17 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

After reading this, I had to look up the definition of glory.  I think sometimes we have made up in our minds what the words are defined as, or we see an image that gives us an emotion to a word.  Glory to me was like what happens when someone wins the Olympics.  I believe Jesus might be using the word "glory" to signify the greatest honor achievable. 

I've been up the last few mornings thinking about salvation, and Christianity and my approach to the world next to the approach Jesus used.  Mine sure looks a lot different at times, and really it should not.  But one thing that I noted is very clear in this prayer.  We need to be mindful of our own words and actions and we need to pray for others, not the other necessary the other way around.

Also Jesus makes it straight forward and clear again how we obtain eternity with Christ or in heaven.  It is not a man made way... it was a way made available through God's flesh and blood, his only Son, Jesus Christ.  Remember Jesus was and is the flesh and the blood of God. The only sacrifice that was possible for you to obtain forgiveness and relationship with Him.

We often fight about great prophets, great leaders, who we want to follow.  We like this Preacher or that Pastor, we like this President or that one....but we have no need to fight over Jesus as we love to.  Jesus the Holy Spirit and God are one.  In separate identities, with specific jobs to do.   Jesus is stating here that his job, or reason that he came in the flesh was finished and it is now time to return to the Father.  Jesus can not compare with other worldly leaders, or religious leaders, because he is God, he came from God, it's God's flesh and blood, came down to walk among us to be the only sacrifice to save you.  We don't need to be offended by the name...it is the name that saved us, it is the name that continues to save us.

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16 Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”

17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”

19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? 20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

29 Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. 30 Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”

31 “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Today's study is in a little different format, however, I wanted to get back to writing.  It's a passion I have and will be continuing, so thank you for bearing with me with this brief transition.

Jesus is clearly trying to point out a clear distinction between the disciples and the world.  I hear people with the same frustrations, "I can't tell what voice is in my head.  Is it God, is it Satan or is it myself?"  God is clearly pointing out that there is a definite line and distinction between God's word and the world's voice.  Satan is tricky, he can twist the word, that is why God continually tells you that he is sending God's Spirit to live in you, as God's Spirit, as you remember, convicts of sin, of God's righteousness, and judgment.  It provides you that still small voice that says move, stay, or wait.

We are so free!  God has made access through Jesus to go directly to him!  In the old days, you would have to go to the Priest to talk to God.  You had no access to the Father.  Jesus changed all that.  You can be sitting on a deserted island without a Priest or Church for miles and confess your sins and ask Jesus for forgiveness and to live in your heart and he will!  There is no waiting or sacrificing or anything of the sort...it's all about your relationship with Christ!

I love how the disciples were so convinced that Jesus was God...they boast confidence in him and everlasting faithfulness.  (Plot spoiler if you haven't read the entire book) Jesus tells them that they are going to scatter as soon as he is dead....and they do!  Why did this happen?  Is it because they lost their faith, or they were hypocrites, or they were fake?  No....they were on their own without the aid of the GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT or Jesus.  We are very weak on our own.  We always think if we could do better, or be better or act better...or had enough will power...but the problem with that, is just like the disciples... that thought pattern puts all the pressure on your weak flesh...and we just can't do it!  What we need is the Holy Spirit...than we are able to do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

So next time you are feeling confident in your abilities and they fail you...don't get discouraged...we are all built to have the driver of our vehicles be the Holy Spirit... if he's not in control, we look like 2 year olds on bicycles without training wheels.

and don't worry...Jesus has your back!

"Angie...your Grandpa is getting older and I know you built your foundation on him, but you have to remember your foundation is built on Christ and I don't want your foundation to crumble if anything happens to him."

I couldn't help but think of those words again today.  They were true words spoken by a dear friend.  I thought a lot about all the things my Grandpa has taught me though out the years and wondered if I had learned the lessons he taught me and in return taught them to my children.  What was the lesson my Grandpa taught me....

To Love.

I taught my children that they should obey.  That Mom and Dad were always right and should not be questioned because they were just kids and didn't know what was best for them.  I disciplined like a good parent should and I broke that rebellious spirit to make sure that they were well behaved in public and respectful around others and they learned that lesson well and they are amazingly respectful...but did I teach them love?

I taught my children that they should go to church, that they should have a relationship with Christ and that they should make it a point to pray for others and they watched as we took them every Wednesday and Sunday.  They also watched us try to clumsily walk this Christian life out and we tried to follow all the rules.  My children do have a solid relationship with Christ.  They are not living for the world...but did I teach them love?

I taught my children the worth of a dollar.  How we needed to work hard, that we are not to live off of the system or other people unless our lives are in danger.  How we are not to be a burden on others and that if we are capable and able, we need to continue to work hard, not spend money foolishly and mind our own business.  They watched as time after time I rejected their requests to play catch or go to the lake, or do fun things because I was too busy keeping an eye on the dollar.  All this to get out of our own massive debt that we created before we learned this lesson ourselves. I taught them the value of money.... but did I teach them love?

A few years ago, it was a realization that many things in life that I had invested in did not compare to "time".  We sit behind our computer screens, we stress and worry about our clothes, our friends, our bills, our names, our jobs, or homes, our hobbies, our cars, our issues and worries, our sickness and our weight.  I listened carefully as not only myself but my friends vented frustrations about things such as rules, government, germs, church, friends, kids, spouses, money, jobs, and Facebook.  The more I listened the more I thought about "time"....and does any of these things teach us to love?

Whenever I start to think about all the lessons I could be learning in life and all the things I could be better at, all the things I haven't done or said, all my imperfections all the things that bring me down like the weight I haven't lost, the wrinkles on my skin, the attribute I haven't attained, the toy the kid left on the floor, the dish in the sink....I think ......

if "TIME" were to end tomorrow....did I teach them to love?

John 13:34-35
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Most everyone wants to be inspiring!  Just look at Facebook.  People want others to see them as an important part of society.  Everyone wants to feel like they are making a difference in life, either by what they do for work, for their family, for their church, for success.  Everyone has a passion and they want to be accepted for that passion!  They want to share it with others!

But here is what I learned...

You will find in this life, that much of the time, when your sight is on the respect or popularity of others, you are going to start to live a life that was not intended for you.  You are going to find that the more acceptable you are to others, the more you crave their fellowship and attention.

You will find that the more you read self help books, you will give your self just one more standard that you can't live up to.  You will notice that you will start to see yourself in how others perceive your life should look like.  You will determine that you either have to live a life that reflects their box, or you will shut down and find yourself depressed at your inability to perform to those standards.

You will find that you can even get hurt by Christian friends and family.  Many times if you don't know who you are in Christ or if your confidence level of your own self esteem isn't sure of the abilities that God has placed in you, the sounds of the judgement of God can be overwhelming coming out of even the most intentional hearts of love.

You will find that no matter how many friends you have on Facebook, what matters is how many of them actually spend time with you.  You will find if you have 100 friends and only 1 like on your post, there must be something devastatingly wrong with you.  Or perhaps you don't post much and you tell people you only use it for pictures of family, yet you search each post judging whether or not that person is within your standards, or if they have a better life than you.

You will find that there are many people who have it all together, at least on the outside.  Success, beauty, luck, blessings, friends and joy all surrounds them.  They are encouraged lifted up and inspired by others and they will never understand how someone in depression can't get their life together and be who God created them to be.

But I've also learned this...

In everyday, God is there, whether you see huge miracles and have revivals around every corner, he is also in those still quiet moments encouraging you to be who he created you to be.  Encouraging you to take one more step.  Wooing you to trust in him.

That the only self help book anyone should care to live up to is the word of God.  That you might find some hard and challenging opportunities in there, but all you have to do is tell God, and God only, that you are too weak to do it on your own and you need his help.

That confidence comes by your FAITH that God is enough for every situation that you will encounter and that every encounter is those that God puts before you, not the ones that you try to force yourself into.

That no matter how much you invest in opportunities to help the world, the most fulfilling opportunity is the time you invest in your family.  You can help others until your blue in the face, and you can be overwhelmed at the amount of work it goes into to set up for a city wide revival, or you can begin the revival in your home and let God do all the work for you and watch it spread from there.  You don't have to be ashamed because you are not doing enough in your community and that revival is lack because you didn't do your part.  You can also be sure that living like that is not selfish, even if you didn't help at the homeless shelter yesterday.

That churches are no more to blame for your broken relationship or your lack of faith, any more than drug dealers are at fault for the massive drug problem we have in our cities.... think about that.

That no matter your hurts, no matter your trials, no matter your feelings of insecurity, no matter your sickness, no matter your abuse, no matter your amount of friends on social media, you can never put a label at the source of an "empty hole" in your life.  The empty hole is placed there by God so that you crave his attention as much as he craves yours.  And you never have to live up to anyone's expectation of how they feel your life should be lived, because it was never about you and them...it has always been about you and God.

And....you are inspiring just because of that.