This week I welcome guest blogger, Emerald Scaffe. Emerald is married and together with her husband, has three children. She also serves on the teaching team at Faith Church. In John chapter 17, Jesus is praying with his disciples after the Passover Feast. I want to highlight some components of Christ’s prayer, before diving intoContinue reading “Why we need to be spiritually fit (and how to get there) – John 18, Part 1”
Tag Archives: Prayer
Has God denied Jesus’ prayer request for unity? – John 17:6-26, Part 4
Historians observe that Christianity has gone through a major upheaval every 500 years or so. In 476 the Western Roman Empire fell. In 1054 the church split east and west. Then in 1517 the Protestant Reformation splintered the church, opening the door, it seems, for the fracture of the church into thousands and thousands ofContinue reading “Has God denied Jesus’ prayer request for unity? – John 17:6-26, Part 4”
Why Christians should not be separate from the world – John 17:6-26, Part 3
Some Christians throughout the centuries have wanted God to take them out of the world. Many Christians have attempted to separate themselves from the world. Some have felt that the world is evil, and we Christians need to be unpolluted by the world. But does the (potentially) healthy concern about being unpolluted require separation? I don’tContinue reading “Why Christians should not be separate from the world – John 17:6-26, Part 3”
What it means that we are God’s [not gods] – John 17:6-26, Part 2
So far in his final prayer for his disciples, Jesus hasn’t asked God for anything. No supplication. No requests. Just a conversation with God. He continues his conversation in John 17, verses 9-10: “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.Continue reading “What it means that we are God’s [not gods] – John 17:6-26, Part 2”
If Jesus evaluated our prayer – John 17:6-26, Preview
Have you ever thought about how Jesus feels about your prayer requests? I rarely do. I normally just pray, and usually my prayer is asking him for things. Most often I pray for my family. I rarely take a step back and think, “Am I praying for the right things? Am I praying for theContinue reading “If Jesus evaluated our prayer – John 17:6-26, Preview”
What eternal really means – John 17:1-5, Part 3
If you’re tracking the first part of Jesus’ prayer (John 17:1-5), which we’ve been studying this week, you might have noticed I didn’t talk about another theme he mentions. Eternal life. Look again at verses 2-3, “For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you haveContinue reading “What eternal really means – John 17:1-5, Part 3”
Falling asleep during prayer and the surprising act that brings glory to God – John 17:1-5, Part 1
On family vacation, we were having a prayer time where one person would share a prayer request, and then another person would pray for them. It was getting late into the evening, and I was sitting next to my wife, Michelle, on a sofa. Someone shared a prayer request, and Michelle volunteered to be theContinue reading “Falling asleep during prayer and the surprising act that brings glory to God – John 17:1-5, Part 1”
What would do if you were about to be executed? – John 17:1-5, Preview
Imagine you are on vacation, sightseeing in a country where Christianity is illegal. You might think, “Joel, I wouldn’t travel there in the first place.” Maybe you wouldn’t. Maybe you just might. I did. There are plenty of places where Christianity is illegal but there are amazing sites, and Christians are allowed to travel thereContinue reading “What would do if you were about to be executed? – John 17:1-5, Preview”
Do we have to pray “In Jesus’ name, Amen.”? – John 14:1-14, Part 5
In my 20+ years of professional ministry, I’ve had the occasion to pray publicly quite a bit. I tack this phrase onto the end of nearly all my prayers, “In Jesus’ name. Amen.” Maybe you pray that way too. Maybe you’ve heard other’s do so. Why do we pray that way? Do we need to?Continue reading “Do we have to pray “In Jesus’ name, Amen.”? – John 14:1-14, Part 5″
If you believe in miracles, then how do you respond? – John 6:1-21, Part 5
This week we’ve been studying two of Jesus’ most famous miracles, which we read about in John 6:1-21. I don’t know which miracle is more astonishing. The feeding of the 5000 or Jesus walking on water? They’re both amazing. But notice the disciples. They have seen each of these astounding miracles…in the same day. HowContinue reading “If you believe in miracles, then how do you respond? – John 6:1-21, Part 5”
Engaging Scripture 