One of the ways the Lord mediates his love and power and grace is through his precious word.

So if you have a Bible, I invite you to open it to John.

And we're going to read verses 1 to 8 of John 15.

And pray as I read that the Lord would already, even before I do any opening of this word,

make it real in our lives.

I am the true Vine, Jesus says, and my father is the vine dresser.

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes or he cleanses, the same word, that it may bear

more fruit. You are already clean or pruned because the word which I have spoken to you abide in me and I and you

as the 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, he bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

If anyone does not abide in me, he's thrown away as a branch and dries up and they gather them and

cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in me, now get verse

seven because this is the one we're going to focus on. If you abide in me and my words

abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it shall be done for you.

By this is my father glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Father in heaven, there's a mystery here.

There's a reality. There's an experience to be learned that I feel like a kindergartner in.

What is this verse 7?

What is the abiding of the word within, such that when we ask, we receive? What is that, Father? I pray that you would show us and that you would

perform it among us.

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