47th Week, John Chapters 4-8 (Click on Title for Video Intro)

 Click on title for Video Introduction

Monday, John Chapter 4

John 4

Verse 10

Delores Little

September 20,2010

Verse 10:   Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

THOUGHT

This chapter talks about the Samaritan woman at the well and how the official’s son is healed by Jesus.  I will share about the woman at the well.

The disciples went into town to get food and Jesus stayed at the well.  The Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?”  She, I believe, was really surprised as the Jews had no dealing with the Samaritans.  Then Jesus begins to talk about the living water.  Verse 10… “Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.’”  

Now she was getting water from Jacob’s well, and she wanted to know where to get living water.  Verse 13… “Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’”

Have you ever felt like you were thirsty but not for water and felt puzzled by it?  I really feel this is God calling us into His might Word which is our water (the Holy Spirit) and that we need to be filled with His Word to really get the spiritual water we need every day.

We may not see God in person, but He is right here with us every day, feeding us with His Holy Word.  Even though this woman was a sinner, Jesus forgave her of her sins.  She believed Him and left spreading the news to all the people in her town.  The news of Jesus’ wonderful stories continued to spread.

PRAYER

Father, how we praise and thank You for Your wonderful Word You give us each day.  Thank You for the workers who are out there spreading the message of Jesus.  Help them to do it by Your Holy Spirit.  Bless the Salt Shakers and answer their prayers, Lord Jesus.  Forgive us where we fall short every day and let us be the lights around the world for You.  Comfort ones who have lost family.  Please provide jobs for those who need them and guide us daily.  In Jesus Name we pray.  Amen.

Tuesday, John Chapter 5

John 5

Verses 11, 14

Jane Jones

September 21,2010

Verses 11, 14: (11) But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”  (14) Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again.  Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”

THOUGHT

In this chapter Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews.  At this feast Jesus saw a man who hadn’t walked for 38 years.  This man’s problem had become a way of life.  No one had ever helped him.  He had no hope of ever being healed and no desire to help himself.  His life looked hopeless, but no matter how trapped you feel in your infirmities, God can minister to your deepest needs.  God reached out to this man and told him to “Pick up your mat and walk.” 

This was a great miracle.  But he needed an even greater miracle – to have his sins forgiven.  The man was delighted to be physically healed, but he had to turn from his sins and seek God’s forgiveness to be spiritually healed.   So, God told him in verse 14, “See, you are well again.  Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”  Let this story be a lesson to all of us.  God’s forgiveness is the greatest gift you will ever receive.  Don’t neglect His gracious offer.  

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, forgive us if we try to bring any other teachings except Yours into our lives. May we first look to seek forgiveness from You. Help us to be true to Your way every day.  You know the prayers of every one out there, and we ask You to answer them in Your way and time.  Like the song, “Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord”, let us do that every day.  Let us see, speak, and live the way You would have us live for You above all else.  We thank and praise You for ups and downs and what we learn from them.  We give You this day and every day to live Your Way.  In Jesus Name we pray.  AMEN

Wednesday,  John Chapter 6

John 6

Verse 11

Delores Little

September 23, 2010

Verse 11: “Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.”

THOUGHT

In this chapter we have Jesus feeding the people from the boy with the five small barley loaves and the two small fish.  The men alone counted 5,000.  This did not include the women and children.  Jesus gave thanks, and the food was passed around to everyone.  There were even 13 baskets of food scraps left over which was gathered up after everyone ate.

I had a pastor years ago who didn’t believe the feeding of the 5,000 story.  He said when the boy took his food out, the other people had also brought their own and ate.  He could not believe this was a miracle.  How sad was that!  It says that in verse 14, “After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, ‘Surely this is the Prophet who was to come into the world.’”  What does Jesus do?  Verse 15 tell us, “Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” 

The disciples went down to the lake and got into a boat to go to Capernaum. A storm hit, and they saw Jesus walk on the water and were terrified.  But He said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.”  They got Him into the boat, and it was immediately at shore.  The people who saw it on the other side came over the next day, and they knew Jesus had not gotten into the boat with His disciples.  They wondered how He got over there.  Jesus then began to teach them lessons through the rest of the chapter.  

Jesus shared with us again in this chapter how He is the living bread and also water.  There is so much in this chapter to understand through the teaching of Jesus.  We can only learn by reading the Bible every day, and every day something new will come out of it to you.  

This truly is my spiritual food and drink every day.  I need it more than anything to get my day going for me.  I use to put God on a shelf as I didn’t think He was working fast enough in my life.  Yes, I failed God many times; but He has not left or forsaken me, and I am so thankful for that.  We need to die to self and live for Christ every day of our lives.

PRAYER

Father, we thank You for Your Holy Word and what You are trying to get through to our hearts, minds, and souls.  Forgive us and give us teachable Spirits to listen to what You want of us each day.  Just one day at a time.  Heal the ill; restore broken marriages, and bless the new couples who are getting married.  Bring in Godly mates for the ones who need them.  Bring jobs in for people who are looking for jobs.  We praise and thank God for sending Jesus into our lives and drawing us to Him.  May the whole world hear the good news and come to the Lord Jesus.  In Jesus Name we pray.  AMEN

Thursday, John Chapter 7

John 7

Verse 38

Jane Jones

September 26,2010

Verse 38: “Whoever believes in me; as the Scriptures has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”

THOUGHT

Some of us are troubled, wondering why the Holy Spirit doesn’t fill us.  The problem is that we have plenty coming in, but we are not giving out to others.  If you will give the blessing you have received, planning your life around great service and being a blessing to those around you, then you will quickly find that the Holy Spirit is with you.  He will bestow blessings to you for service, giving you all He can trust you with to give away to others.

No music is as heavenly as that made by the harp.  We can kind of parallel it to our thought for this day.  The harp is nothing but a wooden box with strings arranged in harmony, waiting to be touched.  As the breath of heaven floats over the strings, notes that are nearly divine float upon the air, as if a choir of angels were touching the strings.

In the same way, we must keep our hearts open to the touch of the Holy Spirit that He may play them as He chooses while we quietly wait on the pathway of His Service.  Our actions and words must flow from us.  

Life is a key theme in John’s gospel; he uses the word nearly fifty times.  In this passage Jesus gives us living water or the water of life.  May we pass it on to one another.

PRAYER

Father, The Anointed One, praise You for the Holy Spirit who has led us through Your Word.  We have abided in the Word so hence – we have abided in Jesus Christ.  May You help us be like living water flowing from our bodies with our words, thoughts, and actions.  Thank You for the gift of eternal life and salvation. Keep us all working hard at our jobs and being good moms, wives, dads, and husbands.  We adore You, Father God.  AMEN

Friday, John Chapter 8

John 8

Verses 31-32

Jeanie Boldt

September 28,2010

Verses 31-32:  “Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”

THOUGHT

A little lie, cheating, hurting by a harmful act, not following the Lord’s way, going when we knew we should stay, staying when we knew we should go, making up a story when the truth is too hard.  I am sure we have all heard of these small sins and have even been a part of the roll play.  Do you remember when one lie led to another and so on.  We feel trapped and imprisoned.  Our freedom has disappeared.

By knowing Jesus, we know the truth that sets us free.  He is the perfect standard and the perfect example.  He frees us from Satan and sin.  He shows us clearly the way to eternal salvation.  Jesus does not give us freedom to do what we want, but freedom to follow God.  As we seek to serve God, Jesus’ perfect truth frees us to be all that God meant us to be.

This verse has a very special meaning to me.  (I hardly ever dream. That is why this means so much to me.)  When I was about to marry Rory, I had a dream that my former husband came to the door and wanted me back with him in our marriage.  I shared with him in the dream that I still cared about him but did not love him any more in that way.  I told him I loved Rory as a friend, as a spiritual partner, and someone who truly wanted me and thought I was a very special and important lady.  After saying these things, Harry turned in my dream and walked off the porch and went on his way.  I asked Pastor Leroy, who studies dreams, what it meant.  It concerned me for I was ready to enter into marriage with Rory.  Pastor Leroy said, “You spoke the truth, and the truth set you free to marry Rory.”  It seemed so right and so were the plans of the Lord.

The Lord’s Word speaks truth.  To know the Word is to know God.  Praise God that we can say that when we meet Him and give Him a bow, a hug, a praise song or our facial expression of awesomeness, “As a Salt Shaker I have read Your Book of truth all the way through.  Thank You for the truth and the life You gave us through Your Son that has set me free.”

PRAYER

Our God, The Anointed One, all praise and honor and glory go to You this day.  You made it so easy.  We make it so hard by following Satan at times and believing him more than we believe You.  Please forgive us and help us concentrate on what is noble, what is true, what is pure, what is right, what is admirable, what is lovely.  Please help us to concentrate on what is excellent and praiseworthy remembering the words Jesus spoke and the actions He did, and low THE TRUTH WILL KEEP US FREE.  We owe You, Powerful One, for that gift. AMEN