(Dis)unity
Read: John 17:20-23 So that the world may believe . . . (v. 21) Did you know there are more than 45,000 Christian denominations in the world? We Christians are experts at dividing. We’ve been dividing since the first centuries of the church. We split over theology, politics, worship, sacraments, morality, and all manner of issues. […]
Set Apart
Read: John 17:17-19 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. (v. 17) When my kids were young, one of our favorite family games was Mario Kart. My kids always won, but I loved learning how to withstand the chaos of characters like Princess Peach tossing hazards in my way. I learned that by collecting […]
Kept From
Read: John 17:14-16 Keep them from the evil one. (v. 15) What troubles you today? What challenge threatens to shipwreck your faith? Just before his prayer, Jesus promised the disciples something: “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). As a pastor, I have sat with many people through the tribulation of a diagnosis, the […]
Kept In
Read: John 17:9-13 Keep them in your name. (v. 10) Once each month I pray with our ministry’s global leaders. I am struck by the contrast of their prayers with mine. So many of my prayers ask God to solve a personal challenge or health condition in my or someone’s life. Of course, God cares about […]
Becoming a Disciple
Read: John 17:6-8 They have believed that you sent me. (v. 8) How do we actually experience salvation? John 3:16 says that everyone who believes in Jesus will “have eternal life.” But what happens before that moment of belief? In today’s portion of Jesus’ prayer, we capture a glimpse. His prayer begins by requesting God’s glory […]
What Jesus Prayed
Read: John 17:1-5 Glorify your Son. (v. 1) I learn best how to pray by hearing mature believers pray. Imagine what the disciples learned from hearing Jesus! They were privileged to hear Jesus’ final prayer before the cross. There is so much to see, but observe three things in today’s verses. First, Jesus begins with “Father.” […]
Be Mine
Read: John 3:16-21 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (v. 17) About one billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year worldwide. That’s a lot of cards expressing love and devotion! God sent the ultimate Valentine’s Day […]
Junior High Viewers Community in Indonesia
Words of Hope’s partners in Indonesia work to establish listener and viewer communities in villages around the country. These communities gather to discuss the gospel programming they have heard and seen. Teresia is a member of the Bopkri Junior High community. “I am very grateful to God that I am a member of the community,” […]
Follow the Red-Letter Road
Read: John 14:1-11 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (v. 6) Every Thanksgiving my family would watch The Wizard of Oz on TV. I loved the movie, especially the scene with the Munchkins singing to Dorothy, “Follow the yellow […]