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Read John 17:9-21
“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (v. 21).
I was just reflecting on a friend who recently passed away. “You know,” I said to my wife, “he was a little crazy about that one thing.” I hurried to say that he was indeed a great man and a good Christian brother, but that one thing befuddled me. It just did not fit. What I had done over the years, was just carefully wrap that aspect up in a nice little bundle and slide it onto a back shelf of my mind where I stored things I did not really understand. I did not allow it to factor into how I interacted with him.
Just think how much God puts up with us. As we allow Him to work in our lives, sometimes the progress is slow. That may be because we are hesitant and may struggle. However, it may be that we are not in a place where God can effectively get through to us as He needs to. It may take a while. God is a very patient God!
The bottom line is that we all have some stupid stuff that needs work. Yes, even Christians. We are real people in real relationships and with real differences. Accept that. But none of our differences should keep us from experiencing the common bond we have as Christians. (Ken Farmer)
This devotional is the Thursday, April 30, 2015 entry from Opening the Word.
Photo credit: "DSC_0017" by Ted used under CC BY-SA 2.0 / Resized, text added.

Read John 14:15-21
“Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (v. 17).
The Lord is not a distant God. Neither has He forsaken us and gone off on a journey. He is ever present. We say He walks beside us; He leads and instructs us. It is true. He is also our inside God. He wants to fill us with His Spirit, and He wants to be and will be “closer than a brother.”
His Spirit in us cleanses, guides, and comforts. We cannot live Christian lives when we are filled with self — our ideas, our plans, and our desires. We must yield to Him and let Him lead our lives. He will fill every corner of your life — your work, your recreation, and your worship.
We must be filled with His Spirit, before we can do what He would have us do. Our lives will be happy when we no longer have a conflict in our hearts. Will it be God’s way or my way? When God is in control, we can depend on Him to love and guide us. Then the responsibility for our lives is His. We only have to obey Him. God made us so that our hearts cannot be satisfied without Him. We will always be searching for something to fill the “God-shaped vacuum” in our hearts, until we give Him first place in our hearts. (Bertha Laird)

Invite the Spirit of God to rule your heart; you will never be sorry.

This devotional is the Tuesday, April 21, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.
Photo Credit: https://download.unsplash.com/photo-1429552016556-fd6f7d9743e1 by Brandon Morgan / Resized, cropped.

Read John 3:1-8
“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (v. 5).
“Smack, smack,” went the doctor’s hand. The air was filled with a beautiful cry! Such rejoicing and emotion went all through the room. A brand new life had been born into this world.
Five times over my husband and I have been allowed this privilege — this joy. In order for us to share living with our children, there had to be a place of birth! Then the benefits and responsibilities became ours.
Jesus shared with Nicodemus the essential requirement to obtaining an eternal life. One cannot only have an earthly birthplace, but one must experience a birthplace of the Holy Spirit.
How do we have such a birthplace? Jesus says, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (v. 18)
Do you remember the day you really believed in the Lord Jesus Christ to save you from your sins? If not, you can! Let this be the time and place. Believe in Jesus and be born again! Then, eternal life is yours! Jesus is the only way! (Janene Dubbeld)

By night he came to seek the Truth
Although he’d studied from his youth.
The Master said, “Be born again!”
This is OUR hope — amen, AMEN! — Janene Dubbeld

To obtain eternal life one cannot only have an earthly birthplace, one must experience a birthplace of the Holy Spirit.

This devotional is the entry for Monday, April 13, 2015, of Opening the Word.

Photo credit: "Baby" by Gabi Menashe used under CC BY 2.0.