John’s collection of evidence makes
the most compelling testimony and
portrayal of Jesus as Son of God
and His right to demand our trust.
This week we learn from the Master
final instructions on discipleship
thus positioning ourselves rightly
in order to encounter His presence.
On Monday, we learn from John 10
to Listen and Follow the Shepherd.
On Tuesday, we learn from
John 13 to Love One Another.
On Wednesday, we learn from John
15 to Abide In Christ to be Fruitful.
On Thursday, we learn from John
16 to Tap On Holy Spirit’s Power.
On Friday, we learn from John 17
to Be United With One Another.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face…In Jesus’ name.
Christ Jesus Prays for Our Unity
The Upper Room Discourse
contains Jesus’ final words of
instruction and encouragement
to His disciples before His death.
Only John records these intimate
moments between Jesus & His
men as He models true humility,
describes the Holy Spirit who
will comfort and empower them;
and Intercedes for Protection and
Unity of His disciples worldwide.
Lord, we pray for Unity among us:
I do not pray that You should take
them out of the world, but that You
should Keep Them fr the evil one.
They are not of the world, just as
I am not of the world. Sanctify them
by Your Truth… As You Sent Me
into the world. I also Have Sent
them into the world (Jn 17:15-18).
My prayer is not for them alone.
I pray also for those who will
believe in me thro their message,
that all of them May Be One…
that they also may be One In Us,
that the world may believe that
You sent me (Jn 17:20-21). Amen.
Lord Jesus, I praise You for Your
great salvation for all mankind.
Thank You for not only saving me
but also being my High Priest,
Caring for me. Thanks for Heb 7:25
promise that You will always
Intercede for me before Father God.
Provide & protect me Lord & enable
me to conform to Your will. Amen.
Lord Jesus, You have sent us
into the world with an assignment.
You have provided Your Word to
protect us from worldly influence.
Help us soak our mind, will and
emotion with Your Word; and let
it flavour every aspect of our life.
And help us to be truly salt of the
earth & light of the world. Amen.
Lord, I pray for Unity with family
members & with other believers
regardless of any differences
in views, values, race or culture.
May we be truly one with the
Father, the Son & the Holy Spirit.
May this Unity I have with You and
with others show the world, that
You Jesus came from the Father.
May this Unity draw prebelievers
to You Jesus so that they too
may experience Your love. Amen.
Christ Sends Empowering Spirit
The Upper Room Discourse
contains Jesus’ final words of
instruction and encouragement
to His disciples before His death.
Only John records these intimate
moments between Jesus & His men
as He models true humility (c13),
describes the Holy Spirit who will
comfort & Empower them (c14-16)
and intercedes for protection and
unity of His disciples worldwide(c17)
Lord,we look to Your Spirit for Help:
Very truly I tell you, it is for your
good that I am going away. Unless
I go away, the Helper will not come…
but if I go, I will Send Him to you.
When He comes, He will convict
the world of sin, of righteousness
and of judgment (John 16:7-8).
When the Spirit of truth comes,
He will Guide you into all truth…
He will tell you about the future…
He will glorify Me by telling u what-
ever He received from Me (v13-14).
These things I have spoken to you,
that in Me you may have Peace.
In the world you will have tribulation
but be of good cheer, I have
Overcome the world (v33) Amen.
Lord Jesus, hard times are to be
expected in this life; but Thank You
for sending Your Spirit to Help us.
Glad I don’t go thro difficult alone;
for You are always with me to
help, counsel and pray for me.
Thank You for Your powerful
presence. As I yield to You and
follow Your leading, let Your
power flow through me. Amen.
Holy Spirit, only You can sort out
the voices in my mind; and I trust
You to do just that. Keep me from
deception & lead me to the truth.
Show me enough of the future
and how it fits with Your purposes.
Lord Jesus, let the Spirit bring You
glory in me by revealing Your truth
to me that I can share with others.
And let me experience You as
personally as disciples did. Amen.
Heavenly Father, trials & troubles
are normal part of this life. I don’t
like this truth, but it reminds me
of my need for You God. I praise
You for being more powerful than
any worldly troubles I may face.
Remind me to keep looking to You
for You are always in control and
You are for me. In His name, Amen.
The Upper Room Discourse
contains Jesus’ final words of
instruction and encouragement
to His disciples before His death.
Only John records these intimate
moments between Jesus & His men
as He models true humility (c13),
describes the Holy Spirit who will
comfort & empower them (c14-16)
and intercedes for protection and
unity of His disciples worldwide(c17)
Lord, we purpose to Remain in You:
I am the vine; you are the branches.
IF You REMAIN In Me and I in you,
you will bear much fruit; apart
from Me you can do nothing…
If you remain in Me and my words
remain in you, ask whatever
you wish and it will be given you.
By this My Father is glorified that
you bear much fruit (Jn 15:5-8).
IF You KEEP my commandments,
you will abide in My love. This is My
commandment that you Love one
another as I have loved you (v10-12)
You are My friends IF You DO
what I command. I no longer call
you servants… Instead I have
called you friends (v14-15) Amen.
Lord, as I purpose to Remain in You,
help me to walk closely with You
each day and stay constantly in
communication with You – both by
talking with You and listening to You
speak to my heart. Help me Lord
to grow deep in Your Word, getting
to know You better. And help me
to increase in the knowledge of
Your ways and Your will. Amen.
Lord, we note Your command
to love one another as You have
loved us sacrificially. Help me
Follow Your command to love
others with Your kind of love.
And help me to do good works
and share the gospel so that
others will come to believe in You.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Lord Jesus, I desire that you will
become my Best Friend & help me
Develop Deep Friendship with You.
Help me to understand the full implications of friendship with You.
Help me to be loyal, committed
and loving, walking with You daily.
Help me enjoy staying deeply in
Your Word, learning more about
Your nature, way and will. Amen.
The Upper Room Discourse
contains Jesus’ final words of
instruction and encouragement
to His disciples before His death.
Only John records these intimate
moments between Jesus and His
men as He models true humility
(chap 13), describes Holy Spirit
who will comfort and empower
them (chap 14-16) and intercedes
for the unity and protection of
His disciples worldwide (chap 17).
Lord, we will follow Your Example:
When Jesus knew that His hour
had come that He should depart
from this world to the Father,having
loved His own,He loved them to the
end…So He got up from the table,
wrapped a towel around his waist
& poured water into a basin. Then
He began to wash the disciples’
feet, drying them with the towel
He had around Him (John 13:1-5).
I have given you an Example, that
u should do as I have done to you…
Now that u know these things, God
will Bless u for Doing them (v15-17)
A new Commandment I give to
you that you love one another as
I have loved you, that you also love
another. By this all will know that
you are My disciples, if you have
love for one another(v34-35) Amen
Lord, I want my friends to serve
You; and I desire them to be
served by You, to experience the
cleansing that only You can provide.
Help me to get the gospel right
as I talk with them. For it is not
primarily about what they must do
for You. But about what You have
done for them and for them to really
appreciate and reflect it. Amen.
Lord, we note Your advise to the
disciples to Follow Your Example
of servanthood and submission
to the needs of the moment.
Like the disciples, we may tend
to miss our mission to serve and
to meet the needs of others.
Motivate us Lord by your promise
that those who serve others will
Be Blessed by You in special ways
we wouldn’t want to miss. Amen.
Lord, we receive Your Command
to love one another through our
actions. And to express love for
those who don’t yet know Christ.
You promise that when we demo sacrificial love for one another,
the world will notice our actions.
And recognise us as disciples of
the one who sacrificed himself
on the cross in order to save
all of us from our sins. Amen.
Christ’s claim draw the attention
of more than the hungry and sick.
The Pharisees, religious leaders
concerned about status quo,
respond with angry resistance.
But how do you refute a Man
who preaches that He is the
Light of the World, then proves
it by giving sight to the blind? …
who claims He is the resurrection,
then validates that claim by raising
a man from the dead. The choice
is clear: Either believe Him or seek
to silence Him once and for all.
Lord, we’ll Hear & Follow You:
A Shepherd enters thro the gate.
He Calls his own sheep by name
and leads them out… He walks
ahead of them, and they Follow
Him because they recognise
His voice (John 10:2-4).
I have come that they may
Have Life and have it to the Full.
I am the good shepherd.
The good shepherd gives
His life for the sheep (v10-11).
I am the good shepherd; I know
my own sheep, and they know me,
just as my Father knows me and
I know the Father. So I sacrifice
my life for the sheep (v10:14-15).
My sheep Hear My voice, and
I know them & they Follow Me (v27)
Lord Jesus, Thank You for being
my good shepherd and making
me one of Your sheep. What
a privilege to belong to You!
Thank You for providing for me,
guiding me and protecting me.
You Call me by name and speak
to my heart. With all the voices
in the world, quieten my mind and
heart, so that I will recognise Your
Voice and Follow only You. Amen.
Lord Jesus, You did not come
just to forgive our past deeds and
offer us hope of heavenly glory.
You came to give us full satisfying
existence and a meaningful life.
Forgive me Lord when I am too
preoccupied with earthly stuff.
Help me to hear You & seek You.
Help me to pursue things eternal
and further Your kingdom, knowing
You will Provide all my needs. Amen
Lord Jesus, I am so blessed that
You are my caring Shepherd and
because of that I can fear no evil.
For You have always promised
to provide, lead and protect me.
Though evil may come, it has no
power over me and I can live with
confidence that I am Safe in You.
Help me to stay close to You for
I want to follow You and I need
not worry at all knowing You will
be watching over me. Amen.
Jesus’ ministry is not confined at
any time & in all places He is ready
with a word and a healing touch.
Nicodemus comes by night seeking
answers and finds the miracle of
the second birth. The Samaritan
woman comes seeking water
at the well and leaves to tell
her city about a source of living
water that will never run dry.
Jew or Samaritan, religious leader
or religious outcast, Jesus’
compassion knows no bounds.
Lord, You Satisfy our Longings:
Jesus said to her: If you knew who
it is who says to u: Give Me a drink,
you would have asked Him and He
would have given you living water…
Whoever drinks of this water will
thirst again, but whoever drinks
of the water that I shall give them
will Never Thirst (John 4:10-14).
The woman went back to the village
and told everyone: Come and meet
a man who told me everything
I ever did! Can this be the Messiah?
So the people came streaming from
the village to see him (v28-30).
The disciples said to one another:
Has anyone brought Him anything
to eat? Jesus said to them: My food
is to do the will of Him who sent Me
and to finish His work (v34). Amen.
Lord, You are the only one who
can satisfy the longings of my soul.
Remind me that nothing in this
temporal world can bring lasting
fulfilment to an immortal soul.
The life that You give is my internal
source of continual refreshment.
Teach me Lord the discipline of
looking to You alone for whatever
my soul may need each day.
And make me Lord a source
of encouragement and help to
those who are spiritually dry. Amen
Lord, forgive me when excitement
over knowing You has waned.
Grateful for what You had done,
I want others to know You Lord and
experience Your work in their lives.
Use me to spread the Good News,
to be Your disciple & make disciples.
Let me be so amazed by what You
reveal to me that I won’t hesitate
to share the hope with others;
notably those yet to know U. Amen.
Lord, from John gospel I realise empowerment follows obedience.
Now I can understand why when
doing Your work I don’t seem to be hungry until the work is completed.
Although I need nourishment and
rest for the physical body, following
the will of God is refreshing too.
It is amazing how physical energy
flows from supernatural wellspring
when doing what God called. Amen
Ezekiel’s emphasis shifts from
the failures of Judah’s past to
the promises of Judah’s future.
Jerusalem has fallen, and the
prophet’s tongue silenced for three
years is loosened at last to declare
that a new Shepherd is coming.
As a Leader to the leaderless,
He will tenderly care for the flock
of Israel, rescue His people from
their scattered homes of exile, and
restore them to their covenant land.
The Bible is about what God has
done, is doing and will do in order
that both God’s people and the
nations ‘will know that I am the Lord’.
From today’s readings onwards,
times of perplexity and judgment are
past; despair has given way to hope.
As we look at the world today, we
are reminded that God is sovereign
and holy, He is a God of hope and
encouragement; and that He has
good things in store for us all !!
Let us position ourselves correctly.
Lord, grant us Repentant Heart;
Lord, grant us Caring Heart; and
Lord, grant us Responsive Heart.
In Jesus’ precious name we pray.
Lord, grant us Repentant Heart:
Give the pple of Israel this message:
You are saying, Our sins are heavy
upon us; we are wasting away!
How can we survive? As surely
as I live, says the Sovereign Lord,
I take no pleasure in the death of
wicked people. I only want them
to turn from their wicked ways so
they can live. Turn! Turn from your
wickedness… Why should you die?…
The good works of righteous people
will not save them if they turn to
sin, nor will the sins of evil people
destroy them if they repent and
turn from their sins (Ezek 33:10-12).
Lord, relieved that You God doesn’t
enjoy punishing people, nor does
You abandon us when we stray away.
You prefer that we turn from our sins,
seek forgiveness & follow You again.
Realised no matter how far we have
gone astray, we can always come
back to God for You want us back.
Help us Lord to confess our sins &
affirm Your right to lead us. Amen
Lord, grant us Caring Heart:
Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? (Ez34:2)
As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them,
so will I look after my sheep. I will
rescue them from all the places
where they were scattered (Ez34:12)
So I… will separate you strong sheep
from the weak. You strong ones…
chase off those that are weak,
but I will… no longer let them
be ill-treated (Ezek 34:20-22).
Lord, Thank You that as the Good Shepherd U care to meet our needs.
Grant our pastors and leaders grace
in their responsibility as shepherds
to take care of needs of their sheep.
In this world of injustice, make us to
always care for the weaker sheep.
Provide us Lord with opportunities
to serve and may we be quick to respond to the needs around us.
Let us care for others as You do.
Bless us Lord so that we may bless
the world with Your love. Amen.
Lord, grant us Responsive Heart:
(The Lord said): I will give you
a new heart and I will put a new
spirit in you. I will take out your
stony, stubborn heart and give
you a tender, responsive heart.
And I will put my Spirit in you
so that you will follow my decrees
and be careful to obey my
regulations (Ezekiel 36:26-27).
Lord, lead me by the power of Your
Holy Spirit so that I will always obey
Your Word and follow Your laws.
Give me the discipline I need to do
what I must do. Thank You that
You have put Your Holy Spirit
within me to guide me in all things.
Help me to follow Your leading and
not run ahead or behind chasing
after my own self-centred ways.Amen
When Ezekiel’s wife dies, God does
not permit the prophet to exhibit
mourning, which pictures the deep
grief soon to befall Judah. Next
the prophet turns the verbal missiles
of God’s judgment upon Judah’s
neighbours, showing that no nation
is exempt from God’s discipline.
Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre
– each will be powerless to escape
the edge of His unsheathed sword.
As Ezekiel moves through the four
points of the compass, he focuses
at last on Egypt, the longtime enemy
of God’s people. In contrast to so
many of Judah’s neighbours, Egypt
would not be totally destroyed, but
would be reduced to insignificance.
After scattering them, He would
raise them up again and they shall
know that I am the Lord (Ez 30:26).
Pride can become the most serious
of spiritual sins. Without tempering
influence of large doses of humility,
pride tends to become arrogance,
conceit, selfishness & a whole host
of damaging traits abhorrent to God.
The Lord detests the proud of heart
and they will not go unpunished.
Lord, help us Guard Complacency.
Lord, help us Guard Rejecting You.
Lord, help us Guard Against Pride.
In Jesus’ precious name we pray.
Lord, help us Guard Complacency:
The Lord said: Ezekiel… I’ll suddenly
take the life of the person you love
most. But I don’t want you to… cry.
Mourn in silence and don’t show
that you are grieving… One morning
I was talking with the people as usual
and by sunset my wife was dead.
The next day I did what the Lord
told me, and when people saw me,
they asked: Why aren’t you mourning
for your wife? I answered: The Lord
God says: He is ready to destroy
the temple in which you take such
pride and which makes you feel so
safe. Your children who now live in
Jerusalem will be killed(Ez 24:15-21)
Lord, it’s very easy for us to be like
the Israelites. We feel a sense of
security in trappings of faith like
church attendance or good deeds.
But God sees what we really trust in & challenges us not rebel but put our trust in Him. Following God means
no complacency but embody His message to those we meet. Amen.
Lord, help us Guard Rejecting You:
Prophecy against the Ammonites…
Because you said “Aha! over My
sanctuary when it was desecrated…
therefore I will stretch out My hands
against you and give you as plunder
to the nations… I will destroy your,
and you will know that I am the Lord..
Because the Philistines… took
revenge with malice in their hearts…
I will carry out great vengeance on
them and punish them in my wrath.
Then they will know I am the Lord
(Ezekiel 25:1-7, 15-17). Amen.
Lord, we note that these people
brought disaster on themselves
by refusing to acknowledge God.
For God is the God of all peoples.
God is still in control of all today;
and finally He will judge all people.
Help us as Your people not to be careless; but instead be watchful.
Help us to know You as Saviour
and not just as a judge. Amen.
Lord, help us Guard Against Pride:
All people of Egypt will know that
I am the Lord… When Israel leaned
on you, you broke and stabbed her…
This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
I will bring an army against you…The
Egyptians will know… I am the Lord.
Because you said: “The Nile River
is mine; I made it,” I am now the
enemy of both you and your river.
I will make the land of Egypt a totally
desolate wasteland (Ezek 29:6-11).
Lord, the Nile is the source of fresh
water cut through the desert and
turned barren land into fertile soil.
Rather than thanking God for this
provision, the Egyptians proudly
boasted: The Nile is mine; I made it.
God’s provisions come in many
forms and each gives us opportunity
to say “Thank You Lord.” Each also
tempts us to boast especially if we
have invested a great deal of time
and energy in the good we enjoy.
Help us to be watchful and thankful
for all Your provisions. Amen.
John’s collection of evidence makes
the most compelling testimony and
portrayal of Jesus as Son of God
and His full right to demand our
ongoing trust and obedience to Him.
This week we learn the importance
of faith and the ways to reflect it,
thus positioning ourselves rightly
in order to encounter His presence.
On Monday, we learn from John 1 to
Receive the Revelation of the Lord.
On Tuesday, we learn from John 3
to Believe to Have Eternal Life.
On Wednesday, we learn from John
4 to Be Nourished by Obedience.
On Thursday, we learn from John 5
to Watch and Join God at Work.
On Friday, we learn from John 8
to Be Light of the World as well.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face…In Jesus’ name.
