Wednesday May 31st, 2023
« Because of the Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ, I, Paul, am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, I know Whom I trust. I know Whom I have believed and I convinced that He is able to keep those I committed to Him until the very end. »
1 After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you.
2 For you have given Him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him.
3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One you sent to earth.
4 I brought glory to You here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.
5 Now, Father, bring Me into the glory we shared before the world began.
6 “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
7 Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you,
8 for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.”
9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to You.
10 All who are mine belong to You, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory.
11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.
12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.
When I newly gave my life to Christ, the love of God in me made me burn with zeal to please the One who paid the supreme price to save my soul.
However, some people I met in the faith mocked my zeal and said to each other, “Leave him alone; he will soon be tired and slow down.”
I thank God that He has not allowed their prediction come true in my life. For this reason, I can stand to testify, as Paul did in today’s memory verse, that God is indeed able to keep what is entrusted to Him to the very end.
Paul was a man whose life proved that faith in the sustaining grace of God is not a waste.
God kept him going in the Christian race and helped him to finish well and strong.
At the end of his life, Paul was able to say in 2 Timothy 4:6-8: NLT
6 As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of His return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to His appearing.
How was Paul able to finish his Christian race well in spite of the many obstacles he faced?
The answer lies in today’s Bible reading.
Before our Lord Jesus Christ left the earth, He devoted a substantial amount of time to pray that the faith of those who genuinely belong to Him should endure.
As part of His prayer, He also said in John 17:12 CW
« While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of your name. I watched over them, and none of them, except one person, became lost as for scripture to be fulfilled. »
This is something for us to think about.,
Judas was given equal opportunity not to end his race the way he did, but he chose to be a son of perdition.
We learn from him that making it to the very end is a matter of the choices we make every day.
Those who will cross the finish line are those who give heed to the Lord’s warning in Luke 12:15NIV which says:
« Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions. »
Beloved, I assure you that you can make it to the very end.
Hold the forth and don’t comprise your faith.
Keep on the firing line, and you will make it in Jesus’ Name.
Prayer point: Father, please uphold me in Your holy hands to the very end in Jesus’ Name.
Author: Bishop Enoch. A. Adeboye.
Edited by Naomie
Become His BFF Become a super human Morning affirmations
Prayer for self Prayer for Children
Freely you received, freely you must give (Math 10:8) , kindly share this devotion, and the Lord will bless you for it .
Spread the love of Christ by clicking on the ♥
Copingwords@gmail.com
