“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 d...

Earnestly seek these two things before the Lord:That you would receive the love of GodThat you would give the love of GodWe do not operate out of our own self-sufficiency, but we also don't forgo pouring it out once we have received it. A man in my church growing up often gave this quote."God did not put love in our hearts so that it could stay. Love isn't love until we give it away."So let us be ...

If I am to be entirely honest and candid, there is still a natural instinct within me that has the propensity to consider myself first. In situations where serving is an option, there are many times I still fail to jump at the opportunity. In fact, when faced with the option of I could serve or I could be served, my initial instinct is still to be served. There are still a multitude of opportuniti...

In verse 34 of this passage, we are instructed to love one another as Jesus has loved us. That is an incredibly important line. What I have been recognizing over the course of the last several months is that I have failed to really understand the love of God. I have been in a very deep pursuit of grabbing ahold of that fact. It is central to the Gospel! The Gospel cannot be understood outside of l...

A major lesson that is spoken of very clear in this text is to look upon how Jesus conducted Himself and to do likewise. This is a command that is instructed all throughout Scripture and specifically in the New Testament. Paul shares it in passages like this:Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a s...

A single major theme pops up in this passage that will carry the tone of the upcoming passages. It is a tone that has played all throughout Scripture. The theme is love. We have the disciple whom Jesus loved, acts of love and honor toward Judas who is about to betray Him, and instruction for how the disciples ought to love one another. It is without doubt that John heavily emphasizes love througho...

In that moment after Jesus washed the disciples' feet, He highlights that one of the twelve would betray Him. Now I think it is a pertinent thought to recognize that while John does find out who was going to betray Jesus, Scripture does not inform us that anyone but Jesus knew the extent of His betrayal. I have heard many argue with the passage asking why no one stopped Judas when they knew. I fin...

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...

Take some time in meditation today and ask the Lord to reveal ways you can serve those around you. Pray that the love of God would be poured into your heart that you would share that same love for your friends, family, co workers, neighbors, etc. Praise the Lord for how He has served you.......

One of the biggest hinderances to our ability to serve is our inability to see opportunity to serve. Most people are going through the motions of life and fail to have the intentionality to care for one another. Jesus could have easily gone about this time passively and like any other feast He has been apart of. But He didn't. He sought for and even made opportunity to serve.Be honest and ask your...

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.-Ephesians 5:1-2Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being...

I see two primary lessons through this section of Scripture. The first is informative and the latter is imperative. The informative explains what was discussed in the last devotion. The imperative builds off of that. Jesus, who is understood to be the Messiah here, served His people. He took the form of a servant and operated like that. What is told for the disciples is that they must follow Him i...

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also...

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.-John 13:1The beauty of the passage we are exploring is that it exemplifies the love of God above and beyond. He knew His end was coming, but Jesus loved those who were His own to the end. The passage ...

 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that H...