SUNDAY SNAPSHOT... (ABIDE)

ABIDE Series... (Wk2) LOVE

CRAZY thing to me in LIFE is WHY some things just DON’T SEEM RIGHT? (Like…)

1. I wonder WHY it’s such a compliment to tell a woman she ‘looks like a breath of spring’ - but not to tell her ‘she looks like the end of hard winter!’ WHY!? 


2. I wonder WHY it pleases her to say ‘time stands still when you look into her face’ - but not to say ‘her face would stop a clock!’ WHY!?

3. I wonder WHY when a parent tells his child to tell people ‘Say I’m not home’ – but we punish our children for lying! WHY!?

4. I wonder WHY when the preacher says "Hang with me – I’m almost done…" - he isn’t! WHY!?

5. I wonder WHY a speaker who ‘needs no introduction’ - gets one anyway! WHY!?

6. I wonder WHY God still LOVES us – even though we act the majority of the time as if He doesn’t exist! WHY!?

LOVE (First PIECE of FRUIT!)

9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; ABIDE in My love. (IF Clause #2…) 10 IF you keep My commandments, you will ABIDE in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and ABIDE in His love. 11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. (IF Clause #3…)14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. (Note... Listen to this next PART – note it’s NOT a SUGGESTION but rather a…?) 17 These things I COMMAND you, that you love one another.

THE BIG IDEA… (Comes in TWO Questions This Series…)

First… Are You CONNECTED (ABIDING) to the VINE?

Second… If You are CONNECTED (ABIDING)… HOW MUCH FRUIT ARE YOU PRODUCING?

Look at what John 15:17 says... “This is my command: Love each other.”



PLEASE NOTE… THIS ISN’T AN OPTION FOR A FRUIT-PRODUCING BRANCH THAT’S PART OF THE VINE!

Somebody PLEASE tell me what’s so CONFUSING about terminology like…

…Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away

…ABIDE in Me, 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.

…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 as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

…IF you ABIDE in Me, and My words ABIDE in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

…IF you keep My commandments, you will ABIDE in My love “

…This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

…You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

…You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain…

…These things I command you, that you love one another.

SEE YA SUNDAY @ COC!

Maricopa Wells Middle School / 9A & 10:45A

FAMILY FOCUS... (Barrett Vacay Report)

Getting back into the swing of things isn't EASY! It's kind of like WAKING the BRAIN back up after you worked hard at SHUTTING IT DOWN!

However... There is truth in Dorothy's Theology - "THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME!"

The Barrett Fam has been VACATIONING for the last month or so - and for the first time in a few years - it wasn't a STAY-CATION!

Our first week was spent on the WEST COAST (Huntington Beach) - a really AWESOME time with the entire BARRETT FAM (Clare & Susie / Jeff & Ally Fam / Nuckolls Fam / Gotcher Fam) - probably the last time that we'll be together in 3-4 years!

Our next two weeks were spent in MISSOURI - I went back primarily for my 20 year HS Reunion - which was on the back-end of our two weeks there! I had a chance to GOLF a "FEW" times and the courses were in GREAT SHAPE - lots of H20 in the 'Ozarks this Spring - and a PLETHORA of it STILL in the AIR - via HUMIDITY! Our last day there - we went to 'STEAL YOUR' (Silver) DOLLAR CITY and it was 95 degrees with over 90% Humidity - all I have to say is I LOVE THE DRY HEAT OF ARIZONA! That day was AMAZING with my FAMILY but HORRIFIC WEATHER-WISE! Still replenishing my body with Electrolytes - 9 days later!

SUNDAY SNAPSHOT... (ABIDE)

JOHN 15:1-16:15

(Wk1) The SOURCE (Jesus Is The True VINE!)

1 “I Am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word, which I have spoken to you. 4 ABIDE in Me, 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. 5 “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. 6 If anyone does not ABIDE in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you ABIDE in Me, and My words ABIDE in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

LOVE (The PRODUCT of ABIDING!)

9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; ABIDE in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will ABIDE in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and ABIDE in His love. 11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

THE WORLD WILL HATE (There’s a PRICE to ABIDING IN CHRIST!)

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’

PARAKLETE (There Will Be Help Along The Way!)

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. 16:1 “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. 3 And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. 4 But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them.
“And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you. 5 “But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of Sin, and of Righteousness, and of Judgment: 9 of Sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of Righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of Judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

In Hampton Court near London, there is a grapevine - which is about 1,000 years old. This grapevine has one root - which is at least two feet thick, and some of the branches are 200 feet long. Despite its age the vine produces several tons of grapes each year. Although some of the smaller branches are 200 feet from the main stem, they still bear the sweet and delicious fruit because they are connected to the vine. LIFE flows from that single root and through out the vine bringing nourishment and strength to each of the branches.

THE BIG IDEA… (Two-Fold Questions)

First… Are You CONNECTED to the VINE?

Second… HOW MUCH FRUIT ARE YOU PRODUCING?

There's a PROBLEM today - a misunderstanding of what HOLINESS means! The inability to clearly know what it means to ABIDE with Christ! With all the distractions that our World has to offer - wouldn't you think it would be easier for a Follower of the Way to KNOW his chances for survival are greater WITH CHRIST as apart from Him! After all... APART FROM HIM - WE CAN DO NOTHING! (John 15:5b)

DON'T MISS THIS SERIES!

Starts this Sunday, June 20th @ Maricopa Wells Middle School! (9a & 10:45a)

FAMILY FOCUS... (HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!)

To My Love - of SIXTEEN Years! (Ginger...)

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a... Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. LOVE NEVER FAILS!

Yesterday - June 15th (17 years ago) - I asked my INCREDIBLE WIFE of '16' Years to Marry Me & one year - two days later (JUNE 17th) we said YES to each other for ETERNITY!

It hasn't been the easiest - it hasn't been the hardest - it has been the BESTEST! (Yes! That's a WORD!)

She is AMAZING to me - to our children - to everyone else as well! She is someone who INSPIRES me to be a better person and a better man! She is AWESOME to say the least and I don't TELL or SHOW her ENOUGH!

I am truly THRILLED she said yes to ME and and GRATEFUL to MY GOD who chose her for me!

I LOVE YOU GINGER - MORE TODAY THAN YESTERDAY & I KNOW FOR SURE I WILL LOVE YOU MORE TOMORROW TOO!