When you get saved and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, the devil immediately comes to steal the word that was sown in your heart.  He may tell you that you are unworthy or that you aren’t really saved, or even that the sin in your life is too much for God to forgive.  Sin is not greater than grace.  If you repent, He is faithful and just to forgive you of your sin and to declare you righteous.  You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus!  You are a child of the Most High God!  Don’t let the devil steal that truth from you.

Before Jesus died on the cross, He spoke a powerful encouraging message to his 11 disciples, not accounting for Judas who had just left the room to betray Jesus.  Some people have titled it as His Final Discourse, or His Farewell Discourse.  I have chosen to simply call it the words Before the Cross.  Jesus knew exactly what Word to give His disciples, even though they were stricken with grief that He was leaving them.

In John 13, Jesus gives His disciples a new commandment.  Listen closely to this commandment because this is for us today as much as it was for them that day.  You are loved, Jesus says, let it be obvious to the world how much He loves you.