Good morning people who do not use God’s Word for your own advantage.

John 17:20 NIV “My prayer is not for them (the disciples) alone. I pray also for those (unbelievers) who will believe in me through their message.”

This is an interesting verse when you consider what Jesus said only a few verses earlier.

John 17:9 NIV “I pray for them (the disciples). I am not praying for the world (unbelievers), but for those (the disciples) you have given me, for they (the disciples) are yours.”

Here’s the first thing I see, and I believe it is very important in the days that we live in: We cannot take one statement of Jesus in isolation and build a doctrine out of it. Yet many do.

Jesus said one thing, and then said something different a short time later. Sure, in this case, they weren’t different doctrines – they were a different focus of prayer – but it highlights this point I believe Father wants to get our attention on.

2 Timothy 2:15 NIV Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

We will not be ashamed when we correctly handle the word of truth.

The purpose of the Bible is never to back up what we choose to believe. Please hear this. God and His Word are not there to make us feel good or to enable us priding ourselves on what we know.

God’s Word exists to accurately reveal God and to shape us into His image. God’s Word exists to reveal the truth according to who God is and what God has said.