Jesus was in control over ‘His time’ to give His life for our sins

John 13:21-30

Now Jesus was in great anguish of spirit, and He exclaimed, “The truth is, one of you will betray Me!”

 

The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom He could mean. 

 

One of Jesus’ disciples, the one Jesus loved [John’s referring to himself], was sitting next to Jesus at the table.

 

Simon Peter motioned to him [John] to ask who would do this terrible thing.

 

Leaning toward Jesus, he [John] asked, “Lord, who is it?”

 

Jesus said, “It is the one to whom I give the bread dipped in the sauce,”  And when He had dipped it, He gave it to Judas, son of Iscariot.

 

As soon as Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him.  Then Jesus told him, “Hurry.  Do it now.”

 

None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant.

 

Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor.

 

So Judas left at once, going out into the night.

Walking in the Light of Jesus brings in a plentiful harvest

John 12:20-36

Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem to attend the Passover

 

paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee.  They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus,”

 

Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.

 

Jesus replied, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into His glory.”

 

“The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil.  Unless it dies it will be alone – a single seed.  But its death will produce many new kernels – a plentiful harvest of new lives.”

 

“Those who love their life in this world will lose it.  Those who despise their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”

 

“All those who want to be My disciples must  come and follow Me, because My servants must be where I am.  And if they follow Me, the Father will honor them.”

 

“Now My soul is deeply troubled.  Should I pray, ‘Father, save Me from what lies ahead’?  But that is the very reason why I came!’”

 

“Father, bring glory to Your name.”

 

Then a voice spoke from Heaven, saying, “I have already brought it glory, and I will do it again.”

 

When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to Him.

 

Then Jesus told them, “The voice was for your benefit, not mine.”

 

“The time of judgment for the world has come, when the prince of this world will be cast out.”

 

“And when I am lifted up on the cross, I will draw everyone to Myself.”

 

He said this to indicate how He was going to die.

 

“Die?”  asked the crowd.  “We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever.  Why are You saying the Son of Man will die?  Who is this Son of Man You are talking about?”

 

Jesus replied, “My light will shine out for you just a little while longer.  Walk in it while you can, so you will not stumble when the darkness falls.  If you walk in the darkness, you cannot see where you are going.”

 

“Believe in the Light while there is still time; then you will become children of the Light.”  After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.

 

Jesus continues to tell all who are listening that He’s going to the cross to bring life to many.  Through Jesus’ death on the cross God will bring in a plentiful harvest of lives of those who believe in Him, receive Him and walk in His Light.  Jesus paves the way for salvation to all who will come to Him.  Again and again He speaks of His Father’s purpose for sending Him to the earth.  The people think that His Kingdom will be on the earth and that He will never die.  Jesus teaches that God’s kingdom is the opposite of what they are thinking.  Rather than building their lives on the foundation of this world, Jesus teachers that all who come after Him must build their foundation upon the things of God which are not of this world.  As Jesus gave up His life for us, so all who follow Him must give up their life for Him.  The flesh must die, so the spirit can live and rule our lives.  Jesus gave up His life on the cross so that we can know life with the Father in Heaven through His Spirit.  His Spirit fills all believers.  In this way, God redeems all the lives that are headed toward death for their sins.  Those in Christ will never die, as Christ lives we will live.  But our eternal life is not in this world. Where Jesus is, there will be all who believe and receive Him.  We are given abundant life in this world, and eternal life in Heaven with Him.  We lay down our lives for Jesus as we follow Him and obey His call upon our lives.  This means we chose to follow His will instead of our own.  This means our desire is the same as Jesus’ – to do His Father’s will.  When we surrender our will to God’s, we have peace with Him and His Holy Spirit fills and guides us.  Our life is in Christ, rather than living for ourselves.  As we abide in Jesus, draw close to Him, get to know Him through His word, fellowship, prayer and obedience to Him and His word, we will know Him more and more.  He speaks into our hearts and into our minds and transforms us to be like Him.  We will face trials and times when it’s very hard.  We pray and entrust ourselves to Him.  We depend upon His promises by faith and He strengthens us. It’s a walk in the spirit which can only be understood by walking in the spirit. This was the problem many had when Jesus told them he was going to die.  They didn’t understand.  God’s will will most often conflict with our human interests and the will of our fleshly desires.  We must expect this so we won’t be stumbled, as Jesus said.  We must walk in His Light or we will stumble in the darkness of this world.  If we chose to follow Jesus we will face persecution and opposition from those who resist Him.  We must expect this and be preparted so as not to lose faith.  God promised to never leave us, nor forsake us.  He promised to strengthen us as we turn to Him for help.  God is faithful.  Our testimony of God’s faithfulness will be a joyful experience.  God will give us His peace and love.  We will see more and more qualities of the fruit of His Holy Spirit which are found in Galatians 5:22-23 in our lives as we continue to hold onto Jesus and to walk faithfully with Him.  Jesus lives! 

 

Heavenly Father;

Thank You for the life You’ve given us in Christ.  Thank You for Jesus’ obedience and willingness to go to the cross for our sins.  Jesus was resisted all through His life – as the enemy or our souls hates Him and he hates You.   But You have won the victory over him.  You have defeated him who comes against Christ and all who love and follow Him.  In Jesus we continue to fight this spiritual warfare, but we fight from victory, not for victory.  Our victory comes by abiding in Christ.  Please help us to be strong in You today.  Please strengthen us and equip us to serve You and to be Lights in this dark world.  Please help us to stay close to Jesus and to follow Him faithfully.  Please use our lives for Your glory.  Please give us courage to fight the good fight of faith in Christ.  Please be our strength and foundation. When we are weary, may we find rest in You.  May Your peace lead us and guide us.  May Your love fill our lives.  May we serve You faithfully.  May Your harvest be plentiful through our lives for Your glory and honor.  Thank You for this life we have in Christ.   Please guide and lead our pastors according to Your will for their lives and ministry.  May they be faithful to You.  May they be filled with Your love and with Your word.  May You give them wisdom and grace in proportion to their need and as they seek You.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

The seriousness of our commitment to Christ

John 11:45-57

Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. [Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead.]

 

But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

 

Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together to discuss the situation.  “What are we going to do?” they asked each other.  “This Man certainly performs many  miraculous signs.”

 

“If we leave Him alone, the whole nation will follow Him, and then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.”

 

This prophecy that Jesus should die for the entire nation came from Caiaphas in his position as high priest.  He didn’t think of it himself; he was inspired to say it.

 

It was a prediction that Jesus’ death would be not for Israel only, but for the gathering together of all the children of God scattered around the world.

 

So from that time on the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death.

 

As a result, Jesus stopped His public ministry among the people and left Jerusalem.  He went to a place near the wilderness, to the village of Ephraim, and stayed there with His disciples.

 

It was now almost time for the celebration of Passover, and many people from the country arrived in Jerusalem several days early so they could go through the cleansing ceremony before the Passover began. 

 

They wanted to see Jesus, and as they talked in the Temple, they asked each other, “What do you think?  Will He come for the Passover?”

 

Meanwhile, the leading priests and Pharisees had publicly announced that anyone seeing Jesus must report Him immediately so they could arrest Him.

 

John regarded Caiaphas’ statement as a prophesy.  As high priest, Caiaphas was used by God to explain Jesus’ death even though Caiaphas didn’t realize what he was doing.  In Isaiah 49:6 God speaks prophetically of Jesus through the prophet Isaiah, “He says, ‘You will do more than restore the people of Israel to Me. I will make You a Light to the Gentiles, and You will bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.’” 

 

The spiritual blindness of the Pharisees was caused by their pride. Jesus just raised Lazarus from the dead.  They spoke of His miraculous signs which pointed to His Deity as the reason they must have Him put to death.  They knew He was doing the works of God, they knew He had not committed any sin, nor was there any reason for them to charge Him with a crime. Jesus was innocent. Jesus only exposed their hypocrisy and man-made traditions which kept people from coming to God. Again and again they tried to kill Him because Jesus revealed their sin. In their pride they could not imagine being wrong. Jesus gave them the opportunity to repent and humble themselves before God, but they just hardened their heart more and more until they could not repent. They came to the place where they’d committed the unpardonable sin. Jesus told the Pharisees previously in John 8:44-45, “For you are the children of your father the Devil, and you love to do the evil things he does.  He was a murderer from the beginning and has always hated the truth.  There is no truth in him.  When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. So when I tell you the truth, you just naturally don’t believe Me!”

 

The Pharisees didn’t kill Jesus, God had planned to have Jesus come to earth from Heaven from the beginning of time. (Hebrews 1-3) Jesus’ death was prophesied about in Genesis 22:1-18 as God tells Abraham to take his only son, Isaac, whom he loves so much – and go to the mountain of Moriah and sacrifice him there. (Mt. Moriah was also where Jesus was crucified, thus fulfilling the prophesy about Himself as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).  While they were traveling to Mt. Moriah, Isaac asked his father where was the lamb to be sacrificed.  Abraham answered, “God will provide Himself a Lamb” vs.8 –  Abraham continued to follow through in obedience to what God had asked of him, then God stopped him and said, “Abraham!  Abraham! Do not hurt the boy in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld even your beloved son from Me.” Vs.11-12 – Abraham named the place, “The LORD Will Provide.” (in Hebrew: Yahweh Yir’eh or Jehovah Jirah) vs.14  God was testing Abraham’s faith.  Previously God had come to Abram when he was 99 years old and told him He would make a covenant with him and guaranteed to make him a father of many nations (Gen.17:1-8).   When Abraham was 100 years old, God fulfilled His promise.  Sarah was 90 years old when she gave birth to her husband Abraham’s baby, Isaac. (Gen. 21:1-6).   Now God would get all the glory. God was faithful to His promise.  He called Abraham righteous because He believed and obeyed Him.

 

Many of the people who were grieving with Mary over the death of her brother and were at Lazarus’ tomb, witnessed Jesus call him to come out of the tomb.  He came out with grave clothes on aftering being in a sealed tomb for 4 days. There was no doubt that Lazarus had been dead, and now was alive.  After seeing this, many believed that Jesus was who He said He was, the Messiah, the Son of God.  Their faith resulted in their salvation.  On the other hand, the Pharisees heard of Jesus’ miracles and knew that they were true, so in that sense they believed, but they were not saved because they didn’t receive Jesus, they hated Him all the more because they would not repent and believe with humble hearts of faith. 

We all have the same choice to make about Jesus today.  If we want to know Jesus and desire to learn more about Him, we will find Him.  We can receive Him with hearts of faith because He will reveal Himself to us.  But if some try to find fault with Jesus when they learn of Him,  they are like the Pharisees who chose to harden their hearts and reject Him.   God gives everyone the opportunity to receive Christ and to receive the salvation that is only offered through His blood shed on the cross for our sins.  Our decision begins in our heart.  We must pray for the Lord to help us to have hearts of humility and hearts of faith to believe in the Only Begotten Son of God who came to take away the sins of the whole world.  If anyone rejects Jesus, their sin remains upon them, so that when they die, the wrath of God’s judgment will send them to hell as eternal punishment for their sin. God said that He’s not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to salvation.  Each person chooses their own eternal destiny.  God is fair in all of His judgments.  He can’t just gloss over sin, it cost Him the life of His Only Begotten Son.  We can’t just gloss over sin, either.  We must reckon with our sin and recognize we can not save ourselves.  We need Jesus!

 

Heavenly Father;

Thank You for Your consistent and patient love toward us.  Thank You for Your plans and Your purposes which reveal that You are in control over all and You have always been in control.  Thank You that no one took Jesus’ life from Him, and no one could prove Him guilty of sin or any wrong doing. Thank You that Jesus was just in all of His ways.  He was perfect in His obedience to You.  Thank You for Your wisdom that gives everyone the opportunity to receive Jesus Christ and Your gift of salvation through His blood sacrificed on the cross for our sins.  Thank You that no one can boast of their own goodness before You, as when we see the works of Jesus which are recorded in Your word, the Bible, we are convicted of our sin and of our need to repent before a holy God.  Thank You for Your mercy and love which was extended to us while we were still Your enemies.  Thank You for Jesus’ obedience to Your will to come from Heaven to earth to live a perfect, sinless life then to go to the cross as ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the whole world’.  Thank You for Your wonderful gift of salvation and the life we receive through Christ. 

 

Please help us to walk closely with You and to hear Your beautiful voice.  May our hearts be true to You during those times our faith is tested.  May You find us faithful to You.  Thank You that You never intend for the painful things we go through to hurt us, as we are Your children, but You do discipline and train us so that we may know You better and trust in You more fully.  Thank You for the wonderful opportunities You give us to share Your love and to testify of Jesus, who lives!  May Your harvest be plentiful and may lives be changed for Christ.  We love You, Lord Jesus.  Thank You for all You’ve given us! 

 

Please help our pastors to know You and to serve You faithfully.  Please help them hear from You clearly and to have Your wisdom as they face trials of all kinds.  May they have Your wisdom in their dealings with the people who come into Your church.  No doubt there are Pharisees today who have evil hearts and who secretly, or even openly, hate You but still come to church.   Please protect our pastors and all of Your precious children from those with evil intent in the church. Please help our leadership and protect them from the same self-deluded hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Please expose what is hidden in the darkness, that Your Light may be manifested for all to see.  Please help us to shine Your Light in this dark and dying world that those who are without hope may come to know that Jesus lives!  May those without Christ come to know how much God has done for them and may they see the seriousness of their decision for Christ.  May we all seek hard after Jesus while there is still the Light of Day.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

For the glory of God!

John 11:1-16

A man named Lazarus was sick.  He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha.

 

This is the Mary who poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair.  Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. 

 

So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling Him, “Lord, the one You love is very sick.”

 

But when Jesus heard about it He said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death.  No, it is for the glory of God,  I, the Son of God, will receive glory from this.”

 

Although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus,

 

He stayed where He was for the next two days and did not go to them.

 

Finally, after two days, He said to His disciples, “Let’s go to Judea again.”

 

But His disciples objected, “Teacher,” they said, “only a few days ago the Jewish leaders in Judea were trying to kill You.  Are You going there again?”

 

Jesus replied, “There are twelve hours of daylight every day.  As long as it is light, people can walk safely.  They can see because they have the light of this world.”

 

“Only at night is there danger of stumbling because there is no light.”

 

Then He said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.”

 

The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, that means he is getting better!”

 

They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was having a good night’s rest, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.

 

Then He told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.”

 

“And for your sake, I am glad I wasn’t there, because this will give you another opportunity to believe in Me.  Come, let’s go see him.”

 

Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too – and die with Jesus.”

 

Jesus did whatever the Father gave Him to do.  He perfectly represented His Heavenly Father Who sent Him, so that those who saw and listened to Jesus could know what His Father was like also.  The words He spoke and the miraculous signs He performed revealed His Deity.  Jesus was open and spoke plainly about who He was to those who questioned that His Authority and power was from God.  Jesus was always in complete control over all that came His way.  Those who did not believe in Him hardened their hearts more and more and were determined to kill Him for the wonderful works He did to help the people in need because He did not keep their traditions and rebuked them to their faces for their evil deeds and evil motives – telling them that they refused to believe in Him because they were of their father, the devil – the father of all lies and deceit.

 

Jesus’ disciples had great concern for Jesus’ life if He were to go back to the region of Judea in Bethany to help Lazarus. This showed that they still believed that Jesus would set up His Kingdom on this earth.  Jesus wanted them to see His glory and that He was Lord over all, even over death, and that His Kingdom was not of with world.  Jesus had told them, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death.  No, it is for the glory of God,  I, the Son of God, will receive glory from this.”  Jesus spoke of Lazarus sleeping, knowing he was already dead.  His disciples, still did not fully understanding the power of God in Jesus.  They were thinking in human terms according to their own limited understanding when they considered the word, ‘sleeping’.  Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.” There could be no confusion about what Jesus was to do.  If His disciples could see this miraculous sign of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, they would also know that Jesus could raise Himself from the dead and prove Himself the Messiah, by offering His life as a sacrifice on the cross, then rise again from the dead proclaiming victory over sin and death – once for all.  Jesus could then offer complete victory over sin and death for all who believed in Him and received Him as their Savior and Lord.  His disciples must believe in the resurrection power of Jesus, as they would face persecution and death for the Gospel message they would proclaim to the world, which includes all Gentiles.  Jesus was not worried about protecting His own life. Thomas said he would follow Jesus to His death, too, thinking that if Jesus went back to Judea His life would be taken by the Jews.    But this was not Jesus’ time to give up His life, as there was still work to be done.  His disciples would see once more that those who hated Jesus had no power over Him.  They would see the power of God in Jesus and Jesus would be glorified.  Their faith would be strengthened and their testimony would be enriched by what they were to see first hand.  Seeing Lazarus raised from the dead and ultimately seeing Jesus raised from the dead would make them creditable witnesses of the Truth of God as they testified that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the Lamb of God, and the Savior of the world.  They would be more than willing to lay down their lives to follow Jesus and testify to the world of Him. 

 

We are given this same opportunity, today.  Jesus comes to us and we receive Him and He changes our lives.  This is for the glory of God that the world may see Jesus in us and come to know Him themselves.  We will also face persecution from those who hate Jesus, even today.  But we must be reminded that this world is not our home.  We must take heart in the words and promises of Jesus and always remember that He is still Lord over all.  Though His attoning work on the cross is finished, He is still drawing peole to Himself that they may know Salvation.  He does this work today through all who call Him Savior and Lord.  He’s given us His Holy Spirit that He may do the works of God through us, as we walk in His Light.  We are the light of the world, Jesus’ love shines through us as we abide in Him.  We must remember that God’s ways are not man’s ways – His thoughts are not our thoughts – that we may  trust in Him completely.  As long as Jesus’ church is in the world, His Light shines as the Light of day.  His work continues through His disciples today.  Soon His church will be taken out of this world, then judgment will begin on all who reject and hate Jesus.  May we be faithful to the end and bring glory to God through our testimony of His faithfulness.  May we serve Jesus faithfully and remember all His words and promises to us.  May we stay in close fellowship with Him and faithfully follow His leading in our lives . 

 

Heavenly Father;

Thank You for the wisdom You have shown that makes believing in Jesus so simple that even children can come to Him and receive Your free gift of salvation.  Thank You for showing us the humanity of those You chose to spread the Gospel message.  Thank You that You show us through Scripture that those who will trust in You and rely upon You, those who love You and follow Jesus will be used by You.  Thank You for the wisdom You’ve shown in sending Jesus, that no one can boast of their own efforts and good works to win favor with You or to earn their way in to Heaven.  We have no good works to offer You, in and of ourselves.  Even our understanding of You is skewed by our sin nature and our own  fleshly desires.  May we purify our hearts and minds by staying in Your word and in fellowship with You and other believers commited to You.  Thank You for Your mercy and grace.  You are so patient, kind and forgiving toward us.  May our hearts be true to You.  May our lives bring You glory as we shine for Jesus in this dark and dying world, among those who desperately needs You.   May we not fear death, nor the threats of those who seem to have power in this world, for You are in complete control over all.  You are Lord over all.  May we be about Your work and may we serve You in sincerity and purity of heart. 

May You do a mighty and great work in and through our fellowship.  Please lead and guide our pastors and leaders.  Please help them to discern Your will and protect them from distraction, deception, or anything that will draw them away from You.  Please strengthen them physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Thank You for their heart for You, for Your people, and for Your church.  May Your church truly love and worship You in Spirit and Truth by their example and through our prayers for them.  May we each have a testimony of Your faithfulness in our lives, that we may encourage and strengthen one another in faith and good works in Your church.  You are worthy of all praise, honor and glory! 

Please bless my brothers and sisters serving in Mexico right now.  Please give them wisdom to keep them from getting ill.  Please provide safe water and food for them.  Please help them to get the rest they need from all their hard work.  Please help them to see how they are connected to one another and to bless each other with loving thoughts, words and deeds.   Please bring them all home safely with a testimony of Your faithfulness and love which they are currently experiencing.  Please strengthen their faith in You through their steps of faith and sacrifices to serve on this short-termed mission’s trip to Vizcaino, Mexico, Baja Sur.   Thank You for all that’s getting accomplished by the hard work of so many coming from so far away.   May You be loved and adored for Your goodness toward us.  May the people in Vizcaino be blessed by the love of Jesus through each person who is serving You  working on the Missions Base construction site,  serving at Calvary Chapel, Vizcaino, helping the people through outreaches of sharing the Gospel, humanitarian aide, medical and dental clinics and all that’s done in Your name.  May You be glorified!  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Following Jesus

John 10:22-42

It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah. [Hanukkah commemorated the cleansing of the Temple under Judas Maccabeus in 164 B.C. after Antiochus Epiphanes had defiled it by sacrificing a pig on the altar of burnt offering.  The festival was celebrated toward the end of December.. – Life Application Bible notes.]

 

He was at the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade.

 

The Jewish leaders surrounded Him and asked, “How long are You going to keep us in suspense?  If You are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

 

Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe Me.  The proof is what I do in the name of My Father.”

 

“But you don’t believe Me because you are not part of My flock.”

 

“My sheep recognize My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.”

 

“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish.  No one will snatch them away from Me,”

 

“for My Father has given them to Me, and He is more powerful than anyone else.  So no one can take them from Me.”

 

“The Father and I are one.”

 

Once again the Jewish leaders picked up stones to kill Him.

 

Jesus said, “At My Father’s direction I have done many things to help the people.  For which one of these good deeds are you killing Me?”

 

They replied, “Not for any good work, but for blasphemy, because You, a  mere Man, have made Yourself God.”

 

Jesus replied, “It is written in your own law that God said to certain leaders of the people, ‘I say, you are gods!’”

 

“And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered.  So if those people, who received God’s message, were called ‘gods,’”

 

“why do you call it blasphemy when the Holy One who was sent into the world by the Father says, ‘I am the Son of God’?”

 

“Don’t believe Me unless I carry out My Father’s work.”

 

“But if I do His work, believe in what I have done, even if you don’t believe Me.  Then you will realize that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.”

 

Once again they tried to arrest Him, but He got away and left them. 

 

He went beyond the Jordan River to stay near the place where John was first baptizing.

 

And many followed Him.  “John didn’t do miracles,” they remarked to one another, “but all his predictions about this Man have come true.”

 

And many believed in Him there.

 

Imagine walking with Jesus and listening to Him teach!  How wonderful to see Jesus face to face and to hear His words.  Today through the power of the Holy Spirit we are moved in our spirits through God’s word.  We see that Jesus is alive!  We know through faith in Christ that He lives; our hearts are changed.  Those who chose not to believe see through their own blinded human perspective, and therefore miss the greatest opportunity to know God and to know forgiveness of sins.  Under the Covenant given to Moses, the ten commandments showed people their sin.  God provided for them to make sacrifices on the altar in the Temple to ‘cover’ their sins.  Today we are covered by the blood of the Lamb of God, who takes away our sin – once for all – through faith in Jesus.  This was always God’s plan, yet the Jewish leaders missed it because they didn’t believe in Jesus.  Some Jews did believe, but those who lorded their position over the people were proud and arrogant in themselves, and consequently, would not believe.  If they would have humbled themselves and listened to Jesus’ words and considered the miraculous works He did to help the people, their eyes would have been opened and they would have received new revelation of Christ, who stood in their midst and taught in their Temple – their questions would have been answered and they would have bowed themselves at Jesus’ feet and served Him gladly.  Their hearts were only hardened more and more each time they listened to Jesus and rejected Him.  They were determined to kill Him.  They would not be persuaded by His innocence, nor by His truthful answers to their questions.  They were blinded by the Truth because the father of lies, the devil, was their master and directed their thoughts and actions.  But the innocent, the humble, the common people, and even the children listened to Jesus and followed Him.  They believed and received God’s mercy and grace.  Those who hardened their hearts in unbelief received God’s judgment.

 

Heavenly Father;

Thank You for being so patient and kind to us. Thank You for answering the questions we ponder in our heart.  Thank You that You give everyone the opportunity to believe in You and show Yourself powerful in their lives. Thank You that You hear our prayers and meet our deepest needs through the power of Your Holy Spirit Who is actively working in this dark, and dying world.  Thank You that You are working though Your people who are listening to Your voice and following Jesus today. Thank You for Your Omniscience and Omnipotence in our lives today.  Thank You for the new life You’ve given us in Christ.  Thank You for the power to resist temptation and to resist sin, that we may be pleasing to You and a light to this world.  Thank You that through faith in Christ we have a new relationship with You and have been given Your Holy Spirit with Your promise to come again for us and to never leave us, nor forsake us.  Please use our lives for Your glory.  Please help us to walk closely with Jesus and to be strong in our faith in Him.  Please deliver us from anything that will cause us to sin and keep us in bondage.  Thank You for the freedom You’ve given us in Christ.

 

Please help our pastors and the team in Mexico right now. Please give them Your peace and love for one another and for the people down there.  Please do a might work the hearts and lives of each person who stepped out in faith to serve with the team down there.  Thank You for the help each church is contributing to build the missions base.  Thank You for all the provisions and materials You’ve provided and for all the workers and the skills You’ve given them.  Please keep them healthy and give them rest.  Please keep them safe on the dangerous highway they need to travel on as they are coming and going.  Please keep the drivers alert.  Please give them some down time to relax and unwind and to enjoy the beautiful surroundings down there before they come home.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Serving God While There Is Still Time

John 9:1-12

As Jesus was walking along, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. 

 

“Teacher,” His disciples asked Him, “why was this man born blind?  Was it a result of his own sins or those of his parents?”

 

“It was not because of his sins or his parent’s sins,” Jesus answered.  “He was born blind so the power of God could be seen in him.”

 

“All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the One who sent Me, because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end.”

 

“But while I am still here in the world, I am the light of the world.”

 

Then He spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and smoothed the mud over the blind man’s eyes.

 

He told him, “Go and wash in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came back seeing!

 

His neighbor and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Is this the same man – that beggar?”

 

Some said he was, and others said, “No, but he surely looks like him!”  And the beggar kept saying, “I am the same man!”

 

They asked, “Who healed you?  What happened?”

 

He told them, “The Man they call Jesus made mud and smoothed it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash off the mud.’  I went and washed, and now I can see!”

 

“Where is He now?” they asked.  “I don’t know,” he replied.

 

Jesus performed this miraculous healing for the glory of God, thus shining His light for all to see that He was from God, He was Deity in the flesh. His disciples saw the blind man and questioned Jesus about his blindness, thinking it was caused either by his sin or that of his parents.  Jesus assured them that neither  was the case. He proceeded to heal the beggar’s eyesight in a most peculiar way.  Jesus then fulfilled His own prophetic statement, “He was born blind so the power of God could be seen in him.”  How exciting it was for those who followed Jesus to see the miraculous works of God which Jesus performed to help the needy and suffering.  No doubt the disciple’s faith in Jesus was strengthened for they would need to be sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt who He was, to fulfill the call God had placed upon their lives after Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected from the dead. Jesus taught His disciples by His example of obedience to His Heavenly Father.  His disciples learned that not all illnesses, diseases, and disabilities were caused by sin, though some are, as seen in these passages from John 5:5-9,13-15 – [after Jesus healed the lame man who had an infirmity for 38 years, He told him, “See, you have been made well.  Sin no more, least a worse thing come upon you.”]  Showing that some infirmities are the result of sin.

 

 

After healing the blind beggar, the people who’d known him couldn’t believe it was the same man, even though he insisted he was that blind beggar.  Jesus kept a low profile when ministering to the people for the Religious leaders who hated Jesus also tried to persecuted and intimidate those whom He healed and helped.  Jesus had so much compassion and care for the people who are in need.  His love and obedience to His Heavenly Father would ultimately take Him to the cross for all mankind, even those who rejected and hated Him, such is the love of God – for mankind’s greatest need is the forgiveness of our sin Rom. 5:8: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

 

As Jesus’ disciples, we have a call upon our lives – the work God has for us to do.  Jesus tells us here to make it a priority to serve Him, as time we have is short.  vs.4 Jesus said to His disciples, ”All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the One who sent Me, because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end.”  In John 4:35 Jesus said to His disciples, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’?  Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!’  And again in Matt. 9:37-38, Jesus said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

 

Heavenly Father;

Thank You for the life of Christ and Your Word which teaches us of the miraculous healings and signs He did while walking on this earth.  Thank You that Jesus showed so much compassion for the people in need who were  suffering. Thank You that He shined His light in the darkness of this world to testify of You, that He was sent by You as our Messiah. Thank You for our salvation in Christ. Thank You for showing Your love for us by sending Jesus to the cross for our sin.  Thank You for all this means, both in this life and for all eternity with You.  May You be glorified in our hearts and in our lives. 

 

Please bless our pastor with grace and health as he and the team plan to leave for Mexico tomorrow.  Please help them to develop loving relationships and to have humble hearts of compassion toward one another as they work side by side and spend much time in close quarters with each other.  Please keep them safe on the road and in their work. Please provide safe food for them to eat and keep them from getting ill.  Please give them grace at the border that they may be able to get through without a long wait or obstacles that could detain them.  Thank You for this opportunity to help the people in Vizcaino and the surrounding communities.  Please bring more and more people to know You and to grow in their love for Jesus.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Talked with Jesus today?

John 8:12-20

Jesus said to the people, “I am the Light of the world.  If you follow Me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

 

The Pharisees replied, “You are making false claims about Yourself!”

 

Jesus told them, “These claims are valid even though I make them about Myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don’t know this about Me.”

 

“You judge Me with all your human limitations, but I am not judging anyone.”

 

“And if I did, My judgment would be correct in every respect because I am not alone – I have with Me the Father who sent Me.”

 

“Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact.”

 

“I am one witness, and My Father who sent Me is the other.”

 

“Where is Your Father?” they asked.

 

Jesus answered, “Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who My Father is.  If you knew Me, then you would know My Father, too.”

 

Jesus made these statements while He was teaching in the section of the Temple known as the Treasury.  But He was not arrested, because His time had not yet come.

 

This is amazing.  Jesus was His own witness.   He was not alone, as His Father was with Him and He did all the Father called Him to do.  Jesus spoke so boldly about His deity.  Jesus was perfect in all His ways.  He never sinned.  He never offfended His Heavenly Father.  He never grieved the Holy Spirit.   

The Pharisees were blinded by their sin.  They thought they had all the answers about God and were proudly arrogant in their religious position before the people, yet they didn’t even know God and were completely misrepresenting Him to the people. 

They were face to face with Jesus, who completely and accurately represented God and they were offended by Him. They were offended by the very God whom they thought they were serving, because their hearts were full of hypocrisy. 

They hated Jesus and looked for any opportunity they could to arrest Him and kill Him.  But God would not let them. Here again it says that they could not arrest Him because Jesus’ time had not yet come.  God was in control over every aspect of what Jesus went through.  No one took His life from Him, He willingly and lovingly laid it down on the cross for all mankind. Such is the love of God for all.

 

Heavenly Father;

Thank You for Jesus and for the life He gave that we may know forgiveness of our sins and life with You.  Thank You that You call all who receive Him Your children.  Thank You that all who receive Him have the promise of eternal life in Him.  Thank You for the witness of the Holy Spirit, who speaks the truth and is a faithful witness of Christ in our lives.  Thank You that You speak to us through Him as we read, mediate and study Your word, as we learn to hear Your voice in the quietness of our heart in prayer and as we commit to follow and obey Jesus.

Please speak to our pastor’s heart today and give him wisdom for his time and ministry.  Please help him to make disciples.  Please strengthen him and heal him for the work You’ve called him to do.  Please bless the team as they go to Mexico and work on the missions base.  Thank You for all You’ve done down there.  Please be glorified in all the hearts of those who are serving together.

Please help Your church to be faithful to serve You, to love You and to worship You with all our heart.   You are worthy of all honor, all glory and all praise.  We love You, Lord Jesus.  Please guide Your church and help it to grow in Your Holy Spirit’s power and love. 

In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Living Water for all who believe in Jesus!

John 7:32-52

Previously, Jesus had taught in the Temple on the Festival of Shelters and exposed the plot of the Religious leaders to kill Him.  He confronted them and spoke openly of  their hypocritical accusations toward Him.  After Jesus had spoken, many in the crowds believed in Him because they remembered the miraculous signs He had done and concluded He must be who He says He is. All of this enraged the Pharisees and they hated Jesus even more. 

 

“When the Pharisees heard that the crowds were murmuring such things, they and the leading priests sent Temple guards to arrest Jesus.

 

But Jesus told them, “I will be here a little longer.  Then I will return to the One who sent Me.”

 

“You will search for me but not find me. And you won’t be able to come where I am.”

 

The Jewish leaders were puzzled by this statement.  “Where is He planning to go?” they asked.  “Maybe He is thinking of leaving the country and going to the Jews in other lands, or maybe even to the Gentiles!”

 

“What does He mean when He says, ‘You will search for Me but not find Me,’ and ‘You won’t be able to come where I am’?

 

On the last day, [the 7^th day of the Festival of Shelters] Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “If you are thirsty, come to Me!”

 

“If you believe in Me, come and drink!  For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within.”

 

(When He said “living water,” He was speaking of the Spirit, Who would be given to everyone believing in Him.  But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into His glory.)

 

When the crowds heard Him say this, some of them declared, “This man surely is the Prophet.” 

 

Others said, “He is the Messiah,”  Still others said, “But He can’t be!  Will the Messiah come from Galilee?”

 

“For Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.”

 

So the crowd was divided in their opinions about Him.

 

And some wanted Him arrested, but no one touched Him.

 

The Temple guards who had been sent to arrest Him returned to the leading priests and Pharisees.  “Why didn’t you bring Him in? they demanded.

 

“We have never heard anyone talk like this!” The guards responded.

 

“Have you been led astray, too?” the Pharisees mocked.

 

“Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in Him?”

 

“These ignorant crowds do, but what do they know about it?”  A curse on them anyway!”

 

Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, then spoke up.

 

“Is it legal to convict a man before He is given a hearing?” he asked.

 

They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too?  Search the Scriptures and see for yourself – no prophet ever comes from Galilee!”

 

This is such an amazing revelation of the love of God and His love for all people.  Those who disbelieved in Jesus were hardened even more when they heard Him speak.  Those who had hearts of faith, did believe, some doubted because they knew what the Scriptures taught about where the Messiah was to be born, yet didn’t know that Jesus was indeed born in Bethlehem to fulfill that prophesy of Him. Even the Temple guards were amazed when they heard Him speak and could not arrest Him as they were ordered by the Religious leaders who hated Jesus and the Gentlies and all people who didn’t think like they thought. Yet in all the conversations and murmurings going on amongst the people concerning Jesus, He calls out to all to give them another opportunity to receive Him and eternal life.  He speaks of the Holy Spirit that gives living water to all who will believe in Him. 

Jesus boldly continued to tell everyone who He was and that God had sent Him.  If we imagine yourselves in the place of those among the crowds who heard Jesus speak, what would we think?  Would we have faith, would we have doubt because what we understand from Scripture doesn’t line up with what we see or hear?  Will we fall victim to the lies of the Religious leaders who think they represent God but openly hate Jesus? Will we follow Jesus or will we follow the crowd and popular opinion?

Heavenly Father;

Please help us to have hearts of faith to follow Jesus completely.  Please help us love people the way He does.  Please give us more opportunities to share the hope of the ‘living water’ that Jesus promises to all who will believe in Him.  Please fill us afresh with Your Holy Spirit that Your Living Water will flow out from within us. Please help us to serve You with power and love and make disciples for Jesus.

 

Please bless our pastors and give them wisdom as they direct their fellowships to know and serve Jesus.  Please do a mighty work in their fellowships that others may come to know and love Jesus by the witness of the church.  Please equip the church with gifts to serve You through the Holy Spirit’s power and love.  Please add to Your church those from the world who want Jesus, and cause those who don’t want Him to leave Your church so as not stumble the new believers, nor cause division in Your Body like the Religious leader did and still do.   In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Speaking the Truth without Fear

John 7:10-31

But after His brothers had left for the festival, Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view. 

 

The Jewish leaders tried to find Him at the festival and kept asking if anyone had seen Him.

 

There was a lot of discussion about Him among the crowds.  Some said, “He’s a wonderful man,” while others said, “He’s nothing but a fraud, deceiving the people.”

 

But no one had the courage to speak favorably about Him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders.

 

Then, midway through the festival, Jesus went up to the Temple and began to teach.

 

The Jewish leaders were surprised when they heard Him.  “How does He know so much when He hasn’t studied everything we’ve studied?”  they asked.

 

So Jesus told them, “I’m not teaching My own ideas, but those of God who sent Me.”

 

“Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether My teaching is from God or is merely My own.” 

 

“Those who present their own ideas are looking for praise for themselves, but those who seek to honor the One who sent them are good and genuine.” 

 

“None of you obeys the law of Moses!  In fact, you are trying to kill Me.”

 

The crowd replied, “You’re demon possessed!  Who’s trying to kill You?”

 

Jesus replied, “I worked on the Sabbath by healing a man, and you were offended.” 

 

“But you work on the Sabbath, too, when you obey Moses’ law of circumcision.  (Actually, this tradition of circumcision is older than the law of Moses; it goes back to Abraham.)”

 

“For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it, so as not to break the law of Moses.  So why should I be condemned for making a man completely well on the Sabbath?”

 

“Think this through and you will see that I am right.”

 

Some of the people who lived there in Jerusalem said among themselves, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?” 

 

“But how could He be?  For we know where this Man comes from.  When the Messiah comes, He will simply appear; no one will know where He comes from.”

 

While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, He called out, “Yes, you know Me, and you know where I come from.  But I represent One you don’t know, and He is true.”

 

“I know Him because I have come from Him, and He sent Me to you.”

Then the leaders tried to arrest Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His time had not yet come.

 

Many among the crowds at the Temple believed in Him.  “After all,” they said, “would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this Man has done?”

 

Jesus proved that He had no fear of the Religious leaders who were trying to kill Him because He accused them of sin and evil.  He went to the Festival of Shelters to witness for His Father and speak His words of truth to all who would listen.  Though He was among the crowd, He couldn’t be found by those who were seeking Him for evil purposes.  Half way through the festival, 3 ½ days later, Jesus went up to the Temple to teach for all to hear. He spoke openly to those who were offended by Him, offended by His words and offended by the miraculous works He did.  He exposed the evil intentions of the Religious leaders and spoke specifically about their intent to kill Him due to their own hypocritical reasoning, as they were guilty of the same thing they accuse Him of doing: breaking the Sabbath.  Instead of repenting, they hardened their hearts even more and accused Him of being demon possessed, showing they’d committed the unpardonable sin or blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. (Matt. 12:31-32; Lk.12:10; Heb. 6:4-6; 1 Jn. 5:16).

 

Once again the Religious leaders tried to arrest Jesus, but God didn’t allow it because Jesus’ time had not yet come. This wasn’t God’s will or timing for Jesus to be arrested at that time.  When Jesus’ time would come He would be unlawfully arrested by those who hated Him, have a mock trial and be falsely condemned, then chosen to take the place of the condemned criminal, Barabbas  to be crucified on cross.  Only it wasn’t a victory for the Religious leaders and those who hated Him in the spirit world as they had thought, but  victory over sin once for all.  This was always God’s plan of salvation for all mankind: to have Jesus pay for our sin with His innocent blood on the cross so all who believe in Him may have life.

 

This powerfully shows that no one took Jesus’ life from Him, He lovingly and willingly laid it down for us all (even those who hated Him), ‘for God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whoever would believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16)

 

This shows that God’s in control over everything in all creation and He continues to extend His hand of mercy and grace to all who will receive Him and believe in Jesus for His free offer of eternal life.

 

Heavenly Father;

Thank You that You think of us and You love us so much.  Thank You for Jesus!  Thank You that Jesus always did those things which pleased You.  Thank You that Jesus was not fearful of the accusations and plotting of those who hated Him.  Thank You for the wisdom He showed in how He lived before the unbelievers. Thank You that Jesus exposed the true motives of His enemies as He taught openly in the Temple where they would hear and be convicted of their sin and evil ways. Thank You that Jesus spoke the truth of who He is and why He’d come, to give opportunity for all to repent and receive Your mercy and grace.  Thank You that through the truth preached, none who opposed Jesus will be able to stand before You on judgment day and say You are unfair or unrighteous in any of the judgments You make against them.  Thank You for Your mercy and grace in Christ.  You are a wonderful, loving and kind Heavenly Father.  Thank You for Your gift of life in Christ.  May we hunger for more and more of Jesus and obey You more and more every day. 

 

Please help our pastors today with the challenges they face each Sunday to speak the truth to those in their fellowships and throughout the week in the community and in their counseling.  May we all speak the truth wherever we are.  Please grant our pastors wisdom to confront the lies and deceit of those who oppose You in their hypocrisy, giving them opportunity to repent and humble their hearts before You. May we all who call Jesus Lord walk humbly before You and in fellowship with Him. 

Thank You so much for this new day filled with Your mercy and grace and all of Your wonderful and abundant blessings! 

Please bring more and more people to hear Your Great News that gives hope and life through Your Gospel message.   May we be faithful to share this hope and Good News in the power of Your Holy Spirit with those who don’t yet know You.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Our Time In God’s Timing

John 7:1-9

“After this, Jesus stayed in Galilee, going from village to village.  He wanted to stay out of Judea where the Jewish leaders were plotting His death. 

 

But soon it was time for the Festival of Shelters,

 

and Jesus’ brothers urged Him to go to Judea for the celebration.  “Go where Your followers can see Your miracles!”  they scoffed.

 

“You can’t become a public figure if You hide like this!  If You can do such wonderful things, prove it to the world!”

 

For even His brothers didn’t believe in Him.

 

Jesus replied, “Now is not the time for Me to go.  But you can go anytime, and it will make no difference.”

 

“The world can’t hate you, but it does hate Me because I accuse it of sin and evil.”

 

“You go on, I am not yet ready to go to this festival, because My time has not yet come.”

 

So Jesus remained in Galilee.”

 

The Festival of Shelters is described in Leviticus 23:33-43.  This event occurred in October, about 6 months after the Passover celebration mentioned in John 6:2-5.  The festival commemorated the days when the Israelites wandered in the wilderness and lived in shelters. (Leviticus 23:43),  The festival was a feast that lasted for 7 days celebrating God’s protection and guidance in the wilderness. It was celebrated annually to renew Israel’s commitment to God and trust in His guidance and protection. [Life Application Study Bible notes]

 

This passage shows that Jesus had half-brothers and that they were not believers in God, nor in Him at this time. In this passage they mocked Him and openly ridiculed Him to His face.  Jesus showed them their sin of unbelief, which perhaps caused them to be even more resistant to Him, as Jesus said the world hated Him because He accused it of sin and evil.  People whom Jesus confronted either repented or hardened their hearts in unbelief.  There is no middle of the road with Jesus.  Sin can not go unnoticed, nor unpunished by a holy and just God. Yet God in His compassion and mercy sent Jesus to save us by paying for our sin on the cross.

 

These passages also show that Jesus’ mother was not always a virgin.  She and Joseph consummated their marriage after Jesus’ birth which resulted in them having children of their own.  This shows Mary’s humanity, though she was greatly honored for how God chose to use her.  God must get all the glory, not Mary, for the birth of Jesus.  Mary recognized her own need for a Savior, showing she herself knew she was not divine.

 

In Luke 1:46-48 “Mary responded, ‘Oh, how I praise the Lord.  How I rejoice in God my Savior.”  We must not worship or idolize Mary. We praise God as she did for the service God chose for her, giving all praise and honor to God our Father. 

 

Time was on Jesus’ side. He was in control over all that came His way. He was not moved by circumstances nor by the threat nor will of mankind, ‘because His time had not yet come.’ (John 2:4; 7:30; 8:20) 

 

Jesus knew His Father’s will and followed it faithfully, without sin or compromise. Jesus came from Heaven to earth to live amongst the people, identifying with them. He healed and helped those who were suffering and without hope.  He showed great compassion for the people and always pointed our their need for a Savior.  He showed them that He was the Savior sent from God, then proved it by going to the cross to pay for the sin of all mankind. 

 

 

This was God’s will for His only begotten Son.  His ‘time had come’ when He went to the cross. After Jesus agonized in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, He said to His disciples, “…The time has come. I, the Son of Man, am betrayed into the hands of sinners.”  Mark 14:41b

 

Heavenly Father;

Thank You so much for the cross!  Thank You that Christ Jesus came from Heaven to earth to live amongst us to show that You are a compassionate and merciful God by paying for our sin, once for all!  Thank You, Heavenly Father for the life we are offered in Christ. 

 

Thank You that Jesus endured so much persecution and rejection, yet did not turn away from Your will, even when it was so hard for Him and He pleaded with You in the Garden of Gethsemane, praying with great drops of blood coming from his brow,  “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.”  We will never know that kind of suffering and deep grief, yet You allowed Your precious and only begotten  Son to endure all of this and  more because You love us and want us to be with You.  There is nothing in this world worth more than knowing You and being forgiven of our sin.  You once walked in the Garden of Eden with Adam and had perfect, beautiful fellowship with him.  It’s so wonderful to know this fellowship and sweet communion with You through Christ.  Thank You!  Thank You for Your wonderful provision in our lives.  Thank You for hearing our prayers.

 

Please help our pastors as they serve You and are led by Your Holy Spirit to have Your abundant grace and favor in their lives.  Please help them hear clearly from You and to have Your wisdom and guidance in the decisions they need to make.  Please give them peace which passes all understanding as they follow Jesus.  Please strengthen their faith through the trials they face.  Please strengthen them physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually for all they are called to do to serve You and take care of Your precious children in their fellowship.  Please help them be equipped for the good work You’ve called them to do.  Please help those in their fellowships to also be equipped for the good work You’ve called them to do.  Please be glorified in Your church.  We love You, Lord Jesus.  You are so good to us, Heavenly Father!    Thank You!  In Jesus’ Name. Amen.