John 1:10,11
Verse 10 starts off again with Jesus's authority. "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew him not." How can this be? How can the Creator not be known by the creation?
Verse 11 continue this theme," He came unto his own, and his own recieved him not" How does his own not recieve him?
These questions have a simple answer. The answer is that he is a perfect Gentlemen every time. God does not force Himself on anyone at any time. Turn right in your Bible a few pages to Revelation 3:20 to see His heart. "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." This has a two fold purpose.
First, God wants your heart. Why? Because He wrote the owners manual for us! In Jeremiah 1:5 it speaks about Him knowing you while still in the womb. One of the greatest moments as being a dad was the time before my daughter Maddie arrived. I would wonder what she would be like? Is she going to shy or outgoing? Quiet or loud? Funny or serious? I guessed and most of my guesses were off. There is One who already knew how she would be in all areas! He knew she would love a certain hand made blanket. He knew she would love cookies(What can I say she has a little bit of her Grandpa Jeffrey in her!) Isn't it awesome that we have someone who does know us completely. That is why He wants your heart, because we really need him. We have to be careful we don't get to the point of saying God needs us. It's the same as worship. God is not insecure so that he hopes that we worship him. We worship him because when we do God changes and prepares our hearts to hear His word!
Secondly, God wants our hearts daily. I can attest to this personally. For those of us who have taken that first step of accepting Jesus as our complete grace and covering from sin, it can be easy somehow to forget that grace. How does this play out practically? It when you do things that are not good. Do you ever have that voice or feeling that you should not do this, that or the other thing? That is Jesus standing at the doors in our heart. Don't you mean the door of our heart? I found that it easy to give Jesus all the keys to many rooms in my heart, but there are few that I struggle to give up. As I struggle looking at the budget to see how we will make the payments each month, I don't open the door, because of my doubt. We are so blessed the times that we open the door in faith knowing that Jesus will see us through.!
I'm so glad that the Bible doesn't end at Verse 11 in John. Verse 12 remindes us of the grace of God. He says follow me and have life! There is no maybe or possible, but a complete assurance that He will do what he says. Many skeptic say that the Bible is full of errors and mistakes. Show me were. What about Prophecy? The only prophecies that have not been fufilled are the ones that are still to come soon. Not one prophecy has ever failed. I love that God doesn't just save us and leave us. He wants us to walk with him more and more each day. He doesn't force us to walk with him, but is always ready to walk however far we want to each day!
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Sent?
I want to start off by asking a question; what does it mean to be sent?
We see starting in verse 6 that God sent John. We learn a very powerful truth with that statement. God is a God that sends! Just looking at the book of Genesis we see that this is something that God tends to like to do. God sent Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden; God sent Abram out of the land of Ur to Canaan, God sent Joseph to Egypt and many others. Then we also look at some New Testament cats too; starting with John the Baptist (who we read about now in Verses 6-9), Paul who God had sent everywhere it seems and lastly and the most greatest: God sent Himself as Jesus into the world for the sole purpose to bring a fallen people to himself! Our God is a sending God!
People are not typically sent without cause or reason, there is a purpose to them being sent; we see John's purpose for being sent in verse 7 and 8 John has been sent to tell. In Romans 10:17 it says this "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." We are all called to tell. In Titus Paul tells Titus to do the work of an evangelist. Granted not all of us are Bill Graham, some of us may not even be good preachers; but we do all need to know the story. This is it; You are separated from God because you are a sinner. There is nothing that you can do to become right with God, so God in his great grace came to earth as a man, died paying the perfect sacrifice atoning for you sin and mine. It is nothing that we can do but it is a gift from God. In verse 8 we see something that i think we need to take note on. John was not the light but simply a witness. Some times we may think that we are great because of what we are sent to do. God can do it all with out you, the message is more important that the one who bring the message. Our words and our message have meaning (even though some in the post modern crowd think otherwise), words are powerful forms to get across a message; God used them to create the universe! Our God is a sending God who sends us to tell!
Lastly looking at verse 9, God was coming into the world. God stepped into creation to reconcile us to him, forever changing the course of history. This should remind us constantly that Jesus is coming back, and when he does come back he is coming as a conquering king. To see what it is going to look like look at Revelations 19.
Here are some question to reflect and pray about:
1. Where is God sending you?
2. What message are you going to bring to them or what message are you bring now? Is it the message of the God, is it the Gospel?
Grace and Peace,
We see starting in verse 6 that God sent John. We learn a very powerful truth with that statement. God is a God that sends! Just looking at the book of Genesis we see that this is something that God tends to like to do. God sent Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden; God sent Abram out of the land of Ur to Canaan, God sent Joseph to Egypt and many others. Then we also look at some New Testament cats too; starting with John the Baptist (who we read about now in Verses 6-9), Paul who God had sent everywhere it seems and lastly and the most greatest: God sent Himself as Jesus into the world for the sole purpose to bring a fallen people to himself! Our God is a sending God!
People are not typically sent without cause or reason, there is a purpose to them being sent; we see John's purpose for being sent in verse 7 and 8 John has been sent to tell. In Romans 10:17 it says this "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." We are all called to tell. In Titus Paul tells Titus to do the work of an evangelist. Granted not all of us are Bill Graham, some of us may not even be good preachers; but we do all need to know the story. This is it; You are separated from God because you are a sinner. There is nothing that you can do to become right with God, so God in his great grace came to earth as a man, died paying the perfect sacrifice atoning for you sin and mine. It is nothing that we can do but it is a gift from God. In verse 8 we see something that i think we need to take note on. John was not the light but simply a witness. Some times we may think that we are great because of what we are sent to do. God can do it all with out you, the message is more important that the one who bring the message. Our words and our message have meaning (even though some in the post modern crowd think otherwise), words are powerful forms to get across a message; God used them to create the universe! Our God is a sending God who sends us to tell!
Lastly looking at verse 9, God was coming into the world. God stepped into creation to reconcile us to him, forever changing the course of history. This should remind us constantly that Jesus is coming back, and when he does come back he is coming as a conquering king. To see what it is going to look like look at Revelations 19.
Here are some question to reflect and pray about:
1. Where is God sending you?
2. What message are you going to bring to them or what message are you bring now? Is it the message of the God, is it the Gospel?
Grace and Peace,
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
John 1:1-5
Sorry it took so long to post.
Vs 1, 2 These verses cover in simple form who Jesus is. After studying these verse, I'm amazed at many complicated and difficult ways people see Jesus, teach about Jesus, and think about Jesus. Verse 1 starts at such a great point. "In the beginning..." This takes you back to the first book in the Bible, Genesis. The very first verse of the Bible talks about God creating the Earth. Verse 1 continued"was the Word". What or Who is the Word. It no other than Jesus. The key to this passage is a few verses down in Vs 14. Now why is this a HUGE point. This shows Jesus's deity! This should clear up any debate about who Jesus is....The sad truth of the matter is that people, churches, and pastors desire to get to know Jesus in a way that is not Him. Jesus is the Beginning!
The rest of verse 1 and 2 take about the Trinity. This is difficult to understand. Many examples have been created to try to grasp the depth of the Trinity. Here are a few you may have heard. The egg(shell, yoke, white)and water(3 forms-Ice,liquid,gas). The best way to understand the Trinity is to faith that God is three parts. No big deal some people say or what ever is right for you is cool. But when you look at the equation from a mathmatical view it may bring more weight. So if Jesus is God, and Jesus laid his life down for you, and you were set free from you sin because He died for you. What does that equal? God, who was here in the beginning, gave of Himself to set you free.
Verse 3 speaks about the Word's power and authority. There is nothing that has come about without Jesus! How comforting knowing that we have someone who is passionately apart of what has happened, is happening and will happen tomorrow. For those who stress about work and life, you may want to take note. Man it's hard to type and take notes at the same time. Ecclesiastes 1: 9 talks about "nothing new under sun" is this a bad thing? No. Why? Because if it is New it's probably not true, and if it is true it's not new. Now this shouldn't stop us from looking for new ways to do things, but to realized that God has allowed us to find out better ways that He has always know.
Verse 4 is a beautiful verse! The Word equals Life!!! Through that Life brings light. The light is a hope to see Him one day in heaven. It funny how you can walk into a home that really loves and seeks after the Word and it feels brighter, relaxed, refreshing. Why? Jesus is there. His Fragrance fills each and every corner in the room. Sadly, you can walk into many homes who know who Jesus or may have even accepted him, but there is no place for Word in there home. So what happens? It feels darker, tense, and draining. Is the first house a difficult magic trick or an amazing feat of super natural spirituality? Thanks goodness its not! Hangout with Jesus and He rubs off on you! The times I grumpy with my wife or short with my daughter is a good measure of who I haven't been hanging out with lately.
Verse 5. Gives a parable that we can all understand. Go into a room with no light, then turn the lamp on. What happens? Does the darkness still hang out in the room. Probably not unless you are hiding the light. Light and darkness can not be combined. Have you ever been frustrate because a friend or co worker or family member doesn't seem to get a simple principle that would not save him or her, but make their lives easier? It's all because these to items don't mix. It's like mixing water and oil. This reminds me that I can't turn the light on for people, But God can. It goes back to verse 1 Who ever was at the beginning is in charge! Thankfully for most of us, it's not me! I'm short tempered, impatient, rude, arrogant, prideful, and not very smart. This verse encourages me to pray for those who need to have the switch flipped.
This passage is a great example of who Jesus was, and is, and is yet to come! He is God! It is heartbreaking to see the studies of Jesus and His life, that are purely for the process and steps to being Jesus. What is Simply Jesus? God.
Vs 1, 2 These verses cover in simple form who Jesus is. After studying these verse, I'm amazed at many complicated and difficult ways people see Jesus, teach about Jesus, and think about Jesus. Verse 1 starts at such a great point. "In the beginning..." This takes you back to the first book in the Bible, Genesis. The very first verse of the Bible talks about God creating the Earth. Verse 1 continued"was the Word". What or Who is the Word. It no other than Jesus. The key to this passage is a few verses down in Vs 14. Now why is this a HUGE point. This shows Jesus's deity! This should clear up any debate about who Jesus is....The sad truth of the matter is that people, churches, and pastors desire to get to know Jesus in a way that is not Him. Jesus is the Beginning!
The rest of verse 1 and 2 take about the Trinity. This is difficult to understand. Many examples have been created to try to grasp the depth of the Trinity. Here are a few you may have heard. The egg(shell, yoke, white)and water(3 forms-Ice,liquid,gas). The best way to understand the Trinity is to faith that God is three parts. No big deal some people say or what ever is right for you is cool. But when you look at the equation from a mathmatical view it may bring more weight. So if Jesus is God, and Jesus laid his life down for you, and you were set free from you sin because He died for you. What does that equal? God, who was here in the beginning, gave of Himself to set you free.
Verse 3 speaks about the Word's power and authority. There is nothing that has come about without Jesus! How comforting knowing that we have someone who is passionately apart of what has happened, is happening and will happen tomorrow. For those who stress about work and life, you may want to take note. Man it's hard to type and take notes at the same time. Ecclesiastes 1: 9 talks about "nothing new under sun" is this a bad thing? No. Why? Because if it is New it's probably not true, and if it is true it's not new. Now this shouldn't stop us from looking for new ways to do things, but to realized that God has allowed us to find out better ways that He has always know.
Verse 4 is a beautiful verse! The Word equals Life!!! Through that Life brings light. The light is a hope to see Him one day in heaven. It funny how you can walk into a home that really loves and seeks after the Word and it feels brighter, relaxed, refreshing. Why? Jesus is there. His Fragrance fills each and every corner in the room. Sadly, you can walk into many homes who know who Jesus or may have even accepted him, but there is no place for Word in there home. So what happens? It feels darker, tense, and draining. Is the first house a difficult magic trick or an amazing feat of super natural spirituality? Thanks goodness its not! Hangout with Jesus and He rubs off on you! The times I grumpy with my wife or short with my daughter is a good measure of who I haven't been hanging out with lately.
Verse 5. Gives a parable that we can all understand. Go into a room with no light, then turn the lamp on. What happens? Does the darkness still hang out in the room. Probably not unless you are hiding the light. Light and darkness can not be combined. Have you ever been frustrate because a friend or co worker or family member doesn't seem to get a simple principle that would not save him or her, but make their lives easier? It's all because these to items don't mix. It's like mixing water and oil. This reminds me that I can't turn the light on for people, But God can. It goes back to verse 1 Who ever was at the beginning is in charge! Thankfully for most of us, it's not me! I'm short tempered, impatient, rude, arrogant, prideful, and not very smart. This verse encourages me to pray for those who need to have the switch flipped.
This passage is a great example of who Jesus was, and is, and is yet to come! He is God! It is heartbreaking to see the studies of Jesus and His life, that are purely for the process and steps to being Jesus. What is Simply Jesus? God.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)