The absolute most important single act of the children of God is making space to encounter

our Heavenly Father in the secret place. Abiding in God is the foundation on which every

other aspect of the Christian life finds success. It establishes roots, which enabled us to receive all that we need to bear the fruit of the spirit.

It guides us into consistent refreshment and revival in God's presence, thereby supplying and sustaining the abundant life God intends for us.

My prayer is that you would be marked by wonderful, satisfying,

and fulfilling encounters with the presence of God as we look at John 15, 1 through 17 this week.

Welcome to the First 15 podcast. I'm amazed at the ways in which all of creation visibly

demonstrates important spiritual

principles. Romans 120 says, for his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine

nature, have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world and things that have

been made. Job 12, 7 through 9 says, but ask the beast, and they will teach you, the birds of the heaven,

and they will tell you, or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you, and the fish

of the sea will declare to you, who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? All throughout

the Gospels, Jesus likened spiritual principles to the surrounding creation. From the parables

of the mustard seed and the pearl of great price to his teaching on the grass of the field and the birds of the air,

clearly God uses creation to illustrate important spiritual principles we need to adopt as believers.

One such important principle is found in John 151 through 17.

In verses 4, Jesus says, 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. Reflect for a minute

on the process of a vine bearing fruit. It takes time, patience, and consistent nourishment for fruit to form on the branches of the

vine. So it is with you and me and God. We have the most abundant source of life available to us in God.

God waits patiently, beckoning us to simply come and abide in him that we might bear the fruit of abundant life.

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