Tag Archive for John 12

The Mind and Spirit of Christ

2018-03-18 Devotional with Hymn No comments

Facing a horrible death,
Jesus willingly planted His life as a seed
from which eternal life would grow for many.

“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 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. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.” (John 12:23-25, NASB)

Jesus faced total humiliation,
yet His concern was for the Father’s glory.

“Now my soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.” (John 12:27-28, NASB)

Jesus was about to be condemned and abused as the most dangerous kind of criminal,
yet He only saw Satan being condemned and cast out.

“Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” (John 12:31, NASB)

Jesus would soon be nailed to a cross and hoisted high in shame and agony,
yet He viewed it as His greatest opportunity to draw all people to life in the Father.

“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” (John 12:32, NASB)

As He approached suffering, injustice, and death,
Jesus’ heart overflowed with love for His Father and those around Him.

Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. (John 13:1, NASB)

Father, in His hour of greatest trial,
Jesus’ thoughts were full of You.
Give me the mind and Spirit of Christ. 

Listen and sing:
Hymn: His Hour Has Come
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Only to Your Glory

2016-02-28 Devotional with Hymn, One with Our Father No comments

from the book, ONE WITH OUR FATHER 

John 12:1-33

Father, pour me out as a fragrance,
completely,
irrecoverably.

Plant me as a seed,
dead to myself and my own future,
alive only to grow into Your greater purpose.
Otherwise, I remain
small,
single, and
alone.

From me and my dying
gain fruit,
gain glory for Yourself.
O Father, this world so needs to see Your glory!
We need to see the light of all You are.
We need to fully grasp
Your greatness,
Your goodness, and
Your constant, personal presence.
With Jesus, may Your glory be
my constant focus and
my deepest desire.

From this point on, help me to think of myself
only in You,
only as part of You and
all You are doing.
May thoughts of my success and my glory be
dead,
buried, and
gone forever.

With Jesus, Father,
now and forever
may I think and speak and be only
in You,
from You,
through You, and
to You.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Make My Life a Holy Fragrance
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The Son’s Focus

2016-02-11 Devotional with Hymn, One with Our Father No comments

from the book, ONE WITH OUR FATHER 

John 12:23-32

Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 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. 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. 

“Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.

“Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” (John 12:23-28, 31-32, NASB)

Jesus knew His time had come. He was about to be deserted by His closest friends, mocked and humiliated by His enemies, tortured by soldiers for their amusement, condemned to death by His own people, engulfed in separation from His Father with whom He had enjoyed an eternity of intimate fellowship, and executed by the most brutal method known.

Facing all this, what thoughts filled His mind and heart?

  • He was eagerly anticipating His return to His Father (John 13:1, 3). That was the goal ahead, the true destination toward which He pressed. That was the subject of His conversation with Moses and Elijah at His transfiguration (Luke 9:30-31). That was, at least in part, “the joy set before Him” that made all His sacrifice worthwhile (Hebrews 12:2, NASB).
  • His focus, His concern, His deepest prayer were not His personal comfort, but that His Father would glorify Himself through all that was about to happen (John 12:23-28; 17:1-5).
  • Looking ahead to these events, He didn’t see His own defeat. He saw all the powers of evil judged, condemned, and driven out of this world forever. He saw Himself high and lifted up, and our entire race streaming to Him for salvation (John 12:31-32).

As He faced His hour of trial, He savored the joy of returning to His beloved Father. He longed for the Father to be glorified. He saw the fulfillment of the Father’s purposes.

Facing immense difficulties, His joy, His desire, His focus was His Father.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Glorify Your Name
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