John 17 – Oh Holy Father maintain a watchful care over them in your name, which you have given me, in order that they may be one as we are one. When I was with them I constantly maintained a watchful care over them in your name, those whom you have given me. And I guided them and no one of them were lost except the son of perdition, in order that the scriptures might be fulfilled.
As an apostolic people, we need to understand the inner make-up of a true apostle, knowing that Christ Jesus is our main example as the Apostle and High Priest of our confession of faith (Heb 3:1). Paul’s defense of his Apostleship provides the spiritual technology for unveiling the inner workings of an apostolic mind-set and behavioral patterns for an apostolic reformation church.
The only two qualities that Jesus ever suggested that his disciples should learn from him were humility and meekness. He never told them that they should learn how to preach or how to pray or even how to heal the sick! Why are these two qualities so important to life?
When we return to the Hose of God, we return like an orbit to another level of existence. Although it may seem like a repetitive sequence of returns, at each instance God has achieved another victory, fulfilled another promise, and changed another part of Jacob’s nature so that this orbiting back to Bethel becomes even more significant for us today.
Friendship in Christ is keeping his words and commands. That is how we stay in the sphere of God’s love – keeping His word and acting it out by His Spirit daily. It is actually quite simple: let the Holy Spirit remind you of His Word in every situation.