In John 17, Jesus prays for His own. This passage is stirring and wonderful. What were Jesus “prayer requests” in this passage? Let us examine three of them.
**Jesus prays for the Believer’s Spiritual Protection
Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.
John 17:11
**Jesus prays for the Believer’s Joy
But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.
John 17:13
**Jesus prays for His People’s Unity
And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
The God of the Bible is the God of all comfort. God, as He is revealed in Holy Scripture, brings comfort to His people in various ways. He is good, holy, righteous, and loving.
(2 Corinthians 1:3)
Let us give thanks today for the Savior who comforts us and let us rejoice in His greatness!
It Is Well With My Soul
Horatio Spafford
When peace like a river attendeth my way.
When sorrows like sea billows roll.
Whatever my lot thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Who is Jesus? The opinions are varied and mixed. While almost everyone believes there was a historical Jesus, there is much division about who He truly is and what it all means.
What does the Bible say about this topic? How would Scripture answer that question? It would be impossible to tell of everything the Bible says about Jesus nature and work in one blog post. So let’s examine three truth claims about Jesus from the Word of God as we seek to elucidate this quandary.
**The Scriptures declare that Jesus is the Son of God. Peter declared Him to be the “Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:14) in his declaration. Also, Jesus has the power to forgive the sinner (Matthew 9:1-6) and He pronounced Himself as “Lord of the Sabbath.” (Luke 6:1-5) John expressed Jesus’ deity by saying “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14) in his Gospel.
These statements make a compelling case for the deity of Jesus. The Holy Word of God thunders the truth of Jesus’ divinity from the lips of Savior and the pen of the apostles. When one examines the Bible, we must realize that the Scriptures declare that Jesus is indeed the Son of God!
**Jesus is the Savior of the world. Everyone who believes in Him and trusts Him for salvation shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16-17) He lived for our justification, died to pay our sin debt, and rose again to prove that everything He said was true. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
He is the Savior, and He is the ONLY savior. We find this truth expressed in John 14:6, Acts 4:32, and 1 Timothy 2:5. One can choose to accept this precept or reject it. However, this truth is objective and eternal and cannot be changed.
**Jesus is the judge. He is the long promised Messiah (Matthew 16:14) and He is the one who will judge the nations. (John 5:22) All Believers will answer to Christ for the way they have lived one day. (2 Corinthians 5:10) People may choose to reject His salvation and His mercy. But, no one will escape His judgment.
Are you ready to stand before Christ? Have you trusted Him for your salvation believing He died, was buried, and rose again for you? Trust in Him today. He is the Son of God, He is the Savior of the world, and He will judge everyone at the appointed time. Trust Him today while you still can!
Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; Though they join forces, none will go unpunished. In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil. When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Better is a little with righteousness, Than vast revenues without justice. A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:5-9
The Christian’s motivation for service is important to the Lord. What is your motive for serving the Lord, child of God? These verses from Proverbs give us principles for service and they reveal the heart condition that make our service more compelling and effective.
Our motivation for serving and seeking God is always to be bathed in humility. God’s people should avoid pride as it is an abomination in His sight. The Almighty will punish the proud without fail. The haughty, human spirit never escapes the knowledge of God. He sees and He will judge.
Our motivation for service should be pleasing our Savior. We please Him by believing in Christ and accepting Christ’s atonement in our place. When we seek to please the Lord through salvation and holy living, we learn to be at peace even with our enemies. Godliness abounds in the lives of Believers when we strive to serve from a heart of humility and sacrifice. This attitude pleases our Lord and draws us close to Him.
Christians are commanded to be content with God’s blessing and provision. Ill-gotten gain is a stench to the holiness and character of the Creator of all. May we plan our steps understanding that God will direct us when we seek Him and serve Him with love, humility, and dependence on the Savior.
mrtonyfrench 