Collierville First Baptist Church

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Life is measured in time. The passing of time. It's the passing of life. This time is so precious. What's the most important thing you can accomplish in the next year? In the next month? In the next week. In the next 24 hours. What is the most important thing that you can accomplish? I want you to think about your answer very carefully, because you get only one shot in this thing called life.

00;00;46;04 - 00;01;22;29
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Just one. Maybe a blast from the past might help to frame your answer. In 1646 and 1647. A group of English and Scottish theologians developed what is called the Westminster Shorter Catechism. Now, don't get all upset. The word catechism is a means a summary of the principles of the Christian faith, placed in the form of questions and answers.

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Interestingly, the first question and answer in the Westminster Minster Shorter Catechism is this. Question number one what is the chief end of man answer? Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. I think that pretty well sums it up as to what our answer should be. When we consider what's the most important thing we can do in the next year, the next month, the next week, the next hour.

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By the way, the Bible backs this up overwhelmingly in Psalm chapter 29, verses one and two. The Bible says, ascribe to the Lord, O sons of the mighty, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory. Do due to his name. Worship the Lord in holy array. In Romans chapter 11, verse 33 to 36, Paul wrote, oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.

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How unsearchable are judgments and unfathomable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became his counselor, or who has first given to him that it might be paid back to him again, for from him, and through him, and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen. The words of the Apostle Paul.

00;03;12;16 - 00;03;40;22
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And then in first Timothy 117, Paul wrote these words, now to the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory, forever and ever. Amen. And I forgot to list one in my notes that I want to share with you. First Corinthians chapter ten, verse 31. What do then you eat or drink? Or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

00;03;40;25 - 00;04;10;24
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I think it's pretty safe for us to assume that the greatest use of your time is glorifying God. Now, you may be here today, you may be watching live stream, or you may watch this sermon at some point six months from now. And maybe you're thinking, I'm good. I've got a great family. I've got a nice house. I've got a great vehicle.

00;04;10;27 - 00;04;55;29
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I've got everything I need in this life. I can think of other things to do with my time rather than to glorify God. Is God on some kind of ego trip? People might wonder. Let me say this to you. Glorifying the Lord is for everyone. I don't care if you're an atheist. You realize that you were created in your mother's womb and shaped by the hand of the Creator God, and you realize that whether you believe in him or not, he created you to give glory to him.

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Now, if you fail to function the way God created you, then you're going to be frustrated all your life. But I assure you this. I don't care who you are. I don't care your social standing. I don't care what you say. I promise you this one day you will give glory to God. You will. He say, pastor, how do you know that?

00;05;22;11 - 00;06;01;27
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Because the Bible says in Philippians chapter two, this it says of those in heaven, on earth and under the earth, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Listen to the glory of God the Father. That includes your tongue, wherever you are, whatever you believe. That includes your tongue. You were created to bring glory to God. Last Sunday, I suggested a New Year's resolution for all of us.

00;06;01;29 - 00;06;31;08
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I will glorify the Lord Jesus in 2025. Now that's a great resolution. But how do we actually do it? Now, last week we observed the Lord's Supper. We looked at revelation chapter one, verses 4 to 6, and we discovered that if we're going to glorify the Lord, we've got to remember what Jesus has done for us. We can never forget what Jesus has done for us.

00;06;31;11 - 00;06;58;05
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That's why we observe the Lord's Supper in this church periodically to remind us that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. That we're saved not by our own efforts, our own goodness. We're saved by the grace of God. So we're going to glorify him. We gotta remember what he's done for us. Today. I want to show you another way to glorify the Lord.

00;06;58;08 - 00;07;47;23
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This year, this month, this week, and within the next 24 hours, I want you to take your Bible. Turn to John, chapter 15, John's gospel, chapter 15. In this scene, Jesus has only a few hours remaining before he confronts mockery, shame, brutality and just us and the horror of being crucified on an old rugged cross. Soon he would face the wrath of Almighty God that would be poured out upon him, because he bore our sins in his body on the cross.

00;07;47;25 - 00;08;26;07
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And in these tense moments that Jesus had with the disciples, and they were very few left. Now in these tense moments, the Son of God was preparing his disciples the ones who, who, whom he would entrust the kingdom of God to, he would preparing his disciples to glorify him when he was no longer with them. In a physical sense, their success depended on one simple strategy, just one abiding in Jesus.

00;08;26;10 - 00;09;04;19
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The word abide dominated the conversation that Jesus had with these disciples in these crucial moments. In fact, this word appears ten times in the first 11 verses of chapter 15. But what did he mean when he used this word abide? Well, abide means to dwell with Jesus. It speaks of a vital union with the Lord Jesus Christ, who promise both abundant life and eternal life to those who believed and trusted in him as their Savior and Lord.

00;09;04;22 - 00;09;35;05
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Let me ask you a question. Do you want to glorify the Lord Jesus in the next year, the next month? The next week, in the next 24 hours? That's what you were created to do. Do you really want to do that? Then here's what you got to do. Stay close to Jesus. Can I tell you you will never glorify him if you don't stay close to him.

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I want to I want to show you four practical principles that will help you to stay close to Jesus in the next year, the next month, the next week, and the next 24 hours. For practical principles, number one, abiding is foundational is foundational. Look at verse one. Jesus said, I am the true vine and my father is the vine dresser.

00;10;07;16 - 00;10;39;01
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So when Jesus began to teach these men this principle, he directed their hearts and their minds to himself first. He's a true vine and also to the father, God, the Father, who is the vine dresser. Now Jesus is the true vine. Says it right here. There are a lot of false vines in the world today, but there's only one true vine.

00;10;39;04 - 00;11;02;04
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The true vine is the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the last of the seven I am statements in the Gospel of John. Every one of these statements speak to the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was more than just a man. He was fully man and he was fully God at the same time. Jesus said, I am the bread of life.

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He said, I am the light of the world. I am the door of the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I am the resurrection and the life. I am the way, the truth, and the life. And I am the true vine. So Jesus wanted people to understand that he is the Son of God. Fully God, fully man. Now this metaphor that she used here in John chapter 15 was familiar to the disciples.

00;11;32;04 - 00;11;59;15
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We don't have time to do it today. But if we went back to Isaiah chapter five, we would see. Even in the Old Testament, this metaphor of the vine was used. But now look at this. Not only is Jesus a true vine, God the Father is the vine dresser. Now, believers, are you a believer in this room? Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior and your Lord?

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Then you are a branch in the true vine. You're a branch. You're not the vine. You're only a branch in the vine. Now listen. The father loves us as branches. He. He gives good gifts to us. He leads us, guides us, and provides everything we need to function as a branch. Everything. The father takes ultimate responsibility for the growth and fruitfulness of the true vine.

00;12;32;20 - 00;13;00;11
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We, on the other hand, have one responsibility. Let me make this very clear. Your only responsibility as a branch is to stay close to Jesus. Abide in Christ. That's our responsibility. Nobody can do that for us. A parent can't do that for the teenage son or daughter. A son or daughter can't do that for their parents.

00;13;00;13 - 00;13;31;22
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Can't do it for the grandparents. Can't do it for the grandkids. Every true believer has to choose to abide in Jesus, knowing that the father will do everything. The branch needs to be very, very fruitful and successful. Stay close to Jesus. So how can we do this? We got to remember the principle abiding and foundational. Secondly, second principle abiding is methodical.

00;13;31;24 - 00;14;07;06
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It's methodical. It's orderly. It's systematic. God the father, the vine dresser. He is totally 100% responsible for the growth and vitality of the true vine. So what does he do? We'll look at verses two and three and then verse six. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away. And every branch that bears fruit, he prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.

00;14;07;08 - 00;14;33;14
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You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Verse six if anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up, and they gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. Now I want you to notice two things in this passage. I want you to notice the reference to the dead branch.

00;14;33;16 - 00;15;03;07
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The father cuts it off. Ron Dunn made that statement. He said the very fact that these branches bear no fruit proves that they have no vital union with Jesus. The absence of good fruit was just as fatal as the presence of bad fruit. Now, this reference to dead branches pictures those who have not placed their faith in Jesus.

00;15;03;09 - 00;15;42;11
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Do you realize that there are a lot of people in churches scattered all over the world who identify themselves as branches in the true vine, but in reality they are dead branches because there's absolutely zero fruitfulness in their lives. I'll tell you, when you see somebody who professes faith in Jesus and there's no spiritual fruit in their lives, it calls into question the authenticity of their faith and their connection to Jesus.

00;15;42;14 - 00;16;27;15
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Now notice the fruitful branch. So there's the dead branch, and then there's the fruitful branch. Now fruit is the outward expression of the inner nature. So what is this fruit? Well, I think first is character. I think the fruit of a of a fruitful branch. Number one is character. Character in Galatians chapter five, verses 22 and 23. The Bible says, but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

00;16;27;17 - 00;17;06;21
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That's the fruit of the Holy Spirit that dwells in a fruitful branch is life. Second, I think if not only character, I think is also conduct. Now look at this in Colossians chapter one, verses nine and ten. The Bible says for this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will and all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please him in all respect.

00;17;06;22 - 00;17;40;18
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Now listen. They're bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Now listen it. The Bible says in Ephesians chapter two, verse ten that if you're a true believer, you're a branch connected to the true vine, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says you are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus. For what church? For good works?

00;17;40;20 - 00;18;17;03
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For good works. So you understand this to be a true believer and not to have any good works. It just doesn't fit. It doesn't work. So either two things are true. Today, either you're a dead branch or you're a fruitful branch. Now, understand that when you're a fruitful branch, the vine dresser, the Heavenly Father takes his pruning knife and he cut stuff out of our lives that diminish his glory.

00;18;17;05 - 00;19;01;27
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It could be stuff like this. It could be a bad habit. It could be a negative attitude. It could be a, that you're a procrastinator. And the God the Father has taken his pruning knife, and he's cutting this out of your life. Does it hurt? Yes, it hurts. But you know what? In order for you to bring honor and glory to the Lord Jesus in this new year, in this next month, in this next week, and in this next 24 hours, God the Father, the vine dresser, has to cut some stuff out of your life so that you will listen so that you will be more fruitful.

00;19;02;00 - 00;19;31;18
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There's a progression of fruit in this text. It talks about bearing fruit. In verse four it talks about bearing more fruit. And then it talks about in verse five about very much fruit. But in order for that progression to take place in your life as a believer, as a branch in the true vine, the father has to cut some stuff out of your life that diminishes his glory.

00;19;31;24 - 00;19;57;05
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It could be a stronghold of pride. It could be an unhealthy relationship you have in your life. It could be that you have a love for the world and the things of the world. It could be that you have too much of an emphasis on social media and not enough influence. Emphasis on the things of God. And the father has his pruning knife out and he's got it sharp.

00;19;57;05 - 00;20;20;13
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He's ready today to cut some stuff out of your life. Here's the question will you, as a believer, be submissive to the pruning knife of the father and allow him to cut some stuff out of your life? You know what? It may. It takes it takes repentance. You got to be willing to submit yourself to the father's will for your life.

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To the father's pruning knife. Now, I promise you, this. You can't say no, but it's just going to get harder and more difficult and more painful. The smartest thing you can do today is to say to the Holy Spirit of God, O Lord, whatever you need to do in my life so that I can bring more glory and honor to the Lord Jesus, and he can produce more fruit through me.

00;20;52;06 - 00;21;24;28
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Lord do it. I submit to you. I'll do whatever you want me to do. He's pruning you so that you can bear more fruit and much fruit. Now, don't miss this radical command. It's a radical command, and it is a command. Stay close to Jesus. Stay close to him. So how do we do it? Well, we need to understand that staying close to Jesus is absolutely necessary.

00;21;24;28 - 00;21;53;28
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If we're going to glorify him, but to stay close to him. We've got to embrace the principles that abiding is foundational, and it is methodical. And number three. Here's the third principle. Abiding is intentional. It's intentional. In John 15, verses four and five, listen to Jesus. Remember, he's speaking to these disciples. He's about to lead them. He's about to go to the cross.

00;21;53;29 - 00;22;15;08
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Their whole world is about to be shaken to its core. And he says to them, Abide in me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine. So neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine. You are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him.

00;22;15;08 - 00;22;33;14
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He bears much fruit. For apart from me you can do what you're nothing. Now, to use a common term, that must have been a mic drop moment in the upper room when Jesus is talking to the disciples.

00;22;33;16 - 00;23;10;02
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He looked at Peter, James and John. So, guys, you're going to need. Don't say you can't do anything without me. You can't save anybody, so you can't preach with power. You can't minister to people who hurt and sick. You can't heal anybody. You can't cast out any demons. You cannot do any of that without me. Drop the mic.

00;23;10;04 - 00;23;33;16
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Then I want you to look at verse seven. Jesus said, if you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. My father is glorified by this. Look at this. My father is what glorified by this? That you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

00;23;33;18 - 00;24;15;15
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Now here's a vivid picture of a vital union with Jesus Christ. I understand this. The branch. That's us. The branch has no life outside the vine. There is no spiritual life outside the vine. And the Lord Jesus is the true vine. As believers, we are utterly dependent on Jesus. There's no way I could stand up here and preach to you this morning if I were not utterly dependent upon Jesus and His Spirit working in me and through me.

00;24;15;18 - 00;24;46;12
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We're utterly dependent on him. It is. Let me make this clear. I think sometimes we as believers think it's up to us to produce spiritual fruit. Hey, the Bible does not say that we produce spiritual fruit. The Bible says that we only bear the spiritual fruit that Jesus, a true vine, produces through us. That's what he expects out of you and me.

00;24;46;14 - 00;25;22;00
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Every single believer in this room, that's what he expects. Now here's the danger we face, and it's a real danger as we follow Jesus for an extended period of time. We can be lulled into a mechanical approach to the Christian life. Hey, I've been saved for 50 years. I've been following Jesus for 50 years, and it's real easy for us when we follow Jesus for an extended period of time, that we just sort of check the boxes and move on.

00;25;22;00 - 00;25;35;15
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We check the box, we move on, and there's really no spiritual life or spiritual power or spiritual fruit that is evident in our lives as believers.

00;25;35;18 - 00;26;09;14
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This is why your quiet time with the Lord is so essential. It is so essential. Notice what he says in verse seven if you abide in me and my words abide in you. What is it? That's the Word of God. See, if you're a born again believer in this room, if you're a branch, the most healthy thing you can do to make sure you maintain a vibrant, robust relationship and stay close with Jesus the most, the most important thing you can do is read your Bible every day.

00;26;09;17 - 00;26;37;05
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And notice what he says next in verse seven. If you abide in me and my words about and you ask whatever you wish, you will be done for you. That's your prayer life. That's reading your Bible, that's praying. And that keeps this close connection with Jesus healthy and robust. And it allows you to glorify the Lord as he produces fruit in you and through you.

00;26;37;07 - 00;27;01;13
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This is why I look. I want to encourage every believer in this room to be a part of our 24 pray ministry. You can go to the website and you can sign up on the website. After. After this service, we'll have some folks out in the lobby and you can sign up in the lobby. You say, what is 24 pray?

00;27;01;15 - 00;27;30;26
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What? 24 pray is when we come together as a body of Christ and we decide that for 24 hours we're going to bombard heaven with our prayer. And you sign up for a 30 minute slot and we get you a very detailed prayer. You don't have to make up your own prayers. We give you a detailed prayer list, and you pray that prayer list during your 30 minutes and it goes to the next person.

00;27;30;28 - 00;28;02;01
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I don't encourage you sign up. I believe that we're getting closer and closer to the return of Christ, and I believe if we're ever going to maximize our our energy and maximize our effectiveness as a born again group of believers, a New Testament church, that time is now. And we gotta make sure that in our quiet times, at that special time you have for the Lord, every day that you read your Bible and you pray.

00;28;02;01 - 00;28;14;00
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And then we have these corporate times when we pray together as a church like 24 pray.

00;28;14;03 - 00;28;46;15
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Here's the thing. If we're going to glorify the Lord in this new year, if we're going to glorify him in the next month, the next week, in the next 24 hours, we've got to stay close to Jesus. How do we do it? We'll embrace these principles that we're looking at today. Abiding is foundational. Abiding is methodical. Abiding. Is attention intentional?

00;28;46;17 - 00;29;21;09
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And number four is last one. Abiding is relational. It's relational. As a branch you receive life from the true vine. In first John chapter five. The Bible says that that if you have Jesus, you have the life. Life. I'm not talking about physical life. I'm talking about spiritual life. I'm talking about that kind of life that transcends this world.

00;29;21;12 - 00;29;54;07
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That kind of life that that allows you to be effective for the Lord Jesus and bring glory and honor to his name. As a branch, you receive life, but as a branch you also receive love, and you receive joy, joy unspeakable and full of glory. In John chapter 15, verses 9 to 11, look at it with me. Just as the father has loved me, I have also loved you.

00;29;54;13 - 00;30;35;14
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Now let's pause right there. Sometimes I think we read something and we don't let it settle in. I want you to imagine that you're in there in the upper room with Peter, James, John, and those other disciples and the Lord Jesus about to go to the cross, about to to be resurrected from the dead and ascend back to heaven and he looks into your eyes and he says this to you, just as the father has loved me, I have also loved you.

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Do you know how much the father and you do know how much Jesus loves you? As much as a father loves him.

00;30;47;23 - 00;31;31;19
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Now, if that doesn't stun you, your stunner is broke. It stunned me when I noticed that Jesus loves me the way the father loves him. Wow. And then Jesus said, just as a father's love me, I've also loved you. Abide in my love. Stay close. Stay connected. A vital union with my love. Verse ten if you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love.

00;31;31;21 - 00;32;03;06
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He speaks of obedience here, just as I have kept my father's commandment and abide in his love. So Jesus says to those disciple, look, I obey the up, I obey the father, and I'm abiding in his love. I want you to obey me so that you can abide in my love. Verse 11, these things are spoken to you, so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

00;32;03;08 - 00;32;35;03
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Now, staying close to Jesus simply means that we live with a constant awareness that he loves us the same way the father loves him. And that should motivate us to love him in return. And our love for him is validated by a desire to obey him. So let me ask you a question. Do you really believe in your heart?

00;32;35;06 - 00;32;52;16
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That the most important thing you can do in the next year, the next month, the next week, the next 24 hours? Do you really believe that the most important thing you can do is glorify the Lord Jesus?

00;32;52;19 - 00;33;13;07
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If you do. Then you must stay close to Jesus. You got to do it because there is no way you will ever glorify him if you don't stay close to Jesus.

00;33;13;09 - 00;33;20;22
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Jesus looked into the eyes of these 11 Jewish men.

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And he wanted them to understand the importance of glorifying him, and that for the rest of their lives they were need to deepen, intensify, prioritize their relationship with him and their dependance on him. Hey, understand this. This applies to everyone in this room as much as it applied to those 11 disciples. So I asked you this question are you a dead branch?

00;33;53;06 - 00;34;02;11
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Or are you dead branch? Pastor, I'm a I'm a church member.

00;34;02;13 - 00;34;32;18
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Can I tell you God knows your heart. He knows if your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life or if it's apps. He knows. He knows. And you can fool everybody in this room. You can fool your spouse. You can fool your kids, your parents, your grandpa. You can fool everybody. There's one you'll never fool. And that's the Lord.

00;34;32;20 - 00;34;49;28
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Are you a dead branch? What? What did Jesus say happens in the branches. They're broken off of the true vine, and they're cast into the fire. And they are burned.

00;34;50;00 - 00;35;08;15
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Hey, I plead with you today. If the Holy Spirit of God is convicting you of sin, righteousness, and judgment, if the Holy Spirit is saying to you right now, you are a dead branch.

00;35;08;18 - 00;35;23;02
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The minute you hear the first note of music, I want you to rush down here to one of our staff members. I want you to tell Mom and Dad, branch, I want to be saved.

00;35;23;05 - 00;35;56;07
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I want to be saved. Jesus died on the cross to save you. He paid the penalty of your sins. He was resurrected from the dead. He can save you no matter how far away you are. He can save you. Second question. Are you a fruitful branch? Now, many of you in this room would say, pastor, I am one of the fruitful branches.

00;35;56;09 - 00;36;23;14
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And I praise God for that. But I want you to understand that is a fruitful branch. The Heavenly Father loves you too much to allow you to do anything in your life to diminish his glory. And he's got his pruning knife out today. And he wants to cut some stuff out of your life. So here's what I want you to do today.

00;36;23;14 - 00;36;42;00
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I want you to come to this altar. Both side. Just come to the altar. Bow before the Lord. Confess to him what it is in your life that you know the father is wanting to prune out of your life. You know what it is.

00;36;42;02 - 00;37;28;12
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Ask God to forgive you. Ask him to cut it out and replace it with things that will glorify him and not diminish his glory. You come. I'm going to ask our staff to come, our worship team to come, and we're going to have a time where we respond to the Lord. Now, if you really if you really believe in your heart that the most important thing you can do this year, this month, this week and the next 24 hours is to glorify the Lord.

00;37;28;14 - 00;37;49;27
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You cannot say no to the Spirit of God. You got to obey him. If it means you come to a staff member and say, I want to be saved, if it means you come to the altar and you confess that there's something in in your life that's a holy that the father wants to cut out of your life, let him have it.

00;37;50;00 - 00;38;30;25
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Let him have it. Can I tell you this? The father is still cutting stuff out of my life. He is. Just yesterday, I was reading a book and the Holy Spirit convicted me about an attitude I had toward this author. You know what I did? I said, father, forgive me. I'm sorry. Would you help me to not be so critical?

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Help me Lord.

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I know you're working in your heart, too. Let's let him have his way today. Father, in the name of Jesus, have your way in our heart. And, Lord, we want to glorify you. That means we got to stay close to you. And father, if you need to do some pruning, they do it. If you need to take, some dead branches and and bring life to them by saving them, Lord, do it for your glory.

00;38;58;07 - 00;39;04;20
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In Jesus name, Amen. Let's stand that worship and you come as God. Legion.