The Daily Dose

Get to or Have to

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.”  John 14:15

I spent too many years on the wrong side of this verse.  My focus was always on “keep my commandments”.  It sounded like a contradiction to me since Jesus came to set us free from the weight of the law, but here He was saying the way to show that I love Him was to keep the commandments?  Then one day I realized the emphasis was on the first part of the verse.  “If you love me” I realized that keeping His commandments was the result of loving Him.  It’s all about my relationship with Him not a set of rules.  Jesus wants to have a love relationship with us, He wants to be our best friend.  He is saying, “if you love me like you love your best friends, it will result in you keeping my Words!”  It isn’t about works because it isn’t work when you’re in love.  

Since then I heard this concept explained as a marriage relationship. A husband and wife are faithful to each other because of the love they share for one another.  It’s not because they are keeping an agreement they made when they got married.  Although they made that agreement, they want to keep it because they treasure, value, and cherish each other and have a close relationship with one another.  When my husband asks me to do something for him, I may not always enjoy the task so much, but I enjoy doing it for him because he is so precious to me.  I’m not all about “what am I getting out of it”.  Because of the love we share, I look forward to the things I get to do for him because it is helpful or it just makes him happy and he does the same for me.

Here is a list of practical things you can do to grow and protect your personal relationship with your Lord Jesus.

1. Nurture and protect your relationship with the Lord like a most valuable treasure.  Just like you do with all your other close relationships, you watch over them, not trying to control them but making sure nothing comes against them.  Don’t let anything stand in the way of the time you spend with Him and the direction He is sending you.
2. Worship!  Spending time in worship and adoration is such a strengthener of your love.  Let Him know how thankful you are for your salvation, the things He has brought you out of, and the things He’s yet to do in your life.  Taking time to sit quietly so you can hear Him say how precious you are to Him.
3. Take Him with you all day long.  You can have a running conversation with Him throughout your day.  Whatever you are doing or facing, He is right there beside you and wants to help guide and comfort you.

Nothing is more important to God than His relationship with you!  He proved it by sending His only Son to die and pay your sin debt.  He desired you above the most precious thing He had. We know this because God wouldn’t have given His most valuable treasure for someone unimportant.

  Today I encourage you to spend some time focusing on your relationship with God.  Make it a priority.  Talk to Him like He is your best friend and confidant.  Take time to listen to the things He is saying to your heart and the words of encouragement He has for you.  Fall in love with Him and watch as your desire for Him changes into such a deep love that you want to spend even more time with Him . . . Not to check it off your daily “to do” list, but because you get to and not because you have to.  He has made Himself available to you 24/7, do the same for Him!

Today’s scripture reading John 14:15-24

15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 

16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 

17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 

18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 

20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 

21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 

24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

Greater Works

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.  John 14:12

Can you imagine yourself doing things that Jesus did in this world?  Things like hanging out with undesirable people  like the tax collectors?  Helping hurting people wherever you went.  What about taking time for people that seem less than important?  Or praying with people and teaching those around you the way to salvation?  These were just some of the great things that Jesus did when He was in this world.  He took time with people and showed them how important they were.  Not only to Him but also to the people around them.  Sure, He did some great signs and miracles, but His greatest works were spending time with people and loving on them.

In today’s reading, Jesus is still talking to His disciples right after His last supper.  He told them to remember the good things that He had done and that they would do these great things too and even more of them because HE was going on to be with His Father in heaven now.  He also reminded them that they could ask the Father anything in His name and His Father would do it for them so that they could give Him glory by blessing others.  He told them that when they asked the Father to help the struggling person in Jesus’ name, God would answer that request and in that way the people in the would see the glory of God through the way they reached out to others.

This promise is the same for us today.  The verse says whoever believes in Him will do what He did.  If we will do the things that Jesus did and love people around us, they way Jesus loved the people of His day, we will be doing a great work for the kingdom of heaven.  Our lives will show the world the glory of God because we will be demonstrating His love to those around us.  When we begin to teach others around us about the salvation that Jesus provided, then we will be giving God the greatest glory.  You will not have to wonder how you can do greater works than Jesus, you will simply be walking out the love of God by doing what Jesus did.  By doing that, you will have a greater impact than Jesus because the world is much bigger now to impact.

Today I want to encourage you to love the people you are around and bless all the people that you come into contact with.  Take time with people and let them know how important and special they really are to you and to God in heaven.  Share the message of salvation with those that are hurting and alone in the world and give of your time and resources to those who have needs.  You are doing great works every time you share the love of God with others.  Make loving the people of your world your priority today.

Today’s scripture reading: John 14:12-14

12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 

13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 

14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

You can trust His work

Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.  John 14:11

Many times, when people hear about the love of God and His plan to rescue them through salvation in the blood of Jesus, it is hard for them to believe it.  Maybe they have never been to church or around people who truly know how to love others.  Some people feel like God is far away and doesn’t really care what happens to them?  There are even those who do not even believe in God let alone that He made a way to save them.

Let’s face it, if you are looking at the condition of the world around you as evidence that there is a God who cares, it can be very hard to see through the problems.  From cyber and drug crimes to thefts and shootings, somedays it can feel scary even to leave your house.  But God is there to get you through, and He will always keep you as you trust Him for your life.  The key is:  You have to believe in Him, and you have to believe what He promised in His Word.

In today’s reading, even the disciples were struggling with believing all that Jesus said, and they were right there with Him each day.  They saw the signs and miracles that He did every time someone came to Him for help.  When Jesus started telling them that because they had seen Him, they had also seen His Father in heaven, the disciples could not get it.  Jesus patiently explained to them that He was in His Father and His Father was in Him, and that was how they were able to see God.  Then Jesus said, if you cannot believe my words, just believe the works that you have seen me do.  That in itself is enough proof that my Father and Me are one.  He was doing the works that God the Father was putting into His heart to do and helping the people that God the Father brought to Him each day.

We can be inspired by what Jesus said back then by watching Him work in our lives each day.  As you spend time talking with Him and trusting Him to get you through the hard times, you will begin to accumulate a list of times that Jesus shows up in your life and helps you out of trouble.  Write them down.  Take the time to make notes of the prayers He has answered and then when you are in your next crisis, go back and read how He showed up for you the last time you asked for His help.  If you cannot believe what He says, believe what He does.  Start today to thank Him for all He has brought you through and all He is leading you into for tomorrow.

Today I want to encourage you to believe in the eternal love of God for you.  Believe that He not only desires to rescue you from whatever trouble you are in, but He has also made a way for you to get through it.  Believe the promises He made to all people in His word and believe that He has great signs and wonders ready to pour out on your life the next time you bring a concern to Him.  If you cannot believe the written words that He gave and promised you for your life, take a look instead at the works He has done to bring you through life so far.  Then go ahead and trust Him to continue to do those works and make good out of every trial you face.

Today’s scripture reading: John 14:7-11

7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 

10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 

11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

Purge out the old

Therefore, purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 1 Corinthians 5:7

This scripture reminds me of an old saying that goes: “One bad apple will spoil the whole bunch.”  It meant that you would pick up the bad habits of those you allow into your inner circle.  If you are running with the wrong crowd, you will look and act just like their undesirable ways.  In contrast, if you are around the right kind of influences, you will begin to act in the same way as your good role models.

Today’s scripture is talking about the ingredient of leaven used for raising bread.  It is like yeast.  You only need a little bit to cause all of the dough to rise.  Paul encouraged the people of Corinth to get rid of the bad leaven, their old sinful ways and become new by picking up a new way of living.  The way Paul instructed them was by following the example of the Lord Jesus. He told them to get rid of their malice (spite and hostility) and wickedness/iniquity and replace it with sincerity and truth.

This is good instruction for us today, also.  There are many examples of daily habits around us.  At work and at school most of us are subject to an abundance of spite, hostility, destructive words and bad behavior.  If we do not recognize and guard against the pressure of fitting in, it will not take long at all before we look and act just like everyone else in the room.  I’m not saying you have to go through your day with your eyes closed and your hands over your ears, but what I am saying is determine not to look and sound like those who are far from God.  Make a stand for what is right and have an encouraging and positive outlook in every situation.  A bad attitude is like a lump of leaven, and it quickly spreads through the entire room.  However, the good news is a good heart and outlook can have the same effect in the right direction.

There is one other way I like to look at this scripture and that is what the Word of God can do in your life.  It is like a little leaven that can leaven the whole lump.  As you daily take in a little of God’s word each day, it will spread throughout every area of your life to raise it up to the highest degree.

Today I want to encourage you to get rid of the bad habits in your life and replace them with some good ones.  The best place to start is by putting the Word of God in each day.  Set quiet time aside to read and think about what the Holy Spirit wants to minister to you through that word.  Spend time talking it over with your Heavenly Father.  Don’t rush through your time together, savor it and give the yeast some time to rise.  A little leaven of the Word of God will enrich your whole life.

Today’s scripture reading: 1 Corinthians 5:1-8

1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife!

2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.

3 For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed.

4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.

8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Not in word but in power

For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. 1 Corinthians 4:20

What do people see when they look at your life.  Do they see you living life from victory to victory or a life of problem to problem?  Is your life one that will attract others to the Kingdom of Heaven or one that will push them farther away?  The attitude you have in life is a direct reflection of the amount of God’s power at work in your life.  If you are focused on life’s problems and the people around you just hear about what is going wrong, they will see your life as no different than their own.  In contrast, if others hear the testimonies of God bringing you through the troubles, that makes all the difference.  The thing is that we are alike with those in the world in that we all go through trouble and problems.  The secret is in who we trust to bring us through to the other side of our struggles.

Today’s key verse talks about the people in Corinth coming up short in the power of God in their lives.  They were talking the talk but did not have the testimonies to back up their talk.  The apostle Paul urged them to follow his example of trusting God through all of life’s trials not to be full of arrogant speech.  There were many in the church who were bragging about their salvation but did not trust God with the details of daily living.  Paul said he wasn’t trying to shame or embarrass people in the church, but he wanted to see them living by trusting the power of God to lead them through life to overcoming victory in every area.

This goes back to living a life consistently submitting all aspects of your life to the Savior.  This is also the way you can demonstrate the power of God in your life.  By turning to Him with every care and concern and even the things you are not so stressed about, you are opening the door for His powerful hand to reach in and make all the difference in your life.  A difference that will be noticed by everyone around you.

Today I want to encourage you to live your life by the power of God.  Put away pride and arrogant speaking and most of all, stop talking about what is going wrong in your life.  Instead, turn the attention to the power of God in your life.  Let those around you hear you proclaim the goodness of God and all that He brings you through on a daily basis.  Then and only then will the outside world be drawn in to trust His goodness, love and kindness.

Today’s scripture reading: 1 Corinthians 4:14-21

14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.

15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me.

17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.

18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.

19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.

21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

He is preparing a place

I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2

The next four chapters of John are Jesus’ last teaching to His disciple before His death.  I know I will not be able to write about every truth that He taught them, but I will break it down into small pieces to draw out some of the key lessons He gave them as His final words before going to the cross.  These were some of the most important things that He taught so I want to go through them slowly.

Chapter 14 starts out with Jesus talking to His leadership team right after the last supper.  He started out by telling them not to be afraid or worried because He is leaving to get a place ready for them to come and live with Him in His Father’s house.  Although the disciples really didn’t understand what He was talking about at that time, He was trying to comfort them because He knew what He was about to face was going to be very hard on them and scary.  As I read the words “I go to prepare a place for you”, I immediately thought about the account of creation.  When God prepared a place for His created people to live.  He made sure that everything was just right in the world before He made Adam and put him in the garden.  He prepared everything He would need before He place man in his home.

As Jesus told the disciple that He was going to prepare a place and then coming back to get them, they were probably reminded of the tradition of the bridegroom in their culture.  Before the groom would bring his bride home, he would prepare a home for them to live in after they were married.  He worked on that place until his father told the him everything was ready and it was time to go and marry his bride.  The groom didn’t know when that time would be.  He just continued to work because he trusted his father to know the right timing and waited for his father to give the word.

I love it that Jesus wanted to give His disciples hope that even though He was leaving for a while, He promised them that He would come back.  I’m sure the disciples didn’t remember the promise at first, but after they had some time to process all that had happened, they remembered “oh yeah, He said He is coming back to get us!”

That promise still holds true today.  Even though it has been a long while since Jesus ascended into heaven, He is still preparing, and He is still waiting for His Father to give the word to come and get us.  We have hope for a future with Him and when He does come for us, He is coming for His bride to bring her to His home and join as one for all eternity!  What a great time of celebration that day will be.  I am looking forward to the day when He picks me up and takes me away from this place to the home, He has especially prepared for me.

Today I want to encourage you to hold fast to this hope of Jesus’ return for His people.  Live each day as though you are preparing for your groom.  Prepare to be with Him by getting your mission accomplished and purging out the distraction of life.  Turn your attention to getting ready for the wedding to come.  We have an assignment too and that is to live each day getting our steps aligned with His plan and purpose.  Put away the things of the world and make His priorities your priorities. He is coming back, so let’s get ready for the day when we will meet Him in the air.

Today’s scripture reading: John 14:1-6

1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 

2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 

4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Unkept Promises

Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.  John 13:38

Have you ever made a promise to God that you didn’t keep?  Maybe you promised if He met some need or fixed some problem in your life that you would do something for Him in return?  Then when your problem was solved, you forgot about the promise that was made or you just never got around to keeping your end of the deal.  You may have made a promise to Him where you said “if you do this one thing for me, I will never use bad language again or I will stop losing my temper.  However, when God did His part, you maybe quit those things for a little while, but then soon slipped back into your old ways.  I would say that it happens a lot in the world.  People call out to God in a moment of crisis and promise to start going to church, reading their Bible or being nicer to those around them. But as soon as the problem is solved, they completely forget about the conversation with God and the promise that was made during the time of trouble.

If you have, there is good news today.  It is not too late, and you can still keep that promise.  Even if too much time has passed and you cannot do what you had once committed to doing, there is forgiveness available.  The truth is, God doesn’t really care so much about a one-time vow to do something.  He is much more interested in a continual communion that is never too late to enter into with Him.

If you have made some kind of an oath with God in the past that you were never able to fulfill, you are not alone.  Not only are there many today that have done this, but we also have records in the bible of God’s people making a vow to God, but then crumbling under pressure.  In the scripture reading today, Peter is one of those people.  He promised to follow Jesus to the ends of the earth even to the point of laying down his life for the Lord.  That is when Jesus told Peter that he would deny that he even knew Jesus three times that very night.  The rest of the evening goes on and later on while Jesus was in front of the council, Peter does deny that he is one of Jesus followers in the courtyard near by.  After it was all over, Peter remembered his oath about laying down his life for Jesus and it took some time for him to step back into his place as one of the apostles.  When Jesus was resurrected, he made it a point to ask Peter if he loved Him.  After that conversation, Peter was restored and goes on to have a great ministry picking up where Jesus left off, even to the point that God was able to do great signs and miracles through him.

Today I want to encourage you to repent of promises made that you were not able to keep.  The truth is, you cannot do these things on your own anyway. It takes the help of the Holy Spirit.  Trust Him today to empower and guide you to the important things is life.  Put away idle promises and begin to walk with Him continually each day.  Spend quiet time with Him getting to know and trusting His word more.  Then when the pressure is on, you will be able to reach out to Him in faith without feeling like you have to make a vow for Him to move in your behalf.  He wants to help you with no strings attached.  All you have to do is ask. By developing a close relationship with Him ahead of time, you will have the confidence to know that He is faithful to help in times of trouble and you can walk in peace knowing that He loves you and doesn’t expect some great deed to be done after.  A simple thank you will be enough.

Today’s scripture reading: John 13:36-38

36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.”

37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.”

38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.

Love one another

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, see that you also love one another.  John 13:34

As believers, we are a product of God’s love!  When we received salvation in Christ Jesus, we were born of God who is love, therefore we are born of love.  This is not a physical love, but a spiritual, supernatural, unconditional love.  The kind of love that God is.

The word love has lost its meaning in today’s world.  We “love” everything from pizza to our new cars and homes.  While it’s true we may really enjoy these things, to say we love them belittles the significance of what love truly is.  God is love and He has put His love in us to love other people not to love things.  Love can only be for someone you have interaction with or a relationship with.  Whether it’s your family, friends, or someone with a pressing need, these are the ones we share love with.  Love is God so in loving one another, you are showing others the God of love and who He really is.

In today’s passage, Jesus told His disciples that they are to love one another.  He had just finished demonstrating to them how to love each other when He washed their feet just a few minutes before.  Jesus was showing the disciples that their priority in life was to take care of each other and their fellow believers. He was talking to the people that were in that room then, but He was also talking to all who would be His people in the future.  Jesus told them that He wanted them to change their entire focus in life from keeping the commandments of Moses to the new commandment that He gave at the last supper.  He didn’t say that they should not keep the law of Moses any longer, He was simply telling them that if they began to love and take care of one another, they would be keeping the law of Mosses in the process. 

Think about it.  You cannot be loving someone and stealing from them at the same time or killing, coveting and lying.  Jesus knew that when people love each other and take care of other’s needs ahead of their own, there would be no selfish and sinful intent in them.  1 John 4:7 says you cannot love God and hate your brother (people).  The evidence that you have God in your life shows up in your expressions of love for others.

Today I want to encourage you to consider love.  The love that you were born again with.  The unconditional eternal love that God chosen to love us with.  Then consider how you can put that love into action with other people in your day.  Take your focus off of the things you “love” and direct your love toward people that need God’s love.  We are God’s expression of love to the world around us right now, so let’s choose today that we will show that love everywhere we go.  Our salvation was never meant to be just for us.  We have been given a commandment by the head of the church Himself to love and take care of one another.  That is our main objective and mission in this life.  Just as Jesus was God’s love given to us, let our lives be God’s love given to all people we are with.

Today’s scripture reading: John 13:31-35

31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 

32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. 

33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 

35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

He knows

 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. John 13:26

Have you ever had something in your life that you knew just shouldn’t be there?  Maybe some habit that you think isn’t really hurting anyone or a friendship that pulls you in a wrong direction?  Maybe it’s a debt or social media addiction that you cling to in an unhealthy way.  If you are honest with yourself, you can probably identify something in your heart that you have felt conviction about but continue to justify that it isn’t that bad or hurting anyone.  It is just where you turn when trying to escape the pressures of life.

Just recently, I finally surrendered one such behavior that I have been holding onto.  I had many internal arguments fighting for and trying to convince myself that it was fine.   Not a sinful thing, just something I was hiding and wanted to keep hidden.  I finally put my hands up and said:  “ok God, You win! I want to surrender every area of my life and habits to you”  But it wasn’t a battle that God was trying to control or take something away from me.  It was a battle that I was hanging on to something that was holding me back from God’s best and what He was trying to do in my life to empower me. Mostly, it was distracting me from my mission.  He doesn’t want to control us, He wants us to live this life in His greatest blessings and continue to grow in the things He has called us to.

In today’s reading, Jesus tells the disciples that one of them would betray Him as they were eating the Passover meal.  They were shocked and surprised, mostly because they didn’t believe one of them would do such a thing, but one of them, Judas, was already planning to betray Him and was surprised that He knew.  In today’s reading, Jesus told Judas that whatever he was going to do, do it quickly.  It almost looked like Jesus gave Him permission, but then Jesus added a solum warning.  He said: Woe to him by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!  It would be better if he were never born.  Jesus knew what was going on.  He knew He had to be taken to the cross, but He also knew that He didn’t need Judas’s help to get there.

He knows what is going on in your life too.  Whether good, bad or distracted, He knows if you are getting off tract and He knows if you have ever been on your planned path.  Not only does He know, He also wants to help.  He actually wants to work with you to complete the assignment you have been sent here to do.  The purpose for your existence.  God has a great plan for your life and He wants to walk you through it each day of your life.  It is amazing to me that the God of the universe loves me and wants to go with me as my best friend and confidant each day.  Yet, how many times have I ignored or didn’t even consider His desire and design for my life.  Maybe you have too.  Decide today that from this moment on, you are going to seek Him first and His righteous ways in all you do.  Then you will not be distracted with the vises and habits of this world, but you will be focused on getting your part of His plan accomplished down to the last detail.

Today I want to encourage you to surrender all to Him.  In Luke 8:17, Jesus said there is nothing hidden that will not be reveal.  He knows all things, so thinking that you can keep or hide anything from Him is beyond reality.  He loves you and has the best path planned for your life!  Get all the roadblock out of the way and surrender all to Him today.  He is not trying to keep any good thing from you.  That is a lie that started in the garden with the serpent and Eve.  He wants to pour out His goodness on your life every day, but He can only do that as you give Him access to every area.  Open up your heart and confess the secret areas to Him today.  He already knows anyway, why not let Him lead you to succeed in all your ways.

Today’s scripture reading: John 13:18-30

18 “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’ 

19 Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. 

20 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”

21 When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” 

22 Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke.

23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 

24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.

25 Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?”

26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 

27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 

28 But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. 

29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor.

30 Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.

His Example

If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.  John 13:14

Consider the humility of Jesus.  He is God, coming into the world in a flesh and blood body like ours.  He is all present, all knowing and all powerful.  He created all things and through Him all things were made.  Yet His love for His created people was greater than all of that.  So much so that He was willing to be born into this world as a baby and grow up and walk out a life similar to what we all do.  The God, Who is above all, came low to be part of what He created.  Philippians 2:8 says: Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  The cross of course was the ultimate in humility.  He took on all the sin, shame and guilt of the world.  All the sickness and disease before and after was placed on Him.  This ultimate sacrifice was worth it all to Him to get His family back from His enemy.

In today’s reading, Jesus was spending His last hours in the world with His disciples and closest friends.  He spent His remaining moments teaching them some of the most important lessons that He taught while on the earth.  When they had all finished His last supper, He got up from the group and then got low.  He kneeled down and began to wash the feet of all those there with Him.  As if going to the cross was not enough to show how much He loved them, He first took this special individual time with each one of His men and carefully and deliberately washed their feet.  In their culture, this was one of the lowest jobs in the home and usually done by a servant or youth.  But Jesus demonstrated the importance of humility and caring for others on an individual level in this low and simple act.  He told the disciples that they wouldn’t understand what He was doing right now. Then when He finished, He explained to them that if as their teacher and Lord was willing to humble Himself to tend to the needs of others, they should do the same thing for each other when He was gone.  He finished this teaching by saying the person that is sent is not greater than the one who sent them.  He wanted them to understand that even though they had been with Jesus during His time here, they were not superior to the world that they were going to reach.  He was telling them to stay humble even though He was going to be leaving them in charge.

I know most of us have heard this account at the last supper before and probably even heard very good sermons on it, but I want to ask today: How does this apply to each one of us?  I can see three applications that we can put into action in our lives.  They are:

1. Keep your heart in a constant position of humility.  When you find yourself becoming irritated or stressed in life, recognize that you are getting close to pride and confess it and get rid of it.  Follow Jesus example of taking care of others and let that be your first thought when the tension rises.
2. Put others’ needs above your own.  I know that we live in a society that is focused on self-care and taking care of #1 first and I am not saying that we should neglect self. I am simply saying humble yourself and be aware that there are people in your every day that God has placed there for you to be caring for.  Don’t walk by and ignore the opportunities you have to love one another.  Your life will never be complete and fulfilled if you only fill it up with selfishness.
3. Lastly, don’t ever think of yourself above others.  Even if you hold a position in authority of some kind, you are still a servant to all.  Lead in such a way that you are living an example like Jesus did of love and humility.  Showing those around you that your position was given to you to reach more of the world for the Kingdom.

Today I want to encourage you to walk in humility.  Put others first, look for opportunities to serve and love all people around you.  Follow Jesus example and never think that you have come to where you are in life so that others can serve you.  Keep the heart and mind set that you have been sent here to bring more of the people around you to your loving heavenly Father and when you do, you will live out the very purpose for which you were given breath in the first place.

Today’s scripture reading: John 12:1-17

1 Jesus knew that the night before Passover would be his last night on earth before leaving this world to return to the Father’s side. All throughout his time with his disciples, Jesus had demonstrated a deep and tender love for them. And now he longed to show them the full measure of his love.  

2 Before their evening meal had begun, the accuser  had already deeply embedded betrayal  into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

3 Now Jesus was fully aware that the Father had placed all things under his control, for he had come from God and was about to go back to be with him. 

4 So he got up from the meal and took off his outer robe, and took a towel and wrapped it around his waist. 

5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ dirty feet and dry them with his towel. 

6 But when Jesus got to Simon Peter, he objected and said, “I can’t let you wash my dirty feet—you’re my Lord!”

7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand yet the meaning of what I’m doing, but soon it will be clear to you.” 

8 Peter looked at Jesus and said, “You’ll never wash my dirty feet—never!” “But Peter, if you don’t allow me to wash your feet,” Jesus responded, “then you will not be able to share life with me.”

9 So Peter said, “Lord, in that case, don’t just wash my feet, wash my hands and my head too!”

10 Jesus said to him, “You are already clean. You’ve been washed completely and you just need your feet to be cleansed—but that can’t be said of all of you.” For Jesus knew which one was about to betray him, 

11 and that’s why he told them that not all of them were clean.

12 After washing their feet, he put his robe on and returned to his place at the table.  “Do you understand what I just did?” Jesus said. 

13 “You’ve called me your teacher and lord, and you’re right, for that’s who I am. 

14-15 So if I’m your teacher and lord and have just washed your dirty feet, then you should follow the example that I’ve set for you and wash one another’s dirty feet. Now do for each other what I have just done for you. 

16 I speak to you timeless truth: a servant is not superior to his master, and an apostle is never greater than the one who sent him. 

17 So now put into practice what I have done for you, and you will experience a life of happiness enriched with untold blessings!”