John 17:13-26

"Dear Precious Follower, The verses you will read today come from a very emotional time on the night I was betrayed. These verses are My prayer for My..."

Why would anyone live in such a place of discomfort and danger? Christians are called to be in the place of danger to help others find their way home to safe harbor.

The ladder has been there since the 18th century! A ladder sits outside a window of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The ladder has been in place for over 250 years; there are writings from the 18th century that mention it. No one really knows where it came from. Nobody uses it. The ladder

For the sake of making 'every effort to pursue the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace' (Ephesians 4:3). Rubel Shelly gives us a practical, yet very challenging, set of practices to help us pursue unity with other believers without compromising our own faith and commitment to Scripture.

"[Jesus continued his prayer:] "I have given [my disciples] your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do....."

"I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just....."

"[Jesus continued his prayer:] "I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray..."

"[Jesus concluded his prayer:] "O righteous Father, the world doesn't know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. I have revealed you to...."

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me...."

"[Jesus continued his prayer: "My disciples] do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which...."

"[Jesus continued his prayer:] "Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending [my disciples] into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice....."

"[Jesus continued his prayer:] "I have given [my disciples] the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me...."

What would you do in your last moments with those you love? Phil Ware continues his series on the unpredictable Savior and reminds us of the upper room discourses where Jesus demonstrates and teaches what is most important to him to those who are most important to him, his disciples, his friends, those he loves.

Why is unity such a big deal? Phil Ware continues his series on SpiritFire and challenges us to look at the importance of the unity of the Spirit.

Where do we begin the work of genuine unity? Acts 15 becomes a great way to gain principles for building unity in the church today.

"[Jesus continued his prayer:] "Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me..."

"My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one."

"Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth."

"As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world."

"I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of..."

""I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.""

"[Jesus continued his prayer:] "Now I am coming to you. I told [my disciples] many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled....."

"If such be the union which subsists between our souls and the person of our Lord, how deep and broad is the channel of our communion! This is no..."

"Sanctification begins in regeneration. The Spirit of God infuses into man that new living principle by which he becomes "a new creature" in Christ..."

"Behold the superlative liberality of the Lord Jesus, for he hath given us his all. Although a tithe of his possessions would have made a universe of....."

"It is a sweet and blessed event which will occur to all believers in God's own time-the going home to be with Jesus. In a few more years the Lord's..."

"O death! why dost thou touch the tree beneath whose spreading branches weariness hath rest? Why dost thou snatch away the excellent of the earth, in....."

Inspirational illustration of John 17:23 -- "... I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

Inspirational illustration of John 17:18 -- "As you [God] sent me [Jesus] into the world, I have sent them into the world."

Inspirational illustration of John 17:26 -- "I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

Inspirational illustration of John 17:15 -- "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one."

Inspirational illustration of John 17:17 -- Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

Inspirational illustration of John 17:20 --

Inspirational illustration of John 17:24 -- Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

Prayer is a holy moment. We invite the eternal and divine grace of God to invade our hearts and change our lives and the lives of those we love. Phil Ware shares Scriptures, stories, and ideas to help us prepare for the hour of worldwide unified prayer for our broken world, especially focused on love and prayer as a source of hope for our broken world.

This world is not our home We are supposed to be in the world but not of the world. As followers of the Messiah, we are to be different, with our focus on heaven.

Do you realize that you've already won? Because of Jesus' resurrection from the dead, we know that we have already won the victory.

Common knowledge isn't always right There are common beliefs that are completely wrong, like the idea that the Great Wall of China is the only manmade object visible from space. The Bible contains nothing but truth.

"Dear Precious Brothers and Sisters, So many of My followers struggle in their lives of discipleship because each is trying to do everything by his or..."

Jesus didn't pray for unity just so Christians could sit in a happy circle, hold hands, and sing Kum Ba Yah around the campfire at church camp. Phil Ware reflects on the words of Jesus, the actions of the apostle Paul, and the example of a couple of men in his life, all focused on the theme of reconciliation.

Give thanks for this? Phil Ware finishes his November series of giving thanks and focuses on our mission or call from God.