Posts with the category “upper-room”

Inner CircleKatrina Young“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:15I grew up in a small town in Indiana, a place where literally everyone knew your name and which family that you belonged to. In elementary school, there were twelve kids in my...  Read More

Two Way StreetKatie Pettibone“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13It is hard to imagine a scenario that inhibits the willingness to die for a friend. I am more than sure we do not go around telling our closest friends that we love them so much we would die for them. Knowing that this verse comes from the mouth of Jesus, we can find peace.Je...  Read More

Nothing!John Stone“I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me.” John 14:30As the chaplain of a local county jail, I can, at times, find myself in strange situations. This week I was asked to speak with an inmate to find out whether he was what he claimed to be: a Buddhist. Now, I am no expert on world religions, but a five-minute Google search...  Read More

People Get ReadyDebbie Gabbara“You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” John 14:28Check out that opening phrase, “You have heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’” It has been over 2000 years since Jesus spoke the words recorded in the Go...  Read More

Not as the World Gives PeacePastor Justin Dean“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27Our world admires peace as one of the noblest causes to strive after. Year after year, we award, honor, and prize people who strive after creating long-lasting world peace. Unfortunately, this...  Read More

Peace and The Holy SpiritElijah Edwards“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27To be honest, peace may be the hardest thing for me personally to have in my heart. My mind can be riddled with the worries of the world from time to time, or heavily focused on my own shortcomings a...  Read More

“But”Brianna Breen“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33John 16:33 is one of my favorite verses in the Gospel of John. This entire chapter is focused on the idea that we can rest in His peace because He has overcome the world.So often in life, we focus and dwell on the trials, t...  Read More

Jesus Knows AllJohn Rigg“Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe?’” John 16:31I am always amazed at the excitement that is in the atmosphere during the Easter season. Churches all around the world celebrate with varying degrees of worship styles and events. For some, it begins with fasting during Lent while others observe Passion week. However, most churches gather on the solemn day of Good Frida...  Read More

A God of ClaritySydney Kimball“I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father.” John 16:25Let me ask you a question, “Who can hold a candle to Jesus and His teachings?” Now, without speaking literally, I was able to ask you, “Who can compare to Jesus and how He teaches?” The...  Read More

Are you Greater than your Master?Kyle Wendel“Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.” John 15:20Persecution is defined as hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race or political or religious beliefs.How many of you like to be persecuted?I woul...  Read More

You Belong HereStephen Billings“If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” John 15:19Have you ever just wanted to belong? Have you wanted to be welcomed into a fun group of friends, classmates, work buddies, a band, or even a sports team?When I was in high school, I loved to ...  Read More

Savior and LordKeaton Washburn“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” John 15:18One of my greatest joys in ministry is getting to baptize students that have been part of our student ministry. Over the past two weeks, I had the privilege of baptizing eight students at and after student camp. It was amazing! As I have gotten more comfortable baptizing, God has transf...  Read More

God Works in all SituationsJeremy Smith“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.” John 15:10Jesus has just explained to His disciples how their relationship to Him and God should work. He used the example of a vine producing fruit and explains how the fruit (us) needs to be attached to the vine (Jesus) to continue g...  Read More

Brush Pile or Fruit ProducerMark Pittenger“If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” John 15:6At the end of every winter, when the weather finally breaks, one thing that always needs to be done is to pick up the dead branches that have fallen off the various trees around my backyard. This is a tedio...  Read More

Good vs. FallenJoe Wilson“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” John 15:8As I sit here this morning studying these words, I cannot escape the imagery of a nice bright red apple still on the tree just waiting to be harvested and used for good. I am thinking of a nice warm homemade apple pie with some freshly churned vanilla ice cream.Now picture ...  Read More

Bearing FruitRich Sawicki“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” John 15:4Jesus is the vine. The vine chose us to be grafted into it, to become part of it; but it is our choice to stay connected to the vine and feed off the vine. If we stay connected to Him we will be fed by the vine. When we are...  Read More

BranchesMitchell Holmes“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2The relationship between followers of Christ and God has been described in many ways in the Bible. Jesus describes us as sheep that need constant guidance and attention that are unable to fend for ourselves. We see God described ...  Read More

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The WordGary Wright“He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” John 16:14Growing up, my mom raised me in church. I learned about all the stories in Jesus’ life but had a hard time understanding how they all fit together. I learned about the Gospel of Jesus, how He lived a sinless life, died on a cross to pay my sin debt, and how God raised Him on the third day. When ...  Read More

“He”Emilou Irwin“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” John 16:13The pronoun “He” is very important. The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force. He is the third person of the Trinity. He is equal with God the Son and God the Fathe...  Read More

The Gift of PainDr. Randy T. Johnson“And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.” John 16:8My wife and I are new grandparents. It is so exciting. Recently, our son and his family came back home to visit us. They named our grandson Remy Oliver. My paternal grandfather’s name was Oliver. Seeing Remy melted our hearts. However, we were quickly reminded ...  Read More

Don’t Be TroubledPastor Roy Townsend“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:18Have you ever been troubled by something? A basic definition of troubled in the Oxford Dictionary is defined as being “beset by problems or conflict,” or “showing distress or anxiety.” In this section of Scripture, it is not a coincidence that Jesus Christ was telling His disciples to not be troubl...  Read More

Healthy ChoicesCathy Story“Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:17Can you guess what one of the greatest tips for living a healthier life is? People will tell you over and over, that it is all about nutrition! While one could attempt to work out daily while consuming a n...  Read More

A Helper ForeverAngela Cox“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.” John 14:16Jesus promises the Holy Spirit. I love, in this portion of Scripture, how reassuring Jesus’ love is for us. With the simple truths of our obedience, He promises our salvation. What a loving Father! Enjoy these words again, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you an...  Read More

Glorify the FatherPastor Ben Kirkman“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:13We find this verse in an incredibly powerful conversation between Jesus and His disciples. I can only imagine them trying to keep up with what He is telling them, “One of you will betray me. I am going away. I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” This is s...  Read More

Do You Believe?William Kinney“Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.” John 14:11Why is it so hard to believe what God says is true? Yet, it seems so easy for us to consider the lies of Satan and our untruthful thoughts. We can too often accept, “If you were saved, you wouldn’t think like that,” or “If God loved me, He wouldn’...  Read More

God in FleshCaleb Jones“‘If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’ Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ Do you not believe that I am...  Read More

Not Sugar-CoatedKendall Hine“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6I am a person who is bad with confrontation. My mind makes a nightmare movie roll of all the worst ways that the conversation could go and I begin to panic. My natural reaction is to sugarcoat things and skirt around the truth that can often be harsh....  Read More

The Hope of HomeJeannie Yates“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” John 14:3I grew up in the beautiful Pacific Northwest in the heart of the Willamette Valley just one hour from either majestic mountains or the scenic ocean. My grandparent’s house overlooked that beautiful ocean and we were fortunate enough to vis...  Read More

Preparing for a VisitPastor Patrick RowlandIn the final moments Jesus has with the disciples, He has much to say and is very intentional with those words. The disciples, sensing something is about to happen to Jesus, were filled with anxiety, fear, and sadness. Yet, comforting them, Jesus tells them He will be leaving soon, but not to worry He will see them again.John 14:2 says, “In my Father’s ho...  Read More

The Key of LoveSierra Combs“These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” John 15:17This morning as I was looking through my jewelry box, I came upon a bracelet that I bought several years ago at a vintage market. Between two sets of dainty chains lies a small aged brass key with the word “love” stamped on the metal. While I completely forgot about the bracelet (it had found a pl...  Read More

Greater LoveCaroline Roark“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13Gift-giving is often a source of stress for me. I love giving people gifts but I always want to give people a great gift. You know that great gift. It is the gift that makes you smile and feel loved. A gift that was exactly what you needed at that moment from someone that genuin...  Read More

Word and DeedDavid Hudgens“Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.” John 14:24All throughout my elementary and secondary education, I experienced a relatively high level of success and command over all the subjects matters, except for one class, English. Each year, and with every progressive degree of difficulty, I strug...  Read More

If You Love MePatrick Bicknell“Jesus answered him, ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.’” John 14:23Continuing this Easter series of looking at what took place in the upper room with Jesus and His disciples on the night of His betrayal, we get some of the best teachings of Jesus during His earthly ministry. Up t...  Read More

Unfathomable LoveJosh Thayer“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” John 13:34Being a father to a 1-year-old little girl, I finally understand what it means to really love. Not to say that the love I have for my wife, family, and friends was not real, but when you helped create something from nothing, it really puts ...  Read More

New CommandmentFerdinand Sanders“When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandmen...  Read More