Tag Archives: disciples

Unity through the Spirit (John 17), August 15, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – John 17

Set – Jeremiah 18; Psalms 93; John 17

Go! – Jeremiah 18-20; Psalms 93; John 17

John 17
1 Jesus (lifting His face to the heavens): Father, My time has come. Glorify Your Son, and I will bring You great glory 2-3 because You have given Me total authority over humanity. I have come bearing the plentiful gifts of God; and all who receive Me will experience everlasting life, a new intimate relationship with You (the one True God) and Jesus the Anointed (the One You have sent). 4 I have glorified You on earth and fulfilled the mission You set before Me.
5 In this moment, Father, fuse Our collective glory and bring Us together as We were before creation existed. 6 You have entrusted Me with these men who have come out of this corrupt world order. I have told them about Your nature and declared Your name to them, and they have held on to Your words and understood that these words, 7 like everything else You have given Me, come from You. 8 It is true that these men You gave Me have received the words that come from You and not only understood them but also believed that You sent Me. 9 I am now making an appeal to You on their behalf. This request is not for the entire world; it is for those whom You have given to Me because they are Yours. 10 Yours and Mine, Mine and Yours, for all that are Mine are Yours. Through them I have been glorified.
11 I will no longer be physically present in this world, but they will remain in this world. As I return to be with You, holy Father, remain with them through Your name, the name You have given Me. May they be one even as We are one. 12 While I was physically present with them, I protected them through Your name. I watched over them closely; and only one was lost, the one the Scriptures said was the son of destruction. 13 Now I am returning to You. I am speaking this prayer here in the created cosmos alongside friends and foes so that in hearing it they might be consumed with joy. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has despised them because they are not products of the world, in the same way that I am not a product of the corrupt world order. 15 Do not take them out of this world; protect them from the evil one.
16 Like Me, they are not products of the corrupt world order. 17 Immerse them in the truth, the truth Your voice speaks. 18 In the same way You sent Me into this world, I am sending them. 19 It is entirely for their benefit that I have set Myself apart so that they may be set apart by truth. 20 I am not asking solely for their benefit; this prayer is also for all the believers who will follow them and hear them speak. 21 Father, may they all be one as You are in Me and I am in You; may they be in Us, for by this unity the world will believe that You sent Me.
22 All the glory You have given to Me, I pass on to them. May that glory unify them and make them one as We are one, 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be refined so that all will know that You sent Me, and You love them in the same way You love Me.
24 Father, I long for the time when those You have given Me can join Me in My place so they may witness My glory, which comes from You. You have loved Me before the foundations of the cosmos were laid. 25 Father, You are just; though this corrupt world order does not know You, I do. These followers know that You have sent Me. 26 I have told them about Your nature; and I will continue to speak of Your name in order that Your love, which was poured out on Me, will be in them. And I will also be in them.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

John records My prayer to the Father in the garden My last night before the crucifixion. I prayed for My disciples. Those who walked with Me while I lived alongside you in the flesh for some thirty years, and for those who would believe in Me because of their message through the centuries to come. I pray you are among that group.

My prayer speaks of the unity between My Father and Me and between My disciples and Me. I also long for unity between My disciples. The only way that can happen, though, comes from My living in you though My presence in the form of My Spirit in you. You must invite Me into your life. You must turn your life over to Me and do as I ask. You must become a disciple, one who becomes like his or her teacher, if you expect to understand Me and My word.

I call all My children to discipleship. I don’t want to leave you where you are. I want you to become like Me. Just ask Me into your life and let Me show you the difference I can make.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

God’s word comes true (John 16:16-33), August 14, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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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. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

He’s coming back (Matthew 24:1-22), May 7, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 24:1-22
Set – 2 Samuel 14; Matthew 24
Go! – 2 Samuel 13-14; Matthew 24

Matthew 24:1-22
1 Jesus left the temple. As He was walking away, His disciples came up to Him and asked what He thought about the temple buildings.

Jesus: 2 Look around you. All of it will become rubble. I tell you this: not one stone will be left standing.

3 Later, as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately.

Disciples: We don’t understand Your predictions. Tell us, when will these things happen: When will the temple be destroyed? What will be the sign that You are returning? How will we know that the end of the age is upon us?

Jesus: 4 Take care that you are not deceived. 5 For many will come in My name claiming they are the Anointed One, and many poor souls will be taken in. 6 You will hear of wars, and you will hear rumors of wars, but you should not panic. It is inevitable, this violent breaking apart of the sinful world, but remember, the wars are not the end. The end is still unfolding. 7 Nations will do battle with nations, and kingdoms will fight neighboring kingdoms, and there will be famines and earthquakes. 8 But these are not the end. These are the birth pangs, the beginning. The end is still unfolding.

9 They will hand you over to your enemies, who will torture you and then kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. 10 And many who have followed Me and claimed to love Me and sought God’s kingdom will turn away—they will abandon the faith and betray and hate one another. 11-12 The love that they had for one another will grow cold because few will obey the law. False prophets will appear, many will be taken in by them, and the only thing that will grow is wickedness. There will be no end to the increase of wickedness. 13 But those who do not waver from our path and do not follow those false prophets—those among you will be saved. 14 And this good news of God’s kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, a testimony to all people and all nations. Then, beloved, the end, the consummation of all things, will come.

15 You will remember that the prophet Daniel predicted this—predicted the abomination that causes desolation—when you see the prophesied desolation of the holy place. (Reader, take notice; it is important that you understand this.) 16 When you see this, let those in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 If you are relaxing on your rooftop one evening and the signs of the temple’s destructions come, don’t return to your house to rescue a book or a pet or a scrap of clothing. 18 If you are in the field when the great destruction begins, don’t return home for a cloak. 19 Pregnant women and nursing mothers will have the worst of it. 20 And as for you, pray that your flight to the hills will not come on the Sabbath or in the cold of winter. 21 For the tribulation will be unparalleled—hardships of a magnitude that has not been seen since creation and that will not be seen again. 22 Indeed the Lord God your merciful judge will cut this time of trial short, and this will be done for the benefit of the elect that some might indeed be saved—for no one could survive the depravity for very long.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Well, I told you a long time ago that I would begin to show you when the end would begin to unfold. When I walked with you in the flesh, My disciples asked Me when the Temple would be destroyed. I used their question to give a broader answer to the end of time using all the scriptures and My knowledge to give them a peek into the future. What you are experiencing are the birth pangs.

I told you about wars and rumors of wars. Look around you at the nations of the world. There is little doubt of the hatred against My chosen people. If you think that has been true throughout history, you’re right. But never has the hatred escalated to the point it has today. Now nuclear weapons point to the cities of My people. But do you think I will let My chosen people be destroyed? Better think about who is on their side and remember what I’ve said in My word. “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

To the other nations of the world, I’d say, “Don’t try it.” But there will be wars and My people will suffer in them as will other nations.

Look at the famines, the droughts, the wild weather patterns that defy explanation, earthquakes. Many will say, “It’s just nature doing its thing. There are explanations if we just look hard enough.” I say, “Listen to what I told you 2,000 years ago.” You are in the birth pangs that show the beginning of the end. I’m coming back and it won’t be much longer. Look at the signs and know that I can return in the blink of an eye.

As I told My disciples 2,000 years ago, I tell you now. Be ready. You never know when I’ll be back.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

You have your mission (Matthew 10:5-42), Apr 23, 2015

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Today’s Podcast


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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Matthew 10:5-42
Set – Psalms 141; Matthew 10
Go! – 1 Samuel 27; Psalms 141; 1 Chronicles 9; Matthew 10

Matthew 10:5-42
5 Jesus sent out these twelve with clear instructions.

Jesus: Don’t go to the outsiders or to the towns inhabited by Samaritans, a people whose Jewish ancestors married Gentiles. 6 Go instead to find and heal the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, and cleanse those who have leprosy. Drive out demons from the possessed. You received these gifts freely, so you should give them to others freely. 9 Do not take money with you: don’t take gold, silver, or even small, worthless change. 10 Do not pack a bag with clothes. Do not take sandals or a walking stick. Be fed and sheltered by those who show you hospitality. 11 When you enter a town or village, look for someone who is trustworthy and stay at his house as long as you are visiting that town. 12 When you enter this home, greet the household kindly. 13 And if the home is indeed trustworthy, let your blessing of peace rest upon it; if not, keep your blessing to yourself. 14 If someone is inhospitable to you or refuses to listen to your testimony, leave that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. 15 This is the truth: Sodom and Gomorrah, those ancient pits of inhospitality, will fare better on judgment day than towns who ignore you tomorrow or next week.

16 Listen: I am sending you out to be sheep among wolves. You must be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. 17 You must be careful. You must be discerning. You must be on your guard. There will be men who try to hand you over to their town councils and have you flogged in their synagogues. 18 Because of Me, naysayers and doubters will try to make an example out of you by trying you before rulers and kings. 19 When this happens—when you are arrested, dragged to court—don’t worry about what to say or how to say it. The words you should speak will be given to you. For at that moment, 20 it will not be you speaking; it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21 Your task will be fraught with betrayal: brother will betray brother, even to the point of death; fathers will betray their children, and children will rebel against their fathers, even to the point of death. 22-23 When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next town. This is the truth: you will not be able to witness to every town in Israel before the Son of Man comes. Everyone will hate you because of Me. But remember: the one who stays on the narrow path until the end will be saved.

24 A student is no greater than his teacher, and a servant is never greater than his master. 25 It is sufficient if the student is like his teacher and the servant like his master. If people call the head of a house “Beelzebul,” which means “devil,” just imagine what they’re calling the members of his household.

26 Do not be afraid of those who may taunt or persecute you. Everything they do—even if they think they are hiding behind closed doors—will come to light. All their secrets will eventually be made known. 27 And you should proclaim in the bright light of day everything that I have whispered to you in the dark. Whatever whispers you hear—shout them from the rooftops of houses.

28 Don’t fear those who aim to kill just the body but are unable to touch the soul. The One to fear is He who can destroy you, soul and body, in the fires of hell. 29 Look, if you sold a few sparrows, how much money would you get? A copper coin apiece, perhaps? And yet your Father in heaven knows when those small sparrows fall to the ground. 30-31 You, beloved, are worth so much more than a whole flock of sparrows. God knows everything about you, even the number of hairs on your head. So do not fear.

32 Whoever knows Me here on earth, I will know him in heaven. And whoever proclaims faith in Me here on earth, I will proclaim faith in him before My Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns Me here, I will disown before My Father in heaven.

34 Do not imagine that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 I have come to turn men against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law. 36 You will find you have enemies even in your own household. 37 If you love your father or mother more than you love Me, then you are not worthy of Me. If you love your son or daughter more than you love Me, then you are not worthy of Me. 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow Me on the narrow road, then you are not worthy of Me. 39 To find your life, you must lose your life—and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Jesus: 40 Anyone who welcomes you welcomes Me, and anyone who welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. 41 Anyone who welcomes a prophet and surrenders to his prophecy will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who welcomes a righteous person and conforms to the righteousness that surrounds him and proceeds from him will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And anyone who has given so much as a cup of cold water to one of the little ones, because he is My disciple, I tell you, that person will be well rewarded.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

There’s a lot packed into those thirty-eight verses of instructions. Jesus knew what His disciples would face as they went out into the world to share My message, though. He knew the kind of people they would run into and the encouragement they needed now at the beginning of their journey. Jesus knew they would have successes along the way and many would come to know Him because of the message they shared, the many they healed, the miracles performed.

Others would hate Jesus’ messengers for the same reason. Because they proclaimed the message I gave them, those twelve would find others hated them as much as they hated Me. They would learn it doesn’t take long to be run out of town, beaten, stoned, arrested or held in prison for their message being given to others.

But their instructions were clear and they carried them out faithfully. Your instructions are clear, too. Jesus gave them to you before He came back to Me. “Go into all the world and make disciples. Teach them My commands and baptize them in My name and His name, and the name of the Holy Spirit.” If you’ll do that, you’ll do some incredible things for the kingdom and I’ll be with your each step of the way. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

How do you pray? (Luke 11:1-13), Jan 11, 2015

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Today’s background scripture comes from Luke 11:1-13.


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It’s no secret that prayer constituted an important part of My Son’s life while He walked the dusty roads of Judea. Prayer didn’t mean a daily ritual for Him, it was His lifeline. Jesus prayed continually. He stayed in constant contact with Me. Some will say it was easy for Him because Jesus was God and as part of the Trinity He had no problem staying in touch with the rest of the Trinity.

I will tell you, however, Jesus, also became fully human when He walked the earth with you. Prayer became a human discipline for Him just like it was for all of My disciples. When the twelve first traveled with Jesus they didn’t know how to pray like He did. They didn’t know how to stay in constant contact with Me. Their exposure to prayer up to that point came from the synagogues and the temple.

The disciples heard the priests and elders pray long flowery orations that lifted them in the eyes of the people, but from the prayer life of their teacher, they knew He touched heaven every time He prayed and those others didn’t. The disciples wanted to know His secret formula for getting through to Me. Jesus’ prayer that day shows the simple conversation I like to have with My children.

I want to know you love and respect Me. I want to know trust me to meet your needs. I want to know you extend mercy and grace to others. And I want to help you through the difficulties of the day. That’s the simple conversation Jesus had with Me and it covered all the bases of the life for that day. That’s all He needed to say and we shared together from the heart in those moments.

I don’t need flowery words. I don’t want long melodious tones. I don’t want ritual and repetition. I want to hear from your heart. I want to talk with you as you would talk with a friend. Share your needs, your hurts, your successes, your grief, your joy. Share your life with Me. Just talk with Me…all the time. Let it become a habit in your life so your thoughts spring to Me in your spare minutes. You’ll not be disappointed with the results in our relationship together.

Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Luke 11:1-13
Set – Genesis 28; Psalms 4; Luke 11
Go! – Genesis 27-28; Psalms 4; Luke 11

Luke 11:1-13
Another time Jesus was praying, and when He finished, one of His disciples approached Him.

Disciple: Teacher, would You teach us Your way of prayer? John taught his disciples his way of prayer, and we’re hoping You’ll do the same.

Jesus: 2 Here’s how to pray:

Father [in heaven], may Your name be revered.
May Your kingdom come.
[May Your will be accomplished on earth
as it is in heaven.]
3 Give us the food we need for tomorrow,
4 And forgive us for our wrongs,
for we forgive those who wrong us.
And lead us away from temptation.
[And save us from the evil one.]
5 Imagine that one of your friends comes over at midnight. He bangs on the door and shouts, “Friend, will you lend me three loaves of bread? 6 A friend of mine just showed up unexpectedly from a journey, and I don’t have anything to feed him.” 7 Would you shout out from your bed, “I’m already in bed, and so are the kids. I already locked the door. I can’t be bothered”? 8 You know this as well as I do: even if you didn’t care that this fellow was your friend, if he keeps knocking long enough, you’ll get up and give him whatever he needs simply because of his brash persistence!

9 So listen: Keep on asking, and you will receive. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened for you. 10 All who keep asking will receive, all who keep seeking will find, and doors will open to those who keep knocking.

11 Some of you are fathers, so ask yourselves this: if your son comes up to you and asks for a fish for dinner, will you give him a snake instead? 12 If your boy wants an egg to eat, will you give him a scorpion? 13 Look, all of you are flawed in so many ways, yet in spite of all your faults, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to all who ask!

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.