July 30

While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me.
John 17:12a ESV

This is Jesus' prayer which He prayed in the time leading up to His betrayal and crucifixion. He already knew Judas Iscariot was leading a band of soldiers towards Him. Jesus knew that His disciples would scatter and abandon Him. Jesus knew Peter would deny Him three times. Why does this matter? Jesus knew the full extent of the sins of His followers. It is not a surprise to Him. It matters because Jesus kept the eleven remaining disciples in the Father's Name at the cost of His Own life. Their sin, and the punishment their sin deserved, would be covered by the cross. Nor is Jesus surprised by our sins. He knew the fullest extent of the blackness of our heart and thoughts and actions. Jesus stood in our place and received the punishment our sins deserved.

Jesus' death and resurrection means that those who believe in Him are guarded for fullness of life--right now. Our sins are continually being defeated, not in our strength--for we don't have that kind of strength--but by the power of Jesus' Spirit poured out at Pentecost. Those who believe in Jesus have His Spirit. Those who believe in Jesus are receiving the Spirit's ascendancy so that the root causes of sin in us are thrown down and Jesus is becoming our greater joy. Jesus made known to His followers the Father's love and He will continue to make the Father's love known to us. Christ has died and conquered death, therefore He is fully able to save all who believe in Him and bring us to our Father in heaven.

We know the Father's love:
~By the Spirit of God
~through the Word of God
~through the preaching of the Word
~By Jesus' continual intercession/prayers for us
~through confession of our sins and the assurance of forgiveness
~through the love of other Christians

Ask for the Father to forgive your sins in Jesus' Name. Ask for the Spirit to reveal the impulses in your heart which are prompting particular sins and ask that these be rooted out in Jesus' Name. Ask for the courage to forgive those who have hurt you--and then forgive. Join with believers and worship God. Join with believers and encourage one another in holiness.

Thank You, Father in heaven, for the greatness of the love You have shown this world in Jesus. Thank You, Spirit of God, for showing us Jesus. Help us, Spirit of God, to confess our sins and hate them more and more. Increase our love for Jesus. Build into us a greater capacity to truly follow Jesus. Triune God as believers gather for worship, all around the globe this day, may Your praise be magnified in our hearts and in our minds. Equip us for holy service. Through Jesus bring many sons and daughters to the glorious knowledge of You, our Father in heaven. Amen.