Category: prayer

Walking in the Light with Jesus

Barbara Weber

John 11:7-11,16 WEB

Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let’s go into Judea again.” [8] The disciples told him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and are you going there again?” [9] Jesus answered, “Aren’t there twelve hours of daylight? If a man walks in the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world. [10] But if a man walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light isn’t in him.” [11] He said these things, and after that, he said to them, “Our friend, Lazarus, has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I may awake him out of sleep.” [16] Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go also, that we may die with him.”

Jesus was not afraid of dying at the hand of the Jews. He knew what the Father was going to do, so he knew where to place his feet. The Father showed Jesus that Lazarus was going to return from death and Jesus told the disciples. Jesus knew he was going to wake Lazarus from death because the Father showed him. Jesus did not fling his safety away thoughtlessly. Rather, he had confidence in God and in his purpose in God.

Jesus was walking in the light of God’s counsel. He only did what he saw and heard from the Father, so we know that the Father showed him what was about to happen. In this light, Jesus walks into danger with peace because he can see where he is going. But Jesus also reminds us the opposite is true. We can also walk in the dark.

It is amazing the disciples, who saw firsthand all the miracles, still doubted. The disciples were not convinced it was safe to go into Judea and began to murmur against the Lord. At least some of the disciples were walking in the dark. At least some of the disciples did not have enough relationship and time with the Father to know what he was doing. Therefore they walked in the dark.

Lord, help me trust the Father the way you trust the Father. Lead me into devotional practice that will reveal your plans and purposes. Enlighten my understanding and save me from trying to navigate life in the dark. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The First to See

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John 8:13-14 WEB

The Pharisees therefore said to him, “You testify about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.” [14] Jesus answered them, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you don’t know where I came from, or where I am going.

Jesus came from the Father and was returning to the Father. It was simple for Jesus. He regularly cultivated his relationship with the Father, he knew how to hear his voice (Mark 1:35). Jesus knew scripture. Jesus knew who he was, and he knew what it meant (John 8:22).

The Pharisees could not even properly discern where Jesus was born, let alone anything else about him (John 7:52). Jesus rebuked the Pharisees because of their blindness (Mat 23:26). Jesus did not make excuses for their ignorance. They were the experts in scripture. The Pharisees should have been the first ones to realize Jesus was the Messiah.

Now, we are close to the end of the age. Jesus is coming back. Will we recognize him when he returns? With the modern-day push for all believers to know scripture, the church will be without excuse. However, with all believers educated in the Bible, we should be the first ones to recognize the Messiah.

Lord Jesus, please help me discern you in the world. If you return in my life, help me recognize you. Protect me from being deceived by the antichrist. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

How Jesus Interacted with the Father

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John 7:27-30 WEB

However we know where this man comes from, but when the Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from.” [28] Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, “You both know me, and know where I am from. I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you don’t know. [29] I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” [30] They sought therefore to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.

Do you believe you are from God? Jesus did. He believed he was from God (John 7:29), and he believed he knew God well enough to discern his will (John 6:4). He also believed he was sent from God (John 7:28-29). Being sent is a concept we are familiar with today. We get called by God, we get sent from God, we get sent from Church bodies. Jesus believed he was sent from God and that he was doing exactly what the Father wanted.

All practicing Christians long to be in the Father’s perfect will. These verses give me hope it is possible to know God’s will. Additionally, if I want to do the things Jesus did, I need to be familiar with the tools he used to interact with God and accomplish God’s will. Jesus developed a relationship with the Father through prayer (Luke 5:16), fasting (John 4:34), and obedience. I have access to these same tools.

I can pray for as long as I need to hear from God. I can also fast. Finally, with God’s help, I can obey the Bible and the Spirit of God. I can do what Jesus did. I can hear from God and obey. These verses give great hope to those endeavoring to be in the Father’s will. Jesus trusted himself to the Father. He trusted the Father’s motives. From this place of trust, the Lord is able to do great things for the Father.

Lord Jesus, please give me the grace to seek a relationship with the Father. Help me pray, fast, and obey so that I can learn to discern the Father’s voice, and some can be saved. Help me release my life so that I may enter a healthy relationship with God. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Watching for Jesus

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John 7:11-12 WEB

The Jews therefore sought him at the feast, and said, “Where is he?” [12] There was much murmuring among the multitudes concerning him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others said, “Not so, but he leads the multitude astray.”

Why did people say Jesus was leading others away from God? It’s because Jesus claimed to be related to God (John 10:30), come from Heaven (John 6:38), and be one with God (John 5:18). Essentially, he made himself one with the Father. What would happen if someone today started teaching they had come from heaven and were conjoined with God? People would probably start asking about their mental health (John 10:20). More, leaders would teach their flocks to avoid the danger (John 9:22).

Our leaders would do the same as the Pharisees. They would try to discredit Jesus (Mat 16:4). Because like the Pharisees, there is a chance Jesus would be hard to recognize. We all have messianic expectations. Just like the Pharisees. In John 7:27 WEB it says, “However we know where this man comes from, but when the Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from.”

The Pharisees thought they knew how to recognize the Messiah. More, the Pharisees had traditions, Godly counsel (John 12:42), the Word of God (John 5;45), and still, they could not recognize Jesus (John 7:52). We have all those same things today. Of course, we have one thing the Pharisees did not have. We have the Gospels. This gives us an advantage. God testifies about himself that he is unchanging (Heb 13:8).

This is an advantage because God has testified about himself that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Jesus is still the Son of Man (John 5:27). He may come back as a baby (Luke 2:11). He may have to win the battle by trusting and having faith in the Father (Mat 17:21). Regardless, we do not know. So, it seems pertinent to pray and keep watching for Jesus.

Lord Jesus, please help me know you and your voice. Bless me Lord as I watch for your return. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

#Jesus #God #Father #Armaggedon #Testimony #Word #Bible #Leaders #Flocks #Pharisee

The Fragrance of Christ

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John 6:46 WEB

Not that anyone has seen the Father, except he who is from God. He has seen the Father.

Wait a minute. Didn’t the author of the Book of John just tell us that no one has seen the Father? In John 1:18 WEB it reads, “No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.” Jesus knew the Father well. He understood the Father and understood the Father’s priorities. (John 3:16) Jesus knew how to connect with the Father and hear from him. (John 5:19) Therefore, he could share the precepts of God so clearly that people could learn from him. In fact, Jesus represented God so well looking at him was like seeing the Father. According to the text scripture, the person who is from God is the one who can see the Father (by looking at Jesus.)

People could see the Father in Jesus. This helped him teach people how to be reconciled to God. People being able to see the Father in Jesus helped him in his ministry. It is not a far-fetched idea. The Word of God teaches Christians that they are to “put on Christ.” (Rom 13:11) So, it makes sense that Jesus would put on the Father.

It also makes sense for believers to look like God. Our devotion to God should allow us to interact with his Word and Spirit until we begin to look like God. The people in our lives should be strangely drawn toward us, especially those who are empty inside. Jesus should be a fragrance that comes from our lives. He is the bread of life. It seems reasonable that people who are empty inside would be attracted to the fragrance of Jesus, the Bread of Life.  

Lord Jesus, please give me the grace to overcome every distraction that would prevent me from spending time with you. Please give me a hunger for the Word of God and a hunger to hear from your Holy Spirit. I want to look and smell like you, Jesus. Please help me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Entitled to Blessing

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John 6:41-42 WEB

The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, “I am the bread which came down out of heaven.” [42] They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does he say, ‘I have come down out of heaven?’”

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were legalistic people. When Jesus said he came down from heaven they took it literally. The Pharisees expected the Messiah to come galloping out of heaven, guns blazing, ready to conquer the Romans. Imagine their consternation when Jesus claimed to come down from heaven. They were expecting a magnificent hero that would lead them to victory. Instead, they got a baby in a manger who would grow up and teach to be a conquering hero, you must lay down your life.

Pharisees did not want to lay down their lives. They expected God to bless them because of their piety. However, instead of being blessed, they were castigated as reprobate by Jesus. The Pharisees were waiting for God to come and take responsibility for their problems. The Pharisees were waiting on God.

The Pharisees felt entitled towards God. They expected God to come and fix all their problems. They wanted a Messiah to fight their battles and protect them from harm. The Pharisees felt that because of their devotion to God they deserved to be saved. Worse, because God said in Scripture he was coming, they felt entitled.

Entitlement is the root of legalistic prayers in modern times. Have you ever heard someone tell God what he must do because of what he said in the Bible? I have. I’ve always wondered how God feels about that sort of praying. If I was in a relationship with someone who constantly reminded me of everything I said so they could get what they want, I would feel abused.

Lord Jesus, please help me grow in praying scripture. I do not want to use the Bible as a tool to force you into submission. Please forgive me for feeling entitled to your blessings. I am secure that you want to bless me. In the meantime help me trust you more. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

God’s Will

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John 6:35-38 WEB

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. [36] But I told you that you have seen me, and yet you don’t believe. [37] All those whom the Father gives me will come to me. He who comes to me I will in no way throw out. [38] For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

Have you ever heard the belief that you should tell God exactly what you want when you pray? For example, if you are praying for a car include the make, model, color, and any other important features you would like. While there is nothing wrong with telling God what we would like, this is a teaching that turns people away from God’s will. We tell God what we want to do instead of asking him.

Jesus told us clearly how we should pray. In Matthew 6:10 WEB it reads, “Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.” According to this verse, we are to seek God’s will in prayer. Instead, congregants are being taught to tell God what they want. More, believers get entitled towards God. Some will be frustrated because they prayed and believed but God did not bless their prayers. The problem is they were praying for their own will rather than the Father’s will.

It was the Father’s will to send us Jesus. It was also the Father’s will that we believe in Jesus. The Lord has told us that if we believe in him, we will obey him and imitate him. (John 14:12) Jesus did not seek his own will. The one time Jesus asked for something for himself was as he labored in prayer before the crucifixion. Jesus asked God to take away his cup of suffering. But Jesus is also clear, even in suffering, he prefers God’s will to his own. (Mat 26:39)

Lord Jesus, please forgive me for praying to have my own way instead of praying to know and do your will. Lord, reveal to me when I am praying for my own will and lead me into righteousness. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Celebrity Jesus

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John 6:13-15 WEB

So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves, which were left over by those who had eaten. [14] When therefore the people saw the sign which Jesus did, they said, “This is truly the prophet who comes into the world.” [15] Jesus therefore, perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Jesus did not relish glory. Instead, he turned away from opportunities to maximize his visibility. It seems he recognized he was a king but refused to put himself in a position to be promoted. Jesus realized his kingdom could only be given to him by God. More, he did not jump to the conclusion the crowd was demonstrating God’s will. Rather, he deliberately remains obscure.

Curiously, to protect himself, he goes to the mountain alone. It seems like he would take his disciples away from the uproar. Instead, he leaves the disciples behind. Could it be Jesus did not trust the disciples to have God as their number one priority? Or, perhaps he left the disciples behind to deal with the crowd. Regardless, Jesus does not seem to have anyone to encourage him. So, he withdraws to the secret place, where he received encouragement from God.

What does it look like to receive from God? In the above passage, it looks like time alone with God. It also looks like humility. It was humility that kept Jesus from receiving fame and glory. He did not relish time in front of an audience. He relished time alone with the Father. Jesus simply loved and trusted God and relied on him as his source of encouragement.

Lord Jesus, please help me look to you for encouragement. Deliver me from any desire for glory and create in me a humble heart. Help me trust you fully. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Seeing the Father

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John 5:19 WEB

Jesus therefore answered them, “Most certainly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things he does, these the Son also does likewise.

This is one of those verses that is often ignored. It is a hard verse. How did Jesus see what the Father was doing? If he had supernatural insight, then he is doing something that we cannot do. On the other hand, if this verse can be explained apart from a supernatural event, then we can also see what the Father is doing.

So, how did he do it? How did Jesus see what the Father was doing? I believe he knew God’s written Word and it is from that scriptural knowledge he saw what the Father was doing.  If this explanation is true, then modern believers can also see what the Father is doing. Of course, it may be that Jesus looked at the circumstances and recognized the hand of God. If that is true, then it is also something we can do. Beyond knowing scripture and looking out of himself to see, Jesus also prayed frequently and for long periods of time. I suspect he heard from God in his prayer closet. And this too is something we can do.

We can join the work of the Father because we can see what the Father is doing. Like Jesus, we have the scriptures. One can truly know the Father with the Bible. If we can read scripture and recognize the difference between the culture and God’s responses, we get insight into how God thinks. The Old Testament reveals God’s habit of using the culture of the age to teach timeless spiritual lessons. Even that which is unsavory served the Father in the Bible. So, I can discern that God does not waste anything. Once that truth sinks in it becomes simple to steward resources well. We see what the Father does and then we do things in the same way.

We can also see the Father in the world around us. Jesus noticed. He saw the people around him. He saw events unfolding and recognized the work of the Father. In order to see others, he had to resist thinking about himself. That is something we can do. We can get our minds off our own affairs and see what is going on in the lives of those around us. When we see the hand of God we can partner with God, just like Jesus.

Also, like Jesus, we can pray. This is our lifeline to God. Jesus was dependent on prayer to know and understand God. Like us, he received comfort and grace. Also, like us, he probably spent time listening for the small still voice of God. I do not believe Jesus spent hours telling God everything he wanted. He sought God’s will rather than his own will during prayer.

All these earthly explanations for how Jesus saw the Father are available to us today. We can all read the Bible, pay attention to the lives of others, and seek God through prayer. We appear to have the same tools as the Lord for seeing what the Father is doing. However, Jesus had one more tool for recognizing God. Priorities. Jesus made God’s will and his interests his priority. We can do this as well. We can desire to build God’s kingdom more than we desire to build our own kingdom and then we will “see” what the Father is doing.

Lord Jesus, please forgive my self-focus and laziness regarding spiritual disciplines. Please increase my desire to build God’s Kingdom. Please help me see what the Father is doing. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Resting While Working

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John 5:17-19 WEB

But Jesus answered them, “My Father is still working, so I am working, too.” [18] For this cause therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God. [19] Jesus therefore answered them, “Most certainly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things he does, these the Son also does likewise.

Hebrews chapters 3 and 4 talk about the rest of God. We are told to be diligent in our pursuit of rest. (Hebrews 4:11) Yet here is Jesus telling the Jewish leaders that he is working, and his Father is working. More, it says that Jesus could see what his Father was doing and chose to join him. Seeing is an activity that happens in the flesh. Notice the verses do not say Jesus envisioned what the Father was doing. Rather, it says he saw. So, he joined in the Father’s labor. In this alignment with the Father, miracles occurred.

How is it that Jesus had open eyes to recognize the work of the Father? The Bible says that Jesus prayed for a long time each morning in a secluded place. (Mark 1:35) The Bible also teaches that Jesus did not care what others thought. Instead, he consistently demonstrated placing God’s priorities first in his life. (John 4:27) But do these attributes account for Jesus having eyes that see and ears that hear?

Both of the above examples show us how to see and hear the Father. Before and after Jesus moved in signs and wonders he frequently prayed. (John 11:43, Mt 14:23) Also, Jesus considered doing the will of God more important than his own fleshly needs. (John 4:31-34) The Bible says in John 3:16 that the Father desires all people to come into a relationship with him. Since Jesus is the one who said John 3:16, we can be sure he believed the Father loved all people. Therefore, Jesus loved people more than himself. He did it because it is what he believed the Father wanted. So, prayer, desiring God’s will, and loving others more than himself seem to be the keys to Jesus’ supernatural success.

Jesus’ supernatural miracles proved that Jesus was aligned with the Father.  Nowhere in the Bible does it say that Jesus thought He was God or thought He was equal to God. The Jewish leaders, out of jealousy, interpreted Jesus’ motives as evil. However, Jesus did not step out in the flesh. He waited to see what the Father was doing and joined him. Even when he worked, he was fully resting in the Father.

Lord Jesus, please help me pray, desire your will, and rest in you. Give me eyes that see and ears that hear so that I can join you in what you are doing. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.