GRINDIT podcast

Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?" We think truth is whatever we believe to be true but just because we believe it to be true doesn't make it true or vice versa. I can say I'm 6 feet tall all I want and believe it to be true but the truth is...I'm 5'7! The truth never changes and it can be supported with facts and evidence. Jesus said God is truth and His word is truth. You can choose not to believe it but it doesn't change the fact that God exists. "What is truth?" Pilate asked. The answer was standing right before his eyes but he couldn't see it. Can you?

Peter was always outspoken for Jesus. When Jesus asked "Who do people say I am?" it was Peter who said with authority, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!" It was Peter who said he would die with Jesus and even tried to defend Jesus from the militia that came to arrest him when he pulled his sword and went for the head of Malchus. However, in the blink of an eye this mighty pillar of faith denies Jesus three times after telling Jesus he would never deny him. And the whole time Peter is denying Jesus the religious leaders are having a joke of a trial and sending Jesus to the Roman authorities to be crucified. The very people that were supposed to be pointing people to the Messiah is killing the Messiah! Jesus is standing before Pilate and Pilate asks Jesus the ultimate question, "What is truth?" and the answer is right before his very eyes and he doesn't know it! What about you friend? Do you deny truth? Do you deny Jesus?

We are breaking down the prayer that Jesus prayed on behalf of his disciples just before he is leaving to be betrayed and crucified. One of the coolest things about this prayer is that Jesus not only prays for his eleven disciples that are left after Judas left the room, he also prays for us! 2000 years ago, Jesus had you and me on his mind before he went to the cross and he lifted us up to his Father!

As they are about to leave for the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus will be betrayed, he concludes his talk with his disciples by saying a prayer on their behalf. He knows his time has come and he will be leaving them to take over the kingdom so he tells his Father that the disciples have heard his message and believe. Therefore, since they will be taking over the kingdom and helping it grow, Jesus asks the Father to protect them.

In John 15 Jesus was talking with his disciples and he knew they were freaking out because he had told them he was leaving them and they couldn't come with him. Almost ten times he uses the word "remain" as he encourages them to keep their faith regardless of what happens in the coming days. He starts off John 16 by telling them not to "abandon" their faith and he tells them some things they will go through because they belong to him which includes persecution and death! Even though we may not be persecuted in the United States for our faith, we do experience life challenges and the goal of the GRINDIT Podcast is to encourage people to "remain" in Christ, to keep the faith, and to keep grinding! We would love to pray for you. Send your prayer requests to [email protected] or text them to 865-233-6825. God bless you in your walk with Christ...

Jesus said we are to produce fruit and be obedient to him. His commandment to us is to love others as he loves us so we take a quick glimpse of 1 Corinthians 13 and finish breaking down what Jesus told his disciples in verses 18-27. Jesus says we will be hated, persecuted, and ignored because that's how the world treated him...and he was God in the flesh!

Jesus commands us to produce and the key to producing fruit is to "remain" in Jesus. He promises to "remain" in us if we "remain" in him. When he remains in us through the Holy Spirit we will produce fruit naturally because we are connected to the vine and we are healthy. However, we have a choice to remain or leave but if we choose to leave God, where else are we going to go? And the consequences of leaving God would be brutal! "Remain" in Jesus, produce fruit, and share Jesus with others! Even though hard times come, they don't last and eternity with Jesus will be worth it all!

Jesus is the grapevine, his followers are the branches, and his Father is the gardener and is the one who does the pruning. If a branch doesn't produce fruit it is cut off from the grapevine and cast into the fire. According to Galatians 5:22 the Holy Spirit produces the fruit in us so just as Jesus said, it is imperative we walk according to the Spirit so he will produce fruit. As the Holy Spirit produces fruit in us we need to share it with others!

We finish John 14 with the disciples freaking out over what Jesus is telling them. They want to go with him and he tells them they can't. They are full of fear and doubt which is two great tools of the enemy. If Satan can keep us in fear and doubting God, then he knows we are no threat to him. Jesus promises them a Helper, the Holy Spirit and when he falls on the disciples in Act 2, they are filled with boldness. Even after being persecuted and beaten the disciples continue to be bold! What about you? We are filled with the same Holy Spirit as they were so we should be bold just as they were as well!

John 14 is a continuation of John 13 where Jesus is having a very intimate conversation with the eleven disciples that are left (Judas has left to get his silver). He tells them, "Don't let your hearts be troubled...." He knew they were freaking out because he had told them one of them would betray him and he also told them he was leaving them for a bit. We can all use the comforting words Jesus gave them, "Trust in God and Trust in me."