John 17

This chapter is the true “Lord’s Prayer.” This was Christ’s prayer agenda for the Christians who would carry on His message and Kingdom work when He was gone.

A recurring theme is His plea for unity among His children. Repeatedly, He prays that we may be one as He and His Heavenly Father are one. The result of that unity would be that “the world will know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.” [John 17:23b]

To lend ourselves to this process, we must value unity as Christ did. It must be a priority that compels us to mend the divisions we may incur. No doubt, it was one of Christ’s goals here on earth … to teach us to love one another and strive for unity.

Lest there be any confusion or misinformation, Caleb DOES NOT have the Coronavirus. He actually has an ulcer in his eye and is very uncomfortable.

I want to clarify this point.

Keep praying!

John 15,16

Jesus warned, “In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer … I have (already) overcome the world!””

The present Coronavirus challenge is just that … a trial that Christ has victory over. Some close friends’ college-age sons are  positive with the virus.  This is no doubt a tough trial for them, but not a challenge that Christ cannot overcome. Medical diagnosis and treatment may fail us, but God will never fail us.

Similarly, my grandson was misdiagnosed by a healthcare system in Europe. Gratefully, he is now receiving appropriate treatment. It’s a trial. Christ Jesus is our Hope and Health.

As we all pray for Hayden, Mason, and Caleb, we pray in faith that the Christ Who has overcome every obstacle in this life will grant them His Health and victory!

John 12-14

Jesus said the Holy Spirit would teach His followers after He was ascended, It is the Spirit of Truth He said would be within us to guide us.

Hearing or reading the Word every day and staying filled with His Spirit is the key to living a fruitful, Christian life. As we pay attention to the Spirit’s voice within us, we can live productive lives that will honor the Lord rather than serve our own selfish purposes.

Paul said, “The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God Who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

John 10,11

Jesus wept with Mary and Martha because of the passing of their brother. Does Christ still weep when we go through difficult times?

The writer of Hebrews described the compassion of Christ by saying, “For we have not an high priest (Jesus) which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” [Hebrews 4:15]

Jesus was God in the flesh and has the range of emotions that we have. We are instructed to cast all our cares on Him because HE CARES FOR US.

John 8,9

The religious leaders of Christ’s day called Him “demon possessed.” They could be no further from the truth. Yet, in their hatred and envy, they hurled accusations against Him and threatened anyone believing in Him to be expelled from the synagogues.

There is a similar campaign against our president. I’m not telling anyone how to vote, but the hatred and resistance against the elected leaders of our land is rooted in similar motivations. How sad it is.

Gratefully, Christ was empowered and protected by the Heavenly Father and put His whole focus on what His Father had called Him to do.

John 8

Jesus was the truth of God. He came to bring truth to us, and He ONLY spoke truth.

The truth was difficult for many to hear. They were so steeped in their own concepts and the shortsightedness of their sins. Yet He confronted their misconceptions with the eternal truths God wanted to reveal through His teaching.

If we don’t want the real truth, we are fooling ourselves. At the end of the road, only real truth will permit us to live eternally. The sooner we buckle down and accept truth, the sooner we can progress in our spiritual growth.

Truth exposes all error.

Lord, shine the spotlight of Your truth on our lives.

John 6,7

How strong a voice must you have to be heard by 5,000 people in an outside setting? PRETTY STRONG! Jesus not only had the strongest spiritual content ever heard … He must have had a strong, resonant voice that could project well enough to be heard by great crowds of followers.

On another occasion when He was in the temple [John 7:28] He cried out/shouted with a loud voice to address the worshipers. It is recorded that He spoke boldly. No doubt the Holy Spirit was heavily upon Him as He made these emphatic proclamations.

This voice could still the tempest, heal the sick, drive out demons, preach to thousands, yet it could calm and soothe the broken heart and bring peace to all who heard Him.

John 4,5

Jesus healed a lame man at the pool of Bethesda. Soon after the miracle, Christ saw the same man in the temple. He was probably reporting to the priests to be declared ceremonially clean.

Christ said, “You are now well. But don’t sin anymore or something worse might happen. He definitely established a link between sin and painful consequences.

Charles and Francis Hunter, evangelists who prayed for healing, would often command their followers, “Stop sinning!”

The writer of Romans exhorts, “Shall we continue in sin that grace has to keep abounding? God forbid!”

John 3

God’s Spirit is offered to us without limit. As much as we can seek Him and be filled with His Spirit, we can never exhaust it’s limits and never reach a point of maximum saturation. He’s infinitely available to us.