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John 15:19

If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Personal Challenge

This verse can sound a little radical, but it is quite true. If we are living our lives the way that Christ called us to live, we will stand out different than those around us. We will be hated by the world. Where this gets truly difficult and challenging is when that hatred comes from others in the church. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Psalms 40:1-3 (39:1-4)

I waited patiently for the Lord, and He heeded me;
And He heard my supplication,
And brought me up out of a miserable pit
And from miry clay;
And He established my feet on a rock
And kept straight my steps.
He put a new song in my mouth,
A hymn to our God;
Many will see and be afraid,
And shall hope in the Lord.

Encouraging Words

Our God is real. He is alive. He is the creator and sustainer of all. And He loves me. He heeds me when I wait patiently for him. He hears my supplications. He rescues me from miserable and miry pits that I fall into in this temporal life. He sets me on the firm path and guides my way. l will put my hope in Him and nothing else. Glory be to God!

John 15:15-17

No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.

Encouraging Words

There is something special about being called a friend by someone that you of love and respect. It lifts you up and helps you to feel valued and appreciated. Jesus calls us His friends when we choose to follow Him. He chooses to reveal the truths of God, the Father to us, His friends. He gives us what we need to go and bear fruit. He asks the Father to meet our needs. As we grow in our friendship with Him, we follow His commandment to love one another. Thanks be to God!

Psalms 39:7 (38:8)

And now what is my patience?
Is it not the Lord?
And my support is from You.

Encouraging Words

Life requires much patience. No one or no thing appears to be operating on the same timeline or agenda that we always are. Maybe we need to review that timeline or agenda. As we go forth on our journey of life, we must be willing exercise patience, patience with others, patience with ourselves, even with God. In order to do this, we must understand, and accept, that the right kind of patience comes from our Lord and that He will support us as we go through life. Glory be to God!

John 15:12-14

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

Personal challenge

Jesus continues to drive home the point of How important loving one another is. Loving a friend the way that God wants us to love leads us to the place where we would be willing to lay down our life for that person. Jesus calls us His friends and laid down His life for us. We are to do the same. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Psalms 37:23-24 (36:22-24)

For those who bless Him shall inherit the earth,
But those who curse Him shall be utterly destroyed.
The steps of a man are guided aright by the Lord,
And he shall desire His way.
When he falls, he shall not be broken to pieces,
For the Lord supports him with His hand.

Personal Challenge

God loves us so much. He desires so much for us. He blesses us greatly if we desire Him and choose to walk in His ways, His footsteps. As we walk in His ways, He guides us on the right and true path. When we stumble and fall on His path we will not be broken for He supports us with his hand. The challenge is to choose to follow Him above all the distractions of this world. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

John 15:9-11

As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

Personal Challenge

We all have an innate desire to have a life that is full of joy. We so often look around us at the world and its fallen state and feel like there is no joy left. That is not true. When we do this, we are looking in the wrong places. Jesus calls us to abide in His love for us. He wants us to cherish His love for through it we experience the Father’s love. Part of abiding in His love is keeping His commandments, which are to express our love toward God and our neighbor. By doing this we become the channel through which others experience both the love of Jesus and of the Father. This is where we experience true joy! Glory be to God!

Psalms 37:16-19 (36:16-19)

Better the little with the just man
Than the great riches of sinners;
For the arms of sinners shall be shattered,
But the Lord supports the righteous.
The Lord knows the ways of the blameless,
And their inheritance shall be forever.
They shall not be ashamed in an evil time,
And in days of famine they shall be filled.

Encouraging Words

In Paul’s letters we are called adopted children of God. In the Roman empire, as it today, an adopted child had the rights and privileges of a natural born child. Through Christ, we gain the inheritance of eternal life. We also gain the ability to not be ashamed in the midst of evil times as we live for our Father. He will always be there for us. Glory be to God!