Category Archives: John

Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
John 14:23-27

Dear God, I am always grateful to be reminded about the Holy Spirit. You know I talk a lot about the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). And these are the foundational things that relationship with you and the Holy Spirit brings, but there is also knowledge and direction. He is my comforter too. He is my advocate to you. On a scale of 1-10, I probably still only understand and truly internalize his role in my life at a 3, but it is great to be reminded of everything you have given me by simply giving me your Spirit.

Father, as I continue on this vacation, restore my soul as I by these streams of cool waters. As I am removed from the valleys and mountains of my life for this period of time, speak to my heart, mind, body, and soul. Help me to do things that will draw me closer to you and closer to my wife. And also help me to sink into all of the fruits of your Spirit so that I might experience them all and be what you need me to be for my wife as she goes to rough her own journey of restoration as well.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?” Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”
John 6:28-29

Dear God, this actually kind of fits with my recent struggles. I’ve felt a bit overwhelmed by the combination of negative things happening in the world and even my own family. The idols my heart wants to create (peace in the world, government, health, spouse, children, parents, friends, act.) start to fail me and I just don’t know what to do. I think that’s probably been reflected in some of my prayers lately.

Several years ago, I had a job that exposed me to some of the most miserable aspects of human existence. I was around children who lived in terrible situations and I would go home from work very depressed and discouraged some days. Over time, I learned to compartmentalize that pain and leave it at work. I would work to address it during the day, but at night I had to let it go so I could be with my family and have some semblance of a joyful life.

I think the ability to compartmentalize things is important, but it is fraught with danger because I can be tempted to try to deny it out of existence, allowing it to build and grow in my subconscious until it starts poisoning me. Probably a better idea is to compartmentalize it in its place, but still pay attention to it and work on it as your Spirit convicts and leads me to. It can’t be left in its compartment all of the time, but it can be put out of my way so that I don’t have to dwell on it constantly.

An example of why I’m saying all of this is because I’ve been frustrated over the situation in Afghanistan and the suffering going on there. What am I to do? Sometimes there’s simply nothing for me to do but pray. Maybe I can actually do something for people in instances like Haiti, sending money to help feed people. Or I can organize local services to help people in need. But there are sometimes when I want to perform your work, as this passage says, and your words back are for me to believe in you.

Father, I believe in you and trust you. Please grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to do what I need to do and what you call me to do (including prayer) to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.” “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” “Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied. As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.” “How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.” Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!” Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.”
John 1:45-51

Dear God, I have always focused on Nathaniel in this story, but let’s talk about Philip. This is his origin story, but he shows up several times in John’s Gospel and Acts. Not as much in the other three gospels. It makes me wonder what kind of special relationship John and Philip had. John tells one of the “feeding” stories and specifically notes that Jesus asked Philip what they should feed the people. Philip is the one who asked Jesus to show them the father. In Acts, Philip preaches. He is the one who baptizes the Ethiopian Eunuch. He shows up a lot more often than I realized. But it starts here. Jesus calls him and he immediately goes to find Nathaniel. One of the earliest versions of someone being an evangelist for Jesus, calling others to come and follow him.

This always leaves me with the question, asking why I am not more of an evangelist for you. Why do I not encourage others to come and see you more? And I’m not talking about going to church, but about truly meeting you and getting to know you. Introducing them to the God who takes away as much of my pain as I can get in touch with. Takes away my shame. Gives me hope that my life is meaningful. I’m convinced that it is because I do not fully appreciate what it is I have to “sell.” For example, I love the cycling system I am using right now, and I’ve told all kinds of people about it, but I think that is because it is easy to explain. I can frame it into a construct that others can understand. For whatever reason, for me at least, framing a construct for you for others to understand easily is more difficult. It’s probably from a lack of trying, to be honest.

Father, I want to be your ambassador. I want to offer the fruits of the Spirit to others. I want you to be glorified in this world. I want people to be followers of you and not just believers in you. I want them to tap their vine into your branch and experience your life in them. Of course, that starts with me humbling myself, letting go of my own agenda, and tapping my life into you. So I offer you my life. I offer you my desire for you. I offer you my failings and my successes. May you use both for your glory, and please help me to grow closer to you today.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.” Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked. So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.”
John 6:48-58

Dear God, there are things in life that, if we are submitted to you, bring us to our knees. Challenges draw me closer to you while good times tempt me to drift into my own sense of security in myself. Using Jesus’s analogy here, you are true nourishment while feeding myself on good times and my own sense of false security is like eating only desserts. There is not nutritional value in putting faith in my own wisdom.

Of course, this is all tying together with the verses I’ve prayed over the last few days. They are the verses for Sunday, August 15, in the Presbyterian church, and I’ll be preaching that day so I thought I would see what’s there. You as my daily bread nourishing me with wisdom seems to be there. Solomon losing you as his daily bread and filling his life with power, wealth and women was all empty calories that ultimately led to his decent into corruption and evil.

I’ve had some solid challenges at work this week that I’ve certainly felt the need to bring to you in prayer. and I feel like you’re answering them. Thank you. I have challenges in my personal life that need your intervention, power and guidance. I need your nourishment and fruit from your Holy Spirit to get me through. I need you.

Father, give me this day my daily bread. Help me to keep from being tempted to leave you. Keep me from the evil in my own heart or that is out there waiting to devour me. Let your kingdom come and your will be done in and through my life and in the world. You are my God. I worship you alone.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold. “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
John 17:11-21

Dear God, at first glance, it appears that not even all of Jesus’s prayers were answered. When he was praying that you would protect the disciples, was he hoping none of them would be killed? Did he understand that it would be at least 2,000 years before he would return? Did he know that someone in the year 2021 would be included in his prayer for future believers. And was the prayer he prayed for our unity futile? Lots of questions, and I confess that I do not have the answers.

By thinking about unity for a moment, what is my role in unity? How do I allow disunity between me and others (family, friends, community)? How do I encourage disunity between other people? On the other hand, what are ways I can be part of unity? How can I encourage it between myself and others, or between other people? I think it starts with humility. So many quarrels are over who is right and who is wrong. I heard someone say this week that the narrower his theology gets and focuses on the important essentials the greater his love for people grows. On the other hand, the broader his theology gets (topics like infant baptism, wine at communion, etc.) the narrower his love for others is. Along those lines, the more I think I have things figured out the more foolish and narrow-minded I am. On the other hand, the more I focus simply on your love and how others can be at peace through their access to you that Jesus’s death and resurrection affords them , the more I will love them and help others to be comfortable turning loose of their own broad philosophies/theologies and embrace you as well.

Father, help me to love you in a real way. Help me to be an example of unity. Let it start with my wife and children, and their significant others. I pray for all of them, that there would be healing, peace, and a sense of your glory. Your glory, oh Lord, is my strength. Not my own mind. Not my own beliefs, but you alone, Lord.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd. “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” When he said these things, the people were again divided in their opinions about him. Some said, “He’s demon possessed and out of his mind. Why listen to a man like that?” Others said, “This doesn’t sound like a man possessed by a demon! Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
John 10:11-21

Dear God, it’s so interesting to see how Jesus apparently referenced Gentiles in this speech here (I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd) and, while people probably didn’t understand the reference at the time, John was careful to include it in his account of what Jesus had said. Yes, indeed, I not only have a right to be here praying to you this morning. You want me with you.

So, do I know your voice when I hear it? Going back to my common theme over the last few weeks, am I simply a believer in Jesus or a follower of Jesus? Do I believe there is a shepherd or do I follow the shepherd?

Father, it starts with me. I am prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. I am prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it. I will do my best to be a follower of you. Thank you for wanting me in your flock.

In Jesus my shepherd’s name I pray,

Amen

It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade. The people 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 the work I do in my Father’s name. But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”
John 10:22-30

Dear God, I am going to go back to the concept I talked about a week or two ago after listening to an Andy Stanley sermon. He talked about the difference between believing in Jesus and following Jesus. Now, in this case, these people were experiencing everything real time and they weren’t sure what to believe or follow. But they knew what they wanted. They wanted Jesus to say that he was the Messiah, he was forming an army, and it was going to be go-time against Rome. So he told them he was the Messiah, but what they didn’t seem to realize is that they believed in the wrong kind of Messiah.

I was listening to the Holy Post podcast tonight while I worked out, and they talked at one part about “table-flipping Jesus.” When Jesus rode into Jerusalem at the beginning of passion week, they welcomed him, but who were they welcoming? They were welcoming the wrong Messiah. They wanted David. They wanted someone to overthrow Rome like David defeated the Philistines. They wanted power. They wanted victory. What they ended up getting pretty early on was a Messiah that challenged them. He went to the temple and flipped over tables. He went up against the church leaders. So by the end of the week, they not only rejected his version of Messiah–they not only didn’t believe in him as the Messiah–but they killed him. They weren’t following or believing.

So what is my Messiah like. In whom do I believe? Whom do I follow? When I follow Jesus, what kind of man am I emulating? Do I seek influence and power? Do I seek authority, judgment, and condemnation? Do I seek affirmation of my own biases? I hope this isn’t the Jesus I follow, but sometimes I think I do.

Father, help me to follow the man who was more interested in giving mercy, encouraging people to die to the things that gave them security and power, and living in such a way that established his authority without harming people. The fruit of the Holy Spirit, which he/you left for us, is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, kindness, and self control (I might have missed one or two there). The Messiah I follow wanted us to have those things. Help me to be a man who will introduce people to you so that they might find those fruits as well.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen