John 16:1-33 KJV

These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God. Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:1‭-‬33 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.16.1-33.KJV

John 15:18-25 KJV

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. John 15:18‭-‬25 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.15.18-25.KJV

Today’s Devotional

Today’s Devotional:

Blessed

Written By: Danny Saavedra

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”—Matthew 5:11 (NIV)

If you have a social media account, you’ve probably seen people share photos or stories using the hashtag #Blessed. You may see this attached to a photo of family and friends gathered together, a birth announcement, a significant other, a pet, or maybe even a delicious meal.

Do you know what you don’t expect to see #Blessed attached to? A post about people insulting you, a picture of you being persecuted, or a video of people falsely saying all kinds of evil against you. But that’s exactly what Jesus is saying here. He’s saying we’re “blessed” when this happens to us.

Charles Ellicott explains that this beatitude is different from the others because it’s “uttered, not as a general law, but as the portion of the listening disciples to whom the Teacher spoke. The words contain three forms . . . of suffering: (1) the vague contempt, showing itself in gibes and nicknames; (2) persecution generally; (3) deliberate calumnies (slander; false statements) . . . which were spread against the believers in Christ in the first two centuries.”

Have you experienced anything like this? Have you ever heard a believer referred to as a bigot because they don’t agree with someone’s lifestyle? Or that Christians are ignorant, outdated, and narrow-minded? Has a secular professor ever tried to shame you in front of a class full of students because you follow Jesus? I’ve experienced these things, and I’m sure on some level you have, too. And here, as Ellicott points out, Jesus “forewarns His disciples that they must expect persecution if they follow Him; His very name will be the signal and occasion of it.”

But He also says we’re blessed because of it. Tomorrow, we’ll go deeper into what that blessing looks like . . . but for today, I want you to consider why suffering, difficulty, persecution, and hardship get mentioned in a positive light constantly in the Bible.

Consider James 1:3 (NIV), where you’re encouraged to rejoice in trials, “because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” Consider how Paul encourages us to “glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4 NIV). And most of all, consider that Jesus tells us that He has overcome the world for us.

So, the next time you experience persecution of any kind for being a Christ-follower, I encourage you to view it as a blessing and know that God is working in you and for you in those moments!

DIG: Read John 15:18–25.

DISCOVER: Why do you believe the world hates and persecutes believers? What about Jesus’ name brings about such a reaction in some people?

DISPLAY: Find some time to pray with other believers over this subject. Pray for them as they potentially encounter persecution, slander, and ridicule for the name of Jesus. Pray for their perseverance and that the Lord would work through them, in them, and for them in those seasons.

Sinner Saved By Grace

Lyrics to the song Sinner Saved By Grace: If you could see what I once was
If you could go with me
Back to where I started from
Then I know you would see
A miracle of love that took me in its sweet embrace
And made me what I am today
Just an old sinner saved by grace.
I’m just a sinner saved by grace
When I stood condemned to death
He took my place
Now I live and breathe in freedom with each breath of life I take
Loved and forgiven
Back with the living
I’m just a sinner saved by grace https://youtu.be/C_lV6kXpABY

Let’s break it down. If you see the before and after you would see a miracle. Even as I have grown more then when I was a child in faith to now the change is huge. There is no denying seeing the fruits of the spirit in me.

The word sinner has a different view point on it. Saying one sin is worse then the other so I am not a sinner. There is   no if or but about it. Doesn’t matter if you killed someone or the least you do is maybe tell a lie once in a while. No sin is too big or too small not to be considered a sin. Sin is sin no matter what type of sin it is.

Proverbs 6:16 – 19 KJV

 These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yea, seven [are] an abomination unto him:

 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief.

 A false witness [that] speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

We come to then I stood condemned to death. Why condemn? What could I have possibly done to be condemned of Sin. Sin is what condemns you. Until you believe in Jesus and who He says He is, you are condemned meaning to spend eternity separated from God.

He took my place meaning He came down to earth conceived and then as a adult went to The Cross for us. He paid a debt He did not owe so that we who believe go to heaven. Before that we were destined to perish in hell. Out of His love for us he took on the sin of the world and paid with His blood. A man who did nothing wrong and yet still went to the cross for us.

Now I live and breathe in freedom meaning that for those of us who believe we are free from the chains and our sin that was leading us to hell and eternity separated from God. We admitted we are a sinner. We believe in Jesus Christ. We confessed our sin and need of Him in our lives. We have been changed forever and get to spend eternity with God.

Loved and forgiven meaning: 1st John 4:19 KJV We Love Him because He firsted loved us. His love for us sent him to the cross. He doesn’t wish any to perish that is why Jesus was sent to earth so that we might be saved. Why might? It’s your choice to believe or not believe in Him. Forgiven takes us to Ephesians 1:7 KJV In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.

Back to the living meaning I was dead spiritually and with my belief and faith I am no longer spiritually dead.

I am just a sinner saved by grace meaning found in Ephesians 2: 8-9 KJV For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not  of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

This is why I am a sinner saved by grace. God’s grace and mercy are new every morning. No better time then today to follow Him.