Key Thought

Today's Prayer

O God, you are worthy of my life. You gave it to me at my conception. I pray that you will use it to your glory. And I trust, dear Father, that you will keep it for eternity. In Jesus' name I confess my trust in you. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

Then James and John, sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus. They said, "Teacher, we want to ask you to do something for us." Jesus asked, "What do you want me to do for you?" The sons answered, "You will have glory {in your kingdom}. Let one of us sit at your right, and let one of us sit at your left." Jesus said, "You don't understand what you are asking. Can you accept the kind of suffering that I must have ? Can you be baptized with the same kind of baptism that I must have?" The sons answered, "Yes, we can!" Jesus said to the sons, "You will suffer the same things that I will suffer. And you will be baptized with the same baptism that I must have. But I cannot choose the person that will sit at my right or my left. There are some people that will have those places. Those places are prepared for them." The other ten followers heard this. They became angry with James and John. Jesus called all the followers together. Jesus said, "The non-Jewish people have men they call rulers. You know that those rulers love to show their power over the people. And their important leaders love to use all their authority over the people. But it should not be that way with you. If one of you wants to become great, then he must serve you like a servant. If one of you wants to become the most important, then he must serve all of you like a slave. In the same way, the Son of Man did not come for other people to serve him. But the Son of Man came to serve other people. The Son of Man came to give his life to save many people."

Related Scripture Readings

You are praying for me, and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me. So I know that this trouble will bring my freedom. The thing I want and hope for is that I will not fail Christ in anything. I hope that I will have the courage now, like always, to show the greatness of Christ in my life here on earth. I want to do that if I die or if I live. I mean that to me the only important thing about living is Christ. And even death would be profit for me. If I continue living in the body, then I will be able to work for the Lord. But what would I choose—living or dying? I don't know. It is hard to choose between living or dying. I want to leave this life and be with Christ. That is much better. But you people need me here in my body.

During that same time King Herod began to persecute some of the people that belonged to the church (group of believers). Herod ordered James to be killed with a sword. James was the brother of John. Herod saw that the Jews liked this. So he decided to arrest Peter, too. (This happened during the time of the Jewish holiday called the Passover. ) Herod arrested Peter and put him in jail. A group of 16 soldiers guarded Peter. Herod wanted to wait until after the Passover festival. Then he planned to bring Peter before the people.

I am John, and I am your brother {in Christ}. We are together in Jesus, and we share these things: suffering, the kingdom, and patient endurance. I was on the island of Patmos because I was faithful to God's message and to the truth of Jesus.