[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (JAC) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]
JOHN 1:48
“Nathanael *said to Him, ‘How do
You know me?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Before Philip called you, when
you were under the fig tree, I saw you.’”
"I saw you!"
Indeed, God sees and knows everything. Actually, we don't know even who we are,
particularly how sinful we are. The Lord searches the heart and understands who
exactly we are. Bad news: we are all filthy sinners; our hearts are deceptive
above all things.
Yesterday I was so annoyed with my
slow laptop, and I hit my keyboard once running out of patience. Then I realized
a neighbour could be seeing me because I had opened my window and door. I was
so relieved that nobody had seen it.
Sometimes, we, sinners, are okay with
sins, and reluctant to repent if nobody has seen them or confronted us. When we
do that, we are acting like God has not seen us.
To practice the presence of God all
the time. That God is watching us all the time.
JOHN 2:19-21 and JOHN 3:14-15
"Jesus answered and said to
them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the
Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You
raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His
body."
"And as Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."
The Jews, including Nicodemus did
not understand what Jesus was saying in these two passages. In both instances,
Jesus was very clear that He came to die for sinners. He just hammered this
truth, whether they understood it or not. Even in John1:51 and John 4:14.
Gospel John is evangelistic in style. O to be very evangelistic in all
conversations, Lord, Amen
[17:42, 2/23/2021] C______:
JOHN 3:8 “the wind blows where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof,
but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that
is born of the spirit.”
Q.
Please enlighten me in this verse, not getting the spiritual meaning of it.
Answer:
[17:55, 2/23/2021] S.R: Pastor ______ may answer when he
wakes up from his nap...
Here's my thought:
First, Thanks for
asking. Very glad to answer.
We cannot see the wind,
because the wind has no colour. But we feel the presence of the wind. We can
also see the effect of the wind especially when it shakes the trees.
We cannot see the
Spirit of God because Spirit is immaterial and invisible. But the one who has
the Spirit can feel His presence. Moreover, people can see the effect of the Holy
Spirit in one's life by the fruit the Spirit produces.
Feeling the presence of
the Spirit can be such as
1. Conviction of Sin
2. Conviction that
Jesus is truly God truly man
3. Conviction in
reading God's word
4. Even in remembering
particular Bible verses in time of need.
5. Assurance of
Salvation
6. Even Answered
prayer.
7. The list can go on ....
Fruit of the Spirit is
listed in Galatians 5:22-23.
JOHN 4:16
"... Go call your husband, and
come here."
I've been reading how people react
to any news of disgraced leaders. This morning I was reading 2 Thess. 3:15,
where Paul talks about how to and how not to confront a sinning brother.
Jesus in John 4 confronted this
adulterous woman in a very amazing way. He could have said, "Repent from
your adultery." Many things to learn from here, but one thing is clear,
Jesus did not despise nor condemn her. "True love confronts but, in a way
one is not humiliated." Have I humiliated anyone in my confrontations, in
giving feedback or comments?🤔
Something to introspect!
JOHN 5:33-36
"You have sent to John, and he
has borne witness to the truth. Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I
say these things that you may be saved."
2 observations about Jesus's
comment on the greatest human prophet ever lived, John the Baptist:
1. Jesus didn't need even the great
prophet's testimony. Jesus lived consistently to the will of the Father. He
didn't need man's approval or commendation! He didn't live to please man
either.
2. If Jesus didn't need the great
prophet, surely, He does not need me. The modern man has very, very high self-esteem
of himself. God doesn't need us for anything! Life is a gift. Salvation is a
gift. Even ministry is a gift.
Praise be to this Almighty God who
has called us into His church!
JOHN 6
John 6 is fascinating. It has 71
verses. All about food! It looks and sounds funny but is very profound! Yet,
I'd like to share my observation on v15.
Everyone wanted Jesus to be a king.
In fact, the narrative says that they'd forced Him to be a king. Jesus ran
away. The true King of the Universe refused to be a king!!! And how many of us
want to be a king? Or to ask more accurately, "How many of us want to be
popular?
O to resist the temptation of fame
and name!
JOHN 6:67-69
“Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do
you also want to go away?’ But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall
we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and
know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’”
Of course, Jesus is not giving them
permission to run away (or to lose salvation). Whoever comes to Him, He will
receive, and will never let them go (verse 37) and no one will snatch us away
from His hands (10:28). And the disciples responded correctly. We come to
Christ because Jesus is the only source of life. Whether His way is hard or
easy, He is the only way!
I admit, if God did not choose me
to be a Christian, I would have never chosen to be one! And if I can lose my
salvation, I would have lost it many times. Jesus is not only the Author of our
salvation but the Perfector of our salvation!
JOHN 7:18
"He who speaks from himself
seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is
true, and no unrighteousness is in Him."
I have been reading John 7 over and
over again trying to find at least a verse to meditate upon. That doesn't mean
John 7 is garbage, it just means my spiritual brain is dull! Finally decided to
think through verse 18 in its context.
God has only one Son, He made Him a
Preacher [said, Steve Lawson]. Jesus in His life on earth seeks the glory of
the Father. A preacher glorifies God when he speaks from the word of God. In
other words, those who speak their ideas seek their own glory. Biblical
preaching may sound boring to some people, but that's not because biblical
truths are garbage, but because the listeners have a spiritually dull brain!