John 14:12-13 - Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
This is always a striking promise and statement! It is tied to two basic promises of Jesus 1) whatever we ask in Jesus' name, he will do 2) He is sending the Holy Spirit to be with us forever - that same power that enabled the miracles that he did on earth.
Both of these promises require a reliance on Jesus and not on ourselves. They call us to fully trust and give our selves to Jesus' care. Jesus calls us to pray in his name, not with a mere ending of "in Jesus name" but with a deep understanding of Jesus' desire and will. That is where the Holy Spirit leads us - to the will of Jesus.
Lord Jesus, I want to follow you with all of my heart! Holy Spirit remind me and lead me into all that Jesus said and did. I want and choose to obey and follow. Help me to be able to do so!
John 14:5-16 - "If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—
This command to keep Jesus' commands is both simple and impossible! By ourselves, there is no way that we can keep Jesus' commands. Jesus calls us to Love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Our hearts are so divided and struggling internally that this is impossible without God's grace and mercy and impossible without his Holy Spirit in us changing, leading and empowering us to do what is right.
Lord Jesus, unite my heart to trust you fully and to obey! I love you and I thank you for loving me, even though I am still a sinner! Thank you for your mercy!
John 14:21 - Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them."
Jesus, I thank you that you show your love to me and have shown yourself to me! I do not deserve your love, but I thank you for your goodness!
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