…Was Blind, But Now I See!

John 9

"If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty," Jesus replied. "But you remain guilty because you claim you can see." – Vs 41 NLT

It's interesting that yesterday's chapter was about the Light of life shining in the darkness. Now John tells us the story of Jesus' encounter with a man who literally lived his life in darkness due to blindness. From the time he was born this man had lived in a world devoid of light – a world of perpetual darkness. Then he has a "chance" encounter with Jesus, the Light of life, and his world would change forever. You would think that Jesus' miraculous healing of this man's condition of physical blindness would have been a cause of celebration, but instead it was a cause of consternation for the Pharisees. Why? Because Jesus had chosen to heal this man on the Sabbath. He had broken the law – at least according to them. He had violated their religious protocol. And that was more important than the fact that his man had been blind since birth and could now see for the first time in his life.

This sets up a confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees. But it also drags the poor man right into the middle of the whole thing. He is questioned relentlessly. He is forced to retell his story multiple times. His veracity is brought into question. And he begins to lose patience with his inquisitors. But he gives them a well-reasoned response that shows he not only has gained physical sight, but insight into what has just happened to him.

"Why, that’s very strange!" the man replied. "He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know anything about him! Well, God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. Never since the world began has anyone been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t do it." – Vs 30-33 NLT

As far as this man was concerned, there was only one logical conclusion. He used to be blind, but now he could see. He had experienced a miracle from God. This man Jesus had to be from God. This man not only could SEE, he could understand. He could perceive the truth about who Jesus really was and ended up believing and worshiping Him (Vs 38). But what about the Pharisees? They are the ones who remained blind. Jesus tells them, "I have come to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind" (Vs 39 NLT). Their problem was that they thought they could see. They thought they were perceptive and insightful, but in reality they were blind. They couldn't see the Light of life standing right in front of them. They were blinded by their self-righteousness and pride. They were blinded by their own rules and religious regulations. They were blinded by their insatiable need for respect, power, and recognition. And unlike the man in the story, their blindness was the result of sin. Jesus told them, "since you claim to see everything so well, you're accountable for every fault and failure" (Vs 41 MSG).

How's your sight today? Are you living in the darkness brought on by pride and self-righteousness? Do you refuse to see the truth about who Jesus says He is? Are you blind to the reality of His life-giving, light-shedding power? So often we live as if we think we can see. We want to believe that we have all the insight we need. But Jesus is calling us to admit our blindness, to acknowledge that we really live in darkness. He is the Light of life and He wants to shine in our lives every day.

Father, thank You that you opened my eyes to the truth about my blindness. I too was blind, but now I see. I was living in a world filled with darkness, then the Light of life came in and revealed the truth about who I was and who He is. But spiritual blindness still creeps in at time, causing me to think I see, when I really can't. I can be blinded by my pride and self-righteousness. Never let me forget that it was Jesus who opened my eyes so that I could see anything at all. Any spiritual sight or insight I have are because of Him and Him alone.  Amen

The Light of the World.

John 8

I am the world's Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in. – John 8:2 NLT

Light is a theme all throughout the book of John. It began in the very first chapter when John introduced Jesus as the "Light of men" (Vs 4). John said, "And the Light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it" (Vs 5 NET). He went on to say, "The true Light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world" (Vs 9 NET). He tells us that John the Baptist came to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. Now we have Jesus claiming to be the Light of the world. Not only that, He claims that those who believe in Him will no longer walk in darkness. Instead they will have the Light of life. This entire chapter is so politically incorrect and non-seeker sensitive! Jesus is stating the reality of the spiritual condition into which He came. It is DARK. These people are stumbling around in the darkness of sin like blind men in the middle of the night. Jesus describes the spiritual climate a few chapters later like this: "But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him" (John 11:10 NASB). Jesus came into the world as the Light of the world. He came to dispel the darkness. The darkness of sin tried to master or overcome Him, but it failed. Jesus came to provide men with light that would expose their sins and expel the darkness of sin. And He took His role seriously. That's why He does a full-frontal assault on the Pharisees and their self-righteousness. Just take a look at what what Jesus has to say to them in this discussion alone:

•  You will die in your sins (Vs 21, 24)

•  You are slaves to sin (Vs 34)

•  You don't do the deeds of Abraham (Vs 39)

•  You're murderers (Vs 40)

•  You can't hear from God (Vs 43)

•  You are sons of Satan (Vs 44)

•  You are not of God (Vs 47)

Wow! No wonder these guys were out to get rid of Jesus. He was attacking the very essence of who they were. He was exposing the reality of their sinfulness in the midst of all their self-righteousness. He was exposing the darkness of their lives. These were the spiritual elite, the religious leaders of the day. They had their spiritual act together so to speak. But in the presence of the Light, they got exposed for what they really were. But isn't that what Light does? Shouldn't that be what Jesus does in our own lives every day? Jesus is still the Light of the world. He is still the Light of life. He still illuminates the darkness. He dispels it. He replaces the darkness with Light. So that rather than stumbling around in the darkness of our delusional self-righteousness, we see the reality of what we truly are without Him.

Jesus came to dispel the darkness. He can to eliminate the effects of sin in the lives of men. Light can be glaring and intimidating, especially when you have grown used to the dark. It is like having someone turn on the lights in the middle of the night. It is a shock to the system. It can be uncomfortable. Just as it must have been for the Pharisees in Jesus' day. But Jesus was not out to bring comfort. He was here to expose and expel. He was hear to set free and deliver from slavery to sin. And He is still doing the same thing today.

Father, thank You that the Light of life shined in the darkness of my life and set me free from the darkness of sin. May I have the same passion to expose the blindness of self-righteousness in my life and in the lives of those around me like Jesus did. Give me a growing concern for the lostness of this world and a boldness to reject political correctness and seeker sensitivity. Men are stumbling around in the dark and need to be exposed to the one true Light.  Amen

Living Water.

John 7

If you are thirsty, come to me! If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within. – John 7:5 NLT

John tells us that Jesus made this statement on the last day of the Feast of Booths. This would have been the eighth day. Each day up until then, the priests would had fulfilled the ceremony of carrying water from the Pool of Siloam and pouring it into a basin located by the altar of burnt offering. At this altar the priests would sacrifice various offerings to God. Some offerings were made for their own sins and some for the sins of the people. The point of the burnt offering was that, by it, a person might become accepted before God and forgiven. The burnt offering involved the sacrifice of a male animal: a ram, goat, bullock, or a turtle dove. The offering had to be without blemish, the very healthiest and best available. This foreshadows the Lord Jesus, who was examined by Pontius Pilate who declared, "I find no fault in Him at all."

But not only did the sacrifice foreshadow the future atoning work of Jesus, the water in the basin foreshadowed the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus offers Himself as the only way to quench their spiritual thirst. If they only believed in Him, He promised thema source of "living water" or new life through the Spirit of God.  It was the same offer He made to the woman at the well back in chapter 4. "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water" (John 4:10 NASB). There on the Temple Mount, Jesus was declaring Himself as the source of life. The day was coming when He would offer Himself as our substitionary sacrifice. He would do what no bull, goat, or lamb had ever done – completely satisfy the just demands of God. He would be the perfect sacrifice, or as John the Baptist, He would be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. And as a result of that sacrifice, those who believe would be given new life – made possible by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Isaiah had predicted this statement by Jesus hundreds of years before: "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labour on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare" (Isaiah 55:1-2 NIV). Jesus is offering His listeners something far greater than they had ever received before: Eternal life. Something that is absolutely free and cannot be bought with our good efforts or hard work. Jesus is offering living water that will flow from within. You won't have to go the Pool of Siloam or the well of Jacob and haul your water through self-effort. He will cause it to flow from right within you through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus is offering to quench thirst and satisfy our spiritual needs. But we tend to turn elsewhere to have our needs met. We tend to look elsewhere to satisfy our spiritual thirst. We attempt to haul water from other sources in an effort to quench the spiritual thirst within us. But Jesus says, "Come to Me and drink." He is the source. The only source. And when He quenches our thirst, we never thirst again!

Father, thank You for the living water made possible throughthe death, burial, and resurrection of Your Son. Thank You for the reality that because of His death, I have new life made possible by the Spirit of God who lives within me. I am a new creature. I have a source of spiritual sustenance that flows from within, not from without. I don't have to haul water to the altar. I don't have to go to the well of life anymore. The water of life flows within me! Amen

What Are You Hungry For?

John 6

Where are we to buy bread so that these may eat? – John 6:5 NASB

"This He was saying to test him" (Vs 6). Poor Philip. Little did he know that Jesus was giving him a test to see how he would respond. Jesus already knew how He was going to handle the situation, but He wanted to see how Philip and the other disciples would assess their circumstances and respond. And I don't think Jesus was surprised at their reaction. "It would take a small fortune to feed them!," was Philip's shocked response (Vs 7 NLT). As much as eight month's wages. In other words, Jesus was asking the impossible. There's no way this could be done. They lacked the necessary resources. In fact, all they could find was five loaves of bread and two fishes. Andrew, having assessed the situation, says, "But what good is that with this huge crowd?" (Vs 9 NLT).

I love this story because it reminds me of my daily life. It is how I tend to view everything that goes on around me. I have limited perspective and a nearsighted view of how things really work. I say I believe in God, but then as soon as I encounter a situation where my resources seem limited, I begin to doubt. My belief becomes limited by my ability to see how things will turn out. If my resources are as meager as five loaves and a couple of measly fish, then I begin to doubt whether I can accomplish the task at hand. My God becomes only as big as my resources. I look around me and ask, "What good is that with this huge crowd?" I limit God. I fail to trust Him. I say I believe in Him, but as soon as the situation gets a little tough, I begin to doubt.

Then He does what only He can do. Jesus steps in and shows that He is not limited by man's lack. He accomplishes the impossible with the improbable. He turns little into much. He satisfies and fills. He meets the need and beyond. But He is always doing more than just meet the need. He is teaching a lesson. A lesson regarding trust. He can be trusted. He will come through. But more than that, He is teaching that there is more to life than the physical needs that seem to consume us. He was testing His disciples and He was teaching them at the same time. Sure, He fed the five thousand in a miraculous way. The disciples even picked up 12 baskets of leftover bread when it was all said and done. They had seen a miracle. But there was more that Jesus wanted to teach them. The people He fed had had their physical need met. Now they wanted more. They show up the next day asking Jesus to perform another sign for them so that they might believe. They even give Him a not-so-subtle suggestion by reminding Him that Moses gave their ancestors in the wilderness manna to eat. Couldn't He do something similar? Wouldn't it be great if Jesus would give them bread right out of heaven so they just had to gather it up every day. No more need to grow grain, harvest it, then bake the bread. Jesus could just cause it to fall from the sky!

But Jesus wasn't interested in providing them with that kind of bread. He wanted to give them something more. He offered them the bread of life. His own life. His body as a sacrifice for their sins. The bread they wanted would never satisfy. It would always leave them hungry for more. They had all eaten to their fill the day before, but now they were hungry again. Jesus was offering them the "true bread of heaven." Himself. He was offering them the only thing that could truly satisfy. But they had limited perspective. They had their eyes set on the wrong thing. They hungered for the wrong kind of bread. But so do we so often. We lose sight of what He is really offering and demand that He provide what we want. We want Him to meet our temporal needs. We demand that He satisfy our physical hunger. But He is offering so much more. He is offering eternal life. He is offering that which can truly satisfy. But will we believe Him? Will we trust Him? He is the bread of life.

Father, Your Son is the bread of life. He is all I really need. But I sometimes doubt He is all I need. I sometimes look at my circumstances and think He is not enough. I look at my own resources and panic. I judge based on my circumstances and begin to fear. But He is greater than my circumstances. He offers me more than just a quick fix for my temporal problems. He is the bread of life. Help me to trust Him more. He always satisfies. Amen

Whose Will Are You Seeking?

John 5

I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. – John 5:30 NASB

Chapter five of John gives us one of Jesus' first and longest discussions regarding just exactly who He was. In an address aimed at the Pharisees, Jesus clearly teaches that He is the Son of God, referring repeatedly to God as His own Father. He claims to to be sent from God. And He states that He is on a mission from God. He says, "I assure you, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does" (Vs 19 NLT). As God's Son and as His representative here on earth, Jesus is fully determined to do His Father's will, and nothing more. Which begs the question, as a son of God myself, am I willing to do only what I see the Father doing? Do I even know what the Father is doing? Am I aware of His bigger plan, His kingdom agenda, or am I stuck planning and attempting to implement the agenda of my own little kingdom of one?

Back in chapter four, right after His encounter with the woman at the well, the disciples returned with food and encouraged Jesus to eat. His response was, "I have food to eat that you do not know about" (John 4:32 NASB). The disciples, as they were prone to do, scratch their heads and wonder out loud what Jesus is talking about, because as far as they can see, He has no food. Then Jesus patiently responds, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work." (John 4:35 NASB). Jesus got His sustenance, His nourishment, His energy – from doing what His Father had sent Him to do. It was His reason for being. It was why He was here. In fact, Jesus puts it this way in the very next chapter of this book: "I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do what I want" (John 6:38 NLT). In Matthew 20:28, we have these words of Jesus recorded: "For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many." It would appear that God's agenda involved Jesus serving as the ransom or payment for the sins of men. He was to be the substitionary sacrifice in our place. That is why He was sent, so that was what He was going to do.

But what about me? What about you? What have we been "sent" to do? Do we have a mission? Has God given us a job to do? It would appear that we have at least a part of our God-given mission recorded for us in Matthew 28:19-20. We're highly familiar with these words, but the question is, "Do we obey them?" Take a look at what Jesus said again: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20 NASB). Make disciples. Teach them to obey the commands of Christ. That is God's will for you and me. That's His assignment. But like Jesus, can we say, "I do not seek my own will, but the will of Him who sent me?" Too often, my agenda gets in the way. My will takes precedence over God's will. My agenda trumps His. Yet we're always asking what God's will is for our lives. And when we ask, what we're really saying is that we hope His will lines up with ours. We want it to be something WE want to do. We want it to be enjoyable. Yet Jesus came to suffer and to sacrifice His life for the sake of those who didn't deserve it, and for many who would never appreciate it. Why? Because it was His Father's will.

Are you and I willing and ready to do the Father's will regardless of the cost? Are we willing to let go of our will so that we might obey His instead? We are each called to be like Christ. What better way to follow His example than to do as He did and to make the Father's will the highest priority in our lives.

Father, You have a plan and You are working that plan to perfection. And the amazing thing is that You have chosen to include me in that plan. But I confess that I often put my will and my agenda ahead of Yours. I fail to do Your will and instead do my own. But I want to live like Jesus did. I want to find my nourishment, my source of energy from doing just what You have told me to do. I want to live obediently and faithfully within Your will. I want to be a disciple maker, helping build Your kingdom here on this earth until Your Son returns again. Amen

Surely, You're Not Greater Than…?

John 4

And besides, are you greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his cattle enjoyed? – John 4:12 NLT

While reading chapter four of John this morning, I tried to stay away from the same old comfortable conclusions that seem to come with this all-too-familiar passage. There are tremendous lessons to be learned in Jesus' encounter at the well with the Samaritan woman. But in attempting to look a little bit beneath the surface I saw something I had never seen before. It came out as I looked more closely at the woman's responses to Jesus. She found herself in an uncomfortable spot – a Samaritan woman, of questionable moral integrity – stuck in a conversation with a Jewish rabbi, when all she really wanted was to get her water for the day and go home. The last thing she was looking for was small talk with a Jew. They were enemies. But here she was. And little did she know that this was a divine encounter that would change her life forever.

Immediately, Jesus tells the woman, "Give me a drink." It's almost a command. She was probably expecting silence. Instead, she gets a request. She is shocked and expresses her surprise in her response. "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?" (Vs 9 NLT). That's when Jesus launches into His familiar lesson on living water. But this part of the discussion escapes her. She doesn't get it. He is communicating on a spiritual level, but she is stuck in the physical realm. He is talking about eternal things. She is mired in the temporal.

That's when it struck me. Look at her response in verse 12. She says, "You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us this well?" (Vs 11 NASB). Jesus has just offered her living water. But she analyzes her circumstances and sees that Jesus has no means of drawing water from the well – Jacob's well – the only source of water she has ever known. She had a limited perspective and a single source of sustenance. All of her life, she had placed her need for water in one place – Jacob's well. She had relied on it and it had supplied her need. At least the need that she was aware of. But she had greater needs. And she had other resources. How do we know? The passage tells us. Jesus tells her to go and call her husband. She responds, "I have no husband." But the truth is, she had HAD five different husbands and was now living with a man who was NOT her husband. This woman had a need. She was thirsty for a lot more than water. And while Jacob's well had quenched her physical thirst, she had been looking everywhere for something or someone to quench her thirst for love, recognition, significance, worth, joy, and contentment. She had "gone to the well" six different times in an attempt to satisfy her emotional and psychological thirst. But nothing had worked.

Now Jesus was standing right in front of her, offering her a new source of sustenance – Himself. But when Jesus confronts us, and offers us living water, we are faced with a dilemma – will we believe Him? Or will we ask the same question she did? "You are not greater than ________?" Fill in the blank.

"You are not greater than my job, are You?"

"You are not greater than sexual fulfillment, are You?"

"You are not greater than money and material things, are You?"

"You are not greater than a husband or wife, are You?"

"You are not greater than recognition, are You?"

"You are not greater than entertainment, are You?"

What's your "Jacob's well" this morning? What have you been relying on to meet your needs? You see, until we acknowledge the fact that we have other things we depend on more than Jesus Himself, we will never turn to Him for what we really need. As long as this woman thought her thirst could be quenched at a well dug by the hands of men, she would always be thirsty spiritually. As long as she thought her emotional thirst could be quenched by yet another physical relationship, she would never be satisfied. She had to accept the fact that, yes, Jesus WAS greater than Jacob. Jesus was greater than Jacob, Jacob's well, her five husbands, her current live-in relationship, her water bucket, her friends, family, or her religion.

Jesus IS greater! But do we really believe that? Do we live like it? The truth is, we ask Jesus some form of that same question every day of our lives. He offers us more, but then we ask, "But are you really greater than ________?" We doubt that He can do more than what we are already doing. We question whether He can deliver more than those resources we are already comfortable relying on. So we settle for less. He offers living water and we settle for H2O. In our search for satisfaction, we must come to the point where we admit that our sources are far inferior to Jesus. He is greater!

Father, forgive me for allowing other things and other people to replace Your Son as the primary resource in my life. I turn far too often to things other than Him in an attempt to meet my needs and quench my thirst. But they never satisfy for long. They just leave me needing more and looking elsewhere. Help me trust the words of Jesus Himself, "Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst again!." Amen

Born again!

John 3

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. – John 3:3 NASB

Born again. What an overused and misunderstood term. It was the calling card of the religious right for years and a badge of honor for many conservative evangelicals. But then, over time, it seems to have become a trite and meaningless title that functions more as a label than a doctrinal reality. Yet, when John penned these words of Jesus they carried a note of surprise, even shock. Which is why Nicodemus responded as he did. The words, "born again" were not some hackneyed phrase that Nicodemus had heard repeatedly over his life. They were new and strange. He didn't know what they meant. Which is clear in his response: "How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?" (Vs 4 NLT). He was confused. He didn't know that Jesus was talking about spiritual birth. He didn't even know it was a possibility.

Jesus was introducing to Nicodemus the doctrinal concept of regeneration. Jesus was telling this well-educated Pharisee about a need in his life that he was totally unaware of – the need for a regeneration or resurrection of his dead spiritual life. Regeneration deals with man’s condition of spiritual death and his need for spiritual life or new birth. By definition, it is the supernatural act of God whereby the spiritual and eternal life of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, is imparted to the individual through faith in Jesus Christ. Why do we need it? Because man is spiritually dead and separated from God by his own sinfulness and God's holiness. He is totally incapable of doing anything to solve the problem of his sin and God's just responsibility to deal with that sin. He's dead. So God came up with the plan of regeneration.

“…even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s special favor that you have been saved!)” – Ephesians 2:5 NLT

“For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.” – John 5:21 NIV

“But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit ifyou have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christians at all.)” – Romans 8:9 NLT

“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” – Romans 6:4 NIV

We may live a new life. A Spirit-filled, Spirit-empowered new life that makes us not only right with God, but His children. We are born again into His family. Regeneration or new birth is just a part of what happens at salvation. And like the entire, incredible, miraculous salvation process, it is all the work of God. I bring nothing to the table. Neither did Nicodemus. Which was a shock to his pharisaical system. Over in Titus 3:5, Paul tells us "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit." Nicodemus' hope was not in himself, but in the only One who could do anything to give him new life. His hope was in new life, not a new-and-improved version of his old life. Nicodemus, like the rest of us, was dead in his trespasses and sins. Then along came Jesus with His offer of new life. Nicodemus could be born again. He could be give new life in Christ. What an amazing, miraculous idea. I was spiritually dead, but am now BORN AGAIN. May those words never become trite or overused in my life again. May they never lose their significance.

Father, You have given me new life and new hope through Jesus Christ. You have regenerated my once dead spiritual life and made me alive in Christ. I have Your Spirit living within me and that is an amazing, mind-blowing reality. Never let me take it lightly or for granted because it was all made possible through Your own Son's sacrificial death in my place. Amen

A Glimpse of His Glory.

John 2

This act in Cana of Galilee was the first sign Jesus gave, the first glimpse of his glory. And his disciples believed in him. – Vs 11 MSG

Chapter two of the book of John records Jesus' first miracle: His turning of the water into wine at the wedding in Cana. John says, "This act in Cana of Galilee was the first sign Jesus gave." And in doing so, He manifested His glory. He made visible or exposed to view who He was – the Son of God in all His glory. His miracles or signs were less about the events themselves than about the One behind them. We get caught up in the wonder of how Jesus could turn plain, ordinary water into wine. But John is emphasizing the miracles as a sign of Jesus uniqueness. Remember chapter one? He is the Word incarnate. He is the Light of the world. He is the Lamb of God. He is the Messiah. The Chosen One of God. And this first miracle is a sign that proves He is all those things and more.

His miracle was a revelation of His glory. The Greek word for glory is doxa and it means "magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, and grace." What Jesus did that day revealed His essential deity. Though He appeared to be just a man to those around Him, Jesus was in fact completely God in human form. He was the God-man. His turning of the water into wine was a glimpse of His creative capabilities as Creator of the universe. Every miracle He did was a subtle revealing of His divinity. He made high-quality wine out of ordinary water. That act displayed His glory.

John records that as a result of what Jesus DID, His disciples believed. Did they know exactly what it was they were believing? Did they know exactly who there were dealing with? Probably not. Ever after a lot of years and a lot of miraclesthe disciples still wrestled with just who Jesus was. They knew He was someone special, but they were not completely sure of just who it was they were following. But we can sometimes struggle with the same thing. We can end up seeing Jesus one particular way and lose sight of the glimpses of His glory all around us. We can concentrate on Jesus the man and take our eyes off His divinity. We can look right past His glory. His magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, and grace. May we daily get a glimpse of His glory and believe in Him.

Father, give us a glimpse of Jesus today. May we see His glory in the everyday affairs of life. Let us be amazed at His unabashed divinity and power. And as a result, may we believe in Him more than ever. Amen

Identity Crisis.

John 1

Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. – John 1:29 NASB

In this opening chapter of John's gospel, we have his introduction to the coming of Jesus into the world. It begins with the familiar description of Jesus as the Word of God. Then John describes Jesus as the Light of the world. When John the Baptist comes onto the scene and sees Jesus standing on the banks of the Jordan River, he make his famous proclamation, "Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." He claims Jesus to be the Son of God (Vs 34). He later tells two of his own disciples that Jesus is the lamb of God (Vs 36). One of these two men refers to Jesus as a rabbi or teacher (Vs 38). Later, when Andrew went to find his brother Simon and bring him to Jesus, he refers to Jesus as the Messiah (Vs 41). When Jesus encountered Philip a few days later and invited him to follow Him, Philip took the news to Nathanael and said, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" (Vs 45 NASB). In Nathanael's encounter with Jesus, he tells Jesus, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel" (Vs 49 NASB).

In just one short chapter we have seen Jesus referred to as…

The Word

The Light

The Lamb

The Son of God

A rabbi or teacher

The Messiah

The Christ

Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote

Jesus of Nazareth – the son of Joseph

The King of Israel

You could almost conclude that they didn't know exactly what they had in Jesus. Their perceptions were confused and clouded by their expectations. These men, as good Jewish citizens, were expecting a conquering Messiah – a deliverer. They wanted a King to free them from the tyranny and oppression of Roman rule. Their descriptions of Jesus point to a man – a human deliverer. Sure, he would be a representative of God, a son of God – like David – but just a man. He would be wise and brave, a great military man like David and wise like Solomon. He would lead them to victory over their enemies.

But John, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, opens his book with a different description of Jesus altogether. He describes Him as the Word and the Light. He is not just a man, but the uncreated, pre-existent Word of God. He is the creator, not the created. He is pure Light. He came to expel darkness, but not civil and political darkness. He came to set people free, but not from the tyranny of men, but from slavery to sin and ultimately death. He came to give life, but a different kind of life than just freedom from problems and the concerns of the day. He came to bring eternal life and a restored relationship to God Himself. He came to make the sons of men children of God (Vs 12). He came that we might experience the grace of God (Vs 16) and joy of a restored relationship to a holy, righteous God who was obligated to punish us for our sin.

Jesus came onto the scene and men had a hard time figuring out exactly who He was. Men still struggle with that today. Even as believers we can end up calling Him everything from our friend to our Savior, our redeemer to our teacher, our helper to our hope. Sometimes we aren't really sure what we have in Jesus. But John drives us back to the truth. He is the Light of the world. He is the Word of God become flesh. He is the sacrificial Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is God's solution to man's problem. The sinless Son of God in human flesh, who lived a sinless life, died a sinner's death, and rose again so that you and I might have life. Not just a better life here and now, butlife with God the Father for eternity.

Who is your Jesus this morning? Is He your Light? Is He illuminating your life today, expelling the darkness and showing you the way to live? Is He your Word? Is He speaking to you daily, giving you hope and help to live the life you've been called to live? Is He your Lamb? Are you confident that His sacrificial death has taken care of your sin debt once and for all? How we view Jesus is the key to our view the world and how we will live out our lives in it.

Father, thank You for Your Son – the Light, the Word, the Lamb. May I see Him as He truly is today. Not as just what I want Him to be. Open my eyes to the beauty and reality of just who He is. Amen

Soul Strength.

3 John

Dear friend, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul. – Vs 2 NET

I love this prayer. John writes to his dear friend and fellow elder, Gaius, and tells him that he loves him and that he is praying that he would be in as good health physically as he is spiritually. He prays that all areas of life would prosper like his spiritual walk is prospering. Could you pray that for your friends? Or better yet, would you WANT your friends to pray that for YOU? Think about it. What is John really praying? He is telling Gaius that he is asking God to prosper his life to the same degree that his spiritual life is doing. How could John pray this kind of prayer? Because he knew that Gaius was doing well spiritually. He even mentions it in his letter. "Some of the brothers recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living in the truth" (Vs 3 NLT). Gaius was living in the truth. He was acting faithfully and showing love for the rest of the church. John knew this to be true of Gaius and had had it confirmed by others. So when he prayed that Gaius physical well-being prosper like his soul, he was praying a true blessing on this dear friend.

But it makes me think. Would I really want anyone to pray that prayer for me? I mean, how well is my soul really doing? Would I want my physical, emotional, and general well-being to prosper on the same level? That's kind of a scary thought. But the real issue is that John had his focus on the right thing. He was more concerned about Gaius' spiritual health than his physical health. Sure, he wanted him to be well in body, but he was more concerned that he be well in soul. His greatest joy was to hear that Gaius was "walking in the truth." We all know that we can be doing well physically and tanking it spiritually. We can prosper on a physical level and be an absolute pauper in the spiritual realm. John knew this would never satisfy. And so should we. Think about how you pray for others. Do you concentrate on their physical well-being? Do you pray mainly for their physical health, their circumstances, situations, and emotional well-being? Nothing wrong with that, but how much do we pray for the spiritual health of one another? I would encourage you to go and read through the letters of Paul and see how he prayed for the people under his care. It is amazing how little he prayed for anything having to do with their physical state or needs. His prayers were almost always on their spiritual growth and walk with the Lord. He knew that was the key to true prosperity and health. To be strong in spirit and soul is to have what we need to make it in this world, whether we are healthy or not, prosperous or not, successful or not. May we learn more and more to concentrate our attention on the souls of one another, encouraging spiritual health over anything else.

Father, I pray that in all respects my brother and sisters in Christ may prosper and be in god health, just as their souls prosper. Amen

Too Hip For Our Own Good.

2 John

Anyone who gets so progressive in his thinking that he walks out on the teaching of Christ, walks out on God. But whoever stays with the teaching, stays faithful to both the Father and the Son. – 2 John 9 MSG

Today there is a trend in Christian circles to be relevant and contextual. It is the mantra of the postmodern crowd who believe that we have to do all we can to make the gospel more palatable and approachable to a new generation of believers. Now, don't get me wrong. I am all for relevancy and making the scriptures relateable to your audience, but we always run the risk of altering the message in such a way that the central message of the cross can become clouded and even lost. This seems to be the message behind John's short little letter. Whether he is writing to an actual woman (lady) or referring metaphorically to one of the churches in Ephesus, we don't know. But it seems clear that he warning his reader(s) about false teachers. This was a growing problem as the church spread throughout the known world at this time in history. The apostles were the gatekeepers of the truth and their numbers were declining. New churches were springing up as the gospel spread, but there were not always knowledgeable teachers in place to educate the people. So it was easy for well-intentioned, but misguided individuals to pop up and begin teaching their version of the Truth.

John simply warns about "anyone who is so progressive in his thinking that he walks out of the teaching of Christ." The New International Version translates it this way: "Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ…" This person has "run ahead" or gone too far according to the New American Standard Version. The Greek word means "to go further than is right or proper." They've overstepped proper bounds. So much so, that John was bold enough to say that they don't have God. Their teaching was so wrong it revealed that they were not even in Christ.

So what was it they were teaching that was so bad? Well, according to John, "They do not believe that Jesus Christ came to earth in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist" (Vs 7 NLT). At best, they were denying the incarnation of Jesus. He didn't really come in human flesh. He wasn't really born of a virgin. But they also were probably denying His death, burial and resurrection. If He didn't really come in a human body, there was no reason for Him to die and resurrect. And that means He doesn't have a human body today. So in essence, they were denying the key elements of the gospel message. Most likely because it didn't sell well in their cultural context. They had updated the gospel story to suit their own tastes and to attract an audience that might have found the original version a little too hard to swallow.

Is this happening today? You bet. In countless ways. There are entire movements within Christianity that downplay everything from the divinity of Christ to His miracles. There are churches and teachers out there who over-emphasize Jesus' humanity and downplay His deity. They stress His role as a model for life as a man, and lift Him up as an example to follow. But in doing so they virtually eliminate His role as Savior andredeemer. They turn Jesus into more of a life coach and self-help guru than the Savior of the world. These teachers stress social action and civic awareness, but downplay man's sin and our need for a Savior. In their efforts to make the church more missional, they fail to teach the gospel as life-transformational. Behavior modification takes the place of heart transformation. The Bible becomes little more than a blue print for living and Jesus gets turned into a life coach with some great tips for making a difference in the world.

This is another gospel. But it is NOT the gospel of the Bible. So John warns us to not even give someone who teaches this kind of stuff a greeting. "If someone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite him into your house or encourage him in any way" (Vs 10 NLT). Sounds a little rude doesn't it? But John knew that false teaching of any kind was dangerous and especially among new believers who were not yet grounded in the truth. They were susceptible to the lies, the pretensions or plausible lies, that sounded so good, but were far from the truth. The lies are subtle and deceptive. They sneak in and catch us unawares. They are cloaked in a lot of terms that seem familiar and give them a sense of validity and credibility. But we have to check to make sure that the truth of the gospel message regarding Jesus Christ remains unchanged. The context should never change the content. Relevancy should never change the reality of Jesus Christ and His incarnation, substitutionary death on the cross, resurrection from the dead, and coming return. Or the fact that salvation is available through Him alone, but grace alone.

Father, keep us pure. Help us stay focused on the truth of the gospel message. False teachers abound today and sometimes we have a hard time seeing them. Give us eyes and ears to see and hear truth and recognize falsehood. Protect Your church Father from the lies of the enemy. Help us to see that they are subtle and we can be so susceptible to them if we are not grounded in Your Word and knowledgeable of Your truth. Amen

What Do You Know?

1 John 5

We know that those who have become part of God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot get his hands on them. We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the power and control of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we are in God because we are in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. – 1 John 5:18-20 NLT

John wraps up his letter with a few simple declarations about what it is we should know as believers in Jesus Christ. He says we should know that as believers, because we belong to God and He cares for us, we will not live lives that are characterized by habitual, repeated sin. We will not be easy prey to the enemy. Sin will be a part of our lives, but not a prevalent or pervasive part. We won't make it a practice of sinning. We will find sinning repulsive, not attractive. Why? Because we are held securely in the hands of Jesus Christ. He not only died for us, He lives for us. He has given us His Spirit to empower us. Sin becomes an anomaly in my life, not normalcy.

Secondly, John says that we should know that we are children of God. We should recognize that we are called to be set apart, distinct and different from the world around us. In fact, he reminds us that we should also have an awareness that the world is under the power and control of the enemy. Nothing we see happen in the world should surprise or shock us. The news we see on TV and in the daily paper should not be news to us at all. It is the natural outcome of a world under the control of Satan. The Message paraphrases verse 19 this way, "We know that we are held firm by God; it's only the people of the world who continue in the grip of the Evil One." That makes it a little more personal, because we are not talking about an impersonal world, but about real people who are "in the grip of the Evil One." They are enslaved to sin and to Satan. He is using them and abusing them daily. He cares nothing for them, but only desires their destruction. But we have the privilege of being children of God. Do you see the dichotomy here? We are the "haves" and they are the "have nots." We have what they need, but we are like children from a wealthy family who walk by the poverty in their own community everyday without using our abundant resources to do anything about it. Yes, we are called to distinct, but that does imply distance. We know we are children of God, and we know they are not. But our desire should be that they experience the same adoption into God's family that we have enjoyed.

Finally, John says that we know that Jesus is the Son of God and that He has given us the ability to understand and know God. John uses two different words for "know" here. The first word is eido and it simply means that we recognize or understand. We see or perceive that the Son of God has come. It is evident in our lives and in His ministry to us and through us. This has to do with perception. The second word is ginosko and it has to do with intimacy. It means "to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of." Because Jesus Christ has come into my life, I have the ability to know God in an intimate and personal way. I have been reconciled or made right in my relationship with Him. I was once an enemy, but now I am His child. I was once under His divine wrath, but now I enjoy His love and compassion. I have a personal relationship with the one true God.

Do you know that today? Do you think about it? Do you see it and perceive it in your life every day? It reminds me of the words of the old hymn, "I Know Whom I Have Believed."

I know not why God's wondrous grace To me He hath made known, Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love Redeemed me for His own.

But I know Whom I have believèd, And am persuaded that He is able To keep that which I've committed Unto Him against that day.

I know not how this saving faith To me He did impart, Nor how believing in His Word Wrought peace within my heart.

But I know Whom I have believèd, And am persuaded that He is able To keep that which I've committed Unto Him against that day.

Father, there is a lot I don't know. But I do know that Your Son came to give me eternal life and because of simple faith in the gospel message, I am now Your Son and have a relationship with You that I never could have had any other way. I also know that I am Your child and I live among people who do not enjoy that same privilege. They are under the control of the enemy. They are slaves to unrighteousness. Give me a heart for them. Don't let me walk past them, judging them as I go. May I perceive their predicament and understand that I have the answer. It is the same gift I received from You. Amen

Real Love.

1 John 4

This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. – 1 John 4:10 NLT

John has been talking a lot about living a life where our actions match our confession – where what we do lines up with what we say we believe. And this chapter continues that theme. He hammers home once again that our lives should be characterized by love – for God and for one another. Why? Because love comes from God (Vs 7). The very capacity we have to love is a gift from God and reveals that we belong to Him. It also reveals to the world around us that God exists and is at work in us. "No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us" (Vs 12 NLT). God has given us His Spirit, who in turn gives us the capacity to love.We give evidence of God's presence in us through the love that flows from us.

But John's main point seems to be that we get to experience real love by remembering what God did for us on the cross. He sent His own Son to die on our behalf. Jesus took our place and our punishment upon Himself. He paid the price we could not pay. He wiped clean the insurmountable debt we owed by sacrificing His own life. This is the doctrine of propitiation. Sounds like a big theological term, but it's really quite simple. It comes from the Greek word hilasmos which means "an appeasing or propitiation." Verse 10 is translated this way in the New American Standard Version: "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

Back in chapter two, John states, “and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world” ( 1 John 2:2 NASB). The doctrine of propitiation means that the person and death of Jesus Christ appeased or turned away God’s wrath, satisfying His holiness by meeting His righteous demands. In other words, Jesus’ sacrifice made it possible for God to be propitious (or favorable) to us. God is Holy and cannot tolerate evil. In fact, as a holy God, He had to punish evil and mete out justice. That justice demanded death. The wrath of God against the sinfulness and rebellion of mankind could only be satisfied by His just demands being met. Someone had to pay. The problem was that man was in no condition to pay the price that God demanded. So we stood before God's wrath fully deserving His verdict of "guilty" and His sentence of death and eternal separation from Him. But God stepped in with His own solution. He showed His love by coming up with a perfect plan that involved His perfect, sinless Son.  Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross satisfied all the requirements of God's justice, turned away His wrath, and reconciled or restored us to a relationship with Him. John says, "That's real love!" He loved us at our worst. He loved us when we didn't deserve love. He loved us when we couldn't love Him back. Paul puts it this way, "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners" (Romans 5:8 NLT). So John's logical conclusion is, "since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other" (Vs 11 NLT). God's incredible love for us is the motivation behind our love for one another. Just how much has God loved us? "God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him" (Vs 9 NLT).

As John so clearly puts it, "We love, because He first loved us" (Vs 19 NASB). You can't say you love God and then turn around and hate your brother (Vs 20). "If anyone boasts, "I love God," and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see?" (Vs 20 MSG). If you are loved by God, and you are, then you should love God in return. More than that, you should love others with the same kind of love He has shown you. As Charles Ryrie so aptly puts it, "To live a love-filled life is to live a God-filled life."

Father, thank You for Your incredible love for me. I didn't deserve it. I still don't deserve it, but I bask in it every single day of my life. Help me learn to love my brothers and sisters in Christ with the same selfless, sacrificial love. So that the world may know that You live within me. By this will they know that we are Your Son's disciples, if we love one another (John 13:35). Amen

The Proof Is In the Pudding.

1 John 3

Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions. – 1 John 3:18 NLT

My wife loves it when I say, "I love you!" But she loves it even more when I show here how much I love her with actions that express my love for her. If all I ever did was express my love in words, but never backed it up with tangible, heart-felt acts of kindness and love, she would begin to question the truth behind my words. With that in mind, today's blog is like a part two of yesterday's blog, "Talk Is Cheap." John seems to be the same basic thought by continuing to stress love in action. Our lives are to be characterized by Christ-likeness. We are to live in purity and sinlessness, so much so that we stand out as children of God, rather than children of the devil (Vs 10). One of the ways we express our Christ-likeness is through our love for one another. John reminds them: "This is the message we have heard from the beginning: We should love one another" (Vs 11 NLT). Our love for one another is proof or evidence that we are in Christ and have His Spirit living within us. "If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life. But a person who has no love is still dead" (Vs 14 NLT). What kind of love are we talking about? Is it a sentimental, Hallmark Card kind of love expressed only in words? No. John makes it clear that the kind of love he is talking about is the kind of love that Christ showed to us. "We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters" (Vs 16 NLT).

You see, real love is tangible. It is measurable. The proof is in the pudding as the old saying goes. In fact, the original phrase was "the proof of the pudding is in the eating." It meant that the true value or quality of something can only be judged when it is put to use. In other words, results are what counts. Isn't that what John is saying? "Let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions" (Vs 18 NLT). What are the results of our so-called love for one another? Is the abiding love of Christ in us showing up in abiding love for others? Do we love as He loved?

"And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us" (Vs 23 NLT).

Father, You have expressed Your love for me by sending Your own Son to die in my place for my sins. You continue to show Your love to me every day by continuing to shower me with Your grace and mercy when what I really deserve is Your wrath and justice. Yet I find it hard to love others. I can mouth the words and claim to love them, but so often fail to back it up with actions. Your Son showed His love by dying for me. The first step in learning to love others more is for me to learn to die to myself. To give up my rights, my will, and my own comfort for the good of others. Amen

Walk The Talk.

1 John 2

Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did. – 1 John 2:6 NLT

Our confession should be backed up with action. What we say we believe should show up in how we behave. John was really clear on this. But this was not some new kind of teaching. He was just expanding on the very words of Jesus found in the Great Commission: "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 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" (Matthew 28:19-20 NLT). Jesus Himself taught that His disciples would be marked by a life of obedience to His commands. Obedience to His commands would mean that every one of His disciples would live a different kind of life. So John is simply teaching what Jesus taught when he says, "And how can we be sure that we belong to him? By obeying his commandments. If someone says, 'I belong to God,' but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and does not live in the truth. But those who obey God’s word really do love him. That is the way to know whether or not we live in him" (1 John 2:3-5 NLT). Our obedience to His commands is proof that we belong to God. It is how we know whether or not we really belong to Him. It is the evidence of our new relationship. Because without a relationship with Christ we would not even have a desire or an inclination to obey His commands.

John says that we should live as Jesus did. What does He mean by that? For one thing, it means that we are to live in submission to the Father. Also, we are to live in complete dependence upon the Father and in absolute obedience to His desires. Jesus did. Jesus also lived a life of sacrificial service to mankind. So should we. But the temptation is to live with the spotlight focused on us and our needs and desires. Jesus came to serve, not to be served. He came to give Himself away, not to have others give to Him. In doing so, He was doing the will of the Father. One of the greatest evidences that we have an abiding relationship with God is the love that we show for one another. John says, "Anyone who loves other Christians is living in the light and does not cause anyone to stumble" (Vs 10 NLT). Jesus Himself said, "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples" (John 13:35 NLT).

We are to love and live as Jesus did. Our walk should match our talk. How we behave should line up with what we say we believe. We are to love one another. We are to live in obedience to God. We are NOT to love the world or the things of this world. Our lives are to be characterized by Christ-likeness. We are to follow His example. We are to live as He lived. We are to love as He loved. We are to give as He gave. We are to do as He did. We are to walk the talk.

Father, may my life be increasingly more marked by Christ-likeness. May obedience to His commands be what motivates me and marks me as one of Your children. Amen

So You Say?

1 John 1

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. – 1 John 1:6 NASB

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. – 1 John 1:8 NASB

If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. – 1 John 1:10 NASB

Three times in the opening of this little letter, John uses this little phrase, "if we say." And all three seem to have to do with saying or claiming something that is not really true. I say I have fellowship with God, but I still live in darkness (sin). I say I have no sin, but the reality is I do and I'm everyone knows it but me. I say I have never sinned, but by claiming that I contradict the word of God and make Him out to be a liar. Saying it doesn't make it so. Words really are cheap. What I say really doesn't matter if it isn't backed up by truth and lived out in reality. I can say I believe in God, love God, worship God, and fear and respect God, but if it doesn't show up in my daily life, it is nothing but lip-service and empty words.

John seems to be calling us to live it, not say it. Do it, not just claim it. He says, "if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another" (Vs 7 NASB). In other words, if we live lives that are in obedience to God and in daily fellowship with God, then it will be evident in the way we live with one another. We won't have to say it, because others will see it. It will be visible proof that the blood of Jesus has cleansed us from all sin. John goes on to address this issue of sin. He says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (Vs 9 NASB). All we have to do is agree with God about the fact that we are sinners who sin. Confess it. Admit it. Fess up to it. To do so reveals that we have the truth of God's word in us. To deny it just shows that we never really heard the truth. And one important point here is that we realize that to NOT confess is to say that we have no sin. When we refuse to confess, it is as if we are telling God that we have no sin to confess. We might as well just come out and say so. That's John's third point. Lack of confession is basically saying to God that we have not sinned. Every time we sin and refuse to confess it, we are telling God He is a liar, because God says we all sin. On top of that, His Holy Spirit personally convicts us of sin on a daily basis. His Word convicts us of sin. When that happens and we choose to ignore the sin in our lives and not confess it, we make Him out to be a liar. We are telling God that He is wrong.

So what do you say? Do you walk in the Light? Do you confess? Are your actions more powerful than your words? Do your actions speak louder than your words? John says, "God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all" (Vs 5 NASB). Are you living in that Light? If so, it will be evident to all those around you, no matter what you say.

Father, may our actions speak louder than our words. May we be a people who are known by how we live in the Light, not just what we have to say about it. When we fail to live in the Light, may we be willing to confess it and accept your forgiveness. Not deny it and claim to have never done it. Words are cheap. Your grace was not. Amen

Glory To God!

Jude

And now, all glory to God, who is able to keep you from stumbling, and who will bring you into his glorious presence innocent of sin and with great joy. All glory to him, who alone is God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Yes, glory, majesty, power, and authority belong to him, in the beginning, now, and forevermore. Amen. – Jude 24-25 NLT

Jude may be a short letter, but it is long enough to be a little bit depressing. In it, Jude, the brother of James, is attempting to defend the faith against false teaching that was popping up in the churches of his day. This was a dangerous time for the church. Gnostic teaching, which basically glorified the spiritual and diminished the material, was encouraging believers to cultivate their "spiritual" lives, while at the same time doing whatever they wanted to do with their bodies – because it really didn't matter. So the result was an increasing amount of immorality. The bottom line was that Christians were being tempted to believe one way and act another. So Jude felt a responsibility to address these issues. He warns them of "certain persons who have crept in unnoticed" (Vs 4 NASB). He describes these false teachers as "dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are shameless in the way they care only about themselves. They are like clouds blowing over dry land without giving rain, promising much but producing nothing. They are like trees without fruit at harvest time. They are not only dead but doubly dead, for they have been pulled out by the roots. They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the dirty foam of their shameful deeds. They are wandering stars, heading for everlasting gloom and darkness" (Vs 12-13 NLT).

Hidden reefs – destructive, but out of sight where you can't see them

Waterless clouds – promising, but never deliver on their promise

Fruitless trees – seemingly healthy, but as good as dead because they have nothing to offer

Wild waves – directionless, dangerous, and destructive

Wandering stars – you can't count on them to be there, so you can't navigate your life by them

These "teachers" were not just a nuisance, they were a danger and Jude warns his readers to watch out for them. These same kinds of individuals exist in and around the church today. They write books, produce TV shows, pastor churches, fill up the Internet with their thoughts, and even write blogs. But we must be careful. Jude calls them as "people who don't take these things seriously anymore. They'll treat them like a joke, and make a religion of their own whims and lusts. These are the ones who split churches, thinking only of themselves. There's nothing to them, no sign of the Spirit! (Vs 18-19 MSG). Sounds a lot like today doesn't it? Which means we have to be just as careful in 21st-Century America. So what are we supposed to do?

Jude says to "continue to build your lives on the foundation of your holy faith. And continue to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit. Live in such a way that God’s love can bless you as you wait for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give you. Show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. There are still others to whom you need to show mercy, but be careful that you aren’t contaminated by their sins" (Vs 20-23 NLT). Grow spiritually. Pray fervently. Live righteously. Show mercy constantly. Rescue the wavering. Stay pure! Then he gives us his incredible benediction. Remember that it is God who is able to keep you from stumbling. He is the one who will protect you and keep you strong until the end. Rely on Him. Lean on Him. Give Him the glory He deserves. He is in control even when things appear to be completely out of control. He is our hope, our help, and our security in the storm.

Father, to You be all the glory, majesty, dominion and authority. Amen

Examine Your Faith.

2 Corinthians 13

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is really genuine. Test yourselves. If you cannot tell that Jesus Christ is among you, it means you have failed the test. – Vs 5 NLT

Paul ends his letter to the Corinthians with a challenge. He tells them that he is going to be coming to see them again, but prior to his visit he challenges them to test themselves. He wants them to examine themselves to see if their faith is real or not. In the Greek, the word yourselves is placed first for emphasis: "yourselves, examine." They are to take a corporate look at their collective faith. He wants them to "examine" themselves to prove the worth or genuineness of their faith. The word he uses for faith is pistis and in this context it denotes profession. The Corinthians were professing a belief in Christ, but was their life matching that profession? If the life of the congregation is not in conformity with the truths of the gospel, it negates any claim to standing firm in the faith. Paul reminded Timothy, " I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15 NASB). The church holds up the truth of the gospel by the manner in which we live it out. We prove the gospel true with our lives. When we profess one thing and do another, we undermine the foundation of the life-transforming claims of the gospel message. That is why Paul was challenging the Corinthians to examine themselves. He knew that true profession results in true life change and a life characterized by "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV). When those things are lacking within the community of Christ, there is cause to do some serious self-examination regarding our profession.

Paul even uses a little bit of sarcasm to get his point across. He says, "If you cannot tell that Jesus Christ is among you…" He questions whether they even have the capacity to recognize Christ's presence among them. Paul is not really asking if Jesus is indwelling the individual. That is ultimately where he is headed. but what he seems to be saying is that the condition of their fellowship was such that it was almost impossible for them to recognize Christ as being active right in the midst of them. They had reached a point where they were failing to recognize the authority of Paul and the activity of God in the middle of their fellowship. They were questioning Paul's apostleship, ignoring God's activity in their lives, and were out of touch with genuine evidence of the Spirit's work in their community. Don't we run the same risk? We can reach a point where we are no longer able to recognize God's activity among us as His people.

As the people of God we should be experiencing and expecting the power of God to be at work in our midst. If it is not, then we must do some serious examination of what it is we say we believe. We must examine ourselves to see if our faith is really genuine. If we do not see God's activity in and around us, Paul says we fail the test. Our profession is not real. Fruitlessness is the sign of a dead faith.

Paul's prayer was that they would do what is right (Vs 8), that they be made complete (Vs 9), be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace, so that God of love and peace would be with them (Vs 11). Paul's desire was that they examine themselves. He wanted them to wrestle with the reality of whether or not their profession of having saving faith was real. And this was not just to be an individual examination, but a group effort. As a congregation, they were to take a up-close and personal look at each others' lives to see whether they were exhibiting the fruit of a genuine faith in Christ. For the church to uphold the truth, it must live out the truth. It must stand on the truth. It must prove the viability and reliability of the truth through daily life together. So that the world may know that the gospel really does work.

Father, give us the strength and the guts to examine ourselves to see if our faith is real. Help us to be honest and examine whether or not what we say we believe is what we really do believe – as individuals and as the body of Christ. May we be willing to ask why we do not see Christ more active among us. The problem is not with Him, but with us. Reveal to us the true nature of our confession so we can experience the true nature of the gospel. Amen

His Grace Is Enough.

2 Corinthians 12

My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. – Vs 9 NET

God's grace is enough. It is His gracious favor that He gives to me – not based on merit, but on His love for me. Grace is God giving me what I could never earn any other way. In this case, Paul is talking about the power He gives me in spite of my weakness. This isn't just any old power, it is His power in me. It is the power of God available in my weak human flesh. I love this definition of grace:

It is the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtue. – Thayer's Greek Lexicon

Paul is talking about the strengthening part of God's grace. He knew his strength came from God, not himself. That is why he could say, "I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me" (NLT). Paul knew that the key to tapping into God's strength was admitting his own weakness. But that's hard for some of us to do. We want to think of ourselves as strong, intelligent, capable, qualified, gifted, talented, and worthy to be honored and praised. And so we spend way too much time trying to convince others of our strengths. We try to live life in our own power. We work harder. We do more. We strive to impress. We crave recognition and desire to be noticed for all our hard work and effort. But all the while God is simply asking us to admit our weakness so that He can provide us with His strength. The word used for God's power in this verse is the Greek word dunamis. Sound familiar? It is the word from which we get dynamite, dynamic, and dynamo. This isn't just some kind of 5-hour energy drink that gives us a boost to make it through the day. This is the indwelling power of God that makes it possible to do incredible feats of spiritual strength that would be otherwise impossible for us. Think about all the things Paul endured. He gives us a partial list in verse 10: "Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities" (NLT). How did Paul handle all that he went through? By the power of God. That is why he says he is content or "takes pleasure" in his weakness. Listen to how The Message paraphrases verse 10:

Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size – abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

He just let Christ take over. He allowed Christ to do what only Christ could do. You see, our strength is God's rival. But our weakness is His servant. To put it another way, man's extremity is God's opportunity. Man's security is Satan's opportunity. Our weaknesses are really a blessing. But we need to acknowledge them, even boast about them. Then ask God to step into them and do what only He can do. Utilize His power in us and through us. So He gets all the glory.

Father, forgive me for trying to ignore my weaknesses and for thinking that I have enough strength in and of myself to accomplish Your work. How arrogant and prideful I can be. But You faithfully continue to reveal to me my abundant weaknesses – through my own failures, through circumstances, by allowing me to come to an end of my resources and by letting me grow tired and weak from all my own self-effort. But You have also shown me Your power – time and time again. Your way is always better. Your power is always greater. Help me to boast about my own weaknesses even more, so that I can experience Your power even more. Amen

Taking Pride In Weakness.

2 Corinthians 11

If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am. – Vs 30 NLT

This is a common theme of Paul's: his weakness. Even though he felt compelled to defend his apostleship because of libelous attacks from false apostles; and could brag about his credentials as good Jew, a descendant of Abraham, and a servant of Christ who had suffered repeatedly in his service to Christ, he knew his real strength was found in his own weakness. He goes on to describe it this way in chapter 12: "Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10 NLT). Paul knew the only thing he had to "brag" or boast about was his weakness. Listen to what he says in chapter 13 of this same letter: "Although he [Christ] died on the cross in weakness, he now lives by the mighty power of God. We, too, are weak, but we live in him and have God’s power – the power we use in dealing with you" (2 Corinthians 13:4 NLT). Paul was content with being weak, because he knew that his life and ministry was based on God's power, not his own. Our strength comes in acknowledging our own weakness and need for God's power.

God's way of doing things is radically different than the world's way of doing things. In fact, in his previous letter to the Corinthians, Paul reminded them that, "God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important, so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God" (1 Corinthians 1:27-29 NLT).

Paul was having to defend his credentials and his credibility as an apostle, and he was not comfortable having to do so. He didn't like having to "boast" about himself, because he knew that anything he had done was due to the power of God within him. But circumstances were calling for himself to go on the defensive in order to protect the flock in Corinth. Paul was intensely concerned for their spiritual well-being. He told them, "Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?" (2 Corinthians 11:29 NLT). Paul was being forced to defend himself against attacks in order to get the Corinthian believers to acknowledge his role as their shepherd. But he was not comfortable with the situation. Paul was not one to boast. In fact, he once told Timothy, "This is a true saying, and everyone should believe it: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – and I was the worst of them all" (1 Timothy 1:15 NLT). Paul knew who he really was. He knew his weaknesses. And he knew where his strength came from. He also knew where his strength came from. And that was the one thing he was willing to boast about.

Father, give me an increasing awareness of my own weakness. Thank You that you expose me to my own weakness each and every day. I am becoming increasingly aware that I do not have what it takes to live the life You have called me to live. I can't do it in my own strength. I can't even conquer the sin in my own life without Your help. What do I have to boast about? Nothing, without You! So help me to boast about my weakness, because that is when I best realize that I need You. Amen