Old Testament Scripture Reading: Isaiah 51:1 – 4 ( KJV)
Isa 51:1 Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
Isa 51:2 Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.
Isa 51:3 For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.
Isa 51:4 Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.
New Testament Scripture Reading: John 17:1 – 11 (KJV)
Joh 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
Joh 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Joh 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
Joh 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
Joh 17:7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
Joh 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
Joh 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
Joh 17:10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
Joh 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
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Transforming Power Statements:
1) Biologically speaking, all of humanity share in the reality of being ‘begotten’ by a ‘human father’ who passes on to each of us the sinful blood of Adam, along with all the implications of being of a fallen nature; and these fathers, however they are, deserve our thanks for the fact that they have given us life, and therefore, the ability to not only have our part in earthly human affairs, but also in impacting the world by being adopted into the family of the TRUE GOD, through His ONLY Begotten Son, Jesus; so that we can participate in giving Him GLORY as we grow spiritually.
2) In history, as God has always loved mankind, He always maintained a selected people-group, to work with for the purpose of impacting the world to be in alignment with His ways and desires, rather than just going along with the course of the fallen world who are out of His WILL, as He was with Abraham, Isaac, and the son’s of Jacob, (Israel) and has promised to continue their prosperity, regardless of their thoughts about Him; and He has proven His Love by giving His Son Jesus as a ransom for the sins of everyone who believes in Him!
3) The prayer of Jesus reveals exceptional realities about our greatest privilege which is to have the right to call GOD FATHER, being assured of walking in all His blessings, being adopted into His family,{the Church} and to be a part of everything He desires for mankind, while knowing that only the Church has this authority / responsibility to promote the Kingdom of God until He decides to wind things up once and for all!