Re: Verse reading–John 14:1-14 (day one)
“Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me”–v 1. It is a power I never knew I had! The power to prevent anxiety, the responsibility to stop fear before it washes over my heart and hope. John uses a word (tarasso) which meant, “to stir up, to agitate, to trouble”. He reports the command Christ gave His disciples (and us) to refuse fear, to replace and defeat it by belief. “Believe!” says the Lord. Believe in God! Believe in Christ! Place your full confidence in His sufficiency and wisdom and love. Even when days grow dark or disappointing, don’t wander off from this declaration of trust. “Do not be afraid any longer”, the Lord said to the grieving and anxious synagogue official in Mark 5. “Only believe!” ONLY believe! Allow nothing else into your heart. It is always His message to those who love Him. The result is always peace.
Tag: Lord
Live
Re: Verse reading–John 13:1-17; 31-38 (day three)
“He…began to wash his disciples’ feet.” Jesus saw an opening to love them, and he took it. It is possible that we’ve thought of Jesus as the author of object lessons, and that we have become dulled to recognizing love when we see it. Jesus did not do this in order to teach his disciples a lesson, though it did accomplish that. He did not do this in order to put them in a state of awe that the Lord would be so gracious as to stoop to such a lowly function, though it did strike them with wonder. Jesus did this because he loved them. Love is the way God lives. Therefore, love is the only way to live the eternal kind of life. At some point, we must stop theorizing and start living. Jesus will teach us to live.
Disappointed with God
Re: Verse reading–John 11:17-44 (day seven)
” ‘Lord,’ Martha said to Jesus, ‘if you had been here, my brother would not have died’ “–v 21. She was disappointed with Jesus. You can feel it in her words. Her not-too-disguised question, “Why didn’t you come when I sent for you?” “Why didn’t you hurry?” I’ve been in her same place, asked her same question. But, the issue is larger than schedule. It involves purpose also. “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see the GLORY of GOD?”–vs 40. When I am honest, I can see that my ambitions and prayers are often no larger than comfort and safety. God’s purpose and plan is higher. He wants me to see HIS GLORY. And, if this ultimate purpose requires the payment of time and/or struggle, He is willing and gracious to require it of me. Often, we are disappointed with God because we forget how LARGE and GOOD His plans for us are.
Jesus Wept
Re: Verse reading–John 11:17-44 (day two) Jesus wept.
This wasn’t the initial design. Our communion with the Lord was to be perfect, unfettered by anything and eternal. Sin. Separation. Death. These painful consequences were not our intended purpose. Jesus looked at the suffering of his friends Mary and Martha, and it hurt him. He knew what he came to do, he knew that he would raise Lazarus as a demonstration of his power over death, but he still wept. He is not immune to our condition or plight. Our hurt is his hurt. His purpose is that none of us would be stung by death, and that we might live, truly live. The comfort that we can glean from this passage is not just that Jesus conquered death, but that he also understands and deeply feels our pain. There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus, no not one.
Prevent?
Re: Verse reading–John 11:17-44 (day one)
“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died”—v 21.
It was as high as she could think. The highest stretch of her imagination. Prevent death! Like a football team using a “prevent” defense. Martha’s hope consisted largely of avoiding the reality. Even the Lord’s reminder of the coming resurrection (v 23) seemed like cold/distant comfort to her. We are often like her. Eat healthy! Exercise! Pray for healing! Avoid death as long as you can! That’s our approach. Jesus has a higher vision. Defeat Death! Restore life! His own resurrection will prove the power to do so. Lazarus’ resuscitation will include all of us in the promise. “An hour is coming when all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice and shall come forth. . .to a resurrection of life. . .(or) to a resurrection of judgment”—John 5:28-29. Prevent death? Yes, when possible, but the Lord has a higher goal– defeat it entirely!
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.
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
Don’t Miss Him
Twenty-second Day of Advent
Micah 5:2-4 (ESV)
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel.
And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.
Unsuspecting. Humble. Small. Modest. Undistinguished. Ignoble.
The world could use any or all of these words to describe the birth and life of Jesus Christ. Think about it. He was born in Bethlehem…a shepherd’s town. He was born in a manger…not even your grandpa’s barn. He is compared to a shepherd…not exactly a CEO of a Fortune 500 company. His triumphal entry was made on a donkey….not quite Aladdin’s entrance to meet Jasmine. It’s really no wonder so many people missed the boat. They were looking for someone born of a king in a palace and introduced to the world with fanfare and fireworks.
And don’t we often make the same mistake? I so often look for God to speak in a billboard or a red-lettered memo or in a sermon where the Pastor says, “Tiffini, this is for you.” But instead I most often FIND God in whispers and worship songs and friends’ encouragement.
The world missed His birth because it looked too lowly to be the Messiah. They missed His life because He laid His head in the homes of acquaintances. They missed His death because it was no different than a criminal’s. The Old Testament is fraught with prophecies and don’t-miss-what-I’m-about-to-do warnings of how Jesus would come not from “just a carpenter” but from the lineage of King David, how He would not have a home but that His home was the place God intended for Him to spread the Gospel message, how He would not die as a criminal but as a sacrificial lamb for the atonement of the world’s sins.
So this Christmas I will choose to look for Jesus Christ not in extravagant department store displays or grand parades with blimps of every imaginable character. I will instead look for Him in my heart, in my children’s hearts, in the sweet words of an Advent devotional book, under the tree in a bed made of straw with the eyes of the shepherds upon Him. And my guess is that I will use different words to describe what I find….
Wonderful Counselor. Mighty God. Everlasting Father. Prince of Peace.
Tiffini Greer
Re: Verse reading – John 6:25-51
Lost and Found
Twenty-first Day of Advent
Isaiah 52:7-10 English Standard Version (ESV)
7 How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,
who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
8 The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice;
together they sing for joy;
for eye to eye they see
the return of the Lord to Zion.
9 Break forth together into singing,
you waste places of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted his people;
he has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord has bared his holy arm
before the eyes of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth shall see
the salvation of our God.
Have you ever been lost? For the moment I don’t mean spiritually lost, but rather didn’t stop to ask directions lost, separated from your parents at the mall, or out in the wilderness lost. If you have, you likely have some sort of pit-of-your stomach feeling remembering that experience. Not knowing when or how you would be found again is a terrible place to be. What about that moment when rescue did come? Another feeling, but this time joy, elation, relief. When you saw that help come, it caused in you a need to rejoice. It might have been emotional, but it was certainly celebratory. The prophet Isaiah speaks about those who bring the good news to the lost (back to spiritual things now). The prospect of being found and brought back to the light is a cause for great joy. It still is. The Lord has done great things to rescue his people. What will your response be? You can imagine that I really like Isaiah’s ideas: lift their voice and break forth into singing.
Aaron C. Hufty
Re: Verse reading – John 6:25-51
Prepare the Way
Nineteenth Day of Advent
Isaiah 40:1-5 (NASB)
“Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God.
“Speak kindly to Jerusalem;
And call out to her, that her warfare has ended,
That her iniquity has been removed,
That she has received of the LORD’s hand
Double for all her sins.”
A voice is calling,
“Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness;
Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.
“Let every valley be lifted up,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the rough ground become a plain,
And the rugged terrain a broad valley;
Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
And all flesh will see it together;
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
What glorious words with which to announce the coming of the LORD!
What is more comforting than to know with surety that one’s sins, transgressions, and iniquities have been removed. Ironside tells us, “Double for all her sins” is a commercial expression. If a property was mortgaged for a debt, a notice spelling out all the conditions, including information of the lien-holder, would be posted on the doorpost. When the lien was fulfilled, the notice would be folded up, doubled, and tacked in place to indicate that all the conditions of the mortgage had been met.
What a rich picture of my life! I am a sinner; the Lord has given His life to meet the requirements of God to erase my sin. Now He has declared me cleansed!
But that is not all. This good news is available to all; it must be shared! The hills and valleys – what a vivid picture of Jerusalem where one must climb to go both to and fro; what an apt description of each person’s life with all its stumbling blocks – will be leveled to make possible the entrance of this GOOD NEWS, in the Person of Jesus Christ – His incarnation, His substitutionary death, His resurrection and ascension, His coming again.
That is my role, your privilege – to remove the hindrances that impede the advance of the Good News, the KING, from coming near to each one within earshot.
The KING is coming. He came as a child and a suffering Servant; He will come as KING and Judge. How can I best share this good news? How can I help to make the way level for His coming?
Anna Kingsbury
Re: Verse reading – John 6:25-51