JESUS PRAYS FOR US

Read: John 17:1-26

     "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began." John 17:4-5 NIV

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     Jesus spoke to His Father intentionally in the presence of His disciples. He was going to be entering Heaven very soon - restored to the glory He left behind when He became a man. The disciples must have been encouraged when they heard Him tell His Father,

     "I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me." (17:8) "... My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." (17:15)

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     Lord, I am so thankful that in this prayer You said, "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message." (17:20) As I meditate on this chapter and all the words You said for them and for us - I claim these words for my family:

      "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." (17:23)

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     "I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."   John 17:26 NKJV

SCATTERED BUT NOT ALONE

THE HELPER WILL COME

Read John 16:5–33

 

     "It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you." John 16:7 NKJV

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     The disciples were still trying to grasp what Jesus was telling them. He was preparing them for the frightening, sorrowful days ahead when they would be scattered in fear. He said, "Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you." (16:22)

     At one point, the men thought they understood; they said, "See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God." (16:29–30)

     Jesus replied, "Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.” (16:31-32)

    The disciples would indeed be scattered, but they would be gathered again, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and made into the foundation of a church that would turn the world upside down.

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     Lord, I see from the lives of these men that I don't have to understand all that You are doing in the world. I just have to trust that You are the Son of God who has taken away my sin, and promised a fruitful, abundant life, by the power of Your Holy Spirit.

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     "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."   John 16:33 NKJV

ABIDE IN ME

FRUIT THAT REMAINS

READ:  John 15:1-17

     "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."   John 15:5 NKJV

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     These final words of Jesus to His beloved apostles are of utmost importance, both to them and to us. He was going away and they would carry on the work of spreading the gospel to the world. They did not yet have the indwelling Holy Spirit – but soon they would.

     Jesus said, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain…"(15:16)  How were they going to be able to accomplish this? Jesus said, "…The branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine…If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." (15:4b, 7)

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     Dear Lord, I know that apart from You we will not see lasting fruit in our lives. I come to You this morning as an act of abiding in You. Speak to me from Your Word and plant Your will deep within my heart. I am asking and You have promised that it shall be done. I claim that promise today.

* * *

     "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:11 NKJV

CHRIST IN YOU

LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED

Read: John 14:1-31

     "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me." John 14:1 NKJV

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      The disciples still did not quite understand the clues Jesus had given about His coming death and resurrection: Thomas questioned Him about where He was going, saying, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:5-6 NKJV)

      Then Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father;" (14:8–9 NKJV)

      Then Jesus promised, "I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever–the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you." (14:16–17 NKJV)

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      God the Father would send His Holy Spirit not only to dwell with them–but in them. The Holy Trinity– Father, Son and Holy Spirit –all working together to abide in us forever! Thank You, Lord for this incomparable truth: "Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27)

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      "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27 NKJV

JESUS' LAST PASSOVER

Read Luke 22:1-23

      Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat." Luke 22:7–8 NKJV

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      The feast of the Passover celebrated the day when God delivered the Jews from Egypt. The blood of the lamb was placed on the top and sides of the doorposts in the sign of a cross. The wine of the Passover feast represented the blood of the Passover lamb. On this occasion Jesus said, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you."   (Luke 22:20 NKJV)

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      Jesus was the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world and give eternal life to all who believe. The time had finally come when Jesus would fulfill this prophesy: Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. . . But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!" (22:15, 21-22 NKJV) Jesus knew He would suffer, He knew who would betray Him and He knew who would be with Him in His kingdom.

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     Lord, thank you for giving Your life blood so that we could live eternally in Your presence. One day, those of us who have believed will see You face to face and we will bow down in worship and praise for all You accomplished for us as the ultimate Passover Lamb.

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     "I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. " (John 10:17b-18 NKJV)

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      And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." Luke 22:19 NKJV

ABRAHAM AND SARAH

IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD?

Read Genesis 17:1–18:15

      Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too hard for the LORD?"   Genesis 18:13–14a NIV

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      At the age of ninety nine, God once again appeared to Abraham to confirm His covenant promise. He said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife … I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her." (Genesis 17:15a–16) By this, Abraham knew that the promise was not for Hagar’s son, Ishmael, but for a son that God would give him through Sarah.

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      We are not told the reason why God waited so long to fulfill His promise to Abraham. It may be that He and Sarah had to come to the end of themselves and their own efforts. Unfortunately, their impatience caused great heartache for them and the generations that followed.

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      Lord, help me to be patient when Your answers are long in coming. I know that nothing is too hard for You, but sometimes my thoughts and actions don’t reflect that belief. Give me discernment to know when I should move ahead and act, and when I should just wait on You. Take away the anxiety I experience when things seem out of control and grant me the peace that comes only from You.

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      "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus".     Philippians 4:6–7 NIV

IN HONOR OF PURIM - PART 2

MORDECAI - A FOILED CONSPIRACY

Read Esther 5–10

     That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him…."What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?" the king asked. Esther 6:1, 3

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     The book of Esther contains some similarities to the story of Joseph in Egypt. Esther and her guardian, Mordecai, were captives in Persia, and like Joseph, God’s providence brought them into favor with the King. Esther was crowned Queen and Mordecai, in the end, was second only to King Ahasuerus. He …was great among the Jews and well received by the multitude of his brethren, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen. (10:3b NKJV)

* * *

     Mordecai ‘just happened’ to hear about a conspiracy against King Ahasuerus in time to warn Esther, and the king ‘just happened’ to awaken in the middle of the night–calling for the record that Mordecai had saved his life–just in time to foil the conspiracy by Haman to annihilate the Jews. (Esther 6-7)

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     The truth is that nothing ‘just happens’ to God's people. If we truly believe this, we will live with the confidence that God works out everything according to His good plan. Lord, remind me when I forget, that I will never be sorry for trusting in You.

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     "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, "thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."   Jeremiah 29:11

IN HONOR OF PURIM

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

ESTHER

Read Esther Chapters 1–4

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     Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah… This girl, who was also known as Esther, was lovely in form and features, and Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died. Esther 2:7

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     Esther's story takes place when the Jews were captives in Persia. She was gathered up with many other beautiful young women into the harem of King Ahasuerus, and then chosen to be the queen. Her cousin, Mordecai had instructed her to be silent about her Jewish heritage, but then came her time of decision: Her people were in grave danger, and only she could approach the king to save them. After calling for a fast, she said, "I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." (4:16b)     Esther could have never imagined, as she was being carried off into captivity that she would become Queen of Persia and the rescuer of her people. She couldn't see into the future, and neither can we. But we can trust Esther's God to use us for His glory.

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     Lord, just as You had a plan for Esther, I know You have a plan for me and for each member of my family. Help us to trust and obey Your leading, knowing that you are in control of the events of our lives.

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     “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"   Esther 4:14 NIV

THE GOD WHO SEES ME

HAGAR

Read Genesis 15:1–16:15; Genesis 21:8–21

      She (Hagar) gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her:" You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the one who sees me." Genesis 16:13 NIV

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      The story of Hagar is bitter-sweet. Hagar was an Egyptian maidservant forced to become a surrogate mother for Abraham and Sarah; she had few choices in life. So after she bore Abraham's son, she became disrespectful to Sarah.
      Hagar's teenage son reflected her attitude by mocking Sarah’s son, Isaac and causing distress in the family. Hagar was told by an angel that her son would become a “wild donkey of a man”– and yet, God cared about her – He never left her alone, even when Abraham and Sarah drove her away.
     God actually spoke to Hagar the Egyptian maidservant and promised her that He had long range plans for her son and his descendants, the Ishmaelites.

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      Lord, when life seems out of control and family conflicts arise, help me to remember that You see it all. Help us to seek your wisdom in raising our children so that they will be followers of Christ, not “wild donkeys.” Give us the wisdom to discipline and teach them Your ways. Bless our family Lord, even to our children’s children.

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      "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."    Psalm 139:13,16b NIV