49th Week John Chapters 13-17

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Monday, John Chapter 13

John 13

Verse 7

Mindy Strayer

October 13, 2010

Verse 7: “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

THOUGHT

I found this statement by Jesus to be very reassuring.  It’s the kind of statement from God that is very helpful when we find ourselves in the middle of tough times.  We may need to read it again and again in order to allow the Word of God to bring us comfort, peace, and reassurance that through all the mess, God is in charge.

So, in order to elaborate on this, I will place two scenarios out there:

1) All of us have had things that we have asked God for in prayer only to have nothing transpire.

2) All of us have had something happen to us or someone we love that isn’t fair and doesn’t seem to make sense causing us to want to ask the question, “Why God?”.

Now, along with those scenarios, we have all seen God withhold specific answer to prayer only to have Him later provide an even greater, better for us, bigger blessing/answer than what we had originally hoped for.  And there are those huge struggles and trials that we go through in this life that at the time are so painful we cannot see ourselves coming out on top or even just better for experiencing them.  In those times, it is very difficult to see God at work for our good in those times.  But, after the dust has settled and life plays itself out within God’s perfect will, we start to see God and understand.  

I guess I will call it delayed understanding or a delayed realization of what God is accomplishing.  God has to get us to a point where we will be able to see Him.  It takes time.  Life’s distractions have a way of turning our focus away from God, preventing us from being able to spiritually see instead of just physically seeing.

Spiritual site has so much more depth.  It is like we weren’t born with 20/20 spiritual vision.  It has to develop.  All the while, everything we go through, good and bad, there is an opportunity for us to know and experience the love of God.  Over time, as we pour our hearts out to the Lord and then listen to what He has to say, an awesome relationship develops between us.  And in this, God will satisfy that deep longing in our hearts that wants to know our Lord and the fullness of His love.

PRAYER

Lord, we just thank You for giving us life.  We trust You, Jesus, when You say, “I have come that you may have life and have it in abundance.”  We know that as humans we are limited in our ability to comprehend all Your ways, Lord.  But we trust You, that even though we don’t always understand the point of what we may be experiencing in the moment, You will work it out for good because we love You and You love us.  You will help us understand in Your perfect timing.  Thank You for Your Spoken Word that declares this to our heart.  AMEN

Tuesday, John Chapter 14

John 14

Verse 3

Mindy Strayer

October 15, 2010

John 3: “And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

THOUGHT

What was John’s purpose in writing the gospel of John? My Life Application Bible states at the beginning that the purpose of this book is to prove conclusively that Jesus is the Son of God and that all who believe in Him will have eternal life.  So, in the verse I chose, Jesus is telling the disciples about His Father’s house, which is heaven.  And He tells them that there is a ton of rooms in heaven, and that He (Jesus) is preparing a special place for them so that they too will live in heaven.  He tells them that they know the way to heaven, but Thomas says that he doesn’t know the way.  

And here is the big statement by Jesus, “I am the way the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father (heaven/eternal life) except through me.”  So, there it is, the way to eternal life is through Jesus… by trusting Him to save us from sin and rebellion and by living a life of knowing, loving, and serving Him.

We as Christians know this already because God has revealed it to our hearts; and we have accepted it.  If someone were to ask me the question, “What will happen to you when you die?” I have a secure can’t-shake-me answer.  No one will be able to change my mind.  But for so many people in the world, they do not have a definitive secure answer.  Their answers just lead to more questions.  

A- “Well, I’ll just cease to exist.”  There are so many questions that I have for that one, one of them being what really is the point of anything I do here on earth if nothing is of lasting value in the end?

A- “Well, if I have been a decent, good person, I will go to heaven.”  “Well, I’ll just be in a better place.”  Then there are those that plain down just don’t give any real thought into the question, perhaps until their own death nearly approaches the end.  That would probably be me if I weren’t already a Christian, because I tend too take the stance of ignorance is easiest so I just won’t think about it.  

What if we were to ask people the simple question, “What do you think happens to a person after they die?”  If and when the person decided to actually share their answer, the next question would be “How sure are you of this?”  Like, are you so sure that you would bet you own life that you are right?  I doubt many if any would say that yes, they would bet their own life.  But ask a Christian if they would bet their own life that they were right.  Our faith in Jesus Christ allows us to say, “Yes, I would bet my own life.”  We ALL die.  And something does happen to us when that happens.  I am so grateful that Jesus told me about eternal life through Him, and not just eternal life mind you.  It is eternal life without pain, suffering, worrying or loss of any kind, only peace, joy, love, and acceptance.  This is a true and secure answer that everyone has thought of at some point in their lives.  What an awesome piece of knowledge and truth we have to be able to share with the world one person at a time.  This definitely needs to be a part of our strategy to win people to Christ.

PRAYER

Lord, thank You for the truth and securement that Jesus brings.  Without Him, my feet cannot be firmly planted and my future cannot be secure.  Help us to continue to know, love, and serve Him every day.  Give us wisdom and a fearless heart to know and act on those times when you would have us share Jesus with a person You have placed in our path.  We ask this in Jesus Name.  AMEN

Wednesday, John Chapter 15

John 15

Verse 25

Mindy Strayer

October 17, 2010

Verse 25: “But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.'”

THOUGHT

It is hard to understand how people could hate God after seeing Him with their own eyes and watching Him perform the miracles that He did on earth.  I have thought to myself on more than one occasion that if people actually took the time to read the gospels, believing that they were historically accurate, and hear the actual words that this man, Jesus, said, there is no way that they could hate Him.  

Disagree maybe, but hate?  What were their reasons?  What are the reasons today?  The Bible says they had no reason, but to me it means that they had no just cause against Jesus.  He was without sin.  Hatred runs deep within our souls.  Jesus obviously struck these people to their cores, and their own selfish pride was called out. Only they didn’t want to admit to it and change, so they blamed the messenger.  

The same thing happens today.  Often non-believers will tell you openly what they believe about the religion Christianity.  It is often based on a teaching in the Bible that they don’t particularly agree with like abortion or homosexuality or they just don’t believe that there is one way to heaven… something like that.

But ask them what they think about the man, Jesus, and chances are their answers won’t be so immediate, because really, they don’t know Him at all.  They haven’t read His words and seen His life’s actions.  They reject Him before learning about Him. 

Later in this chapter Jesus says to his disciples that because they had been with Him from the beginning of His ministry, they needed to testify about Him.  We too, need to testify about the man, Jesus.  Tell people not just about how He has changed our lives, but most importantly, tell about His life, and encourage others to read about Him.  Encourage them to make an informed decision, not one based off of what others have said.  Because what if these Christians are right, and Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and no one gets to eternity without going through Him.  The decision to ignore and reject is not a decision I would want to make without checking things out for myself.

PRAYER

Thank You, Lord, that You have valid, truthful, and just reasons for what You say and do.  This we can count on.  Thank You, Jesus, that You came down to earth to be fully human and fully God for a reason and that is to be the benefit of every person who is ever born.  You did not come to judge, but You came to reveal God to us and save us from sin so that we would be able to live with You forever.  Prepare our hearts and minds for this week’s service in wherever You have placed us.  Open doors in our relationships to speak of You, the life You lived, and the life You offer.  We pray this in Jesus Name.  AMEN

Thursday, John Chapter 16

John 16

Heather Proehl

October 18, 2010

Chapter 16

THOUGHT

I feel kind of bad for the disciples.  Jesus is teaching about the Holy Spirit and His future, things that the disciples have no clue about.  I’m sure they were super confused by what He was saying.  It’s so easy for us to read this chapter and get what Jesus was saying but put yourself in the disciples’ shoes.  Hind sight is 20/20.  He’s trying to encourage them and tell them to take courage.  In verse 33 He sums up the lessons He had told them this night.  Jesus knew what was coming and knew that they would face struggles but wanted to let them know that they weren’t alone.  They would never be alone!  The Holy Spirit would come and Christ had managed the ultimate victory.

I think the concept of the Holy Spirit is a difficult concept knowing what we know now.  Imagine what the disciples were thinking.  I’m sure they were super confused.  In verses 9-11, Jesus reveals the important tasks of the Holy Spirit.  I just heard from a friend that’s a youth leader where the youth have been studying the Holy Spirit.  That is so cool!  They just had a retreat this past weekend, and they focused on listening to the Holy Spirit.  I think it’s amazing that we are sharing/teaching our youth about the Holy Spirit.  Fortunately, they have more information than the disciples had here.

PRAYER

Jesus, we love You!  I can’t believe this is our last book of the Bible as Salt Shakers!  I’m so thankful for this group.  What a blessing!  How much I have learned!  Lord, You amaze me.  Here we read in John that even before Your darkest hour You were concerned about Your disciples and were trying to comfort them.  You have provided us the Holy Spirit so we aren’t alone.  Thank You!  Thank You for thinking so much of us.  I pray that we would think just as much about You.  We love You!  AMEN

Friday, John Chapter 17

John 17

Heather Proehl

October 19, 2010

John 17

THOUGHT

I feel like Mom should be teaching this chapter.  She is taking a class at church on how to pray in scripture.  I think this passage is SO cool, for a couple reasons.  I LOVE scripture about Jesus.  I really want to be like Him, so the more I can read about Him, what He did and what He said, the more I can learn.  So, this whole chapter is Jesus praying.  If your Bible is like mine, it’s all red.  Next reason this scripture is great is that Jesus is praying.  The thing is I don’t think I acknowledge how powerful and important prayer is.  And here we see Jesus taking time to pray, and He is GOD!  If He is taking the time, seems like we need 1000% more.

Here we see Jesus praying for Himself, then His closest friends, the disciples, and then those unbelievers that He doesn’t even know.  Seems like a good formula to me.  I think I do pretty good at the first two.  I have plenty of requests that revolve around me and my closest loved ones, it’s those I don’t know that I don’t pray enough for.  This seems to be a theme Jesus wants me to hear.  We are studying Philippians in Bible study and last week we talked about advancing the Gospel.  I know I need to do better at that.  Even if it’s just praying for those future believers in my life.  Okay, God – getting it.  Keep it coming.  I’m starting not just hearing but listening.

PRAYER

Thank You for always picking up the phone when we call.  We always know You are listening, and we’ll never get a busy signal.  I pray that each of us would be reminded from this scripture how important prayer is.  I pray that each of us would spend more time talking and listening to You.  I know I need to make more of an effort to do so.  AMEN