MORNING MEDITATION
Glean the Word: John 15:7-8
Glimpse of Glory: "And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it." (John 14:13-14)
One of the great blessings of the abiding life is a fruitful prayer life. The life of the branch is to remain in the vine and draw life-giving sap so that it can produce fruit - fruit that will nourish and bring His life to others. It is by prayer that we become the channel through which God dispenses His blessings upon the world. Our deep, abiding, union with Christ as the Vine and we as the branch protects that divine connection through which our prayers reach heaven and fall on the ears of omnipotence and we receive whatever we ask in His name. It is only in the abiding that we are properly positioned for the blessings of heaven to freely flow to the earth. "If you remain in Me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you" (John 15:7).
We cannot pray as we ought without the Word of God being deeply rooted in our hearts. For prayer and the Word are inseparable - the power of one is dependent upon the presence of the other. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16). As the branch, we are to live entirely dependent upon the Vine. In obedience to His Word and in yielding to His Holy Spirit, we will receive wisdom and power to prevail in prayer and accomplish great things for His kingdom. Our heavenly Father is glorified when we become all that He has worked in us. "This is to My Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples" (John 15:8). All the skill and care of the Master Gardener should shine through us, and men should receive the benefit and blessing of His work being produced in us. May we repent that we have robbed God of the glory due His name because we have been neglectful in prayer, causing us to lose necessary spiritual power, and leading men to reject Him rather than be saved. May it be our fervent prayer to be a branch that bears as much fruit as possible so we can prove to the world that we are truly His disciples and reveal that we have His heart for the lost souls around us. ___________________________________________________________________
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