I am sure the on going theme of what the Lord has been working in me is becoming apparent. As I have been going through the Gospel of John, I have been looking very closely at the relationship that Jesus has with the Father. As Jesus prayed in John 17, there is a desire in Jesus for us to experience that with the Father. I want to experience the level of relationship the Lord has set out for us. B...

11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”-John 18:11The fact that there is a time and a season for everything under the sun is a frequent thought of mine. In conjunction to that I have thought, well what determines when it is the right season for a thing? In our own lives it can be difficult to discern. How did Jesus discer...

Admittedly, I do not have a whole lot to say concerning the lesson for the original audience. This passage is primarily informative, but it is informative in a particular direction.As I noted in yesterday's devotion, this marks the beginning of the hour Jesus has been speaking of since His ministry began. Time and time again, the Pharisees and religious leaders had tried to capture, seize, or kill...

4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”-John 2:4You might be thinking to yourself, "Wow. What a deep verse to start off today's devotion with. I really needed that." If that is what you thought, you are on the right track. Through the Gospel of John, there has been a language that has developed throughout and it begins in this verse. This ...

In today's episode of "What's happening (and who's involved)?" we find out what Judas has been up to this whole time. But before we get into that, let's set the scene a little.Jesus has His disciples in an upper room for the Passover feast. He is talking with them, serving them, washing their feet, and teaching them. Eventually he hints at betrayal. It is around this time that Judas departs by Jes...

When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples over the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered. 2 And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples. 3 Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons...

Begin your time of prayer today with praise. Give thanks to the Lord that He prayed for you. His desire is for you. I also encourage you to reach out to friends and family and ask how you can be praying for them. Give them a call and pray with them. Foster in you that same attitude of prayer that Jesus had in John 17. Pray for others.......

Taking Jesus' prayer here in John 17 as an example can have its limitations. On the surface level, it can be easy to simply change the content of my prayers. Boom. Application done. To me that is insufficient. It does not address the deeper issue of pride. Absolutely praying for others can be and will be a great starting point. But alongside that, my application is two-fold.The first application i...

As I analyze the structure of the prayer itself, I have to admit, I am convicted. Jesus was able to rest securely in His relationship with the Father and focus the attention of His prayer on others. There is a degree that I already knew that I can be too self-consumed in my times of prayer. As anyone would be, I am concerned about the events in my life. But I find that I doubted that anything woul...

Having already taken note of the emphasis this passage takes on unity, something that was particularly on the disciples' minds was how Jesus prayed. They ask Jesus directly in Luke 11 to teach them how to pray. It was notable what Jesus saw as important to pray for. The fact that Jesus prays for unity as one of the disciples already took off and was about to betray them is also notable.As the orig...

44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church dai...

Scripture often alludes to how Jesus would get alone in the place of prayer. Some of His disciples would actually get frustrated with Him sneaking off to be with the Father because people were in need of Him. But that never stopped Jesus from developing a robust prayer life. We see the evidence of that in this section here.This is one of the last prayers Jesus prays as He anticipates going to the ...

Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on th...

Meditate on what it means that Jesus has overcome the world and give Him thanks. Thank Him for salvation. Think of how He has sanctified you and give Him thanks for those works as well. Make praise a practice today.......

I have found for myself and many around me that one of the things that keeps us from joy is being heavily problem focused. We complain and gossip in our prayer requests and then complain and gossip in our prayers. It is not an issue to bring these things before the Lord, but I would encourage us to approach with genuine faith and thankfulness. Joy accompanies a heart of thankfulness. Imagine for a...