Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In John chapter 19 today we see the darkest hour and most horrific injustice in human history, as the Son of God, Sinless Savior, and King of kings is crucified for the sins of the world…

“And Jesus went out, bearing His own cross, to an area called the Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified Him” (vs 17).

Q. What kind of a King deliberately endures terrible hunger and thirst, so that His enemies will never hunger or thirst again?

Q. What kind of a King willingly chooses to die the death of a criminal, in order to pardon and liberate multitudes of people who are fully deserving of death?

Q. Amazing love how can it be, that my King would die for a rebel like me?

🙏 Heavenly Father we thank you so much for your sovereign grace and redemptive plan of mercy, to send your own Son to live the righteous life that we could not live, and sacrificially die the torturous death that we, as sinners, deserve.

🙏 King Jesus we praise you today that you gave up your Spirit so that we could have it forever, and that you chose to endure the greatest injustice imaginable, so that all who put their trust in you could hear and receive the greatest words ever spoken…

✝️ “Jesus said, ‘I thirst’, so they brought the mixture on a hyssop branch, and when He had received the sour wine He said,

‘IT IS FINISHED’, and He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit.”

John 19:28-30

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In John chapter 18 today we see numerous examples of treachery, abandonment, and betrayal against Jesus, as the guiltless and innocent Lamb of God is arrested and delivered to Pilate for a sentence of death…

“Judas Iscariot and the soldiers betrayed Him” (vs 2),

“The high priest and the Jews betrayed Him” (vs 23),

“Pilate and the Gentiles betrayed Him” (vs 40),

and even “Peter and His disciples betrayed Him” (vs 17).

Q. In what ways can you use your past betrayal and disloyalty to Jesus (and the subsequent grace and forgiveness you have received), as fuel for zealous obedience and repentance to the one who stood in your place and drank the poisonous cup of God’s wrath so that you could be declared innocent, blameless, and eternally favored by God?

🙏 Heavenly Father I confess to you and ask your pardon and mercy for my selfish defiance against you, and please forgive us all for our death-deserving treason, as we have delivered your Son to die on the cross because of our many sins.

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today for leaving the comfort of heaven and coming to earth in order to die for us, and for opening our eyes to the beautiful truth and good news of the Gospel…

✝️ “Jesus said, ‘For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth will hear my voice and receive eternal life.”

John 18:37

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In John chapter 17 today we see the irreversible evidence of assurance and salvation for all of God’s children, as Jesus makes His petition to the Father in the form of the High Priestly Prayer, lifting up His eyes to heaven and making supplication for…

“He and His Father’s Glory” (vs 1),

“The perseverance of His disciples” (vs 12),

“The unifying love and security of future believers” (vs 20),

“The Father’s love toward redeemed sinners with the same intensity as He has for His perfect Son Jesus” (vs 23).

Q. How radically encouraging is it to know that Jesus (the one who perfectly obeyed God the Father) is also the one who unceasingly prays to the Father for us, to keep us protected from the evil one, sanctify and preserve us to the end, and give us fullness of joy and peace that passes all understanding?

Q. Is it a good thing that the only one in history truly worthy of having every prayer answered by God the Father, is God the Son, who everlives to make intercession for our eternal benefit beyond what we can think or imagine?!

🙏 Heavenly Father thank you so much for answering the prayers of Jesus, and securely giving us as a love gift to Him.

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today for receiving us by your sacrifice and grace, and for treasuring, cherishing, and preserving us through the trials and temptations of this life, and throughout all eternity.

✝️ “Jesus said, ‘Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me will be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”

John 17:24

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In John chapter 16 today we see Jesus speaking prophetic words of empathy and encouragement as He validates our grief in a time of suffering and loss – but also gives great hope, foretelling of the emerging joy to come…

“Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but your sorrow will turn into joy. You have sorrow now but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will ever take your joy from you” (vs 20, 22).

Q. What are some of the most difficult “Weeping and Lamenting” circumstances and events that have happened in your life?

Q. What are some ways that the promises of Jesus and truths of the Gospel can give comfort and reassurance during those times?

🙏 Heavenly Father thank you so much for our already/not yet life in Christ, where even in the midst of a broken world we can be simultaneously sorrowful and yet rejoicing, grieving but not as those who have no hope, and deeply saddened but resting with full assurance in the sweet salvation and unbreakable promises of Jesus…

✝️ “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take heart and be filled with joy, for I have overcome the world!”

John 16:33

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In John chapter 15 today we see Jesus’ true intentions for His family of redeemed sinners, not only giving an opportunity to serve, but graciously offering us eternal friendship…

“No longer do I call you servants…but I now call you my friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (vs 15).

Q. Is anyone else amazed by the way that God’s grace continues to free us to obey Jesus commands out of trust, friendship, and love instead of fear, duty, and self-interest?

Q. As you grow in Christ do you find that your motivation to honor God and share the Gospel with others is not because you have to, but because you want to?

🙏 Heavenly Father I ask your pardon and forgiveness for the countless times I have foolishly tried to accomplish your will in my own strength, for apart from you I can do nothing – Thank you so much for your Spirit of truth that bears witness about, and points us to the power of Christ.

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today that you are the “True Vine” that makes us into fruitful branches, and that salvation and long term satisfaction is found in you alone – Please help selfless love for others be the end result of our grace-given friendship with you…

✝️ “Jesus said, ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one would lay down his life for his friends.”

John 15:12-13

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In John chapter 14 today we see Jesus proclaiming both the inclusivity and exclusivity of the Kingdom of God…

Inclusive –

“In my Father’s house there are many rooms and I go to prepare a place for you. I will come again and receive you to myself, and I will take you with me that where I am you may be also” (vs 2-3‬).

Exclusive –

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (vs 6).

🙏 Heavenly Father thank you so much for including “All who put their trust in Jesus” into your forever family, and not leaving us as orphans to be devoured by the world and our sin – Please continue to bless us with a full measure of your Holy Spirit, and grant us an ever-growing peace with you in Christ…

✝️ “And Jesus said, ‘Peace I leave with you and my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives to you, but as I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

‭‭John‬ ‭14:27‬

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In John chapter 12 and 13 today we see Mary (Lazarus sister) serving the Servant King with great humility and gratitude…

“Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment and anointed the feet of Jesus, washing His feet with her hair” (12:3).

And Jesus (the Servant King) setting the example for all His followers and foreshadowing His ultimate service at the cross…

“Then Jesus poured out water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet saying, ‘Do you understand what I have done? If your Lord and teacher has washed your feet, you likewise should serve and wash one another’s feet” (13:5,12-14).

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today for taking sin-stained hearts like ours and washing them clean with your blood and costly sacrifice.

🙏 Holy Spirit please rescue us from our selfishness, and transform us to respond to the love of Christ by loving and serving others to the glory of God…

✝️ “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

‭‭John‬ ‭13:34-35‬

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In John chapter 11 today we see the initially perplexing, yet ultimately God glorifying actions of Jesus, deliberately and intentionally delaying His visit so that Lazarus (His close friend) would pass away from a serious illness – But much faith would increase and many would be brought to the Lord when Jesus raised him from the dead…

“So the sisters of Lazarus sent a message to Jesus saying, ‘Lord please come as quickly as you can, our brother who you love is gravely ill’…When Jesus heard this He stayed two days longer in the place where He was” (vs 3,6).

Q. Have you ever been like Martha and Mary (the sisters of Lazarus), calling into question God’s timing and intentions?…

Saying, “Lord if you would just do things my way (instead of your way), it would be so much better.”

🙏 Heavenly Father please forgive my often lack of trust in your perfect providence, and give us all fuller and deeper faith to know that your timing is always perfect, your plan is always better, and you truly do work all things together for the good of your people at all times.

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today that just as it was for Lazarus, your resurrection promise is sovereignly true for us as well – and that in every situation and circumstance you are always more than enough for us, both in this life on earth and the one that is waiting for us in Heaven…

✝️ “Jesus said, ‘I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me, though they die, yet shall they live. Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die, but live forever!”

John 11:25-26

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In John chapter 10 today we see one of the most encouraging and glorious paradoxes in all of Scripture, as Jesus is both…

“The Good Shepherd” giving safety and provision to His sheep on earth (vs 14), and…

“The Lamb of God” sacrificing His life and shedding His blood for our eternal benefit in heaven (vs 17).

Q. Having made perfectly clear with His words and works that the “Lamb of God” is also God the lamb, could Jesus have been any more explicit about His Divine identity and Messianic purpose?

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today for opening the Door to your Kingdom and giving us an abundant, meaningful, joy-filled life overflowing with purpose, hope, and security in you, both in this current broken world, and in the perfect world to come…

✝️ And Jesus said…

“The good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep”…

“I am the Door for the sheep, if anyone enters by me he will be saved and go in and out and find pasture”…

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, but I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly”…

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand”…

“My Father, who has given my sheep to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one!”

John 10:9-11, 27-30

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In John chapter 9 today we see the Sent One (Jesus), who proclaimed in the beginning…”Let there be light”, now miraculously answering the request of the man born blind by saying… “Let there be sight!”

Jesus performs yet another never-seen-before miracle that can only be attributed to His divinity…

“Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone has opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not (the Sent One) from God, He could do nothing like this” (vs 32-33).

Q. How cool is it that the One who created light from darkness and man from dust, now uses dust (clay and spit) to restore and heal the sight of man so that he can see the light?!!!

🙏 Heavenly Father thank you so much that you are in the process of restoring all things, and someday soon all blindness, darkness, and brokenness will exist no more in the new heaven and new earth with you.

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today for paying the costly price at the cross so that we could be included in your gracious story of forgiveness and redemption, and for opening our spiritual eyes to see your true worth and beauty…

✝️ “Truly this is an amazing thing, that Jesus has opened my eyes…For I was blind, and now I see!”

‭‭John‬ ‭9:25,30‬ ‭