Monday, October 30: Revelation 1- Life back then.

It can be common for people to remember nostalgically life ‘back then’ where the ‘back then’ is some golden era people dream to return. Church people often remember some former pastor and a time when their church was this or that or they remember a decade in their past when ‘life was good.’ Some people in the church long to return to the exciting days of the New Testament… as if the goal today is to return the church to the days of the early church and the Book of Acts excitement.

One problem with these statements is that we recall the wonders of the particular time gone by but leave out some of the more difficult parts of life back then.

For those who want to return to the ‘early church’, love the excitement, the conversions, the miracles and wonders. Truly those are wonderful. However, persecutions and hardships came with those wonders.

I was struck by John’s description in verse 9. I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

I, John your brother and companion in the:

Suffering; many in the early church suffered for their faith. There were seasons of persecution that are beyond the thoughts most of us have of persecution. Yes, they saw miracles, but many died to see those miracles.

Kingdom… John was a companion in the kingdom, which I take to mean they saw the wonder of people coming to faith and God’s reign growing and affecting many. I think we all long for this

Patient Endurance… but to see the kingdom they needed patient endurance. This was a phrase used often to call people to hang in there when life grew difficult, ‘Despite hardships and pain keep loving and obeying Jesus. Don’t give up’. These are words spoken during the hardest of times to encourage people to stay the course and not bale out.

Those ‘wonderful days’ of the early church were filled with wonders of God on the move, but they were also filled with costs to the people of God.

The nagging question in my heart, as I hear John’s description, goes like this, “Am I willing to endure the hardship to see the fruit of kingdom growth?”

That question has no simple answer for me… I admit I like my comfortable life. I would rather keep my comforts and see the miracles. However, that has not been the way of history and certainly wasn’t the way in the early church and the days of John.

Ugh, my selfish ‘self’ rises up again.

Oh, Lord, forgive me… forgive me… forgive me. My heart still needs much spiritual surgery and repair. Please send Your Holy Spirit and begin the much needed work in me. I pray… in Jesus’ name. Amen

Tuesday, October 31: Revelation 2- God speaks.

Three specific letters written to three different churches. And in some of the letters there was specific information for different groups within the church. 

I couldn’t stop thinking what letter would Jesus write to me…

What sins would God point out? What works or efforts might God applaud? What would He call me to do that I might not be doing right now?

I am not going to write out what the Lord spoke to me; it is personal.

I am so blessed that I serve a God who continues to speak… in broad overarching ways and in specific timely ways.

One line that jumped out at me as I read. It is verse 23: Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.

This hit me because it underscored what I was thinking about, that God has words to speak to each of us regularly. There are words about lifestyle that need to change and sins we must guard against and works for us to do.

I am so blessed that God speaks with me… What a great God we serve!

Blessings to You, my Lord and my God. Thank You for correction and encouragement and words of life and peace. I love You, Lord. I Love You. Through Jesus I live and move and have my being and through Him I pray this morning. Amen.

 

Saturday, October 28: John 21- Called to a purpose.

When my children were young after telling them a story, they would often say, “Tell us another story, please...”

At concerts the crowd often cries out for an encore.  Chapter 21 is John’s encore.

John begins with his third Jesus-sighting after the resurrection (see verse 14).

The disciples are hanging around together; seven of them are together by the Sea of Galilee one evening.

It hits me they have gone home. They are no longer in Jerusalem. I get the sense they do not know what to do without Jesus. For three years these men have walked where Jesus walked and did what Jesus said. Now He is gone and they seem lost without Him.

When I stop to think, this isn’t a surprise. Who wouldn’t be lost?

Jesus pulls Peter aside and tells him to ‘feed my lambs,’ ‘take care of my sheep’ and ‘follow me’ (15-19).

I don’t get the feel from the passage that Peter yet understands, but that isn’t a surprise either. I am sure they are still trying to process Jesus’ dying and rising again.

This is in essence Peter’s commission to ministry. God was calling him to the apostleship and mission that would define his life.

This event probably happened shortly before what we call ‘the great commission’. I went back and looked Matthew 28:16-20 takes place in Galilee.

I found myself contemplating ‘calling.’ God’s calling to each of us to take part in building His kingdom. None of us will be called to be a Peter, but each of us who are called to follow Him are given things to do…

Help the widow next door

Share our faith with the person in the office next to ours

Support this or that ministry with our time, treasures and talents

Serve in your local church

Work to better the lives of a group of people affected by a particular injustice

The list of options is endless…

What has the Lord called you to do to further His kingdom, His name here in our world? Think about it.

Oh, Lord, focus my attention on Your calling. If I am not sure what it is do not let me rest until I am ready to listen. Lead me into the depth of Your calling. Your apostles, those fishermen, didn’t get it right away and I might not fully get it either. This is not an excuse, but a begging of You to keep pushing me and calling me until I do get it.

Sending Your Holy Spirit was the turning point in the fishermen becoming fishers of men, dynamos ready to die if necessary for You. I pray this in Jesus’name. Amen.

 

Friday, October 27: John 20- To hear my name.

 

I sat for much of my devotional time wondering what it will be like to hear Jesus speak my name. I was touched by the instant change in Mary when she hears her name.

At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”) (14-16).

Since Jesus had already spoken with her it was not the sound of His voice but the speaking of her name that jarred her into belief. How powerful the speaking of a name is…

Typing this observation took me back again to my wondering what will it be like when I hear Jesus speak my name? It will have to be in a dream or vision or at my resurrection when I see Him face-to-face. How will I react?

I suspect it will be in the fashion of Mary, who cries out in faith and belief! Rabboni… Rabbi, Teacher. Maybe like Thomas, later in the chapter, I will cry out, my Lord and my God (28).

To see my Lord face to face will be a thrill, and to hear Him speak my name. I struggle to push my imagination that far. One thing is sure I will be a moment of pure joy.

The chapter concludes with John’s reason for writing his Gospel, But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (31).

I believe, I have life Jesus alone can give and I long to see Him and hear Him speak my name…

I hope you do, too.

What joy, what wonder, what awe it will be to see You, Jesus. To be in Your presence and to know I will be with Your family in the presence of my God –Father, Spirit, You –for eternity. Halleluiah! Amen.

 

Thursday, October 26: John 19- I put him on the cross.

Things certainly turned quickly for Jesus. Little over a chapter ago and a day ago, Jesus was teaching His disciples. By the end of this chapter he has been tried, crucified and buried.

As the account unfolds the Jewish leaders are recorded shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” (6).

I pause to wonder what that must have been like for Jesus, the word made flesh who created all things, to hear the men anointed to preserve and teach your word shouting and calling for your death. Rejection is one thing but to hear hate-speech shouted at you is another level entirely.

My thoughts take me to Good Friday services. For years I have participated in community readings of one of the Gospels. Generally during these services the entire assembly read the words of the crowds or in this case, the religious leaders. Shouting, “Crucify, crucify. Crucify Him.” Saying “Crucify Him,” shakes my heart with terror every year. I have seen others tear up while saying those words.

Remembering those moments as I read John’s account, hammers home what my sin and our sin cost Jesus. When I sin I participate in why that moment had to take place. Jesus was accepting all that abuse because of me and my sin, and you and your sin. Our sin put him in that place. Our sin nailed him to the cross.

Jesus, I am forever grateful that You took my place. You died for me. You paid my sin debt. You endured the taunts and shouts for me, for us, so that we might be restored into relationship with You, the Father and the Spirit. Praise to You, Lord Jesus, my Savior and my God. Amen.

 

Wednesday, October 25: John 18- I am the one.

Such an abrupt change from prayers to arrest. If you were new to the story of Jesus, I think the transition from chapter 17 to 18 would strike you as a reader like a punch to the gut. It hit me that way and I know the story!

Jesus’ calm through the whole of the evening is such a contrast to Peter’s bumbling. The master is in control, despite the situation while Peter teeters on the edge, uncertain, out of balance and about to fall.

During His arrest and questioning before the priests and Pilate, it seems like Jesus controls the events. He speaks and the arrestors fall back. Before Annas they drill Him hard but Jesus, un-phased, fires back with a retort they cannot answer. Before Pilate, Jesus is strong and resolute.

Poor Peter, he just cannot measure up. In the garden he resorts to violence, striking someone with his sword. Invited into the garden because his friend vouched for him, Peter crumbles under the weight of a servant girl and other nameless observers.

While I long to be like Jesus, too often I act more like Peter. My bravado of faith, when I am in the company of friends, fades into obscurity sometimes when challenged by outsiders.

Oh, God, seeing Peter is like holding a mirror to my own life… my sins, my guilt, my faults. I am the one stripped naked by this text and these thoughts. I am the one who falls and denies my Savior.

All I can manage to say is…

Forgive me, Lord. Save me, Lord. I am in need of Your grace and mercy again and again. Amen.

 

Tuesday, October 24: John 17- Protection.

I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. … My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one (11-12, 15).

John records Jesus’ prayer on the eve of His death. Jesus prays for Himself, the disciples and all who will believe in Him through the message of the Gospel. As He was praying for the disciples He prays for their protection. Is His prayer for protection so that no harm will ever come to them? If that is so, how is it that many of the disciples died for their faith in Jesus and others, like John, suffered imprisonment? What did Jesus mean when He prayed for protection?

In verse 11 He follows His prayer for protection saying, so that they may be one as we are one. His protection then is to guard them so that nothing separates them from each other, so that they remain together, unified in Jesus. Certainly the apostles remained unified like this throughout their lifetime.

In verse 12 protection is linked to not falling away from the faith and again that was true. The faith and resolve of the disciples is amazing, given the persecution they at times endured.

Finally in verse 15 Jesus prays for protection from the evil one and to me that is a repeat of what he has prayed. The greatest power the evil one could have would be to pull someone from the salvation God has granted, but Jesus has protected them from that (12). Second would be to put a wedge between them so that the witness of love is destroyed. Again Jesus has prayed specifically for that in verse 11. 

My sense is that what Jesus prayed for them counts for us as well as His present day disciples. He has prayed that our faith will hold… Halleluia!. He has prayed that we remain one in spirit and in Jesus… and to that I say Halleluiah once more!

The protection Jesus offers us may not be from any and every harm, but it certainly is protection from the greatest fears… loss of faith and loss of my brothers and sisters in the faith.

Thank You, Jesus, for praying for my protection. May I live well and for Your glory under Your protection. Thank You for caring so much for me, for us, that You have protected us. Again I say, Halleluiah! Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

 

Monday, October 23: John 16- Finding Peace.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (33).

Finding peace in a troubled world, that is one gift Jesus brings. According to Jesus when we have him, we have peace.

While I cannot say that has been true for me every moment since confessing Jesus to be Lord of my life, I can say in the main it has been true. Despite the times I worry and fret, Jesus has always been there. During the darkest times of my life Jesus has been a shoulder I can turn to and cry on and a strong hand to lift me up. Jesus has provided peace that passes understanding. There are times I cannot explain it, but still as the waters rage about me I know Jesus is there with me. This is so hard to explain and yet so wonderful to experience. 

Trouble comes… I don’t mean to be pessimistic but life does have its share of troubles and I have found Jesus to be my peace during all times of life.

Have you confessed Jesus to be Lord and God of your life?

Confessing Jesus is the first step to finding peace amidst the trouble of life and peace with God, which brings eternal life.

Oh, Lord God, the gifts Jesus brings when we open our lives to him through faith are extraordinary. Peace, companionship, love, forgiveness, redemption, on and on the list goes. Oh, Lord, may I live in a way that point people to Jesus, the one and only Son of God. In His name, I pray. Amen.

 

Saturday, October 21: John 15- .

The vine and the branches is one of the more recognizable chapters in the gospels. As we have found with John’s gospel, he packs a great deal of teaching into each chapter.

An intriguing insight struck me as I was reading verses 5-8: I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

As I came to the words I bolded, I had the usual thought, “Wow, ask whatever you wish and it will be done” What a promise. However, is it really true. Countless believers ask for the healing of a loved one that doesn’t happen. And how many other prayers could be added to the list of unanswered prayers?

As I pondered this I realized that “remaining in Jesus” is a prerequisite. But I am wondering about Christians who do not have their wishes granted. And it seems that Christians are the ones remaining in the vine, so why are the wishes not granted?

As I pondered this verse 8 came into view, This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. Could it be that this is not some carte blanch promise that anything we wish for will come true, but that it must be heard in the context of bearing fruit for the kingdom… fruit that shows we are disciples of Jesus?

This thought doesn’t eliminate all my questions regarding the ‘ask for anything you wish’ promise but it does push me in directions I haven’t pondered deeply.

As I consider this one thing I am realizing that doing things that give glory to the Father has to rise higher on my life-goal list. Life isn’t about seeking me and mine… my pleasure, my desire, my wishes. It is about living a manner of life that gives glory to God. On this score I have a great deal still to learn.

Lord, I offer You today. Point out to me things I should, could, do that bring You glory that I ordinarily may miss or skip over. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Friday, October 20: John 14- You who are the way.

There it was in the text of the day, John 14:6: Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. An amazing statement about who Jesus is and what Jesus provides for people who follow and believe in Him.

Jesus is the way… He leads us home to the Father God.

Jesus is the truth… in a world that seems to be losing the idea of truth and of right and wrong Jesus is the truth. His words ground us and stabilize us in a shifting world.

Jesus is the life… He gives us what we seek most in life… not simply living, but life and elsewhere we are told He gives us life abundantly!

I was in worship yesterday and we sang a song, which so wonderfully captures the essence of this verse. It is You who are the way by Angelo Natalie (ccli 5512911). The chorus goes like this:

You who are the Way we follow You

You who are the Truth we believe in You

You who are the Life we draw our breath from You

You who are the Way we walk with You

You who are the Truth we will sing of You

You who are the Life we'll rise again in You

 

Yes… this is Jesus. He is the way and the truth and the life. And it was such a powerful way to sing the truth of Jesus in worship and to bring the truth of Jesus into my life!

Thank You, Jesus, for coming and leading us home to the loving arms of the Father. Thank You, Jesus, for being truth, for showing us right and wrong and being an anchor of truth in the shifting sands of a relative world. Thank You, Jesus, for being life, for giving life and giving it abundantly. Thank You and praise You, Jesus, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

 

Thursday, October 19: John 13- Washing feet.

Washing feet…it is not difficult to understand that the slave who washed feet was generally the lowest slave in the household pecking order. Imagine being the one who stooped down every time a person and guest entered the house, your job to handle the bare or sandaled feed and wash them.

Jesus, Rabbi, and the one and only Son of God, stooped down and washed the feet of all His disciples –even Judas’ –because not one of the disciples were willing to do so. Rising up after the job was done Jesus said, You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them (13-17).

What are we, His followers, to make of this?

Our posture is not to lord it over others, but to be willing to stoop and wash feet. Serving someone even in a most humbling way is humbling. Yes, but it is also honoring, loving and caring.  Jesus modeled that. This is His way of life and as disciples we are to walk His way.

By humbling Himself, Jesus didn’t give up his rabbi, teacher, Lord position. He gave it dimension… He infused it with love. And that is how we are to live.

For us it could mean literally washing someone’s feet, but more than likely, it will be some other form of humble service.

Jesus looks my way and asks, “Am I willing to stoop, to dip my hands in the filth of the world and serve others, not because they are good, but because they are human?”

I am reminded that Judas’ two feet were washed along with all the others.

Am I willing to stoop, to dip my hands in the filth of the world and serve others, not because they are good, but because they are human? Are you?...

Think about it…

Words fail as my heart warms. I am Yours… direct me to whomever You need me to serve in Your name. Amen.

 

Wednesday, October 18: John 12- A gift of pure love.

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume [worth more than a year’s wages]; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume (3).

Extravagant love… Mary took what may have been her dowry money and anointed Jesus with the whole of it. Where a few dabs would have adequately anointed Him, she poured out the whole lot. Certainly she was grateful, Jesus had just raised her brother from the dead. But Jesus understands in her gift something even deeper, anointing for His burial. Others may feel His death is coming (remember Thomas in an earlier chapter?), but Jesus knows it is coming.

Back to Mary’s gift… so extravagant, so filled with love.

I have never even come close to giving my Lord that valuable a gift. I sit here this morning humbled by Mary’s sacrifice of love.

I love You, Lord. I am humbled by Mary’s generosity and demonstration of her love. Honestly, I have no more words to say…  Amen.

 

Tuesday, October 17: John 11- O what a savior.

Even after all these years of reading the Bible, I am still amazed how the simplest word in the text can draw me into my daily meditation. This morning, despite all the tremendous teaching packed into this chapter, it was a word from Thomas that launched my meditation.

Verse 16 reads, Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” As dull and clueless the disciples seem at times, they could feel the pressure mounting around Jesus. The Jewish leaders were growing more and more impatient with Jesus. And if the disciples knew it, then Jesus certainly knew it. Jesus’ death in Jerusalem was looming for all of them.

I wondered particularly about Jesus. What was it like to live with this impending doom over your life constantly? And yet here he was giving and loving and teaching and demonstrating God’s love and kingdom despite what he knew –and the disciples knew –was coming.

As I sat this morning I marveled at Jesus… fully human. What were His deepest thoughts like? And how did he face any fears head on without letting on?

Jesus truly was human. The depth of His humanness pours out as He stands outside Lazarus’ tomb. When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. Jesus wept. …  Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. (33-38a).

Deeply moved, weeping, deeply moved again… Jesus’ emotions rise to the surface. Who of us hasn’t stood at a graveside of a loved one and not been moved? Jesus is just like one of us… He was human.

As I grasped and wrestled with Jesus’ humanness it hit me… He understands! Jesus understands us because Jesus is one of us. What an amazing picture of God in human flesh (John 1:14).

For the umpteenth time in my life I sit realizing how much God loves me (us) that Jesus became human to lead us back to the Father.

O what a Savior. O what a God. Lord Jesus, Thank You for all You did, felt, and endured to communicate the Father’s love to all humankind. I bless You and I thank You and I pray in Your name. Amen.

 

Monday, October 16: John 10- Do you believe?.

The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” 

Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” 

“We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God” (24-33).

One of the important features of John’s gospel is its declarations of Jesus as God. Throughout this gospel the divinity of Jesus is declared from the very first verses, and John mixes into the narrative confirming words and accounts of Jesus’ divinity.

Today we have another declaration. This one by Jesus Himself to the Jews and religious leaders. The Jews understand Him clearly and seek to stone him as a result. Notice their reason,  We are…stoning you... for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” (33).

It seems to me that it is reasonable and fair to not believe the Bible, to think the Bible is a human book filled with created and made up stories that are not historically accurate. If you believe that then you can write off any truth contained in it that you want. However, if you believe the Bible to be historically accurate then one must accept, at face value, that Jesus believes Himself to be God and that He clearly spoke that to people of His day. To say Jesus’ divinity was a concoction of the early church is to believe the Bible is filled with concocted stories.

Taking the Bible at face value, it teaches that

·         Jesus is God in human flesh

·         He was born through Mary who became ‘with child’ by God not through human sexual relations 

·         Jesus voluntarily gave up His life for our sins

·         Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world

And so much more.

This morning my reading confronts me with a three word sentence.  Do you believe???

I do believe the Bible. I do believe in Jesus as God who gave His life for me and my sins (and the sins of the world).

I do believe, do you?

Lord, I believe. Send the Holy Spirit to give me strength to believe and act in accordance with my belief. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Saturday, October 14: John 9- Peer pressure.

The pressure placed on the parents by the religious establishment was enormous. The religious leaders held the ‘keys’ to the community and if you stepped out of bounds they could lock you out. Locked out you were separated from your friends, your community, your religion. In other words you were completely isolated. Answering the Pharisees inquisition was delicate.

The blind man’s parents found a clever way out. “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him” (20-23)

But for most, there are no clever non-responses that can save us at times like these.

The pressure the parents felt most of us can relate to in one degree or another. Lunch break at work, a religion question comes up. “Are you one of those religious conservatives?” How do you answer? You won’t be put out of work but you feel the pressure.

I can think of a hundred scenarios like this in my country where we have religious freedom. Many more Christians face far more pressure in countries where it is illegal to be Christian, where being exposed as a Christ-follower could cost you your life.

How do you respond to the pressure peers and authorities can put on you for your faith?

The parents were able to skirt the answer. The healed blind men could not and would not and he was excommunicated from his synagogue for his statement. He was healed and had found Jesus and that was all that mattered to him.

Ultimately we answer these inquisitions based on what matters to us…

Does Jesus matter more than anything else... acceptance by peers or even life itself?

Think about it…

Lord, there have been times when I failed this test. I know I am forgiven for those lapses but there are times they still haunt me. Give me strength today to pass any peer pressure tests that come my way. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Friday, October 13: John 8- The essential need to believe in Jesus.

Yesterday one who believes Jesus was front and center in my reading of chapter 7. Today part of the answer why that is important surfaced as I read.

There was so much in this chapter, after I read I went back and looked at some verses that grabbed my attention. They are below.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (12).

I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins” (24).

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (31-32)

Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death” (51).

When I put these verses together and read them one after another, why belief in Jesus is so important, came to life.

Verse 12: He is the light of the world. Light leads and directs us when the way is dark. When I travel in Africa a flashlight is essential gear. Night is dark and they do not have street lights and many houses have minimal light, so if you are walking after dark you need a light. In our dark and confusing world where there are all manner of ‘truths’ taught from all kinds of perspectives we need the light Jesus provides to find our way. Jesus is the light.

Verse 24: spoken from the negative position, people who do not believe in Jesus die in their sins. Every Jew knew to die in sin was to be separated from God in the afterlife.

Verses 31-32: Jesus’ teachings give us truth and His truth will set us free.

Verse 51: obedience to Jesus means no death, i.e., eternal life.

Now of course if you don’t believe Jesus you won’t believe these things. However, those who believe Jesus do believe these things, which explains why belief in Jesus is so essential to life now (He is the light) and life here after (He alone can remove sins and usher us into eternal life).

I believe… do you?

Thank You, Jesus, for all Your spiritual works on behalf of those who put their trust and faith in You. Alleluia. Amen.

 

Wednesday, October 11: John 6- Perspective.

The scope of teaching in this chapter is as cavernous as the Grand Canyon, far too grand to handle in one short devotional. Surprisingly, it was verse 6 that caused me to pause and ponder.

He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. This sentence is an addition by the author John into the narrative. John, who is now an old man, has had years to ponder and consider the things of Jesus. He has lived a full and faithful life and as he pens his gospel, he slips in these brief words that grows out of his years walking with and serving Jesus.

Recalling the feeding of the 5000 John realized that Jesus’ question to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” (5). Jesus asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. That is not something one would realize in the moment, because in the moment people would have been carried away by the enormity of the situation and the miracle Jesus performed to alleviate the hunger need of the crowd.

As I pondered this I realized that many things in life need the perspective of years and thought and sometimes aging to more full understanding (I don’t know that we ever fully understand things).

In my 20’s I was enamored by the delight and beauty of my fiancé. I had no idea what richness she would bring into my life over the ensuing decades.

As the disciples stood at the cross they saw their Lord and friend die. Only after His resurrection and ascension did they begin to understand the true meaning of it all.

It has taken time and continued understanding poured into my life by the Holy Spirit to begin to grasp many of the truths of the Christian faith.

John’s tiny addition into the account is a reminder to me that many things take time to more fully understand and that this is especially true with faith.

My faith is so much deeper as I have walked with Jesus these 40+ years.

Living in God’s Word repeatedly and deeply over the course of years unlocks treasures of faith.

Stick with the Lord. Walk and wrestle and live as faithfully as you can and over time the canvas of faith will grow more beautiful with the added shades and hues of a growing discipleship.

Lord, thank You for years in Your Word, which never grows dull and is always full of new insights and rich wisdom for life. Thank You, Jesus, for prompting John to write his gospel years later and the richness it brings to understanding Your years of ministry on earth and Your gospel message. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Thursday, October 12: John 7- Who is Jesus to you?.

On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? (40-41).

People were divided as to who they thought Jesus was. Some thought one thing and some another. Pharisees thought he was a liar and a blasphemer.

The gamut was as wide in Jesus’ day as it is today. Today some believe He is Messiah, others think He was a great religious teacher and no more. Still others think He and religion is all fake, made up by weak people who need something in which to believe.

I guess little has changed in the 2 millennia since Jesus’ day. The same question still remains… who do you think Jesus was/is?

I believe He is God’s Messiah and God Himself.  I am proud to say so and I pray you come to the place in life where you believe this, too.

Jesus, I look forward to the day when everyone will proclaim You Lord. As Paul writes in Philippians, ‘every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth’. Halleluiah. In Your name I pray, Amen

 

Tuesday, October 10: John 5- The wonder of eternal life.

On one hand it is difficult to choose one verse or a couple of verses upon which to ponder and meditate. The chapter is rich and full with Jesus’ teaching. And yet amidst the wonder of the chapter and its declarations about Jesus’ identity, one verse grabbed me.

Verse 24 is another of the gospels declarations of the eternal life Jesus will grant to all who believe in him. Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

To hear and believe is the ticket to eternal life. To hear Jesus’ Words and believe in the Father, the one who sent Him.

I love the cascading image of eternal life. Eternal life as a phrase speaks about living forever. To that Jesus adds that the person with eternal life will not be judged. So eternal life also means acceptance by God. If I widen my biblical horizon for a moment, since all have sinned (Romans 3:23) the only way I will not be judged is if my sins are forgiven, so being accepted by God means I am forgiven. (This of course fits the narrative of the entire New Testament.)

The understanding of eternal life grows even more when Jesus says the one with eternal life has crossed over from death to life. Again in the wider New Testament I was reminded of Colossians 1 13-14: For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. The cross over from life to death happens immediately. We can experience life here and now. Eternal life is not just a future gift. It is a present gift that carries us into forever.

What a gift eternal life is... what a joy to ponder this gift this morning.

Oh, Jesus, thank you for the gift of eternal life You give to all who believe!!!! I am rejoicing today in You and the gift You have given. Amen.

 

Monday, October 9: John 4- I am he.

The sweeping moves of Jesus in John’s gospel almost cause me to gasp. We are barely into the gospel and the author and Jesus, Himself, have made incredible statements about who Jesus is (John 1 and 3). As if to confirm this, Jesus has performed miracles, drawing people to Himself. He has crossed ethnic cultural boundaries taking God’s gospel message to Samaritans through a woman. The result is, many in one Samaritan town, accepting His message and believing.

The works of Jesus, the message of Jesus is exhilarating and liberating. He is the fountain of living water (10). With that word picture Jesus offers the woman and us that which is the fountain of life... Himself. God’s Messiah... I who speak to you am he (26).

Jesus continues to offer Himself to us today and every day the world exists.

I sit and bless God, the Father for the gift of Jesus.

I sit and bless Jesus for coming and offering Himself as the way of salvation.

I sit and bless the Holy Spirit for opening my eyes to Jesus so that I might believe and be saved.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise him all creatures here below. Praise him above you heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost...

Thank You Jesus for offering yourself to that woman and through her offering Yourself to the world and to me! Amen and amen.

 

Saturday, October 7: John 3- .

Everyone loves John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life, rightly so.  It is a powerful summary of the Gospel message and John 3:17 is a good addition. When memorizing, it is good to keep the two together; For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 

As I continued reading I came across another excellent pair of verses, which also tells the amazing Gospel of Jesus in a few words. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them (35&36).

Verse 35 calls attention to the supremacy of the Son, everything is in His hands. The Father has granted the Son the place above all else. And then in verse 36 we learn that belief in the Son brings eternal life. There it is… the gift of God. Eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.

I realize the verse doesn’t use Jesus’ name, but a person cannot read this Gospel and miss the fact that the Son is Jesus. It is spelled out in chapter 1 and carried throughout.

Belief in Jesus is the only path to eternal life.  Anyone who does not put their faith in Jesus is seen as someone who rejects Jesus.  To reject him is to remain under the penalty of sin and therefore covered by the wrath of God.

For the second time in this chapter John explains that belief in Jesus is rewarded with eternal life; without believe we remain under God’s wrath… condemned.

I know many people do not like the exclusivity of these statements. However, I don’t get to pick and choose what I like in the Bible and what I don’t. I choose to believe it all and subject myself to the whole of it.

What about you? Do you believe the Bible? I know there are tough parts to believe and understand, but that is true in many areas of life.

I choose to believe in Jesus and I hope you do as well.

Oh, God, with those sticky difficult areas of faith, help me to hold on with utter tenacity and faith. To believe all Your teachings and Your Words and to remain true to Jesus, Your Son and my Lord. I pray in His name. Amen.

 

Friday, October 6: John 2- How did she know?.

Along with His mother, Jesus and His disciples attended a wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you” (3-5).

How did Mary know He could and would do something?

I don’t know how to answer that question beyond the word FAITH.

The writer makes it clear that this was Jesus’ first miracle or sign of his Messiahship (5), so Mary hadn’t seen Him doing miracles before. How did she know?

Again the word ‘Faith’ comes to me.

Certainly all the things about Jesus she had been treasuring, were adding up. His miraculous conception, angelic announced birth and the stories of the shepherds. That time He stayed in Jerusalem and they found Him at the temple. Still, how did she know He would act now and save the wedding for the groom?

Faith; she believed in Him. Those seeds planted by the events I just noted sprouted into faith so she asked, believing He would act. Notice how she turned to the servants saying, “Do whatever he tells you,” immediately after asking Jesus to do something.

Faith is believing what we have not seen (Hebrews 11) and Mary had Faith that Jesus would act.

We are invited to put our faith in Jesus today. Faith, not to change water into wine, but faith that He is the son of God, and that He will transform us into new creations, living for the glory and honor of God.  That He will forgive our sins, fill us with the Holy Spirit and that He has prepared works for us to do that will glorify Jesus, the Father and the Spirit (see Ephesians 2:10).

Faith… it is a gift of God and a powerful one at that!

Lord, bless You for opening my eyes to see you and believe in YOU and live for You. May I exercise my faith to live in ways the bring You glory. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Thursday, October 5: John 1- Ahhh Jesus.

Even though I am committed to reading the Old Testament as well as the New, I always find a vibrancy and delight when I shift from the Old to the New. Reading the Gospels, letters or even Revelations delights my heart and mind as the grace of God.  Reading how the living Jesus can touch and change lives blesses me. So with added anticipation I opened today to John 1.

Chapter one traverses a sweeping panorama of truth. Part of me is breathless with the number of truths I could upon which I can meditate.  Verse 18 floated to the top and that verse is where I spent the remainder of my time with the Lord.

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

The one and only Son, Jesus, has made God known. And what’s more, Jesus is Himself God! Wow. What truth. What wonder. Amazing. Jesus, who is Himself God, made God known. Jesus allows us to ‘see’ the God who created all things.

In the Old Testament no one was ever allowed to gaze on the figure of God. But in Jesus, God walked among us. He spoke and taught and healed and debated. Ultimately He even died for humanity, offering eternal salvation to all who believe. However, this is getting ahead of the story, as it will unfold in John.

I don’t recall reading the plain language of this verse before,  that Jesus is Himself God. I don’t know how I could have missed it but there it is in black and white…  the one and only Son, who is himself God. The one and only son is a clear reference to Jesus throughout this chapter.

Twice John has proclaimed this truth. First in verse 1,14 and now in 18.

Raised in a Christian home and proclaiming my faith in Jesus for over 40 years, the truth that Jesus is God never ceases to amaze and comfort me. This is the core of my faith. The one I confess as Lord is God, Creator of all that is seen and unseen. Amazing.

He comes, as verse 14 says, full of grace and truth.

I sit today reveling in the truth of the Christian faith. A truth that has changed my life and given me direction and hope for the whole of my adult life.

Alleluia… I rejoice!

Oh, God, I revel in the truth of Jesus, the one and only Son, full of grace and truth who is God Himself. Alleluia. Amen.

 

Wednesday, October 4: Esther 10- What kind of legacy are you crafting?.

Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews (3).

Interesting isn’t it that the title of the book is Esther, and yet the closing remarks are about Mordecai who could easily be considered the central person of the book.

Be that as it may, I was brought to a stop reading the final words about Mordecai. I wondered, what my legacy will be. What will I be known for after the days of my ‘book’ are closed?

Will I serve the Lord with vigor as Mordecai did? Will I work for the good of all God’s people as Mordecai did? Will I be scrupulous and conspicuous in my service of Jesus as Mordecai was lying at the gate refusing to pay homage to a man, and being honest and forth right in exposing evil for integrity sake not personal gain?

Will I?

Will you?

Lord, in my remaining years how can I set my legacy as a man who loved and served You, Your people and Your world? I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Tuesday, October 3: Esther 9- 'An eye for an eye' and not more.

Three times these words appear, verse 10, 15, and 16, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. The Jews throughout Xerxes’ Empire defended themselves, but they didn’t exploit the situation for personal gain.

I just let that thought sit and steep.

The Jews had months, first to worry about, and then plan for their safety. Sometimes when I (we) worry we make situations worse.  We desire vengeance and wrath beyond the idea of mere safety. I imagine at least some of the Jews must have had these thoughts. Still when the moment came they warded off thoughts and actions that could be described as wrathful.

I am wondering about times when I have been wronged. Can I ward off wrathfulness?

Growing up I had a saying, “I don’t get even, I get ahead.” I don’t think I really lived that way, it was more bluster of a youngster than a life principle, but it conveys where my thoughts are going. It is so easy to live by that rule. The ingrained human desire to get ahead, to pay back more than we received, was curbed in the life of Israel by the ‘eye for an eye’ law.

‘Eye for an eye’ puts a limit on retribution and keeps situations from escalating. Let’s face it, if I live by ‘getting ahead’ and the other person lives by that same rule then any altercation can escalate into full-scale war.

By curbing their desire to get ahead and sticking to defense rather than seizing property the Jews honored their God and the life rules He instituted among them.

Have I allowed God’s ways to seep into my life as deeply as the Jews of Esther’s day? I’m thinking now of some of Jesus’ ways presented in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), turn the other cheek, bless those who persecute you, do not judge, etc.

My life of being a disciple of Jesus it to work Jesus’ principles into the very fabric of my life. I still have much work to do kneading Jesus’ way into my way of life.

In this chapter I see an example that we can be transformed from the inside out by God’s ways.

Oh, Jesus, work in me. Oh, Holy Spirit, work in me, plant Your will and way in me, weave into the very fabric of my life Your will, Your way, Your laws. I pray this in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

Monday, October 2: Esther 8- What's the point.

I was drawn to the final words of this chapter. God would save His people, the Jews. However, was that the only point? According to verse 17b apparently not. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them. Seeing the work of God, others were drawn to faith in the Lord.

Expansion of His ‘family’ seems to me is often God’s larger point.

Certainly God cares, watches over and protects His people. But God can and does more than that as He watches over His people. He is drawing other people to Himself. From Abram’s call from the Lord that God would bless many nations through Abram through the New Testament, God’s desire is to draw people from every tribe and nation to Himself.

So many of the miracles of the New Testament Church are ‘advertisements’ to the greatness of the Lord and invitation for others to come to Him. God is passionate about His name and fame being spread across this globe.

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

This thought gives me pause. What am I doing to be useful to the Lord to advance His name across the world?

Lord, open my eyes to Your bigger picture. You do so much more than immediately meets the eye. You preserve Your church but the purpose is that we, Your church, will make disciples to the ends of the earth. You have a passion for people to be introduced to You. Help me to think more about that as I live my life. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.