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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Playing With Confidence</span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Whatever it Takes Pt 2</span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>3.6.11 Integrity
Bud Wrenn</span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>A
major reason Christ-followers are such underachievers is that we don’t trust…. <i><u>ourselves</u></i>.
</span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>We
don’t believe in ourselves, as we focus too much on what we are NOT, than on
what we ARE!</span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Questions
to get at my insecurities, habits, hangups:</span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.2in'><b><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>- </span></b><b><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>What things am I ignoring
about myself?</span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.2in'><b><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>- </span></b><b><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>What things am I most
negative about?</span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.2in'><b><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>- </span></b><b><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>What proportion of the
time when I am wrong do I admit my mistakes verbally and honestly to someone
else?</span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>….so
Jesus rallies our CONFIDENCE, giving us the natural connection between the
branches (us), the Vine (Jesus), and the Gardener (God the Father)</span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Gaining
Confidence: Understanding John 15:1-8</span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'>1) It’s <i><u>God’s garden</u></i> – not mine.</span></strong><b><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><br>
</span></b><em><sup><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>1
</span></sup></em><em><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>“I
am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.</span></em><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><br>
<b>2)</b> <b>It is much better to be pruned than to be <i><u>cut off from the
Vine</u></i>. </b></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><sup><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'>2 </span></sup></em><em><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'>He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and
he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. </span></em></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> </span></i></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><i><span style='font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>James 2:18 (NLT) </span></i><i><sup><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>18 </span></sup></i><i><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Now someone may argue,
“Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show
me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good
deeds.” </span></i></p>
<p><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></p>
<p><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>3) The Pruning
Shears: The <i><u>Conviction of God’s Word</u></i>.</span></b></p>
<p><em><sup><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>3 </span></sup></em><em><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>You have already been
pruned and purified by the message I have given you.</span></em><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>4)
Whether to remain attached to the Vine is <i><u>my choice</u></i>.<br>
</span></b><em><sup><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>4
</span></sup></em><em><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Remain
in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is
severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.</span></em><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></p>
<p><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></b></p>
<p><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Big
Question: HOW do I remain in Him? It’s an <i><u>attitude</u></i> driven
by a <i><u>mindset</u></i>.</span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><i><span style='font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Philippians 2:3-5 (NLT)<b> </b></span></i><i><sup><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>3 </span></sup></i><i><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Don’t be selfish; don’t
try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
<sup>4 </sup>Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest
in others, too. <sup>5 </sup>You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus
had. </span></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><i><span style='font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>James 3:17-18 (NLT)<b> </b></span></i><i><sup><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>17 </span></sup></i><i><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>But the wisdom from above
is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing
to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism
and is always sincere. <sup>18 </sup>And those who are peacemakers will plant
seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. </span></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>5)
The Vine is my only real <i><u>source of power</u></i> with which to go through
life.<br>
</span></b><em><sup><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>5
</span></sup></em><em><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>“Yes,
I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them,
will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. <sup>6 </sup>Anyone
who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers.
Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. </span></em></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>6)
Connection to the Vine mean my heart and requests will be <i><u>in synch with
God’s heart</u></i>.<br>
</span></b><em><sup><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>7
</span></sup></em><em><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>But
if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you
want, and it will be granted!</span></em><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> <em><sup><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>8 </span></sup></em><em><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>When you produce much fruit, you are
my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.</span></em> <br>
<br>
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