Tag: Jesus

HWJL?

Re: Verse reading–John 10:1-21 (day seven)
“I am the good shepherd”–v 14.

He was a brilliant leader, not shy about declaring the truths that govern all leaders.  Notice that He didn’t speak any of the trite clichés that are often communicated.  He didn’t say that we don’t need a shepherd (that we were semi-autonomous and self-sufficient).  He didn’t say that the “church” is always right (that if a person has an official title he/she should be trusted and obeyed without question).  He claimed that He was the GOOD shepherd of His people and that all those who come after Him in any capacity of leadership are qualified only in so far as they are like Him in concern and courage.  The GOOD shepherd is the standard of measure for all other leaders!  “The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching”—1 Timothy 5:17.  HWJL?  How would Jesus lead?

The subject is leadership

Re: Verse reading–John 10:1-21 (day six)
“The THIEF comes only to steal and kill and destroy. . .the HIRED HAND. . .runs away because he cares nothing for the sheep”–v 10, 12.

The subject is leadership.  There are many, says Jesus, who claim to lead the people of God (have authority over or responsibility for the sheep) who are not qualified to do so.  Either through active selfishness (thieves) or passive cowardice (hired hands) they fail to protect and promote the welfare of God’s people.  Not so with Jesus.  Not so with the leaders that He calls and sends to us.  Unselfish–motivated by love.  Courageous–even in a costly fight.  God-called leaders exhibit these characteristics.  Why do you think Jesus takes the trouble to make this clear?  What responsibility do sheep have in recognizing and responding to God-called leadership?  Sheep are helpless, but not so helpless that we cannot hear His voice (or not) in the leaders He sends to us.  We must discern.

“It’s Me”

Re: Verse reading–John 10:1-21 (day five)

Ever answer a phone call (without caller ID) and the person on the other end says just two words, “It’s Me”?  Based on the ability to recognize the voice, the listener immediately is in a state of confusion or comfort.

John 10  vs 3 “and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ” vs 4 “When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.”

This scripture teaches at least two amazing truths.  1) Jesus calls to His sheep by name.  2) His sheep have the opportunity and capacity to recognize His voice.

When Jesus says He is the Good Shepherd, He is promising to faithfully call and lead His sheep.  Are we (His Sheep) ready and willing to listen and follow?

Challenge for 2015:  Every day we would spend time faithfully praying and meditating on the scripture so that we could understand and recognize the voice of Jesus.

The goal- We might find peace and comfort when the conversation begins by Him saying, “It’s Me”.

Green Pastures

Re: Verse reading–John 10:1-21 (day four)
Happy New Year!  If you planned to do something in 2014, you are too late!  New Year’s is traditionally a time to start over…to do new things…to make course corrections.  John tells us in chapter 10 that good things happen when the sheep follow the shepherd.  Anyone other than the shepherd is there to steal, kill, and destroy.  The shepherd protects the sheep, provides for the sheep and lays down his life for the sheep.  Jesus says that if His sheep enter through His door, they will be saved…they will find rest and provision.  Jesus has the authority to bring about these new things in our lives.  Only our shepherd can do them.  As you consider those New Year’s resolutions, allow the Good Shepherd to direct your steps.  He will give you protection and find you green pastures.  Only He can do it.

Mind

Re: Verse reading–John 10:1-21 (day three)
“He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”  A not-for-profit organization years ago used the slogan, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”  That’s for sure.  God gave human beings a mind, and its unused potential is one of the great stewardship failures of a sinful human race.  The religious leaders confronting Jesus demonstrated this abdication of responsibility when they refused to engage Jesus on the merits of his claims, and instead resorted to name-calling and diversionary tactics.  When you are spiritually bankrupt, that’s all you’ve got.  God gave you a mind as well.  Jesus says to you, “Follow me.”  Do you enter into conversation with the Savior, or do you change the subject?

The leaders we need

Re: Verse reading–John 10:1-21 (day one)
“He who does not enter by the door. . .is a thief and a robber”–v 1.  Jesus had harsh words for the so-called leaders of the Jewish nation.  He was constantly puzzled by their low-insight, low-impact lives.  In John chapter 10, the Lord uses two metaphors.  First, He is the door into the sheep fold (v 7).  Then, He is the good shepherd (v 11).  Confusing?  In both instances, Jesus is setting the standard for leadership in God’s family.  First, leaders must come to the church THROUGH Jesus.  Sent to us by His assignment and will.  Those who don’t come through the door, are thieves.  Secondly, they must be LIKE Jesus in moral quality.  He is the GOOD SHEPHERD.  Others are “under shepherds”  (See 1 Peter 5)  If Jesus is sacrificial and courageous, our leaders must be as well.  No question, the LORD shepherds His people.  And one of the ways He does so is by choosing and sending us leaders.

Enslaved

Re: Verse reading – John 8:31-47 (Six)
“We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves to anyone.  How can you say that we shall be set free?”—v 33.  We don’t see what God sees.  Even about ourselves.  Jesus saw the Jews as slaves needing liberation.  “The Spirit is upon me, because He has anointed me to proclaim release to the captives.”—Luke 4:18.  They immediately imagined political captivity.  His focus was spiritual slavery.  If society controls what kind of house I buy, what kind of car I drive, where my kids go to school, am I a slave?  If fears dictate how many hours I work, or desire shapes what I buy or watch, can I claim to be free?  If, when I pledge to live by the higher purposes of God, I then fall back into sinful habit, isn’t it because there is a power operating in my life that even I don’t control? Jesus sees this situation very clearly.  Do we?

Rejoice

First Day of Christmas

Luke 2:8-20 ESV

8And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.9And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.10And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.12And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
15When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”16And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.17And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.18And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.19But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.20And the shepherds returned,glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” vs. 19
Can you imagine what it would have been like to be Mary?
To have anticipated the birth of the Savior of the world?
To have seen how all of the events came to pass?
The Scripture tells us she treasured up these things and
pondered them in her heart. Aren’t we called to do the same?
Psalm 77:12 says, “I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.”

What a blessing it is to ponder and meditate on the work
God has already done in our lives! It reminds us of His
goodness and faithfulness. It gives us strengh to
face the days ahead. When I struggle with trusting God, reflecting on the things he
has already done in my life and resting on His character keep me grounded.
Because of Jesus, we have hope for coming days.
This Christmas let’s remember and
rejoice in who God is and what He has done!

Lauren Wells

Re: Verse reading – John 8:31-47

A Child Will Be Born

Seventeenth Day of Advent

Isaiah 9:2-7New American Standard Bible (NASB)
2 The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.
3 You shall multiply the nation,
You shall increase their gladness;
They will be glad in Your presence
As with the gladness of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.
5 For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult,
And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.
6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.

So much hope resting on the birth of a child. This child is light to those in darkness, freedom to those in bondage, and justice to the oppressor; no earthly king could shoulder such a burden for long. Maybe for a season, with great feats of diplomacy and military maneuverings, a king could usher in brief peace and expansion, but to bring lasting peace from this time forward and forevermore it would take infinitely more that a man with the right earthly heritage, but the King Eternal. The Father did the unimaginable, he sent his Son Emmanuel, God with us, to do what no earthy king could. He sent the Extraordinary Strategist, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. Even more shocking is that the Father accomplished all this in Jesus not because of some lofty merit of our own, or stupendous faithfulness, but out of his own devotion to his people!

Oh thank you Father for sending your Great Light; your Son given to us!

Danny Panter

Re: Verse reading – John 6:25-51

Just Believe

Eleventh Day of Advent

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18 NASB)

It has always been easy for me to define myself by my works. If you perform well one day, you have done well; if you perform poorly another day, you have not done well. This works-based thinking easily pours over into our spiritual lives if we aren’t careful. Have you ever felt further or nearer to God based on your works? I do, quite often. The gospel seeks to destroy a works-based lifestyle. John 3:16 will utterly ruin a legalist. Think about how the Pharisees (exemplary legalists) felt in John 6 when they simply wanted to know how to perfectly perform the works of God. To their inquiry Jesus essentially replies: “Believe.” That’s it?! All I have to do is believe? Reliance on your works will only get you so far. Reliance on His work will get you to heaven. It’s no longer about how faithful you can gather yourself to be; it’s about how faithful He is. It’s no longer about how hard you try to know Him, but about how much He knows you. If you change your perspective, then your entire life will change. You will find more freedom than you have ever found. Jesus’ answer is: just believe.

Chris Butler

Re: Verse reading – John 3:1-21