John 17:14–15: I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.

Again it is startling to note that He does not pray that we should be taken out of the world. God gets glory by keeping you and me in the world today. We think of the Rapture as wonderful, and it will be. We think of the Rapture as bringing glory to God, and it will. But let’s understand one thing: God gets glory by keeping you and me in the world. We long for the Rapture. In Revelation 22:17 it says that the Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” The Holy Spirit is weary of this world, He is grieved. He says, “Come.” We also are weary, and we who are the bride of Christ say, “Come.” But Jesus prays not that we should be taken out of the world, but that we should be kept from the evil one, Satan. And I wouldn’t want to be here for a minute if my Lord weren’t keeping me from the evil one. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could really learn this lesson? We cry and whimper because things are hard down here. Sure they are. He said they would be hard—“but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). The Lord Jesus has prayed to keep us in the world and to protect us from the evil one. 1

Your Word is Truth

Why has God left us in this world since we are heaven bound? Study these biblical reasons for your godly purposes on earth. Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 20:24, Ephesians 2:10, Ephesians 4:11-13, Colossians 1:28-29, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, Hebrews 6:10.

And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. –Matthew 6:13

You Alone are God

The battle belongs to the Lord, and the victory is found in Christ. – TWEET IT

Your Will be Done

Lord, thank You for fighting for me so I can serve You and glorify You.

1. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Gospels (John 11-21) (electronic ed., Vol. 39). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

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Tommy Blumberg

Tommy Blumberg

Tommy Blumberg was ordained as a Calvary Chapel pastor in 1985, where he served as an assistant pastor at Calvary Fellowship, in Seattle. In 1992, Pastor Tom, his wife Pam, and their three daughters moved to Bellingham and began a Bible study, which led to the founding of Calvary Chapel Northwest. Tom blogs regularly at TommyBlumberg.com.