Come Follow Me: Abiding & Prayer
Pastor Steve Poole
1. We all abide in something.
2. Abiding in Jesus means orienting our lives around Jesus the source of life, strength and vitality.
- “Just as branches draw life and nourishment from the vine, so believers draw spiritual life, strength and vitality from Christ. He is not an accessory to our lives; He is the source of our life.” (Rev. Kyle Borg, TableTalk)
- 2 Peter 1:3-7
3. Two core abiding practices are Bible study and prayer.
4. Deeper abiding takes pruning.
SCRIPTURE: I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you 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 15:1-5
NEXT STEPS
1. Believe and begin following Jesus and abiding in Him.
2. Answer the following questions as you abide in Jesus through prayer this week.
⃞ Envision starting your day with prayer. What excites you? What challenges you?
⃞ Think about your week and come up with a plan. When and where will you engage in prayer?
⃞ Pray and ask God what may need to be pruned from your life? What has He shown you?
SCRIPTURE: His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. ~ 2 Peter 1:3-7
