Read: John 14
Chapter fourteen begins with Christ answering the question that Peter
had in John 13:36, “Where are you going?” Jesus assures His disciples of their future
home with Him in Heaven (v. 1-2). The
disciples were confused by this teaching, Thomas and Phillip both questioned
Him (v. 5, 8). Jesus responds with the
sixth “I AM” statement, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”. He tells them that He and the Father are One
and teaches them that He would empower His followers to do even greater works
(v. 12-14). Jesus then promises to pray
for the Father to send the Holy Spirit (v. 16) who would teach them and equip
them to remember and live out His teachings (v. 26). The chapter ends with Christ warning His
followers that He was about to leave the world, but reassuring them that they
would see Him again (v. 19, 28). He also
encouraged the disciples to keep His commandments. Three times He teaches that love equals
obedience (v. 15, 21, 23). In this
passage, as throughout Scripture, we see the dependence of the Son upon the
Father. Those who do not love and obey
the Son reject the Father (v. 24).
JOURNALING AND PRAYER
1. “Let not your hearts be troubled” (v.
1). In what area is your heart troubled
today? Take a moment and talk to Jesus
about this area. Ask Him to comfort you
and to show you His plans in this situation.
Ask Him for a word, thought, picture or verse from Him that can bring
you peace in this troubled situation.
2. Praying in Jesus name means praying in a way that
is consistent with His character and His will.
Effective prayer must ask for and desire what the Lord delights in. Ask the Lord to show you a situation in your
life that requires prayer. Then ask Him
to show you what His will is in that situation through a word, thought, picture
or verse.
3. There is a definite repeat theme in this passage
– loving God means keeping the commandments (v. 15, 21, 23) yet most of believers
are actually filled with love for self, not love for God. It shows in our attitudes, this is what
self-love looks like:
- Self-fulfillment (I achieved/accomplished...)
- Self-gratification (I deserve...)
- Self-pleasure (I need....)
- Self-advancement (I must promote myself...)
- Self-reliance (I have to be strong/I am strong...)
- Self-preservation (I must fight for myself, I must protect myself...)
- Self-hate (I am worthless, stupid, good for nothing...)
- Self-condemnation (I can't do anything right, I don't deserve...)
- Self-criticism (I made a fool of myself, I failed, I suck.....)
- Self-comparison (I did better than ..., I am not as good as ...)
Ask the Lord to show you 2-3
areas of self-love that you struggle with.
Confess these things as sinful attitudes. Then, ask the Lord to grow in you genuine,
real and passionate love for Him.
