Month: October 2020

Three-in-one

October 24, 2020

1 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth unless you are born again; you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water, and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. -John 3:1-6 NLT

Nicodemus does something that a lot of people will not do. He wanted to learn about Jesus. So he met with him at night and said that we know who you are since what you are doing comes from God. Nicodemus also knows that no one can perform the signs Jesus did if God were not him. Nicodemus wanted to learn more about Jesus, personally. He could have gone through a third party to get the information he needed, like his assistant. He was bold to meet with Jesus, although it is a good chance that Nicodemus could have been afraid of what his peers could have said about him meeting with Jesus. When we want to know Jesus, we must do it ourselves, like Nicodemus.

Jesus told Nicodemus that no one could see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. Nicodemus knew that God rules the kingdom; it also would restore on earth. What it means is we all would have to repent and to have a spiritual rebirth. Luke 17:21, Jesus taught on God’s kingdom, already begun the hearts of believers. When Jesus returns, he will judge the world and abolish all evil for good! There are different ways to identify born of water and the Spirit. One, the contrast between physical and spiritual. Two, regenerated by the Spirit and signifying rebirth as Christian baptism. To unpack this statement, physical birth by water or Spiritual birth. Spiritual revivals can happen in our dreams or by baptism. The common ground of rebirths is cleansing water.

What is the Holy Spirit? In case you don’t know, the Holy Spirit is God, three-in-one. The father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God became a man in Jesus so that Jesus can die for our sins! When Jesus rose from the dead, he offered salvation to all people through spiritual renewal and rebirth. The one thing we all know is his physical presence left the earth; he promised to send the Holy Spirit so the Spirit presence can be here with us all. There is more on the Holy Spirit in John 14:16-28, Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 12:13, and 2 Corinthians 1:22.

Father, thank you for all you do. Thank you for becoming a man three-in-one to be able to die for our sins. We need the Spiritual rebirth of the Holy Spirit in this world today. I pray we can be bold to ask for the Holy Spirit and be ready for our Spiritual renewal when it is time. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Jesus Destroys the Temple

October 23, 2020

Jesus Clears the Temple

13 It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. 14 In the Temple area, he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. 15 Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. 16 Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”

17 Then, his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.”

18 But the Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing? If God gave you the authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.”

19 “All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it.”

20 “What!” they exclaimed. “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?” 21 But when Jesus said, “this temple,” he meant his own body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he said this, and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.

Jesus and Nicodemus

23 Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. 24 But Jesus didn’t trust them because he knew all about people. 25 No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart.

Yesterday, we studied one of two events that happened in chapter 2. The first event is Jesus turning water into wine. Turning water into wine occurred in secret, and only a few people knew about it at that time. Jesus showed reaction and did it in a way that didn’t embarrass the married couple. Wine is symbolic of blood. The festival having wine is a spiritual ritual is part of the reason why Jesus performed the miracle.

The second event that happened is Jesus running money marketers out of the Temple. As Passover is getting close, this event is a celebration that took place yearly and lasted a week, in which the Temple hosts the holiday. Jesus is heading to the Temple, and when he arrives at the Temple, he sees people selling animals for profit. He is angry at this point. He makes a whip and starts causing destruction. Does this allow us to start violence when we see something we don’t like? No, it doesn’t. We have the right to be angry but not cause destruction. We know a lot of dishonesty in today’s world. We continue to protest about those things; some pray about them and protest. Nothing wrong with either one. You have to put work in for the issues you want to protest.

Jesus has God’s authority to do that. Police officers have the power to have guns and use them to chase criminals and in dangerous situations. Now, with the way things have been going on, things have to change. That is another conversation. Judges are allowed to put those in jail; we don’t have the power to do that. When someone takes advantage of you, these are thoughts that come to mind. Jesus acted on it because he has seen people taking advantage of the church, and while Passover celebrators are there to celebrate Passover. The people there have forgotten about the purpose of the church or don’t care about it. I will throw something out here, and I would love to have thoughts and debates about it. Please post your feelings about megachurches. I feel megachurches are using the church as well for financial gain. It is a touchy topic for a lot, but I would not mind hearing anybody’s insight because I would like to read them.

Meanwhile, the Jews questioned Jesus about his authority to come in and start destroying things. The Jews didn’t understand that just because a building took 46 years to build doesn’t mean anything to Jesus. Jesus is the building made of stone. He doesn’t need the building to bring people to him. As many baptisms, healing moments, celebrations that took place outside, Jesus need the building for what? It can be destroyed and stay that way. Jesus made a point by fulfilling the prediction. Jesus proved he is the most substantial proof for his claim to be God. With that in mind, it is not popular for a lot of people to follow Jesus. While it is not popular, continue to keep your faith and follow him anyways.

Father, thank you for today. Today has worries of its own. I pray we can overcome concerns and be faithful to you when it is not popular to follow you, even when someone makes us so angry that we resort to violence. Let us remember you when we want to cause wrath. Romans 12:19 in the NLT version reminds us, “Never to take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Turning Water into Wine!

October 22, 2020

The Wedding at Cana

2 The next day, there was a wedding celebration in Cana’s village in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”

4 “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”

5 But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6 Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, 8 he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions.

9 When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. 10 “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!”

11 This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

12 After the wedding, he went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, brothers, and disciples. -John 2:1-12 NLT

My favorite parable in the Bible, Jesus turns water into wine. The parable reminds me to rely on him regardless of your situation and how important it is to be with people. Jesus wants to be with the people that got married because he wants to bless them. He has his mission to save the world but chose to go to a wedding. That is saying a lot of Jesus and the importance of being around people. Think about times you turned down events. I’m thinking a lot here because I turned down so many that I can’t keep up. Sometimes these events are apart of the mission we serve to others. When Jesus turned water into wine, he knew he had to be there to make sure that this festival did not turn into a disaster when there was no more wine. I missed out on so many opportunities to be there when someone may need me and not know it.

Trust is an important task when we are following him. When Jesus told Mary, why you involve me? It is not my time yet, may seem challenging to understand, and that is the point. Jesus knows his time; we don’t. When we are praying, asking for things is one thing, but our timing is another. Jesus knows when it is time to act on items in our lives. The goal is to trust in him as we have faith and patience to allow him to work. Mary understands that her son is is more than a human; he is the Son of God. Mary also understands that she should submit to him when problems arise. It is the same for us. We believe we have the answers, but his ideas are and maybe completely different. Mary is an example to remind ourselves that we should submit to him instead of offering views that may not work for us.

There are 20 to 30 gallons of stone water jars used during ceremonial washing. In the Jews’ ceremonial law, symbolically, they became unclean when they touched everyday life objects. The Jews’ used these jars to clean themselves and wash any bad influences with items they previously felt.

The disciples believed when they saw Jesus’ miracle, turning water into wine. There are things that Jesus can do that we can’t do or get ourselves out of a situation. Only Jesus can do that, which is why the disciples believe. It is about the power he showed during what could have been a disastrous moment. Jesus showed how his ministry runs, helping others, speaking with authority, and being in touch with people. It does not matter the situation; deaf, blind, can’t walk, inadequate, or weak. Your faith has to be there for him to work.

Father, thank you for today. Turning water into wine is something we do not have the power to do, which is why we know you are real, and your ministry is powerful. I pray we will continue to be bold to turn people to you and be involved in everyday activities you place us in. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Stereotypes

October 21, 2020

43 The next day, Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.” 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew, and Peter’s hometown.

45 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.”

46 “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

“Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied.

47 As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.”

48 “How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.”

49 Then, Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!”

50 Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.” -John 1:43-51 NLT

The wording in verse 46 is essential. “Come and see.” The question asked is, “Nazareth! Can anything come good from there?” What we experience in life is stereotypes in different situations. For example, in the NY Times, people told real stories about racially stereotyping someone. One woman accused a young man of stealing change from a woman drinking at the bar after the young man asked for a drink of water. Coming to find out, the woman left the bar and took her money with her. She regrets blaming the young man for stereotyping him, in other words, automatically assuming that all black men steal. Moral of the story? Do not automatically think that all black men steal. With Jesus, there is so much stereotyping in today’s world that it is unbelievable. Learn about Jesus instead of doubting and questioning the things the Messiah can do for you or others.

People will act like they are someone they are not. That can annoy so many people. Here is the beautiful part about that. Jesus knows who we are. You can’t fake Jesus, but people will pretend in front of you. Jesus knew who you were from day one. If you are not an honest person, then you will be uncomfortable at the thought that someone knows you, and you didn’t know it. That speaks volumes about the character of that person. If you are an honest person, then you will be comfortable knowing that someone knows you. There is nothing to hide since you are being who you are and not have to pretend. Be bold, be who you are without having to pretend. You will peacefully be knowing you don’t have to make up story after story. Nathanael couldn’t believe Jesus already knew him. When Jesus told him he saw him under the fig tree, he was surprised. Jesus reminded him that he believes because he saw him under the fig tree.

Finally, Jesus added that Nathanael would see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. In Genesis 28:12, Jacob’s dream is on the record for what he experienced. Jacob saw this in his dream. Understand that when Jesus says things like this that it is not supposed to be seen by the human eyes physically. Believing Jesus is essential because things like this are supposed to happen from a spiritual aspect. These are things that most people won’t see. If Jesus says that you will see something, believe it, and be ready for you to see it only. Jesus didn’t intend for anyone else to see what he have you seen.

Father, thank you for today. I pray during our times of meditation that we can see what you want us to see. Not everybody can see what you have for each person. Let us understand that you are faithful to us and that you will never deceive us. Remind us that there are stereotypes in the world about you and that we should not let it distract us from you. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Resource:

Phillip, N. (2018, May 25). 9 People Reveal a Time They Racially Stereotyped a Stranger. Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/25/reader-center/racial-stereotypes.html 

Social Media Jesus Style

October 9, 2020

The First Disciples

35 The following day, John was again standing with two of his disciples. 36 As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” 37 When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus.

38 Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them.

They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

39 “Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him for the rest of the day.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. 41 Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”).

42 Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”). -John 1:35-42 NLT

When we read the Bible, the one thing you will notice is repetitions. There are so many reminders about different things. Here is one of them, misunderstandings. When you develop a relationship with your friends, it starts as misunderstandings. As the relationship continues to grow, you will begin to understand each other. The disciples began to learn Jesus more every day. Although it took three years for the disciples to understand Jesus fully, the relationship grew, and the disciples have a full understanding of Jesus. It comes with faith. Faith without works is dead; you got to put some work in your relationships.

The two disciples that were with John, they left him to follow Jesus. Reminder, John’s purpose is to point everybody to Jesus. So it is expected that the two disciples followed Jesus. Here is a vital part of following Jesus. We must be willing to follow him for his glory and not ours. You can’t follow someone and then expect them to abide by your expectations. It is no different following Jesus. You can’t follow him and then expect him to follow you. That is why Jesus asked them, “what do you want?” If you are not going to follow him faithfully, there is no point in following him. Examine your motives and try again once you understand.

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, accepted what John said about the two disciples following Jesus. Andrew told Simon Peter that the Messiah is here. He went on to tell everyone he came across about the Messiah. He was happy to share that with anyone that listened. Let’s think about ourselves. How comfortable are you to share about Jesus? Are you hiding out on opportunities to share about Jesus? The faith you don’t have to share about Jesus, I encourage you to build confidence. You may get cussed out or dismissed. The point here is you did what you needed to do by being faithful and sharing about Jesus. Share these devotions if you have to build your confidence. Sharing these devotionals or the website is sharing about Jesus.

Father, thank you for today. I pray as we go into the weekend, we can use this time to focus on you. I pray we can use our time to understand you more. I pray for confidence to share about you. Thank you for our fellowship. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

John the Baptist and Jesus

October 8, 2020

24 Then the Pharisees who had been sent 25 asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”

26 John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. 27 Though his ministry follows mine; I’m not even worthy of being his slave and untying the straps of his sandal.”

28 This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.

Jesus, the Lamb of God

29 The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’ 31 I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32 Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. 33 I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.” -John 1:24-34 NLT

Finishing up the conversation with the religious leaders and John, he tells them that he only baptizes with water, after being questioned why he is baptizing and not the Messiah. John is helping those perform a simple act of repentance. Keep in mind that the only one can forgive sins, and that is the Son of God, the Messiah himself. Baptism is new to you. You are washed from everything and start fresh.

John said he is not worthy of being Christ’s slave by unfastening his shoes. Jesus called John the greatest prophets of them all (Luke 7:28.) Why is John letting his pride get in the way to serve Christ? For us to be serving Christ, we should still help. I will be the first to admit that I am not a Pastor. I tell people that it doesn’t make sense for me to be giving the Word of God, and I am doing everything against his will intentionally or not. I have friends that say you are a Pastor. I’m not. I study the Word. I sin as much as the next person in line. The whole idea is to serve and teach, and pride goes away. Understanding people’s sinful ways is a way to help. John did not understand Christ. I can say that I don’t understand him that well either if I have people telling me that I need to be a Pastor, but yet to become one. The irony of everything! Yes, I am checking myself too.

In Exodus, a lamb was sacrificed for the sins of people. In Isaiah, the Messiah prophesied and be led to the slaughter like a lamb. The Messiah paid the penalty of our sins, the ultimate sacrifice. Dying on the cross removed all sins, and this is how we are forgiven. The world’s sin is everyone’s sins, one wrong or two; everybody’s sin. When you sin, ask for forgiveness and confessing the evil to him.

The most incredible humility we can have is preaching and teaching. It takes us to a whole different level when we teach about Jesus and bringing people to him. John reminds us to be an example of incredible humility. There is nothing wrong with doing other work for Christ, but preaching and teaching are the greatest you can see. It shows honor towards Jesus to be bold and talk about him, even if people believe it or don’t believe it. Be content with teaching the gospel and showing Christ your love for him.

I didn’t know anything about Jesus and John as relatives. Luke 1:36, “What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month.” Jesus’s mother, Mary, and Elizabeth, are cousins. Elizabeth is John the Baptist mother. I learned something today, and I hope someone here did as well. John told everyone that Jesus is the Messiah, but God gave a sign to John to show him that Jesus honestly was sent from God. Because John and Jesus were related, he had an idea who Jesus was. After Jesus’ baptism, John realized that Jesus is the Messiah. You can read about Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11 & Luke 3:21-22. John tells everybody about Jesus. He points them to Jesus. Once they understand, they get baptized and start all over again with new life, thoughts, wisdom, boldness, caring, etc. That is the core foundation of John to get others to Christ by preaching and teaching. God wants the same out of us. Teach and talk with those about Jesus, what he can do, where he came from, as we do with our real friends.

Father, thank you for our lesson about you, John’s foundation, and learning about the relationship with you both. I pray boldness over who is reading this to share the knowledge they learn and pass it on to others that may not know. You are calling them, and they don’t see it yet. I am one of them. Allow us to be open-minded, and practice meditation to understand you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Misunderstanding

October 7, 2020

17 For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. Nevertheless, the unique one, who is himself, God, is near the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

The Testimony of John the Baptist

19 This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” 20 He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.” 21 “Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?” “No,” he replied. “Are you the Prophet we are expecting?” “No.” 22 “Then who are you? We need an answer to those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?” 23 John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!'” -John 1:17-23 NLT

God’s nature through us to use law and grace when dealing with us. Let me explain. The law is here for us to follow by. We obey the law. The one thing that holds us back is brokenness. We are not perfect, and we end up doing something against God’s will, which is where grace comes in. Grace is what God gives us when we do mess up. Rather than trying to convict us of our wrongdoings, he gives us lots of grace because we are not perfect. As we get to know Christ better, our misdeeds will lessen, and our understanding will increase. 

In the old testament, God communicated only through certain people. These are the same people God asked to give out various messages from the one and only himself. God is in spirit; we won’t see him. God reveals himself in ways that everyone can be touched and heard. Through meditations, prayer, and unexpected moments.

John is having conversations with the highest leaders in Jerusalem. There are reasons why they came to see John. One, investigating him and the teachings. Two, see what credentials he had as a prophet. Three, since John had a vast following and growing, these leaders weren’t happy with that, jealousy. The leaders of Jerusalem had a tremendous amount of respect. For John to come in and share a word through God shows the power God has towards us all if we listen.

The exchange in the conversation was straight forward. The leaders ask who John is and what business he has there. The Pharisees did more thinking than reacting. They did more asking the wrong questions than the right questions. When this happens, you misunderstand. John was not there to tell them why he was there; that is what the leaders and Pharisees wanted to know. Everybody missed out on what John was trying to do, which is to prepare the way for the Messiah. John wanted them to recognize who Jesus is when he comes. When we are not following and understanding, we can miss the point. When you pray and meditate, remember that God expects us to have quiet time to pray and meditate. You are at your best when you are silent because you can hear him and his expectations of you. You won’t be like the leaders and the Pharisees to miss the point of what God or what God send someone to tell you.

Father, thank you for your boldness in us. I pray that we can hear you the first time. The challenge for us all to have quiet time to hear from you. I pray for those to be bold and quiet to hear from you. That is the first step of boldness. Life hits us hard that we won’t be silent because of life. COVID came and humbled all of us. It allowed us to be quiet and be still. A lot of people learned a lot during the time stuck at home. You were able to speak to us then. I pray we can continue that now. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Flesh

October 6, 2020

12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
15 John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.'”
16 From his abundance, we have all received one gracious blessing after another. -John 1:12-16

Continuing the foundation of Jesus Christ, let’s study more about Jesus and the flesh. When you welcome Jesus in your life, you are reborn spiritually. You receive a new life after baptism. You have a clean soul, and you start fresh. You begin thinking about new things; you become wise; your motives change as well. You are in God’s family, and that makes you spiritually alive! If you haven’t asked Christ to be a new person, do it. It is worth it. Your flesh is your skin, and you are human. Christ became the perfect teacher, sacrifice, and example. As we study the Bible, we should follow the standards that Jesus does for us, remember the sacrifices he made for our sins. God became man, not man part God. He is entirely human and divine. The one and only Son, who came from the Father, mean Jesus is God’s only and unique son. Jesus is very impressive. No one is better than Jesus.

Father, thank you for blessing us all today with breath. This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. I pray over our flesh that we do not let it control our actions. Instead, let you handle our soul. The flesh is us as humans that make many mistakes. You are unique, and I pray we can continue to be with you to learn about your ways. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reflections

October 5, 2020

6 God sent a man, John the Baptist, 7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8 John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to speak about the light. 9 The one who is the right light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his people, and even they rejected him. -John 1:6-11

In verses 1-5, we read and studied about the foundation of Jesus. Today, we are learning about John’s purpose from God. John refers to John the Baptist. God sent John to testify on behalf of witnessing the light. When God sends us to do something, we do it because you are the person he sent and have the chance to make believers out of people. God did this with John. Anybody that didn’t believe, most likely will assume that the light was coming from God. However, John is not the source of the light. He is a reflection of it. Jesus reflects on us to share what he wants us to share. You have followers that love and believe in you. It may not be in the spiritual aspect, but maybe through common ground. When we continue to be the light Jesus reflects on us, we get followers from that aspect. From there, Jesus shows them a brighter light.

How crazy would it be if you didn’t recognize your parents? You knew about them but couldn’t spot them when they came. The people chosen by God did not recognize him. How does this happen even though Christ created the world? When you don’t believe; this happens, you are bound to overlook a lot of things. In the entire old testament, people were made aware that Christ was coming. They didn’t believe it. I use a term for those types of people. When you don’t believe fat meat is greasy, you will learn the hard way. Think about the rejection of the Messiah. How hurt he was. He is human, so he does have feelings. A lot of people are ignoring him at a level that they need him right now. If God wants you to talk to someone, go for it. He knows the result; you don’t. The point is not for you to see the matter, but to do it.

Father, thank you for allowing us to be so bold in our faith. I pray that we continue to be proactive in all aspects of our lives. As believers, we are to reflect the light for you so we can share the good news with non-believers. We don’t have to worry about what you have planned for us because you planned it. We have to execute it. I pray we do it at your will and take away the anxiety and pain it may cause. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Word

October 4, 2020

1 In the beginning, the Word already existed.

    The Word was with God,

    and the Word was God.

2 He existed at the beginning with God.

3 God created everything through him,

    and nothing was made except through him.

4 The Word gave life to everything that was created

    and his life brought light to everyone.

5 The light shines in the darkness,

    and the darkness can never extinguish it.

The book of John is an excellent place to start studying the Word. The purpose of John’s writing this book is to prove to everyone that Jesus is the son of God and that whoever believes that Jesus is the son of God will have eternal life. We are going to start with the first five verses of the first chapter of John.

Jesus is fully human and God. As we go through John’s book, you will see and learn how Jesus is both human and God. The foundation of Jesus starts in the book of John. You have to believe that Jesus is the son of God. If you don’t, there is no eternal life. He is the way and the truth. If you have a friend you trust from the very beginning you met, you believe that they tell the fundamental truth. As Christians, we believe that Jesus is the truth and how we have to accept this truth. John wrote this to build confidence in anyone who doesn’t believe or understand the truth. The Word was a term used by theologians and philosophers in different ways. Hebrews use the Word as a creation. In Greek philosophy, the Word reminded people of the world. In other words, it is a thought in people’s minds. Hebrews thought the Word best described God. Jewish people do not believe the Word of God. The Greeks thought it was unthinkable. There are mixtures of thoughts. The audience here is non-Christians and Christians. The boldness of Christians trying to prove that Jesus is God’s son is a task, not an easy one at that.

We are all created equal in God’s eyes. So trying to be arrogant, prideful, ignorant should not be in the creation. Yet, the world made it an outcome. The one thing I love to do is create systems in Microsoft Excel. One of the things I create is what I call a prediction records game. My brother and I would sit down and give predictions on who we believe will win each NFL game for each week. The way I create it, each formula must work for the entire system to work. If it doesn’t work, it won’t function. I have to give the correct procedure for the whole of the system to use. That is what God is doing with us. He provides us with the system (the Word or the Bible,) and we must be able to apply each aspect of our lives correctly, or otherwise, we will not function right. Building a system from scratch is too hard for me. But I manage to hang on and work and work at it until it does. God wants us to continue working on every part of our lives, depending on him and going with our hearts in the right direction. Each step can be a stepping stone or a painful lesson. Even if it is too complicated, God is here to get us through each part of our lives.

Father, I pray that we can be bold in our steps with you. It can be telling other non-Christian people about you or going out and doing things out of our comfort zone. I pray that I can use my platform to continue sharing about racial injustice. Isaiah 1:17 says, “learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.” I pray for someone that needs to step out of their comfort zone. Let them be bold, courageous, wise, and educated. Thank you for all you do. We give you praise. In Jesus’ name. Amen!