John 17: 4 – 23 AMP
I have glorified You down here on the earth by completing the work that You gave Me to do. And now Father, glorify Me along with Yourself and restore me to such majesty and honor in Your presence as I had with You before the world existed. I have manifested Your name (I have revealed Your very self. Your real self) to the people whom you have given Me out of this world. They were yours and you gave them to Me, and they have obeyed and kept Your word. Now (at last) they know and understand that all You have given me belongs to You (is really and truly Yourself) For the (uttered ) words that You gave me I have given them; and they received and accepted (them) and have come to know positively and in reality  (to believe with absolute assurance) that I came forth from Your presence, and they have believed and are convinced that You did send Me.

I am praying for them. I am not praying (requesting) for the world, but for those You have given Me, for they belong to You. All things that are Mine are Yours, and all things that are Yours belong to Me; and I am glorified in (and through ) them. They have done Me honor; in them My glory is achieved. And (now) I am no more in the world, but these are (still) in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep in Your name (in the knowledge of Yourself) those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We (are one). While I was with them, I kept and preserved them in Your Name (in the knowledge and worship of You). Those You have given Me I guarded and protected, and not one of them has  perished or is lost except the son of perdition (Judas Iscariot), that the Scripture might be fulfilled. And now I am coming to You; I say these things while I am still in the world, so that My joy may be full and complete and perfect in them (that they may experience My delight fulfilled in them, that My enjoyment may be perfected in their own souls, that they may have My gladness within them, filling their hearts.)

I have given and delivered to them Your word (message) and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world (do not belong to the world),  just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world (worldy, belonging to the world) just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them (purify, consecrate, separate, them for Yourself, make them holy) by Truth; Your word is Truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And so for their sake and on their behalf I sanctify (dedicate, consecrate) Myself that they also may be sanctified (dedicated, made holy) in the Truth. Neither for these alone do I pray (it is not for their sake only that I make this request) but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching.

That they all may be One (just) as You Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be One in us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You sent Me. I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be One (even) as We are one; I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become One and perfectly united, that the world may know and (definitely) recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them (even) as you have loved Me. I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be One even as We are One: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become One and perfectly united that the world may know and definitely recognize that You sent Me and You have loved them (even) as You have loved me.

What would it look like, if our churches were not known by the name of the pastor or even the name of the church but simply identified by their  service, by their love – by their missions – by their initiatives?  That the church’s people and their work were an outflow from the very  spirit of Jesus and so identified with Him that the public barely knew the pastor’s name  because the church body had taken on the very nature of Jesus to such an extent that HIS Name was greater than THEIR Name. When non church members think about this Bride they thought only of Jesus because the very fragrance of Christ permeates this Body. This Bride is so beautifully purified it resembles pure gold – not spray painted gold, gold filled or 14K but pure gold – well positioned and fearlessly awaiting the Bridegroom. What would that look like?

What would it look like if all the Brides became One and Jesus truly lived and reigned in each One and every steepled roof confidently reached out to work with all other steepled roofs to accomplish God’s objectives and the service goals in every community? What if the spirit of competition was neutralized by the Blood of Jesus, territories were blended and  imperceptible and the arms of the Body were locked in unison to make only Jesus famous?  Every church message in every community  only resounded with Jesus; His Presence, His Name, His Blood and His Spirit were only taught as what frees, heals, teaches, comforts, provides, guards, guides, and protects from darkness – All Jesus Only Jesus All the Time.

John 17 also tells us that Jesus only prays for the ones that His Father gives Him – which sounds like he’s not praying for every lost soul wandering the earth, unless I suppose, we (the saved) ask Him because that’s our job to pray for them. He is busy up in Heaven taking care of us to God so we must get busy down here taking care of Him. There is strength and tremendous power in unity.

John 10:11 – 18 NIV
I am the good shepherd . I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for my sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice and there shall be One Flock and One Shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life – only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.  (Jesus)

Constructionzon
Tuscaloosa Alabama
Twitter: Constructionzon
Wordpress:  tracylgatewood.wordpress.com
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For those of you that read my articles this will come as no surprise ……..
When I go to my great reward, I plan to correctly answer those questions God asks me at The Pearlies then I will tear out something akin to Ellie Mae Clampett running off looking for her Feller-Man. Mine is Jesus, and when I find Him, I am going to tackle Him (somehow gracefully – hopefully He is still kind of skinny ) and kiss Him on each side of His face like those Europeans do then I will cry like a baby, kiss and say thank you to both of those nail scarred hands,  THEN I am going to help Him up and make Him run with me down the GOLD street, past the marble (sea – mint) pond, ’round a jasper wall and straight into the Revival tent that will be going full tilt with deafening praise and worship music.  Divinely Constructed  (finally!)   Yeeee-Haaaa!!
(But please don’t take me now Lord – way too much work yet still to do! )

Related articles:  right side/ top of this page
tracylgatewood.wordpress.com/the-assignment/
tracylgatewood.wordpress.com/equip-the-bride/
tracylgatewood.wordpress.com/purpose-driven-bride/
tracylgatewood.wordpress.com/purify-the-bride/