Daily Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart:
John 17:23, “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.”
When the Lord prayed, “that they may be made perfect,” He used the perfect tense of the Greek verb.
The perfect tense indicates that the effect of what happened in the past continues to be a present state and reality.
This tells us that He was not referring to a process of being perfected.
He was identifying a state of perfection that we are in.
I in them and you in me, in order that they, having been brought to the state of completeness [or, perfection] with respect to oneness, may persist in that state of completeness [or, perfection].
In other words, being brought to a state of perfection is simply equal to Christ indwelling us with the Father.
The “I in them” is inseparably linked to the “You in Me.”
“I in them” means that the Son is in us.
“You in Me” means that the Father is in the Son.
So we have the Father in the Son as the Spirit flowing into us as our state of perfection.
This perfection is the perfection of the oneness existing between the Father and the Son.
That oneness comes into us when Christ comes into us.
Therefore, perfection is not what we attain; it is what we receive when we receive Christ.
In every relationship in the Body of Christ, recognize the existing perfection, and then persist and continue in it.
Until Tomorrow,
With a Shepherd’s Love
Pastor
…….
TODAY’S PRAYER LIST
Bill Lawhead – Prayer Needed
Don Slate – Angela Bryan’s Dad – Hospice
Debra Roberts – Home in need of prayer
Hanna Hall – Pray For Grace
Larry Stanley – Improving
Mary Williams Son – Mike – Accident Brandon’s Grandmother
Amy Garner’s Mother
Ashley Burn’s Sisters
Barbara Shed’s Family
Bill Moody
Charlie Sessom –Waiting
Colby/Connor – Allison’s G’sons
Denise Stubbs – Kim Allison’s Mom
Doug Fritzel
Greg & Keith Payne – Lisa’s Brothers James Garner’s G’Son
John Burnette
Joyceann – James Garner’s Daughter
Kimberly – Dustin’s Sister
Larry Barker – Hip Replacement Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Lynn – Nancy Brown’s Daughter
Mary Sims
Michael Stanley
Nancy Brown’s G’Daughter
Nora Allison – Dustin’s Mom
Pastor Stucke– Nikki’s Dad
Paula Ferus’ Missionary Friend
Ricky Stubbs
Roseleigh Osborn
Scott Lanier – Lisa’s Cousin
Sharon Blalock
Sherry Yoachum – Recovering
Shaelyn – Jill’s Friend
Sheila Simmons Cousin
Todd Bailey
Todd Roberts
Tom Witcher
Wanda Galanti