The One True Accomplishment
Read: Ecclesiastes 12:11-14 Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (v. 13) I can list hundreds of unfulfilled dreams from childhood. I desired to go to army school, wanted to marry a girl I was infatuated with, and dreamt of being a Bollywood movie star. Then, I desired to […]
Just a Click Away from Disaster?
Read: James 1:12-18 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (v. 15) Seconds from Disaster was one of my favorite TV shows. It analyzed natural and human-made disasters, reenacting the events and probing to find out the cause. The plot and narration would […]
What Jesus Really Wants
Read: John 17:24-26 To see my glory . . . (v. 24) The Make-A-Wish Foundation fulfills the wishes of children with critical illnesses. Some ask for a family trip to Disney World. Others want to be a firefighter for a day. Imagine a child’s joy when the wish is granted! If you were near death, what […]
(Dis)unity
Read: John 17:20-23 So that the world may believe . . . (v. 21) Did you know there are more than 45,000 Christian denominations in the world? We Christians are experts at dividing. We’ve been dividing since the first centuries of the church. We split over theology, politics, worship, sacraments, morality, and all manner of issues. […]
Set Apart
Read: John 17:17-19 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. (v. 17) When my kids were young, one of our favorite family games was Mario Kart. My kids always won, but I loved learning how to withstand the chaos of characters like Princess Peach tossing hazards in my way. I learned that by collecting […]
Kept From
Read: John 17:14-16 Keep them from the evil one. (v. 15) What troubles you today? What challenge threatens to shipwreck your faith? Just before his prayer, Jesus promised the disciples something: “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). As a pastor, I have sat with many people through the tribulation of a diagnosis, the […]
Kept In
Read: John 17:9-13 Keep them in your name. (v. 10) Once each month I pray with our ministry’s global leaders. I am struck by the contrast of their prayers with mine. So many of my prayers ask God to solve a personal challenge or health condition in my or someone’s life. Of course, God cares about […]
Becoming a Disciple
Read: John 17:6-8 They have believed that you sent me. (v. 8) How do we actually experience salvation? John 3:16 says that everyone who believes in Jesus will “have eternal life.” But what happens before that moment of belief? In today’s portion of Jesus’ prayer, we capture a glimpse. His prayer begins by requesting God’s glory […]
What Jesus Prayed
Read: John 17:1-5 Glorify your Son. (v. 1) I learn best how to pray by hearing mature believers pray. Imagine what the disciples learned from hearing Jesus! They were privileged to hear Jesus’ final prayer before the cross. There is so much to see, but observe three things in today’s verses. First, Jesus begins with “Father.” […]