Scripture: John 17.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

John 17:14-19 (NLT)

14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15
I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.

16
They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.
18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

After reading this chapter my mind reflected on my parents and made me wonder what they must have prayed for me, and what my mom must still pray for me, even at my age. While here on this earth Jesus did everything possible to demonstrate His love and His concern for His disciples and for those that He had contact with. He made an indelible impression on them and showed such great love for them that followed Him and obeyed Him without reservation. God has also placed us here in this world on mission. He sent His son Jesus to show us how to do it, and especially how to do it through obvious opposition from this world. The thing that I believe that we can learn from this passage today is the prayer that I underlined. If Jesus prayed that for us, how much more should we be mindful of the opposition, temptation and challenges that our children face in this world, and therefore be in daily prayer for them? Jesus said that He gave himself as a holy sacrifice so that we could be made holy. Surely we can give of ourselves in prayer for our kids that they too may become holy and pure before our Father.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father I know that You are aware of all that we face each and every day. I believe that You also know what our kids face each day that hardens their hearts and keeps them from being totally sold out to You. In verse 19 You told the Father that You had given Yourself so that we may be made holy by the truth that You shared with us. I pray that Christian parents will join me in giving unselfishly of ourselves so that our kids may become one with You, so that they may find value and everlasting joy in totally surrendering themselves to You and following Your will and way for their lives each day. This old world has only gotten worse in the pressure that it places on our kids to follow a path that leads to destruction, but praise God I know that You are more powerful than any temptation that may come their way, so I plead with You again to touch the hearts of our kids with Your love and give them unbelievable strength to follow You in a world that seems to pull them in totally opposite directions. Please give me wisdom as a father to pray as You did and give sacrificially as You gave.

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
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