John 14:21-24 - The Indwelling of the Father and the Son

John 14:21-24

21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me, and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him. 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us, and not to the world? 23 Jesus answered and said to Him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me. 

Message: The Indwelling of the Father and the Son

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."  

What the Lord is Saying: Ever since John 13:31 I have seen Jesus talking about (1) Believe, (2) Pray, (3) Love or Obey, (4) He (Holy Spirit) will help. Now I don't believe obey is necessary for salvation as I think consistently I see Jesus speaking about believing in Him and through that trust in Him alone a person will have eternal life. The idea of Him being living water is He lives in us and works through us. I believe the Bible teaches salvation by grace throughout the entire book. Others talk about ages and that God saves in different ways at different periods of time, but I think our scripture is consistent that only God saves. God definitely wants people that are obedient to Him but this is not a condition for our salvation ever but always a confirmation. And let's face it, life is better for us when we are obedient. 

In Verse 21, Jesus remarks our need to keep the commandments. Again, keeping commandments like He says, "he it is who loves Me." We love him and so we keep His commandments. But verse 21 at first is a interesting progressing -- "Keep commandments - Show your love for Jesus - if loved by Jesus you are loved by the Father - and Jesus will love you - and will disclose Himself to you." So here is this idea keeping commandments has a result of Jesus loving us. 

Now we have another disciple asking Jesus questions. Interesting - Peter, Thomas, Philip, and now Judas. I find it interesting that John is providing all of these different disciples with their questions. Judas wonders in verse 23 about the words that Jesus mentioned of disclosing Himself. I must admit, if I were there, I would probably be asking the same thing. "Disclosing seems like an interesting word." 

Jesus responds by repeating somewhat the words of verse 21 but adding a word, "Abode." The idea seems to be love Him and do His commandments and Father/Jesus will set up an abode with that person. Conversely, if you don't love Him you don't keep His words. 

It seems the onus on these words is our love for the Father. That seems to be the focus here - that we need to focus on our love for God rather than thinking it is a tit for tat: I do this, he does that. 

But when we do the commands - God's love is guaranteed and this love is both from the Father and the Son. Obedience does not result only in God's acceptance, but God and His Son's acceptance. Again, as Jesus has stated many other times, the Son and the Father are together in their mission. Prior to being obedient to the commands is the giving of the Spirit of God, so that in our obedience we have the Spirit in us. The Spirit is working in us and through us and this is our obedience as we surrender to Him. 

The disclosing of Jesus to us perhaps is an allusion to the relationship between our obedience and His operation in us. Our obedience intensifies our relationship with Him. We will know Him more as we obey Him more. 

Summary: Disciples are to love Jesus and in the process, Jesus will disclose Himself to us, the Father and the Son, growing in closeness to God. 

Promise: If we are not seeking to grow in conformity to Christ, we should not expect to grow in the deeper things of God.

Prayer: Lord God, you are great and wonderful and thank you for the privilege of knowing You better as we grow in Your word and You. How awesome that you reveal yourself to us. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

John 14:18-20 - The Coming of Jesus

John 14:18-20

18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 After a little while the world will behold Me no more; but you [will] behold Me; because I live, you shall live also. 20 In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 

Message: The Coming of Jesus

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."  

What the Lord is Saying: Jesus is still speaking to his disciples, bringing words of comfort to them after they have not understand that He is leaving and they want to come with Him. What follows is (1) Believe, (2) Pray, (3) Love or Obey, (4) He will help. I think of the world's system here immediately that focuses on believing a message of each person is it and believe in yourself and then obey. Our different is we pray and we have Help. The Christian has help from the Spirit of Truth. We are not alone. We have the comfort of each other as well. 

Then in verse 18, Jesus says to them that He "will not leave you as orphans." These words seem to be spoken to bring words of comfort to the disciples. Perhaps He knows that they are still feeling abandoned. Despite the words that He has communicated even most recently about sending a Helper, He knows them and what they are feeling. Going back to 13:33 Jesus addresses the disciples as "Little children" and so here now in this verse is a connection to children when he mentions them as orphans. 

He says, "I will come to you." In these words, Jesus offers comfort to His disciples once again remarking that He will come to them. "After a little while the world will behold Me no more; but you behold Me. " The disciples or you (maybe includes the church) will behold Me. This is an interesting statement and once again, as we have possibly seen in other verses, like 14:3 when He says He is coming again, though in these verses that coming again could be more of an immediate coming again. But nevertheless we have additional words of comfort from Jesus that He will return. 

Yesterday, as I was studying those verses and thinking about the simple words that Jesus gives of "believe" I thought of other individuals throughout the ages that have told their followers to believe - like Jim Jones or Reverend Sun Yung Moon or even David Koresh and Joseph Smith and so many willingly went along and believed, but with Jesus we have something more than these charlatans spoke and that was the promise that He will come again. With those there was a visible person to believe but Jesus to His disciples and to us says, "I will come to you." He needs to leave, but He will come to us. We have that promise in the scriptures and the words from the gospel of people seeing Jesus, over 500. We know He comes again and we have the promise of His coming again, His second coming. But in the meantime we also have the promise of the Holy Spirit. And so with the Holy Spirit is the promise that He is with us now. 

And also the remark that "the world will behold me no more." Honestly, those words are frustrating because there are so many that cannot see Jesus and do not see in Him what we see. We have an eternal destiny with Jesus, those who believe in Him. How sad that anyone is left out of this. 

"Because I live, you shall live also." They know that I am living. And because Jesus lives; because He has risen from the dead "He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart." Jesus says "In That day" you will will know that Jesus in in the Father, and we are in the Son, and He is in us. 

Summary: Jesus continues to comfort His disciples promising that He will come again. He lives and we will live and like He is in the Father, we will always be in Christ. 

Promise: From Tabletalk - "The resurrection would confirm the truth of Jesus’ teaching and usher in the new age of the Spirit when the people of God better know who Jesus is and how He dwells within us."

Prayer: Father, you have give me eyes to see and behold You, to know You and You bring comfort and encouragement to my life always. I sing "He Lives." I sing "Great is Your Faithfulness." I sing "What a Friend we have in Jesus." You are ever present in life and I am in Christ as You are in the Father. Thank you for the promise, the hope, but also the assurance. Nothing like Jesus. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

John 14:16-17 - The Promise of Another Helper

John 14:16-17

16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 [that is] the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you. 

Message: The Promise of Another Helper

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."  

What the Lord is Saying: As I am reading and studying theses passages here in John 14, they seem to be foundational passages. Jesus is speaking to us. He is responding to the disciples, namely Peter, Thomas, and Philip, and their questions to Jesus about where He is going, why they can't follow, and who God the Father really is. And even as Jesus gives answers that don't always give the disciples peace but rather give them more questions, He also is giving them comfort and a mission in life and reminding them while He--Jesus--is not there with them, they are not alone without Him and now in these verses He mentions a Helper. Basically, "I am leaving, but you are not alone." Or "I am leaving, but in reality I am still here with you." 

Jesus must leave. Going back to verse 31 of John 13 He says, "the Son of Man glorified." Jesus has a purpose. The disciples are baffled and scared. They are void of the full picture of Jesus and what He is going to accomplish. They have fear and so Jesus proceeds to give them comfort. Jesus continues to say, "Believe Me." 

I am involved in an online ministry or forum. The forum is based upon the idea of the gospel. The gospel is presented and through that gospel conversations result. Most of those conversations are with people who agree with the gospel or the good news of Jesus Christ and want to make it a part of their lives and live it. But some conversations are with people who don't agree with it, think it is false, or have a different version of good news. Recently, in this forum I have been speaking with a man that has said God, the Bible, all of it is garbage. It is fake. It is manipulation. It is about controlling the masses. His arguments are simple and so far, lake much depth. This means good news is just not religion. And instead the good news is science is where it is at and defines everything in life and yet right now, in our conversations, there is little meat to what he is saying. But, in many ways he is asking me to believe him, to trust him. 

At this point of the gospel I am much further along in my encounter with Jesus. He has come and been born and come into the world and is asking people to "Believe Me." He wants people to listen to Him, to His words and trust Him. His audience is mostly made up of people who already believe in God. He is asking them to believe also in Him. He is asking them to trust that He and God are equal in their purposes, not the same. He still remarks that there is a difference, but He is trying to convince His audience that God's purpose is His purpose. And this purpose now has a future culmination. Along the way He is stating that believing in Him is all people need and will give them full life, eternal life. People will have everything they need because He is all they need. And the written words give us examples, supernatural examples of work that He has done. But those works need to also be coupled or combined with what He is saying. Clearly some people are only interested in the supernatural aspects but He is wants them really, first and foremost, to believe in Him. 

I suppose I just mention this because with the atheist and with Jesus the words seem to be; Just believe Me. 

So Jesus is now saying, "And." This "And" that begins this passage is Jesus continuing the thought. In our preceding verses Jesus mentions the continuous motion of life, "Asking" and "Doing." I think my Atheist friend is just telling me to "Believe" and "Do it." But Jesus is stating here that we ask and do. Preceding the asking is "believe." So really we have (1) believe, (2) ask and then (3) do or obey. Interesting. With God we have something different and that is prayer or asking. Jesus in these verses even echoes that sentiment by saying, "And I will ask the Father." Jesus in verse 16 is practicing in some ways what He said in verse 13 and 14 when He told His disciples to ask Him. The difference in those verses is He is telling His disciples to ask Him. But here he is asking the Father. Verse 13 and 14 was to ask in His name and then He will do it. 

I jump to another tangent here for a moment thinking about prayer because even in a prayer I have mostly me talking to God. I suppose I am emulating the Lord's Prayer, but I am ending the prayer with these words of "In Jesus' name." And yet in verse 13 and 14 and now in verse 16 the agent that is working in either Jesus or the Father. 

In verse 16, what has been asked is for Help. But not simply help, but a helper - an active agent. A living, active agent. Someone. And this help will never leave us.  "He may be with you forever." Jesus realize He is not always with them. But this Helper won't ever leave. And this "Spirit of Truth" is only for those who believe in Jesus. So the Spirit only helps the Believer is what Jesus is saying. In other words, we have something special and distinct from the world. We have a helper. The disciples have a helper. 

And "He abides with you, and will be in you." This is really dynamic. We have a Spirit of Truth and this Spirit will be in us. Forever. 

Summary: Jesus is leaving, but He is sending to those who believe in Him a Helper and this Helper will always be with those that believe in Jesus. 

Promise: Thank Jesus for the gift of the Helper, the Spirit of Truth. 

Prayer: God, you are in heaven and your name is great. Thank you for a new day, to arise, to get up and start anew. I need your strength today to radiate in me. I am tired and I know I am at the end of my week and still have things I need to do. Thank you for this truth. Thank you for Jesus. And thank you Jesus for giving me help. Even though you left, you provide Help and that help is always in me. For many years I did not really realize it because I did not talk much of the helper, the Spirit of Truth, but now that I have picked up on it, I am constantly amazed at His presence and how is with me through all of life. And I need Help. I believe in You and I want to obey You, but I need Help. So I keep asking for your help. Help me. Give me strength. Give people strength for each day. Life sends me curve balls all the time. Help me. Thank you for the comfort of knowing that You are there and others are near by also to encourage me. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

John 14:15 - Showing Our Love for Christ

John 14:15

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

Message: Showing Our Love for Christ

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."  

What the Lord is Saying: This verse isn't speaking of salvation. Jesus is simply pointing out the response of the Christian it would seem or the disciple of His in what it means to be a Christian. The previous verse said, "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." It is almost if Christ is pointing out some summary ideas. Ask me and I will do it. Love Me and do what I have told you to do. 

For me, I want to focus on the asking and Christ doing rather than the loving and obedience. Right? I want it to be about me and what I am receiving rather than on loving Him and doing what He says. 

Summary: Christ gives us a simple admonition to show our love for Him by being obedient to His commandments. 

Promise: From Tabletalk -- Keeping Christ's commandments reveals that we have been united to Him for salvation and possess the genuine love that is the consequence of genuine faith. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for these simple words and the simple reminder of my obedience toward you and following You always and being obedient to your commands. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

John 14:11-14 - The Works We Will Do

John 14:11-14

11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. 12 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

Message: The Works We Will Do

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."  

What the Lord is Saying: The words of Jesus continue in this passage. Jesus has been speaking to the disciples - namely taking questions from Peter, Thomas and Philip and continuing to give them a full picture or a full understanding of who He is. They know Him as Savior and Messiah and their Lord, but they continue to understand Him or are growing to understand Him as not only sent by God but containing the same essence of God. John, our writer in this passage gets this and understands this. And how great it is that I am understanding this as well. 

Jesus confirms in verse 11 the truth, "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me." They are not the same person; distinct but they have the same attributes and essence. So, seeing Jesus is seeing the Father. All that the Father is can be had in Jesus. And Jesus must return to the Father as well. 

This idea of believing in Jesus has been a big idea for Jesus and one that He continually conveys. I remember in John 10:25-27 Jesus spoke of the Sheep that believe in Him and hear His voice. But Jesus also conveys to not only to believe in what He is saying, but believe also in what He has done: "otherwise believe because of the works themselves." Jesus has shown clearly in His gospels His work and what He has done. And yet the idea seems to have been clear in the gospels that seeing His miracles, while helpful, gave the people and disciples confirmation. It was His words and believng in Him and what He was saying that was perhaps most important. 

Now, the rest of this passage will speak of a further idea - from believing to working; from believing to doing. This seems to be the central idea of verse 12. But then in verse 13 and 14 it appears to go back to the work that Jesus will do when we ask - "believing." 

Verse 13 and 14 I think have always been somewhat puzzling verses to people. They represent verses that basically give a blank check it appears to God's provision. "Whatever you ask....I will do...ask me anything...I will do it." This is an interesting passage because it speaks of works we will do and works Jesus will do. Maybe what is clear is that works will be needed. But still this is a hard passage because people are people of need, people of want. And people of faith are dependent on God to provide. They recognize that things come from God. They find comfort in these words to ask whatever and yet people of need have asked God and have not received. And this remains a hard part of faith and not getting always what we ask. 

These words from Chapter 14 start off with the heading in my Open Bible as "Christ Comforts His Disciples." Amazing how much we need comfort. I was going through some books the other day, trying to figure out what I could get rid of and clear space in the garage I guess for other things. I saw a book that my mom had given Pamela and I at one time and written inside of it was words about my mom going through a difficult time and finding comfort with the words of that book and so passing it along to us. 

The disciples at this time are a little nervous. They want Jesus to stay close. They don't want to see him leave. They want to follow Him if He is leaving. They want to stay with Him. Jesus knows this can't happen immediately. Later, but not now. So Jesus speaks to them, offering them words of encouragement and comfort. Jesus wants His words to bring them comfort. There is comfort in knowing that while the disciples can't go with Jesus, Jesus is preparing a place for them. There is comfort in believing in Jesus that He is the only way to God. There is comfort in believing in Jesus that good works will follow. Maybe this won't always happen to us. But still there is comfort in these words, in the possibility and so we believe in Him, in Faith, we trust in Him. We have hope and it seems to be more and more that this is what we need in life, hope. And when we reach a place of no more hope, we move or change places. I had a worker yesterday leave to take a different job. His remark to me was there was no more hope in staying. 

I think of Mr. Talbot and seeing him on Sunday and visiting with him and in that time maybe he gets comfort and I can share with him and know him through that time. 

Summary: Jesus tells his disciples once again the importance of believing in Him and through His words He brings them comfort, letting them know he will work as they ask Him.  

Promise: Jesus continues to work in and through us. 

Prayer: O God, these words that I read, they are hard to digest at times. Maybe because I want the words to mean something that frees me from all trouble. I am normal. I want to be free from all bad and only for there to be good. But in You I find comfort and peace. Comfort from this hard world. And hope for tomorrow. I need those things. Lord, continue to help me show others this. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

John 14:7-10 - The Father Revealed in the Son

John 14:7-10

7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.

Message: The Father Revealed in the Son

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."  

What the Lord is Saying: Jesus continues to answer the questions posed by the disciples, namely Peter at the end of chapter 13 and Thomas at the beginning of Chapter 14. Jesus has mentioned that He is going away - going to prepare a place for His disciples - for us - and He will come again and they will be received. But for now, He is leaving. He confirms in the last passage that He is the way, the truth, and the life. 

And now in verse 7 He remarks that knowing Him (Jesus) is knowing the Father. We know Him because we have seen Jesus. The next disciple, Philip, responds and says to Jesus - "Show Me." Jesus is speaking but the words are not being understood by the disciples. We can read the words today and based upon all that we know, we can understand, but to those disciples at the time they were confused. 

Jesus speaks and provides clarity and confirmation of who He is: (1) that His words are the words of the Father, (2) seeing Jesus is seeing the Father, and (3) the Father is in Jesus. Jesus is not speaking on His Own. He is not independent. He is of the Father and the Father is speaking through Him. The Father and Son are of the same essence while different in their persons. 

Therefore this passage seems to be focused on those words from verse 7, "If you had known Me." The disciples did know Jesus. They knew him as Savior of the World. They knew Him as Messiah. They knew Him, but they did not know Him fully. This is what Jesus is relaying to them and trying to help them understand - a full understanding of who He is and why He came. Though He has been repeating it, they still don't completely understand His power and His office. The equality with God and being sent by God and all that this means is still something they are learning. That God has sent Him and that He must return to the Father and then come back again. He will speak later of leaving and them receiving the power and work of the Holy Spirit (15:26-27). Jesus has been showing them. Even in verse 9 Jesus speaks with a mild rebuke, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip." Peter, Thomas, Philip - there is a growing interest by more disciples - more involved in knowing Jesus. 

Summary: Jesus continues to try to help his disciples understand completely Himself, namely that seeing Jesus is seeing Father and that the Father is in Him. 

Promise: The Father and the Son share the same divine essence; thus, They are identical in Their attributes. If we want to see the goodness, wisdom, power, or any other attribute of God most clearly manifested, we must look to how they are manifested in the life of Jesus. Only by knowing Jesus can we know God.

Prayer: O God, you are rich in mercy and Your ways are complete. I thank You for the understanding You have given me of all You are and yet I know, even now I am learning about You and learning to describe You more fully, even after 40 years of walking with You and calling You my Lord. It remains a process in my life. Give me patience and compassion to others that are still learning this and learning these truths. Help me to be sensitive to where they are at in their lives. Help it not to be an argument or conflict in trying to understand but rather a process of education and learning. We too quickly opt for division and argument in our world. Return us to understanding. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

John 14:4-6 - The Only Way to the Father

John 14:4-6 

4 And you know the way where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."

Message: The Only Way to the Father

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."  

What the Lord is Going: Always interesting to see the context of those verses that we hold on so much to in our lives. Jesus is preparing to be glorified and will be going somewhere the disciples will not be able to go - maybe dying and then returning again when He is resurrected. But the point of this verse is the disciples are struggling with Jesus' words. He is instructing them and asking them to trust Him. Peter wondered in 13:36 where Jesus was going. And now Thomas as well in verse 5 wants assurance of the way. Jesus expands on this idea, moving us to the understand that He is the Way - He is the Truth - He is the Life -- The Way to the Father is through Him. 

This entire book has been Jesus asking people to believe in Him. To trust that He has been sent by the Father. Everywhere this message is key to this gospel. And the plot thickens and now Jesus says that the only way to get to the Father is through Him. Radical statement. And in some ways this text is a turning point to the rest of this gospel. This idea has already been central to this book when Jesus stated:

• John 4:14 - Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. 
• John 5:24 - Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
• John 6:35 - Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst."
• John 6:40 - For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
• John 6:51 - I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”
• John 7:37-38 - If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’
• John 8:12 - Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
• John 8:58 - Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." 
• John 10:9 - I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 
• John 11:25-26 - Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

So now to say, "I am the way, the truth, the life, no one comes to the Father, bur through Me" is simply a culmination of all that He has said so far. 

Summary: Like Peter, Thomas does not know where Jesus is going when He says is going away, but Jesus confirms He is the only way to the Father. 

Promise: Let us resolve never to deny that Christ is the only way to the Father, and let us pray for strength to confess this truth no matter the pressure to say salvation is available through other means as well.

Prayer: O Lord, Your message is clear and consistent and yet it is hard when people don't understand You. And yet You have said some will not. It is hard for those to keep their blinders on. Help me to be good about giving a response even when I struggle to do this. It helps me and helps my faith. Help me to continue to speak Your truth. Thank You for being clear in Your word. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.