Day 36

Jn. 15-18

John 15:8 - "By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples."

I need to take a look at my life. No fruit means not abiding in Him and not glorifying Him. But check. Am I even in season?

John 16:7 - "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you."

We complain that we cannot see God, that we do not have the advantage the disciples had in having Jesus in His fleshly form. But look! We are the ones with the advantage.

Catch-up:

Ps. 125; Mt. 26

Day 35

I do devotions. Look at me go.

Jn. 9-11

John 9:25 - "He therefore answered, 'Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.'"

Sometimes experience is not such a bad thing to base faith on. Would this man ever have believed had he not been healed? We'll never know. But Jesus didn't do signs and wonders for fun, but to bring hope and faith and glory to God. This man knew he would be thrown out of the synagogue and society for such a statement, but the evidence of his healing compelled him. It is not so bad to ask for miracles.

John 11:35 - "Jesus wept."

Not quaint, not funny. He was real. He had a heart and emotions and compassion. His friend died and He mourned with everyone else, even while knowing He was about to raise Lazarus. This makes me believe that even knowing the good that will come of hard situations, He feels my pain with me. He may not be rocked by emotions or situations, but He is a relational, living God.

Catch-up:

Mt. 4

Matthew 4:17 - "From that time Jesus began to preach and say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"

These were Jesus' first words that He taught. He did not ask them to love or say that He loved or anything of the sort...He told them to repent. He asked for them to turn from themselves and the world so that they were facing Him with open hearts.

Day 34

I have been the worst. But hello! Christmas break. It'll happen.

And even if I mess up, I will not get down on myself for it.

The end.

Jn. 7, 8

John 7:18 - "He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him."

Jesus sought the Father's glory in all actions and deeds. If there be any selfish way in me then it is for my own glory, even if the words are true and noble; it is the heart behind them that counts.

John 7:30 - "They were seeking therefore to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come."

God's perfect provision and timing are so evident here. Jesus went up to a festival He knew He shouldn't be at because they were seeking to kill Him and there were lots of men there who were angry enough to kill Him for His teachings, yet they could do nothing because His time had not yet come. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that is not just a figure of speech.

John 8:11 - "And she said, 'No one, Lord.' And Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on sin no more.'"

This passage touches me so much it's unbelievable. Things to notice:

1. She did not ask forgiveness. She did not beg from what we can see, she only awaited judgment knowing she was in the wrong.
2. So many people put stock in what He wrote in the sand that we will never know, but most important are His words. It says that they heard Him and left. Heard.
3. He simply told her to go on and stop sinning. There was no condemnation or guilt trips or probationary periods. He wanted her heart to change.

He forgives, then forgets. What a God.

Catch-up:

Mt. 3

Day 41 - March 22/09

John

This has actually taken the last few days while I was gone on retreat. What I love so much about John is the eloquent way he presents everything about Jesus. He does not seem rushed to fill every page of every book about everything Jesus ever did, but rather to put out the knowledge that there is a Saviour and He has come.

Every time I read John, I am once again astounded by its difference from the rest of the Gospels. Rather than facts or events or specifics, he is concerned with recording Jesus' words, because to him they seemed to be the most important.

I fall short of how God wants me to live every day. I read the story of Jesus, how amazing He was, and I am blown away...yet I can't seem to turn that into more positive life change. I think I'm in a rut that only He can pull me out of.

God, I want to draw closer to you. I don't know how to pin down what it is that's holding me back, or how to let go of those things, but I know that You're the only answer. Help me to take these words and take them to heart. I don't want to lose them in the mess of everything else.
Amen.