“You didn’t choose me. I chose you. John 15:16-17 Today, We are going to focus on choice. Who chooses and why it matters. In the above verse, Jesus said we didn’t choose Him. In the Jewish religious culture, a student would pick a rabbi. In return, the Rabi then has to choose the student back or not to choose the student. There is a whole process to go through—interviews, tests, and applying for such training. Jesus, though turns this process upside down. He chose His disciples, and then in return; they chose Him back by abiding in Him for the long haul. Let’s look at some scripture verses on who…
-
-
Prayer Time
Our Father in heaven, Your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.] Let’s take some time and focus on prayer. Look up these verses and glean from them. Prayer! It’s a conversation with God. Do you struggle with praying? Is it intimidating to you to pray to God? Is there a right way to…
-
Reflection Day
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10 Today is Reflection Day! I love reflection day. It’s a time for me to go back and reflect on what God has spoken to me about. It gives me time to pray and seek God about what he wants to change in my life. It gives me time to make a game plan of putting action to what God is telling me and asking of me. Reflection Day gives me a slower pace to grasp what God is telling me. It gives me more time to…
-
Jesus My Friend
“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends since I have told you everything the Father told me.” John 15:13-15 Kindness! We all want to receive kindness. Yet there are times when we are kind to others; there is a rejection. For example, have you ever went to shake someone’s hand, and they turned and walked away. Or try to give a gift to a friend and they decline…
-
You Are My Friends
Now you are my friends since I have told you everything the Father told me. John 15:13-15 Do you have a friendship that you cherish? When we are friends with Jesus, we get a treasure of the life-giving wisdom of the Father. Let’s read some scripture about some of the treasures to be discovered from these words for your own life? Matthew 6:1-4 Matthew 6:9-15 Luke 12:31-32 John 6:44 John 10:28-30 John 11:25-27 In Colossians 2:2-3 is says, “I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of…
-
No Longer Slaves
“I no longer call you slaves because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. John 15:13-15 In this verse, Jesus takes us from slaves into friendship. He invited His friends to vital inside information. What important truths did he reveal from the following verses? Matthew 6:6-8, 16:21, 18:3, 12:36 Matthew 6:25-34 Mark 12:30-31 John 3:3-8 John 14:1-6 These words of Jesus and the eternal truths revealed have become very familiar to us. However, can you imagine hearing them for the first time? According to 1 Peter 1:12, the king told commoners wondrous things even the angels long to know. Jesus broke the mold of unapproachable, unknowable leadership in other ways.…
-
You Are My Friends
“You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:13-15 Let look at the word “friend”. In verse John 15:13, a friend in Greek is a philon. It refers to associates for whom there are affection and personal regard . . . and conveys a greater sense of intimacy than does our modern use of friend. Obedience to Jesus doesn’t allow us to be His servants or disciples. Obedience also opens the door to a true friendship with Jesus, His highly regarded associates, The recipients of His affection. We will read the following verses about some friendships in the Old Testament that had…
-
Lay Down One’s Life
“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13-15. What kind of friendships do you have? Or maybe I should ask, “What kind of relationships do you have?” Do you have friends from childhood? or high school, college? Or how about adult life? Ones that pray with you? Friends that would be willing to do anything for you? Do you have that one friend that you know would lay down their life for you? What do the following verses say about Christ’s death for us and what was the motivation behind His sacrificial death? John 10: 11-18 John 12:23-24,27…
-
Prayer Time
Our Father in heaven, Your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.] Let’s take some time and focus on prayer. Look up these verses and glean from them. Prayer! It’s a conversation with God. Do you struggle with praying? Is it intimidating to you to pray to God? Is there a right way to…
-
Reflection Day
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10 Today is Reflection Day! I love reflection day. It’s a time for me to go back and reflect on what God has spoken to me about. It gives me time to pray and seek God about what he wants to change in my life. It gives me time to make a game plan of putting action to what God is telling me and asking of me. Reflection Day gives me a slower pace to grasp what God is telling me. It gives me more time to…