This Day With God – A Spiritual Journey

Jesus prayed for the disciples in John 17.  He prayed that they would be given the same strength from God that He had received. Then He prayed that all believers would stand together as team members against evil; to walk in God’s path side by side. If there were ever the perfect teammate, it would be Jesus.

Jesus was arrested in John 18. Judas and Peter lacked the courage to be there for Him. We should be thankful for the model in courage we’ve been given. Let it inspire us with courage to talk about Him around family, friends, and to those who don’t know Him.

Jesus faced His enemies in order to fulfill His purpose; to suffer in this world so we may be set free. As the sermon this past week points out, Jesus challenges us to follow God’s way and find a role to play. It doesn’t matter what a person looks like or how smart they are; God has given everyone a purpose and He believes in them. All a person has to do is start and take one step at a time.

Jesus came to provide spiritual treasures for each person and each person should be thankful in their prayers; constantly listening for confirmation of their purpose. Like Jesus prayed for the disciples, we should pray for and affirm others; hoping everyone finds their purpose and takes steps to pursue their important place in His kingdom

Here is a link to a photo with a caption that sums up the reading of John 17 for me. Thanks for letting me share.

Mark

In John 16, Jesus talks to the disciples about the future and what will happen. That He will no longer be with them in a physical sense and the Counselor will take his place. That the Holy Spirit would be available to them at any time to teach, guide, and comfort. The disciples were having a difficult time picking up the concept Jesus was teaching.   

Some concepts are difficult. My daughter has started to learn about adding mixed numbers in 5^th grade math. The first thing to learn is how to find the common denominator. It’s difficult to get across but one has to pick it up to solve problems and simplify fractions.

In life, when adding up all mixed emotions from despair to joy, all problems can be simplified and solved with Christ as the common denominator. Anyone going through a time of difficulty can go to God and ask for help. God can turn a temporary defeat into a major victory.

Here is a link to a photo with a caption that sums up the reading of John 16 for me. Thanks for letting me share.

Mark

As I mentioned last week, My Bible study guide has me reading in the New Testament where I had left off a while back. The theme in last week’s reading was to put God first in everything you do. This same theme continues in John 14. Our most precious and valued possession; our greatest power is all found in one person. Knowing about Jesus is the number one priority

How do we keep our number one priority number one? Knowing how Christ lived is one way. For if we know how he lived, we have a good model to follow. No one said it would be easy. Jesus did many things even his own disciples didn’t understand. We may not understand everything but that’s where faith comes in.

Last week, I gave you the link to a website called I am second. These inspiring testimonials have a common theme. They all say “I Am Second” and God is first. It’s this theme we find throughout the bible as God’s people look forward to being led to better days ahead. We can all receive comfort from a quote of Billy Graham who said, “I’ve read the last page of the Bible, it’s all going to turn out all right”.

I was able to finish reading 2 Kings this week and my Bible study guide has me going back into John next week. I like the way the guide goes back and forth from Old to New Testament. It seems to have the readings in a sequence so you can see how they tie together. In 2 Kings 22, Josiah set out to repair the Temple and in the process his workers discovered the original bible. It had been sitting in the Temple for many years and never read or applied. Like many things, it has to be used for someone to get its full benefit. A bible with turned pages that has been read, studied and applied is a valuable resource for a successful life.

Just like the Temple of God which needed improvements, there’s probably some improvements we could all use in our life? But it takes discipline to root out the negatives and the Bible tells us it all begins by accepting the new-creating Spirit of Christ. As stated by Billy Graham, “being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion – it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ”. As we go to God in prayer, we should ask Him for the discipline to improve each day.

As I read in 2 Kings 23, I noticed Judah was back on track. It had made a covenant with God to follow Him and keep His commands. But they lacked discipline and didn’t keep their promise. God became displeased and the downfall of Judah began in 2 Kings 25. Think of times you’ve kept your promises with yourself. Maybe it’s a goal you set or a new year’s resolution. Then think about the times you didn’t. When we pray, we should want God to search deep inside and let us know about areas we need to work on. There’s a video that inspires this discipline. Here’s the link: 2 minutes 51 seconds Search Me Lord by Gaither Vocal Band.     

It all begins with being truthful with ourselves and those around us. God can search our souls and eliminate what keeps us from being the best we can be. Wanting to be right, wanting to be safe, and wanting to be whole are good qualities to desire. There is a website with inspiring testimonials of people who put God first. Here is the link: I am second. It’s inspiring to hear from others who put themselves second right behind God; people who put God as the center of their attention. We can all praise God for role models to follow; who inspire with their stories and make it easier to understand.

Here is the link to the photos for 2 Kings. Next week, I start back in the book of John. Thanks for letting me share with you this week.  

Mark