SCRIPTURE
(John 12:46) "I have come as light into the world, that everyone who believes in me may not remain in darkness."
OBSERVATION
Jesus is informing the crowds that He is the light of God sent to expose and lead them out of darkness. His purpose is not to judge but to redeem. We each have a free will to chose to follow the light or remain in the darkness. Darkness is seperation from God, a place of torment, loneliness and regret. A place to be afraid of.
APPLICATION
In Matthew chapter 5, Christ says that we are now the light of the world, and that we should let our light shine in such a way that people will see our good works that glorify God. Light has to be generated from a source. Jesus is the light and the source of our light. If we share Jesus, that light shines brightly. Fear or intimidation from man seeks to dampen the light. Don't fear man, but fear the judgement (imposed darkness and seperation) of an eternal God.
PRAYER
God, let your light shine in me that people may see Your good works and redemtive power.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Sunday, August 9, 2009
SCRIPTURE
Jesus wept.
APPLICATION
This verse seems to teach us that Jesus is full of great emotion stirred by love. He doesn't simply look at the world with foreknowledge, knowing with confidence how things will turn out. He is emotionally involved. Like us, Jesus has emotions and feelings. He understands our emotions. In fact, he created them. He can sympathize with us in the midst of difficulty, stress and sadness. How cool is that!
PRAYER
Jesus, I praise you for your 'realness'. That you aren't an impersonal, distant God. You are close, personal and relationally connected to your creation.
John 11:35
OBSERVATION
OBSERVATION
In the verses leading up to verse 35, Jesus continues to express his intention to raise Lazarus from the dead. Those around him don't understand what he is going to do, but Jesus obviously does. In spite of this, Jesus is moved with great emotion (v. 33) by the mourning of Mary, Martha and the others. He cries upon seeing the body of Lazarus. Jesus knows that he is going to move in a miraculous way, but he is still emotionally connected to the event.
APPLICATION
This verse seems to teach us that Jesus is full of great emotion stirred by love. He doesn't simply look at the world with foreknowledge, knowing with confidence how things will turn out. He is emotionally involved. Like us, Jesus has emotions and feelings. He understands our emotions. In fact, he created them. He can sympathize with us in the midst of difficulty, stress and sadness. How cool is that!
PRAYER
Jesus, I praise you for your 'realness'. That you aren't an impersonal, distant God. You are close, personal and relationally connected to your creation.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Lost Sheep
SCRIPTURE
"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me."
"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me."
John 10:14
PRAYER
Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd. When I follow you, you lead me to places of peace and joy and provision. Forgive me for those times when I don't follow. Help me to follow you more fervently and earnestly.
OBSERVATION
This is one of the great "I am" passages in John. Here, Jesus is stating that he is the good shepherd. There is a natural inclination to recall Psalm 23 while hearing the words of Jesus. In Psalm 23, God is called a shepherd, and indeed a good shepherd. He leads his sheep in the midst of darkness and threat. He leads the sheep through the valley to quiet waters and green pastures. He provides for all the needs of his sheep. Because of the presence of the shepherd, the sheep have no need for worry or fear. They have great faith in the love of their shepherd, and his ability to protect them. Jesus says that he is the good shepherd, that he will lead us to quiet waters and green pastures. He will restore our soul.
APPLICATION
I need to remember that I am a sheep. That I need to follow. That I am weak and fallible and dependent. Left to myself, I am lost and lonely. However, Jesus extends an invitation to become my shepherd. He expresses his desire to lead and love. All I have to do is accept the invitation and begin to follow.
This is one of the great "I am" passages in John. Here, Jesus is stating that he is the good shepherd. There is a natural inclination to recall Psalm 23 while hearing the words of Jesus. In Psalm 23, God is called a shepherd, and indeed a good shepherd. He leads his sheep in the midst of darkness and threat. He leads the sheep through the valley to quiet waters and green pastures. He provides for all the needs of his sheep. Because of the presence of the shepherd, the sheep have no need for worry or fear. They have great faith in the love of their shepherd, and his ability to protect them. Jesus says that he is the good shepherd, that he will lead us to quiet waters and green pastures. He will restore our soul.
APPLICATION
I need to remember that I am a sheep. That I need to follow. That I am weak and fallible and dependent. Left to myself, I am lost and lonely. However, Jesus extends an invitation to become my shepherd. He expresses his desire to lead and love. All I have to do is accept the invitation and begin to follow.
PRAYER
Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd. When I follow you, you lead me to places of peace and joy and provision. Forgive me for those times when I don't follow. Help me to follow you more fervently and earnestly.
Friday, August 7, 2009
God in a Box
SCRIPTURE
Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath."
PRAYER
Father, surprise me. Stretch my conception of you so that I may know you more fully. Soften my heart and open my mind to further comprehend your character.
John 9:16
OBSERVATION
The Pharisees missed it. They missed the Messiah. They were so caught up in keeping their religion in a nice box with neat categories that they missed connecting with the Son of God. Their expectations for God's move were defined by lists and rules, rather than an organic relationship with the living God. They refused to push past their assumptions about the nature of God. They allowed pride in their religious knowledge hinder their understanding of God. As a result, they missed the most profound expression of God on earth.
APPLICATION
I'm afraid that I have Pharisaical tendencies. Like the Pharisees, I sometimes place God in a box and limit His action to my preconceived notions of who He is and how He moves. We obviously need to have notions and knowledge of who God is, otherwise, anything might become God. However, we can also become so cautious with when, why and how God works that we miss it when He shows up because he doesn't fit in our neat, comfortable box. I want to be surprised by God. I want to allow my worldview to stretch beyond my past experiences and see God in fresh ways. I want to loose my Pharisaical tendencies.
OBSERVATION
The Pharisees missed it. They missed the Messiah. They were so caught up in keeping their religion in a nice box with neat categories that they missed connecting with the Son of God. Their expectations for God's move were defined by lists and rules, rather than an organic relationship with the living God. They refused to push past their assumptions about the nature of God. They allowed pride in their religious knowledge hinder their understanding of God. As a result, they missed the most profound expression of God on earth.
APPLICATION
I'm afraid that I have Pharisaical tendencies. Like the Pharisees, I sometimes place God in a box and limit His action to my preconceived notions of who He is and how He moves. We obviously need to have notions and knowledge of who God is, otherwise, anything might become God. However, we can also become so cautious with when, why and how God works that we miss it when He shows up because he doesn't fit in our neat, comfortable box. I want to be surprised by God. I want to allow my worldview to stretch beyond my past experiences and see God in fresh ways. I want to loose my Pharisaical tendencies.
PRAYER
Father, surprise me. Stretch my conception of you so that I may know you more fully. Soften my heart and open my mind to further comprehend your character.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Becoming a Student
SCRIPTURE
"You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings."
"You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings."
John 8:31
OBSERVATION
A disciple is a student. Someone who sits at the feet of another in order to learn how to do something. If you want to learn Tae Kwon Do, you must become a disciple or student of an expert in the Korean martial art. And, if you want to be successful, you must obey the teachings of your instructor. The same is true of our spiritual life with Jesus. We become disciples of Jesus because he lived fully in the kingdom of God. As Christians, we too are called to live fully in God's kingdom. Too often, we live on the border, with one foot in the kingdom of the world and one foot in the kingdom of God. Sometimes, we move entirely out of God's kingdom an plant our feet fully in the world. Jesus teaches us how to move into God's kingdom. How to stay there. How to live there. And to do this, we must obey his teachings. We must do what he tells us to do.
APPLICATION
OBSERVATION
A disciple is a student. Someone who sits at the feet of another in order to learn how to do something. If you want to learn Tae Kwon Do, you must become a disciple or student of an expert in the Korean martial art. And, if you want to be successful, you must obey the teachings of your instructor. The same is true of our spiritual life with Jesus. We become disciples of Jesus because he lived fully in the kingdom of God. As Christians, we too are called to live fully in God's kingdom. Too often, we live on the border, with one foot in the kingdom of the world and one foot in the kingdom of God. Sometimes, we move entirely out of God's kingdom an plant our feet fully in the world. Jesus teaches us how to move into God's kingdom. How to stay there. How to live there. And to do this, we must obey his teachings. We must do what he tells us to do.
APPLICATION
How frequently do I straddle the border? How often do I allow my life to be compartmentalized, with part of me pursuing things of this world while other parts pursue God. I am called to pursue God with all of me. All my thoughts, my actions, my will, my words... In order for this to happen, I have to become serious about being a disciple of Jesus Christ! Just as a half-hearted Tae Kwon Do student will never move beyond basic martial arts, the half-hearted disciple of Jesus Christ will never experience the fullness of God's kingdom. It's time to give up half-hearted Christianity and fully pursue obedience to my Lord and Savior.
PRAYER
Jesus, forgive me for being a half-hearted disciple. Help me to fully embrace my call to be your disciple.
Jesus, forgive me for being a half-hearted disciple. Help me to fully embrace my call to be your disciple.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
SCRIPTURE
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
OBSERVATION
During the Feast of the Tabernacle, Jesus makes this interesting claim. He says that anyone can come to him and drink and that streams of living water will flow from those that believe in him. I can only attempt to image what those who were listening to Jesus were thinking. What does he mean? How can my thirst be quenched by this man? What is living water? How can living water flow from me? While they did not fully understand the promise given, one thing was clear, Jesus was central.
APPLICATION
Water is key for life. Everything that lives requires it. And Jesus makes a claim that he, like water, is needed. Jesus tells us that he is central to life. But he doesn't leave it there, he invites us to come and receive from him. To drink of the "living water." What a great reminder! Jesus is constantly inviting us to come to him, the one thing that is truly needed.
PRAYER
Jesus, you are the one thing that is needed. Help me to remember this. Help me to pursue you. Give me a sensitivity to the spiritual thirst within. Help me to look to you to quench that thirst!
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
John 7:37-39
OBSERVATION
During the Feast of the Tabernacle, Jesus makes this interesting claim. He says that anyone can come to him and drink and that streams of living water will flow from those that believe in him. I can only attempt to image what those who were listening to Jesus were thinking. What does he mean? How can my thirst be quenched by this man? What is living water? How can living water flow from me? While they did not fully understand the promise given, one thing was clear, Jesus was central.
APPLICATION
Water is key for life. Everything that lives requires it. And Jesus makes a claim that he, like water, is needed. Jesus tells us that he is central to life. But he doesn't leave it there, he invites us to come and receive from him. To drink of the "living water." What a great reminder! Jesus is constantly inviting us to come to him, the one thing that is truly needed.
PRAYER
Jesus, you are the one thing that is needed. Help me to remember this. Help me to pursue you. Give me a sensitivity to the spiritual thirst within. Help me to look to you to quench that thirst!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Living Hope
SCRIPTURE
1 Peter 1:3: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
OBSERVATION
Because of God's mercy, he gave us new birth into a LIVING hope through Christ's resurrection.
APPLICATION
People place hope in all sorts of things. We place hope in the fact that the economy will turn around, that our car will get us to work in the morning, etc. Hope in objects are dead! Because of Christ's death and resurrection we have hope...Living hope! Heb 6:19 says that the hope we have in Christ is an anchor for our soul!
PRAYER
Father, thank you! Thank you for the living hope we have in Christ as an anchor for our soul!
Amen
1 Peter 1:3: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
OBSERVATION
Because of God's mercy, he gave us new birth into a LIVING hope through Christ's resurrection.
APPLICATION
People place hope in all sorts of things. We place hope in the fact that the economy will turn around, that our car will get us to work in the morning, etc. Hope in objects are dead! Because of Christ's death and resurrection we have hope...Living hope! Heb 6:19 says that the hope we have in Christ is an anchor for our soul!
PRAYER
Father, thank you! Thank you for the living hope we have in Christ as an anchor for our soul!
Amen
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