Jesus Prays for Your Faith – Part 3

Here's a Engram Watts on today's living in the light.

Jesus is always thinking of you. You always been on his mind always been on his heart.

He's praying for you with full understanding Engram once in the portion of today's message which is titled, Jesus prays for your faith. Jesus knows what it's like to be betrayed by someone. Judas Iscariot was one of the original 12 disciples, and we learned that Judas betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin in the garden 70, why would Jesus choose him to be a disciple of Jesus knew what he would do that night. Let's learn more about this is and speaks from John chapter 17 Mrs. verse 12 while I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me none is been lost, except the one doing the distractions of Scripture would be fulfilled any speaking of Judas Iscariot hangs. Judas cannot describe them for moments he was chosen to be a disciple and Jesus gave him the responsibility of being the treasurer for the whole group.

Judas was in the boat when Peter walked on the water. Judas was in the boat when Jesus climbed in and calm the storm and the disciples.

Oh my goodness, who is this that even the wind and waves obey him. Judas was there on that hillside when there were 5000 people who are men and families that were fed the fathers into visions that Judas is running the disciples that passed out.

The baskets are broken pieces of a whole crowd fed until they were satisfied. Judas was there when the man was born blind was given sides and Judas was there and Bethany went. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. So what was it about Judas that he would betray his Lord and probably he'd been chosen to be a disciple when you know Jesus knew he would. God merely would only two things I can come up with making you come up with some more but one reason is. Maybe Jesus chosen to be his disciple. Because Jesus wants you to know he understands what it feels like to be betrayed if you had a spouse that walked out on you for somebody else. You had a sibling who stole your inheritance, you had business associates. That's took the business from you right out from underneath you know you didn't know until it was gone yet a best friend who you found is been slandering you behind your back and people believing the accusations. Jesus understand what it's like to be betrayed by somebody that you love so maybe that's one reason he chose Judas, but I think the greater reason probably is that Jesus chose Judas to be a disciple to underscore for you and me that while were chosen by God to be a disciple of Jesus.

We also have to choose and Judas never chose to be a disciple. He followed Jesus stole from the treasury.

He saw all those miracles enjoyed being with Jesus for three. I cannot imagine hearing Jesus watching Jesus being with Jesus for three years and yet not embracing Jesus but that was Judas and he fooled everybody. The other disciples they never guessed that he wasn't the real disciple because he just seemed so much like them in the Bible says that's within the church their wheat and tares, and I think we have to be careful we can't go pulling up tears because it may be a baby wheat and so Jesus is at the end of the age. The angels will come and sort out the tears in their wheat and the sheep from the goats.

But there there and sometimes you can hear them saying things in the name of Jesus in the name of the church things that are radically opposed the word of God there are tears in the weeds so I don't believe there's anybody who is like Judas here, but I want you to just take note that yes God chooses you and me to be a disciple, but we also need to make the choice. He doesn't want us just blind robots were not just you know on a chessboard removes us around.

We have a free will and he wants us to choose to belong to Jesus. Give Jesus our whole hearts and lives the love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength that Jesus is praying for our faith. It will be established in God's word will be secured by God's will and thoroughly that it would be evident in our walk, because if you're putting your faith in Jesus, we ought to be able to see that in the way you live your life and first of all, your redemption in verse 10 glorious come to me through them. We talked about that we live our lives to the praise of his glory. So whatever happens to us, good or bad, we just ask God, please help me to use this not overall purpose of whatever this is, is to bring you glory so that other people see me going through this and they want to know you so what do people see in you. What have you been redeemed from if we a chance to give testimony put your before story in your after story.

What do people see what you've passed from darkness to light and death to life and wish I had time to share stories of young think of one right now just a one of those cage fighters down from Louisiana just as rough and mean and tough and he was my driver in New York City and he had a big 38 revolver next tournament lien as he could be walked on the street and it was a small gap. People got away from them.

They were afraid of, and for good reason and he was a champion cage fighter and he was asked to sign to take me to the church rather speaking downtown Manhattan and so he told me a story and then he took me to the church ends. I went in the church to speak and he told me later he said you know he said as big armor plated SUV. He's got pulled up on the sidewalk in our park right there, while not supposed to park and he said all right. He said God if you really want to know you and he said I'm just going to trust that you been to protect my car when I go inside I want to hear this lady and he went inside and he heard this lady and gave his heart to Christ and then radically transform. It's amazing and move from New York back to Louisiana reason involved in the church he got reckons they had been separated from his wife for 17 years. They reconciled and he's been redeemed know so have you been redeemed. There should be a difference in our lives.

In verse 13 he said I say these things from still in the world and they may have the full measure of my joy within them and to be redeemed relieved that empty way of life and coming to the fullness of his joy and his love and his peace and his gentleness in his goodness and his faithfulness and self-control in all the fruit of the spirit minimizes the joy of the Lord is your strength and it grieves me when I speak to Christians in this is deadness on their face. Nothing all my goodness Kristin showing Francis sparkle where's the life think maybe they're not spending time in conversation with Jesus getting to know, how can you spend time with and how can you be in love with him and not let it sparkle from your face showing… Just see an expression on her face should be evident not only our redemption but our separation verse 14 had given them your word in the world is hated them for their not of the world anymore than I am of the world. John 15. He says that the world hates you, keep in mind, it hated me first.

If you belong to the world. It would love you as its own, as it is you do not belong to the world, but I chose you out of the world best father world hate you. Matthew 10 do not suppose that come to bring peace to the earth did not come to bring peace but a sword. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me and we want to be loving and tolerance, and inclusive. We don't want anybody to think badly about saying he says wait a minute. If you're living your life the way you're supposed to.

You will be hated who hate you, as a question basket in front of a hate you. Is it because of Jesus in your life and you are an artist separate from the world and it doesn't mean that we live in the world. We eat in the world. We shop in the world but not to draw our satisfaction and fulfillment from the world. Think about the world's walking at a pace that so fast with all this technology that makes life more convenient, but it is ratcheted up our business and makes no time for God. No time to pray.

Time to read your Bible, and we don't walk at the world space doing more walking with God and we make time for prayer and Bible reading and make sure that we follow through in obedience. The pattern of our behavior. The world's pattern is just, whatever they feel is right what's right in their own assets with a live bond you and I live according to the principles of God's word and priorities of parties for the world to me. First, in our priorities. The kingdom of God first. How can we not separate from the world you have to pulses come out from among them and be separate who you need to separate from what you need to separate from that your faith would be evident to others in the way you're living your life ends our faith should also be evidenced by our devotion verse 17 sanctify them by the truth. Your word is truth, so separation from the world were separated from sin and separated from the world but were separated to God and that sanctification is our devotion to God, so he separates you and me from the world to himself so that we live our lives for his glory were just walking at a different pace different drumbeat. First Corinthians 6 verses 1011 were to be devoted to the will of God but also the holiness of God. And Paul says in first Corinthians 6 that the sexually immoral, idolaters of the adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greeting drunkards, slanderous members will not go to heaven within the next verse he says I love it. Then he says, but that's what some of you were but you were washed, you were sanctified so the people I just described. When you've been redeemed.

God chooses you to be a disciple of Jesus, and he set you apart for his glory. He set you apart the be devoted to him to reflect his character in your life.

He says you are justified not only sanctified, you're just about just as if you never sinned in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ about the spirit of our God. So he says, sanctify them with your word taking Eddie and asking what does it say what does it mean what does it mean in my life ends watching your mind and your heart in your life for the water of the word just letting it flow through you until increasingly, the Holy Spirit conforms you to the image of Jesus. Then Jesus says in verse 19 for them. I sanctify myself so that they may truly be sanctified. So that's interesting is that Jesus said he sanctified himself and so going way back in eternity. God the father got up and motioned for his son to come to him and his son whose Lord of glory, seated on the throne with his father and surrounded by millions of adoring Angels and the father said son I'm going to set you apart for the work of redemption and want you to go to words and or creation, and I want you to do the work of redemption to put once and for all their victory over death and the devil and save people from their sin and shed your own blood to make atonement and open heaven for them and and so he sanctified Jesus and he set them apart for the work of redemption. Now Jesus the night that he's betrayed facing the cross and all that that represents. It's like he's re-sanctifying himself. He was so devoted to his father's will. He said it was like his meat in his drink and now the night before he's crucified. When that will is going to take them all the way to the cross. He's re-committing himself to his father's will and I'm willing to go the distance all the way to death on the court and so he sanctified himself for you and for me, set himself apart to do his father's will.

Regardless of what it cost them and I think you setting a pattern for you and me re-commit yourself to living your life as a disciple devotion should be evident in our walk people out to see that we love Jesus to people know that about you, your children know that about you, your grandchildren know that about you.

They should see in our lab submission. In verse 18 that you sent me into the world that sent them into the world so to be saved is to be sent to be converted is to be called in your to take the gospel in the world between your own 2 feet. So, for what is your world, your neighborhood, your church, your business, your office, your school, your classroom, your hospital wherever it is that you work and he sends you into your world to take the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is sending you there should be a sense of mission you can't be a disciple of Jesus and not be on mission. Who are you praying for that doesn't know Jesus.

Who are you sharing the gospel with doesn't know Jesus. What your mission so Jesus is praying for our faith that our faith would be established in his word secured by his will evident in our walk for our redemption and our separation devotion in the mission and and lastly he is praying that our faith will be successful in our witness ends in verse 20 he says. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, so he knows that the disciples are going to write down his word and they're going to pass that message to the next generation in the next and the next entries praying for those who will believe on him through the message that he's given them that they're giving out so actually the night that he was betrayed, he sprang for you and for me we're the ones who believed on him through the message. They gave in and who have you given the message to see you've received it from them so to speak with, received God's word from the disciples and then we've taken it.

We've accepted it. We believe that we live our lives by then who are we giving it to who, if we pass it on to an eyewitness, should result in other Bible believers and I think that should start within our home so critically the life that he was betrayed facing the cross. Was he praying for your children and your grandchildren and your best friend and your neighbor those that you been witnessing to those you been trying to make an impact in Jesus is praying for them. So make sure you don't water down your witness. We want to reproduce Bible believers people that also put their faith in God's word and we also want to bear the fruit of unified followers. Verse 21, that they may be one, father, just as you are in me and I menu, so there can be different generations, different ethnicities, different cultures, different languages, different skin colors, but we are one in Christ when you receive the Holy Spirit and he comes into you and the Holy Spirit is in me the Holy Spirit is in you, the Holy Spirit is in Jesus, the Holy Spirit of others before the throne of God.

We are made in one not only so, can I just apply that that means for a disciple of Jesus. There is no room for racism of white supremacy or anti-Semitism or self-righteousness, critical spirit, whatever you want to name I love Revelation 5 verses nine and 10 it says talking about Jesus with your blood you have purchased men for God from every tribe, every language, every people, every nation you've made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our godly will rain on the earth. We are one and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit where family traveled enough around the world and is thrilling to meet God's people and maybe they have different acts that make games speak their language involved in some of their ministries and were like a family. There is a bond there will just give me Jesus revolves around the world. I still stay in touch with some of the international revival chair is one in particular in Puerto Rico have been through so much on that island tends to see her faith and to see what she's doing in our church in reaching out to people and it's encouraging to me, and we would have such different backgrounds and cultures, and economic level in all the rest of it, but were sisters and she knows that she's a forever sister for me. So we should have the fruit of Bible believers unified followers and gory reflectors.

Verse 22 have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one is we are one IN them and you and me.

Doesn't understand the finer points of prophecy ends doctrine and the inspiration of the Scriptures.

Maybe the deity of Jesus. Jesus, but they do know what they see in the church down the street corner and those people always bickering fighting critical of each other and how many people don't want to know Jesus because of what they see and people call themselves by his name, and we need to be people who reflect his glory ourselves the way we talk the way we act the way we interact. We also need to reproduce that kind of person authentic believers who live for the praise of the glory of Jesus.

So unbelievers are more impressed by who we are and what we say like our children. They watch us and you can say all the right things but if you're not doing them not backing it up with the way you're living then your words can fall on deaf ears. So he's praying that our faith would be successful would be fruitful and witness so I member Miss Johnson who found a Bible study Fellowship and she was applying to go on the China inland Mission in the asked and they said, you know, Miss Johnson, if you're there for 15 years. Nobody ever comes to Christ that she was being interviewed with another person also asked him that question. If you're there for 15 years.

Nobody ever comes to Christ and what would you do ends.

The one lady set up while I think I would quit and then Ms. Johnson said on asked the Lord why you know we should expect fruit right so who are you sharing the gospel with who are you discipling in your home outside your home in your church and are you reproducing a Bible believer unified followers, somebody is not critical in condemning the bits accepts whoever and anybody who's in the body of Christ will have to be the same. Thank goodness for great diversity that there's a oneness in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and they should be glory reflectors living their lives to the praise of his glory. So who did you receive the message from who passed it along to you and who you passing along to in a somebody believing the Bible because you do is somebody one with others of different races and different cultures and different nationalities because they want you and they see you embracing those people and see that there is no you don't blink your eyes don't even see color. You don't see nationality. You just see people that God loves and needs glory reflector they want to reflect God's glory because they see it reflected in your you make Jesus attractive to them.

So Jesus is praying in this day and time were living in this crazy world with anger and fear and confusion in division people falling away from the faith the people falling away from God's word.

People didn't like within the church denying the Scriptures and what God is said to his word is forever settled in heaven and he's praying that our faith would be established in his word and that our faith would be secured by God's will, were chosen by God, we would know what we won't keep doubting herself just coming to that assurance and he prays that our faith would be evidence that are walking fruitful in our witness, would you choose to be an answer to his prayer, would you not only stay focused on your relationship with God the father, God the son God the Holy Spirit, but would you be steadfast in your face that you rooted in his word secured by his will evident in the way you walk successful in your and remember Jesus is praying for you.

Praise God pray with me.

The father, I thank you. It's very humbling to think that you look all over the world and your eyes rested on me and each one in this auditorium and you've chosen to be disciples of Jesus is Lord we confess that we are falling short of that and it's been enough for some of this just to be saved and no were going to heaven, but we haven't embraced all that you are living our lives for your glory.

We want to make that commitment, we commit before you. We sanctify ourselves. We put our faith. D. Deep down in your word Lord will call her feelings and what other people say we believe what you say.

So what I thank you for the diversity of disciples, that you don't expect us all to be back to Presbyterians or Pentecostals are, whatever you just looking for Jesus followers would have to go to mega church or home church are like humans are like the contemporary were not all the same Lord you're looking for men and women will only that commit themselves to you, Lord, I want to be one sarcastic you would take this message and put it in our hearts make it meaningful for us as we reflect on your prayers for our faith in the stand.

Thank you for praying that our faith would not fail when asked displeasing Jesus name. You can hear living in the light with n-gram lots weekly and for ways to experience the God filled life as you pursue your personal Bible study go to n-gram lots.org to help you get started with free resources you can use and share with others join us here each week for living alone