Tag: God

Not prisoners

Re: Verse reading–John 21:1-25 (day one) 
“We are all products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.”–Rick Warren.

“A sunrise is God’s way of saying, ‘Let’s start again.’ “–Todd Stocker.

The Bible is a book about God.  His character, nature and promises.  It is also a book about people as they encounter God.  People who trust and follow.  People who (sometimes) make really foolish, really public mistakes.  People who find unexpected mercy.  Like Peter.  Please read John 21 this week.  Please watch with wonder the stubborn love that Jesus has for his friend, the divine determination that pursues and prods until Peter can process his failure and find forgiveness.  And when you see Christ-with-Peter will you think Christ-with-yourself?

“My SIN, O the bliss of this glorious thought, MY sin, not in part, but the WHOLE, is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more.  Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!”–Horatio Spafford.

The gospel according to “Sesame Street”

Re: Verse reading–John 20:10-31  (day seven)
“Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!”–v 18.  Years ago, there was a character on Sesame Street named Mr. Hooper.  Remember?  He was on the show for 13 years before He died of an heart attack in 1982.  When it happened, the producers had a problem.  How to explain death to 10 million children who watched the show?  They decided not to dodge the subject.  One day,  Big Bird asked where Mr. Hooper was and was told that he had died.  “Oh yeah, I forgot.  Well, I will just see him when he comes back” said Big Bird.  With a sympathetic hug the cast member said, “Big Bird, when people die, they don’t come back.”  Really?  This morning, I pray for volunteers and parents and Pastors to tell a different, better story.  I pray for energy and joy to tell children of Christ and the vast power and  purposes of God.

Whatever & Wherever

Re: Verse reading–John 20:10-31  (day five)
John 20:28    Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”   Profound statement.  Revolutionary words.  Do they sound familiar?  John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

What we need to remember is that Thomas spoke those words days after the Resurrection.  The words in John 1:1 were penned some 60 years later.

There is great hope in understanding the sequence of these verses.  Thomas, in the midst of doubt, fear, stress, tension, and grief is able to gain a new and supernaturally revealed insight into the nature and character of Jesus.  God was working in Thomas’ heart and mind.

So, whatever the circumstances, tensions, doubts, and fears we face, the hope of God’s continued work in the human heart and mind are possible to the soul that would seek, ask and knock. (see Luke 11).  Will you spend time in prayer and reading/searching the scriptures?  God is at work in whatever and wherever!!

Knowledge

Re: Verse reading–John 20:10-31  (day three)

“These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.”  The truth claim that John presents is not one that is testable with litmus paper.  We don’t have a test tube for ascertaining the existence of liberty or love or patience—or the existence of historical events like the Civil War or the resurrection of Jesus—and yet we can know the reality of these ideas and occurrences through trustworthy witnesses who have established their credibility in the community of men and women.  John says to us: “I saw these things.  Hear me out.  Listen to what I learned about the person of Jesus—his character, mind, and mission.”  Get to know Jesus through these witnesses.  By their record you can come to faith.  And then you can come to knowledge.

Angel question

Re: Verse reading–John 20:10-31  (day one) 
“As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot”–v 12.

It was a shock to them.  Not at all what they expected.  Angels, sitting majestically in the empty tomb at the foot and head where the body of Jesus had been just hours before, watching with amazement as Mary wept.  Tears???   The first disciples had come and gone, still very discouraged.  “They did not understand the Scripture”, says John 20:9.  Mary was equally blind to the work of God.  She wept.  Grief?  Confusion?  Exhaustion?  Whatever it was, it was a puzzle to the angels.  “Why are you crying?” they say in v 13.  Why aren’t you excited?  Why aren’t you filled with hope?  Good question, for her and for us.  Why are WE crying?  Not even angels have an answer for that question.

Finish!

Re: Verse reading–John 19:28-42 (day seven)
“It is finished”–v 28.  Jesus is the full revelation of God.  He is also the full revelation of man.  If we see who God is by looking at Christ, we also see who we will be.  See 1 John 3:2.  The new Adam.  The first-fruits of a restored race!  “I gave you an example”, said Jesus in John 13.  Our task is to imitate His pattern, follow Him, do what He did.  By doing so, we discover our true selves!  One category of Christ’s character is to finish God’s assigned task.  Do you know people who once committed themselves to follow Christ, but who now are far away, cold, distracted and disinterested?  Sadly, so do I.  Who among us doesn’t feel this soul danger?   “They had no firm root in themselves, but were only temporary” reports the Bible of some who joyfully received Christ early–Mark 4:16.  No argument, Christ finished His work.  Those who follow Him do the same.

Asking for help

Re: Verse reading–John 19:28-42 (day six) 
“Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty’ “–v 28.  No words describe the humility of Jesus.  After hours of abuse and ridicule, His pride does not prevent Him from asking for help from the guards standing nearby.  I am certain that I would not reacted the same way.  I would have been furious and stoic.  I would have refused to make myself vulnerable, to risk further rejection.  But Jesus needed a drink in order for his testimony to be heard.  He wanted to shout “It is finished” with a loud voice.  To do so, He needed to ask for help.  Are we too proud to do the same?  Do we sometimes pretend to “have it all together” at great cost to the task that God has given us to do?  “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient, even to death on the cross”– Philippians 2:8.  The most amazing evidence of His humility?  He was willing to ask for help.

Testimony

Re: Verse reading—John 19:28-42 (day three)
“The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true.”  The testimony of the church is that the Bible is the written word of God, infallible and trustworthy.  But the Bible didn’t just drop in from heaven.  Rather, “men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”  That is to say, it came to us through the eyes, ears, and minds of human beings.  It’s for human beings because it’s by human beings.  It’s what they heard.  It’s what they saw.  It’s what they knew.  It’s the truth.  The glory of the sovereign, triune God’s creative, redemptive work of unspeakable grace got written in a way that human beings can read it and understand it and find salvation through it.  The Bible: the mysteries of heaven revealed through a voice we recognize as one of our own.  Trust it.

Unfinished Business

Re: Verse reading–John 19:28-42 (day one) 
“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ ”  It is one of my favorite Bible stories.  No words adequately describe this holy moment.  John remembers the last word coming from the Savior’s lips.  Finished!  (It is actually just one word in Greek)  His assignment from God was completely accomplished.  Jesus’ heart knew a deep satisfaction. Were these words spoken/shouted with a smile through parched and bloody lips?  Likely.  All of us can hope the same words will be ours at the end.  Even so, we must be careful lest the case be overstated.  The Lord is still VERY ACTIVE in our world!  Who intercedes for the saints?  The Lord! (see Hebrews 7:25) Who opens hearts to hear the word? (see Acts 16:14)  Who adds to the church those who are being saved? (see Acts 2:47)  Until His glorious return, the Lord will be actively involved with the world!  He has unfinished business with us.

Addition and subtraction

Re: Verse reading—John 15:1-17 (day six)
“He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit.  Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more”–v 2.  “The Lord was ADDING to their number day by day those who were being saved”–Acts 2:47.  It is a familiar face of God to us.  Giver.  Provider.  He ADDS people to our congregation, friends to our lives, money to our bank account.  Do we also recognize Him when He SUBTRACTS?  When He removes things from our lives so that we do not grow self-sufficient or proud?  (see 2 Corinthians 12.)  When He prunes away parts of our lives, creates discomfort–all in the pursuit of greater fruitfulness?  “The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord”, said Job in the midst of his heartbreak.  (Job 1:21.)  May we be as quick to recognize our Father’s hand in times of change and difficulty.  He adds and subtracts.  We trust Him, either way.