Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 321
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Acts, Chapters 4-6 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passages: Acts 4: 10-12; 18-22; 29-31 : [NLT] … { Peter and John arrested by the Sadducees and brought to the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem after they had healed a crippled man and claiming it was done by the power of the resurrected Jesus. } …
10 Let me clearly state to you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed in the name and power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, the man you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead. 11 For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, … ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ [Psalm 118: 12] … 12 There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them.” …
18 So they {the religious leaders, after deliberation} called the apostles back in and told them never again to speak or teach about Jesus.
19 But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20 We cannot stop telling about the wonderful things we have seen and heard.”
21 The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn’t know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God 22 for this miraculous sign—the healing of a man who had been lame for more than forty years. …
{After Peter and Paul were released the believers in Jerusalem gathered to pray, praying …} …
29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats {from the religious leaders in the city and the people who blindly followed the leaders}, and give your servants great boldness in their preaching. 30 Send Your healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After this prayer, the building where they were meeting shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they preached God’s message with boldness.
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Highlight Passages: Acts 5: 17-20; 27-30; 38-42 : [NLT] … {The Jewish council in Jerusalem did all they could to stop the Apostles from teaching, preaching, and healing; but they couldn’t because the Apostles were empowered by God’s grace.} …
17 The high priest and his friends, who were Sadducees, reacted with violent jealousy. 18They arrested the apostles and put them in the jail. 19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, 20“Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!” 21 So the apostles entered the Temple about daybreak and immediately began teaching. …
27 Then they brought the apostles in before the council. 28 “Didn’t we tell you never again to teach in this man’s name?” the high priest demanded. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about Jesus, and you intend to blame us for his death!”
29 But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than human authority. 30The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by crucifying him. …
{The Council wanted to have the Apostles killed; but a Pharisee named Gamaliel, whom we later learn was a mentor of Saul of Tarsus, intervened and advised the Sanhedrin to avoid making martyrs of the Apostles and creating a riot among the growing number of Christians, who numbered well in excess of 10,000 at the time. Gamaliel said, …} …
38 “So my advice is, leave these men alone. If they are teaching and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39 But if it is of God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.” … 40 The council accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go. 41 The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus. 42 And every day, in the Temple and in their homes, they continued to teach and preach this message: “The Messiah you are looking for is Jesus.”
My Journal for Today: Today I take in three more chapters from the Book of Acts; and I’ll focus my journaling on Chapters 4-5; but since I’m going to be discussing the courage of the disciples in the face of oppression from the religious leaders in Jerusalem shortly after the resurrection, you may want to go the end of Chapter 6 of Acts where the first Christian martyr, Stephen, is introduced. Tomorrow, as I know I’ll be assigned to study from Chapters 7-8 of Acts, the execution of this Greek Christian will be brought out; and I’ll likely comment on Stephen’s courage then. But Stephen’s boldness as a Christian witness is the main theme I want to discuss today.
In that regard, in Acts: Chapter 4-5, Luke documents the courage and boldness of the Apostles, men like Peter and John, who stood in the gap, witnessing for truth and preaching the good news of Christ, in spite of the rigorous opposition of the Sanhedrin, the powerful Council of religious leaders in that day, who diametrically opposed what these new Christians were boldly preaching. And note the change of attitude in Peter and John, both of whom had bolted and ran in fear when Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane before the crucifixion; and especially Peter, of course, who was an absolute coward then, denying Jesus openly three times.
However, in these chapters, these men, now filled with the grace of God from the Holy Spirit, became bold witnesses for Christ, just as Jesus had charged them to be (see Acts 1: 8), having empowered these witnesses, in their anointed roles as Apostles, to go forth and preach the gospel message, healing and teaching in the Name of Christ. And these men would not be repressed or silenced in this, coming very close, on more than one occasion, to being executed falsely for their faith in Christ.
I really have only one point to make here in my journal comments this morning, … a point out of conviction. >>> What would happen if Christians, like yours truly, would be bolder in our times … where the world is trying to silence and eradicate Christian concepts, like “Christ” and “God,” from our public discussion? If we Christians were more like the Apostles and Christians, men like Stephen, standing strongly and boldly for the Name of Christ, what would be the result in our culture today? What power from God’s grace would come upon us if we stood in the gap for truth like the Christians we read of in the Book of Acts?
My Prayer Today: … Lord, give me Your power to declare Your truth more boldly in my life. Amen
Friday, November 16, 2012
Thursday, November 15, 2012
November 15, 2012 … God Lights a Flame and The Fire Grows
Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 320
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Acts, Chapters 1-3 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passages: Acts 1: 6-11 : [NLT] … {Luke begins his historical sequel to his gospel account, the Book of The Acts of the Apostles, which is a complete and accurate description of the beginnings of The Church and the spread of Christianity in the 40 years after Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven.} …
6 When the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, are you going to free Israel now and restore our kingdom?” 7 “The Father sets those dates,” he replied, “and they are not for you to know. 8 But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 It was not long after he said this that he was taken up into the sky while they were watching, and he disappeared into a cloud. 10 As they were straining their eyes to see him, two white-robed men suddenly stood there among them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. And someday, just as you saw him go, he will return!”
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Highlight Passages: Acts 2: 1-4; 36-38 : [NLT] … {God lights the fire in His Church at Pentecost, Peter preaches his famous sermon in Jerusalem, and the flame of Christianity begins to spread.} … 1 On the day of Pentecost, seven weeks after Jesus’ resurrection, the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them, and it filled the house where they were meeting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. …
{Peter preaches his famous Pentecost sermon, concluding with a calling for the decisions any/all must make in the face of Christ’s death, resurrection, ascension, and re-glorification … to believe, repent, and be saved.} …
36 “So let it be clearly known by everyone in Israel that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified to be both Lord and Messiah!” 37 Peter’s words convicted them deeply, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
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Highlight Passages: Acts 3: 15-20 : [NLT] … {The Apostles begin their outreach in Jerusalem by healing a crippled beggar; and astounded the same people who had called for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus’ crucifixion, came to hear Peter preach another sermon, this one again calling for the people to repent and be saved.} …
15 “ … You killed the author of life, but God raised him to life. And we are witnesses of this fact! 16 “The name of Jesus has healed this man — and you know how lame he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has caused this healing before your very eyes. 17“Friends, I realize that what you did to Jesus was done in ignorance; and the same can be said of your leaders. 18 But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had declared about the Messiah beforehand—that he must suffer all these things. 19 Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins. 20Then wonderful times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will send Jesus your Messiah to you again.
My Journal for Today: And we begin the Book of Acts with a big gulp from the first three chapters. Luke, the Greek Physician and Christian convert, who wrote the historically documented Gospel account, here writes a sequel, documenting and chronicling the beginnings of THE CHURCH in Jerusalem, which would spread like wild-fire all over the known world in those 30-40 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. I like what my Parsons Commentary says in summarizing Luke’s writing of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. It states …
”With a flick of a match, friction occurs and a spark leaps from match to tinder. A small flame burns the edges and grows, fueled by wood and air. Heat builds, and soon the kindling is licked by reddish orange tongues. Higher and wider it spreads, consuming the wood. The flame has become a fire. … Nearly 2,000 years ago, a match was struck in Palestine. At first, just a few in that corner of the world were touched and warmed; but the fire spread beyond Jerusalem and Judea out to the world and to all people. Acts provides an eyewitness account of the flame and fire — the birth and spread of the church. Beginning in Jerusalem with a small group of disciples, the message traveled across the Roman Empire. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, this courageous band preached, taught, healed, and demonstrated love in synagogues, schools, homes, marketplaces, and courtrooms, and on streets, hills, ships, and desert roads—wherever God sent them, lives and history were changed.”
That pretty much says it all with regard to the charge which Jesus gave to His disciples in Acts 1: 8 … to become His witnesses, first in Jerusalem, then outward to the world; and at Pentecost, The Holy Spirit, descended upon repentant believers there in Jerusalem, many of whom saw Jesus ascend into heaven, and the flame of Christ’s Church was lit … to spread, as documented in the Book of The Acts, all through the Roman Empire and the known world in those days. And the fire still grows … and will grow … to take in all who repent of their sinfulness and believe in The Christ, the God-man, Who came into this world, died, was resurrected, and ascended back into Heaven; … but He is the One Who will return to reclaim His Bride, just as He promised through the angel witnesses just before Peter preached that sermon at Pentecost.
Yes, my friends, we are the ones, as Peter said, who crucified Jesus; and we are the ones He now prays (as He did in John 17) to be saved when we, as Peter preached, come to Him in faith and surrender to The Christ as Lord and Savior. And we are the disciples whom He calls in Acts 1: 8 to be His witnesses NOW in this world … now as He called His disciples to be His witnesses at Pentecost. We are the ones who must keep the fire burning until He comes again to reclaim His Bride.
My Prayer Today: … Come soon, Lord Jesus, and claim Your Bride. Amen
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Acts, Chapters 1-3 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passages: Acts 1: 6-11 : [NLT] … {Luke begins his historical sequel to his gospel account, the Book of The Acts of the Apostles, which is a complete and accurate description of the beginnings of The Church and the spread of Christianity in the 40 years after Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven.} …
6 When the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, are you going to free Israel now and restore our kingdom?” 7 “The Father sets those dates,” he replied, “and they are not for you to know. 8 But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 It was not long after he said this that he was taken up into the sky while they were watching, and he disappeared into a cloud. 10 As they were straining their eyes to see him, two white-robed men suddenly stood there among them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. And someday, just as you saw him go, he will return!”
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Highlight Passages: Acts 2: 1-4; 36-38 : [NLT] … {God lights the fire in His Church at Pentecost, Peter preaches his famous sermon in Jerusalem, and the flame of Christianity begins to spread.} … 1 On the day of Pentecost, seven weeks after Jesus’ resurrection, the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them, and it filled the house where they were meeting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. …
{Peter preaches his famous Pentecost sermon, concluding with a calling for the decisions any/all must make in the face of Christ’s death, resurrection, ascension, and re-glorification … to believe, repent, and be saved.} …
36 “So let it be clearly known by everyone in Israel that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified to be both Lord and Messiah!” 37 Peter’s words convicted them deeply, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
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Highlight Passages: Acts 3: 15-20 : [NLT] … {The Apostles begin their outreach in Jerusalem by healing a crippled beggar; and astounded the same people who had called for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus’ crucifixion, came to hear Peter preach another sermon, this one again calling for the people to repent and be saved.} …
15 “ … You killed the author of life, but God raised him to life. And we are witnesses of this fact! 16 “The name of Jesus has healed this man — and you know how lame he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has caused this healing before your very eyes. 17“Friends, I realize that what you did to Jesus was done in ignorance; and the same can be said of your leaders. 18 But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had declared about the Messiah beforehand—that he must suffer all these things. 19 Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins. 20Then wonderful times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will send Jesus your Messiah to you again.
My Journal for Today: And we begin the Book of Acts with a big gulp from the first three chapters. Luke, the Greek Physician and Christian convert, who wrote the historically documented Gospel account, here writes a sequel, documenting and chronicling the beginnings of THE CHURCH in Jerusalem, which would spread like wild-fire all over the known world in those 30-40 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. I like what my Parsons Commentary says in summarizing Luke’s writing of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. It states …
”With a flick of a match, friction occurs and a spark leaps from match to tinder. A small flame burns the edges and grows, fueled by wood and air. Heat builds, and soon the kindling is licked by reddish orange tongues. Higher and wider it spreads, consuming the wood. The flame has become a fire. … Nearly 2,000 years ago, a match was struck in Palestine. At first, just a few in that corner of the world were touched and warmed; but the fire spread beyond Jerusalem and Judea out to the world and to all people. Acts provides an eyewitness account of the flame and fire — the birth and spread of the church. Beginning in Jerusalem with a small group of disciples, the message traveled across the Roman Empire. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, this courageous band preached, taught, healed, and demonstrated love in synagogues, schools, homes, marketplaces, and courtrooms, and on streets, hills, ships, and desert roads—wherever God sent them, lives and history were changed.”
That pretty much says it all with regard to the charge which Jesus gave to His disciples in Acts 1: 8 … to become His witnesses, first in Jerusalem, then outward to the world; and at Pentecost, The Holy Spirit, descended upon repentant believers there in Jerusalem, many of whom saw Jesus ascend into heaven, and the flame of Christ’s Church was lit … to spread, as documented in the Book of The Acts, all through the Roman Empire and the known world in those days. And the fire still grows … and will grow … to take in all who repent of their sinfulness and believe in The Christ, the God-man, Who came into this world, died, was resurrected, and ascended back into Heaven; … but He is the One Who will return to reclaim His Bride, just as He promised through the angel witnesses just before Peter preached that sermon at Pentecost.
Yes, my friends, we are the ones, as Peter said, who crucified Jesus; and we are the ones He now prays (as He did in John 17) to be saved when we, as Peter preached, come to Him in faith and surrender to The Christ as Lord and Savior. And we are the disciples whom He calls in Acts 1: 8 to be His witnesses NOW in this world … now as He called His disciples to be His witnesses at Pentecost. We are the ones who must keep the fire burning until He comes again to reclaim His Bride.
My Prayer Today: … Come soon, Lord Jesus, and claim Your Bride. Amen
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
November 14, 2012 … Jesus – Meeting With Us Now
Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 319
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Luke, Chapters 24 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: John, Chapters 20-21 To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passages: Luke 24: 13-36 : [NLT] … { Rather than copy out the entire passage relating the story of Jesus joining two men as they walked to Emmaus from Jerusalem after the resurrection, I’d ask you to use the link above for Luke, Chapter 24 to read and meditate on the passage in the NLT. The remaining portion of the last chapter in Luke relates Jesus’ final hours on earth before He was raised into heaven, which is the transition for Luke into His book, the Acts of the Apostles, which I’ll be reading and studying in the upcoming days. } …
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Highlight Passages: John 20; 28-31: [NLT] … { Jesus appeared several times post-resurrection and in several situations, … here to Thomas, whom we have labeled “the doubting disciples” because of his difficulty believing the resurrection until he could see and even touch the resurrected Messiah. And Jesus in his compassion to reach out to this skeptical believer allowed Thomas this private meeting so that he could really believe; but the Lord preaches to all mankind, through John’s gospel account that all who can and choose to believe without the luxury of seeing or touching Jesus will be blessed all the more; … and I am one of those blessed ones. } …
28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. [after seeing and touching the resurrected Lord]
29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway.”
30 Jesus’ disciples saw him do many other miraculous signs besides the ones recorded in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may believe£ that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life.
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Highlight Passages: John 21: 15-19; 24-25 : [NLT] … { I’m going to ask anyone reading with me today to go to John 21, verses 15-19 and read the account of Jesus giving a post-resurrection audience with Peter by the seashore near Capernaum; and then the final words written by the Apostle John in his gospel account in verses 24-25 of this final chapter. } …
24 This is that disciple who saw these events and recorded them here. And we all know that his account of these things is accurate. 25 And I suppose that if all the other things Jesus did were written down, the whole world could not contain the books.
My Journal for Today: The photo you see above was taken in 2009 when a group of pilgrims, including yours truly, were sharing a communion service in the very garden where it is believed Jesus appeared to Peter to compassionately allow him to have a private encounter and for Jesus to restore Peter to complete forgiveness and surrender to his Lord. The account of this is found, by using the John 21 link above, and reading of this wonderful account in verses 15 – 19 of John’s last gospel chapter. In the background of the photo you can see a statue representing Jesus meeting with Peter for this beautiful moment with His Lord after the resurrection.
In today’s chronological NT reading, I was taken to study the last chapter of Luke’s gospel and the last two chapters of John’s gospel writing; and in these chapters are several accounts of Jesus appearing – post-resurrection – to several of Christ’s disciples just before the Lord left the earth and ascended into heaven. These are beautiful accounts of Jesus’ compassion in wanting various disciples to experience Him up-close-and-personally so they could give first-hand, eye-witness accounts of Jesus after His resurrection.
Don’t you just love the account of Jesus joining two men walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus in Luke 24? And there was the very personal time when Jesus appeared to Thomas, the doubting disciple, even allowing Thomas what he needed – a physical touch of Jesus’ scars – to be able to believe. And then there is that wonderfully compassionate story of Jesus calling Peter aside so that Peter, whom Jesus knew would be instrumental in leading the church after Jesus’ ascension into heaven, could be fully restored and renewed after his thrice failure and denial in the Garden before Jesus was crucified.
And all of this points to the reality that we all can, as Jesus’ disciples, have our own personal encounter with the resurrected Jesus as I have done even this morning. I chose to come to this place where I come every morning when I’m home; and I prayed that Jesus, through His Spirit, would be with me as I encountered Him through His word. I pray every morning that I can get to know my Lord more intimately through His living, breathing word (see 2nd Tim. 3: 16-17). And every day He is here with me; and He relates with me, much as He did with those men walking to Emmaus, or Thomas, or Peter in that garden near Capernaum. And every day I get to know my Lord, more intimately and more abidingly and I encounter Him in His word.
I hope you see where I’m going with my journal entry this morning. If we’re Christians who truly want to meet with Jesus and desire to know Him more intimately, the question is, “Am I willing to receive Him into my life, as He offers to be with me?” My friend, read of Jesus’ offer in Revelation 3: 20: “Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.” And anytime we seek to be with Him, in and through His word, He is willing to reveal more of Himself to us.
Let me pray that all of us will be going after a deeper relationship with our Living Lord EVERYDAY by encountering Him through His Living Word.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I do pray that all who’re reading with me here will seek to find more of You through Your word and we will open the door, as I did this morning, to allow You to come in and dine with us … with You sharing Your real self with us in/through Your word. Amen
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Luke, Chapters 24 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: John, Chapters 20-21 To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passages: Luke 24: 13-36 : [NLT] … { Rather than copy out the entire passage relating the story of Jesus joining two men as they walked to Emmaus from Jerusalem after the resurrection, I’d ask you to use the link above for Luke, Chapter 24 to read and meditate on the passage in the NLT. The remaining portion of the last chapter in Luke relates Jesus’ final hours on earth before He was raised into heaven, which is the transition for Luke into His book, the Acts of the Apostles, which I’ll be reading and studying in the upcoming days. } …
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Highlight Passages: John 20; 28-31: [NLT] … { Jesus appeared several times post-resurrection and in several situations, … here to Thomas, whom we have labeled “the doubting disciples” because of his difficulty believing the resurrection until he could see and even touch the resurrected Messiah. And Jesus in his compassion to reach out to this skeptical believer allowed Thomas this private meeting so that he could really believe; but the Lord preaches to all mankind, through John’s gospel account that all who can and choose to believe without the luxury of seeing or touching Jesus will be blessed all the more; … and I am one of those blessed ones. } …
28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. [after seeing and touching the resurrected Lord]
29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway.”
30 Jesus’ disciples saw him do many other miraculous signs besides the ones recorded in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may believe£ that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life.
============
Highlight Passages: John 21: 15-19; 24-25 : [NLT] … { I’m going to ask anyone reading with me today to go to John 21, verses 15-19 and read the account of Jesus giving a post-resurrection audience with Peter by the seashore near Capernaum; and then the final words written by the Apostle John in his gospel account in verses 24-25 of this final chapter. } …
24 This is that disciple who saw these events and recorded them here. And we all know that his account of these things is accurate. 25 And I suppose that if all the other things Jesus did were written down, the whole world could not contain the books.
My Journal for Today: The photo you see above was taken in 2009 when a group of pilgrims, including yours truly, were sharing a communion service in the very garden where it is believed Jesus appeared to Peter to compassionately allow him to have a private encounter and for Jesus to restore Peter to complete forgiveness and surrender to his Lord. The account of this is found, by using the John 21 link above, and reading of this wonderful account in verses 15 – 19 of John’s last gospel chapter. In the background of the photo you can see a statue representing Jesus meeting with Peter for this beautiful moment with His Lord after the resurrection.
In today’s chronological NT reading, I was taken to study the last chapter of Luke’s gospel and the last two chapters of John’s gospel writing; and in these chapters are several accounts of Jesus appearing – post-resurrection – to several of Christ’s disciples just before the Lord left the earth and ascended into heaven. These are beautiful accounts of Jesus’ compassion in wanting various disciples to experience Him up-close-and-personally so they could give first-hand, eye-witness accounts of Jesus after His resurrection.
Don’t you just love the account of Jesus joining two men walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus in Luke 24? And there was the very personal time when Jesus appeared to Thomas, the doubting disciple, even allowing Thomas what he needed – a physical touch of Jesus’ scars – to be able to believe. And then there is that wonderfully compassionate story of Jesus calling Peter aside so that Peter, whom Jesus knew would be instrumental in leading the church after Jesus’ ascension into heaven, could be fully restored and renewed after his thrice failure and denial in the Garden before Jesus was crucified.
And all of this points to the reality that we all can, as Jesus’ disciples, have our own personal encounter with the resurrected Jesus as I have done even this morning. I chose to come to this place where I come every morning when I’m home; and I prayed that Jesus, through His Spirit, would be with me as I encountered Him through His word. I pray every morning that I can get to know my Lord more intimately through His living, breathing word (see 2nd Tim. 3: 16-17). And every day He is here with me; and He relates with me, much as He did with those men walking to Emmaus, or Thomas, or Peter in that garden near Capernaum. And every day I get to know my Lord, more intimately and more abidingly and I encounter Him in His word.
I hope you see where I’m going with my journal entry this morning. If we’re Christians who truly want to meet with Jesus and desire to know Him more intimately, the question is, “Am I willing to receive Him into my life, as He offers to be with me?” My friend, read of Jesus’ offer in Revelation 3: 20: “Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.” And anytime we seek to be with Him, in and through His word, He is willing to reveal more of Himself to us.
Let me pray that all of us will be going after a deeper relationship with our Living Lord EVERYDAY by encountering Him through His Living Word.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I do pray that all who’re reading with me here will seek to find more of You through Your word and we will open the door, as I did this morning, to allow You to come in and dine with us … with You sharing Your real self with us in/through Your word. Amen
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
November 13, 2012 … “Go … In the Name and Power of Jesus!”
Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 318
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Matthew, Chapter 28 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Mark, Chapter 16 To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passages: Matthew 28: 18-20 : [NLT] … { Yes, it’s the “Great Commission;” and every Christian finds him or her self under the charge of Jesus’ last words on earth – along with that in Acts 1: 8, copied below. } … 18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
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Highlight Passages: Mark 16: 15-16 : [NLT] … { And here is Mark’s version of the Great Commission.} … 15 And then He told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned….. ”
Reference Passage: Acts 1: 8 : [NLT] … { Jesus’ commission and charge to all Christians as He ascended into heaven after the resurrection. } … 8 “ …But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere — in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
My Journal for Today: Today I was taken to study and meditate on the final gospel chapters written by Matthew and John Mark; and my journal focus from these chapters was a “no-brainer,” because both of these gospel accounts document what Christianity knows is Christ’s GREAT COMMISSION, … His final charge to His disciples – i.e., ALL DISCIPLES, including you and me – along with what Luke recorded in Acts 1: 8, which I’ve also copied as a cross reference for any reading along with me today.
Jesus had appeared and was witnessed by over 500 of His disciples after He had arisen from the grave; and at that time He was to ascend into heaven, be re-glorified to be with His Father, and to leave His Spirit residing in the hearts of all true believers to be His witnesses and disciples, carrying His good news to the ends of the earth and making other disciples, who would be with our Triune God forever when they had truly believed on what Christ had done on the cross, giving the believer the power to overcome sin and witness for the Name of Christ.
So, the question becomes, “Do we (as His born-again, believing disciples) find ourselves captured and motivated by Jesus’ commission?” Because it is my contention that if someone does not find himself or herself driven by the Great Commission and/or the command to witness from Jesus, that person is not likely saved, … not having the driving force of God’s Spirit in their hearts to “GO and make disciples,” as Jesus has commissioned ALL of those whom He has elected to be His followers.
I have no trouble finding my self and my life purpose in these final words of charge from Jesus as He ascended into heaven. I know it’s the power of God’s Spirit which has transformed me from an atheist to a believer and from a sex addict to a “witness for Jesus” addict [evidenced by the reality that I’m here witnessing for Christ daily in these blogs everyday]. And I write this here, not to brag on my Christian witness, but rather to say that anyone who is born-again, in Christ, will likely find themselves being driven by these words of commission from Christ as He left this world to be with His Father in heaven.
When Jesus says, “Go!” Do you find yourself going in some capacity to share His good news or to disciple others? If not, … why not? That is our commission and calling as Christians, isn’t it?
As in Acts 1: 8 charges, do you find yourself drawn – almost driven – to witness to others what Jesus has done in your life? If not, … why not? That is our charge as disciples of The Christ, isn’t it?
I think I’ve said enough today. Certainly the GREAT COMMISSION is enough to drive all Christians onward in His Name … well, … ISN”T IT?
My Prayer Today: … Lord, You drive me forward everyday to witness in Your Name, to do all I can to “make disciples,” and to share Your good news with others. Amen
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Matthew, Chapter 28 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Mark, Chapter 16 To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passages: Matthew 28: 18-20 : [NLT] … { Yes, it’s the “Great Commission;” and every Christian finds him or her self under the charge of Jesus’ last words on earth – along with that in Acts 1: 8, copied below. } … 18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
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Highlight Passages: Mark 16: 15-16 : [NLT] … { And here is Mark’s version of the Great Commission.} … 15 And then He told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned….. ”
Reference Passage: Acts 1: 8 : [NLT] … { Jesus’ commission and charge to all Christians as He ascended into heaven after the resurrection. } … 8 “ …But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere — in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
My Journal for Today: Today I was taken to study and meditate on the final gospel chapters written by Matthew and John Mark; and my journal focus from these chapters was a “no-brainer,” because both of these gospel accounts document what Christianity knows is Christ’s GREAT COMMISSION, … His final charge to His disciples – i.e., ALL DISCIPLES, including you and me – along with what Luke recorded in Acts 1: 8, which I’ve also copied as a cross reference for any reading along with me today.
Jesus had appeared and was witnessed by over 500 of His disciples after He had arisen from the grave; and at that time He was to ascend into heaven, be re-glorified to be with His Father, and to leave His Spirit residing in the hearts of all true believers to be His witnesses and disciples, carrying His good news to the ends of the earth and making other disciples, who would be with our Triune God forever when they had truly believed on what Christ had done on the cross, giving the believer the power to overcome sin and witness for the Name of Christ.
So, the question becomes, “Do we (as His born-again, believing disciples) find ourselves captured and motivated by Jesus’ commission?” Because it is my contention that if someone does not find himself or herself driven by the Great Commission and/or the command to witness from Jesus, that person is not likely saved, … not having the driving force of God’s Spirit in their hearts to “GO and make disciples,” as Jesus has commissioned ALL of those whom He has elected to be His followers.
I have no trouble finding my self and my life purpose in these final words of charge from Jesus as He ascended into heaven. I know it’s the power of God’s Spirit which has transformed me from an atheist to a believer and from a sex addict to a “witness for Jesus” addict [evidenced by the reality that I’m here witnessing for Christ daily in these blogs everyday]. And I write this here, not to brag on my Christian witness, but rather to say that anyone who is born-again, in Christ, will likely find themselves being driven by these words of commission from Christ as He left this world to be with His Father in heaven.
When Jesus says, “Go!” Do you find yourself going in some capacity to share His good news or to disciple others? If not, … why not? That is our commission and calling as Christians, isn’t it?
As in Acts 1: 8 charges, do you find yourself drawn – almost driven – to witness to others what Jesus has done in your life? If not, … why not? That is our charge as disciples of The Christ, isn’t it?
I think I’ve said enough today. Certainly the GREAT COMMISSION is enough to drive all Christians onward in His Name … well, … ISN”T IT?
My Prayer Today: … Lord, You drive me forward everyday to witness in Your Name, to do all I can to “make disciples,” and to share Your good news with others. Amen
Monday, November 12, 2012
November 12, 2012 … The World Wanted Him Gone
Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 317
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Luke, Chapters 23 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: John, Chapters 18-19 To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passages: Luke 23 and John, Chapters 18-19 : [NLT] … {Usually I select key verses or passages which illustrate the topic God has brought forth for me to journal. However, it would be best if you read all of Luke 23 and the two chapters in John’s gospel account of Jesus’s trials before you read my journal entry this morning.}
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Reference Passage: Isaiah 53: 7-9 : [NLT] … {Prophesied by Isaiah over 700 years before what was documented in today’s gospel accounts of Jesus’ trials, His death, and The Lord’s burial.} 7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet He never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, He did not open his mouth. 8 From prison and trial they led Him away to His death. But who among the people realized that He was dying for their sins — that He was suffering their punishment? 9 He had done no wrong, and He never deceived anyone. But He was buried like a criminal; He was put in a rich man’s grave.
My Journal for Today: I hope you’ve read, as I suggested above, the chapters in Luke’s and John’s gospel accounts of the rigged trials Jesus went through and then John’s account of Jesus’ crucifixion. Let me give you the account of all of Jesus’ trials, summarized in the Parsons Commentary I use daily to help me study these chronologically edited Bible passages …
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Event … Probable Reasons … References
Trial before Annas (powerful ex-high priest) : Although no longer the high priest, he may have still wielded much power and influence as to Jesus’ fate … John 18:13-23
Trial before Caiaphas (the ruling high priest): To gather evidence for the full high council hearing to follow … Matthew 26:57-68 … Mark 14:53-65 … Luke 22:54, 63-65 … John 18:24
Trial before the high council (Sanhedrin): Formal religious trial and condemnation to death … Matthew 27:1 … Mark 15:1 … Luke 22:66-71
Trial before Pilate (highest Roman authority): All death sentences in Judea at the time needed Roman approval … Matthew 7:2, 11-14 … Mark 15:1-5 … Luke 23:1-6 … John 18:28-38
Trial before Herod (ruler of Galilee): A courteous and guilt-sharing act by Pilate because Jesus was from Galilee, Herod’s district … Luke 23:7-12
Trial before Pilate: Pilate’s last effort to avoid condemning an obviously innocent man … Matthew 27:15-26 … Mark 15:6-15 … Luke 23:13-25 …John 18:39–19:16
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All of that was Jesus’ passion; and He knew that He must walk through these events, doing so quietly, as had been prophesied over 700 years earlier, as I indicated above in citing in Isaiah 53: 7-9 above. And all of this, unfolding like a Greek tragedy or a carefully orchestrated stage play, … the characters under complete control of God’s Spirit … in fulfillment of prophesy and to bring Jesus’ earthly ministry as the Lamb of God to completion for the salvation of mankind.
And even note the detail of the prediction of Jesus’ being buried in a rich man’s grave (in Isaiah 53: 9), which, we know, was fulfilled when Jesus was allowed to be buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, about which I blogged yesterday. Incredible prophesy and an even more incredible fulfillment. And yet so many, as I once did, do all they can to crucify the image and reality of Jesus in their lives, trying Him emotionally, in spite of the historical and biblical evidence, and declaring Jesus dead to their lives. And all they have to do is look to and believe Isaiah’s prophesy, which was fulfilled in the gospel accounts which we read today.
Because if anyone does that, recognizing the truth and repenting of their own sinfulness, he or she will be with Jesus forever, just as was promised to that one desperate thief on the cross. Oh how grateful I am for Jesus’ going quietly through all those trials and being willing to become the Lamb of God, sacrificed for my sins and giving me the right to be with Him forever.
My Prayer Today: … Oh, my Lord, my Messiah; ... all I can offer to You for what You did, fulfilling Your destiny, is a loud … HALLELUJAH!!! Amen
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Luke, Chapters 23 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: John, Chapters 18-19 To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passages: Luke 23 and John, Chapters 18-19 : [NLT] … {Usually I select key verses or passages which illustrate the topic God has brought forth for me to journal. However, it would be best if you read all of Luke 23 and the two chapters in John’s gospel account of Jesus’s trials before you read my journal entry this morning.}
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Reference Passage: Isaiah 53: 7-9 : [NLT] … {Prophesied by Isaiah over 700 years before what was documented in today’s gospel accounts of Jesus’ trials, His death, and The Lord’s burial.} 7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet He never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, He did not open his mouth. 8 From prison and trial they led Him away to His death. But who among the people realized that He was dying for their sins — that He was suffering their punishment? 9 He had done no wrong, and He never deceived anyone. But He was buried like a criminal; He was put in a rich man’s grave.
My Journal for Today: I hope you’ve read, as I suggested above, the chapters in Luke’s and John’s gospel accounts of the rigged trials Jesus went through and then John’s account of Jesus’ crucifixion. Let me give you the account of all of Jesus’ trials, summarized in the Parsons Commentary I use daily to help me study these chronologically edited Bible passages …
=========
Event … Probable Reasons … References
Trial before Annas (powerful ex-high priest) : Although no longer the high priest, he may have still wielded much power and influence as to Jesus’ fate … John 18:13-23
Trial before Caiaphas (the ruling high priest): To gather evidence for the full high council hearing to follow … Matthew 26:57-68 … Mark 14:53-65 … Luke 22:54, 63-65 … John 18:24
Trial before the high council (Sanhedrin): Formal religious trial and condemnation to death … Matthew 27:1 … Mark 15:1 … Luke 22:66-71
Trial before Pilate (highest Roman authority): All death sentences in Judea at the time needed Roman approval … Matthew 7:2, 11-14 … Mark 15:1-5 … Luke 23:1-6 … John 18:28-38
Trial before Herod (ruler of Galilee): A courteous and guilt-sharing act by Pilate because Jesus was from Galilee, Herod’s district … Luke 23:7-12
Trial before Pilate: Pilate’s last effort to avoid condemning an obviously innocent man … Matthew 27:15-26 … Mark 15:6-15 … Luke 23:13-25 …John 18:39–19:16
===========
All of that was Jesus’ passion; and He knew that He must walk through these events, doing so quietly, as had been prophesied over 700 years earlier, as I indicated above in citing in Isaiah 53: 7-9 above. And all of this, unfolding like a Greek tragedy or a carefully orchestrated stage play, … the characters under complete control of God’s Spirit … in fulfillment of prophesy and to bring Jesus’ earthly ministry as the Lamb of God to completion for the salvation of mankind.
And even note the detail of the prediction of Jesus’ being buried in a rich man’s grave (in Isaiah 53: 9), which, we know, was fulfilled when Jesus was allowed to be buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, about which I blogged yesterday. Incredible prophesy and an even more incredible fulfillment. And yet so many, as I once did, do all they can to crucify the image and reality of Jesus in their lives, trying Him emotionally, in spite of the historical and biblical evidence, and declaring Jesus dead to their lives. And all they have to do is look to and believe Isaiah’s prophesy, which was fulfilled in the gospel accounts which we read today.
Because if anyone does that, recognizing the truth and repenting of their own sinfulness, he or she will be with Jesus forever, just as was promised to that one desperate thief on the cross. Oh how grateful I am for Jesus’ going quietly through all those trials and being willing to become the Lamb of God, sacrificed for my sins and giving me the right to be with Him forever.
My Prayer Today: … Oh, my Lord, my Messiah; ... all I can offer to You for what You did, fulfilling Your destiny, is a loud … HALLELUJAH!!! Amen
Sunday, November 11, 2012
November 11, 2012 … Standing the Gap for Christ
Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 316
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Matthew, Chapters 27 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Mark, Chapters 15 To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passages: Matthew 27: 57-61 : [NLT] … {Matthew’s account of the burial of Jesus after the crucifixion.} ...
57 As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who was one of Jesus’ followers, 58 went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him. 59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long linen cloth. 60 He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance as he left. 61 Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting nearby watching.
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Reference Passage: Mark 15: 42-47 : [NLT] … {Luke’s burial account as another reference point.} ...
42 This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath. As evening approached, 43 an honored member of the high council, Joseph from Arimathea (who was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come), gathered his courage and went to Pilate to ask for Jesus’ body. 44 Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman military officer in charge and asked him. 45The officer confirmed the fact, and Pilate told Joseph he could have the body. 46 Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth, and taking Jesus’ body down from the cross, he wrapped it in the cloth and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid.
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Reference Passage: Luke 23: 50-56: [NLT] … {Luke’s burial account as a reference passage for comparison.} ...
50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, 51 but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he had been waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. 52 He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. 54 This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation£ for the Sabbath. 55 As his body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where they placed his body. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to embalm him. But by the time they were finished it was the Sabbath, so they rested all that day as required by the law.
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Reference Passage: John 19: 38-42 : [NLT] … {This is the same story from John’s gospel account; and note the one reference to Nicodemus (the same member of the Sanhedrin from John 3 fame), who was also involved in Jesus’ burial.} ...
38 Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take Jesus’ body down. When Pilate gave him permission, he came and took the body away. 39 Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night, also came, bringing about seventy-five pounds of embalming ointment made from myrrh and aloes. 40 Together they wrapped Jesus’ body in a long linen cloth with the spices, as is the Jewish custom of burial. 41 The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. 42 And so, because it was the day of preparation before the Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.
My Journal for Today: Today my chronological reading assignment took me to two chapters from Matthew and Mark, both recounting the final passion of Jesus, … His trials, the death on the cross, and Jesus’ burial in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. And for some reason (I believe God’s Spirit) I was drawn to meditate and consider the two accounts from these authors of Jesus’ burial. And in my study, I was taken, by cross reference, to the synoptic accounts in the gospels of Luke and John, who wrote of the same events.
You know there are people, despite the vast historical evidence (even photos), who deny the holocaust took place in Germany during WW2. And there are also fools who deny that Jesus ever lived, died, and was buried and resurrected. But there is too much evidence to the contrary; and these four separate historical accounts in Scripture of Jesus’ burial, as well as a host of extra-biblical historians writing about the same events, show us that Jesus really did die on the cross, was buried, and then there were over 500 people who were recorded by biblical and extra-biblical accounts to have been an eye-witnesses to Jesus interacting with His disciples after the burial and resurrection.
But the one little bit of history from these accounts which jumped out at me today was the fact that Joseph of Arimathea, the rich member of the Sanhedrin, along with his co-conspirator, Nicodemus (from John 3 accounts) “outed” themselves, standing in the gap to take accountability for the burial of Jesus in Joseph’s tomb.
I’ve been in Jerusalem and seen the archeologically uncovered site of Joseph’s grave; and it’s impressive to be there and view the place where Joseph and Nicodemus risked their entire future, and most certainly their reputations, as leaders in the Jewish religious establishment of the day to take the body of Jesus and insure His burial under Jewish religious practices. It was a very risky and an openly courageous witness which these two exhibited; and the story prompts me to ask of my own spirit, “Would I have had the courage to be such a witness for Christ if such an event took place where I had to make a choice like Joseph and Nicodemus made?”
I hope so. Certainly no grave could hold Jesus; but it was the witness of two Jewish leaders who insured that the passion of Christ could be fulfilled as the Old Covenant prophesied.
So, on this Veteran’s Day (here, this morning, on Nov. 11th), let me salute two who stood in the gap for Christ as many soldiers stand in the gap for our freedom all around the globe today.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I pray that I would be one to stand in the gap, as did these two, to witness to Your Name in hostile world. Amen
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Matthew, Chapters 27 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Mark, Chapters 15 To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passages: Matthew 27: 57-61 : [NLT] … {Matthew’s account of the burial of Jesus after the crucifixion.} ...
57 As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who was one of Jesus’ followers, 58 went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him. 59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long linen cloth. 60 He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance as he left. 61 Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting nearby watching.
============
Reference Passage: Mark 15: 42-47 : [NLT] … {Luke’s burial account as another reference point.} ...
42 This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath. As evening approached, 43 an honored member of the high council, Joseph from Arimathea (who was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come), gathered his courage and went to Pilate to ask for Jesus’ body. 44 Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman military officer in charge and asked him. 45The officer confirmed the fact, and Pilate told Joseph he could have the body. 46 Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth, and taking Jesus’ body down from the cross, he wrapped it in the cloth and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid.
===========
Reference Passage: Luke 23: 50-56: [NLT] … {Luke’s burial account as a reference passage for comparison.} ...
50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, 51 but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he had been waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. 52 He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. 54 This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation£ for the Sabbath. 55 As his body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where they placed his body. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to embalm him. But by the time they were finished it was the Sabbath, so they rested all that day as required by the law.
===========
Reference Passage: John 19: 38-42 : [NLT] … {This is the same story from John’s gospel account; and note the one reference to Nicodemus (the same member of the Sanhedrin from John 3 fame), who was also involved in Jesus’ burial.} ...
38 Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take Jesus’ body down. When Pilate gave him permission, he came and took the body away. 39 Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night, also came, bringing about seventy-five pounds of embalming ointment made from myrrh and aloes. 40 Together they wrapped Jesus’ body in a long linen cloth with the spices, as is the Jewish custom of burial. 41 The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. 42 And so, because it was the day of preparation before the Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.
My Journal for Today: Today my chronological reading assignment took me to two chapters from Matthew and Mark, both recounting the final passion of Jesus, … His trials, the death on the cross, and Jesus’ burial in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. And for some reason (I believe God’s Spirit) I was drawn to meditate and consider the two accounts from these authors of Jesus’ burial. And in my study, I was taken, by cross reference, to the synoptic accounts in the gospels of Luke and John, who wrote of the same events.
You know there are people, despite the vast historical evidence (even photos), who deny the holocaust took place in Germany during WW2. And there are also fools who deny that Jesus ever lived, died, and was buried and resurrected. But there is too much evidence to the contrary; and these four separate historical accounts in Scripture of Jesus’ burial, as well as a host of extra-biblical historians writing about the same events, show us that Jesus really did die on the cross, was buried, and then there were over 500 people who were recorded by biblical and extra-biblical accounts to have been an eye-witnesses to Jesus interacting with His disciples after the burial and resurrection.
But the one little bit of history from these accounts which jumped out at me today was the fact that Joseph of Arimathea, the rich member of the Sanhedrin, along with his co-conspirator, Nicodemus (from John 3 accounts) “outed” themselves, standing in the gap to take accountability for the burial of Jesus in Joseph’s tomb.
I’ve been in Jerusalem and seen the archeologically uncovered site of Joseph’s grave; and it’s impressive to be there and view the place where Joseph and Nicodemus risked their entire future, and most certainly their reputations, as leaders in the Jewish religious establishment of the day to take the body of Jesus and insure His burial under Jewish religious practices. It was a very risky and an openly courageous witness which these two exhibited; and the story prompts me to ask of my own spirit, “Would I have had the courage to be such a witness for Christ if such an event took place where I had to make a choice like Joseph and Nicodemus made?”
I hope so. Certainly no grave could hold Jesus; but it was the witness of two Jewish leaders who insured that the passion of Christ could be fulfilled as the Old Covenant prophesied.
So, on this Veteran’s Day (here, this morning, on Nov. 11th), let me salute two who stood in the gap for Christ as many soldiers stand in the gap for our freedom all around the globe today.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I pray that I would be one to stand in the gap, as did these two, to witness to Your Name in hostile world. Amen
Saturday, November 10, 2012
November 10, 2012 …The Way, The Truth, and The Life
Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 315
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: John, Chapters 14-17 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passages: John 14: 1-7 : [NLT] … { I’ll leave it to you to read through these four chapters as I have this AM. There is so much upon which one could meditate and journal here. I’d love to journal on Jesus’ compassionate prayer in John 17; and anytime you feel down a bit, read that chapter and know that Jesus is praying for you in heaven RIGHT NOW. But today my journal comments below will center on some of the most reassuring words of Jesus in the NT; and they come from His “Upper Room Discourse,” where the Disciples had gathered to celebrate Passover (and the first Eucharist) before Jesus was to be betrayed by Judas, captured, and tried so unjustly by the Romans and the Sanhedrin. These words are from Jesus as recoded in John 14: 1-7. } …
1 “Don’t be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. 3When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4And you know where I am going and how to get there.”
5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We haven’t any idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known who I am, then you would have known who my Father is.£ From now on you know him and have seen him!”
My Journal for Today: Well, this morning I take in another big chronological gulp from the NT, as I’m led into four Chapters from John where Jesus is dealing with some very nervous and fearful disciples. In John’s account, the disciples in the so-called “Upper Room,” and quite fearful about Jesus letting them know that He’s “going away.” And in John 14-16, what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse.,” Jesus tries His best to let His inner core of followers know that He, The Lord, … the Messiah, … is not going to abandon them; … that He will send them another, … the Holy Spirit, … to be their comforter, protector, and connection with The Father in heaven … forever. And in this discourse, followed by Jesus’ poignant and powerful prayer for His disciples (and that includes all Christians) in John 17, we read some words from Jesus which have become VERY, VERY controversial in our day.
And this controversy springs from the words in John 14: 6, which I’ve emboldened as well as underlined in the text from the highlight section of John 14 I’ve copied above, where Jesus quite forcefully claims that NO ONE can – or will – be saved and come into an eternal relationship with God unless they do so through a declared faith in Him, and Him alone, as Messiah.
That’s really a very simple statement; but if taken at face value, Jesus is saying that no one will find themselves in Heaven unless they get there by believing in Jesus; … and that kind of exclusivity does not go over well in today’s cultural push for “tolerance” and the desire of so many to be spiritually INCLUSIVE. But Jesus so clearly claims in that one statement, ”I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
And if we are to believe Jesus and the Bible, there are so many contemporary spiritual gurus, like Oprah Winfrey, claiming that all religions ultimately lead to salvation, who are leading themselves and millions of others into hell with their false teachings.
So, Jesus was trying His best to belay the fears of His disciples with words they would forget as He went to the cross; but they are words that they would grab back onto after the resurrection and as they went out to preach the Gospel truth. Here’s what my Parsons Commentary says about John 14:6: “Jesus says He is the only way to God the Father. Some people may argue that this way is too narrow. In reality, it is wide enough for the whole world, if the world chooses to accept and follow it. Instead of worrying about how limited it sounds to have only one way, we should be saying, “Thank you, God, for providing a sure way to get to you!” As THE WAY, Jesus is our path to the Father. As THE TRUTH, He is the reality of all God’s promises. As THE LIFE, He joins His divine life to ours, both now and eternally.”
And that’s really all I would need to write about what I gleaned today from these four chapters from John’s gospel writings. It’s certainly enough to give eternally powerful comfort for me. How about you?
My Prayer Today: … Yes, Jesus! … You ARE the way, the truth, and the life; and by believing in You, I will be with You forever. Amen
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: John, Chapters 14-17 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passages: John 14: 1-7 : [NLT] … { I’ll leave it to you to read through these four chapters as I have this AM. There is so much upon which one could meditate and journal here. I’d love to journal on Jesus’ compassionate prayer in John 17; and anytime you feel down a bit, read that chapter and know that Jesus is praying for you in heaven RIGHT NOW. But today my journal comments below will center on some of the most reassuring words of Jesus in the NT; and they come from His “Upper Room Discourse,” where the Disciples had gathered to celebrate Passover (and the first Eucharist) before Jesus was to be betrayed by Judas, captured, and tried so unjustly by the Romans and the Sanhedrin. These words are from Jesus as recoded in John 14: 1-7. } …
1 “Don’t be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. 3When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4And you know where I am going and how to get there.”
5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We haven’t any idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known who I am, then you would have known who my Father is.£ From now on you know him and have seen him!”
My Journal for Today: Well, this morning I take in another big chronological gulp from the NT, as I’m led into four Chapters from John where Jesus is dealing with some very nervous and fearful disciples. In John’s account, the disciples in the so-called “Upper Room,” and quite fearful about Jesus letting them know that He’s “going away.” And in John 14-16, what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse.,” Jesus tries His best to let His inner core of followers know that He, The Lord, … the Messiah, … is not going to abandon them; … that He will send them another, … the Holy Spirit, … to be their comforter, protector, and connection with The Father in heaven … forever. And in this discourse, followed by Jesus’ poignant and powerful prayer for His disciples (and that includes all Christians) in John 17, we read some words from Jesus which have become VERY, VERY controversial in our day.
And this controversy springs from the words in John 14: 6, which I’ve emboldened as well as underlined in the text from the highlight section of John 14 I’ve copied above, where Jesus quite forcefully claims that NO ONE can – or will – be saved and come into an eternal relationship with God unless they do so through a declared faith in Him, and Him alone, as Messiah.
That’s really a very simple statement; but if taken at face value, Jesus is saying that no one will find themselves in Heaven unless they get there by believing in Jesus; … and that kind of exclusivity does not go over well in today’s cultural push for “tolerance” and the desire of so many to be spiritually INCLUSIVE. But Jesus so clearly claims in that one statement, ”I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
And if we are to believe Jesus and the Bible, there are so many contemporary spiritual gurus, like Oprah Winfrey, claiming that all religions ultimately lead to salvation, who are leading themselves and millions of others into hell with their false teachings.
So, Jesus was trying His best to belay the fears of His disciples with words they would forget as He went to the cross; but they are words that they would grab back onto after the resurrection and as they went out to preach the Gospel truth. Here’s what my Parsons Commentary says about John 14:6: “Jesus says He is the only way to God the Father. Some people may argue that this way is too narrow. In reality, it is wide enough for the whole world, if the world chooses to accept and follow it. Instead of worrying about how limited it sounds to have only one way, we should be saying, “Thank you, God, for providing a sure way to get to you!” As THE WAY, Jesus is our path to the Father. As THE TRUTH, He is the reality of all God’s promises. As THE LIFE, He joins His divine life to ours, both now and eternally.”
And that’s really all I would need to write about what I gleaned today from these four chapters from John’s gospel writings. It’s certainly enough to give eternally powerful comfort for me. How about you?
My Prayer Today: … Yes, Jesus! … You ARE the way, the truth, and the life; and by believing in You, I will be with You forever. Amen
Friday, November 09, 2012
November 9, 2012 …Momentary Weakness
Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 314
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Luke, Chapters 22 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: John, Chapters 13 To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passages: Luke 22: 31-34 : [NLT] … {I’m asking any reading with me today to use the link above and meditate on Luke 22: 31-34, where you will find Luke’s account of Jesus predicting Peter’s denial, … words that must’ve cut to the core of Peter’s spirit, especially since Peter had always been such an outspoken proponent of Jesus as “Yahweh,” The Messiah. }...
31 “Simon, Simon, … Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” 33 Peter said, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.” 34 But Jesus said, “Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
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Highlight Passages: John 13: 31-38 : [NLT] … {And then go to John’s account of the same story in John 13: 31-38 of the same story, reading the following; and note how Jesus was not only predicting Peter’s denial; but He was also allowing for his repentance and restoration, which, no doubt, I’ll be reading about and studying later in John 21 [see below] } …
31 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. 32 And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will soon give glory to the Son. 33 Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
36 Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?” And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.” 37“But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for you.”
38 Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
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Reference Passage: John 21: 15-17 : [NLT] … {Jesus knew, when He predicted Peter’s denial and momentary weakness above }that Peter would be restored after the resurrection; and Jesus also knows what lies ahead for you and me after we repent and are restored into fellowship with the Lord. } … 15 After breakfast [with the 11 remaining disciples after the resurrection] Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” … “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. 16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” … “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” … “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. 17 Once more he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” … Peter was grieved that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know I love you.” … Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.” …
My Journal for Today: Once again, there is so much information worthy of comment and journaling in these two chapters of the synoptic Gospels assigned by the chronological reading plan this morning. There is the wonderful and poignant story of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples in the Upper Room prior to His going to the cross. There is Judas’ betrayal; and there are other stories related by Luke and John as Jesus was entering His time of passion prior to being arrested and tried by the Sanhedrin and by the Roman court.
But the scenario which catches my spirit this morning during my quiet time of Bible reading, is the passage in both of these chapters of Jesus predicting Peter’s denial. Once again I’m taken by identification with Peter. I’m so much like him; … impulsive, gullible, and having to guard my tongue. … Oh, so often I have had “open mouth, insert foot” moments in my life.
In the parallel passages in Luke 22 and John 13, we read of Jesus shocking Peter with the prediction that before the evening would be over, he, Peter, would deny His Lord … not once … but thrice. “NO WAY!!!” … had to have been Peter’s thinking when he heard Jesus’ prediction. But we know that’s exactly what happened; and it rocked Peter to his spiritual core.
Have you ever had a weak moment where you knew you had, in essence, denied your Lord? Maybe you said something hurtful to another. Perhaps you became convicted when you saw someone in need but you were unwilling – though able – to help. Maybe … Maybe ______________ … well, you fill in the blank with your own memories of unChristlike weakness or denial. I’ve sure have had some moments like this.
Well, Jesus knows your (or my) weaknesses; and we all have the potential of denying Christ in moments of human weakness (i.e, know the truth of Romans 3: 23). But Jesus, as He did with Peter, also knows the potential we have for following Him if/when we repent and are restored to fellowship with our Lord. When Jesus predicted Peter’s denial, Jesus knew that about four days hence, Peter would be restored to fellowship with His Lord … when, as we read above in John 21: 15-17, Peter was given the opportunity (and took it!) to repent and follow Jesus’ commission to serve his Lord by “feeding His sheep;” or, in other words, … in service to Christ for the rest of Peter’s life.
Do you identify? I sure do; … and as I’ve taken in these wonderful, instructive, and restorative passages from God’s word, I’m uplifted with encouragement, … as I hope you are.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, thank You for the truth of 1st John 1: 9, where any, like me, can come to You, as Peter did, and confess our sins and be cleansed and restored by your mercy and grace. Amen
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Luke, Chapters 22 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: John, Chapters 13 To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passages: Luke 22: 31-34 : [NLT] … {I’m asking any reading with me today to use the link above and meditate on Luke 22: 31-34, where you will find Luke’s account of Jesus predicting Peter’s denial, … words that must’ve cut to the core of Peter’s spirit, especially since Peter had always been such an outspoken proponent of Jesus as “Yahweh,” The Messiah. }...
31 “Simon, Simon, … Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” 33 Peter said, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.” 34 But Jesus said, “Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
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Highlight Passages: John 13: 31-38 : [NLT] … {And then go to John’s account of the same story in John 13: 31-38 of the same story, reading the following; and note how Jesus was not only predicting Peter’s denial; but He was also allowing for his repentance and restoration, which, no doubt, I’ll be reading about and studying later in John 21 [see below] } …
31 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. 32 And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will soon give glory to the Son. 33 Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
36 Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?” And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.” 37“But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for you.”
38 Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
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Reference Passage: John 21: 15-17 : [NLT] … {Jesus knew, when He predicted Peter’s denial and momentary weakness above }that Peter would be restored after the resurrection; and Jesus also knows what lies ahead for you and me after we repent and are restored into fellowship with the Lord. } … 15 After breakfast [with the 11 remaining disciples after the resurrection] Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” … “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. 16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” … “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” … “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. 17 Once more he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” … Peter was grieved that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know I love you.” … Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.” …
My Journal for Today: Once again, there is so much information worthy of comment and journaling in these two chapters of the synoptic Gospels assigned by the chronological reading plan this morning. There is the wonderful and poignant story of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples in the Upper Room prior to His going to the cross. There is Judas’ betrayal; and there are other stories related by Luke and John as Jesus was entering His time of passion prior to being arrested and tried by the Sanhedrin and by the Roman court.
But the scenario which catches my spirit this morning during my quiet time of Bible reading, is the passage in both of these chapters of Jesus predicting Peter’s denial. Once again I’m taken by identification with Peter. I’m so much like him; … impulsive, gullible, and having to guard my tongue. … Oh, so often I have had “open mouth, insert foot” moments in my life.
In the parallel passages in Luke 22 and John 13, we read of Jesus shocking Peter with the prediction that before the evening would be over, he, Peter, would deny His Lord … not once … but thrice. “NO WAY!!!” … had to have been Peter’s thinking when he heard Jesus’ prediction. But we know that’s exactly what happened; and it rocked Peter to his spiritual core.
Have you ever had a weak moment where you knew you had, in essence, denied your Lord? Maybe you said something hurtful to another. Perhaps you became convicted when you saw someone in need but you were unwilling – though able – to help. Maybe … Maybe ______________ … well, you fill in the blank with your own memories of unChristlike weakness or denial. I’ve sure have had some moments like this.
Well, Jesus knows your (or my) weaknesses; and we all have the potential of denying Christ in moments of human weakness (i.e, know the truth of Romans 3: 23). But Jesus, as He did with Peter, also knows the potential we have for following Him if/when we repent and are restored to fellowship with our Lord. When Jesus predicted Peter’s denial, Jesus knew that about four days hence, Peter would be restored to fellowship with His Lord … when, as we read above in John 21: 15-17, Peter was given the opportunity (and took it!) to repent and follow Jesus’ commission to serve his Lord by “feeding His sheep;” or, in other words, … in service to Christ for the rest of Peter’s life.
Do you identify? I sure do; … and as I’ve taken in these wonderful, instructive, and restorative passages from God’s word, I’m uplifted with encouragement, … as I hope you are.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, thank You for the truth of 1st John 1: 9, where any, like me, can come to You, as Peter did, and confess our sins and be cleansed and restored by your mercy and grace. Amen
Thursday, November 08, 2012
November 8, 2012 …Watch and Pray!
Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 313
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Matthew, Chapters 26 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Mark, Chapters 14 To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passages: Matthew 26: 36-40 : [NLT] … {This passage, from Matthew 26, and paralleled by Mark and Luke, is deeply convicting for me. How about you? … See my comments below in my journal entry.} 36 Then Jesus brought them to an olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go on ahead to pray.” 37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he began to be filled with anguish and deep distress. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me.” 39 He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine.” 40 Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you stay awake and watch with me even one hour? 41 Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak!” …
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Highlight Passages: Mark 14: 32-38 : [NLT] … {Here is Mark’s version of the passage I’ve selected for journal entry today. } 32 And they came to an olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” 33 He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he began to be filled with horror and deep distress. 34 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me.” 35 He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. 36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine.” 37Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. “Simon!” he said to Peter. “Are you asleep? Couldn’t you stay awake and watch with me even one hour? 38 Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak.”
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Reference Passage: Luke 22: 39-46 : [NLT] … {Though not assigned for today, this is Luke’s version of the two passages selected for my reading/study above by YouVersion.com.} 39 Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. 40 There he told them, “Pray that you will not be overcome by temptation.” 41 He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. 44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood. 45 At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked. “Get up and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you.”
My Journal for Today: If you’re reading along with me here, let me ask you. “Do you have any passages in Scripture which you don’t like to revisit because they are, as the Brits would say, ‘Bloody Painful!’ ?” Well, this passage, synoptically repeated by three of the of the Gospel writers, and copied above for your review, is just hurtful to my sensibilities when I meditate on its implications. And the part of this parallel passage which always gets me, is the part where Jesus gets on Peter for sleeping after He, the one Peter believed was his Messiah, had asked Peter and the others to “watch and pray.”
Though Luke doesn’t mention it, both Matthew and Mark point out that Jesus called out Peter for sleeping at the wheel, even though all three disciples had been asked to pray and were sleeping. Well, commentators point out that Jesus knew what Peter was going to being going through in just several hours hence; and so it is thought that the Lord was trying to prepare Peter for his ultimate failure in the face of temptation. I always empathize and identify with Peter because of his impulsiveness and knee-jerk faith; and here is another one of those moments where Peter (and we) are asked to look intensely into God’s mirror of truth.
Jesus had commanded (not asked) His inner core disciples, as the Lord needed some prayer time in the Garden of Gethsemane, to “watch and pray,” i.e., to sit outside the garden and be in prayer for and with Jesus as the Lord went into the garden to suffer and pray to His heavenly Father. And when I read those words of Jesus, “Sit here while I go and pray…;” I think about my own puny prayer life, … often where I’ll fall asleep while I’m praying in bed at night.
I think about an exhortation from another later disciple, Paul, as he wrote in Philippians 4: 6-7 for believers to pray rather than fret; and I’m one who so often fails to be vigilant in my life when I feel the pressures of temptation, and I fail to pray as God wants me to. Jesus is so, so right on when He says to Peter [in Mark’s version], “Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak.” And I can be so recalcitrant in my faith, knowing Jesus’ loving intent for all disciples, not just for Peter. He want us to use the power He gives us through prayer to deal with life; and I so often fall asleep in my lack of vigilance to pray.
God doesn’t give any commands or exhortations except in love and enabling grace … and a desire that we, who follow Him, have what we need to live out this life and prepare for the next. And so, once again, as I think of Jesus’ teaching in these passages today, I stand rebuked and reinstructed with His charge to Peter; and I stop now to do just what Jesus spoke to Peter about … to … WATCH AND PRAY!
My Prayer Today: … Lord, thank You for helping me to know and use Your power in my prayer. Amen
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Matthew, Chapters 26 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Mark, Chapters 14 To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passages: Matthew 26: 36-40 : [NLT] … {This passage, from Matthew 26, and paralleled by Mark and Luke, is deeply convicting for me. How about you? … See my comments below in my journal entry.} 36 Then Jesus brought them to an olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go on ahead to pray.” 37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he began to be filled with anguish and deep distress. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me.” 39 He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine.” 40 Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you stay awake and watch with me even one hour? 41 Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak!” …
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Highlight Passages: Mark 14: 32-38 : [NLT] … {Here is Mark’s version of the passage I’ve selected for journal entry today. } 32 And they came to an olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” 33 He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he began to be filled with horror and deep distress. 34 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me.” 35 He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. 36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine.” 37Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. “Simon!” he said to Peter. “Are you asleep? Couldn’t you stay awake and watch with me even one hour? 38 Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak.”
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Reference Passage: Luke 22: 39-46 : [NLT] … {Though not assigned for today, this is Luke’s version of the two passages selected for my reading/study above by YouVersion.com.} 39 Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. 40 There he told them, “Pray that you will not be overcome by temptation.” 41 He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. 44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood. 45 At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked. “Get up and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you.”
My Journal for Today: If you’re reading along with me here, let me ask you. “Do you have any passages in Scripture which you don’t like to revisit because they are, as the Brits would say, ‘Bloody Painful!’ ?” Well, this passage, synoptically repeated by three of the of the Gospel writers, and copied above for your review, is just hurtful to my sensibilities when I meditate on its implications. And the part of this parallel passage which always gets me, is the part where Jesus gets on Peter for sleeping after He, the one Peter believed was his Messiah, had asked Peter and the others to “watch and pray.”
Though Luke doesn’t mention it, both Matthew and Mark point out that Jesus called out Peter for sleeping at the wheel, even though all three disciples had been asked to pray and were sleeping. Well, commentators point out that Jesus knew what Peter was going to being going through in just several hours hence; and so it is thought that the Lord was trying to prepare Peter for his ultimate failure in the face of temptation. I always empathize and identify with Peter because of his impulsiveness and knee-jerk faith; and here is another one of those moments where Peter (and we) are asked to look intensely into God’s mirror of truth.
Jesus had commanded (not asked) His inner core disciples, as the Lord needed some prayer time in the Garden of Gethsemane, to “watch and pray,” i.e., to sit outside the garden and be in prayer for and with Jesus as the Lord went into the garden to suffer and pray to His heavenly Father. And when I read those words of Jesus, “Sit here while I go and pray…;” I think about my own puny prayer life, … often where I’ll fall asleep while I’m praying in bed at night.
I think about an exhortation from another later disciple, Paul, as he wrote in Philippians 4: 6-7 for believers to pray rather than fret; and I’m one who so often fails to be vigilant in my life when I feel the pressures of temptation, and I fail to pray as God wants me to. Jesus is so, so right on when He says to Peter [in Mark’s version], “Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak.” And I can be so recalcitrant in my faith, knowing Jesus’ loving intent for all disciples, not just for Peter. He want us to use the power He gives us through prayer to deal with life; and I so often fall asleep in my lack of vigilance to pray.
God doesn’t give any commands or exhortations except in love and enabling grace … and a desire that we, who follow Him, have what we need to live out this life and prepare for the next. And so, once again, as I think of Jesus’ teaching in these passages today, I stand rebuked and reinstructed with His charge to Peter; and I stop now to do just what Jesus spoke to Peter about … to … WATCH AND PRAY!
My Prayer Today: … Lord, thank You for helping me to know and use Your power in my prayer. Amen
Wednesday, November 07, 2012
November 7, 2012 … The Sheep and the Goats
Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 312
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Matthew, Chapter 25 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passages: Matthew 25: 31-46 : [NLT] … { This is either one of the most uplifting passages in the NT or one of the most depressing. However, it is unlikely that non-believers will see this passage as it should be to them – as depressing beyond measure. I say this because unbelievers – as I was once – just don’t see the truth that God will one day separate His sheep from His goats. } … To study this selected passage … GO TO THIS LINK …
My Journal for Today: This morning in my chronological Bible reading, the editors have taken me to Matthew 25: Verses 31-46, linked above for your study if you’re reading along with me today. Certainly all of God’s word is His mirror of truth; but there are passages in Scripture which cause anyone reading to focus a little more intensely than usual and require a very personal decision as to the content of what one is viewing in God’s mirror of truth.
The parable of the goats being separated from the sheep in my focus passage, linked for your meditation above, is one of those “look into the mirror and see yourself” passages. And if one is honest, and a seeker of God’s truth, the reading/study of this passage requires a deep decision from the reader about one’s eternal future. When you honestly read this passage, unless you simply dismiss it as foolhardy legend as an atheist, the reader is required to make a decision as to whether he/she sees him/her self as one of the “sheep” or one of the “goats.”
The “sheep” are those who, when confronted by someone in need, would be compelled by God’s Spirit to reach out and help that one. The “goats” are those who would pass on by without feeling a God-convicted compulsion to help. Take note of the parable and verses 37-40, which read as follows … 37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ … 40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ …”
When you looked into the truth mirror of that passage, what did you see?
Did you see yourself being one of those who, when confronted with one in need, would reach out to help the Jesus in that person needing your help? Or are you feeling deep conviction, guilt, and remorse in reading the passage, knowing that you would likely not have the heart to help? Are you feeling uplifted and encouraged in viewing yourself through these words from Jesus; or are you in denial and simply feeling that reading this is a worthless waist of time?
Because, my fellow seeker of truth, how you respond internally and honestly to those questions may give you insight into your eternal destiny. Jesus was trying to get His disciples (or followers) to see that they are either His sheep or His goats; and one day the goats would be separated from the sheep for eternity; and the sheep will be with Jesus, the Good Shepherd, forever; but the goats will be sent into eternal damnation.
There was a time in my life when reading that passage would have been foolish literature to me. But now when I read it, I am driven to become one of those sheep; … because everyday, I desire to follow the Good Shepherd and to become more like Him today than yesterday … and even more like Him tomorrow than today. I am one of His sheep; how about you?
My Prayer Today: … Lord, … lead the way; … I will follow You and my Good Shepherd. Amen
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Matthew, Chapter 25 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passages: Matthew 25: 31-46 : [NLT] … { This is either one of the most uplifting passages in the NT or one of the most depressing. However, it is unlikely that non-believers will see this passage as it should be to them – as depressing beyond measure. I say this because unbelievers – as I was once – just don’t see the truth that God will one day separate His sheep from His goats. } … To study this selected passage … GO TO THIS LINK …
My Journal for Today: This morning in my chronological Bible reading, the editors have taken me to Matthew 25: Verses 31-46, linked above for your study if you’re reading along with me today. Certainly all of God’s word is His mirror of truth; but there are passages in Scripture which cause anyone reading to focus a little more intensely than usual and require a very personal decision as to the content of what one is viewing in God’s mirror of truth.
The parable of the goats being separated from the sheep in my focus passage, linked for your meditation above, is one of those “look into the mirror and see yourself” passages. And if one is honest, and a seeker of God’s truth, the reading/study of this passage requires a deep decision from the reader about one’s eternal future. When you honestly read this passage, unless you simply dismiss it as foolhardy legend as an atheist, the reader is required to make a decision as to whether he/she sees him/her self as one of the “sheep” or one of the “goats.”
The “sheep” are those who, when confronted by someone in need, would be compelled by God’s Spirit to reach out and help that one. The “goats” are those who would pass on by without feeling a God-convicted compulsion to help. Take note of the parable and verses 37-40, which read as follows … 37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ … 40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ …”
When you looked into the truth mirror of that passage, what did you see?
Did you see yourself being one of those who, when confronted with one in need, would reach out to help the Jesus in that person needing your help? Or are you feeling deep conviction, guilt, and remorse in reading the passage, knowing that you would likely not have the heart to help? Are you feeling uplifted and encouraged in viewing yourself through these words from Jesus; or are you in denial and simply feeling that reading this is a worthless waist of time?
Because, my fellow seeker of truth, how you respond internally and honestly to those questions may give you insight into your eternal destiny. Jesus was trying to get His disciples (or followers) to see that they are either His sheep or His goats; and one day the goats would be separated from the sheep for eternity; and the sheep will be with Jesus, the Good Shepherd, forever; but the goats will be sent into eternal damnation.
There was a time in my life when reading that passage would have been foolish literature to me. But now when I read it, I am driven to become one of those sheep; … because everyday, I desire to follow the Good Shepherd and to become more like Him today than yesterday … and even more like Him tomorrow than today. I am one of His sheep; how about you?
My Prayer Today: … Lord, … lead the way; … I will follow You and my Good Shepherd. Amen
Tuesday, November 06, 2012
November 6, 2012 … BE PREPARED !!
Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 311
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Matthew, Chapter 24 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passages: Matthew 24: 36-44 : [NLT] … { Jesus tried to help His disciples with instructions which, hopefully, they would remember after He was resurrected and ascended back to His Father. And we – even today – need to use these instructions to BE PREPARED for the return of our Lord when He comes again for His Church – and He will !!! } …
36 “However, no one knows the day or the hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. 37 “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 38 In those days before the Flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. 39 People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the Flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. 40 “Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. 42 So be prepared, because you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43 “Know this: A homeowner who knew exactly when a burglar was coming would stay alert and not permit the house to be broken into. 44 You also must be ready all the time. For the Son of Man will come when least expected."
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Reference Passage: Revelation 19: 6-8 : [NLT] … { As Christ’s Bride (i.e., the Church), we Christians are to live in preparation for the return of the our Bridegroom (i.e., Christ); and as this passage indicates in Revelation, our preparation is to prepare “our linens,” the Biblical word picture of living with a pure heart and pure motives and making Godly decisions. } … To study this passage … GO TO THIS LINK …
My Journal for Today: I was an Eagle Scout; and I say that, not to brag, but to indicate that the Boy Scout motto, “Be Prepared!,” fits nicely as the title of my journal entry today. It fits because, in this Chapter 24 of Matthew, as well as other parallel passages in the Synoptic Gospels (like in Mark 13 and Luke 21, Jesus tries to give His disciples, especially His inner 12, a prophetic message of preparation for His second return. And perhaps, through the Gospel writers, God was also preparing you and me, as later Christian disciples, for Christ’s triumphant return as well.
Yes, as Jesus prophesied, we are to “be prepared;” but we are NOT to “be predicting” dates when our Bridegroom, the Lord, will return for His Bride, the Church. I’m sure, like me, anyone reading here has heard of crackpot “prophets,” predicting when Jesus would return, even giving dates when it would happen based upon the signs of the times (in their perception). But Jesus very clearly warned for believers – such as His disciples – to avoid being sucked-in to such nonsense. No, Jesus wanted His disciples, i.e., His Church and Bride, to be prepared for Him, as the Bridegroom, to return for His beloved Bride.
And the Lord gave the Disciple John a picture of Christ coming again for His Bride when He instructed all believers in Revelation 19: 6-8, to which I’ve linked you above, in the word picture of a Jewish wedding, to prepare our linens for the return of our Bridegroom. And God’s word clearly tells us what this preparation entails; and that is to live in purity and preparation for Christ’s return. And to me that means that I am to do all I can, in this life, knowing that I’m betrothed as the Bride (i.e, His Church) to my Groom, The Messiah, to prepare my linens of purity and purpose for when He returns for the wedding feast of the Lamb.
For me that means doing all I can to get to know my Groom and make decisions that are pure and Godly in the eyes of my Lord, … Who died for me as my Bridegroom and will return for me one day to consummate our marriage at the wedding feast of the Lamb. And so, … I will do all I can do to BE PREPARED.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, help me to be ready for Your return. Amen
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Matthew, Chapter 24 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passages: Matthew 24: 36-44 : [NLT] … { Jesus tried to help His disciples with instructions which, hopefully, they would remember after He was resurrected and ascended back to His Father. And we – even today – need to use these instructions to BE PREPARED for the return of our Lord when He comes again for His Church – and He will !!! } …
36 “However, no one knows the day or the hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. 37 “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 38 In those days before the Flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. 39 People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the Flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. 40 “Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. 42 So be prepared, because you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43 “Know this: A homeowner who knew exactly when a burglar was coming would stay alert and not permit the house to be broken into. 44 You also must be ready all the time. For the Son of Man will come when least expected."
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Reference Passage: Revelation 19: 6-8 : [NLT] … { As Christ’s Bride (i.e., the Church), we Christians are to live in preparation for the return of the our Bridegroom (i.e., Christ); and as this passage indicates in Revelation, our preparation is to prepare “our linens,” the Biblical word picture of living with a pure heart and pure motives and making Godly decisions. } … To study this passage … GO TO THIS LINK …
My Journal for Today: I was an Eagle Scout; and I say that, not to brag, but to indicate that the Boy Scout motto, “Be Prepared!,” fits nicely as the title of my journal entry today. It fits because, in this Chapter 24 of Matthew, as well as other parallel passages in the Synoptic Gospels (like in Mark 13 and Luke 21, Jesus tries to give His disciples, especially His inner 12, a prophetic message of preparation for His second return. And perhaps, through the Gospel writers, God was also preparing you and me, as later Christian disciples, for Christ’s triumphant return as well.
Yes, as Jesus prophesied, we are to “be prepared;” but we are NOT to “be predicting” dates when our Bridegroom, the Lord, will return for His Bride, the Church. I’m sure, like me, anyone reading here has heard of crackpot “prophets,” predicting when Jesus would return, even giving dates when it would happen based upon the signs of the times (in their perception). But Jesus very clearly warned for believers – such as His disciples – to avoid being sucked-in to such nonsense. No, Jesus wanted His disciples, i.e., His Church and Bride, to be prepared for Him, as the Bridegroom, to return for His beloved Bride.
And the Lord gave the Disciple John a picture of Christ coming again for His Bride when He instructed all believers in Revelation 19: 6-8, to which I’ve linked you above, in the word picture of a Jewish wedding, to prepare our linens for the return of our Bridegroom. And God’s word clearly tells us what this preparation entails; and that is to live in purity and preparation for Christ’s return. And to me that means that I am to do all I can, in this life, knowing that I’m betrothed as the Bride (i.e, His Church) to my Groom, The Messiah, to prepare my linens of purity and purpose for when He returns for the wedding feast of the Lamb.
For me that means doing all I can to get to know my Groom and make decisions that are pure and Godly in the eyes of my Lord, … Who died for me as my Bridegroom and will return for me one day to consummate our marriage at the wedding feast of the Lamb. And so, … I will do all I can do to BE PREPARED.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, help me to be ready for Your return. Amen
Monday, November 05, 2012
November 5, 2012 … Jesus Foretelling of Himself
Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 310
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Mark, Chapters 13 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passages: Mark 13: 1-8 : [NLT] … {Jesus takes some time in Mark 13, as quoted/retold also in other Synoptic Gospel passages, about some prophetic events, apparently trying to help His immediate inner core of Disciples to gain some perspective on their future, especially with the One they had been following now predicting He would die soon and “leave them.” This is the so-called “Olivet Discourse,” having been delivered to His inner core of Disciples on the Mount of Olives. Having been up on that mount, overlooking the City and the Temple (now the Dome of the Rock in Islamic control), one can just imagine the scene of Jesus telling several of His Disciples of the future. The picture above is of a current scene {2009} on the Mount of Olives, close to the Garden of Gethsemane, overlooking the City, very close to where Jesus sat with His Disciples, telling of His future of Jerusalem.} …
1 As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, “Teacher, look at these tremendous buildings! Look at the massive stones in the walls!” 2 Jesus replied, “These magnificent buildings will be so completely demolished that not one stone will be left on top of another.”
3 Later, … Jesus sat on the slopes of the Mount of Olives across the valley from the Temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked him, 4 “When will all this take place? And will there be any sign ahead of time to show us when all this will be fulfilled?” … 5 Jesus replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 6 because many will come in my name, claiming to be the Messiah [or “Yahweh” in Hebrew – “I AM”]. They will lead many astray. 7 And wars will break out near and far, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must come, but the end won’t follow immediately. 8 Nations and kingdoms will proclaim war against each other, and there will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, and famines. But all this will be only the beginning of the horrors to come….”
My Journal for Today: Above is a picture, taken in 2009 from the Mount of Olives, which overlooks the valley across from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. As I took that picture, our Christian guide read from the Olivet Discourse, from the very passage I’ve copied above, which was Jesus telling a few of His inner core of Disciples about the future of Jerusalem and about His coming again … one day in the future … to return from heaven for His Bride, … the Church.
And of course, now, with the perspective of history, we Christians know that Jesus’ prediction of the destruction of the Temple, which was being rebuilt to great scale by Herod in the time of Jesus [see Mark 13: 2] was absolutely true. This may have seemed outlandish to these inner disciples at the time; but Jesus’ prediction back then helps Christians today to see the validity of that one prophesy, giving great credibility to His other eschatological predictions about His second coming.
I hope you don’t think I’m lazy today by only saying that Jesus’ predictions here in the Olivet Discourse, as well as found in parallel passages in Matthew 24 and Luke 21, give believers, like yours truly, great faith, … telling me to stay ready for Jesus’ return.
Friend, it could be today; but even if it’s 10 years from Thursday, as Christ’s Bride, I need to be preparing for the return of my Bridegroom (see Revelation 19: 6-8 at this link ).
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I ready myself for Your return. Amen
Sunday, November 04, 2012
November 4, 2012 … Jesus, Setting Things Straight
Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 309
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Matthew, Chapters 23 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Luke, Chapters 20-21 To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passages: Matthew 23: 11-13; : [NLT] … { Jesus grieved to see the religious leaders, the Rabbis, the Pharisees, and the Jewish political leaders as hypcrites, conning the controlling the people with their religious hypocrisy. Hence His condemnation of their behavior and teaching. }
10 “… And don’t let anyone call you ‘Master,’ for there is only one master, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you must be a servant. 12 But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. 13 “How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you won’t let others enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and you won’t go in yourselves. … [And to all the people] … “39 For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, ‘Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’” [quoting Psalm 118: 26] …
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Highlight Passages: Luke 20: 45-47 : [NLT] … { Being an Elder in our church and a teacher of God’s word, these warnings take on a very personal meaning. }
45 Then, with the crowds listening, He turned to his disciples and said, 46 “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they love to parade in flowing robes and to have everyone bow to them as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and at banquets. 47 But they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property, and then, to cover up the kind of people they really are, they make long prayers in public. Because of this, their punishment will be the greater.”
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Highlight Passages: Luke 21: 5-11 : [NLT] … { Jesus tried to help His disciples (and you and me) prepare ourselves for His second coming by leaving some instructions on those end times. }
5 Some of his disciples began talking about the beautiful stonework of the Temple and the memorial decorations on the walls. But Jesus said, 6 “The time is coming when all these things will be so completely demolished that not one stone will be left on top of another.”
7 “Teacher,” they asked, “when will all this take place? And will there be any sign ahead of time?” 8 He replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you. For many will come in my name, claiming to be the Messiah and saying, ‘the time has come!’ But don’t believe them. 9 And when you hear of wars and insurrections, don’t panic. Yes, these things must come, but the end won’t follow immediately.” 10 Then he added, “Nations and kingdoms will proclaim war against each other. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and epidemics in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs in the heavens.” …
My Journal for Today: There are some important end-times prophesies from Jesus in the last chapter of today’s chronological NT reading segment, i.e., in Luke 21. However, it is from Matthew 23 and Luke 20 about which I’d like to focus my journaling this morning.
In these two chapters there are some parallel and stinging rebukes from Jesus, leveled at the Religious Leaders of His day, about whom Jesus called “hypocrites.” And as I said above (in the bold comment for Luke 10: 45-47), I would be called a “religious leader” in our local body of believers (i.e., Central Church in Collierville, TN – see Central Church website ). And so, when I read through the so-called “seven woes” in Matthew 23, which were directed toward the religious leaders of His day, Jesus is definitely setting some standards for which religious leaders in His day were held accountable; and they are “woes” for which any religious leaders – in any age – should pay attention. In my Parsons Commentary, which I use almost every morning in my Bible study, these seven woes are outlined and referenced; so, let me copy that reference here for any who might be reading this: …
The Seven Woes from Matthew 23 …
23:13 … Not letting others enter the Kingdom of Heaven and not entering yourselves
23:15 … Converting people away from God to be like yourselves
23:16-22 … Blindly leading God’s people to follow man-made traditions instead of God’s Word
23:23, 24 … Involved in details and ignoring what is really important: justice, mercy and faith
23:25, 26 … Keeping up appearances while your private world is corrupt
23:27, 28 …Acting spiritual to cover up sin
23:29, 36 … Pretending to have learned from history, but behavior shows you have learned nothing.
Parsons Commentary: Jesus mentioned seven ways to guarantee God’s anger, often called the “seven woes.” These seven statements about the religious leaders must have been spoken with a mixed tone of judgment and sorrow. They were strong and unforgettable. They are still applicable anytime we become so involved in perfecting the practice or religion that we forget that God is also concerned with mercy, real love, and forgiveness.
Reading this commentary is daunting for yours truly; because I don’t want Jesus to be rebuking my heart and my actual behavior, as well as for any of the leadership of our church … we Elders, preachers, and teachers who provide for and lead our local body of Christian disciples. Jesus’ Commission charges me (from Acts 1: 8) to be Christ’s witness; and the Great Commission (in Matt. 28: 19-20) charges me to “make disciples” in the church’s outreach to the world, “… teaching them to observed everything [Jesus] has commanded [from His word}.” And most certainly I don’t want to be a “hypocrite,” as Jesus was rebuking those leaders in His day.
So, I take the God-leveled instructions from today’s reading segment a bit more personally than I might otherwise. I so want to be one who fulfills the words to the song performed by Steve Green – linked here in a You Tube segment – singing, “… may all who come behind me … Find Us Faithful.”
My Prayer Today: … Lord, as I fulfill the role of Elder and Teacher in Your Kingdom, may I be Your faithful servant. Amen
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Matthew, Chapters 23 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Luke, Chapters 20-21 To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passages: Matthew 23: 11-13; : [NLT] … { Jesus grieved to see the religious leaders, the Rabbis, the Pharisees, and the Jewish political leaders as hypcrites, conning the controlling the people with their religious hypocrisy. Hence His condemnation of their behavior and teaching. }
10 “… And don’t let anyone call you ‘Master,’ for there is only one master, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you must be a servant. 12 But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. 13 “How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you won’t let others enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and you won’t go in yourselves. … [And to all the people] … “39 For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, ‘Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’” [quoting Psalm 118: 26] …
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Highlight Passages: Luke 20: 45-47 : [NLT] … { Being an Elder in our church and a teacher of God’s word, these warnings take on a very personal meaning. }
45 Then, with the crowds listening, He turned to his disciples and said, 46 “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they love to parade in flowing robes and to have everyone bow to them as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and at banquets. 47 But they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property, and then, to cover up the kind of people they really are, they make long prayers in public. Because of this, their punishment will be the greater.”
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Highlight Passages: Luke 21: 5-11 : [NLT] … { Jesus tried to help His disciples (and you and me) prepare ourselves for His second coming by leaving some instructions on those end times. }
5 Some of his disciples began talking about the beautiful stonework of the Temple and the memorial decorations on the walls. But Jesus said, 6 “The time is coming when all these things will be so completely demolished that not one stone will be left on top of another.”
7 “Teacher,” they asked, “when will all this take place? And will there be any sign ahead of time?” 8 He replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you. For many will come in my name, claiming to be the Messiah and saying, ‘the time has come!’ But don’t believe them. 9 And when you hear of wars and insurrections, don’t panic. Yes, these things must come, but the end won’t follow immediately.” 10 Then he added, “Nations and kingdoms will proclaim war against each other. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and epidemics in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs in the heavens.” …
My Journal for Today: There are some important end-times prophesies from Jesus in the last chapter of today’s chronological NT reading segment, i.e., in Luke 21. However, it is from Matthew 23 and Luke 20 about which I’d like to focus my journaling this morning.
In these two chapters there are some parallel and stinging rebukes from Jesus, leveled at the Religious Leaders of His day, about whom Jesus called “hypocrites.” And as I said above (in the bold comment for Luke 10: 45-47), I would be called a “religious leader” in our local body of believers (i.e., Central Church in Collierville, TN – see Central Church website ). And so, when I read through the so-called “seven woes” in Matthew 23, which were directed toward the religious leaders of His day, Jesus is definitely setting some standards for which religious leaders in His day were held accountable; and they are “woes” for which any religious leaders – in any age – should pay attention. In my Parsons Commentary, which I use almost every morning in my Bible study, these seven woes are outlined and referenced; so, let me copy that reference here for any who might be reading this: …
The Seven Woes from Matthew 23 …
23:13 … Not letting others enter the Kingdom of Heaven and not entering yourselves
23:15 … Converting people away from God to be like yourselves
23:16-22 … Blindly leading God’s people to follow man-made traditions instead of God’s Word
23:23, 24 … Involved in details and ignoring what is really important: justice, mercy and faith
23:25, 26 … Keeping up appearances while your private world is corrupt
23:27, 28 …Acting spiritual to cover up sin
23:29, 36 … Pretending to have learned from history, but behavior shows you have learned nothing.
Parsons Commentary: Jesus mentioned seven ways to guarantee God’s anger, often called the “seven woes.” These seven statements about the religious leaders must have been spoken with a mixed tone of judgment and sorrow. They were strong and unforgettable. They are still applicable anytime we become so involved in perfecting the practice or religion that we forget that God is also concerned with mercy, real love, and forgiveness.
Reading this commentary is daunting for yours truly; because I don’t want Jesus to be rebuking my heart and my actual behavior, as well as for any of the leadership of our church … we Elders, preachers, and teachers who provide for and lead our local body of Christian disciples. Jesus’ Commission charges me (from Acts 1: 8) to be Christ’s witness; and the Great Commission (in Matt. 28: 19-20) charges me to “make disciples” in the church’s outreach to the world, “… teaching them to observed everything [Jesus] has commanded [from His word}.” And most certainly I don’t want to be a “hypocrite,” as Jesus was rebuking those leaders in His day.
So, I take the God-leveled instructions from today’s reading segment a bit more personally than I might otherwise. I so want to be one who fulfills the words to the song performed by Steve Green – linked here in a You Tube segment – singing, “… may all who come behind me … Find Us Faithful.”
My Prayer Today: … Lord, as I fulfill the role of Elder and Teacher in Your Kingdom, may I be Your faithful servant. Amen
Saturday, November 03, 2012
November 3, 2012 … Majoring on the Majors
Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 308
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Matthew, Chapters 22 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Mark, Chapters 12 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passages: Matthew 22: 34-40 : [NLT] … { If we’re looking to major on the majors, Jesus summarizes that for the Pharisees here. } 34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they thought up a fresh question of their own to ask him. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “‘{You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ {Deut. 6: 4-5} 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ {Lev. 19: 18} 40 All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” …
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Highlight Passages: Mark 12: 28-31 : [NLT] … { The two all consuming “laws” were summarized and stated clearly by Jesus for the Pharisees, who were consumed with majoring on the minors with trying to carry out the 600+ laws they had created to carry out God’s Law. } 28 One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the discussion. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” 32 The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. 33 And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbors as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.” 34 Realizing this man’s understanding, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.
My Journal for Today: I once heard a preacher exhort his congregation by saying, “We Christians have a tendency to major on the minors rather than majoring on the majors;” and I believe that truly is a very human tendency. And most certainly the Pharisees in Jesus’ day were famous for majoring on the minors … especially with all the religious rules and traditions they had created to control the people and get them to follow the religiosity of the Pharisees rather than live up to the heart and essence of God’s Law.
Not too long ago in one of my journal entries, I referred any readers to the wonderful opening scene from the musical, Fiddler on the Roof to which I’ll link you here again, and which depicts so wonderfully how religious Jews have had a tendency to let the minor things of TRADITION dominant their lives, rather than living out the heart of God’s Law … which was LOVE.
I really don’t need to go into depth with my journal entry here today; because Jesus went to the very depth and heart of God’s Law of Love by giving the Pharisees the essence of how we are to live as believers in God and followers of His Law. But the Pharisees didn’t get it. Oh, one of them came close [in Mark 12: 34] to understanding; but most of these religious leaders were more interested in holding political control over the people rather than living according to the heart of God’s Law of Love.
Today, we need to ask ourselves, “Are we living according to man-made TRADITIONS, i.e., the minors; or are we majoring on God’s majors … i.e., His Law of Love?”
My Prayer Today: … Oh, my Lord, help me to major on YOUR MAJORS and avoid my own self-conceived minors Amen
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Matthew, Chapters 22 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Mark, Chapters 12 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passages: Matthew 22: 34-40 : [NLT] … { If we’re looking to major on the majors, Jesus summarizes that for the Pharisees here. } 34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they thought up a fresh question of their own to ask him. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “‘{You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ {Deut. 6: 4-5} 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ {Lev. 19: 18} 40 All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” …
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Highlight Passages: Mark 12: 28-31 : [NLT] … { The two all consuming “laws” were summarized and stated clearly by Jesus for the Pharisees, who were consumed with majoring on the minors with trying to carry out the 600+ laws they had created to carry out God’s Law. } 28 One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the discussion. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” 32 The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. 33 And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbors as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.” 34 Realizing this man’s understanding, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.
My Journal for Today: I once heard a preacher exhort his congregation by saying, “We Christians have a tendency to major on the minors rather than majoring on the majors;” and I believe that truly is a very human tendency. And most certainly the Pharisees in Jesus’ day were famous for majoring on the minors … especially with all the religious rules and traditions they had created to control the people and get them to follow the religiosity of the Pharisees rather than live up to the heart and essence of God’s Law.
Not too long ago in one of my journal entries, I referred any readers to the wonderful opening scene from the musical, Fiddler on the Roof to which I’ll link you here again, and which depicts so wonderfully how religious Jews have had a tendency to let the minor things of TRADITION dominant their lives, rather than living out the heart of God’s Law … which was LOVE.
I really don’t need to go into depth with my journal entry here today; because Jesus went to the very depth and heart of God’s Law of Love by giving the Pharisees the essence of how we are to live as believers in God and followers of His Law. But the Pharisees didn’t get it. Oh, one of them came close [in Mark 12: 34] to understanding; but most of these religious leaders were more interested in holding political control over the people rather than living according to the heart of God’s Law of Love.
Today, we need to ask ourselves, “Are we living according to man-made TRADITIONS, i.e., the minors; or are we majoring on God’s majors … i.e., His Law of Love?”
My Prayer Today: … Oh, my Lord, help me to major on YOUR MAJORS and avoid my own self-conceived minors Amen
Friday, November 02, 2012
November 2, 2012 … Believe and Be Saved!!
Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 307
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Mark, Chapters 11 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: John, Chapters 12 To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passages: Mark 11: 27-28 : [NLT] … {In Mark 11, Jesus enters Jerusalem triumphantly and begins to head down the final stretch of His ministry on earth; but He has angered the city officials, clearing the Temple of merchants for the second time; and He had the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin all upset, claiming that He is the prophesied “Son of Man” and The Messiah.} ... 27 By this time they [i.e., the religious leaders] had arrived in Jerusalem again. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders came up to him. They demanded, 28“By whose authority did you drive out the merchants from the Temple? Who gave you such authority?” …
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Highlight Passages: John 12: 37-43 : [NLT] … {John, in Chapter 12 in the following passage, writes a segment of prophetic explanation about the people seeing all the miracles Jesus performed and still being unwilling to believe (i.e., trust and surrender to Him as Messiah). This was all a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesies over 700 years before Christ. } ... 37 But despite all the miraculous signs He had done, most of the people did not believe in Him. 38 This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted: “Lord, who has believed our message? To whom will the Lord reveal his saving power?” [Fulfillment of Is. 53: 1]
39 But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said, 40“The Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts—so their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.” [Fulfillment of Is. 6: 10]
41 Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he made this prediction, because he was given a vision of the Messiah’s glory. 42 Many people, including some of the Jewish leaders, believed in him. But they wouldn’t admit it to anyone because of their fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. 43 For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.
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Reference Passage: Romans 1: 28-29 : [NLT] … { When mankind cannot believe in God (i.e., the trusting/clinging type of belief required for salvation) in spite of ample evidence in creation and/or history, God will give them over to their own selfish desires and choices. } 28 When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done. 29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.
My Journal for Today: In reading through these two chapters of the Gospels according to Mark and John, I couldn’t help but reflect personally on how easy it was during my college years to drift away from my childhood moorings in Christianity, refusing to believe in Christ as Whom He claimed to be. Really, I was like those in Jesus’ day, hearing the truth of Jesus as they even saw His wondrous miracles first-hand; and still they couldn’t believe. I was like the hearts of mankind, written about by Paul in Romans 1. God won’t force mankind to believe in Him; and if they (we) choose to refuse to believe – in spite of the evidence of Jesus’ divinity – He simply turns them (us) over to their (our) own hearts. And that, of course, is the heart written about in God’s word in Jeremiah 17: 9, linked for your reading here.
For many years in my life, even having studied the New Testament in a course in college, I simply refused to look at the evidence for Jesus being the God-Man. And my heart was set, as described in Jer. 17:9 and Romans 1: 18-32 [also linked], on my own selfish desires/pleasures; and God let me spiral downhill into my own tarpit of sin … until finally I bottomed out and could only look up and see God, in Christ, for Whom He really was and is. And I finally came to that place where, as did the disciples of Christ in His day, I couldn’t deny Jesus; and I believed. And when I did, He saved me and brought me to Himself. And so, pardon me as I take a moment to say …
HALLELUJAH!!! … Thank you for allowing me that moment of thankfulness.
But it’s so easy for anyone to let their own sinful heart blind them to the truth. And it’s not until anyone – prayerfully any reader here – can come to the end of self and BELIEVE – totally and utterly in surrender – in Jesus as The Christ. Only then can Jesus cover them [you] with the blood He shed on the cross, … about which I’ll be reading very soon in my chronological read through the New Testament.
So, let me stop here and pray that you – anyone who’s reading along with me hee – have surrendered your life, in faith and clinging belief, to Christ as Your Savior … AND LORD. Because, until you do, God is going to allow you (as Paul wrote about in Romans 1) to believe in yourself, which will lead only to a selfish slide into hell.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I pray that anyone reading my words today believes totally in You as Messiah and will join me in heaven – WITH YOU – forever. Amen
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Mark, Chapters 11 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: John, Chapters 12 To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passages: Mark 11: 27-28 : [NLT] … {In Mark 11, Jesus enters Jerusalem triumphantly and begins to head down the final stretch of His ministry on earth; but He has angered the city officials, clearing the Temple of merchants for the second time; and He had the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin all upset, claiming that He is the prophesied “Son of Man” and The Messiah.} ... 27 By this time they [i.e., the religious leaders] had arrived in Jerusalem again. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders came up to him. They demanded, 28“By whose authority did you drive out the merchants from the Temple? Who gave you such authority?” …
============
Highlight Passages: John 12: 37-43 : [NLT] … {John, in Chapter 12 in the following passage, writes a segment of prophetic explanation about the people seeing all the miracles Jesus performed and still being unwilling to believe (i.e., trust and surrender to Him as Messiah). This was all a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesies over 700 years before Christ. } ... 37 But despite all the miraculous signs He had done, most of the people did not believe in Him. 38 This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted: “Lord, who has believed our message? To whom will the Lord reveal his saving power?” [Fulfillment of Is. 53: 1]
39 But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said, 40“The Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts—so their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.” [Fulfillment of Is. 6: 10]
41 Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he made this prediction, because he was given a vision of the Messiah’s glory. 42 Many people, including some of the Jewish leaders, believed in him. But they wouldn’t admit it to anyone because of their fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. 43 For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.
===========
Reference Passage: Romans 1: 28-29 : [NLT] … { When mankind cannot believe in God (i.e., the trusting/clinging type of belief required for salvation) in spite of ample evidence in creation and/or history, God will give them over to their own selfish desires and choices. } 28 When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done. 29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.
My Journal for Today: In reading through these two chapters of the Gospels according to Mark and John, I couldn’t help but reflect personally on how easy it was during my college years to drift away from my childhood moorings in Christianity, refusing to believe in Christ as Whom He claimed to be. Really, I was like those in Jesus’ day, hearing the truth of Jesus as they even saw His wondrous miracles first-hand; and still they couldn’t believe. I was like the hearts of mankind, written about by Paul in Romans 1. God won’t force mankind to believe in Him; and if they (we) choose to refuse to believe – in spite of the evidence of Jesus’ divinity – He simply turns them (us) over to their (our) own hearts. And that, of course, is the heart written about in God’s word in Jeremiah 17: 9, linked for your reading here.
For many years in my life, even having studied the New Testament in a course in college, I simply refused to look at the evidence for Jesus being the God-Man. And my heart was set, as described in Jer. 17:9 and Romans 1: 18-32 [also linked], on my own selfish desires/pleasures; and God let me spiral downhill into my own tarpit of sin … until finally I bottomed out and could only look up and see God, in Christ, for Whom He really was and is. And I finally came to that place where, as did the disciples of Christ in His day, I couldn’t deny Jesus; and I believed. And when I did, He saved me and brought me to Himself. And so, pardon me as I take a moment to say …
HALLELUJAH!!! … Thank you for allowing me that moment of thankfulness.
But it’s so easy for anyone to let their own sinful heart blind them to the truth. And it’s not until anyone – prayerfully any reader here – can come to the end of self and BELIEVE – totally and utterly in surrender – in Jesus as The Christ. Only then can Jesus cover them [you] with the blood He shed on the cross, … about which I’ll be reading very soon in my chronological read through the New Testament.
So, let me stop here and pray that you – anyone who’s reading along with me hee – have surrendered your life, in faith and clinging belief, to Christ as Your Savior … AND LORD. Because, until you do, God is going to allow you (as Paul wrote about in Romans 1) to believe in yourself, which will lead only to a selfish slide into hell.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I pray that anyone reading my words today believes totally in You as Messiah and will join me in heaven – WITH YOU – forever. Amen
Thursday, November 01, 2012
Nov 1, 2012 … Up A Tree, Seeking Jesus
Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 306
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Luke, Chapters 19 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passages: Luke 19: 1-5 : [NLT] … { From Luke 19: 1-10 is a story about Jesus’ love for sinners found only in Luke’s gospel account, … the story of Zacchaeus, the corrupt tax-collector, who had to climb a tree to seek out and see Jesus as He came into Jericho where Zacchaeus lived.} ...
1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was one of the most influential Jews in the Roman tax-collecting business, and he had become very rich. 3He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowds. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree beside the road, so he could watch from there. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! For I must be a guest in your home today.” …
My Journal for Today: Today, this first day of November, I’m into the 19th Chapter of Luke; and there are several accounts about Jesus in this chapter which are worthy of journaling, … such as the parable of The Ten Servants and Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem where He wept over the city prior to entry. Oh yeah, … and there is the story about how Jesus cleared the Temple of wicked merchants for the second time. Any and all of those accounts are meat for anyone’s meditation and journaling.
However, at the outset of Luke 19 is a story found only in Luke’s gospel account; and it’s a story which has personal appeal to me from a few angles. And you probably know this is the story of the hated tax collector, Zacchaeus, who, when Jesus came into this sinner-man’s home town of Jericho before going to Jerusalem and to the cross, Zacchaeus had to climb up a Sycamore tree to seek out and see this Man people were touting as “The Messiah.”
Above, you see a picture which I took from our tour bus as we entered Jericho in 2009, touring that area of the Holy Land; and to the right in the picture you see a large Sycamore tree which archeological botanists are certain is the very tree Zacchaeus scaled to see Jesus. First of all, the tree is well over 2000 years old; and it’s on the only street (which was the only road into Jericho at the time of Jesus). And finally, it’s the only Sycamore tree in the area. Yes, it is possible that there might have been another sycamore tree along that road in Jesus’ time; but it’s interesting to see this one-and-only ancient sycamore tree is still living today along the only road Jesus would have used to enter Jericho on that day the Lord encountered the little sinner who shinnied up a tree to see Jesus.
But beyond having seen this tree in Jericho, the story is personal to me because I so identify with Zacchaeus. At one time in my life I was a lost sinner like Zacchaeus, deeply embroiled in a life-style of sinful living which was deserving only of death; and like Zacchaeus, Jesus walked into my life one day; and He stopped to have a personal encounter with me. And also like the little tax collector, Jesus didn’t see the hateful sin in my life, He loved me enough to stop on that day in April 13th of 1983 and call me down out of my tree (i.e., my lifestyle of sinfulness). And like Zacchaeus on that day after he dined with Jesus, by letting Jesus into our lives, neither Zacchaeus or Bill Berry would ever be the same.
Because, like Zacchaeus, I repented of my sin; and after coming down out of my tree in 1983, I began to pursue righteousness and a relationship with Christ. The little tax collector, after inviting Jesus into his life, began to make decisions to make His life right in the eyes of The Lord; and that was happened to this short sinner after my encounter with the Lord in 1983.
People are never the same after they pursue Jesus and He finds them and calls them down out their own tree of sinfulness. We simply cannot live the same lifestyle that we lived before we found Jesus. When we find His love for even the worst sinners; and we encounter His saving grace, like Zacchaeus, we change. I don’t know whether you were one, like Zacchaeus or Bill Berry, who climbed a tree in life to seek out the saving grace of Jesus as The Christ. But if you are, you are living a different kind of life now, after Jesus invited you to come down out of the tree and dine with Him (see Revelation 3: 20 - linked here ).
My Prayer Today: … Lord, thank You for calling me out of my tree of sin. Amen
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Luke, Chapters 19 To study these chapters, go to this link -
============
Highlight Passages: Luke 19: 1-5 : [NLT] … { From Luke 19: 1-10 is a story about Jesus’ love for sinners found only in Luke’s gospel account, … the story of Zacchaeus, the corrupt tax-collector, who had to climb a tree to seek out and see Jesus as He came into Jericho where Zacchaeus lived.} ...
1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was one of the most influential Jews in the Roman tax-collecting business, and he had become very rich. 3He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowds. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree beside the road, so he could watch from there. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! For I must be a guest in your home today.” …
My Journal for Today: Today, this first day of November, I’m into the 19th Chapter of Luke; and there are several accounts about Jesus in this chapter which are worthy of journaling, … such as the parable of The Ten Servants and Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem where He wept over the city prior to entry. Oh yeah, … and there is the story about how Jesus cleared the Temple of wicked merchants for the second time. Any and all of those accounts are meat for anyone’s meditation and journaling.
However, at the outset of Luke 19 is a story found only in Luke’s gospel account; and it’s a story which has personal appeal to me from a few angles. And you probably know this is the story of the hated tax collector, Zacchaeus, who, when Jesus came into this sinner-man’s home town of Jericho before going to Jerusalem and to the cross, Zacchaeus had to climb up a Sycamore tree to seek out and see this Man people were touting as “The Messiah.”
Above, you see a picture which I took from our tour bus as we entered Jericho in 2009, touring that area of the Holy Land; and to the right in the picture you see a large Sycamore tree which archeological botanists are certain is the very tree Zacchaeus scaled to see Jesus. First of all, the tree is well over 2000 years old; and it’s on the only street (which was the only road into Jericho at the time of Jesus). And finally, it’s the only Sycamore tree in the area. Yes, it is possible that there might have been another sycamore tree along that road in Jesus’ time; but it’s interesting to see this one-and-only ancient sycamore tree is still living today along the only road Jesus would have used to enter Jericho on that day the Lord encountered the little sinner who shinnied up a tree to see Jesus.
But beyond having seen this tree in Jericho, the story is personal to me because I so identify with Zacchaeus. At one time in my life I was a lost sinner like Zacchaeus, deeply embroiled in a life-style of sinful living which was deserving only of death; and like Zacchaeus, Jesus walked into my life one day; and He stopped to have a personal encounter with me. And also like the little tax collector, Jesus didn’t see the hateful sin in my life, He loved me enough to stop on that day in April 13th of 1983 and call me down out of my tree (i.e., my lifestyle of sinfulness). And like Zacchaeus on that day after he dined with Jesus, by letting Jesus into our lives, neither Zacchaeus or Bill Berry would ever be the same.
Because, like Zacchaeus, I repented of my sin; and after coming down out of my tree in 1983, I began to pursue righteousness and a relationship with Christ. The little tax collector, after inviting Jesus into his life, began to make decisions to make His life right in the eyes of The Lord; and that was happened to this short sinner after my encounter with the Lord in 1983.
People are never the same after they pursue Jesus and He finds them and calls them down out their own tree of sinfulness. We simply cannot live the same lifestyle that we lived before we found Jesus. When we find His love for even the worst sinners; and we encounter His saving grace, like Zacchaeus, we change. I don’t know whether you were one, like Zacchaeus or Bill Berry, who climbed a tree in life to seek out the saving grace of Jesus as The Christ. But if you are, you are living a different kind of life now, after Jesus invited you to come down out of the tree and dine with Him (see Revelation 3: 20 - linked here ).
My Prayer Today: … Lord, thank You for calling me out of my tree of sin. Amen
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