Prized Possessions

PRIZED POSSESSIONS

“And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.” - John 17:10

What is the most valuable item that you own? Is it your car? Maybe it's your home. It could be a family heirloom. Perhaps it is the money you have stored away in stocks and bonds. Most of us aren't rich. I know I'm not. Yet compared to many people in the world, I seem wealthy. You see, some live on the streets. Others live in impoverished areas where mere necessities are rare. Some are starving to death as I write this. In spite of our best efforts, poverty is still a major problem here in America, as well as overseas.

While we may struggle financially in this world, we know that God is not poor. His treasures are immense, intrinsic and eternal. He is not concerned about the performance of the stock market. His wealth is not taxable. The filthy, greedy hands of sinful men are not permitted to touch His bountiful supply of riches.

As Jesus was praying to the Father in John 10, He mentions a possession that was precious to Him. Referring to His disciples, Jesus said, “And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.” We shutter to think that one person owns another. We have this opinion due to our understanding of slavery, in particular as it unfolded here in America. We want to think that all Americans are free from such bondage. However, human trafficking is still an ongoing issue, even here in our country.

Furthermore, many are in bondage to substances like drugs and alcohol. Such bondage is real and lethal. I live in the southern part of West Virginia. Substance abuse is a major problem in this region. It is heartbreaking to realize that many of the funerals in my area are due to overdose. While we wish to brag that slavery is gone from our land, we must confess that many are slaves to substances and can't break free apart from a miracle.

Human slavery is illegal here in America, as it should be. While we emphasize human freedom, we must understand an important spiritual truth. We still belong to someone else. Either we belong to the devil or to the Lord. There are many who claim that they don't belong to anyone … yet that is a deception that many are living in. Sin is a form of bondage that is wrecking the lives of many. It is a sinister foe. We are all born into sin. Yet we must confess our personal choice to indulge in sin. Yes, we are sinners by birth. But we are also sinners by choice. The devil has many people bound in the bondage to sin. Many of them are oblivious to their perilous state. I was in the same situation. So were you.

Thankfully, Jesus came and purchased us with His blood. That transaction is something we call redemption. Through faith in Him, our title of ownership changed from the devil to the Lord. The devil does not care about his possessions. He treats people harshly and leads them to death. Our Lord has lovingly welcomed us into His fellowship. When He purchased us, He adopted us into His family. I don't keep myself. I am kept by One who loves me and seeks the best of me. He is actively working in my life, doing things for me that I could never do for myself. It is a blessing to belong to Him!

Returning to our text, Jesus prayed about His disciples, “And all mine are thine, and thine are mine.” All who belong to Jesus also belong to the Father and vice versa. The disciples belonged to Jesus and the Father.

What a blessing to belong to the Lord. Consider how prized we are to Him! He has invested heavily in us. Jesus gave His life to save us. Salvation is a free gift to us, but it came at a high cost to the Lord. That is how much He loves us. We are His prized possessions!

Jesus continued, “I am glorified in them.” His work in the lives of believers brings glory and honor to Him. Who are we to take credit for what the Lord does? If you are a child of God, this is due to the work of Christ, not your own. Our boasting is in vain. Only God should be praised for our salvation. His continued work of sanctification is something only He should be praised for. Our ultimate glorification at the resurrection will be His work, too. He, alone, will deserve praise for this. When we enter the bliss of heaven, we will be trophies of His grace.

Let's think about what the Lord did for us. When Jesus came to earth, God stepped down of heaven so that we may ultimately step up into glory. He made Himself of no reputation and humbled Himself, so that we may be exalted to be children of God. God came to men so that men could come to God. He died so that we may live. One day, I turned to Him in repentance and faith and a great transaction took place. I gave Him my life and He gave me His. I surrendered my empty heart so that He could make it new. He has moved in to stay. I was dead and He made me alive. I was an old relic that was nothing more than garbage. He took me and changed me and made me His very own. I am thankful that I belong to Him. The future is looking bright. I am an heir of the King! I am His prized possession.

Do you belong to Him? 

Intercessory Prayer

INTERCESSORY PRAYER

“I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.” - John 17:9

It is comforting to know that someone is praying for you. Whether it is your spouse, your pastor or a close friend, it is good to have someone who cares enough to call out your name in prayer.

There are people who seem to have a special burden about intercessory prayer. They treat prayer requests seriously. If you ask them to pray about something, they will reach heaven on your behalf. These precious saints often engage in spiritual warfare on their knees. To them, prayer is more than a religious task or a personal discipline, it is their passion.

Where are such prayer warriors today? The church is in dire need of men and women who will get in the prayer closet and meet with God on a regular basis. When a person has the audience of God, their feeble prayers touch deity.

As I get older, certain things don't impress me like they used to. When I was a young Christian, I was impressed with mega-church pastors who saw their churches grow numerically at a significant rate. I was impressed with those who talked about their spiritual accomplishments. I am not as impressed with these things like I used to be. Some of the “numerical growth” that some bragged about turned out to be temporary and superficial. Others who eagerly shared phenomenal experiences have turned out to have major character flaws that ruined their ministries.

The things that are most impressive to me usually aren't seen or noticed by others. Such things as a strong prayer life, generosity and private piety. While we may catch a glimpse of these things, they tend to be conducted in private, away from the public gaze. While our society emphasizes external matters, God looks upon the heart. He sees the things done in private. He knows about the quality of our faith and the pureness of our motives. Such things please Him and impress me. These are things I want my life to exhibit in private before the Lord.

For some time, I've been writing about the prayers of Jesus. When our Lord prayed in public, His prayers were short in duration. His private prayers were often long. Many of these longer prayers are not recorded for us to read. In John 17, we find the longest recorded prayer of Jesus. We get a little snapshot of our Lord's prayers. Most of this prayer is a time of intercession for His disciples.

In our text, Jesus prayed, “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.” Jesus was referring to His disciples when He said, “I pray for them.”

Why did Jesus pray for His disciples? There may be numerous answers to this question, but let me give you the most obvious reason. He prayed for His disciples because they needed it. They needed His prayers. They were about to face uncertainty, confusion and desperation because of the arrest and execution of Jesus. Furthermore, there would be the time gap between the crucifixion and resurrection which would deepen their anxiety and pain. Ultimately, the future of the church and the advancement of the Gospel would be their responsibility. Yes, they needed the prayers of Jesus.

Notice that Jesus did not pray for the unbelieving world. That may seem strange for us. Most of us are praying for the conversion of many. Yet at this time, Jesus concentrated on His disciples, not the skeptics. The disciples were His close friends. He had invested a great deal of time with them. In earlier verses of this prayer, we learn that the Father had given these men to Him. Jesus dedicated much of His prayer to the men who had given up everything to follow Him.

I think it is great to have others pray for you, especially strong prayer warriors. To have your name on their hearts daily as they talk with God is a special blessing. Think of how great it is to know that your name is on the Master's heart and to know that He talks to the Father on your behalf. What a blessing that would be!

Yet even know, our Lord makes intercession for us. As the enemy accuses us to the Father, we have an advocate who speaks up in our defense. We have a friend in the highest position, interceding on our behalf.

There has never been an intercessor like Jesus. His intercessory ministry continues to this day. While we find great assurance and comfort in this fact, it should also motivate us to be an intercessor ourselves.

Jesus prayed for His disciples. Because we follow Him, He is praying for us right now.

What a blessing to know He is praying for me!