John 17:1-11
Bringing new life into a local church is a decision of two persons, you and God. Each individual in communion with God has an opportunity to add life in a locality. What choice are you making?
Jesus made the choice of fulfilling the mission granted unto him by God. He taught and mentored disciples into the ways and means of doing and living in accordance to the will of God. When Jesus laid down this earthly life to glorify God through sacred sacrifice, He became glorified as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, cherished throughout eternity.
Prior to the glorification of Jesus Christ, prayers were made by our Lord, according to the Gospel of John the 17th chapter. In the totality of the chapter Jesus prays of himself, the disciples bought into earthly communion with him, and for all, who would become members of the Church throughout the ages. Yes, Jesus prayed for you and me. The Lord prayed for us.
The primary focus here is not on the particulars of Jesus praying for us, you and me. Rather, center on the authenticity and authority of Jesus praying. Jesus as an authentic being prayed that God would indeed accept the completion of his earthly mission of glorification. His purpose in being was to bring glory to God through a life of devotion to the task given to by God. Jesus knew the purpose of life and lived to the fulfillment of a purposed driven life. Then, lifted his eyes up to heaven and prayed: "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you..."
What a centering on purpose Jesus brought to living in humanity. Being true to self is one portion of living as authentic being. It is unfulfilled living, when your life is lived and sucked into world void of God, who has purposed your being and staying in the world. So, in addition to being true to an understood self, every authentic being in unfulfilled until brought to an inner comprehension of self in connection to God. Authenticity is being true to self from the root of being as well as the seed of being. In other words, we are more than flesh and blood of a mother and father, we are children of God rooted in the faith of Abraham, but more so grounded in the being of God. When we pray, we are in need of praying as children of God. Faith in God is the essential beginning of genuine authentic prayer. The Church is in need of prayer, genuine prayer. Do you believe God to be God, and Jesus the Christ, the Son of a living God?
Christians or non-Christians are not the issue here. The root is not in a faith limited by the descriptions and characterizations of human minds. At the root of praying for the church is not the name Christian, it is the name Jesus. Jesus is authentic being given the authority by God over all life, so-called Christian or non-Christian, so that all may come into eternal life as given by God. In other words, the Church is not in need of prayer to be an exclusive club decided on by votes of people in humanity. No, the Church is in need of prayer for all of humanity to come into genuine relation with God, who alone grants unto Jesus those that are to be eternally grafted and bonded eternally to God. People from various walks and understanding of life may come. They may come with the philosophy of Socrates on a life worth living. They may come with the theology of Islam on a life in submission. They may come with the training laws of Moses on a life in obedience. As for our house, we come in surrender, surrendering all to God through the teachings of Jesus, the Christ, Son of God and Savior of men and women in the world, who accept the glorification of God given to Christ.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us, and grant that we may dwell in you - Christ! Amen.
Bringing new life into a local church is a decision of two persons, you and God. Each individual in communion with God has an opportunity to add life in a locality. What choice are you making?
Jesus made the choice of fulfilling the mission granted unto him by God. He taught and mentored disciples into the ways and means of doing and living in accordance to the will of God. When Jesus laid down this earthly life to glorify God through sacred sacrifice, He became glorified as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, cherished throughout eternity.
Prior to the glorification of Jesus Christ, prayers were made by our Lord, according to the Gospel of John the 17th chapter. In the totality of the chapter Jesus prays of himself, the disciples bought into earthly communion with him, and for all, who would become members of the Church throughout the ages. Yes, Jesus prayed for you and me. The Lord prayed for us.
The primary focus here is not on the particulars of Jesus praying for us, you and me. Rather, center on the authenticity and authority of Jesus praying. Jesus as an authentic being prayed that God would indeed accept the completion of his earthly mission of glorification. His purpose in being was to bring glory to God through a life of devotion to the task given to by God. Jesus knew the purpose of life and lived to the fulfillment of a purposed driven life. Then, lifted his eyes up to heaven and prayed: "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you..."
What a centering on purpose Jesus brought to living in humanity. Being true to self is one portion of living as authentic being. It is unfulfilled living, when your life is lived and sucked into world void of God, who has purposed your being and staying in the world. So, in addition to being true to an understood self, every authentic being in unfulfilled until brought to an inner comprehension of self in connection to God. Authenticity is being true to self from the root of being as well as the seed of being. In other words, we are more than flesh and blood of a mother and father, we are children of God rooted in the faith of Abraham, but more so grounded in the being of God. When we pray, we are in need of praying as children of God. Faith in God is the essential beginning of genuine authentic prayer. The Church is in need of prayer, genuine prayer. Do you believe God to be God, and Jesus the Christ, the Son of a living God?
Christians or non-Christians are not the issue here. The root is not in a faith limited by the descriptions and characterizations of human minds. At the root of praying for the church is not the name Christian, it is the name Jesus. Jesus is authentic being given the authority by God over all life, so-called Christian or non-Christian, so that all may come into eternal life as given by God. In other words, the Church is not in need of prayer to be an exclusive club decided on by votes of people in humanity. No, the Church is in need of prayer for all of humanity to come into genuine relation with God, who alone grants unto Jesus those that are to be eternally grafted and bonded eternally to God. People from various walks and understanding of life may come. They may come with the philosophy of Socrates on a life worth living. They may come with the theology of Islam on a life in submission. They may come with the training laws of Moses on a life in obedience. As for our house, we come in surrender, surrendering all to God through the teachings of Jesus, the Christ, Son of God and Savior of men and women in the world, who accept the glorification of God given to Christ.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us, and grant that we may dwell in you - Christ! Amen.
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