Sunday Easter Week Seven -- June 1
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Meditation
Sunday, Easter Week Seven drew our focus to what believers do—to be in conversation with God by praying. In the Old Testament lesson, the Psalmist praised God, who went before the Jews and led them down the paths chosen for them. The enemies would melt like wax in a flame, when facing God’s power.
The Acts of the Apostles dealt with the immediate moments after Jesus ascended. The followers gathered with Jesus’ family and prayed. They felt overwhelmed, shocked by seeing the ascension. Remember, the angels asked why they were standing gazing up into heaven long after Jesus was gone?
I’ve done the same thing. Whenever I become confused, I start praying and don’t take action until I feel at peace about the choice I have made.
They needed to replace Judas Iscariot, too, since he had betrayed Jesus and hanged himself. Prayer for guidance was the means to solving their challenges.
The Epistle of Peter first revealed a list of challenges for Christians—painful suffering, insults for following Christ, testing and struggling—but the solution for believers was simple. “Humble yourselves.” “Give God the cares and worries.” Pray.
The Gospel lesson revealed how Jesus prayed in John 17. He gave God the glory and thanked him for granting Jesus authority over all that God had given him. Jesus prayed for all those he had been given—those who believed in him.
He thanked God for giving them access to eternal life. The reason he came to earth and sacrificed himself. And then he prayed for his disciples—the ones he had taught and who had accepted the teachings. They belong to God. And since he wouldn’t be around any longer, he asked for God to protect them through the power of God’s name. In so doing they become one as Jesus and God were one.
I imagined that Jesus were praying for me as intimately as he did for his disciples. Prayer does that for all of us. Prayer brings us together with God. We are one with Christ and the Creator, who gave us to Jesus as his own. From the Psalmist to Jesus, we are united in prayer. We come together in prayer. Prayer brings protection for us. Prayer tunes us into the Word. Prayer opens our hearts and minds to the chance to glorify God, even as Jesus glorified God in his sacrifice on earth. Jesus prayed that his disciples would be one, even as God was one with Christ.
Our goal should be the same in order to please and bring honor and glory to God. We must strive to be one in Christ—less disruptive and argumentative—more loving and kind. By prayer we can accomplish things that glorify God.
Thanks be to God.
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen
Season of Easter Bible Readings
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts 1:6-14;Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35;1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11;John 17:1-11&version=KJV;GNT;NCV;NIV (multiple versions)
Sunday, Easter Week Seven
Acts 1:6-14
Psalm 68:1-10, Psalm 68:32-35
1 Peter 4:12-14, 1 Peter 5:6-11
John 17:1-11
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
John 14:15
King James Version (KJV)
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Single Bible Study chapter to study
John 17:1-11
King James Version (KJV)
17 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Almighty God, we thank you for Jesus, who prayed for his disciples that they would be protected and be one with you, even as you are one with Jesus. We want to glorify your name. Empower us to be unified in your name. In Jesus name, Amen
Conclusion
Sunday, Easter Week Seven taught us to pray in a different way than the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus’ prayer revealed his gratefulness to God for all of us. Gratefulness for the fact that all that he had taught had been accepted by his disciples. He knew he had glorified God already. He knew that he was about to face his most challenging moments, and he asked for their protection. His love and care for them was greater than his need for himself. He prayed for all the people that God had entrusted to him, which includes all believers throughout time.
Jesus prayed for you and me. At a time when his life was going to suffer greater than anyone has suffered, greater than the suffering that Peter spoke of, greater than the challenges of the Hebrews in the past that the Psalmist prayed for, Jesus thought of us. He cared about protecting us. He remembered us in his prayer to God. One of the key things he prayed for was unity, that we would be one with each other as God and Jesus are one.
This is a task of the church today. People are challenged to be unified in Christ, despite differences in how we interpret the Word. Jesus wanted it for us. Jesus prayed for it for his disciples and we all were included in that prayer—all who believe and were given Jesus by God. Can we make that our goal?
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. God bless you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.
Sunday, Easter Week Seven drew our focus to what believers do—to be in conversation with God by praying. In the Old Testament lesson, the Psalmist praised God, who went before the Jews and led them down the paths chosen for them. The enemies would melt like wax in a flame, when facing God’s power.
The Acts of the Apostles dealt with the immediate moments after Jesus ascended. The followers gathered with Jesus’ family and prayed. They felt overwhelmed, shocked by seeing the ascension. Remember, the angels asked why they were standing gazing up into heaven long after Jesus was gone?
I’ve done the same thing. Whenever I become confused, I start praying and don’t take action until I feel at peace about the choice I have made.
They needed to replace Judas Iscariot, too, since he had betrayed Jesus and hanged himself. Prayer for guidance was the means to solving their challenges.
The Epistle of Peter first revealed a list of challenges for Christians—painful suffering, insults for following Christ, testing and struggling—but the solution for believers was simple. “Humble yourselves.” “Give God the cares and worries.” Pray.
The Gospel lesson revealed how Jesus prayed in John 17. He gave God the glory and thanked him for granting Jesus authority over all that God had given him. Jesus prayed for all those he had been given—those who believed in him.
He thanked God for giving them access to eternal life. The reason he came to earth and sacrificed himself. And then he prayed for his disciples—the ones he had taught and who had accepted the teachings. They belong to God. And since he wouldn’t be around any longer, he asked for God to protect them through the power of God’s name. In so doing they become one as Jesus and God were one.
I imagined that Jesus were praying for me as intimately as he did for his disciples. Prayer does that for all of us. Prayer brings us together with God. We are one with Christ and the Creator, who gave us to Jesus as his own. From the Psalmist to Jesus, we are united in prayer. We come together in prayer. Prayer brings protection for us. Prayer tunes us into the Word. Prayer opens our hearts and minds to the chance to glorify God, even as Jesus glorified God in his sacrifice on earth. Jesus prayed that his disciples would be one, even as God was one with Christ.
Our goal should be the same in order to please and bring honor and glory to God. We must strive to be one in Christ—less disruptive and argumentative—more loving and kind. By prayer we can accomplish things that glorify God.
Thanks be to God.
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen
Season of Easter Bible Readings
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts 1:6-14;Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35;1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11;John 17:1-11&version=KJV;GNT;NCV;NIV (multiple versions)
Sunday, Easter Week Seven
Acts 1:6-14
Psalm 68:1-10, Psalm 68:32-35
1 Peter 4:12-14, 1 Peter 5:6-11
John 17:1-11
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
John 14:15
King James Version (KJV)
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Single Bible Study chapter to study
John 17:1-11
King James Version (KJV)
17 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Almighty God, we thank you for Jesus, who prayed for his disciples that they would be protected and be one with you, even as you are one with Jesus. We want to glorify your name. Empower us to be unified in your name. In Jesus name, Amen
Conclusion
Sunday, Easter Week Seven taught us to pray in a different way than the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus’ prayer revealed his gratefulness to God for all of us. Gratefulness for the fact that all that he had taught had been accepted by his disciples. He knew he had glorified God already. He knew that he was about to face his most challenging moments, and he asked for their protection. His love and care for them was greater than his need for himself. He prayed for all the people that God had entrusted to him, which includes all believers throughout time.
Jesus prayed for you and me. At a time when his life was going to suffer greater than anyone has suffered, greater than the suffering that Peter spoke of, greater than the challenges of the Hebrews in the past that the Psalmist prayed for, Jesus thought of us. He cared about protecting us. He remembered us in his prayer to God. One of the key things he prayed for was unity, that we would be one with each other as God and Jesus are one.
This is a task of the church today. People are challenged to be unified in Christ, despite differences in how we interpret the Word. Jesus wanted it for us. Jesus prayed for it for his disciples and we all were included in that prayer—all who believe and were given Jesus by God. Can we make that our goal?
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. God bless you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.
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