Quiet Times Search

How quick human nature is to accept credit for certain accomplishments
God made us and enables us to do everything
What do you have that you did not receive? - 1 Corinthians 4:7

I will not boast about myself, except my weaknesses (Paul) - 2 Corinthians 12:5

Why boast about our weaknesses?

• The cross affrirms our worth
• Frees us from performing
• So that Christ's power may rest on us - 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Who would want the power of God?

A person that truly boasts in the cross does not:

• Pull away when not feeling appreciate enough
• Rely on recongnition of other to stay faithful
• Takes correction without prove their ways
• Prove thry already know something
• Project an image of self-worth
• Have a competive spirit

Jesus could keep a full record of your credits and debts - but do you want that? sin and all?
All credit should go to Jesus

Are you trying to earn your salvation
Boast in your weaknesses. Live in the power of God.

self-denial - decision to consistently lay down our lives - not a popular topic
No one can follow Jesus without it

Jesus' struggle in Gethsemane was fought and won in prayer - Matthew 26:36-46
Without self-denial there would be no cross and no salvation:

• Forgave his tormentors - Luke 23:34
• Ministered to a criminal - Luke 23:34
• Provided for his mother - John 19:27

Any limitation we put on self-denial will surely limit our usefulness to him

Answered the following questions in the Q & A section:

1. Does God know the hearts of men?
2. Does God tempt men?
3. How did Judas die?

Answered the following questions in the Q & A section:

1. How many kinds of did Noah bring into the ark, two or seven?
2. How many sons did Abraham have?
3. How many women came to the tomb?
4. Is all scripture inspired?

Answered the following questions in the Q & A section:

1. Did God put all rulers in power?
2. Is God present everywhere, sees all things, and knows all things?
3. Should we observe the Sabbath?
4. Should we practice physical resistance?
5. Should work be done on the Sabbath?
6. Was Jesus the only one to ascend into heaven?
7. Was John the Baptist Elijah?
8. Was there one or two men seeking Jesus?
9. What is God's anger like?

• the lost
• the people he met and healed
• his disciples to stay faithful
• his family who thought he was crazy
• the children

• Connection to the highest places - John 1:11
• His ability to move the masses was unparalleled - Matthew 7:28
• His understanding of what it takes to succeed was clear and unwavering - John 12:23-24
• He stayed on task until it was done - John 19:30

• Working for a promotion
• Earn more money
• Gain material possessions
• Working for the Lord - Colossians 3:23

• What will happen?
• What will I get?
• Will I be happy

• Experienced the slience of God
• Beaten and hung on the cross
• Believed in the resurrection that he could not see
• Could only see the blood, pain and faces of mockers

1. Positive - grow quickly
2. Difficult - the questions surface
3. Tragic - faith needs to accept the situation, ask for help, and believe that God's power will be sufficient

• Simply save himself and let everyone fend for themselves
• Come down in hope that they would believe
• Settle on improving their lives but not saving them

• Jesus also loved the world that he gave his only life - Love
• He cared deeply for others
• He knew he could bring salvation to many

Unity has an immense impact on our lives

Tower of Babel - God said nothing they planned would be impossible for them - Genesis 11:6
House divided against impossible for them - Mark 3:25
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit - Ephesians 4:3

What are the obstacles to unity?

• Misunderstanding and wrong assumptions (Israelite tribes) - Joshua 22
• Selfish ambition (James and John) - Matthew 20:20-28
• Inferiority and insecurity
• Jealousy and selfishness (brothers of Joesph) - Genesis 37
• Ingratitude and unforgiveness (older brother of the prodical son) - Luke 15

Sin is the ultimate cause of all disunity. Forgiveness is the ultimate cure.

It defies our nature
Reflects a surrender that trusts God's justice
Demonstrates a humility that cares less for one's own rights than for the good of others

Who do you need to totally forgive?
Forgiveness is the key to bing reunited
We need a daily "state of our unions"

• He was washed the feet of his betrayer
• His disciples did not suspect Judas because of Jesus' perfect love for him
• He healed the leper with a word
• Fell asleep during a ragging storm from serving the people
• Went out of his way to encourage the disciples that would in a few hours later betray him
• Despite Peter's denial, Jesus left him the keys to the kingdom
• He promised heaven the thief that moments earlier was abusing him

We enjoy accomplishment: meeting a deadline, A on a test

Imagine the incredible feeling God must have experienced when he first viewed his own creation:

• Enjoyed developing Israel into a beautiful bride - Ezekiel 16:1-4
• Joyously san through the angels when his Son was born - Luke 2:8-14
• When the church was born - Acts 2

How would iy affect your prayer life if you had a deep conviction that God enjoys his relationship with you?
Sometime I feel like a bother to God, a frustration to him or a source of disappointment

God Enjoys Hearing Us Talking to Him
The longer we are in the Lord, the more secure and real we should be in our prayers
David communicated whatever he felt - God was able to discipline him to be the "man after his own heart"
Do you enjoy the fact that you can be totally real with God?

God Enjoys Watching Us
Parents enjoy children playing soccer, sing in a play, and read the Bible
God is the same way

Reading from 2 Kings 6:15-17

We can relate to Elisha's servant, he lacked faith
When we lack faith, we only see the world around us and the challenges that life is throwing at us
When you wallow in faithlessness, your Bible study lack power and your eyes skim the pages without absorbing the words

As Elisha's servant looked down at the Arameans, he turned in despair to Elisha
He admitted that he needed help
Because of his humility, he found the help that he needed

Do you collapse in a heap of self-pity or discouragement?
Do you go out and get the help you need?
Do you babble like a Pharisee or have you gotten gut-level honest with God about how you are feeling?

Elisha's servant got humble and trusted his leader
As he looked out again, he saw the Arameans surrounded by the army of heaven

Problems always look less daunting when you get God in the picture and decide to be full of faith

1. He included people in his prayer struggle
2. He was totally honest with all of his feelings before God and other men - limiting Satan's power - John 3:19-21
3. Jesus stated his preferences to God very clearly
4. Prayed until his surrender was complete - surrender is not completed without this kind of prayer - Philippians 4:6-7

• He knows what is in our hearts
• He knows what we are really seeking
• He knows what we need

• He questioned the wisdom of God's choice
• Argued his lack of eloquence
• Says he does not want the responsibility
• He is honest - he gives God something to work with - Exodus 4:13

• Why do you hide yourself in trouble? - Psalms 10:1-2 - logically does not make sense but this is where David was
• Later, he works it out in prayer (v17) - LORD, you have heard the request of the oppressed; you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer.

"When you fast" - not if you fast

God commanded the Jews to fast on the day of Atonement - Leviticus 23:27-29
During the time of Jesus, Pharisees fasted twice a week - Luke 18:!2
Church was acustom to fasting - Acts 13:2, 14:23

Getting practical

1. Making it a part of lifestyle
2. Fast with a purpose in mind - bear fruit, find a job, closer walk with God
3. Decide how long you intend to fast and stick to it
4. Decide what kind of fast you intend to have
5. Seek input from other disciples

1. to torment oneself
2. to fret
3. uneasiness or anxiety

• Church "universal" - all congregations
• Church "militant" - war against evil
• Church "triumphant" - the mission God has given us

1. Pray with variety, creativity, and perseverance - Ephesians 6
2. Pray for all the saints - Philippians 1:4
3. Pray for upcoming meetings
4. Intercede for world leaders - 1 Timothy 2:1-2
5. Tour your city - Get a map; drive around pray for the different parts
6. Incorporate biblical themes
7. Tour the world
8. Pray for your elders
9. Pray for the church's work among the needy of your city
10. Pray for the special ministries within your church
11. Pray for new church plantings

Lord's prayer in Matthew 6 and Luke 11

1. Our Father in heaven (Matthew 6:9) - Getting Started
2. Hallowed be your name (Matthew 6:9) - Getting Focused
3. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10) - Experiencing Divine Intervention
4. Give us today our daily bread (Matthew 6:11) - Praying for Provisions
5. Forgive our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us (Matthew 6:13) - Experiencing Forgiveness
6. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one (Matthew 6:13) - Developing Spiritual Protection
7. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glry forever. Amen.  (later manuscripts of Matthew) - Final Issues

Each will be addressed in detail in later chapters

Addressing God as the Father seems pretty normal - not the case in Jesus' day

Sometimes David prayed:

• O God
• O Lord
• O my God
• O my Lord

...but nowhere will you find David addressing the living god as "Father"
Gabriel was sent to respond personally to Daniel's great prayer in Daniel 9 - yet he did not address God as Father

Patriarchs, the prophets, and the priests of Israel were all men of prayer - never addressed their prayers to God as "Father"
Jesus gave believers the right to become children of God

We begin our time in prayer with a father-child relationship

After asking for help from the Holy Spirit, then focus on the relationship with
Prayer is primarily a vehicle of relationship

Pater (greek) = father
Abba (aramaic) = intimacy and endearment = daddy

Holy Spirit in our lives is a spirit of adoption by which God give us our spiritual birthright (Romans 8:16; Galatians 4:6)

He delights when we come to Him as our Father, Abaa, Daddy:

• Mr. Bentson - wrong
• Mr. Benson - contact
• Benson - co-worker
• Chad - friend
• Dad - daughter
• Honey - wife

The closer you are, the better responce you will get
He delights in your desire to spend time with Him

This relationship is critical to a healthy and vitaul prayer life
His fatherhood becomes real in my life
Bridge the gap between what I know in my head and what I experience in my life

YHWH-tsidkenu means "the Lord our righteousness"

Remembering Jesus' name in Hebrew Ya'shua which means  "God is salvation"
He was the fulfillment of the name YHWH-tsidkenu - 1 Corinthians 1:30

Thank God that I had no righteous of my own, Jesus died for me - source of my righteousness

Pause to think about what Christ has done for me
His atoning death and resurrection gives life meaning and significance

There is no greater privilege and responsibility than to pray for our spouse and children
It boggles the imagination to see how the quality of our family life can be affected by exercise this privilege

Powerful spiritual forces of evil try to undermine God's foundational institutions like the family

Bible clearly teaches that our struggle come from the spiritual forces outside conscious perception - Ephesians 6:12
Praying sometimes make things worst (at the beginning) because Satan is on the attack

Each of us need to realize that how we pray for our spouse is limited only by our creativity
If you want the kind of relationship that God intended you to have with your wife, prayer will be a major factor in seeing that desire realized

When we have been faithful in praying for my children, we have a great sense of peace about their lives
Christian dads have a tremendous privilege and a straggering responsibilty to pray their children

• protection
• fruitfulness
• effectiveness
• faithfulness

Should pray for:

• maturity
• commitment
• spiritual health
• impact on our city

Pray for dreams for the church that will stretch our vision for the church and city
God can do more than we can imagine - Ephesians 3:20

How are you praying for your church? - Its your church
What do you want see God do? Where do you want to see His kingdom advance?

Two enemies we needed to be protected from - Flesh and Satan

Flesh - lead us not into temptation - there is an internal struggle

I know that nothing good dwell in me - Romans 7:18
Our tenency to be self-centered (our old nature)

Almost every internal struggle we face in our spiritual lives is a product of this fallen dimension of our being

Activities of the flesh -  Galatians 5:19-21

People don't get into shape because they don't know what to do or how to get going

Learning how to start slow and build gradully plays a critical role in getting into shape

The practice if prayer has the same dynamics
Many men respond to emotional appeals to pray more but do not know how to start

1. Am I properly positioned to pray?

• Ask the Holy Spirit to help us to pray (true intimacy)
  
• Thank God for what he has given us

• Our lives
• Our family
• Our churches
• Our cities
• Our nation
• Our world

• Physical
• Emotional
• Spiritual

• Protection from the flesh
• Protection from Satan

Nothing we experience in the physical world will ever give us the the joy of our experience in the presence if God

David - "In your presence is the fulness of joy" - Psalms 16:11

Fullness of joy is what all men long for
There is one preeminent way to be with God - prayer

Some men have been created with personalities that are very logical and others are oriented to feeling and intuition
These inherent distinctions will shape our relationship with God

As our prayer lives develop, we each need to discover what dimensions of prayer are most effective for us
Lord's prayer provides a framework

One may ask, where is the quiet listening part of prayer in this book

God encourages us to be still and know that he is God - Psalms 46:10

Mature prayer is not intended to be a monologue, but a dialogue

Christian meditation and Eastern meditation has to do with is in our minds as meditate
Eastern = empty our minds - dangerous activity
New Age = visualization of pleasant and peaceful landscapes as spiritual guides - opens a door to tremendous spiritual deception

Biblically based contemplation and meditation seeks not to empty the mind but fill it
God will speak through impression and intuition - should always be checked against the Bible and mature Christians

• Such a life is attractive
• They will want to be like you
• Will see something inside is real
• Will see the difference

• Don't reject him
• Don't ridicule him
• Teach him to relate confidently to other boys
• Teach him sports and manly skills

• Lacked confidence - 2 Timothy 1:8
  
• Could lose motivation - 2 Timothy 1:6-7
• Got ill frequently - 1 Timothy 5:23
• Tended to be lazy - 1 Timothy 4:13-15
• Need someone to believe in him

• He went to parties
• He told jokes
• He nicknamed his guys
• He loved children and they loved him
• Pharisees even rebuked Jesus for letting his disciples get too happy

Kids who are showered with love must be taught to give it away
Otherwise they will become selfish, aloof, and arrogant
God commands us to love hime in return

Love and concern for others should be talked about often
Children learn to love by helping - capable of so much more than we think

We can do far too much for them - creates self-centeredness
They way we treat others is the way we treat Jesus - Matthew 25:34-40

The whole family is an instrument of God - God will use in us is a dark and lost world

Must have deep convictions and treat it as a serious character (as it is)
Catch it the first time it happens, and deal with it swiftly and powerfully

Lying issues can start at age three

Don't be naive, learn to spot them, and deal with the probelm is terms they understand

Truthful lips endure forever; but a lying tougue last only a moment - Provebs 12:19

Some kids act as if we do not exist:

• Tell them to do something - no action
• Repeat action - same results
• Verbal agreement - nothing happens

This is also disobedience

There should be no repetition of commands and expect action
If this is not your expectation and pattern, your kids will learn to be lazy and slow to obey

If you allow this to go unchecked, it will ultimately destroy a child's character and wear you out as well

Tearful, self-pity can drive parents to guilt, rage, and frustration - this is a form of disobedience
This is an attempt by the child to break down the parent - we must not give in
It is a character flaw that one day will produce an unhappy, victim mentality adult

Do everything without complaining of arging - Philippians 2:14-16
This is what God expects from us and we should expect it from our children

4. Temporary loss of possions or privileges

Talk about it with your spouse and come up with a deprivation of activity or possession plan
Most important aspect of this is thinking clearly through it and talking to your spouse before opening your mouth
Don't take away item on every offense - this diminishes the impact

5. Extra work or jobs to do

Clean up their mess, doing extra work to pay off something - creates a deeper sense of responsibility
Punishment is actually a form of restitution

What does the Bible say about spanking?

He who spares the rod hates his son - Proverbs 13:24
The rod of discipline will drive folly far away - Proverbs 22:15
If you punish with the rod, they will not die - Proverbs 23:13-14

Message is clear - Spanking is vaild, employed with wisdom and love

1. Spanking should be an event
2. Explain beforehand the reason for the spanking
3. Cool off before spanking a child - must be complete self-control and not retaliatory
4. Use a designate paddle - do not hand spank - too personal
5. Spanking must result in change, contrite heart
6. Bring things to resolution
7. Do not spank for every offence - children in elementary years, spanking is less appropriate
8. Spank on the safe backside or thigh
9. Start as soon as the child begins to understand the word no; about 14 months

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

These Commandment (v. 6)

Bible is the underlaying basis for all training
It is the very word of God:

• To be revered
• To be loved
• To be believed

Paul said of Timothy  - from infancy you have know the holy scriptures - 2 Timothy 3:!5

Love the Lord your God (v. 5)

Training flows from a relationshop of love with the personal God
Not  "do-it-ot-else" mentality - missed the point
Bible should be used continually, not just for some "extra" authority is needed

These commandments... are to be upon your hearts (v. 6)

Should train from the heart level
in their minds and on their minds - Hebrews 10:16

Impress them on your children (v. 7)

Training with the Scriptures must be done with great conviction, sincerity and earnestness
If you want it to stick, you will need to give all you have

Talk about them always (v. 7)

Train consistantly - everywhere, anytime, anyplace

About teaching our children how to live life - not nagging about their misdeeds

Make it fun, doable, effective

Most training should be spontaneous

Never underestimate how many times we will have to say the same things over and over again

• Are they giving their all?
• Are they working hard?

• Don't let your kids do all the work for other
• Don't do all the work for them
• Give allowances apportioned to age, responsibilities, and faithfulness in carrying them out

• Because of failure, they can hide things from you or even themselves
• Ask them if they anything on their mind
• Work through things until they are confident
• Share some of our worse blunders - draws them closer and assures them that they are not alone

• Women of Proverbs 31 - skills ranged from homemaking to business and management
• David - shepherd, soldier, political leader, songwriter, and musician

• Teach your children to act differently - to not turn people off
• Or steer them to toward another group

• Children who learn to admire and encourage other will be confident
• They will be strong enough to give credit where credit is due
• Teach your kids to give their best and never blame anyone when they lose
• Teach them to be like Jonathan - could have been jealous of David but became his best friend - 1 Samuel 18
• John the Baptist became lesser so Jesus could become greater - John 3:30

• Cain and Abel - murder by his own brother
• Jacob and his twin brother Esau - folly from their parents' favoritism
• Jacob's sons turning against their younger brother Joseph
• Family of David - torn apart by lust, rape, incest, murder

1. Respect
2. Openness
3. Fabric
4. Atmosphere

Appreciation for one another does not come about by accident

Must teach it, talk about it, show it and confront the ways the kids are not expressing it - only way

Cultivate appreciation by creating as many situations as possible where it expressed in words
Build up one another sessions - each person encouragees every other person specifically
Thank you nights - give thanks for different things other family members have said and done

Encourage your family to begin expressing respect, appreciation, and encouragement - whole atmosphere will change

Pleasant words are sweet to the soul - Proverbs 16:24

Teach your older children how to lead and teach your younger ones how to follow
Children's weaknesses tend to come out more with each other than with us

Refers to the building a structure and rhythm into our famiy schedule
Times when the whole group gets together

Mealtimes
Everyone is there for dinner - someone is missing, there is a very good reason
Talk about significant things that happened during the day
It is the simple things that build fabric

Stop letting people read the paper, watch TV or do homework during dinner
Disallow running off to different rooms
Stop making appointment that take you away
Allow no phone calls
Make dinnertime an event - work hard to keep it special

Create family traditions - do things that uniquel to our family
Make birthdays a big deal - does not have to be expensive

If we can laugh together, then we like being together, which adds up to unity

Idea: have a "joke night" - everyone tell jokes

Happy heart makes the face cheerful - Proverbs 15:13

Cheerful heart has a continual feast - Proverbs 15:15

Cheerful look brings joy to the heart - Proverbs 15:30

Cheerful heart is good medicine - Proverbs 17:22

The phyical environment need to be pleasant
Dirt, filth, and clutter do not create an atmosphere of closeness

The environment says, "we don't care", then people stop caring about each other

1. He obeyed her - Luke 2:51
2. He allowed her to influence him when he performed his first miracle - John 2:1-11
3. He did not allow his devotion to Mary make him sentimental - Mark 3:20-35
4. Protected and provided for her needs as he died on the cross

We want to be know but we keep a safe distance
Jesus has X-ray vision to our hear and see right our heart

John 4:39 - Samaritan women:

• She was minding her own business
• Ran into Jesus and was never the same
• Will you give me a drink he asked - the fact that he (a Jew) spoke to her told her (a Samaritan) that there was some very different about Jesus
• Whoever drinks from living water will never thirst again - John 4:13-14
• He confronted her sin and help her see the emptiness of her life
• He wanteed her to see who she was without God
• Due to her discomfort, the woman tried to change to subject
• Jesus skillfully drove out her fears with his love -  brought her back to the conversation of life
• She shared with others

We too can be afraid of seeing who we really are
When we opened up and were forgiven,  we couldn't wait to tell other either

To set people free, we must be like Jesus:

• Relate to them in deep ways
• Not studying the Bible superficially - not helping them see who they are without God
• Ask the difficult questions
• Expose sin so they will see their deepest need for Jesus

Jesus' love and acceptance allowed the woman/us to be real and to change

Jesus was in ahuge crowd and suddenly a Roman centurion walks up to Jesus - Matthew 8:5-10

NT centurions are often mentioned with honor:

• Cornelius was the first Gentile to become a Christian - Acts 10:22
• A centurion rescued Paul from the Mob - Acts 23:27
• A centurion saved Paul's life in the shipwreck - Acts 27:43

Lord, my servant lays paralyzed and in terrible suffering - Matthew 8:5-6
To many Romans, a slave was defined as nothing more than a tool

Jesus was moved by the man's heart - I will go and heal him
When Jesus saw a need, he met it
He lived to serve and meet needs directly and continuously
He loved a man many hated

Lord, I don't deserve to have you under my roof - Matthew 8:8
He was a Gentile, Jewish law - a Jew could not enter the house of a Gentile - Acts 10:28
In spite of his desperate need, he respected Jewish law

Say the word and he will be healed - Matthew 8:8
His authority produced results, how much more would the authority of Jesus do?

Jesus did not find anyone in Israel with such faith

Jesus had compassion and healed the man with leprosy - Luke 5:12-18
Jesus is filled with compassion - Mark 1:41

Jesus was different:

• He hurt for those whose lives were devastated by illness
• He went to great lengths to be with them
• Helped and encouraged them
• Made himself available to them and spent many hours with them - Mark 1:32-34

What Jesus did we can also do (beside healing):

• Include those who are sick when you can
• Find ways to serve
• Help and encourage

Society shrinks back - hospitals are not our favorite place
Jesus reached out his hand and touched
The sick need real involvement in their lives

Somehow, we think that the person is responsible for his or her condition
In some cases yes, but we can not oversimplify God's working in our world

Job "friends" did not understand what God was doing
How unsearchale his judgement and his paths beyond tracing out - Romans 11:33

How can I imitate Jesus by "reaching out" in compassion to the sick?

Some people's needs could be quickly dealt with: "Heal my blindness" or "Let me just touch your garment"

But not Nicodemus, Jesus knew it would be a long night - John 3:1-3

Nicodemus, was a man looking for something:

• Groun up learning about God
• Surrounded by a system caught up in traditions
• Knew the Bible stories
• Very active in the Jewish faith
• Jesus capured his attention by his teachings and his works
• Felt that there was something missing

Could this be right? Could Jesus be the Messiah?

Jesus was straight to the point: I tell you the truth, you must be born again - John 3:3
He needed a wake up call - Same lesson we need today - we need a new birth
He was part a system of legalism  (following rules with seeking the heart of God)
People trying to earn what God desired to just give them

Nicodemus knew he could get time with Jesus and he did
He receieved the answer and Jesus taught him the depth of God's love

Who was intrumental in answering your questions and healping you see the truth?
What sacrifices do you see that they made for you?
Are you doing the same for others?

John 8:10-11 - When they were going to throw stones - Jesus just didn't say no
He said - one who is deserving of the same fate, go ahead

Jesus called what it is was - sin:

1. Not a fault
2. Not a cultural problem
3. Not a weakness

Was she being used by the Pharisees? Yes
Was she the product of a culture that oppressed women? Yes
Was she probably from a "bad" home? Yes

Sin enslaved us - John 8:31-34
Respect and love were the last things she expected
Jesus gave her freedom to change and was willing to forgive

 Sometimes we think repentance is more difficult than it is - Jesus called for immediately
We like to stall - think about it a while, talk about it

Is it hard for me to confront others in their sin?
Do I accept or resist others when they confront me with your sin?
What sin do I find difficult to leave behind me?

• Many people would have not stopped to chat
• Most would have averted eye contact
• Jews saw blindness as punishment for some sin - John 9:2
• Jesus saw an opportunity to heal and teach - so God might be displayed in his life - John 9:3
• Jesus acted but not predictably - felt something moist and hear go wash
• Blind man simply went - true blind obedience

• Simple honest - I was blind but now I see - John 9:25
• Childlike innocence - Do you want to become his disciples too? - John 9:27
• Boldness - John 9:27

John 1:42

Usually when you meet someone, you introduce yourself - Jesus knew Peter and changed his name!

Jesus looked at people differently than they look at themself

Jesus knew he would fail but he never gave up on Peter.

What name might Jesus give you?

When it comes to friendship, Jesus again sets the standard

Jesus knew John:

• Jesus saw his weaknesses - yet accepted him - Mark 3:17
• Jesus did not hesitate to call him to be a follower - spite of his temperament - Mark 1:19-20
• He expect John to change - Luke 9:51-56
• Jesus questioned his commitment when John sought power - Mark 10:35-37

Incredible thing about John is that it would seem that he never doubted Jesus' love

He refered to himself 5 times as the "disciple that Jesus loved"

In his torment, he sees the need of his mother and he entrusts her to John's care - John 19:25-27

Jesus let John know that he trust him and needs him to take care of his mother
God in the flesh yet her express his need to John's help

John was transformed from "son of thunder" to "Apostle of Love"
John later teaches us that if we say we love God but no our brother that we are a liar - 1 John 4:19-20

The problem with not feeling close, real, or trust is our issue

How close, real, and trusting are your relationships?

What do your relationships with people tell you about your relationship with God?

• Was it because his frustration level reached his limit?
• Was it because he finally had enough?
• Was it because he was going to have the last word before they killed him?
• Was it because he had justification for all things them did to him?

John 13:27-31

Jesus knew all men - John 2:24-25
He knew their thoughts - Matthew 12:25
He knew Judas would betry him to death - John 13:11

Have I not chosen you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil! - John 6:70

Jesus not only tolerated Judas, he lavished love on him
So perfectly that the other 11 did not even suspect Judas after 3 years

Jesus was tempted in every way we are but was without sin - Hebrews 4:15

How could he put up with this day after day?

Jesus was in complete submission of God's will:

1. Jesus God no matter what the cost
2. He chose Judas so the scriptures would be fulfilled - John 13:18
3. Suffered emotionally each time he looked at Judas

How Jesus' heart must have ached when teaching:

1. Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over - Judas. - Matthew 10:17
2. Brother will betry brother to death - Judas. - Matthew 10:21
3. Love your enemies - Judas. - Matthew 5:44

We must respond to Jesus' pursuit of us with our pursuit of him

Even with the testimony of woman, the disciples doubted

When Jesus stood in front of them, they thought he was a ghost - What hid their understanding?
Their inexperience of living by faith - Luke 9:45

Jesus was dead, yet lived afain
He defied science and human understanding

How long was your Emmaus road?
What is the greatest challenge to your faith at the moment?