you? You will be cut off and thrown into the fire. And if you have a problem with those words, that is Jesus Himself. And we cannot be deceived by diluting God's words to a lesser form because we don't like them and don't agree with them.

We would be like the crowd that Jesus looked at and He said a hard saying and they couldn't follow Him anymore. And they walked away because the saying was hard. And Jesus looks at His close disciples and says, will you also go?

We have to love His word more than we love our own feelings. We've got to love His truth more than we love our own preferences. We've got to love what He speaks more than the words that we want to hear. Because the Bible says His word is spirit and it is life. His word.

I've come to ask you tonight, is His presence a place that you visit or a place you remain? Is it a place that you stay or is it a place you venture to? Is Eden a place where you have dropped roots or is it a place that you make trips back and forth?

Is your spiritual address located in heavenly places within the jurisdiction of the presence of God or is it not? Is prayer, which is the means of connection and fellowship with God, something that you run to as a last resort option when things go sideways in your life? Or is prayer the thing that you run to before the trouble even shows up?

Is it where your mind goes when there is an idle moment or is it an afterthought after the day where you've done all that you want to do and all that you need to do? Do you think on Him and talk with Him throughout the day or is He forgotten only to be remembered just before slumber covers your eyes and you lay down to sleep?

Jesus said in Matthew 7 verse 20, therefore by their fruits you will know them. I ask you tonight, what is the fruit of your life speaking? What are the actions of your life saying? What does the fruit in your life testify of?

Just before uttering the statement, Jesus is issuing a warning about false prophets and wolves in sheep's clothing. But Jesus does not address these false voices as branches like He did in John 15. He addresses them as trees.

It's very interesting because a tree can't bear fruit unless it has a branch. And He's referring to these false prophets and wolves in sheep's clothing as trees. And a branch likewise cannot bear fruit unless it has a tree. A tree provides the source of life and energy for the growth of the fruit on the branch.

And from the source of the tree through it, the branch begins to bear fruit. John 15, 4, we read it in the beginning. The branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine. Jesus says this in Matthew chapter 7 verse 17, just a few verses before.

And so every good tree bears good fruit and every bad tree bears bad fruit. So there are good trees and there are bad trees. There are good vines and there are bad vines. Jesus said, I am the vine. And in this instance, He's referring to a tree.

But both of them are sources where branches will grow out of. There are good trees and bad trees. Good vines and bad vines. But we are not the vines and we are not the trees. We are branches. Jesus says, 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. And if we are branches, well, let me skip. Let me move over to this before I say that.

How many of you are agriculturally sound? Anybody got a green thumb in the house? Got one in the back? No green thumbs? I don't have one. We've killed every plant we've had. Even the expensive one.

Go ahead and throw that up there, Winston, if you don't mind. There's a process called grafting. Has anybody ever heard of a term called grafting? Okay, grafting. This is a picture of grafting stage by stage.

So the first stage of grafting is right here on the left where you take like a tree of sorts and then you go ahead and cut into it with a little V down on the side and you take a branch that's maybe from another tree and you take it and you bring it over and you attach it just like that. You just slip it right in and you tie it together.

And over a period of time, there's going to be a connection. The tree is going to begin to connect with the new branch. And you can see down at the bottom where it starts to begin its connection. Then you see in the last picture here they tie it back together, and in the process of time what happens is that branch that they connected to the tree becomes as if it had never been a part of it ever.

It's almost as if that tree had grown that branch. Romans 11, Paul talks about the process of grafting and how they had been engrafted by faith into God. And the principle gives us this truth. The tree that you remain in isn't always the tree that produced you.

The tree you abide in, the vine that you live on is not always the one that birthed you. Did you grow up in church in the kingdom of God? That does not mean that you're going to stay there by yourself just doing what you want. Did you grow up in an environment where God wasn't a thought? Let me tell you, you can abide in the vine.

Romans 11, verse 19 through 23, Paul writes, he says, you will say then, branches, he's talking to some Jews here, he said, branches were broken off that I might be grafted in. They didn't receive it so God broke them off and then grafted me in just like that. That's what he's talking about.

Paul said because of unbelief they were broken off and you stand by faith. He says, do not be haughty or proud or arrogant or boastful but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he may not spare you either.

Therefore, consider the goodness and severity of God on those who fell severity, but toward you, goodness, if, if to you, goodness, severity fell on those, but to you, goodness, if you continue.

Now that first word that I read for abide is "minnow." This word carries it in its root, "epimenom," and it means to remain or stay. I feel the Holy Ghost right here. Consider the goodness and severity of God, the severity of God that broke the branch off, but the goodness of God toward you that has allowed you to stay here as long as you remain in His goodness, otherwise you also will be cut off.

Can I tell you, just because you grew up in the church doesn't mean you're going to stay in it. Just because you were born into the kingdom doesn't mean you're going to stay in it. Paul says, do not be proud but fear.

We talk about the fear of God sometimes and sometimes people think that that's an odd concept to fear God. I'm telling you. And then they try and placate it and it says, well, it's just the awe of God. You should fear God. There is a side, and a lot of us have not been discipled in this element of the kingdom, but there is a side of God that is severe.

And a lot of people say, well, that's just the God of the Old Testament, but Paul is speaking here to those that had been engrafted into the covenant of the New Testament, and he says, you need to remember that God has a side of severity. We have to fear Him.

Let me tell you, I fear God. As your pastor, I want you to know I fear God. There are some things I'm not going to do because I fear God. Can I tell you this? There are some ways that I'm not going to treat you because you are God's bride and I fear Him.

There are ways that I'm not going to treat my wife because I fear her father. If there is a revival that must be had in the world today, namely in the church, it is a revival of the fear of the Lord. And the Bible says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

And that's why there's all this kind of foolery going on right now, because there's no wisdom because there's no fear. We must fear Him. We can't be arrogant in our salvation as if we're the ones who did it or the ones who hold it firmly in place. He does.

Don't be clumsy with your soul and neglectful of your salvation and standing with God simply because you are a branch right now, but you need to continue. Not every branch stays a branch, but if you continue, if you remain, if you stay put, if you remain in Him, you will walk in the goodness of God.

But on the contrary, there is the goodness of God, but consider the severity. I'm going to tell you, there was a point in my life when I was growing in my faith where there were some things that I would, some sins that I would commit, and I didn't know how to get over them until one day God revealed to me His severity.

The Bible says the wages of sin is death, but the problem is, and I've said this before, you've heard me say this, the wages are not paid immediately. You go ahead and work two weeks and you won't get direct deposit. You're going to get the payment. But the problem is, is that we don't receive the wages for the way that we live until we stand before Him.

We must understand the severity of God and understand there is a judgment. We will stand before God and give an account for our souls. And I believe that that day is coming sooner than later.

Can I ask you tonight, what tree, what vine, musicians, y'all can come? What tree, what vine are you remaining in today? Better said, who or what have you connected the essence of your life to? What occupies your mind? I feel the Holy Ghost right now.

What does your soul run to? What sources are you drawing from? It's interesting that in the Garden of Eden there were two trees. We know there was the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We know that one had good fruit and one had bad fruit. One gave life and one tree brought death.

It sounds like the picture that Paul is painting in the scripture that we read in the beginning in Romans chapter 8 verse 6 which says, for to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. If you walk in the Spirit and live in the Spirit and you remain and abide in the Spirit, you will have life and peace.

But if you remain in the natural things of this world and the natural mind of man, this world and its pleasures, there's only one conclusion, Ode, it's death. Just like Adam and Eve discovered, you cannot have both trees and remain in His presence.

Can I just say this? If you're having a hard time staying in the presence of God, I want to ask, are you eating from two trees? Are you trying to remain in two spaces, one space that you might have been born into but that God died to take you from?

Can I ask you, why would we remain abiding in something that Jesus died so that we could get out of? You can't have both trees and stay in fellowship, that is to remain. God revealed two idols to me recently that exist in the city of Dallas, and these two idols He also revealed to me exist in some of the lives in our church here.

The first is self, the idolization of self. The second is vanity. This is the idolization of image. These idols are fruit. They are fruit that come from the branch of the spiritual trees of this present world, namely of this region that we are in here in Dallas.

These are parts of the nature of the principality in the city wherein we reside. But just because we remain here does not mean that we have to bear fruit of what is here. Because while you may live here, the Bible says that if you are in Christ, that you are already seated in heavenly places.

You might be living in Dallas, Texas, and that might be your address. But in the spirit, you have already been through the earnest of inheritance, the salvation of your soul through the Holy Ghost. You already are seated in heavenly places.

So you might live in Dallas, but you reside, you remain in heavenly places. I might go to sleep at 4203 Concho Street in Dallas, Texas, but when I am in the spirit, I am seated in heavenly places.

I think my wife got nervous that I shared my address. As soon as I was saying it, I could feel her just tense up right there. And God is calling for repentance. God is calling for repentance.

I want to tell you that repentance is amazing. If sometimes people hear somebody preach hard, per se, and they're like, we've got to repent. And we're like, sometimes it can be kind of like woeful, you know. Repentance, it is by the grace of God that we get to repent.

Okay, if the Bible said Esau sought repentance with tears but he could not find it. If you have the ability to repent, friend, you are in the love of God. Because if you have the ability to repent, it is because God has extended you the opportunity.

The Bible says we're saved by grace through faith. It is the grace of God alone that allows me to come to Him. And it is my faith that engages with the grace of God. But if I tried to have faith without grace, I am doing nothing. Because unless He extends His hand, I can't do a thing.

And so God is calling for repentance. Why? Because God is saying, I want you to remain in Me. I feel the Holy Ghost. Can we just lift our hands right now? Can we just lift our hands right now?

I want to remain in You, Jesus. I want to remain in You, Jesus. Come on, let's talk to Him right now. Come on, let's talk to Him right now. Let revelation and wisdom come in this room right now. Illuminate our minds through the Word of the Lord God.

Give us the grace to respond and to repent and to get into alignment with You, Jesus. Can I tell you tonight, if you idolize self, you'll idolize your image. But if you will deny yourself, you would be formed into His image.

And this is why Jesus said at the base of the call for discipleship of those who would follow Him. And I know we all consider ourselves followers of Jesus tonight, but let's measure ourselves real quick. Jesus said to them all, if anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself.

Let him deny himself. The goal was what Paul would write later in Ephesians that I talked about a couple of weeks ago, that Christ would be formed in you. We can all stand all across this room tonight.

The call has not changed. If you're going to be His disciple, you've got to deny self. And by taking on Him, deny your image to embrace His image. If you are going to be a disciple, you must bear fruit. But the only way you can do it is if you remain.

Someone here tonight, you're going to have a radical shift. There's going to be a change in fruit in your life. But you have to know that it is God's job to bear fruit. It is only your job to remain.

So tonight, this altar call is for this. Where are you going to remain? If you want to remain and abide in Him, why don't you walk your way forward here tonight? If you want to bear the fruit of the Spirit, why don't you just abide in Him? Why don't you remain in Him?

If you're remaining in worldly things, why don't you just take an address change for a moment and let the Spirit of the living God begin to engraft you into Him as the tree of life, into the vine that He is. Come on, let's begin to just cry out to the Lord right now.

We're going to spend some time praying right now, and God is going to begin to do some things in our lives. God is going to begin to shift some things. Some of you might have been withered, but God is going to restore life to you, whatever you are as the branch of the living God.

You've been fruitless, but God is going to begin to allow fruit to come off of you right now. Fruit is going to begin to flow. Why? Because the source is going to begin to come out. The source is going to come out in fruit. The source is going to manifest itself in the form of fruit on the branch of your life when you decide, I'm going to remain in Him.

It doesn't matter what's going on around me. It doesn't matter what my friend's circle does. Maybe I need to get a new one. It doesn't matter what's going on in my job. It doesn't matter what the news cycle says. I will remain in Him.

Come on, this is a church of people who remain in God, who abide in Him, who bear the fruit of the Spirit, which is the proof of their discipleship. You are the disciple of Jesus because you have denied yourself. You have taken upon His image. You have been grafted into the vine by the faith that God has given unto you by grace.

Hallelujah. Before we dismiss tonight, I wonder if we can join together as a body in prayer as we have a few times so far in this service, connecting with somebody beside you if they're okay with it. Let's pray for one another as we go out into this week.

Remember that we bear one another's burdens in the Lord and that we are together the body of Christ, that we together are the temple of the living God. It's not just you, it's not just me, it is us. God's not coming back for me or for you, He's coming back for us.

We are His body. Jesus says one body, many members, but we carry one another. Can we pray for one another right now? Just find somebody to pray for. Let's pray strength and virtue into everybody that's in this room right now.

Strength and virtue and guidance that the joy of the Lord would come upon you, that you would bear fruit through and through. That the grace of God would rest upon you this week and that you would be aware of it, that you would walk the continual awareness of His presence and that you would abide in the vine and the vine would abide in you and therefore much fruit would come off of the branch that is your life and that you will be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ because the fruit that comes off of your vine tells the story of what you are connected to.

You're connected to a higher source, you're connected to a higher power, you're connected to a heavenly God whose name is Jesus who loves you and cares for you. He's not giving you weariness, He's giving you joy. He's not giving you heaviness, He's giving you lightness. But you've got to remain in Him.

You've got to walk in Him, His way. You've got to walk in step with the Spirit and stay in the Spirit. And if you do, it will be life and it will be peace.

Hallelujah, I pray for every person that's in this room tonight. I pray that God will strengthen you, that God will open your ears to hear His voice even more clearly than you've ever heard it before.

I pray that God will wake you up with His voice. I pray that God will speak to you in the night hour. I pray that God will wake you up in the morning speaking to you. I pray that the Spirit of the living God would rest upon your home.

I pray that it would be in your sleeping quarters keeping you and keeping watch over you, giving you rest and giving you tranquility in the Spirit in the name of Jesus. If you believe that God has done it in your life, can you just clap your hands to the Lord?

And let's partner with our hand clap with a shout of joy in this place tonight. Thank You, Lord. Thank You, Lord. Thank You, Lord. Thank You, Lord. Hallelujah. Come on, give Him praise. Give Him praise. Give Him praise. Yes.

Glory unto the name of Jesus. Glory unto the name of Jesus for what He has done, for who He is, for what He has done and will do yet even in the future. Thank You, Lord.

All right. Now, if you've never been to a neighborhood, this is the week to do it. Why? Because it's just better than last week if you didn't go. And we'll be here next Sunday, 445. Remember, Resurrection Sunday is coming up on the 31st. Bring somebody with you right after that.

We'll have our welcome to Apostolic Gathering. Make sure you register for that if you haven't. We've got one getting baptized tonight. Can we celebrate that? Praise God.

If you also would like to be buried with Christ in baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, we can baptize you tonight. Like Daylon said earlier, we've got the water, the clothes, the towels, and all that stuff. If you want to be a part of the baptism, which I think would be great, you just go straight through these doors right here.

We'll gather in the back behind the church building where the baptistry is. God bless you. Have a great week. Go in the favor of the Lord and let the joy of the Lord be your strength.

Also, if you like coffee, we have coffee. The coffee cart is here today through these doors over here under this exit sign on the far side. And the coffee is free, so have at it.

1) "It doesn't matter what the news cycle says. I will remain in Him. Come on, this is a church of people who remain in God, who abide in Him, who bear the fruit of the Spirit, which is the proof of their discipleship. You are the disciple of Jesus because you have denied yourself. You have taken upon His image. You have been grafted into the vine by the faith that God has given unto you by grace. Hallelujah." [01:35:35](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)



2) "But there is something that is going to stand against the wind. You ever seen a tree that was dead and the wind begins to blow? It just collapses, but a tree that is living can resist the wind that is blowing because of the life that is moving through it. I am telling you tonight, if you want to thrive in the kingdom of God and yet even survive in the hour ahead, you've got to get in his presence." [01:02:50](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)



3) "If you're living outside of the presence of God, if you don't have that deep shalom, that steady peace of God in your soul or you have gotten caught up working for God versus being with God or if you have gotten distracted by what God can do versus who God is, I am inviting you today to a re-centering adjustment to understand that today is a day where you can re-center your heart and your mind." [01:05:57](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)



4) "The tree that you remain in isn't always the tree that produced you. The tree you abide in, the vine that you live on is not always the one that birthed you. Did you grow up in church in the kingdom of God? That does not mean that you're going to stay there by yourself just doing what you want. Did you grow up in an environment where God wasn't a thought? Let me tell you, you can abide in the vine." [01:20:42](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)



5) "Consider the goodness and severity of God on those who fell severity, but toward you, goodness, if, if to you, goodness, severity fell on those, but to you, goodness, if you continue. Now that first word that I read for abide is minnow. This word carries it in its root, epimenom, and it means to remain or stay. I feel the Holy Ghost right here." [01:23:12](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)



6) "We must walk by the Spirit to live in the Spirit. And if we're going to live in the Spirit, we must stay in stride with the Spirit. You have to understand, this is a picture of like being in lockstep with the Spirit. If you've seen a marching band or an army, there's somebody that's got a cadence going and everybody is moving with the cadence that is going forth and they're walking and marching in lockstep and they're not separating one from another." [01:10:24](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)



7) "Christianity and its fruitfulness in your life can be distilled down to this one very thing. Do you remain in Him? Is Christianity to you going to church so that you can get what you need and then going home to do what you want? Or is it to remain in Him? Because if it's not to remain in Him, do you guys want me to preach the Bible to you? You will be cut off and thrown into the fire." [01:15:05](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)



8) "We talk about the fear of God sometimes and sometimes people think that that's an odd concept to fear God. I'm telling you. And then they try and placate it and it says, well, it's just the awe of God. You should fear God. There is a side, and a lot of us have not been discipled in this element of the kingdom, but there is a side of God that is severe." [01:24:14](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)