John 15:16

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

😇 We often mistake our relationship with Jesus as something we chose. Untrue! We were in no position to choose anything but our own selfish desires until…Jesus chose us. 

🙏🏼 Lord, you chose me to bear fruit for your kingdom when I was busy making my own choices. Now, I pray, help me live in a manner that will encourage others to open their hearts to you. Amen. 

 John 15:9-11

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

😇 God’s love is not primarily about creature comforts; it’s about purpose and meaning. Knowing this should motivate us to stay as close to him as possible. But, Jesus tells us the only way to do that is to obey Him. If our lives are filled with turmoil and uncertainty, it’s surely a sign we are drifting away. It doesn’t mean God doesn’t love us…it means His love gets diluted by earthly complications.

 

🙏 Lord, I know, the closer I get to you, the more my life will be saturated with richness and purpose. If obedience is the key…make my heart obedient. Amen.

John 15:1, 2, 5

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful. I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.”

😇 The Christian life is never static. God is constantly molding (pruning) us to make us even more effective for Him. Discomfort may not be the result of our misbehavior, it may be the result of God trimming away lifeless parts. Most often, we tend to believe we’re pretty good people. The truth is, we aren’t…whatever good flows out from us is the result of our relationship with Jesus. The closer we are to Him, the greater His goodness is revealed. This explains why the world is so chaotic; Jesus is completely marginalized. 

No Jesus, no peace

Know Jesus, know peace

🙏🏼 Lord, Lord, create in me a pure heart and mind so my life will be valuable for your kingdom. Give me humility to accept your pruning when my life lacks the fruit you desire. don’t let my heart and mind wander today. Keep me close to you so my life will be fruitful for you. Amen.

John 14:31

“I do exactly what the Father has commanded Me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.”

😇 Can people see I love Jesus by my actions, or do I have to tell them?

🙏🏼 Lord, this is my prayer; that people would see Jesus in me. Amen.”

 John 14:27

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.”

😇 There is not much the world can offer for a troubled heart because everything in this world is less than perfect. So, when we feel troubled, why look for more of what we already find unsatisfying? 

🙏🏼 Lord, remind me that perfect peace is only found in the knowledge that you have secured our eternal future through Christ. Thank you! Amen.

 John 14:26

“The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.”

😇 Jesus says if we love Him we will obey Him; if we disobey Him we don’t love Him. How can we know we are obedient? The Holy Spirit will teach us everything we need to know. 

🙏🏼 Lord, I love you and my heart longs to obey you. Give me the humility to listen to your Holy Spirit (who lives with my spirit) and, when I fall short, help my trust your forgiveness. Amen. 

 John 14:13-21

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

😇 How on earth could we do something more miraculous than raising Lazarus from the dead? I don’t know for sure, but Jesus says it’s possible…under one condition; that it will glorify Jesus, as a means of glorifying God. Do we have the faith to actually try it? The goal in life is obedience to Christ. Unfortunately,  we aren’t able to do that on our own. Fortunately, Jesus has given believers His Spirit (within us) to make obedience possible. Listen to Him. He’s like a “superpower!”

True believers know that Jesus is God, and His Holy Spirit lives in us. This unites us perfectly with God. It’s a reality the world can never comprehend because only the Holy Spirit can confirm it. 

🙏🏼 Lord, I want my life to glorify you by lifting up the name of Jesus. Keep my heart focused on what your Spirit desires for me today. I know He makes all things possible. I love you Lord, for the confidence you have given me; that I live in perfect peace with you. Give me the discipline to demonstrate my love through obedience to your commands. I don’t know what that might look like but...In this way I can influence others to believe in you…I’m available. Amen.