Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

John 3

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. v36

My mom has read John and is now reading other books of the Bible - praise.  I am hopeful that she understands who Jesus is and what He offers all of us:

...love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, power, peace, etc. (fruits of the spirit) Galatians 5:22

He also offers forgiveness of sins, an unchanging, loving God that is always available to us...and so much more that it is beyond human description.

I am not so sure she does but I am prayerful that she can and that she can see Jesus in me and others.  Otherwise as John indicates here...the option is not good.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the God I love and a God the only God for me.  You bless me well beyond what I deserve and You are always there...even when I blow it.  You welcome me back...always...Thank You Jesus. Help me with my worry and forgive me for it.  Help me turn away from my worry and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

"He must become greater; I must become less."

John 3

"He must become greater; I must become less." v30

There is no doubt that Jesus is greater than I and of course is pure, holy, and blameless, both when He lived on earth and also now as my Lord and Savior.   I greatly desire, desperately so, to become more like Him and less like me.

My Prayer: Jesus, I need You desperately in my life for all things...provision, health, protection, comfort, etc.  ¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above James 1:17.  Yet I neglect my relationship with You.   Thank You that You love me anyway Jesus but please forgive me.  Help me turn from my neglect of my relationship with You and help me turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

John 3

He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” v2

Nicodemus is an example of someone who engages with Jesus - He truly desires Truth and even though he has doubts he is willing to engage and believe in Jesus.  He ultimately became a believer* because his heart was open to receiving Truth.

*MacArthur, John (2005-05-10). The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Kindle Locations 45135-45136). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.  

My Prayer: Jesus, I desire Truth...I do.  Help me with my unbelief!  I want You to grow in my heart because I desperately need You.  I sin - I struggle with worry, selfishness, impatience, etc.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me.  Help me turn towards You...help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people.

John 2

But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. v24

Many believe that Jesus lived an exemplary life - worthy of emulation.  Yet Jesus was more than a man He is the messiah - God Himself. My love for Him must be based on a correct view of who He really is - He is Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit...the Trinity.  Once we recognize who Jesus is, we then recognize who we are in relation to Jesus and it then becomes apparent that we are not Jesus, we are incapable of becoming Jesus, and that we are nothing without Jesus.

The Sermon on the Mount recognizes this as such with the following verse:

Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:22

Humility is key in our relationship with Jesus - denial of self and recognition of our weakness, etc. play a critical role in Jesus growing in our heart.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed great and I am not...not even close.  I am nothing without You and I need You desperately in my life.  Yet too often I rely on my own powers and I worry too much when my own powers fall short.  Thank You that You love me despite my sin...my worry, etc.  Please forgive me for my sins and help me turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

“My hour has not yet come.”

John 2

“My hour has not yet come.” v4

Jesus often responds to requests or please for help not with a yes or no but with a statement or a question - His response is not often what we seek but it is what He seeks in particular He seeks growth and maturity in our faith.  In this case Jesus responds to His mother with a statement that makes it clear that God's timing is different than our own and that we need to be mindful of this and perhaps He wants us to be more patient or He wants to be more aware of the current circumstances and how these circumstances are part of God's plan.  We often want to change our circumstances when God has us just where He wants us. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus - You are indeed a great God and Your will, design and plan is perfect.  I have seen it play out in my life time and time again and I am prayerful and hopeful that I can be patient in Your timing.  Many times I am not however and I get frustrated or angry - sometimes in inadvertently at others.  Yet You continue to forgive and bless me.  I am not worthy of such love as I continue to be impatient and often angry.  Forgive me Jesus and help me turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

John 1

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. v12-13

In the past few years, I've recognized Jesus as the greatest gift of all time and the verses above support my claim - that are are given the right to become children of God and all that goes along with that.  Forgiveness, eternal life and so much more!  The fruits of the spirit - Galatians 5:22 - are a great way to describe what accrues to us as result of believing in Jesus:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience (LJPP), kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control (KGFGS). Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

My Prayer: Lord, what a great God You are and what an amazing gift You are - the greatest gift of all time!  I am not worthy of such a gift - yet You bless me all the same.  Thank You Jesus.  Please forgive me for my lack of belief - I place too much faith in my own plans and powers and I worry - these are just two sins among my many!  Help me turn towards You and love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures

Luke 24

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. v45

Faith in Christ is only possible with the help of Christ. 

My Prayer: Lord, You are able to do all and I need Your desperately in my life.  Help me overcome my unbelief and my lack of trust.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.