A reminder from Peter

In John 13, Jesus tells His disciples that He is going somewhere that they can't come. And in verse 36, Peter askes Jesus where this is. Jesus response by telling him, that they will be following shortly. Peter comes back with a response of "I will lay down my life for You." (vs 37) But Jesus tells Peter that he will deny him three times.

Let us learn a lesson from Peter, we may be willing to give our lives for Christ, but we are also capable of deny Him also. Stay in the Word, and ask that God will give you strength to stand for Him.

Are you clean?

It's getting late, but I want to post this blog before I goto bed. In John 13:3-10, Jesus does something amazing. He sits down and washes the feet of the disciples. This was something that Jesus was not expected to do. But it's a forshadowing of what was to come. Jesus says that they need to be made vclean and on the cross that is what Jesus did, He made it possible for us to be clean.

A simply act

Today's take will be short, but I hope it will be inspirational.  I was reading in John 12, about the anointing of Jesus by Mary.  Mary used some very expensive perfume to anoint Jesus.  While many (mainly Judas) were comdemning her for this simple act, Jesus was pointing out how it was an act of worship.  Mary gave a lot of money that day in that act.  The question I have for us is, "what are we giving God?"  We need to be willing to give God what we have in an act of worship.  Let's learn from Mary!

Two points

There are a couple of things that stick out to me today in John 11.

First off, I notice that as Jesus talks with Martha, we see true faith.  In verse 22, Martha says "Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You."  While many of the Jews were questioning Jesus (and his divinity), we see Martha's faith.  She knew that Jesus was able to do whatever He asked of God.  What a great encouragement!  Can we say the same thing?

Secondly, Jesus as He goes and sees the mourning family, shows really emotion.  I always through of Jesus as a non-emotional person, but I see His emotions come out two verses.  In verse 33 it says, "When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled"  Also in verse 35 it simply says, "Jesus wept."  While Jesus was/is fully God, He was fully man.  In this being human had the same emotions that we do.  We can take refuge in that Jesus can relate to those of us we was troubled and are mourning.

Jesus' works

I know the theme of my blogs have been very similar.  But when John spends so much time talking about the deity of Jesus, I can't help, but focus on it.  In John 10, the Jews made an amazing statement, they said "How long will You keep us in suspense?  If You are the Christ tell us plainly." (vs 24)  After Jesus just got done telling them that is "I Am", which any Jew would have know right way that He was claiming to be God, how did they not understand that He was claiming to be God?

At this point Jesus made a statement, that I have often marveled at.  He first said the obvious, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these testify of Me." (vs 25)  He then goes on to tell an analogy that He is the shepherd and that we are His sheep.  At the end of the story, He said, "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I so then, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the father." (vs 37-38)

This begs a question, "if you don't believe that Jesus was God, what about His works/deeds?"  Nobody in the history of the world, has done what Jesus did.  His works should bring us to Him and should make us believe His words.

Jesus then goes on in chapter 11, to raise Lazarus from the dead, which is a great act.  Only God can raise another person from the dead.  If you don't believe Jesus was God, then believe in Him through His works!

A Blind Man Sees.

In John 9, John tells a story about a man that Jesus gave sight to.  And while this may not be suprising.  (Because Jesus healed many)  I find it interesting that the Jews wanted to know who an why this was done. It appears that they were seeking grounds to arrest Him.  But the man that was healed revealed only enough that they could not arrest Him, but his family was brought in and were questioned.  They were seeking to prove that Jesus was a sinner and had no right to heal (and forgive sins).  But there was no sin found in Him.

 

It amazes me that throughtout Jesus' life, their were those that were seeking Him, and yet could find nothing.  We on the otherhand are filled with sin, and yet no body in seeking to find our every sin.  We can be grateful, that the blood of Christ has washed us clean.  Now we need to live in light of that forgiveness!

Who is Jesus?

As I read John chapter 8, I see an amazing exchange between Jesus and the Jews in the temple.  Jesus directly tells the Jews that they are not of God, but of the devil.  It's an amazing statement, because the Jews being devout were clearly seen as God's people.  But here we see Jesus condemning them, "You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father.  He was murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him.  Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (Jn 8:44) 

 

This statement speaks volumes, the Jews would have been enraged by this statement, but isn't it true.  They were trying to seek to kill Him (or at least find a way to condemn Him), and Jesus tells them that they are of the devil.  They claimed to be of Abraham (vs 39), yet their actions were ones of death and seeking death. 

 

On a side note, we have all done things that are evil and sinful; does this not make us a descendent of the devil?  Maybe that is a little harsh, but that is what Jesus is saying.  When Adam and Eve sinned they chose the way of sin, instead of the way of God, and the Bible clearly teaches that because of that first sin, sin entered into the human race, and continues in each person to this day.  That is why we need a Savior, One that can rescue us from the life of sin.

 

Anyway, the Jews did not like to hear this, and could not accept the fact the Jesus was in fact from God, and was God.  He went on to reason with them about why they don't believe (vs 45-47).  They responded by accusing Him of being possessed by a demon (vs 48).  Jesus response by telling them that He is the one that honors God (His Father), and that He does not seek His own glory, the glory of the Father.

 

Then He makes a profound statement, that "if anyone keeps M word he will never see death" (vs 52).  The Jews questioned Him on this statement; they could not understand what He meant for they did not understand that eternal life was not necessarily in this life, but in the life to come.  So they questioned Him by telling him that even Abraham had tasted death, but yet He was promising eternal life.  So how could Jesus (who they did not see has greater then Abraham), promise eternal life, when Abraham saw death.

 

Jesus then answered by saying that He knows God and honors God, and that even Abraham longed to see the days of Jesus (vs 54-56).  They said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seem Abraham?" (vs 57).

 

At this point Jesus made a statement that struck a chord in them and made crystal clear, who Jesus claimed to be, He said, "before Abraham was born, I Am." (vs 58)  This was clearly a statement of divinity because in the book of Genesis, God identified Himself, as "I Am". And this is what Jesus claimed, they sought to kill Him right there, but He escaped, because it was not His time.

 

If anyone claims that Jesus never said He was God, they are wrong, because it's clear in this passage that He claimed to be God.  And while the Jews could not accept this fact, we must in order to be saved. 

To Judge or Not to Judge???

As I read John 8:11-40, I can't help but see that judging is a major theme. It starts out with the Jews putting an adulterous woman before Jesus, they were seeking to trick Him. They wanted to see if He would condemn her (judge her) or not. His response was "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." (Jn 8:7) So naturally they could not stone her because nobody is without sin. Jesus was pointing out a good point that we are not to judge the sins of others.

But later on, Jesus tells the Jews that "unless you believe that I am He (God), you will die in your sins." (Jn 8:24) We as sinners should not be in the role of judging others for the sins that they commit, but we are in the job of leading sinners to God (and Salvation). So as we look at a person's life, if we see that they are living a lifestyle of sin (and are not repentant of it), then we need to (as Christians) point out there sin. Because even though Jesus did not judge that woman, He will judge each person for their actions on this earth.

Jesus divides but controls

In writing out John 7:14-53, you can't help but notice that Jesus, in His day, was a very divisive person. Many were embracing His words and following Him. But there were many who did not like what He said. The words that Jesus spoke were new and challenging for those in that day and even today. There were some that disliked Him so much that they wanted to kill Him. Yet we see that even though they wanted to kill Him, He did not allow it as it was not the right time. 

 

If there were a large amount of people that were actively trying to kill me, I would be scared half to death!  Yet we see Jesus just going about His work without much (if any) fear.  He knew the date, time, and circumstances in which He would be killed.  So even the threats against Him did not worry Him, because He was in control. 

 

Even today, God is in control, we don't have to worry about what is going to happen because nothing happens until God allows it.  So even a huge earthquake in a poor country like Haiti does not happen unless God allows it.  We need to be praying that the affects of this disaster will bring people to the Lord and will honor Him.  Please take a moment and pray for those in Haiti.

Let's get this started!

Hello friends,

I know it has been years since I have updated this blog, but I'd like to give it another try. By this time no one probably reads this blog, but I hope some will. Part of my problem with blogging is that I'm not a natural writer. I'm not one that this comes easy for, but I want to put my thoughts down, so I can at least look back at them later, and see how God has worked in my life.

Last year I picked up the habit of writing out the Scriptures. This is something that my pastor, Scott Gilchrist, has encouraged us to do many times. I love the idea and the concept. It's more then just reading, it's processing. It forces me to take the time and digest what I'm reading and putting onto paper.

In case you don't know, I'm dyslexic, which means reading and writing are very difficult (that's one reason, my blogs seem to go by the wayside). Anyway, even reading through the Bible is a challenge. I often have a hard time understanding, and processing what I read, and it just becomes a chore instead of a delight. So I've been looking for new and better ways to get the most out of my time with God. I've found this practice of transcribing the Bible to be very helpful. I take it nice and slow. I copy about two 8.5x11 pages (which translates to be about 30-40 verses) a day.

Part of the reason this practice has worked so well for me, is that in writing out the Scripture, I'm not just having the words go into my head, but then out. Now, as we start a new year (and a new decade), my plan is to transcribe an average of two (or more) pages every single day this year. So I want to use this blog as a way to write down what I learn as I go. Now that I can blog from my cell phone, I hope to be on top of this more.

So where am I at?

Years ago I started the process by writing out the New Testament. I started in Matthew and planned to go through the whole New Testament. Last year, I picked it up where I left off in the book of Matthew, and transcribed and books of Mark and most of Luke. So as we go into the year 2010, I plan to finish the New Testament and start in on the Old Testament.

These updates will be short, and sweet, I hope to convey my thoughts in just a paragraph (or two).

What about today?

Today, (January 14, 2010) I transcribed, John 6:42-7:13 on to two pages.

In this passage, Jesus spoke to the Jews and laid out the way to salvation and that eternal life comes through the belief in Him and the trust in Him for Salvation. "I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh." (John 6:51)

What strikes me as interesting is that many of the Jews could not accept this. "Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, 'This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?'" (John 6:60) Jesus goes on to question them about whether they could understand. And it says that He knew those who would believe and not believe. This is still the case today. When a non believer is confronted with the truth of the Gospel, they either believe and put their trust in Christ or reject it. And like this passage, God knows of those who will believe and those who will not. But it's our job to find out, and to share the Gospel to them.

Have a wonderful day!