[Jesus prayed] “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”
John 17:14,15

The Heavenly Father Protects You

The world is not our home. Heaven is our home. Jesus knew this better than anyone. Jesus knew from personal experience how difficult it is for God’s people to live in a world ravaged by sin and under constant attack by Satan. That is why Jesus prayed for his disciples the night before he went to his death. He knew his disciples would face temptation, persecution, poverty, and imprisonment.

Knowing this, we might expect Jesus to pray for his disciples to be delivered from this world. Why not just ask the Father to whisk them right to heaven so they could avoid all the evil and opposition that the devil throws against Jesus’ followers? But the reason he prayed as he did was because Jesus had work for his disciples to do. They would take the good news of forgiveness and eternal life to the ends of the earth. So, rather than ask the Father to take them out of this world, Jesus prayed that his Father protect them.

Jesus asks his Father to do the same for all of his followers, including you. He knows about every temptation you are facing, every trial you are undergoing, and every trouble you are enduring. He knows that temptations, trials, and troubles are part of living in this sin-filled world. But he does not ask his Father to take you out of this world. There is work for you to do. You have people to love and serve. You have God’s good news to share.

Your heavenly Father will answer Jesus’ prayer. He will give you strength to do this work and protect you from the devil until your Father does, in his time, take you home to heaven.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I humbly ask you to protect me from the evil one that I may carry out the important work you have given me to do. Amen.

(This devotion comes from wels.net)

We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
1 John 4:19-21

God’s Way To Love

Most people would tell you love is an emotion. Sometimes love is there; sometimes it is gone. People think they can only show love when they feel like it. Before long, the feeling goes away. Love is gone, and so are any expressions of love.

The kind of love God talks about is much more stable and consistent than this human love. Christian love gives—it shows kindness, consideration, and patience. Through loving actions, we reflect that we are children of God. We follow God’s pattern.

For the Christian, love is not just an emotion that grows when it receives something in return. Rather, Christian love rests on the boundless love of God for us. John tells us that merely saying we love one another is not enough to demonstrate adequately what Jesus has done for us and that he is at work in us. We must show our love in tangible ways.

How do we do this? In our Bible reading today, John explains that we cannot see God. So we cannot go to him and give him some food, clothing, or other tangible, temporal goods. So what do we do? We show our love to those we can see. They give us tangible opportunities to show our love to God. If we withhold our love from them and refuse to share it—how can we claim to love God?

In other words John says, love the one who is right there with you, and you will be showing love to God. True, our brothers and sisters in Christ aren’t as kind and loving as God has been to us. But remember, God loves us and sent his Son to die for us, even when we were his enemies. Not having our love returned is all the more reason to show love, for then it is unconditional, just like the love Jesus has for us.

Prayer:
Lord, help me show love to those around me just as you have loved me, not just in words, but in action. Amen.

(This devotion comes from wels.net)

We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
1 John 4:19-21

God’s Way To Love

Most people would tell you love is an emotion. Sometimes love is there; sometimes it is gone. People think they can only show love when they feel like it. Before long, the feeling goes away. Love is gone, and so are any expressions of love.

The kind of love God talks about is much more stable and consistent than this human love. Christian love gives—it shows kindness, consideration, and patience. Through loving actions, we reflect that we are children of God. We follow God’s pattern.

For the Christian, love is not just an emotion that grows when it receives something in return. Rather, Christian love rests on the boundless love of God for us. John tells us that merely saying we love one another is not enough to demonstrate adequately what Jesus has done for us and that he is at work in us. We must show our love in tangible ways.

How do we do this? In our Bible reading today, John explains that we cannot see God. So we cannot go to him and give him some food, clothing, or other tangible, temporal goods. So what do we do? We show our love to those we can see. They give us tangible opportunities to show our love to God. If we withhold our love from them and refuse to share it—how can we claim to love God?

In other words John says, love the one who is right there with you, and you will be showing love to God. True, our brothers and sisters in Christ aren’t as kind and loving as God has been to us. But remember, God loves us and sent his Son to die for us, even when we were his enemies. Not having our love returned is all the more reason to show love, for then it is unconditional, just like the love Jesus has for us.

Prayer:
Lord, help me show love to those around me just as you have loved me, not just in words, but in action. Amen.

(This devotion comes from wels.net)

No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.
Acts 4:32

A Manager of God’s Possessions

That’s mine! You can’t have it! Leave it alone! Many parents have heard words like this so often that they never want to hear them again. At work, you hear: He took my parking place. That was supposed to be my promotion. Why doesn’t anyone think about my loyalty to this company?

The concern about me and what’s mine seems to be present at every stage of life. Some stages may be more filled with it than others, but the general thought is still the same. You have to fight to hold on to what you have. You have to fight to get what you deserve.

The early Christians spoken about in our Bible reading didn’t think that way. In fact, they didn’t claim anything as their own. Those believers did not find it necessary to talk much, if at all, about their own possessions. Possessions didn’t seem to be that important.

Why? The first reason is that these believers realized that everything they had was God’s, not theirs. They didn’t think of possessions as belonging to this person or that person. Everything belonged to God. Each one of them was only a manager of God’s possessions.

Think of that. What you have is not yours. It’s God’s, and you are the manager. One person manages one group of things, and other people manage other things. Having that understanding can change your point of view about possessions dramatically.

Another reason the early Christians didn’t consider their possessions to be their own was that they realized that we use our possessions only for a short time. What we possess now must be viewed from the perspective of our eternal glory of heaven. Our lives here and now are only a short step in our unending journey. Everything comes from God, and he has even better things, even more valuable things, in store for us. Heaven awaits. This fact teaches us to place the right amount of value on what God has given us to use here on earth.

Prayer:
Lord, teach me that all good gifts come from you. Lead me to value the spiritual blessings that you give through Jesus. Help me to use the many blessings you give me to serve you and love others. Amen.

(This devotion comes from wels.net)

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. . . I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”
John 10:11,14

Too Good To Be True?

Almost daily, some advertisements make incredible claims: “This is the best product on the market.” “This is the most effective product.” “There is nothing that can compare with this.” These are just a few of the claims. Then, the offer becomes even more enticing: “Double the amount at an incredible savings.” Finally, there is the clincher: “A one-hundred percent money-back guarantee.” Almost immediately the thought ignites: “This is too good to be true.”

Too good to be true is often a reliable axiom. But not when it comes to the claims made by Jesus. In a very precious and picturesque way, Jesus proclaims, “I am the Good Shepherd.” What makes this claim believable is how he backs it up. Jesus gives more than a money-back guarantee. He even offers more than double the regular amount. He provides solid and unmistakable proof.

Just think about the claim Jesus makes as the Good Shepherd. When rejected because of failure and disappointment, the Good Shepherd calls us his own. When cries for help go unanswered, the Good Shepherd responds in the best way possible.

It almost sounds too good to be true. But it is true! Assurance comes from what Jesus did and what he does daily. His obedient life, his willing death on the cross, his precious shed blood, his victorious resurrection—here is indisputable evidence. Our Savior-Shepherd will always be there. He even gives his word: “I know you.”

Although this may sound too good to be true, it is the good news Jesus established through his innocent suffering and death. Jesus is our Good Shepherd. He knows us, and he loves us!

Prayer:
O precious Savior, because you gave your life for me, I am now your lamb. Be with me. Keep me safe in every danger. Guide me and give me peace in knowing, I am your sheep, and you are my Shepherd. Amen!

(This devotion comes from wels.net)