John 4:43-53 talks about a leader whose sick son caused him to seek Jesus. Upon finding him, he asked Jesus to come to his home to heal his son. But Jesus told the man it was not necessary for him to go to the boy, but if the leader simply believed, then his son would be healed. 50. "Then Jesus told him, 'God back home. Your son will live!' And the man believed Jesus' word and started home." When the father arrived home after a two days journey, he found his son well. He asked what time the fever left and it was the same time that he was talking to Jesus.
I have been in situations where someone was praying for me during a difficult situation only to determine that the person who was praying for me prayed during the exact time I needed it the most. God works this way often. I have also felt the need to pray for someone, only to find out later, they needed that prayer. God is good. The verse that stands out to me is how the man believed Jesus' word.
This applies to me as I read the scriptures, I do believe they are true. In this case, the man believed and was obedient to Jesus by going home and knowing that God did perform the miracle. For me, God will keep his promises. With my job, I know that God will provide the job I want when the timing is his timing. I keep praying and I need to trust that God will hear my prayer. In the meantime, I need to be content with where I am at.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
Woman at the Well
John 4 is about the story of the Samaritan woman who was at the well drawing water and Jesus came to get a drink from the well. After a discussion about her life, her messed up sinful life, she discovered that this was the Messiah. Once she discovered it was Jesus, she started asking him about worshipping God. What caught my eye in this lengthy passage was verses 23-24.
23. But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way. 24. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
As I read this section of the passage, I see so many parallelisms. First of all, who are the true worshipers? Isaiah 29:13 "The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men." This gives a clear example of who are NOT true worshipers. Sometimes when I go to church and my mind is racing, I will think of this verse because I don't want to be a person whose lips are moving, but whose heart is far from God. I think a true worshiper is is one who worships God when no one is looking. One who worships God all of the time.
I like how the verse talks about worshipping the Father in spirit and in truth. Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth and the life". Jesus is the truth. And the Holy Spirit is the spirit. Worship is connecting our spirit with God's spirit, who lives in those who have accepted Christ as their personal savior. Note, however, when this was written, Jesus was still alive and the spirit of God had not yet descended on mankind. Notice how Jesus says, the time is coming. So I believe he is talking about the time when the Holy Spirit is present in our lives, which became the turning point in salvation and the reason for the death of Christ.
Although some people worship in spirit, they may not be worshipping God. In fact, God made us to worship Him. But if we aren't worshiping the Truth, then we are worshipping something else, by the very nature of how we are made. The spirt and truth have to go together. Verse 24 says because God is spirit, we must worship him in spirit and in truth.
23. But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way. 24. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
As I read this section of the passage, I see so many parallelisms. First of all, who are the true worshipers? Isaiah 29:13 "The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men." This gives a clear example of who are NOT true worshipers. Sometimes when I go to church and my mind is racing, I will think of this verse because I don't want to be a person whose lips are moving, but whose heart is far from God. I think a true worshiper is is one who worships God when no one is looking. One who worships God all of the time.
I like how the verse talks about worshipping the Father in spirit and in truth. Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth and the life". Jesus is the truth. And the Holy Spirit is the spirit. Worship is connecting our spirit with God's spirit, who lives in those who have accepted Christ as their personal savior. Note, however, when this was written, Jesus was still alive and the spirit of God had not yet descended on mankind. Notice how Jesus says, the time is coming. So I believe he is talking about the time when the Holy Spirit is present in our lives, which became the turning point in salvation and the reason for the death of Christ.
Although some people worship in spirit, they may not be worshipping God. In fact, God made us to worship Him. But if we aren't worshiping the Truth, then we are worshipping something else, by the very nature of how we are made. The spirt and truth have to go together. Verse 24 says because God is spirit, we must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
John the Baptist
John 3:27-30
John replied, "God in heaven appoints each person's work. You yourselves know how plainly I told you that I am not the Messiah. I am here to prepare the way for him, that is all. The bride will go where the bridegroom is. A bridegroom's friend, and I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less."
As I'm impatiently waiting for a job promotion into the field of administration, this verse encourages me because John says it is God who appoints each person's work. It's not man, but God. In the case of this text, he is referring to himself as John the Baptist, the person who comes to tell everyone that Jesus has come. He is explaining to the people that he is not the Messiah, but the one who is to announce the coming of the Messiah. Note that the author of the book is not John the Baptist, but John, one of Jesus's disciples and a close friend of Jesus. However, this verse can apply to me as well. I need to make Jesus greater in my life and live less of me "my own flesh". When I make Jesus greater in my life, things fall into place.
John replied, "God in heaven appoints each person's work. You yourselves know how plainly I told you that I am not the Messiah. I am here to prepare the way for him, that is all. The bride will go where the bridegroom is. A bridegroom's friend, and I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less."
As I'm impatiently waiting for a job promotion into the field of administration, this verse encourages me because John says it is God who appoints each person's work. It's not man, but God. In the case of this text, he is referring to himself as John the Baptist, the person who comes to tell everyone that Jesus has come. He is explaining to the people that he is not the Messiah, but the one who is to announce the coming of the Messiah. Note that the author of the book is not John the Baptist, but John, one of Jesus's disciples and a close friend of Jesus. However, this verse can apply to me as well. I need to make Jesus greater in my life and live less of me "my own flesh". When I make Jesus greater in my life, things fall into place.
Friday, December 21, 2007
John 3:16
I'm reading in the New Living Translation. John 3:16 is probably the first memory verse a child learns. I still remember this verse from my childhood. But quite often people don't look at the entire passage, which can't be ignored. Jesus is speaking to a man named Nicodemus, a well educated Jewish leader, about the topic of salvation. Nicodemus wanted answers. Like many people who doubt salvation, Nicodemus did not understand how a person could be "born again"? But he was talking about a physical birth. Jesus explained that being born again was a spiritual birth.
John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (17) God did not send his Son into this world to condemn it, but to save it. (18) There is no judgement awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God. (19) Their judgement is based on this fact: The light from heaven come into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the light, for their action were evil. (20). They hate the light because they want to sin in the darkness. They stay away from the light for fear their sins will be exposed and they will be punished. But those who do what is right come to the light gladly, so everyone can see that they are doing what God wants."
If you look at this whole passage, it explains why Nicodemus was not understanding what Jesus was talking about. Jesus is light, he is the light of the world. When we go to heaven, we will not need the sun, because Jesus and God are so bright it is not necessary to have a sun. Note the sun will be replaced by the son. Interesting thought.
Notice how people who do wrong things do them at night. They are too afraid to do their wrong deeds in broad daylight. No, they rob, steal, destroy at night time, when no one is looking. I am not saying that good people stay in the light and never sin. Sometimes Christian stray into the darkness. In fact, we will all be accountable for our sins, but those who love the Lord are not afraid of the light, in fact, they embarrass the light. The light represents life. Those who love the Lord, but stray into the darkness, will return to him and will return to the light.
I like what verse 17 says, God did not come to condemn the world, but to save it. I believe many people who do not know Christ feel that God came to judge them, partly because a small group of Christians feel the need to point out the sins of other people. Although, God is the ultimate judge, Jesus did not come to judge, but to save us. Unfortunately, some Christians like to point their fingers at other people and they want to condemn them. How sad is that? I think of Christians who judge homosexuals and hold signs up and protest. Shame on them for judging them. Jesus came to save people and bring them into the light, not condemn. We should be on knees praying for them that God would reveal the light to them, not condemning them.
John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (17) God did not send his Son into this world to condemn it, but to save it. (18) There is no judgement awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God. (19) Their judgement is based on this fact: The light from heaven come into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the light, for their action were evil. (20). They hate the light because they want to sin in the darkness. They stay away from the light for fear their sins will be exposed and they will be punished. But those who do what is right come to the light gladly, so everyone can see that they are doing what God wants."
If you look at this whole passage, it explains why Nicodemus was not understanding what Jesus was talking about. Jesus is light, he is the light of the world. When we go to heaven, we will not need the sun, because Jesus and God are so bright it is not necessary to have a sun. Note the sun will be replaced by the son. Interesting thought.
Notice how people who do wrong things do them at night. They are too afraid to do their wrong deeds in broad daylight. No, they rob, steal, destroy at night time, when no one is looking. I am not saying that good people stay in the light and never sin. Sometimes Christian stray into the darkness. In fact, we will all be accountable for our sins, but those who love the Lord are not afraid of the light, in fact, they embarrass the light. The light represents life. Those who love the Lord, but stray into the darkness, will return to him and will return to the light.
I like what verse 17 says, God did not come to condemn the world, but to save it. I believe many people who do not know Christ feel that God came to judge them, partly because a small group of Christians feel the need to point out the sins of other people. Although, God is the ultimate judge, Jesus did not come to judge, but to save us. Unfortunately, some Christians like to point their fingers at other people and they want to condemn them. How sad is that? I think of Christians who judge homosexuals and hold signs up and protest. Shame on them for judging them. Jesus came to save people and bring them into the light, not condemn. We should be on knees praying for them that God would reveal the light to them, not condemning them.
Catching Up
It's not that I've been slacking in my Bible reading as much as simply not having the time to post. I am reading the Bible in order of the books. Some books really grab me while other books just don't bring me in. Out of the the four gospels, Luke, written by a doctor, is difficult for me to connect with. Luke's other book, Acts is also one I struggle reading through. Dr. Luke is very detailed oriented and I'm not a detail person. I'm now reading John and I understand why this book is the one that goes into the hands of more people. I love the way John writes. I feel that I am John and I am in the presence of Jesus in the place of John.
With my two week break, I plan on writing more frequently.
With my two week break, I plan on writing more frequently.
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