In John 17 we have the Lord’s prayer. Many people call the prayer that Jesus gave in Matthew 6:9-13 the Lord’s prayer, the prayer in Matthew would better be described as the disciple’s prayer. Jesus Christ never sinned so there would be no reason for Him to ask the heavenly Father to forgive His sins as He forgave the sins of others. It would probably be more appropriate to refer to John 17 as the Lord’s prayer. This is a prayer we cannot pray. Jesus pours out His soul for Himself, for us, and for the church. Normally when we pray we bow our heads and close our eyes. Jesus lifts up His eyes to heaven. I believe He is setting an example here for us to follow. Quiet time with our Father is vital, but we can pray throughout the day while walking, driving, running, just as long as our focus is on Him.
In John 17 Jesus knows that He will soon be arrested, beaten, and crucified. He says, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You.” Jesus was struggling with the task set before Him. I can’t imagine what my mind would be going through if I were going to face the same torture. Soon after this heartfelt prayer scripture records: And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke 22:44 NKJV His human side is revealed to us in this verse. He suffered from all the emotions we do, but he never sinned. He is asking His heavenly Father for encouragement, and later He asks if His agony could be set aside. All along He is still determined to do His Father’s will. The One Who had power over all creation was not about asking for His own will, but about professing His love for each of us and for our Father. We have no excuse for rejecting His love, this glorious gift of grace that was provided to us at a tremendous price. Christ laid aside His glory so that He could walk with us and give Himself up to be crucified for us. After His work was completed He asks the Father to glorify Him as He was at the beginning of the world. He is praying to have His Glory and His relationship with the Father restored .
He fulfilled His obligation to the Father. He gave the words that His Father had given Him, and He had kept those whom His Father had entrusted to Him. I would like to ask if you could say 
the same? When you pray at night can you say, “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them…” John 17:6-8 NKJV Surely, I cannot. So many I have had contact with have gone their own way, never seeing them again. Please read the ‘Power of Prayer.” God entrusts us with a group of people we are to minister to during our lifetime. It could be family, or it could be friends, but all the same they are there. It is important for you to understand that God foreknew you prior to your birth. He knows everything from the beginning of time until the end. He knew that you were going to believe in Him prior to coming into this world. There is no other reason why you are here reading this article except for the fact that you have been chosen by God. Your parents may have not planned you, but God did. He created you for a special purpose. Putting your own interests above others will never allow you to discover your real purpose in life. God created you for Himself and the sooner you realize that, the sooner you will be seeking God’s will for your life, the sooner you experience His peace, His strength. When we surrender our life to God He reveals to us our identity and our destiny.
The purpose of our salvation is to bring glory to Jesus Christ, which in turn brings glory to the Father. To be one with God the Father and Jesus Christ is the ultimate goal of every Christian. This unity can only be accomplished by God, and I believe He has completed that task by defeating Satan, and sin through the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When the curse of Adam is finally removed all Christians will be one with God in His will, purpose, and attributes. Their relationship will be the model for us to follow throughout eternity. Christ here prays for His disciples and later He will pray for us, His church, but He does not pray for the world, because He died for the world so that whosoever will believe on His name shall be saved. I know you are a believer. Don’t you think it’s time to make a commitment to Christ. He has already made the ultimate sacrifice for you. Isn’t it time for you to surrender your life to Him and let His Spirit guide you to your ultimate destiny.
God receives more glory by keeping us in the world than He would by taking us out. We are here to share the gospel that souls might be saved, but so many of us fail at this task. We go to 
church, we live a good life, but we never make it to the next level. We are like a strong grape vine with a good root system, broad green leaves, but we never produce fruit. We are set apart from others through the Word of God, and that is where so many of us fail miserably. We neglect our Bible study. Listening to the pastor and Sunday school teacher is not enough. God sent Jesus into the world to introduce us to the Father, and in turn Jesus sent us into the world to minister unto those we come in contact with. When was the last time you shared the Gospel with someone. Don’t feel like you are the only one. A pew study came out that said only one third of Christian pastors had brought someone to Christ in the last two years. We are literally failing ourselves, and in doing so, we are failing God. We just don’t go out and share the Word, we socialize with others and share our love for Christ. We ask for His assistance, and blessing so our labor may be fruitful. We all, with unveiled face, by beholding THE GLORY OF GOD, are changed into the same image. 2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV That we may walk as Christ walked.
Jesus has given to us the glory which our Father has given Him. The Father revealed Himself to the Son so He would see Him as He really was. Jesus then passed that glory onto us by teaching what the Father has taught Him. He showed us “Love Glorified” when He became sin for us and took the punishment we deserved. Jesus had faith in the Father with His resurrection just as we should have faith in Jesus with our eternal life. Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. Romans 6:4-5 NKJV
Christ is in the Father as the Father is in Him, so we can become one with God. Jesus said, 
“That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” John 17:21 NKJV When people see us they should recognize we are followers of Christ. We are sealed with the likeness of Christ, and it should be our mission in life to reveal the Father to others. This is something all believers know in their heart. “I have communicated to all those who believe, or shall believe in Me, the glorious privilege of becoming sons of God; that, being all adopted children of the same Father, they may abide in peace, love, and unity.” Hebrews 2:11 NKJV Won’t you take the next step with me toward being one with God. Oh God we want to see Your Glory.
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
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