Christ – T.H.E.M.

April 29, 2014 randymcpheron

Today’s Bible reading is John chapter 17

(Read the entire New Testament in 2014 by reading only one chapter each day)

Jesus is the great Prayer Warrior. In His High Priestly Prayer, recorded in John 17, Jesus prayed the glory down. There are some people who seem to be on a first name basis with the Father that are able to pray heaven down. They have learned from Jesus how to pray. Their walk with God is such that their heart and life is tuned to the Father, and their prayers reveal the heart of God. Prayer has more to do with our relationship with the Father than the words we choose to say to God. Jesus prayed perfect and powerful prayers that brought the glory down. The word “glory” appears eight times in Jesus prayer. The key to effective prayer is praying for that which brings God glory. God will not share His glory with any man, but when we seek to bring Him glory God will honor it. The Holy Spirit will bless us when we seek God’s glory. He will manifest the Father to us and allow us to bask in God’s glory. We should be encouraged that Jesus still knows how to pray and that He is praying for us today.

Prayer: “Father, thank You for the prayers of Jesus, may we Your children learn to pray like Him. May our lives be so tuned to the heart of God that we pray heaven down. In Jesus name. Amen.”

Randy J. McPheron

Daily Devotions

April 18, 2014 randymcpheron

Today’s Bible reading is John chapter 10

(Read the entire New Testament in 2014 by reading only one chapter each day)

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.” In the Old Testament the sheep were sacrificed for the shepherd, but when Jesus came He was the Good Shepherd who was sacrificed for His sheep. The Good Shepherd agonized a grueling death on the cross in order to pay the sin debt. He fully met all the righteous requirements of Holy God to be the one sacrifice for sin forever. You see without the shedding of blood there would be no remission of sin. It required Jesus dying in our place to satisfy the sin debt. No one took His life from Him but He freely gave it up for all. He could have called ten thousand angels but instead He chose to die for you and me. “His hands were nail pierced, His side was riven, He gave His life’s blood for you and me. Oh what a Savior! Oh hallelujah!” The cross was a symbol of shame, but when Jesus was crucified it became a glorious cross! The crucified, buried, and risen Savior stands before us now and proclaims, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow Me.” To become a follower of Jesus we must identify with His cross, die to self and live in surrender to Him.

Prayer: “We thank You for the cross upon which the precious Savior died. In Jesus name. Amen.”

Randy J. McPheron

Daily Devotions

April 15, 2014 randymcpheron

Today’s Bible reading is John chapter 7

(Read the entire New Testament in 2014 by reading only one chapter each day)

Jesus said, “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” He spoke these words with passion. His heart yearned and longed for the spiritually impoverished people to turn to Him for life and satisfaction. They were searching in all the wrong places for hope and happiness. He not only spoke these words with passion but also He spoke them prophetically. His words were a fulfillment of the scripture. Not only were His words prophetic, but also they were a promise. He was describing the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit lives in us and gives us life! The witness of God’s Spirit flows from our lives like a river when we belong to God. This is true because God promised it to us.

Prayer: “Heavenly Father, our souls are thirsty, we come to You that we may experience Your Holy Spirit flowing like a river from our lives. In Jesus name. Amen.”

Randy J. McPheron