From my reading in John 17 in the One Year New Testament.

In Jesus’ prayer  he gives important principles about how we should be in the world but not of the world.

“I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.” John 17:14-18

We do not belong to this world.

Christians belong to a better world, heaven. Jesus reminds his disciples that the world will hate them.  Even though we don’t belong to the world God want’s us here to make a difference.

Christians are to be in the world, but not of the world, for the sake of the world. 

When we live differently in the world people will notice. Jesus sent us into the world with the life changing message of Jesus. Through sharing about him and living attractive and contagious lives among them we can help change the world.

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From my reading in John 15 in the One Year New Testament.

ABIDE IN JESUS!

That is how you can be truly productive in life and enjoy a real relationship with God. Jesus said,

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Staying connected to Christ is the only way to produce true spiritual fruit. Apart from his power supply our spiritual productivity efforts will be wasted. Jesus also said,

“But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!” John 15:7

When you remain in intimate fellowship with Jesus, and his word is living in your heart, then you will begin to pray for things that he wants you to pray for.

Anytime we are praying his word we know that is the kind of prayer God loves to answer. When we are obeying Jesus by staying connected to him, bearing fruit, and seeing God answering prayer it produces much joy!

“When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!” John 15:10–11

Jesus offers us much joy and much fruit and it starts with connecting to Christ and staying joined with him in relationship.

If you have never given your life to Jesus then start today and you can experience these things.  Turn from your sin and turn to him.

If you have given your life to Jesus focus on staying rooted in him and he will lead you to a more productive, joyful, and fulfilling life.

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From my reading in John 13:21-38 in the One Year New Testament.

Jesus gave his disciples a “new” command right after demonstrating his great love by washing their feet.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34–35

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another…

Jesus gave them a “new” command, but it sounded a lot like the other commands that God had already given.  Loving others, and especially your fellow believers, was not a new concept. So what was new about this command?

Even as I have loved you, that you also love one another…

No one had ever loved like Jesus. His love was beyond any this world had ever seen and will ever see. This was the new part!

Basically he was saying, “LOVE LIKE ME! You should love others in the same way as I have loved you.”

• Love each other by serving sacrificially.
• Share your lives.
• Share truth.
• Meet practical needs.
• Treat each other as members of your own family.  

These are the ways Jesus loved!

Who wouldn’t want to be a part of a community like that? 

“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Loving your Christian brothers and sisters is one of the our greatest witnesses to the world.

Love is to be the distinguishing difference between those who belong to Jesus and those who don’t. People will be busting down the doors to be a part of a community that really takes what Jesus said here seriously.

Has your Christian walk been focused on loving as Jesus loved? 

How can you love others the way that Jesus has loved you today?

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From my reading in John 13:1-20 in the One Year New Testament.

Jesus is the ultimate leader yet served his disciples.

The night before he was crucified Jesus washed his disciples feet and then said,

“Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” John 13:12–15

Jesus was Lord yet he served.

Those of us who God has granted leadership should serve! We should follow the example of Jesus in serving others. Jesus said,

“Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.” John 13:17

The blessing comes when we put into practice what Jesus taught us.

People will respect us as leaders if we serve. We will show them that we are not leading for our sake but for them and for God. A leader who serves is the greatest kind of leader.

I pray that I will grow as a servant as God gives me more leadership and I hope that those of you who lead who are reading this will take their role as servant seriously.

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From my reading in John 12:27-50 in the One Year New Testament.

There were many “secret believers” in Jesus day.

They believed in Jesus but they were to scared of what they would lose if they were open about their faith.

“Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.” John 12:42–43

Who are you trying to please, God or others? 

When we focus on pleasing others more than God it stops us from doing what God wants us to do.

When we live for the approval of others we become paralyzed by fear and will be unwilling to risk for Jesus.

Jesus was living to please the Father, not others.

Some things Jesus did and said made him wildly popular others made people want to kill him.  He spoke the truth wether it was liked by others or not.

We should follow Jesus and live to please God and stop worrying  so much about what others think. 

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From my reading in John 12:1-26 in the One Year New Testament.

Ministry multiplication is popular these days.

 Church planting and multi site churches are the in thing.  But what most people don’t realize is that it takes leaders who have died to themselves to make these ministries work.

Many pastors and ministers are more interested in their little kingdom than God’s kingdom.

They are so focused on growing their church that they forget why they started in ministry in the first place, advancing God’s kingdom.

Often instead of releasing money and leaders they seek to hold on to them. This self serving leadership stops the potential multiplying of ministries.

But Jesus taught s a profound principle about how to have a multiplying ministry.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12:24

Death is a prerequisite for a multiplying ministry.

We must die to ourselves. When a seed goes into the ground it dies so that it can resurrect as a plant that will multiply more seeds.  That plant then can multiply many more seeds.

For a ministries, seeds are leaders. One goal a multiplying ministry has should be to raise up and send out as many leaders from their church as possible. Not just to make our church stronger but to start new ministries.

To send leaders out who you poured your blood sweat and tears into is a form of death.  Death is separation and to be separated from these leaders is painful but necessary.

I lead a college ministry and this separation happens naturally after  4 years (or 6 depending on the student). But I have the joy of knowing that if we did our best at investing in them that we get to multiply our impact as we send them out all over the world.

To have a multiplying ministry you must die to yourself.

“He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.“If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.” John 12:25–26

We can not serve ourselves and serve Jesus.  We must make a choice. True multiplying ministry fruit comes only after we die to ourselves.

Jesus is the ultimate example of multiplication by death.

His death allowed us to die to our sins and live for him. He died so that we might life. After his resurrection he sent out the apostles as “seeds” and through multiplication the world was changed. Still today he is sending out his followers as “seeds” to go bear much fruit.

Don’t keep all your leaders and resources for yourself.

Die to your small plans and send them out to plant churches, ministries, and the gospel all over the world. You will have the joy of seeing many more lives changed than your one ministry could ever imagine possible!

If you want to have a multiplying ministry… Die!

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