1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:09,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Well, hey there, friends, I'm Jody Nisnick and 2 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 1: this is our lent series helping us prepare our hearts 3 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: for Easter. This year, we are reflecting on the I 4 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 1: Am statements of Jesus and this is a midweek prayer 5 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: to help us refocus our heart and our mind back 6 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 1: on Jesus. And we'll do that after we take a 7 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:44,839 Speaker 1: quick break for a word from our sponsors. As we 8 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: begin our prayer time, I want to invite you to 9 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: settle in with a few deep in and out breaths. 10 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: As you breathe deeply and ask God to help you 11 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 1: be more aware of his presence. And as you slowly exhale, 12 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:09,479 Speaker 1: just release to Him anything that is holding onto you 13 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:14,839 Speaker 1: right now or weighing on you. Keep taking those deep 14 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 1: in and out breaths, and let me read the passage 15 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 1: for you that we meditated on so that you remember 16 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:29,399 Speaker 1: where we're going. This is John fifteen, verses one and 17 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:34,400 Speaker 1: two and four and five from the New International version. 18 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:43,120 Speaker 1: I am the true vine, and my father is the gardener. 19 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, 20 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 1: while every branch that does bear fruit he runs so 21 00:01:55,400 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 1: that it will be even more fruitful, remain in me 22 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:08,360 Speaker 1: as I also remain in you. No branch can bear 23 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:15,799 Speaker 1: fruit by itself. It must remain in the vine. Neither 24 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:23,520 Speaker 1: can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I 25 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 1: am the vine. You are the branches. If you remain 26 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:35,519 Speaker 1: in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. 27 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 1: Apart from me, you can do nothing. Let's pray together, Lord, 28 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: thank you that you are the vine, and that our 29 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 1: father is the gardener. Lord, we pray that if there 30 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: is pruning that needs to be done in our life, 31 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: that he would do it. And we ask right now 32 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 1: in this moment, that you would help us be open 33 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 1: and willing to any pruning you need to do in 34 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: our lives. Lord, we are grateful that any pruning you 35 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 1: do is only so that we can be even more fruitful. Lord, 36 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 1: this passage tells us that we need to remain, or abide, 37 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: or even make our home in you. And so Lord, 38 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: would you now help us know how to do that. 39 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: If there is a way you are inviting us to 40 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 1: remain in you even more, would you speak that into 41 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:45,039 Speaker 1: our heart right now in this moment, Thank you, Lord, 42 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 1: that you tell us when we remain in you, you 43 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: remain in us. And we will bear much fruit. You 44 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:59,680 Speaker 1: also say that apart from you, we can do nothing. 45 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 1: So Lord, we ask that you would help us be 46 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 1: in you, abiding, resting, remaining present. Gracious Lord, we want 47 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:20,479 Speaker 1: to lead fruitful lives. We ask right now, in this 48 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:25,919 Speaker 1: quiet moment, that you would help us be even more fruitful. 49 00:05:56,480 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: Thank you Lord again. You are the vine. Our only 50 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 1: responsibility is to be the branch that stays grafted to you, 51 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: held on by you. We don't find the fruit to 52 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:17,679 Speaker 1: make you make it through us. So help us Lord 53 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:21,279 Speaker 1: to know that is true, to rest in it today, 54 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 1: and to walk in this truth believing that you have 55 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: good fruit to produce in our lives. We pray this 56 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: in the name of Jesus, are true Vine. Well, friends, 57 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 1: I will see you next week for our next meditation.