November 7, 2010
John 8:49-59
V 59 but Jesus hid himself
At the moment when this angry mob wanted nothing but for Jesus to die and was willing to stone Him; he left. It wasn’t in God’s plan that Jesus die from stoning at the hands of an angry crowd; so, it didn’t happen. God’s word says “I know O Lord, that the way of man in not in himself that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. (Jeremiah 10:23).” When the way of our life gets very difficult, and we wonder how much more can we take the answer is this; as much as it is in God’s plan. Which we can be assured will not be more than we can handle. There is comfort in that.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Confronting Sin...
November 3, 2010
John 8:36-48
V 48 the Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”
As I have been reading this exchange between Jesus and the Jews I’m amazed at the audacity of these people. They are being confronted by their sin and they don’t like it. In fact they hate it and are attacking Jesus. Are we guilty of that? We might not attack Jesus but perhaps we try to down play our sin. Perhaps we fail to recognize it’s destruction or maybe we even choose to ignore it all together. These Jews were refusing to believe that they were in fact wrong and were trying to push the blame onto Jesus. Do I do this too? Am I willing to question or look for any excuse instead to confronting the sin in my life?
John 8:36-48
V 48 the Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”
As I have been reading this exchange between Jesus and the Jews I’m amazed at the audacity of these people. They are being confronted by their sin and they don’t like it. In fact they hate it and are attacking Jesus. Are we guilty of that? We might not attack Jesus but perhaps we try to down play our sin. Perhaps we fail to recognize it’s destruction or maybe we even choose to ignore it all together. These Jews were refusing to believe that they were in fact wrong and were trying to push the blame onto Jesus. Do I do this too? Am I willing to question or look for any excuse instead to confronting the sin in my life?
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My Journey
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Their Eyes are Watching...
November 2, 2010
John 8:31-35
V 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a save to sin.
Perhaps I’m the only one who deals with this but I’m constantly confronted by sin. My sin, unfortunately, and sometimes I see my sin coming out in my children. This breaks my heart. It hurts to see the issues I battle daily coming out in them. I mean where they learned the behavior is obvious; from me. How easy it is to be consumed with self and forget that others are watching you! I can only hope that they will also learn from me that we must try on a daily basis to die to sin and turn to God.
John 8:31-35
V 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a save to sin.
Perhaps I’m the only one who deals with this but I’m constantly confronted by sin. My sin, unfortunately, and sometimes I see my sin coming out in my children. This breaks my heart. It hurts to see the issues I battle daily coming out in them. I mean where they learned the behavior is obvious; from me. How easy it is to be consumed with self and forget that others are watching you! I can only hope that they will also learn from me that we must try on a daily basis to die to sin and turn to God.
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My Journey
We are not alone...
October 29, 2010
7:40-53, 8:1-30
V 29 And he who sent me is with me, He has not left me alone…
We will never be called to perform any task that could in anyway be compared to the one Jesus had before Him. His task was huge, was filled with pain, and would eventually end in his physical death. Yet, for this task ahead of Him He knew that His Father would be with Him. We, as believers, can depend on God being with us. Some of the things that we are called to go through will be huge, and filled with pain, yet we are not alone. God will not call us to a task and leave us adrift. Instead, He guides us. His hand holds us. I think that it’s easy to get caught up in our circumstances and forget that God goes before us. His strength can get us through. However, it is in those difficult moments that we must choose to believe all that God has told us; we must choose to believe that He is sufficient to meet our needs.
7:40-53, 8:1-30
V 29 And he who sent me is with me, He has not left me alone…
We will never be called to perform any task that could in anyway be compared to the one Jesus had before Him. His task was huge, was filled with pain, and would eventually end in his physical death. Yet, for this task ahead of Him He knew that His Father would be with Him. We, as believers, can depend on God being with us. Some of the things that we are called to go through will be huge, and filled with pain, yet we are not alone. God will not call us to a task and leave us adrift. Instead, He guides us. His hand holds us. I think that it’s easy to get caught up in our circumstances and forget that God goes before us. His strength can get us through. However, it is in those difficult moments that we must choose to believe all that God has told us; we must choose to believe that He is sufficient to meet our needs.
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My Journey
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Are we thirsty?
October 28, 2010
John 7:32-39
V 37…”If anyone thirsts, let him come to him and drink”
As I’ve been on a journey to be more physically healthy I’ve learned some things. One of those things is that generally speaking we are more dehydrated in the mornings. Our bodies are thirsty. In the summer, I run in the mornings but I’m a total chicken once the weather gets cooler, so I run in the afternoons. What I’ve learned is that after the morning run I’m parched. I really need a drink, my body is craving water. The same is true about our spiritual lives. As we are “running the race” we get thirsty. We get tired, and without a steady diet of the “living” water we will be unable to complete what is set before us. Just like our physical bodies crave and thirst for water first thing in the morning; so do our “spiritual” bodies. Becoming dehydrated in a spiritual sense is just as dangerous as dehydration of our physical bodies! Yet, we have an endless supply of living water set before us.
John 7:32-39
V 37…”If anyone thirsts, let him come to him and drink”
As I’ve been on a journey to be more physically healthy I’ve learned some things. One of those things is that generally speaking we are more dehydrated in the mornings. Our bodies are thirsty. In the summer, I run in the mornings but I’m a total chicken once the weather gets cooler, so I run in the afternoons. What I’ve learned is that after the morning run I’m parched. I really need a drink, my body is craving water. The same is true about our spiritual lives. As we are “running the race” we get thirsty. We get tired, and without a steady diet of the “living” water we will be unable to complete what is set before us. Just like our physical bodies crave and thirst for water first thing in the morning; so do our “spiritual” bodies. Becoming dehydrated in a spiritual sense is just as dangerous as dehydration of our physical bodies! Yet, we have an endless supply of living water set before us.
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My Journey
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Is Seeing Really Believing?
October 27, 2010
John 7:25-27
V 27 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”
I mean really, what more did these folks need? Right, they had seen him heal the blind, lame, and dead. They had seen him feed the 5,000. What more did they need, right? Yet, we are no different. We require Jesus to do all sorts of things for us also. When our prayers are not answered like we want them to; then God no longer answers prayers. When bad things happen to “good” people; we wonder where is God. The fact is God doesn’t have to perform to our standards because He is God and I am not. Jesus is worthy of being worshiped just from being Jesus not for what He may have done for us or for any miracles He has performed.
John 7:25-27
V 27 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”
I mean really, what more did these folks need? Right, they had seen him heal the blind, lame, and dead. They had seen him feed the 5,000. What more did they need, right? Yet, we are no different. We require Jesus to do all sorts of things for us also. When our prayers are not answered like we want them to; then God no longer answers prayers. When bad things happen to “good” people; we wonder where is God. The fact is God doesn’t have to perform to our standards because He is God and I am not. Jesus is worthy of being worshiped just from being Jesus not for what He may have done for us or for any miracles He has performed.
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My Journey
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Learning to decrease
October 20, 2010
John 3:30 He must increase but I must decrease
For a while now I’ve been on a journey to have Him increase in my life. That has been a productive endeavor, and of course, all thanks are to God. Yet, as I’ve also discovered lately this is only half the battle. The rest, and quite possibly the hardest part, is decreasing your “self”. This is the battle. The only way to really allow God’s word to affect your life is if you allow it to change your life. There are many things we can “know” about God and His word, and it is great to learn them, we are commanded to learn them. However, it is only when we put that knowledge to work in our lives that we will see the differences. “He must increase BUT I MUST DECREASE”
John 3:30 He must increase but I must decrease
For a while now I’ve been on a journey to have Him increase in my life. That has been a productive endeavor, and of course, all thanks are to God. Yet, as I’ve also discovered lately this is only half the battle. The rest, and quite possibly the hardest part, is decreasing your “self”. This is the battle. The only way to really allow God’s word to affect your life is if you allow it to change your life. There are many things we can “know” about God and His word, and it is great to learn them, we are commanded to learn them. However, it is only when we put that knowledge to work in our lives that we will see the differences. “He must increase BUT I MUST DECREASE”
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My Journey
Monday, October 18, 2010
"...But judge with right judgement"
October 18, 2010
John 7:14-24
V 24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment…
Wow, how often do we judge others by what we think they should be doing? How often do we look at what people are doing, or better yet, not doing and judge them by our standards? How often do we hold others to a stricter standard than what we are willing to hold ourselves to? I’d say the answer to that is often. I’d say that we are more willing to look into someone else’s behavior or actions before our own. Interestingly enough, this same thing was happening to Jesus during this passage. The Jews were judging Jesus because He healed a man on the Sabbath, yet, they were guilty of circumcising someone on the Sabbath. The Jews were also judging Jesus because His knowledge was vast and they couldn’t figure out how He had come by it.
John 7:14-24
V 24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment…
Wow, how often do we judge others by what we think they should be doing? How often do we look at what people are doing, or better yet, not doing and judge them by our standards? How often do we hold others to a stricter standard than what we are willing to hold ourselves to? I’d say the answer to that is often. I’d say that we are more willing to look into someone else’s behavior or actions before our own. Interestingly enough, this same thing was happening to Jesus during this passage. The Jews were judging Jesus because He healed a man on the Sabbath, yet, they were guilty of circumcising someone on the Sabbath. The Jews were also judging Jesus because His knowledge was vast and they couldn’t figure out how He had come by it.
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My Journey
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The Fear of Man...
October 13, 2010
John 6:38-71, 7:1-13
V 13 yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him
Can you imagine living during the earthly time of Jesus? Can you imagine being at the wedding were He turned the water to wine? Can you imagine seeing Him heal the sick or cast out demons? I can imagine that even if you never saw it personally, you knew someone who did or had heard of it. So, after all that had been going on, people were too afraid of the Jews to talk of the miracles Jesus performed or of the great wisdom with which He spoke. I began to wonder as I read verse 13…are we any different. Yes, we have never seen with our own eyes the miracles Jesus did while on Earth, yet, we know that they are preformed every day. We pray for them when our loved ones are sick or hurting. We haven’t heard with our own ears the actual voice of Jesus teaching. Yet, we can pick up the Bible and read them whenever we want. And like these early believers we often times fear the world too much to tell others of Him.
John 6:38-71, 7:1-13
V 13 yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him
Can you imagine living during the earthly time of Jesus? Can you imagine being at the wedding were He turned the water to wine? Can you imagine seeing Him heal the sick or cast out demons? I can imagine that even if you never saw it personally, you knew someone who did or had heard of it. So, after all that had been going on, people were too afraid of the Jews to talk of the miracles Jesus performed or of the great wisdom with which He spoke. I began to wonder as I read verse 13…are we any different. Yes, we have never seen with our own eyes the miracles Jesus did while on Earth, yet, we know that they are preformed every day. We pray for them when our loved ones are sick or hurting. We haven’t heard with our own ears the actual voice of Jesus teaching. Yet, we can pick up the Bible and read them whenever we want. And like these early believers we often times fear the world too much to tell others of Him.
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My Journey
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Forever Held...
October 12, 2010
John 6:36-37
V 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out
How comforting to know that if we are His, He will never cast us out. Despite the fact that we will still sin, that we will at times choose the world over Him, that we will choose not to start our day by reading His word, or all the other failures that we will make along the journey of our lives. He will never cast us out. Of course, this isn’t due to any goodness on our part or the fact that He just can’t live without us. No, this is due to the fact that He is who He is. How wonderful that it isn’t dependent on anything I can do.
John 6:36-37
V 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out
How comforting to know that if we are His, He will never cast us out. Despite the fact that we will still sin, that we will at times choose the world over Him, that we will choose not to start our day by reading His word, or all the other failures that we will make along the journey of our lives. He will never cast us out. Of course, this isn’t due to any goodness on our part or the fact that He just can’t live without us. No, this is due to the fact that He is who He is. How wonderful that it isn’t dependent on anything I can do.
Labels:
My Journey
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