Jesus packs powerful prayer in John 17 for himself, the disciples and all of us.  4 things grab my attention:

His Joy made full in us.  I love that Jesus desires that His joy be made full in us.  Think about the depth of joy Jesus must have had to endure the cross for us!  A joy worth dying for.  That’s the joy He prays for us and the joy I want!

Keep them from evil.  He doesn’t pray that we would be taken out of the world to avoid evil.  Instead He prays that we would be kept from it.  This is critical for those around us to see the power of the One true living God at work in us in spit of being surrounded by an evil world. 

 Sanctify them in truth.  God knows and sees all including the lies and truth. Furthermore, He is truth. His word stands forever, is unchanging, and frees us from the bonds of deception.  Ultimately it reveals the truth about who Jesus is, what He has done, and what He is capable of. 

 We are in one in Him.  Unity in the body of Christ is critical. After all, a house divided against itself cannot stand.  Jesus prays that we would be one as He and the Father are one.  How can you get any closer?  They are One.  No space can be found between them.  We are to have unity that they may know the Father sent the Son…so they might have life. For it is the sake of the gospel that should keep us united.  

Reflection

Do you see a desire to be right in you?

Are you able to speak the truth in love when other brothers/sisters are out of line with scripture?

Jesus never compromised love for truth. He loved people with the truth.  Some received and some did not. 

Pray that the LORD would give wisdom and discernment if what to say and how to say it to bring unity and truth. 

Prayer

Father, you have sent Your son, full of grace and truth,  thank you for His example of unity with You.  Thank you For joy, protection, truth, and unity.  Guide us and give us wisdom to walk out this prayer in Your Spirit.  Help us to speak the truth in love.  In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Verses like the one above help us see that Part of God’s redemptive plan is for us to pursue Him together with others.  Ephesians 4 makes it clear that we need one another in order to grow.  This includes exercising our gifts as well as embracing forgiveness.  So even when others sin, we are afforded the opportunity for growth. We must walk together to fulfill God’s plan for us. 

Personal Reflection

Are you pursuing righteousness, faith, love, and peace with other true believers?  Or are you trying to make it a me and Jesus production?   Read Ephesians 4 and let His word have its way in your heart about this matter. Step out and trust His design for your growth.  Remember a key here is to make sure you are walking with those that call on Him with a pure heart.  You need genuine Christians to help point you back to Jesus when your mind is not focused on Him. 

Prayer Focus

Heavenly Father, we thank You that Your thoughts and ways are higher than ours. We praise You that your salvation leads us to a place of relationship with you as well as true believers. Help us to see our need for one another and to walk together with them as we pursue You. We trust in You and your perfect plans, in Jesus name we pray, Amen!

#TruthTalk4Life

@brianfriedl

The answer to that focus lies in His precious word.  As we fully take in today’s dose of spiritual food, consider this:  The peace won for you through the blood of Jesus pleases the Father.  What a loving Father we have in Him, that He would give what was most precious in exchange for our freedom!

He desired our reconciliation with Him and His plan of salvation is perfect. Satisfying the law and pouring out grace simultaneously.  It is suffering and surrender that produced the ultimate joy and victory.  We have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into His family!  Let that blow your mind and minister to your heart today!

Personal Reflection

Spend time reflecting on the depth of God’s love for you.  Read a gospel account of the crucifixion.  Let the cost of your freedom sink deeply into you mind and heart.  How deep the Father’s love for us!  Sing out loud, to Him, your own song of thank you and praise. Don’t worry about rhyming.  Just let your thoughts pour out in song.  What a joyful noise it is when the love in our hearts spill over to our lips in praise!

Prayer Focus

Father, you are the greatest Giver of all!   You have paid the greatest price that we might be free and unified with You in Your glorious Son Christ.  Fill our hearts today with Your Love that we may carry the truth of Your salvation with passion and boldness to every listening ear in the Name of Jesus, Amen!

#truthtalk4life

@brianfriedl

It’s also no surprise that we also see fruit of the Spirit mentioned.  Our walk and forebearing with one another requires us to walk in the Spirit. Unity requires diligence to preserve it.  There is work involved.  Damage happens in any body of believers. Forgiveness and forebearance are necessary. Remember, even the disciples argued over greatness.

We must walk in a manner worthy of our calling…We must walk in the Spirit, in love, forebearing with one another, preserving unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Personal Reflection

It’s necessary that we are part of a local body of believers and this is just one reason.  How do we learn to forbear with one another if we are not together?   It’s easy to get along with someone you never have to spend time with, but then we are never challenged to grow either.  

You may have been hurt by a congregation that did not live this passage out. I can certainly empathize as I have been hurt as well. I have come to find that we cannot let the failure of man keep us from living the truth of God. 

Find a bible-believing church to attend this week.  God wants to grow you in love and unity.

Prayer Focus

Gracious God, no where have we seen this passage more true than with you.  You have been so patient in your love and have jealously desired the Spirit which you have made to dwell in us. Please keep us walking in your spirit that we may walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have called us.  We pray this in the powerful Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen!

@brianfriedl

#walkworthy #walkintheSpirit #truthtalk4life

 When I started my journey as a new believer I didn’t understand the family I was adopted into. I knew the people who had discipled me were awesome and I was thankful, but that didn’t even begin to describe the unity and shared mind of Christ that I have experienced since. 
I’ve had the privilege traveling the country for years and more recently have expanded these travels internationally.  The unity of believers is second to none.  I have been the recipient of hospitality,  love and prayer by what some would say are complete strangers.  The depth of Christ’s love permeates all of these relationships.  I’m left with a grateful heart that desires unity to serve one another in the cause of Christ 

Personal Reflection

The Christian life is meant to be unified with the body of Christ.  A me and God only mentality is not biblical and actually hinders growth.  Check out Ephesians 4 for more details.  Are your relationships with other believers unified in Christ?  Are you considering others as yourself?   God is challenging us to reach out to encourage our local body of  as well as those we meet at work, the gas station and across the globe. 

Prayer Focus

LORD, you know our shortcomings and yet you have adopted us and have called us to live in unity for you and your good purposes.  Equip us  to live in harmony with one another in the Gospel of Jesus. May it be so and may all who see know that we are Christians by our love for you and each member of Your household. In the unifying Name of Christ, Amen!

@brianfriedl

#unifiedbelievers #mindofChrist #truthtalk4life

There is a manner in which we are to walk in our calling.  We are all ministers of reconciliation (2 cor 5:18) and have been given the great commission (Matt 28:18). It is a great responsibility to carry the Good News of Jesus Christ and should not be taken lightly.  You have been chosen to receive a magnificent gift.  How we share that gift has the power to change lives forever.

From prison, Paul reminds us of 6 things:

1. Humility – We only have the gift of Christ and our calling because God chose to give it to us not because of anything we have done.
2. Gentleness – Our walk does not require us to force feed anyone the Gospel. Gentleness is required as some have been hurt by judgement and legalistic tactics to try to produce righteousness
3. Patience – The timing of a person’s faith is crafted by God, not by us.  We must learn trust that God has every detail covered.  We simply walk faithfully and He will reveal truth in His timing.
4. Forbearance – Let’s face it, those that have been hurt repeatedly can be hurtful themselves.  Living in unity with believers requires forbearance.  There are immaturities, nativities, and annoying habits that we must look past.
5. Love – Love is required to do the 4 things above.  A love for God, His mission, and His people.
6. Unity – We must seek and preserve unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  A desire for everyone to know you’re right is often the greatest destroyer of unity.  Jesus prayed that we might be one even as He and His Father are one.  You can’t get any more unified than that!

Personal Reflection:

What area(s) above do you struggle with the most?  Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 and Matthew 28:18.  How does God’s purpose for us in these passage help equip us to overcome those struggles?

Prayer Focus:

As I think about all these 7 Hows of walking out your calling, I am reminded of our dear brother and sister in Christ, Saeed and Naghmeh Abedini.  Headlines have abounded, comments have been hurled.  What is needed in this time are these 7 manners above.  We must continue to support them in Love, Unity, Forbearance, Patience, Gentleness, and Humility and refrain from taking sides or casting judgements.  They are in a great spiritual battle and need the reinforcements of our prayers more than ever.

Heavenly Father, you alone are our source of strength.  From you comes the help we need.  Please instill deeply these 7 attributes in our walk with you.  Lord, we cry out to you on behalf of our dear friends Saeed and Naghmeh.  May there be healing that abounds, resulting in your glory and even greater testimony of your great love; in the precious and powerful name of Jesus, Amen!