Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – John 16:16-33
Set – Psalms 96; John 16
Go! – Jeremiah 16-17; Psalms 96; John 16
John 16:16-33
Jesus: 16 For a little while you will not see Me; but after that, a time will come when you will see Me again.
Some of His Disciples: 17 What does He mean? “I’ll be here, and then I won’t be here, because I’ll be with the Father”?
Other Disciples: 18 What is He saying? “A little while”? We don’t understand.
19 Jesus knew they had questions to ask of Him, so He approached them.
Jesus: Are you trying to figure out what I mean when I say you will see Me in a little while? 20 I tell you the truth, a time is approaching when you will weep and mourn while the world is celebrating. You will grieve, but that grief will give birth to great joy. 21-22 In the same way that a woman labors in great pain during childbirth only to forget the intensity of the pain when she holds her child, when I return, your labored grief will also change into a joy that cannot be stolen.
23 When all this transpires, you will finally have the answers you have been seeking. I tell you the truth, anything you ask of the Father in My name, He will give to you. 24 Until this moment, you have not sought after anything in My name. Ask and you will receive so that you will be filled with joy.
25 I have been teaching you all of these truths through stories and metaphors, but the time is coming for Me to speak openly and directly of the Father.
26 The day is coming when you will make a request in My name, but I will not represent you before the Father. 27 You will be heard directly by the Father. The Father loves you because you love Me and know that I come from the Father. 28 I came from the Father into the cosmos, but soon I will leave it and return to the Father.
Disciples: 29 We hear You speaking clearly and not in metaphors. How could we misunderstand? 30 We see now that You are aware of everything and You reveal things at the proper time. So we do not need to question You, because we believe You have come from God.
Jesus: 31 So you believe now? 32 Be aware that a time is coming when you will be scattered like seeds. You will return to your own way, and I will be left alone. But I will not be alone, because the Father will be with Me. 33 I have told you these things so that you will be whole and at peace. In this world, you will be plagued with times of trouble, but you need not fear; I have triumphed over this corrupt world order.
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
Around the world, My followers encountered persecution from the time I spoke to My disciples in the upper room until today. Those who do not know Me and do not understand Me seek to destroy My teaching and those who uphold My teaching. Despite the goodwill My followers demonstrate My love for those around them, they feel the same rejection, punishment, and pain I felt.
The Adversary does his best to confuse and veil the hearts and minds of people to lure them away from Me. I told My disciples and I will tell you that trouble will follow you as long as you live in this world. But like I told them 2000 years ago, don’t despair. I already defeated your Adversary. His judgment is determined. His defeat is complete. I have already overcome this corrupt world order.
As I leave My Spirit with you to guide you and strengthen you, you will have the ability to stand in the face of your enemy. In the face of trouble, you can remain true to Me. You can face persecution and trouble. Just as I triumphed over the cross and burst from the tomb, I will return to resurrect you and take you to a home I’ve been preparing for you since I ascended to heaven so many centuries ago.
My disciples had a hard time understanding all that was happening on the other side of the history of the cross. From your vantage point on this side of the cross, you understand the words I spoke to them and their fulfillment in My sacrifice on the cross, My death, and resurrection. As the words I spoke to the disciples revealed what would happen to Me came true in the following days in Jerusalem, so the words I spoke are true for you.
I will never leave you or forsake you. My Spirit, the Helper, will remain with you and be in you if you will ask Him into your life. He will strengthen you and enable you to become more like Me each day if you will listen to Him and obey His urging in your life.
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