Now that we’ve spent a couple months in the New Testament books of Ephesians and John, I am eager to get back to where we left the Israelites after studying 1&2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Jeremiah, Lamentations and Ezekiel. Just as the prophets foretold, God’s people have been captured by Babylon and taken into captivity. Jerusalem has been destroyed. God’s promise to His people is to bring them back home after seventy years of captivity.

To go back a little farther, we see that God’s people now in captivity are the descendants of Jacob. The descendants of Jacob’s brother, Esau, are the people of Edom. The prophet Obadiah focuses on the reaction of the Edomites as they replay the animosity that Esau felt towards Jacob. As the people of Israel are being attacked and carried into exile, Esau’s descendants are celebrating – they are gloating and even going as far as to assist the Babylonians instead of stepping in and helping the Israelites. God addressed this infidelity head on through the prophet Obadiah.

The Lord says to Edom, “I will cut you down to size among the nations; you will be greatly despised. You have been DECEIVED BY YOUR OWN PRIDE because you live in a rock fortress and make your home high in the mountains. ‘Who can ever reach us up here?’ you ask boastfully. But even if you soar as high as eagles and build your nest among the stars, I WILL BRING YOU CRASHING DOWN,” says the Lord (Obadiah 1:2-4).

“Because of the violence you did to your close relatives in Israel, you will be filled with shame and destroyed forever. When they were invaded, YOU STOOD ALOOF, refusing to help them. Foreign invaders carried off their wealth and cast lots to divide up Jerusalem, but you acted like one of Israel’s enemies. You should not have gloated…You should not have rejoiced…You should not have spoken arrogantly in that terrible time of trouble…As you have done to Israel, so it will be done to you” (Obadiah 1:10-12,15).

God, help us! How often have we been found standing aloof while those around us are struggling? How often have we refused to help those around us who are suffering the consequences of their own actions? We stand back and say, “It serves them right” or “I’m not surprised” or “That’s what you get when…” Just as God expected the descendants of Esau to step in and help their neighboring brother nation, He communicated strong expectations in both the Old and New Testaments for how we are to help those around us.

“If you see your neighbor’s ox or sheep or goat wandering away, don’t ignore your responsibility. Take it back to its owner. If its owner does not live nearby or you don’t know who the owner is, take it to your place and keep it until the owner comes looking for it. Then you must return it. Do the same if you find your neighbor’s donkey, clothing, or anything else your neighbor loses. Don’t ignore your responsibility. If you see that your neighbor’s donkey or ox has collapsed on the road, DO NOT LOOK THE OTHER WAY. Go and help your neighbor get back on its feet!” – Deut. 22:1-4

“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me your clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.
Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’
And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.” – Matthew 25:41-46

Obadiah spoke of this same kind of fire while prophesying of the Edomites future:
The people of Israel will be a raging fire, and Edom a field of dry stubble.
The descendants of Joseph will be a flame roaring across the field, devouring everything.
There will be no survivors in Edom. I, the Lord, have spoken!

God obviously takes our responsibility to those around us VERY seriously – to the point of punishment here on earth and eternally. For this reason, we also should take it seriously. So how can we apply this? The Holy Spirit has spoken to me this morning and I trust He will faithfully speak specifically to you.

Dear Lord, show us today to whom you would have us reach out. Forgive us for our complacency and our gloating. Destroy our pride and replace it with compassion for others. Convict us when we look away and give us Your eyes to see the world through. Amen.

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other – Romans 12:9-10 NLT

Jesus replied, “’You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” – Matthew 22:37-39

But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, “THE LORD IS GREAT!” (Psalm 40:16b)

That is exactly what I want to do this morning. God is so wonderful and so worthy of our praise.
When I think of the pit of sin He has rescued me from I say, “THE LORD IS GREAT!”
When I see what God has done, I am amazed and put my trust in Him saying, “THE LORD IS GREAT!”
When I remember the long list of all of God’s wonderful deeds, too numerous to list, I cry out, “THE LORD IS GREAT!”
When I think of how God has a plan for me and how He daily writes the instructions for that plan on my heart, giving me a desire to follow His will for my life, I fall on my knees and pray, “THE LORD IS GREAT!”
I don’t want to keep this good news hidden away in my heart. I want to tell everyone of God’s unfailing love and faithfulness. I want everyone to hear, “THE LORD IS GREAT!”
When I think of the situations I get myself in, how I have at times buried myself in my own sins of self-righteousness, I think of how He rescues me and I am filled once again with joy and gladness.
“THE LORD IS GREAT!”

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
And he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
Out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
And steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
A hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.

But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, “THE LORD IS GREAT!”
As for me, since I am poor and needy, let the Lord keep me in his thoughts.
You are my helper and my savior.
O my God, do not delay (Psalm 40).

Will you join me in giving a shout out to the Lord today? Will you look for opportunities to say those four words over and over again today, giving God the praise for everything that happens today? “THE LORD IS GREAT!”

We talked on Friday of how Jesus very purposefully ministered to Peter after His resurrection, restoring him and calling him to serve. There were two others who experienced a specific encounter with Jesus after the Resurrection – Mary of Magdala and Thomas, the disciple.

We see Mary standing near the cross with Jesus’ mother, his aunt, and Mary the wife of Clopas. To get a picture of how much Mary loved and cared for Jesus, who had changed her life drastically, we can fast forward to Sunday morning.

Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” – John 20:1-2

We don’t know a lot about Mary and how she was treated in her community but we do know that women were not respected but considered possessions, having no rights of their own. If Mary had at one time been possessed by seven demons, I wonder how that affected her position among her family and community. Did others treat her as a new person who had been healed by Jesus (Luke 8:2) or was she marked by her past to be forever known as the one who had been possessed? How did she see herself?

This possibility makes her encounter with Jesus even more significant. If she ever struggled with feeling unloved and unimportant, I wonder if those feelings went away when Jesus chose her to be the first person He appeared to after His resurrection – even before returning to His Father. I can only imagine how this encounter with Jesus changed her life, just as our encounters with Him change ours.

Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. “Dear woman, why are you crying? The angels asked her.
“Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?”
She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”
“Mary!” Jesus said.
She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).
“Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message. John 20:11-18

“Who are you looking for?” This morning I find great significance in Jesus’ question to Mary and I ask myself the same thing – “Who am I looking for?” Am I looking for Jesus? Am I expecting Him to reveal Himself to me today? Am I expected to hear from Him, to encounter His presence in my life today?

Thomas struggled to believe – he is known as the one who doubted. Jesus appeared to Thomas, showing Him his wounds and calling him to believe. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” – John 20:26b-27

I have several close friends raised in the church who still struggle to believe in Jesus and His Sovereignty. Today, I ask them and I ask you the same question Jesus asked Mary and the question I challenge myself with today, “Who are you looking for?” Jesus is ready and willing to reveal Himself to us today but we will miss it if we do not expect it – if we live today as if Jesus will not personally reach out to us. Things will happen and we will call them coincidences. God’s blessings will pour out on our life and we will call ourselves “lucky”. Evidence of Jesus will be all around us and we will say, “I wish God would show Himself to me.” I don’t want to miss out on seeing God today.

We have been studying the book of John for a couple of weeks now. Jesus’ call to Thomas to “Believe!” brings me back to one of the first verses I ever memorized and a verse we looked at towards the beginning of the book of John. It’s familiar to all of us, probably the most well-known verse in the Bible, and a good place to end our study.

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Who are you looking for today? Will you join me in walking into our day with confidence that Jesus will reveal Himself? Will you believe? And then, when we do experience Jesus today, let’s follow the same instructions He gave Mary and pass on the message to others – “I have seen the Lord!”

Do you remember in grade school getting a list of vocabulary words each week? The first task was to open up the dictionary and find the definition for each word and write it out. I remember looking for the shortest definition of each word in order to speed up the assignment. To me it didn’t matter if it was the first definition, I was content with the shortest as long as it was a right option and could not be considered incorrect. The sooner I could finish the assignment, the better. After all, I had better things to do – ride my bike outside until the street lights came on and then go inside to watch The Dukes of Hazzard or Charlie’s Angels or Joanie loves Chachi.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a “king” is a male monarch of a major territorial unit, especially one whose position is hereditary and who rules for life; or a paramount chief. If the word king is capitalized – “King” – it is by definition God or Christ. The dictionary actually offers 7 different definitions of the word “king”, including the playing card, the chess piece, the crowned checker, or a kind of salmon. The shortest definition and the one I choose again today – God or Christ.

Defining who was “King of the Jews” was the argument surrounding the trial of Jesus Christ. Pilate asked Jesus if he was king of the Jews and Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”
Pilate said, “So, you are a king?”
Jesus responded, “You say I am king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”
“What is truth?” Pilate asked (John 18:36-38).

Finding Jesus not guilty of any crime, Pilate went out to the people and asked them, “Would you like for me to release this ‘King of the Jews’?”
But they shouted back, “No! Not this man. We want Barabbas” (18:39-40).

Just moments before Jesus was going to die on the cross for their sins, the people were emphatically denying him and crying out for his death – “Crucify him! Crucify him!” The soldiers mocked Jesus, placing a crown of thorns on his head and purple robe on his back – “Hail! King of the Jews!”

Still finding Jesus not guilty of any of the charges against him, Pilate again went out to the people and said, “Look, here is your king!”
“Away with him,” they yelled. “Away with him! Crucify him!”
“What? Crucify your king?” Pilate asked.
“We have no king but Caesar,” the leading priests shouted back.
Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus away (John 19: 14-16).

But Pilate seemed to know who he was handing over to be crucified. It didn’t matter to him that the people and the Jewish leaders were rejecting Jesus, he knew who Jesus was and he was determined to make it known. As was the custom, he had a sign made to hang over each man being crucified. Over Jesus the sign read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Once more the leading priests, men appointed by God to lead His people in sacrificial worship of Him, led the people in their rejection of the promised Messiah saying, “Change it from ‘The King of the Jews’ to ‘He said, I am the King of the Jews.’” Pilate stubbornly refused, “No, what I have written, I have written” (19:19-22).

God’s people stubbornly refused to acknowledge His Son as their King at the same time that Pilate stubbornly refused to acknowledge Him as anything but the King of the Jews. Just as they rejected God as their King, demanding an earthly king instead, they were now rejecting His Son – the promised King.

“Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”
Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for it is me they are rejecting, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer” (1 Samuel 8:5-7).

Later Samuel called all the people of Israel to meet before the Lord at Mizpah. And he said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has declared: I brought you from Egypt and rescued you from the Egyptians and from all the nations that were oppressing you. But though I have rescued you from your misery and distress, you have rejected your God today and have said, ‘No, we want a king instead!’” (1 Samuel 10:17-19a).

According to Webster, a synonym for “king” is “lord” – one having power or authority over others. Again, when capitalized, the word “Lord” means God or Christ. So, I have to ask myself how good of a job am I doing capitalizing God in my life? As Pilate asked, “What is truth?” I can say God is King of my life but am I truly letting go of control and letting him rule for life? I can claim Him as Lord of my life but is His power or authority evidenced in the decisions I make?

Today, I want God’s Kingship to be evidenced not only in my words but in my actions. I want to look back and see where He has brought me from and from what He has rescued me. He gets to be in charge, He gets all the authority and it is to Him that I bow in reverence this morning as I enjoy my morning coffee with the King of my life!

Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?”
And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.”
“But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for you.”
Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter – before the rooster crows tomorrow, you will deny three times that you even know me.” (John 13:36-38).

So the soldiers, their commanding officer, and the Temple guards arrested Jesus and tied him up…(18:12)

Simon Peter was following Jesus, as did another of the disciples. The other disciple was acquainted with the high priest, so he was allowed to enter the high priest’s courtyard with Jesus. Peter had to stay outside the gate. Then the disciple who knew the high priest spoke to the woman watching at the gate, and she let Peter in. The woman asked Peter, “You’re not one of that man’s disciples are you?” “No,” he said, “I am not.” (18:15-17)

Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself, they asked him again, “You’re not one of his disciples are you?”
He denied it, saying, “No, I am not.”
But one of the household slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?” Again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed. (18:25-27)

I cannot imagine how Peter felt in that moment. His words to Jesus, “I’m ready to die for you” must have come back to his mind. I do know what it feels like to regret something I have done or said, or to be ashamed of my lack of faith or a missed opportunity to represent Jesus in a situation. I know the feelings of guilt when the Holy Spirit tugs on my heart to do something and I freeze, the moment lost forever. I know all too well the feeling of knowing I have sinned and knowing I need Jesus’ forgiveness, even though I do not deserve it. Because Peter was an emotional and passionate man, I imagine he experienced all of this to a higher degree than I can comprehend.

After Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, he appeared to his disciples and said the words that must have been like salve on Peter’s wounds, “Peace be with you” (20:19). Yes, peace was exactly what Peter had been without for three days and exactly what he needed from Jesus.

Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven” (20:22). Peter had experienced the privilege of watching every moment of Jesus’ ministry – the healings, the sermons, sins forgiven, the false accusations – and yet he had denied Jesus on that dreadful Friday afternoon when His Savior had needed him the most. And now here Jesus was, giving the man who needed forgiveness the ability to forgive. I believe Peter was feeling very unworthy of this gift of the Holy Spirit and Jesus’ conversation later with Peter was in response to Peter’s need for restoration.

After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.” (21:15-17)

Everything – what was Peter thinking of when he acknowledged that Jesus knew EVERYTHING. Was he thinking of his betrayal in that moment? Jesus did not speak of Peter’s denial, maybe because he knew Peter’s heart and knew how much he regretted his words, “No, I am not.” He was giving Peter the opportunity to replace his denial with commitment – commitment to serve Jesus for the rest of his life, to become a shepherd of the flock. Jesus had died on the cross for Peter’s sins of betrayal so that Peter could experience restoration and then dedicate his life in service to God. Peter was saved to serve!

We too have been saved to serve. If we have asked for forgiveness, if we can truthfully testify that we love Jesus, then God has a call for us – feed my lambs, take care of my sheep, feed my sheep. That call looks different for each one just as the sheep have different faces and different needs but all of us have been called to care for someone in some way. Jesus wants us to move beyond the “I’m not worthy” feelings produced by our guilt and shame. He wants to change our “No, I am not” to “Yes, Lord.” He wants us to boldly program our love for Him and faithfully commit to follow His call on our life – to feed his sheep!

Let’s just soak in the words of Jesus in John 17 as He prayed for his disciples and for us. He knew he was about to be arrested and crucified, yet He was concerned for us and lifting us up to His Heavenly Father. He knew that the world would not like us, that there would be times of persecution and ridicule – so He prayed for God’s protection on us. He knew He was the only way to eternal life – so He died for us.

After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. 2 For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. 3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. 4 I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.

25 “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me.26 I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.”

I have really enjoyed watching the Summer Olympics over the last 12 days. It is inspiring to hear the stories of the athletes and then watch as their journey of hard work and dedication becomes a reality of a medal around their neck. I especially love the moment when an athlete throws their arms in the arm, looks to the sky and has a moment of praising the God who has been with them on their journey. Athlete after athlete have stood at a microphone and given glory to Jesus for what their body and mind were able to accomplish at these games. Several athletes have been seen “Tebowing” as they fall to one knee and bow their head in thanksgiving to God.

In that moment, the world is cheering them on but we also know the reality that the cheering will soon cease. The patience with those who are using their Olympic platform to glorify God will run out and many will criticize the athlete, looking for holes in their faith – hoping for the moment when this follower of Christ will mess up. They will pull their support of the athlete, just as millions pulled their support of Chick-fil-A when its owner stood for the Christian values on which his business is built.

Jesus spoke of how this world would treat his followers and how the ruler of this world would be an enemy seeking to destroy them. He mentioned this in his prayer for his disciples and spoke of it often when preparing them for what the world would do to him. Let’s look at the words recorded by John:

“I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father.” (John 14:30-31a)

“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? “A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me…Anyone who hates me also hates my Father.” (John 15:18-21, 23-24)

“I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith. For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. This is because they have never known the Father or me. Yes, I’m telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember my warning.” (John 16:1-4a)

“The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.” (John 16:9-11)

Jesus’ final prayer: “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 our 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 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 17:13-21)

In that moment, Jesus was praying for us! He has called us to bring the message of God’s love to the world around regardless of how they respond to that message. There will be times when our message is rejected or times when we are treated unfairly because of our faith but it is okay because we do not belong to this world. Our eternal rewards will far outweigh any Olympic medal or earthly praise and position we could attain here on earth.

Do not be surprised, my brother, if the world hates you (1 John 3:13).

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed (1 Peter 4:12-13).

One of my favorite passages in Scripture and a great continuation of where God had me yesterday – “home”: “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great joy to my Father” (John 15:1-8).

Last summer we were living in Texas during a severe drought. Restrictions were placed on how much water you could use to irrigate your yard or wash your car or fill your pool. Every month or so the level of water restrictions was increased until you could only water your yard every other week and it had to be before 10am and after 6pm. Everything was brown. The ground had huge cracks in it and roads were buckling. Soil was pulling away from the foundations of buildings, causing cracks in walls and doors to not close properly as houses were suffering damage from the drought. Lakes were closed because of how low their water level was.

This summer we are living in Illinois during yet another severe drought. The difference is there is no water restriction – no signs on every corner or city officials driving around fining people for using their water at the wrong time. Trees are drying out and lawns are brown from the hot, dry summer we are experiencing but there are no concerns that the water is going to run out. The grass is dry but there is nothing stopping us from turning on the sprinklers to water the grass and save the lawn. The source of water is readily available, all we have to do is connect our “dry areas” to the source.

Jesus said, “For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” Jesus – an endless source for us IF we choose to remain connected, to stay “home” as we called it yesterday.

On Friday, we traveled to Eureka to see our friends from Ethiopia – Ermias and Mulu Mekuria. I have never met two people as devoted to their prayer life as this couple. They get up every morning at 3 a.m. and spend time worshipping and praying together for a couple of hours, then they go back to sleep. When someone asks them to pray for a situation, they follow through and daily lift that person up to the Lord in prayer. Time after time, they have laid their hands on someone and prayed for healing and God has answered their prayer. Listen carefully – God hears them and answers their prayer! Why? It’s not about who they are but about whom they are connected to – the True Grapevine.

“But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!” Let’s not focus so much on the last half of this sentence that we miss the context provided in the first half – IF you remain in me and my words remain in you, THEN you may ask for anything you want and it will be granted. Are we experiencing God answering our prayers? If not, perhaps we should consider what it takes to be connected to the source – what it really means to REMAIN there. Let’s consider this as we look at the words of Jesus that John recorded.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with my Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask for anything in my name, and I will do it!” – John 14:12-14

“I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy…I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God.” – John 16:23b-24,26-27

I was recently sitting with a group of women and one shared how God had told her something. Another woman cynically asked – Did God really tell you that? How did you know it was God talking to you? I’ve asked God to talk to me and He never does. My heart broke for her. Was she connected to the source? Was she devoting time to prayer and Scripture? Was she remaining in Him? Did she truly know the One she wanted to hear from?

I spend time daily studying God’s word and praying to Him yet I am convicted of the depth of my relationship with God. I am not sure I have done more than scratch the surface of what it means to be connected to Him and to remain in Him. If I want to produce fruit in my life, if I want to save myself from drought, all I need to do is truly devote myself to the True Grapevine. There is no limit of what He wants to give me. I simply need to stop limiting how much I am receiving of Him.

“If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15). It’s a simple but very strong statement made by Jesus. He goes on to explain what it looks like for someone to respond to their love for Jesus by obeying what He has told them to do and how He has told them to live.

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will over flow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other” (John 15:9-17).

“You are my friends if you do what I command.” This is another strong statement made by Jesus. If you truly love me, if you are really my friend, you will obey what I command. He then goes on to clearly define what He is commanding His friends to do – Love each other! Love each other the way I have loved you. I am about to lay my life down for you, my friends. That is the kind of love I am asking from you – to love me with that kind of love and to love each other with that kind of love.

That is a strong request for Jesus to ask from us – no, not a request; a command. Some people are easy to love and some people are hard to love. We are human and Jesus is asking us to do something that stretches us beyond ourselves. But Jesus does not ask us to love in our own strength. We could, for a very little while, but our love for others would not last long if we are trying to produce something from nothing – love for someone who is hard to love, who possibly does not give love in return.

Jesus goes on to explain how this is going to work. He is going to remain in the Father and we are going to remain in Him and He is going to remain in us. This connection is where the Father and His Son make their home with each of us. It is in this connection that Jesus reveals Himself to us because He loves us and we love Him, therefore God loves us! Let’s look at the Scripture that draws the picture of our connection with God the Father and Jesus the Son.

“When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in the Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them…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” (John 14:20-21, 23-24a).

It still comes down to love and obedience. There’s One more who is involved in this connection that makes it possible for us to live a life that is characterized by love and obedience, One that makes this connection possible. Jesus explains this incredible gift He is giving in order for us to do what He is commanding us to do.

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives WITH you now and later will be IN you…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” (John 14:16-17,26).

“And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment…When the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me” (John 16:8,13-14).

I am so thankful for the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. It is the voice of the Holy Spirit that convicts me of my sin and guides me into truth. It is through this Spirit of truth that I hear from Jesus. It is the work of the Spirit that changes me and strengthens me, producing fruit in my life – the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Did you catch that first fruit? He produces love in me! Isn’t that great?!! The love the Spirit produces in me is what makes it possible for me to do as Jesus commands – to love each other. The Spirit produces the love of Christ in me and I do what He has asked me to do, I remain in that love! As the Spirit produces love in me, I remain in the love of Jesus and He remains in the love of the Father. I love what Jesus called this connection – He called it “home” (14:23).

Let’s stay home today. Let’s remain in this connection or relationship – let’s remain in His love! Then as we go about our day, we still have access to the love of Jesus living within us that empowers us to love others as Jesus would love them because we stay home – we stay connected to God the Father and Jesus the Son through the power of the Spirit producing its fruit in us. Fruit in my morning coffee – what a great idea!:)

“If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark” (John 12:44-46).

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me” (John 14:1).

“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 14:27).

These last two years, God has taken me on a journey of faith and trust. When faced with an unfamiliar situation, I could hear God say, “Trust me.” When faced with a tough decision, I could hear God say, “Trust me.” When asked to let go of something God had given me, I could hear God say, “Trust me.” When asked to walk away from the known into the unknown, I could hear God say, “Trust me.”

There were many times when I had to trust God with my children, something that is often difficult to do. Other times I am at such a loss that it is easier to trust God with my children because I know I don’t have the answers, but that God is God and I can trust Him. When a team of six doctors and nurses swarmed around Libby’s hospital bed prepared to intubate in order to keep her breathing, I had to trust God. When our family physician ordered a series of tests to determine why Madeira has so much back pain, I had to trust God. When Brooke struggled with the transition to a new school, I had to trust God. Now, as we once again enroll our daughters in new schools, I cling to the words of God – “Trust me.”

I know of so many situations right now in the lives of friends and family that require a huge amount of trust in God. The wife and husband who are struggling with how his battle with cancer has affected their children and family life, the young couple who are clinging to every moment with their toddler son whose physical complications from Down Syndrome are threatening his life, the woman who still struggles with loneliness after her husband has abandoned her, the friend who still grieves the loss of her husband to cancer, the parents who struggle to help their child overcome anxiety that is stealing his joy in life, the young woman who prepares to leave on an 11-month missions trip around the world, the mother whose heart is troubled over the decisions her son is making in life, the couple who is climbing their way out of debt, and the daughter who is taking care of her aging father.

This morning, I pray that you hear God’s voice saying, “Trust me.”

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Praise the Lord! For he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. The Lord gives his people strength (Psalm28:6-8a).

But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, “You are my God!” My future is in your hands (Psalm 31:14-15a).

But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you (Psalm 56:3)

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them (1 John 4:16).

Can you add to this? What verse or words has the Lord given you when you need to trust Him in any situation? Perhaps you could comment and share your verse in order that the Spirit can use it someone else’s heart today or in mine. Let’s share our morning coffee with each other today.