2 Samuel 22:1-20 - David's Song of Deliverance

2 Samuel 22:1-20

Moreover, Absalom would say, “Oh that someone would appoint me judge in the land, then every man who has a lawsuit or claim could come to me, and I would give him justice!” (verse 4)

Message: David's Song of Deliverance

Time: Second Samuel is set in the land of Israel during the reign of David and follows the course of his forty years as king of Israel (1011–971 BC). It chronicles the establishment of the Davidic dynasty and the expansion of Israel under God’s chosen leader. 

What the Lord is Saying: While this Psalm or Song appears after chapter 21, it does not necessarily follow the events of Chapter 21 but rather David records this song of praise following a battle victory, most likely. It is repeated in Psalm 18. There is a tradition among God's people to sing their praises to God. It is personal and also communal. 

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;

Rock here is crag which means a steep or rugged cliff which is sought for refuge. The Hebrew word is Sela. Thus, God is unmoving. He is Strength. A fortress in these times was essential for survival against enemies. He is my deliverer. He is active in rescuing me from perilous situations. He saves. He liberates. 

My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

This rock is a different Hebrew word. It is tsur. It is a strong rock or cliff or bedrock. He is my continual and unmoving refuge. The previous 'rock' is specific for a purpose. This 'rock' seems to be continuous. 

My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge;

A shield is for defense. Horn is a symbol of strength and is also a reference for Jesus (Luke 1:69). As a refuge, God is my sanctuary in times of trouble. 

My savior, You save me from violence.

God is my savior and in Titus 2:13, savior is also Jesus Christ. God intervenes to save us from physical harm, but also from spiritual harm. 

I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,

David calls because he knows God to be trustworthy and he is thankful to God. There is a response always to God after He provides of thankfulness and turning to Him. There is an immediate recognition that God is the source of our deliverance and so we return to Him praise and thanksgiving. We are thankful to God for his power, his faithfulness, his righteousness.

And I am saved from my enemies.

At numerous times, God intercedes. He is the reason my enemies are not victorious over me. Exodus 14:30, "That day the Lord saved Israel from the hand of the Egyptians." Psalm 34:17, "The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles." God hears and God acts. Sometimes in these days, it seems that our enemies are not as clear. Our true enemy is Satan today who wants to get us off track of our spiritual purpose in life. 

For the waves of death encompassed me;

Waves are sorrows. Water often symbolized chaos and destruction. 

The floods of destruction terrified me;

Floods are torrents in the King James Version. Thus, the danger is overwhelming. There is a disorder and confusion that I simply cannot face alone. In times of trouble, I need people close. It is no fun to be sick alone, to ache in pain, to experience a virus. 

The ropes of Sheol surrounded me;

The ropes or cords of Sheol refer to being ready to be devoured. This is being in a place of separation from God. It is darkness. Once again, it is overwhelming. 

The snares of death confronted me.

Snares are traps. "For the wages of sin is death." Sin results in death. Sin traps me. The reality in all of these phrases is the trap of falling into sin is real. 

In my distress I called upon the Lord,

So what does the Christian do in this situation of distress? Call upon the Lord. He is the reliable one. I have faith in Him. I can trust in Him. This should be an automatic response of God's people. 

Yes, I called out to my God;

It is a repetitious calling out. It is not one time. We often do not pray one time but continually pray for God to intercede. 

And from His temple He heard my voice,

The temple was not yet built in David's time. But it symbolizes God's dwelling place and in that place God is ready to hear me. Church is often this place for all people. Though we can call upon God anywhere, at any time, we always see Church is that place where God for sure hears us. 

And my cry for help came into His ears.

God hears me. It is one thing to cry out. It is another to be heard. The baby or child that cries out to its mother and the mother picks up the child. To be heard is to be known. I want to be know, to be seen, to be heard. 

Then the earth shook and quaked,

This is the earth responding to God's presence. This is God making himself known to His people. The natural disasters in life that are sometimes horrific in tearing apart lands - hurricanes, earthquakes - violent upheaval of land.  

The foundations of heaven were trembling

And the extent of these disasters are so immense they reach heaven. Here, judgment is real. It is interesting, we want God to deal with sin individually in a person's life, but not globally. And we are also quick to not ascribe famines or disasters to him. We don't want the judging God. We want the God to only be one of comfort. 

And were shaken, because He was angry.

But the reality is God's anger is real. This shaking and upheaval is in response to God's indignation and his anger towards sin. 

Smoke went up out of His nostrils,

This snorting. In movies or cartoons, this is anger where smoke is coming out of every opening on an animal or person's faith, often from his nose or ears. The anger is so intense. We will often say, "He is blowing off steam." 

And fire from His mouth was devouring;

Fire destroys. Fire purifies. With food, fires takes something raw and purifies it. 

Coals were kindled by it.

The hot coals kindle and let off heat to seer something, often food. Again there is purification. God is going to cleanse people. He is going to take that which is present and change it. 

He also bowed the heavens down low, and came down

God can manipulate the heavens for his purpose. And he came down, he appears, he makes himself known. In Jesus He made Himself known to people. John 1:14, "The Word became flesh and dwells among us." God makes himself known to his people. He is active in making himself known. He is clear. God is to be seen. In Jesus, he wants to make himself known. 

With thick darkness under His feet.

In Revelation 1:7, "He is coming with the clouds." Thick darkness in the King James is think clouds. The pillar of cloud guided the Israelites. There is God's mystery. There is God's majesty. The cloud is moving across the earth. There is authority and returning of God. In a storm, the clouds come down and are in the middle of us. He comes down to us. 

He rode on a cherub and flew;

Cherubim are often depicted as angelic beings. God rode beyond human limitations. He is omnipresent. He is omniscience. 

He appeared on the wings of the wind.

God moves, unhindered by earthly constraints. Wind often is the Spirit of God. He is swift in His movement. 

He made darkness canopies around Him,

This darkness is not evil but rather a representation of God's unapproachable holiness and glory. The canopy signifies protection and authority, much like a king's tent, indicating God's sovereign rule over creation.

Exodus 20:11, "Moses approached the thick darkness where God was."

A mass of waters, thick clouds of the sky.

The thick clouds symbolize God's ability to bring both judgment and blessing, as clouds can bring rain or storms.

From the brightness before Him

God's presences is often associated with brightness, overwhelming light. It is purity, holy, and unapproachable light. 

Coals of fire were kindled.

Fire represents divine judgment. And God has ultimate authority. 

The Lord thundered from heaven,

God intervenes. 

And the Most High uttered His voice.

He speaks into people's lives. God's message is clear to His people. 

And He shot arrows and scattered them,

God is precise in taking care of man's enemies. 

Lightning, and routed them.

God uses nature to accomplish his purposes. 

Then the channels of the sea appeared,

God makes a way where there seems to be no way. 

The foundations of the world were exposed

The beginning of the earth were laid bare. 

By the rebuke of the Lord,

God expresses disapproval. 

From the blast of the breath of His nostrils.

God's breath expresses his power. I think of a superman movie in which someone blows and people go swirling. There is a power in the breath. 

He sent from on high, He took me;

From His exalted position, God reaches down. 

He drew me out of many waters.

God removes me from the most difficult of situations. 

He rescued me from my strong enemy,

God intervenes on behalf of his people. 

From those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.

Believers are to rely on God's strength and not their own. 

They confronted me on the day of my disaster,

David experienced intense distress, trial and danger. 

But the Lord was my support.

But David can always rely on God for his strength in any situation. 

He also brought me out into an open place;

God took him away from confinement and moved him to open space to freely be. 

He rescued me, because He delighted in me.

God has a favor toward David. David is chosen and loved by God. 

I took my time in reviewing each line of this Song. What I saw are some consistent themes. God is my deliverer. I call on him. He hates sin. He will purify me. And He does this in a personal way. God comes to man. God comes down to man. God loves man. 

Summary: The author of 2 Samuel starts to conclude the life of David by offering here a song of praise with God as David's deliverer, fully expressing God's intervention in David's life.

Promise: Thank the Lord for His protection.

Prayer: O God, you are faithful. I thank you for the time today in further looking into this text and thinking about these words of Praise toward you. You are my Deliverer. I call on You and You answer. You purify me and rescue me. You are great and mighty. You hate sin and You will deal with it. I pray that I have not safeguarded my life to the point that I don't see your handiwork in my life, but also that I don't have reasons to trust in You for all your defeats of my enemies. Lord, let me continually see the active role you play in my life. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Colossians 1:4 - The Gospel to the Whole World

Colossians 1:4

Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints. 

Message: The Gospel to the Whole World

Time: Paul penned this letter to the Colossian church in AD 60-61 during his first imprisonment in Rome after the church was under attack and denigrating the deity of Christ. He penned it before visiting the church. Christ was and is the visible image of the invisible God, containing within Himself the fullness of Deity. 

What the Lord is Saying: We are to be global Christians. In Romans 1:8 it says, "...your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world." As such, I am thankful the ministry I have been involved with over the last 18 years called Global Media Outreach where I have a chance to communicate with people throughout the world. But even if not that ministry, as we pray for and support missionaries we are involved in fulfilling this verse. I have several friends that are involved with Internationals here and in a way this is a way to be anchored in that truth as well. 

In Colossians 1:4 it says, "...the love you have for all the saints." We need to be praying for people all over our lands and finding ways to help people. Compassion International is a way to sponsor children in other parts of the world, providing them food and training in God's truth. My wife and I have been doing this for the last 6 or 7 years. 

Jesus tells us we are not to light a lamp and then put it under a basket (Matthew 5:15) but instead "Let your light shine before men." God is to be mentioned in our lives, a part of our lives. It is who I am and so I am not to be ashamed of sharing who I am and what I think and believe. I am to speak out and be bold. 

Prayer: Help me God to remain bold in the preaching of Your word, in the preaching of Your name. Thank you again for the ministries you allow me to be involved in and the missionaries I can join with as they are serving others. You are great and your name is great and as we live life we see it is the only way to live. Thank you God for the richness of your love. Help me to remain bold and to continue to live my faith out in my words and actions, continually. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

I Samuel 9:1-2 - Saul, Son of Kish

I Samuel 9:1-2

1 Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a Benjaminite, a valiant mighty man. 2 He had a son whose name was Saul, a young and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome man than he among the sons of Israel; from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people.

Message: Saul, Son of Kish

Time: This book is a biography of Samuel's life and career up to his death. It took place over a period of about 110 years, stretching from the closing days of the judges, when Samuel was born (ca. 1120 BC) through the death of Saul (1011 BC).

What the Lord is Saying: My Overview of I Samuel 1-8 -- Elkanah comes to Shiloh to offer sacrifices and provides a double portion to his wife Hannah who is without children. Samuel is then born to Hannah and Elkanah and taken to Shiloh to be dedicated to the Lord. Hannah praises God. In contrast, Eli (the priest) has 2 worthless sons that do not follow the Lord compared to Samuel that is dedicated to the Lord for service. Eli trains Samuel and he is growing with the Lord God, as a prophet, and bringing God’s word to Israel. Eli, after 40 years as judge, dies after hearing his sons have died, Israel has been defeated and the ark is taken by Philistines. One of Eli's sons - Phinehas wife has a son, Ichabad meaning, "The Glory Departs from Israel." The Philistines take the ark to Dagon, their god as a sort of victory but Yahweh conquers Dagon and other cities for possessing the ark of God. With all of the judgment taking place by possessing the ark, the Philistines turn over the ark and make a guilt offering of tumors and mice. Offerings received from the people as well. Samuel leads the people to restoration from the hand of the Philistines. The people respond by putting away their foreign Gods and Samuel removes the evil, restores the good and God responds and makes a way for victory against the Philistines. At the end of Samuel's life, the people want a new king of their own doing. God provides a king through Samuel, not giving them what they need, but what they want. 

Verse 1 introduces this son from the tribe of Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob (Israel). Verse 1 mentions Aphiah as being in the line of Benjamin, but there is no other mention of Aphiah and he was not a son of Benjamin, nor Becorath or Zeror, but Abiel is the great grand-father of Saul. Interesting these names listed and yet not clearly connected and yet the author it important to show this lineage of Saul.  Kish was a "valiant mighty man."

Kish had a son name Saul. 

- a young and handsome man

- not more of a handsome man among sons of Israel (Jacob) and that is over 700 years, so I suppose he is quite handsome

- taller than any of the other people

I suppose it is of note that the most interesting information to share about Saul is he is handsome and tall. His father was a valiant mighty man. Saul, however is handsome and tall. Saul looks the part and this seems to be what the people want. God gives the people what they want. Elections are set up as popular vote. The people choose their leader. But God ultimately is in charge so whoever is at the head is who the people want. Yet God is involved. 

Summary: God gives the people what they want in a leader - Saul - tall and handsome. 

Promise: Am I more focused on my looks and appearance or my spiritual growth and who I am as a person. 

Prayer: Lord, perhaps from this verse I am to learn that while being handsome and tall and good looks is what matters to people so very often and also to me most of the time, what I need to be more focused on is what i son the inside. O God, I am like these people, that want the good looking king - wife. Lord, help me in this. I need this lesson today. I need to be about You. And what is important to You. Redefine me God. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

John 17:25-26 - Making Known the Father's Name

John 17:25-26

25 “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; 26 and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Message: Making Known the Father's Name

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)." 

What the Lord is Saying: As Jesus is praying, I continue to see the words that he is saying and how he is praying to see whether or not I need to pattern my prayers after him. This prayer is for the disciples as in the last several chapters of John I believe Jesus has been all about encouraging them that while He is leaving they will be fine and they will be good and actually in the best place possible in their lives. This chapter has chronicled an interesting prayer. In less than 2 weeks I am going to teach on it in Sunday school. Got some work to do on it and putting it together still. 

This proclamation by Jesus here in these 2 verses seems rather simple. The gist of it that I see is He is proclaiming not necessarily interceding and stating that the Love will be present in us and Jesus will be present in us. May our lives be about love. And may Jesus be in us as we live. He voices truths about who we are and theology he proclaims as well, almost educating us a little through His words - that Jesus and His purpose is to bring the Father's love to them. And so that that love - the Love of the Father - may reside in us. May God's love be in us. 

How easily I could pray this for my kids but I don't. Lord, may your love always be present in my kid's lives. And Jesus may you be in my kids. May you live and act and breath through them so that their lives and our lives better represent You. 

The other interesting idea from this next is the fact that Jesus says that for His children He has made the name of God known to them. I am not sure we recognize completely the ramifications of this statement. We are so appalled often by the sinfulness of our society and yet should we really be that surprised and should we not first have such compassion and understanding toward people that do not know the name of God in their lives. We know the Father because of Christ's work. We have an understanding of God that others don't have. The reason we preach the gospel and speak it to people is they simply don't have this understanding. I see this clearly when we approach people at the mall. Sometimes they have such a distance from God and have conjured up so many other ideas of who God is to them. But we are His people, knowing His name and His very character. 

The other promise from Jesus is the name of God will continue to be made known. At times, it feels like the world is getting darker and less are knowing Him, but in reality Jesus as promised is continuing to make the name of God known. He says in this scripture that the world does not know Him. 

From Tabletalk, "Christ's goal is that we may way, in some mysterious way, having in our hearts a love for God that is like the very love that God has for us, and that on account of that love Christ would dwell among us." 

We know His name and we are strengthened in the process by knowing that name. Do we realize the significance of having the love of the Father in us? Our world has been changed and all we are has been changed. Our entire perspective on life has been changed. We see life differently from others. This can be hard because the difference between the two does seem to be increasing. But if anything what we have now is more clarity in the difference between the two. 

Summary: Contrary to the world, we who have been sent to Jesus by God, know Him and Jesus will continue to make God's name known so Christ will be in us and know God's love. 

Promise: From RC Sproul, "The knowledge of His everlasting love for us gives us the strength we need to fulfill the mission that He has given to us." 

Prayer: O God, you love me. I know this now. You have an extreme love for me that I don't think I grasp completely on a daily basis. So much of my life is me centered and wanting the best for me. I realize that often I am selfish and want people to stay here on this earth and so I pray for them to not suffer. That is not bad, but help my words to You be more focused on that Love that you desire for all men. That the most important thing for me and for everyone is to have the love of God in them. For my children, may the love of God be in them. May you be present in their lives and be in them. Work through them. May their lives be about You and making You known. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

John 17:17-19 - God's Means of Sanctification

John 17:17-19

17 Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth. 18 As Thou didst send Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. 

Message: God's Mean's of Sanctification

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."  

What the Lord is Saying: Here is another request by Jesus in this prayer that he is offering for the disciples. He says, "Sanctify them in the truth." This idea of sanctification I feel like was already mentioned by Jesus in verse 11 when He prayed, "Holy Father, keep them in Thy name." The idea of keeping them and now also here in verse 17 to "Sanctify them in the truth" seem very similar. 

The difference between these two prayers is one is the idea of being kept in Thy name and the other to be kept or sanctified in the truth. To be sanctified is to be kept holy. I Thessalonians 4:3 links moral purity or freedom from lust and abstaining from sexual immorality. But here more particularly sanctification means we are set aside for a special use. But it goes further than moral purity.

Jesus explains further the meaning in verse 18, "I also have sent them into the world." So our sanctification is teased out and experienced further as we are sent out into the world to preach the gospel. But i still see a similarity in 'keeping' and 'sanctifying' as we go out and experience life, and work in spreading truth to our world. 

I know from previous verses that Jesus has mentioned the world is not fond of us. We are not people of the world (v. 14). The world hates us (v. 14). Yet, we are to be in the world (v. 18). What a sort of depressing array of tension this represents in life. It seems to be our relationship with the world right now is complaining about it more and talking about how bad it is, rather than going into it and being a voice to it. [Maybe this is what I share in class as well and find a way to look into the outreach idea of getting us involved more in our community. Iron sharpens iron sort of thinking.] 

I have been thinking of these words as I have been reading, but also wondering how they work together as I dive into my life. It is true that so much of my life is spent with people that are saved. That I spend free time with those friends that I have so much in common. I appreciate the online conversations for they help me continue to talk to others about spiritual matters, but I don't feel like I'm doing this much at work. For some, I have, and they are not very responsive. I've tried, but I've also stopped trying it would seem. 

Our prayer here is for those of us who are saved. But even in these words of prayers is a challenge to stay engaged with the world. 

One additional thought Jesus gives is in verse 19 when He says He will sanctify Himself. He says, "for their sakes I sanctify Myself." Who is "for their" - the disciples or possibly the world. Jesus is preparing to offer the ultimate sacrifice. And as Jesus does what He is going to do, He does it so "that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth." We are to be the benefactors of his sanctification. It is like the disciples purpose is to make other disciples. But we just fight against this so much because we desire so much to make our own lives better. 

For the disciple, sanctification was moving oneself further from a life of sin and closer to a life of living as Jesus lived. For Jesus, sanctification was offering his life for sin so that He could make us living our life for others. Yet, both in our sanctification and Jesus' - we are both in service to God, but the results are different. He sanctifies me so that I can be of service to Him and be of service to the Kingdom of God, which is the gathering of the saints for eternal life. 

And Jesus continues to have the goal of the life of the disciple. All of what He has been speaking in this book has been abut us - our eternal life - and our well being. But in our well being is also a work to benefit others. 

Summary: Jesus will offer himself for people, in obedience to God, so that we will be sanctified in truth to be set apart for Him and offer this truth to those in the world. 

Promise: From Tabletalk, we are equipped to go into the world as Jesus did, proclaiming the truth without compromise and calling people to repentance and faith. 

Prayer: Lord, what I notice more and more is my life in this world is training me a certain way. There is joy in this world, in living it and getting to know it and the joy of going places and experiencing other places, but Lord, I need to be careful to not simply be about this world and living according to its ways and forget the people in this world and how you came for them just as you came for me. Awaken me to this daily Lord. Retrain me. Thank you for praying for me - to be kept in Your word, to be sanctified, and to have joy. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

John 17:14-16 - Staying in the World

John 17:14-16

14 I have given them Thy word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil [one]. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 

Message: Staying in the World

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."  

What the Lord is Saying: As I mentioned in the last lesson, this prayer by Jesus does not so far have much intercession. Instead it is him speaking to God and describing his relationship with God and who He is in relation to God and who the disciples are as well. The actual requests for people are not predominant, but instead through these words are truths and promises that he is speaking. I continue to find this interesting. Most of my prayers or the prayers I heard are so focused on God doing something in our lives. I mean, it is good I guess that we come to God admitting we need his help. Like at our small group meeting yesterday, as I listened to the requests and how focused they are on making our lives better. There was some praise which was good. There is mention of people that are important to us and we don't want to see them hurt. 

And yet, as I listened to this and then also read this prayer I see so little intercession. Yesterday in the lesson, there were two thoughts of request -- "Holy Father, keep them in Thy name" and "that they may have My joy made full in themselves." Every other word is acknowledging truths. 

In our home group, Bill had us read Psalm 47. This is only a Psalm of praise. No requests. Just thankful to God. Interesting. 

Hated by the world - So today's passage begins (v. 14) with Jesus stating that He has given His disciples God's words. And the world does not like them because of this. With God's word with them, they are not popular before the world. Why are they hated? Because they are not of the world. They are not living according to its ways. Wow. We see this often. And yet we are baffled by this. It seems by our comments that we expect the world to live in a Godly way or manner. They are the world. Our job is to save them, not to complain about them purely. If we see a problem, then we do something about it. 

Stay in the world - In verse 15 we have 2 requests that I see. First they are to stay in the world. Jesus wants us in the world. "I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world." He wants us in the world. He wants us to be a light, to shine brightly. I just wonder in all of our complaining about the world, if we are really shining brightly in this world of ours. Are we really being a bright light to our world? 

I started reading a book called, "Sharing Jesus [without freaking out]" and in the beginning of the book he offers what I saw was a 3 fold description of why we are sharing the gospel with people. We can (1) help people see that their life matters, (2) that their passion to live comes from God, and (3) that the good news of Jesus can rescue them from pain. I love these words because of what is said - life matters, living is from God, and Jesus rescues us from the pain. There is pain living in the world. But Jesus gives us peace through that pain. I just love those words. I just don't think we approach the gospel sometimes in that way. God, yes, wants to give us eternal life, but he also wants to bring something to our life today - that it matters and we are anchored by God and he frees us from pain. That is the bright light we need to be. 

Be kept from the evil one - And also in verse 15 is the charge from Jesus to "keep them from the evil [one]." Again, we are to stay in the world, but be kept from the evil one. The reality is that the evil one, and Jesus recognizes this, is at work in the world. Evil is in the world. Jesus does want us to be free from this and he is praying this for us. Don't let the evil get a hold of you. We are not of the world, just as Jesus is not of the world, but we live in it. 

Summary: Jesus says in this prayer we will be hated by the world, but we are to stay in the world and he prays that we (disciples) will be kept from the evil one. 

Promise: From Tabletalk, "Let us resolve to stand for Christ today, no matter the consequences, knowing that in Him we have everything.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for explaining to me the truth of You and Your Word and also training me in the way I need to speak to you. I learn from you God and see that prayer is talking to you and in my talking I want to be someone who takes time to speak in such a way that I acknowledge you for the great God that you are. I do this in my singing in church, but I also need to do it with my own words, in quiet, declaring who you are and all that you have done for me. Teach me Lord to pray this way. My words can be few for my requests. And yet they rarely are because I am so good at talking about those things in life that are dear to me. Lord, you are holy. The truth of you is that You love people. All that You want to do God is make yourself known in creation. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

John 17:6 - The Father's Gift to Christ

John 17:6

I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.

Message: The Father's Gift to Christ

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."  

What the Lord is Saying: The Highly Priestly Prayer which is spoken by Jesus and encompasses Chapter 17 begins in the way we should begin all prayers by praising the Father and glorifying the Son. Jesus, like us, shows us the proper way to begin our Prayers. Like the Lord's Prayer which begins with, "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name." Here in verses 1-5 Jesus makes mentions that the Father is to be glorified. 

In this prayer we see 3 divisions as mentioned in My Open Bible:

1. Christ Prays for Himself (v. 1-5)
2. Christ Prays for His Disciples (v. 6-19)
3. Christ Prays for All Believers (v. 20-26)

I often like to go to the Greek and see the sequence of the words and how they read directly from the Greek. For this passage it reads, "I revealed Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. Yours they were, and to Me them You gave, and the word of You they have kept." Jesus here before the Father mentions or speaks to the Father and makes known to the Father that He has revealed the Father to the men the Father gifted to Him and these Me were given to Him out of the world. 

Not of this world: The world here I believe refers to the fallen system of mankind. We are to be conformed to Christ as Paul speaks about in Romans 12:2, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of Your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is." We are to be a transformed people. We are "strangers and exiles on the earth. (Heb. 11:13)." We are not of this world. Our calling is to be with Christ and walk with Him. The disciples were not super Christians and they even had problems. Even one of them will betray Jesus. But, we are not being elevated but rather God is elevated, God is praised. 

Giving Gifts: The title of this lesson today is "The Father's Gift to Christ." That gift is the men, the disciples. They were a gift to Jesus. I don't think we think of this. God's gift to people is Christ. "For God so loved the world that He gave His Son." God loves us and gives us His Son. Well, God the Father has also gifted to Jesus His followers, His people. We are a gift as well. I really like this encouragement, this idea that we are a gift to Jesus from God. The disciples will eventually be the spokespeople for the gospel, the message of God to love the world and grant them eternal life. We are His ambassadors. 

You know, this idea that God doesn't need us that I have heard voiced so much, that God can do His work without us. I am not sure I buy this at times. Yes, God is perfect, but He wants to use us and He wants to work though us. I think He does need us. We are to be a voice to the people. We are not be bumps on the logs. We are God's gift to Jesus. 

Guarding God's Word: The end of the verse says, "they have kept Your word" or in the Greek, "the word of You they have kept." "They have kept" takes on the idea of guarding or watching over. This is not necessarily obedience, but this is guarding God's words and keeping watch over them. His people are the protectors of His words. 

Interesting, as I read this more and more I think about the recent conversation I have been having with a guy named Darius who seems to hate religion and think it is all garbage and all about mind control, but the more I read these scriptures and think about my faith, the more I see the value in it and what it means to me. 

Summary: Jesus prays thanking God for the disciples called out of this world, as gifts to Him, guardians of the Word. 

Promise: We are humbled by God's great love for us, wanting us. 

Prayer: God, thank you for wanting me, for valuing me, for gifting me to Jesus. Your love is truly amazing and I do thank you. Help me to be a person that guards your truth and is proud to speak of it. Let me always be a voice for You and give You praise. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

John 16:33 - Overcoming the World in Christ

John 16:33

33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.

Message: Overcoming the World in Christ

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."  

What the Lord is Speaking: Jesus has been voicing a lot of ideas - and now Jesus says that all that He has been saying has been in order for people to have peace. Yes, this is what I have studied and seen with the words Jesus has spoken in these last several chapters, from chapter 14 on - peace and comfort. He is leaving but He wants the disciples to have comfort in these words. 

Jesus says to the disciples that they will experience tribulation. But Jesus mentions that he has overcome the world. The world is a place of difficulty and trial, but with Jesus by our side, we can walk through life with that comfort and peace that Jesus has overcome the world. Trials are not the end of us. But they are part of life. 

No need to be surprised by tribulations. I just finished a study on trials from a message was recommended to me from Skip Heitzig. He thought of these questions:

1 How do you react when various forms of testing's come into your life?

2 Do you complain about the misfortunes of life or do you thank God for them?

3 Do you advertise your trials, broadcasting them, making sure everybody knows how bad things are for you — or do you bear them quietly?

4 Do you live in the future waiting for things to improve or do you live in the present letting the hardship change your attitude for the better right now?

5 Do you indulge in self pity and seek sympathy from others or do you commit yourself to a life of service for others?

I thought these were great thoughts to ponder in my life. 

Summary: Jesus offers additional encouragement to the disciples that though they will experience trials, He has overcome the world and therefore they will have comfort. 

Promise: Let the world do its worst; if we are in Christ, we will be glorified with Christ.

Prayer: O God, it is hard to hear that trials are inevitable and yet this is a reality in our lives. They are coming. The importance for us is knowing that God is there for us and protecting us and that He has overcome the world and so we can have comfort in this and can know that God is on the throne and will take care of us. You are there God. We need you. You are present. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Various Scriptures - What it Means to Grow in Holiness

Luke 16:16

The Law and the Prophets [were proclaimed] until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

Message: Life Coram Deo

What the Lord is Saying: Now to study sanctification—setting us apart as God’s holy people, pleasing God and enabling us to do what He approves of. Grace dominates and fuels the Christian; the Christian life is a race (Hebrews 12:1-2); and we are to fight against the spiritual powers of the devil. Protestant reforms described to live Coram Deo as "before the face of God." We are to be intense in our desires and acts of service in committing to follow God. We are not trying to earn any favor from God, but instead have a love of gratitude for God always for sacrifice of Jesus and the work of the Spirit in our lives to make us like Christ. 

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Matthew 5:20

For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Message: True Righteousness

What the Lord is Saying: As we live, we must value righteousness. In life there is a legal righteousness which meeting the perfect standard of God's justice. This righteousness meets all of the demands of the law - and is imputed to us when we believe in Jesus, his righteousness or perfect obedience is put on our record and in the heavenly courtroom we are declared perfectly righteous. Practical righteousness however is a daily work to love God, obey Him and repent when we fall short. This could be what is talked about in today's passage, as the scribes and Pharisees were more concerned of keeping the law while the follower of Jesus is focused on the heart and doing good out of the gratitude of the heart - and this moves us toward sanctification.  

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John 7:7

The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.

Message: Our Enemy the World

What the Lord is Saying: As Christians, we need to have a single minded desire for Holiness. A desire to live in practice to have a desire each day for obedience but also internally, a love for God and neighbor. We need to fight each day as well to fend off the foes in our lives that are wanting to take our desires off of Christ - the world, our flesh, the devil. The world represents the people in the world that because of the Fall have been infected with pride, lust, and all manner of godliness. These people hate Christ and those united to Him by faith alone. They may not necessarily persecute us but they do want to infect us with its values. Thus, the world does not have a love for God and the things of God, but there is a non-biblical ideal they have. So we as Christians are called to preach the message of the Gospel, the good news, to this fallen world. We live in the world, but we are not of the world. We resist it by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

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Romans 8:1-11

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Message: Our Enemy the Flesh

What the Lord is Saying: There is a lust that we have somewhat instinctively for the flesh and the desires of the flesh. God gives us an affection for godliness, but still we are drawn ourselves to sin - temptation that the world offers to us so freely and easily. Often Christians or religious people will being to outlaw behaviors of the flesh such as movies, dancing, alcohol, cards, and other things such as public schools. But their are harder works of the flesh such as envy, covetousness, discontentment, unjust hatred, and other inward affections that are often just as difficult, if not more to avoid. This lust grabs me I know. Even the old movies I watch can pull me away. I think it is hard at times to differentiate between the lust of the flesh and good things that I could simply do with my time. 

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2 Corinthians 11:14-15

14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

Message: Our Enemy the Devil

What the Lord is Saying: Satan, the devil is a fallen angel who has rebelled against God and sought to enlist others in his cause. Satan is not mentioned much today as a cause for opposition to God's ways. Others in the past have spoken of Satan like Martin Luther wrote often of his battles with the devil. The word says they disguise themselves as angels of light. Satan will twist the truth. We need to remain focused on God's truth and His word. 

Summary: We are to be intense in our desire to follow God, valuing righteous living and to resist the schemes of the flesh, Satan and the world. 

John 16:20-24 - Sorrow, Joy, and Answered Prayer

John 16:20-24

20 Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. 21 Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.23 In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.

Message: Sorrow, Joy, and Answered Prayer

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."  

What the Lord is Saying: Jesus knew His departure from the disciples would illicit grief and He addresses this today. He has already spoken of the persecution and the hatred by those in the world they would receive. I believe most of what Jesus has been speaking since the end of John 13 in this Farewell Discourse has actually been words of comfort and today's verses are consistent with this idea. 

In verse 20, He remarks that the disciples "will weep and lament." Departures of people that we love bring this about. It is a normal emotion. But after that weeping and lamenting often there is joy. I experienced this with my mom. I was definitely sad to see her pass, but then happy to know that she is with our Father in heaven and that she has escaped the hardship of this world. 

Jesus remarks that "the world will rejoice." The unbelieving Jews and others would be glad that Jesus had left. Perhaps at this moment Jesus did know that He would be dying or that He would at least be leaving this world. Jesus remarks that the world rejoices, not simply the Jews, but the World. The reality is many are happy to have Jesus out of the picture. I've always noticed that it seems easier to mention the name of God than the name of Jesus when sharing one's faith with those in the world. There is something penetrating about mentioning the name of Jesus. 

In verses 21 and 22 Jesus describes the difficulty that will occur and draws a comparison to a woman in labor. A woman goes through anguish and difficulty and pain in delivering a baby but afterwards there is rejoicing. And once the baby comes, the anguish that she did experience is remembered no more. I love this comparison. I think of this for a woman and labor and how they all go through it, maybe not looking forward to it, but they do it, to get to that baby. Impressive. Great reminder of the pain that people go through sometimes in life to get to something better. Verse 22 sort of wraps up the idea of verse 21 with Jesus confirming that they do have grief now, but He will see them again and then they will rejoice. 

Here now I look at a sermon by Alexander MacLaren (1826-1910) called, "In That Day." He remarks that there is nothing new in these verses but Jesus is taking ideas previously mentioned and tying them now all together. He states the 2 asking's are different Greek words. Our word for "ask" has two meanings - to question to get information or to request, in order to get gifts. In the passage today the first meaning "In that day you will not question Me" is the first ask, to get information. And then the next ask is in order to get something, "if you ask the Father for anything in My name." 

I. Note then, first, the end of questionings. Jesus has been telling the disciples that they gain something by losing him. Hard words for them to hear. Are we not always wishing that Jesus was beside us, walking with us? But it is better actually that He is not here beside us seems to be Jesus' point. "We gain by losing the visible Christ." With him gone we tease out issues among ourselves. Jesus has been getting a lot of questions by the disciples in the last several chapters and Jesus has been giving answers and the disciples have been slowly learning but not learning as well. We have the life of Jesus before us and 4 gospels testify him and so now, it is better for us that we can tease out and study and contemplate and make his truth our own. It is better that Jesus is not here with us. Jesus has been telling us 2 things we now have: a completed revelation and an inner teacher. We don't need to ask Jesus anything further because we have the words of Jesus recorded. In Jesus dying we have more than what He had told us while on the earth. He eluded to His death but by His death we now have a more fuller meaning to Him and His life. 

The death of Christ has told us things that Christ before His death could not tell. The resurrection of Christ has cast light upon all the darkest places of man’s destiny which Christ, before His resurrection, could not by any words so illuminate. The ascension of Christ has opened doors for thought, for faith, for hope, which were fast closed, notwithstanding all His teachings, until He had burst them asunder and passed to His throne. And the facts which are substituted for the bodily presence of Jesus with His disciples tell us a great deal more than they could ever have drawn from Him by questionings, however persistent and however wisely directed. 

And we have a divine Spirit. We implore this Spirit by our will to move us beyond the revelation into the apprehension and possession of His power in our lives, with the truth to mold our character and raise us to the likeness of Himself. No longer do we go to Him, but He now comes to us. No longer do we ask Him questions, but He rather meets us where we are at now. He is right where we are. Questions will remain though and we will struggle through understandings, but we press on. We don't give up. We continue to seek Him and press towards Him. 

II. Secondly, satisfied desires. "I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name." Jesus has in this gospel now mentioned "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do (John 14:13)" and now here asking the Father anything "in My name, He will give it to you (16:23)." With these alternating words, we have the conclusion of Jesus and the Father exacting the same outcomes as supported by, "whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner (John 5:19)." But does this mean all desires will be satisfied? Does simply invoking the words, "in My Name" produce any requests from our own self-will? Or rather does this represent asking with a request synonymous with the whole character of Christ? By asking according to Him, it is is according to His will, so that what I am asking is consistent with how Jesus would act on this earth. So it is not to ask anything that my will desires, but rather asking gathering that the character of Christ would do. "Only desires which are in harmony with the divine will are sure of being satisfied." "Now my will, but Thine be done. (Luke 22:42)"

III. Lastly, the perfect joy which follows upon these two. The conclusion of our asking is, "that your joy may be made full." When we bring our desires in harmony with God's, we will have complete satisfaction, and our joy will be utterly full. Let sorrow and sighing flee, so that we can encounter the fullness of joy in our lives. 

Summary: Jesus states that the best thing for us is Him leaving. While grief hits, the heart will rejoice and no one can take this joy. We will ask according to God's will and also receive a full joy. 

Promise: Approach the Father in prayer, in the full name of will of Jesus, and our joy will be full. 

Prayer: O God, I come to You as Your vessel and ambassador and continue to proclaim You. It is not easy. As I have conversations with people, those that do not get it, seem blinded by the truth of who You are. Thank you for the confirmation of this truth and the blessedness of knowing You and having all things I need by Your name. The richness and vastness of Your word is transforming my lives and others. Lord, I admit at times, questioning things as arguments are made and yet I see no other answer towards the meaning of life and continue to see the darkness that covers our earth and the results of not choosing you. Help me Lord to understand You more fully so that my prayers are according to Your will and my Joy will be made full. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

John 14:18-20 - The Coming of Jesus

John 14:18-20

18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 After a little while the world will behold Me no more; but you [will] behold Me; because I live, you shall live also. 20 In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 

Message: The Coming of Jesus

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."  

What the Lord is Saying: Jesus is still speaking to his disciples, bringing words of comfort to them after they have not understand that He is leaving and they want to come with Him. What follows is (1) Believe, (2) Pray, (3) Love or Obey, (4) He will help. I think of the world's system here immediately that focuses on believing a message of each person is it and believe in yourself and then obey. Our different is we pray and we have Help. The Christian has help from the Spirit of Truth. We are not alone. We have the comfort of each other as well. 

Then in verse 18, Jesus says to them that He "will not leave you as orphans." These words seem to be spoken to bring words of comfort to the disciples. Perhaps He knows that they are still feeling abandoned. Despite the words that He has communicated even most recently about sending a Helper, He knows them and what they are feeling. Going back to 13:33 Jesus addresses the disciples as "Little children" and so here now in this verse is a connection to children when he mentions them as orphans. 

He says, "I will come to you." In these words, Jesus offers comfort to His disciples once again remarking that He will come to them. "After a little while the world will behold Me no more; but you behold Me. " The disciples or you (maybe includes the church) will behold Me. This is an interesting statement and once again, as we have possibly seen in other verses, like 14:3 when He says He is coming again, though in these verses that coming again could be more of an immediate coming again. But nevertheless we have additional words of comfort from Jesus that He will return. 

Yesterday, as I was studying those verses and thinking about the simple words that Jesus gives of "believe" I thought of other individuals throughout the ages that have told their followers to believe - like Jim Jones or Reverend Sun Yung Moon or even David Koresh and Joseph Smith and so many willingly went along and believed, but with Jesus we have something more than these charlatans spoke and that was the promise that He will come again. With those there was a visible person to believe but Jesus to His disciples and to us says, "I will come to you." He needs to leave, but He will come to us. We have that promise in the scriptures and the words from the gospel of people seeing Jesus, over 500. We know He comes again and we have the promise of His coming again, His second coming. But in the meantime we also have the promise of the Holy Spirit. And so with the Holy Spirit is the promise that He is with us now. 

And also the remark that "the world will behold me no more." Honestly, those words are frustrating because there are so many that cannot see Jesus and do not see in Him what we see. We have an eternal destiny with Jesus, those who believe in Him. How sad that anyone is left out of this. 

"Because I live, you shall live also." They know that I am living. And because Jesus lives; because He has risen from the dead "He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart." Jesus says "In That day" you will will know that Jesus in in the Father, and we are in the Son, and He is in us. 

Summary: Jesus continues to comfort His disciples promising that He will come again. He lives and we will live and like He is in the Father, we will always be in Christ. 

Promise: From Tabletalk - "The resurrection would confirm the truth of Jesus’ teaching and usher in the new age of the Spirit when the people of God better know who Jesus is and how He dwells within us."

Prayer: Father, you have give me eyes to see and behold You, to know You and You bring comfort and encouragement to my life always. I sing "He Lives." I sing "Great is Your Faithfulness." I sing "What a Friend we have in Jesus." You are ever present in life and I am in Christ as You are in the Father. Thank you for the promise, the hope, but also the assurance. Nothing like Jesus. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

John 13:1 - Loved to the End

John 13:1 - Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. 

Message: Loved to the End

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."  

What the Lord is Saying: I head into chapter 13 now and think back to Chapter 12 and the many different themes of that chapter, such as: people who are following Jesus and are recognizing Him for who He says He is, sent by God, with an eternal purpose to provide salvation. Yet, naturally, many others do not see and instead see Him as a threat to their own established ways. God wants to save people but this will come at a cost: Jesus dying and Jesus knows this and finds trouble in this at times, yet still trusting God. Others want Jesus to be something He is not, rescuing them now from the political forces. Believing in Jesus will be transforming to lives today, away from a life of living in darkness. This is forever the mark of man's existence - eternal life with God or eternal contempt not with God. Trust God, believe in Jesus today. 

As I head into chapter 13 to study and learn from it and how it will speak to me - I see that the Passover Feast is coming, but first something else ("Now before the feast of the Passover"). 

And "Jesus knowing His hour had come." Departure time. God had sent His Son into the world to announce salvation through Jesus. But His time on earth is limited because God wants to save people from judgment and while people are being saved at this time, upon his resurrection and ascension people will be saved with more abundance. Jesus knows this. Jesus has eternity in Him. While He can still be troubled at his impending death, and who of us is not fearful of that day, He can still trust God completely. 

He does this because He loves us - "having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end." I am not sure if I have read John describe Jesus' love with these specific words of "He loved." Jesus' love is apparent everywhere He goes as He heals people and brings them to physical life and healing but also eternal life and healing, but in these words John mentions Jesus and His love for those here and His love will not end. 

Summary: Jesus knows his departure time from earth is soon, going to the Father, and His love for people remains. 

Promise: From Tabletalk -- Jesus loved us enough to submit Himself to the worst death possible—death under the wrath and curse of God.

Prayer: O How You love me. Thank you for the great love and thank you for planting that love in me and your sacrifice for me. forever conquering the grave. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

John 12:31-32 - The Moment of Judgment and Salvation

John 12:31-32

31 Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”

Message: The Moment of Judgment and Salvation

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)." 

What the Lord is Saying: Jesus is teaching, possibly the Greeks from verse 20. Jesus speaks about his future death and how He will die and we need to lose our lives to find fruit and abundant life. Jesus admits he is troubled about future judgment before God and yet God has a purpose for people, to give them assurance and Jesus submits to this. 

Jesus has heard the voice of the Father from heaven. Jesus remarks in verse 31 that "judgment is upon this world." It is certain. 

"The ruler of this world will be cast out." Jesus announces the ruler of this world, Satan, will be cast out upon being judged. 

And Jesus will be "lifted up from the earth" and "draw all men to Himself (Myself)." 

As such, Charles Ellicott (1819-1905), an English theologian, writes this summary:

(1) the judgment (condemnatory) of this world; (2) the casting out of the prince of this world; (3) the establishment of His spiritual kingdom. 

(1) Jesus has mentioned this judgment back in John 3:17-18 - "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Natural man rejects Jesus. Judgment is certain for all. But there is a different result for those that have believed in Jesus. John 5:29 states, "those who did the good to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil to a resurrection of judgment."

(2) Satan's title of "the prince of the world" was the Rabbinic title of Satan, the ruler over Gentiles. But Satan more completely is the ruler of the unbelieving world. Unbelief crucifies Jesus. Joseph Benson (1749-1821) comments that "the devil, who has so long reigned in the hearts of the children of disobedience, is about to be dethroned." At the time of the resurrection and ascension is the declaration that Jesus is indeed the Son of God and Satan's control of the minds of the disobedience would begin to vanish. His kingdom begins to decline. He is cast out. At the cross, Satan throws everything at Jesus but Jesus passes through death and is resurrected, defeating death and Satan. 

(3) And as Satan is cast out, conversely Jesus is "lifted up," drawing men to Himself in setting up His kingdom on earth and in heaven. Up to this point, the ruler has drawn all people to himself, but now Jesus will draw all men to Himself. Some have been believing up to this point (like in John 10:42). Jesus has been speaking his message and some have believed. His message has been primarily to the Jewish people. But once resurrected, in contrast, all will the opportunity to believe. The resurrection and ascension will signal a huge birth of the Church. And now people from all kinds of backgrounds, from every tribe and tongue, from every culture, will now come to Jesus and the kingdom will grow. 

Summary: The Father has a purpose at judgment and that is to cast out the prince of this world, Satan, and Jesus by his resurrection and ascension will draw men to Himself at an alarming rate. 

Promise: There is no longer any distinction in the people that will be drawn to Him upon the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. All will have an opportunity. 

Prayer: Lord, you have taught me something today, that brings some truths together, regarding how through your resurrection and ascension all people will be drawn to you. In your time walking this earth,  your mission was primarily to Jews though some Greeks slipped in, but following your death, burial and resurrection all will come to know You Jesus as Savior and Lord. All will believe in You. The Truth of You will be more clearly seen. Thank you for this lesson and walking me through it. Help us to continue to be confident and excited about those that are coming to know You, maybe not simply on our American soil but many throughout the World still, in other parts of this world. Lord, be glorified. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

John 9:1-7 - The Man Born Blind

John 9:1-7

1 And as He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind? 3 Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents, but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as it is day; night is coming, when no man can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." 6 When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes. 7 and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated Sent). And so he went away and washed, and came back seeing.  

Message: The Man Born Blind

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)." 

What the Lord is Saying: From the previous verse at the end of Chapter 8, Jesus has left the temple where he had spoken of his history - that He was before Abraham, and “I am” - he is equal with God. And so now here in verse 1 of chapter 9, Jesus is probably near a spot by the Temple, a place where beggars asked for alms. This beggar probably voiced to Jesus and to all that passed by his condition -  blind since birth. He probably announced this to gain more pity from those passing by and thereby bringing about greater sorrow and greater alms. 

In our culture, it seems we are living in a time when begging is very apropos and commonplace. It is difficult to drive in the city now and not see beggars at street corners or traffic lights, who are holding signs, pleading to those passing by for money. And their signs are being written in numerous ways in order to help people have this desire to give to them, to feel sorrow, to recognize the need. 

In this passage, the disciples see the disability of the man and automatically believe it is there not by accident. In the Bible, sicknesses and ailments like this can be the result of sin. Man is not in a perfect state and sickness and disease are signs of that imperfection. But a persons condition may not be a result of their own sin. It may, but it also may be the general result of all sin to mankind. The disciples asset that the beggars blindness is the result of some form of disobedience, either by the man himself while in the womb or even of the belief that this man had a past life and was now bearing the punishment of past indiscretions - either by himself or his parents. 

Jesus, however, corrects them. Jesus responds that this man's problem is not a problem at all and instead it is actually a good thing to result in God's glory. Genesis 50:20 echoes the promise, "and as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." This man, and we don't know his age, has been born blind in order to glorify God. This man's blindness will be cured (verse 6) and that cure will be an act of God showing us his glory and so Jesus is saying that he has what we term a handicap for the purpose of glorifying God. God did not make us only temporary people but eternal people and so we need to remember to look beyond circumstances to what God may be doing in a person’s entire life. 

In verse 4, Jesus mentions the importance of working, not simply laboring as in a job, but doing the work of the Father. This work that is done will be temporary (day) because at some point the work will no longer be needed (because of night). It is possible that the events of the Feast of Booths, which Jesus went to Jerusalem and was involved in (John 7:37 until this the time of John 10:21) constituted the same day and so maybe the day/night correlated with this verse. He has spoken a lot but He seems to still be in this same area of Jerusalem. But Jesus, in whatever work He is speaking about, includes the disciples in that work. He says, "We." While Jesus is the central focus of the gospel in calling people to an abundant life and living life to the fullest, the disciples are involved. We are also involved.

Either way, I suppose the encouragement here is to work hard while we can work. I think of this as I am getting older as the older I get the harder it will be to keep working. My body just won't keep up. Jesus then in verse 5 remarks, "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Jesus has spoke of the day in the previous verse, the day being the time to the work, but the sun of the day is not what will illuminate us, He will illuminate us. He is the Light. Maybe this is more of a plead to the disciples that He is here now, in the world, they are to work hard to spread His message as He is in the world and He is a light to this world. 

And then Jesus spits on the ground, made clay, and wiped it on the man's eyes. And the man then saw. Jesus heals, not sure why he did it this way, but Jesus can heal any way he wants. 

Summary: Jesus is the light and in our world today and reveals that a man born blind is that way to bring glory to God. Jesus later heals this man.

Promise: Jesus reminds us that we do not need to look at others to try to determine why they are in the condition they are in, but rather we are to minister to them, and help them in their suffering. 

Prayer: God, you brought Jesus into the world to be our light, both then, now and forever. Thank you for helping me be more understanding of those that are suffering. Give me the strength to do this. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

John 3:16 - God's Love for the World

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Message: God's Love for the World

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."

What the Lord is Saying: As I study and read now today's passage John 3:16, probably the most well-known verse scripture in all of scripture, I notice that part of the verse is a repeat of verse 15, "that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life." It is also a repeat of John 3:13, "but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man" though stated more succinctly. In a way, it is a summary of what He has stated before, yet he adds that "God so loved the World." 

It is interesting but for a long time the John 3:16 flew high on Sunday at NFL football games when kickers kicked the extra point. What is sad is the man that raised these signs actually was not what one would call a strong Christian and had some issues, marrying 4 times and is now in prison. And yet he had an influence possibly on this verse being a stalwart now in society. It is a verse that most Christians have memorized. 

And yet it is a verse that I am not sure the non-Christians reads in its entirety for it focuses on Love, Hell, and Heaven and most I think stop at the Love part. Christ is shown as the only way to avoid perishing. This means he comes at a time when people are perishing and provides the answer to this problem. 

Yet, the Love is significant. When one thinks of the God of the Old Testament as told through its writers, I don't think it is "Love" that we focus on. Instead I think of a God set apart, creator, the one who has been ignored, sinned against. But Jesus does something here that has not since been spoken. He states that God loves. Alexander Maclaren says, "‘God loves’ is the greatest thing that can be said by lips." 

And this Love is personal because our belief is meant to be personal and individual. So I can know that God loves me. 

The remarkable thing about this passage is the focus on the world, "Believe" and that somehow Jesus is making it well known that to bring about eternal life a person must simply believe. Belief is not a works oriented word, but it is actually something that occurs in the heart. And yet believing in Him, Jesus, the Son of Man, means we are believing in all He is and all that He has done. So, that needs to be central in that belief. But, again, I don't see that there is anything that I have done to make myself worthy of believing apart from believing. But instead Jesus says that the work is Himself and that God gave up the Son. One things of Abraham and taking his only son up to offer him as a sacrifice and we see this picture but it is made clear that man does not sacrifice, but rather God provides the sacrifice of His Son for us. 

Romans 5:6-8 speaks of this same idea though focusing on Jesus dying for us, "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

The verse speaks of a general love God has for the world, but in saying that people must believe, we can know that there are many that do not believe in Him. In life often, Jesus is not the name coming off of people's lips. God is mentioned, but Jesus is often not mentioned. 

Also of note is perishing and eternal life. These outcomes can occur before the grave. People without the love of Jesus and believing in Him are even now perishing. But those who have Christ and believe are living in eternal life or hope. The hope contrasted by the perishing is powerful in our world today. 

Summary: God's love is significant and is a love that up to this point has not been mentioned in this way by God for His people and yet it is a love central to our Bible and changes everything about us who believe for eternity. 

Promise: The love of God is not a given, so we should be grateful for it and be careful never to speak of His love as something that we are owed or that He must show.

Prayer: O God, I thank you for your great Love for me. It is a love that does not change. I believe, and yet I know my belief in You changes and is like wind and chaff sometimes that waves. I have times of denial and I am embarrassed by this. I have times when I hide my belief. But God you love still. And You have saved me from all penalty and grant me a hope and a reality of eternal life that is remarkable. Thank you God for saving me. Thank you for making me whole and presenting me Jesus before God for all eternity. 

John 1:10-13 - The Right to be Children of God

John 1:10-13 

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His sown, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Message: The Right to be Children of God

Time: Jesus' disciple John, the brother of James, the son of Zebedee was one of the inner circle of Jesus' most trusted companions. It's most likely that John wrote his gospel while he was in Ephesus, and that he wrote it for an audience that lived outside Palestine, perhaps in Asia Minor. John appears to have had in mind members of a Jewish community who had come to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, but who had continued to worship in the synagogue. John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."

What the Lord is Saying: I kind I ran through the last lesson. It was an important one, but I didn't give it the time it needed. The first 5 verses of the chapter served as an introduction, showing us all that Jesus while new to the people that are seeing Him is not new and was with God at creation. Quite the bold statement. And further more that the Word (Jesus) is God. In verse 6, John comes on the scene and yet all of the focus by the write John is not on John the Baptist but rather on Jesus. There really is only a short description of John: (1) sent from God; (2) a witness (though, verse 19 on will have a little more information about him). So of the two items that are mentioned both are about God. I've always sort of wondered, how is it that John knew about Jesus? I can't find it mentioned, but either way, like many of the prophets, we do not know much about them other than that they are "sent from God." 

The previous lesson, brief about John, introduces Jesus as the Light. And the Light is meant to be believed. All people are meant to believe through him. So the focus is not simply to believe, but believe through him. The light illuminates God and so we believe God through the Light, through Jesus. We are enlightened by this Jesus, this Light, the Word. There has never been someone like the Light, like Jesus and so for good reason, there is a forerunner. 

We learn much about the Light now in these verses of 1:10-13:

• He was in the world
• The world was made through Him 
• The world did not know Him

Not simply the World did He come, but also His own. There is a contrast between the World and His Own. His Own are a subset of those in the World. And yet even among His own there were those that did not receive Him. 

There is a tone of sadness now which hits us. There is the Light to the World, but they don't know Him and now to His own, some do not know Him. This seems to be a mark on the Jewish people. Many of His own, His called ones, do not know Him. Granted, one day they will, but for too long, many do not. 

But many do. And to these he gives them the right to become children of God. 

Followers of Jesus are just that followers or Christ-bearers or Christians and they are in contrast to those in the Word, the Secular. 

This own, these many are born of God. They have a foundation they have come from. A child does not choose His parents or choose to be born. A child is born. Interesting that John uses this language of being born. There are those born of blood; those born of the flesh, born of the will of man. Those are all present in our world, but there are some born of God. 

This is a very significant set of verses for it points us toward the idea that we are chosen. We do not choose God. He chooses His children. His own are given the right to be Children of God. 

Summary: God calls many of His own to be born of God, as his Children - those that receive Him. 

Promise: To be born again is an act of grace alone, and only God can bring us to new spiritual life. The evidence that we have been born again is that we believe in Christ.

Prayer: O heavenly father, Great is Your name. You God choose us and we are your children through receiving You. But I am born again, born anew because You being my Father. Thank you Father God. Thank you for the special birth You have given me. You have allowed me to Know You and so be with you for all eternity. It is sad Lord to see those in the World not born of You. I have sorrow for them and yet rejoice in those that are born of You God. Jesus is the Light. For God so loved the world. What a great gift has been given me. I don't understand, but remain so thankful for what You have done for me. 

Exodus 19:1-6 - One People Throughout History

Exodus 19:1-6 - On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, 3 while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

Message: One People Throughout History

Time: Moses is the most likely author of this book. His education and early tradition make him the likely author and it says in Exodus 24:4 that he wrote what the Lord said. The title Exodus means departure of Israel from Egypt by the hand of God. The book covers 80 years, from 1526 to 1446 with the events at Mount Sinai. God fulfilling promises and his story of redemption are the central ideas. 

What the Lord is Saying: 

The Apostle's creed states a belief in the church, the true Christian true at all times and in all places and the communion of the saints. I'm reminded of the conversations I've been having the past several years now with pastors and lay people throughout Africa. For the most part I don't know if these churches have affiliations with denominations. Some may but as I converse with these folks, what is central is people's relationship with God. We share scripture and study it and I'm encouraged. And know that we are all part of the church. Thus, there is unity. 

And yet as I've discussed there isn't unity. There are disagreements. And yet as I've grown up my mom was always listening to different pastors and teachers, like Chuck Swindoll regularly and Focus on the Family. Chuck was part of an EV Free church in Fullerton, California. Focus was in California and then later Colorado Springs. And even when I worked at Bibles Plus and saw all of these author's. There seemed to be a real unity among Christians in these books and teachings. That it didn't matter much what church you attended or led or maybe it wasn't talked about. What mattered was the doctrines and in this way it made the invisible church visible. And that seems to be what is being emphasized today. 

Ephesians 4:1-16 speaks of this unity. I looked at these verses yesterday and am reminded again of verse 2 and 3 - bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Again, this I believe is the church at large and goes beyond our local assemblies. I see this often as my mission with the online ministry I have been involved with -- GMO -- to bear with one another in love and maintain unity. And then in verses 11 and 12 realizing that different people have different gifts and all are there to help us grow and be equipped - And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. Again, we are a bigger team than only our local assembly. Even myself, and the friends I have, like Bobby who attends a non-denominational church and Fred, who attends a different one, and Scott in Oklahoma, and Lance in Oklahoma, and Craig who is at the Presbyterian church and Karl and my brother T and his wife Brooke and Tyson and Megan and Brandon at their church in Colorado and my mom when she was alive and attended a different Baptist church and Janice (and Walt when he was alive) in Grand Junction -- everyone is at different places and yet involved in equipping me and building up the body of Christ. 

Even the church of the Old Testament days and the church in the New Testament times, the church throughout the next 2000 years and the church today - we all make up this Church Body, striving to become visible while we know that God is the one that defines us all together as the invisible church. 

And this brings us to our reading today, how this old testament people or church is with us today and part of us today -- you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Yes, Jews and Gentiles are distinct but we are also one and there can be unity among us that share the same doctrines and truths. 

Summary: We can see how the invisible church can be made visible. People in all walks of life, different parts of the world, different churches and assemblies, from old testament times to today - we are all part of the Body of Christ and all united as one Body.  

Promise: God has only one people, the promises He makes under each covenant to the corporate body apply to all of His people.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the church. Thank you for reminding me of the scope and breadth of us all, from the people we read about to the people we read to the friends and family members I have that you have called - we are all one Body. We are all part of the Body of Christ that you have established. Thank you for this. Thank you for the excitement and joy of connecting with people and learning from them and being encouraged by them and sharing life with them. Thanks for making us bigger than one place and joining us all together. It is all because of You and You bring us together. Thank you for them and for including me. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am now working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of August is about the Body of the Lord - the Church recovered in the Reformation; July was the right use of God's Law; June was justification by faith alone; May about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April, salvation by grace alone; March, the sovereign providence of God; February, the doctrine of revelation, Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January, the doctrine of God.  

Christ's Body

The Body of Christ - The Church is the Body of Christ and Christ loves the church. We are to imitate Christ and see that the Church is how Christ carries out His purposes in the world. The Head of the Church - Christ is Head of the church and he only has final authority and gives life to the church. Life is found only in Jesus Christ our Lord. - The Church We Can See - Belonging to a church is not optional, for anyone. We are meant to live in a community with other believers, to hear the Word of God preached, and to grow. The Church We Cannot See - What we see is the Visible church, the invisible church only God knows because He is omniscient and that is the Church we cannot see. 

Truths about the Church from the Apostles Creed

Church Unity - The church is bigger than our local assembly; there are core beliefs among the invisible church.