Jesus, right before He goes to the cross, tells His Father God about His deepest desire. He tells Him, in essence - Father, I am willing to give up My life. I am willing to die, but this is what I really want. This is My heart’s cry. This is MY DESIRE—I want the ones that You have given Me as My inheritance to be WITH ME WHERE I AM. I want them to BEHOLD MY GLORY. I want them to see the LOVE that You have given Me and the love We share with each other. I want them to be surrounded in the circle of our love.

What is the true oneness that Jesus was talking about in this passage? Jesus had the same heart and motivations as His Father. As He spent time with the Father in the scriptures and in prayer while here on earth, more vision regarding His life was revealed to Him. Jesus was in human form showing us how to walk with the Father. 

As President Trump begins his second term, Christians Engaged and Family Policy Alliance Foundation continue to voice concern over ‘apathetic U.S. Christians’ retreat’ from influencing culture

We live in the world as believers, but we are not supposed to be OF the world. I am not just talking about being cross-cultural, weird, or "different," but walking in a level of holiness (separation) unto God.

Jesus is the ultimate Intercessor for us. Here, in His last minutes before His death, He was thinking about His disciples. He was praying for God the Father to keep them steadfast. He was praying that they would not be moved. He was declaring over them that He was going to KEEP them through His name.

Genuine Christians necessarily proclaim to belong to God’s kingdom. As such, the citizens of any kingdom look to their king for answers. So, the question that begs an answer is this: How do we effectively pray to God so we have the assurance that He hears us? The answer lies in knowing our King personally, giving us access to the throne. The truth is that God first draws us and woos us to Himself, even into His presence.

“And who is my neighbor?” Ah! This will get him. This will draw him into a trap. This will entangle him in all manner of racial, theological, and cultural weeds. But Jesus pivots. He avoids legal exposition and argument and turns instead to a practical illustration.

Jesus answers with a story. In doing this, the Lord reminds us that the Bible is the world’s greatest storybook, and he is its greatest storyteller. The parable he tells is one of history’s most poignant and memorable. Its descriptions are riveting, its principle timeless.

Such is the place obedience has in Holy Scripture, in the mind of God, in the hearts of His servants. We may well ask of ourselves, “Does it take that place in my heart and life?” Have we indeed given obedience that supreme place of authority over us that God means it to have, as the inspiration of every action, and of every approach to Him?

It is a miracle that we believe. It is a miracle that the disciples or the “men whom You have given Me out the world” that Jesus is praying for in John 17, believed that Jesus was sent from the Father and they received His words.

Everything throughout the Word of God is about to climax here with this one phrase – Glorify Your Son. From the time of Adam and Eve’s sin in the garden, God had a plan to redeem the earth. The plan was called JESUS. The end of the story in the book of Revelation centers around the angels, the Redeemed, and the four living creatures worshipping one person – JESUS.

In a courageous and deeply personal speech on the U.S. House floor, Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina did what many women fear to do: She named names, exposed injustices, and testified to the truth that shaped her life.

Standing firm in faith and conviction and yet shaking as she spoke, she shared her harrowing experience of uncovering and exposing heinous crimes against women, all while drawing strength from God and Scripture. It was hard to listen to and even harder to absorb the reality of her story.

Most of us have faced seemingly hopeless predicaments when another person has presented himself as an adversary. When things seem impossible, God has already provided an answer. Ours is to courageously act on His Word and pray selflessly for that person. God will move on your behalf when you “live out” His Law of Love.

Is your heart at home? Your true home? Your true heart?

This world is a mess. It is saturated in chaos, riveted by war and violence, tarnished by greed and dishonesty, and shrouded in hate and confusion. Rampant immorality has made a mockery of God and goodness. Truth is dismissed as an inconvenience, and pride promoted as the way of success. 

A powerful and unexpected movement has been taking place among young people. Bible sales are on the rise, young men are returning to church, and Gen Z is showing a renewed interest in stable homes and traditional values.

Then somehow, somewhere, she came across a poem. Reading it, she prayed to God that its powerful message might have an impact on the undecided boy she loved. So, one night she placed the poem gently on the piano she knew he would play. When he read it the next morning, he was so struck he decided to put music to its words.

The love of Christ in its sweetness, its fulness, its greatness, its faithfulness, is beyond all human comprehension. Where shall language be found which shall describe His matchless, His unparalleled love towards the children of men? It is so vast and boundless that, as the swallow but skims the water, and dives not into its depths, so all descriptive words but touch the surface, while depths immeasurable lie beneath.

The recent dismissal of the Department of Justice case against Dr. Eithan Haim is not just a legal victory for one person, but a crucial moment in the fight to protect children from harm. It is also another example of the real fact that if we, as American citizens, speak up loudly and consistency against injustices and pray, vote, and engage — electing leaders who are pursuing justice — that we can see victories on the issues that we care about. 

Bunni Pounds introduced Christians Engaged supporter and now judge, Gina G. Parker at her investiture from the House Chamber in the Texas State Capitol in January 2025. Judge Gina was sworn in as one of three new judges on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, a statewide court that serves more than 30 million Texans.

As President Trump begins his second term, Christians Engaged and Family Policy Alliance Foundation continue to voice concern over ‘apathetic U.S. Christians’ retreat’ from influencing culture