40 Days in the Book of JOHN
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days in the Book of JOHN
Day 34 | TRUTH AND UNITY | John 17:17, 20-23
40 Days in the Book of JOHN
Day 34 | TRUTH AND UNITY | John 17:17, 20-23
TRUTH AND UNITY
John 17:17, 20-23
“‘Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is 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. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.’”
Today, the church is divided. We have denominations learning left, right, and center. We have churches that believe in the Word of God and focus on it every week and those that don’t.
And yet, Jesus is petitioning His Father in heaven for our unity: “I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one.” And why? Because IF we are ONE – as the Father Son (and Spirit) are one – the world will take note and believe that God the Father sent Jesus Christ the Son.
And note too, that WE today are included in Jesus’ prayer: “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.” (That’s us!!)
UNITY. How do we achieve that? Re-read this: “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”
Sanctify means “set apart” for God’s special use and purpose. But Jesus also makes it crystal clear… God’s Word is TRUTH. Not political correctness or reinterpreting the Bible and not adding words and phrases to what we have in the Word – just reading it and taking it at face value. Super-simple hermeneutics.
Prayer: LORD, thank You for including ME in your prayer. I do believe in YOU, the Son of the Living God. Further, I believe in all of the Word of God. Amen.
John 17:17, 20-23
“‘Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is 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. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.’”
Today, the church is divided. We have denominations learning left, right, and center. We have churches that believe in the Word of God and focus on it every week and those that don’t.
And yet, Jesus is petitioning His Father in heaven for our unity: “I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one.” And why? Because IF we are ONE – as the Father Son (and Spirit) are one – the world will take note and believe that God the Father sent Jesus Christ the Son.
And note too, that WE today are included in Jesus’ prayer: “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.” (That’s us!!)
UNITY. How do we achieve that? Re-read this: “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”
Sanctify means “set apart” for God’s special use and purpose. But Jesus also makes it crystal clear… God’s Word is TRUTH. Not political correctness or reinterpreting the Bible and not adding words and phrases to what we have in the Word – just reading it and taking it at face value. Super-simple hermeneutics.
Prayer: LORD, thank You for including ME in your prayer. I do believe in YOU, the Son of the Living God. Further, I believe in all of the Word of God. Amen.