Welcome to the third preview season issue of Teter Tuesday.

Note: Today is the second of seven issues that  explore abiding in Christ. The central text for this theme is John 15.

Note 2: Attached is my core book study of John 15. After some great input from my dear friend Gary Lau, I included a core book study guide to help explain my method. Hope it helps. Feel free to share this free resource widely if you find it helpful in your devotions and study.

1 QUOTE

Faith in a prayer-answering God will create a prayer-loving disciple.

– Andrew Murray

1 NOTE

The Apostle John was the closest eyewitness of the Word becoming flesh (John 1:14). The first twelve chapters of John cover three years of public ministry from the wedding at Cana to the gravesite of Lazarus. The gospel of Jesus touches every human experience. But then things slow way down. Chapters 13-17 cover one night. Jesus knew he would die in the morning. What would you do if you knew you would have one last night on earth? Jesus gathered his disciples and prepared them to relate with him in spirit form. Abide is key theme in John 15. The word means to ‘remain, stay, and be present in unbroken fellowship.’ In John 15 he gives the original 11disciples, and us today, seven signs that we are abiding in the True Vine. One of the signs is answered prayer.

Jesus teaches that if we abide in him, and his word abides in us, then we can ask whatever we wish and it will be done for us. Jesus begins the promise with the word “if.”  This is a conditional promise. The Father answers our prayers under the condition that we are abiding in Jesus and his word dwells richly in our lives. This establishes a guard-rail for prayer expectations. If we are not in alignment with Jesus, his values and his mission, we should have no confidence that the Father will answer our prayer. But if we are abiding in the Son, and the Word, then the sky is the limit. The Father’s answer to our prayers will take the form of ‘much fruit.’ Answered prayers then become a library of evidence that the branches are abiding in the Vine. And people will give glory to the Gardener, never the branches!

I became a disciple of Jesus during my first year at UCLA. In my first years of discipleship, God did far more in me than through me. Answered prayer was one of my foundational early lessons. At the beginning of the school year, I was at a conference with my campus fellowship in Anaheim. I was at a local park. With Bible and journal in hand, I sat under a tree and asked God to help me learn to pray. After praying I looked up and noticed a high-school cross-country meet. Like 30 kids whizzed by. But one young boy lagged behind. He was laboring mightily as he ran. He made a bee-line towards me, gasping, and grabbing his chest. He was in a full panic, mouthing, “I can’t breathe.” I popped up and ran to him. I put my hand on his shoulder and began to pray for the boy. My Father in heaven answered. Right there on the spot! I looked up, turned to my right, and I saw a middle-aged woman walking to us, wheeling an oxygen tank on a small cart. She asked if we needed some oxygen. What are the odds a woman would walk by at that exact moment with an oxygen tank? Only God! The student athlete received the air he needed and went on his way. And I learned so much about abiding and answered prayer.

In Psalm 99, the author repeats the phrase, “You (God) answered them!” The emphasis is not Israel praying, but on the One who answers prayer. The focus is not on the prayer, but God. Prayer is answered because of the One who answers. God is just that good!

1 QUESTION

As you abide in Christ this week, what are you asking for?

I pray the Holy Spirit will help you join the Psalm 99 chorus and declare to God, “You answered me!”