Can believers ask God for anything and expect Him to grant every request? Some Christians assert that God has to answer prayer. But these individuals fail to mention the 'fine print'. Does 'fine print' really exist with God? Can the methodology used by God be equated with the shallow tricks implied by 'fine print'? Isaiah declares that the ways of God are not like those of man. In fact, everything about God is superior to that of mankind. Why? The heart of man, according to Jeremiah, is deceitful and desperately wicked. Who can find out the true intent of man? God can because He is not superficial ; and He does not favour anyone. The rain falls on the just and on the unjust. Since Jesus Christ died for every human being, all are equal in His sight.

However, John 15 talks about the True Vine relationship with people who decide to ask God for petitions or requests. In John 15:7, Jesus declares: "If you abide in me and my Word abide in you, you can ask what you will and it shall be done unto you." This verse contains two conditions. You must abide in Jesus Christ; and His Word must abide in you. In the Bahamas, my brother and I were fortunate to observe white and purple grapes - typical of those grown in a vineyard. The purple grapes did not perform well; but the white grapes ran on the clothes line and up the hog plum [mombin] tree. My brother, the gardener, took charge of the vines; and sometimes he used his pruning shears on them. The grapes were sweet and grew in abundant clusters as photos I have provided will reveal. God, the gardener, desires a perfect plant; so He does to the plant what he deems best. Without the sap- Holy Spirit power, the branches will wither and die.

Besides the grape vines, we had passion fruit, tomato, spinach and cerasee vines. The passion fruit reaches for loftiness. Although it could have flourished on the ground, forming beds like the cerasee, it chose to climb and abound. Thus, we had passion fruit vines on the chain link fence, hanging from the barren guinep tree and throughout the hog plum tree. From the hog plum tree, it jumped the fence and landed in the sapodilla tree! Our passion fruit vines were wild, prolific and bold!

The tomato plant is wild too, so it is 'trained' to poles and fences with ties. The spinach vine seeks higher ground. We had a spinach plant in a pot and it indicated the desire to climb. We put a stick in the pot. Within hours, the spinach had climbed the pole, reached the top and was heading down. Then it twisted and turned its way, twining and intertwining with neighbouring plants. Vines provided remarkable lessons because their primary needs were the sun and water. Man longs for and look to the Son; and he thirsts like the hart for the Water of the Word, administered to their insatiable soul through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

What else does John 15 reveal? Every vine is expected to produce fruit. How do you know when a plant is ready to produce? Many fruits and vegetables signal with a flower. My first encounter with the passion fruit resulted from a flower. A friend showed me the flower and pinpointed the 'crown of thorns' and the four 'nails', all symbolic of the passion and death of Jesus Christ. The first time I saw the passion fruit flower was during the Easter season on the Christian calendar. Vines like the pumpkin, cerasee and sweet potato have flowers too. Spinach produces a purple berry. and does not bear a 'fruit' as the leaves are eaten. Apparently, birds eat the berry and provide the seeds for a new plant. Nobody planted vine spinach in our yard for at the right time they appeared on their own.

Every fruit and vegetable has a unique flavour and a distinct taste. Passion fruit, like mango, melons and the dilly are difficult to conceal. Although I have utilized many fruits and vegetables, the passion fruit is the most versatile. It stands as a unique and delightful beverage whether it is prepared alone or blended with other juices. Abiding in the True Vine provides such a benefit. The Holy Spirit provides love,joy, peace... as well as many other gifts. These perks cannot be found in the world for though the people of God live in the world , they are not of the world. They seek a kingdom yet to come; and they travel as pilgrims. First John 4 summarizes the concept of abiding. The foundation of abiding in God and God abiding in an individual is love. God is love; and those who are connected to God manifest love in their lifestyle. Love for God and mankind provokes every day faith action. Although many 'good Samaritans' have been hurt and maligned, compassion reigns ; and they know that they have to bind up the wounded and take them to a safe haven.

Abiding in the True Vine does not consist merely of memorizing Bible texts but living the Bible. Many people may never open a Bible ; but your lifestyle and living testimony can assure them that God is alive and He cares for everybody. Psalmist David in Psalm 1 admonishes all to not stand in the way of sinners and to disregard ungodly counsel. Instead, meditate on the Word of God both day and night. Such a person would be fruitful, producing a bountiful harvest during the right season. Hiding the Word of God in the heart provides a barrier against David testifies. Jesus overcame the devil by declaring what God said about the temptation. With Jesus providing the 'sap', one can walk boldly without fear of being zapped! As a lighthouse- a light set on a hill, everyone can see the glory of God shining forth from within an individual who abides in the True Vine.

Now comes the request. God, in His Word, says that those who have fulfilled the condition of abiding in the Vine and allowing His Word to abide in them can ask for anything. Does God mean anything? The Israelites wanted meat; and they got it. David wanted Bathsheba; and Jesus' ancestry came through her. Peter wanted to walk on water - the sea; and the closest anyone has come to this feat in modern times is an illusionist who 'walked' across a swimming pool. He needs to try an ocean or lake! The woman with the issue of blood was healed. Jairus' daughter and the widow of Nain's son were resurrected, as was Lazarus and Dorcas. A blind man asked:"That I may receive my sight." The Centurion wanted Jesus to just speak the necessary words so that his servant would be healed. Was it the elements of faith; or were the conditions for answered prayer met? In James 1, God declares that all good and perfect gifts come from above...from God who is constant. Which gift above, if any, is imperfect?

Recently, during a fishing trip, I asked God to catch a grouper. Actually, prior to the trip, i prayed to catch three fish. Something about a grouper fascinates me. Maybe it is the culinary skills of my brother which makes grouper fingers or cutlets so scrumptious and satiable. The first location where we fished did not yield any fish; so we relocated to a prosperous fishing ground. Henry, our guide, told us that if we did not catch any fish there, something was seriously wrong. He gave fishing lessons and hints to those who needed help; and he baited the hooks. The fish nibbled my bait and announced to all their friends that there was a 'hole' in my fishing skills. I thought about Ernest Hemingway's Old Man And The Sea. Would I come up empty too? I prayed for a grouper. Before i realized it, I felt a tug on the fishing line I had placed over my index finger. i screamed excitedly. When I pulled it in, the fish was identified as a Nassau grouper. But it was undersized; so after a photo featuring me and the Nassau grouper, it went back to its home.

Was my catch a fluke, 'beginner's luck' or the answer to prayers? Since all of these possibilities crown my life, I fed the fish some more, praised, waited and prayed. The others in the boat were catching porgy, tahlie, yellow tail snapper, grunt, hind and strawberry grouper [both of the latter went back to the ocean]. I wanted grouper. Did I need to name it before I claimed it and be specific? Well, I decided to ask God for a twenty four inch Nassau grouper! I had no clear concept of size; but I knew my brothers could prepare any size grouper. Thus I sat, not daring to look into the thirty foot depth. With the fishing line over my left index, I waited for the fateful tug. When it came I began to pull in the fishing line. Everyone encouraged me. Catching a fish demands quick action. But the tension of the fishing line began to cut into my tender flesh. In a moment it was over.

My fishing line broke! Thank God! Now I have a true, delightful, mysterious fishing story. i will never know the truth about the fish - the brute- that got away! Was it a shark? Or was it a barracuda? Did another fish - like a barracuda - snatch my meal and cut the fishing line? Was God giving me exceeding abundantly above my request- a bigger than two foot grouper? After my loss, I got another hook, sinker and bait; but the fascination of fishing had been displaced by the disappointment. Yet, I was not disheartened because I know the Word of God. The enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy. But, he failed to take my joy! I have joy in the Holy Ghost! The world did not give it; and the world cannot take it away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

While I was waiting at the airport for the delayed flight that would take my relatives home, I shared my testimony with friends. Everyone agreed that it must have been a big fish. However, through divine intervention, I never landed it. One of my students, who was in the group, reminded me that grouper season does not reopen until August 1, 2009. Oops! I had jumped the gun as I was eight days too early for a grouper! Of course, most fishermen do not let 'closed season' affect their income. Who is honest enough to release groupers worth fifty, one hundred or more dollars to the ocean and hope to catch them when the grouper season reopens? Who will wait to consume grouper after the season reopens if they catch them during the closed season? Fortunately, God saved me from myself by intercepting my request for a two foot Nassau grouper and not allowing me to land an 'illegal meal'.

However, the story does not end with my failure. After the season opens, I plan to go out boating again. This time I will be bold. I am asking for seven Nassau groupers! Now, I know that God likes all numbers; but seven is special in His life and mine. Maybe my request for three Nassau groupers was too small. Today I met a prayer warrior who is excited that I caught a fish. Never mind about the size or the one that got away, she encouraged. She knows how to prepare scrumptious meals; and fish is so difficult for her to obtain. She will definitely get one of the groupers. Who gets the rest will be another matter. Until then, I thank God for His wisdom, for His ways nor His thoughts are like mine. Certainly they are superior and exceed my expectations!