Friday 11 Nov 2016

November 11: John 17:20-23

Key Verse: John 17:20
I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;

Devotion:
It does not take a lot to tell God you do believe. But that is exactly what He wants to hear from each of us. He knew that He only had a certain time on earth to convince a few people to believe (few in comparison to the number of people on the planet) and that is why He prayed this – for all those who would have to believe someone else's word that Christ is who He is!

We have so many truths written in the Bible and even in some history books about the life of Christ. We know He is real. And yet many still choose not to believe because it would mean having to throw out some very grand ideas about the universe and even earth. We like to believe in ideas which are grand and fanciful, just because they sound so good. People conjure up ideas and pictures in their heads which allow them to think there is a possibility those ideas are real – yet when people are faced with a simple truth that will break many of them down, they reject it.

God knew just how difficult things would get, not just for Him in the next few days, but for man as he continues to grow on planet earth. He knew the pitfalls and the wiles of the devil would be strewn in front of us all. He knew the temptations that we would have to face, and He prayed directly for strength for each of us to be able to get through it! I know of no other one who is willing to continue in prayer for sinners and people who reject Him right up until they face Him after death.

Christ wants us all to be joined in heaven so we can experience a wonderful life together. To do that we have to believe. To do that we have to understand His Word. We have to seek out the truth. By our very nature we do look for the truth. But we are also tempted by so many ideals in life. We need not be ashamed of the Gospel, because Christ has already prayed that people will learn from it. He has already asked God to help us spread the Gospel. He has already made sure the Gospel has been kept for so many years. All we need do is to tell someone!

Points to Ponder:
Do you tell lies to your friends?

Why not show them God's Truth and bring light to their lives?