Today’s Reading: John 15; John 16; John 17; John 18
Scripture: John 15:1-4
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."
Observation: Jesus is using the metaphor of the vine and the branches. He is the vine, we are the branches, the Father is the gardener. There are two kinds of branches, fruitful and unfruitful. And each kind gets its own kind of cutting.
Application: If you bear no fruit, you get cut off. If you bear fruit, you get pruned. So stand by for cutting. The objective is fruit. The fruit is the result of God's activity in our lives. So it is our job to stay plugged in to the vine, that is, Jesus. Let God have His way in us and let His life flow through us and fruit will be the result.
Prayer: Lord, I want fruit in my life. Help me to stay in the life flow of Your kingdom. Help me to let Jesus flow through my life. And may I be the kind of branch that gets pruned because I bear fruit.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Friday, December 22, 2006
Title: Follow The Leader / Topic: Serving
Today’s Reading: John 12; John 13; John 14
Scripture: John 13:12-17
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Observation: I just love this story. Jesus gives the moral of the story here.
Application: It's all about serving. Jesus set the example by serving in a very basic and practical way. This example is something that we are to follow. Jesus said we would be blessed if we "do them." Let's do these things.
Prayer: Lord, I want to be like Jesus. He lived a life of love and showed us how to live. Help me to follow well.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture: John 13:12-17
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Observation: I just love this story. Jesus gives the moral of the story here.
Application: It's all about serving. Jesus set the example by serving in a very basic and practical way. This example is something that we are to follow. Jesus said we would be blessed if we "do them." Let's do these things.
Prayer: Lord, I want to be like Jesus. He lived a life of love and showed us how to live. Help me to follow well.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Title: The Life That Displays God / Topic: Dependence On God
Today’s Reading: John 9; John 10; John 11
Scripture: John 9:1-3
1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life..."
Observation: First, this always strikes me as one of the most stupid questions in the Bible: "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" How could the disciples think that the man's blindness could have been caused by his own sin, since he was born blind. That means he would have had to have sinned in the womb! I'm surprised that Jesus didn't crack up when he heard it.
Instead Jesus answers their question. What I noticed for the first time is that I have always made an assumption that may not be correct. I have understood Jesus' words, "this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life," to mean that the man was born blind to give an opportunity for a great healing. But could it mean something else? I think so. It seems that a blind person (or any handicapped person) has more limitations that require a certain dependency on others, and that because of that, the blind person could have a greater faith and reliance on God which would necessarily mean that God would demonstrate His faithfulness and grace to a greater degree in this blind person's life.
This makes much more sense to me because I have always felt that it was kind of cruel to the blind man that he had to suffer for so many years just to be a prop in one of Jesus' public relations events. That may be overstating it but the essence is true. (By the way, with my interpretation, the eventual miracle was serendipitous.)
Application: Dependence on God, whether caused of a person's disability or caused of a person's will and decision, magnifies the reality of God's work in a person's life. The more I rely on God, and the less I rely on myself, the greater God's works can be manifested through my life. This is where great competence or resource can, ironically, be a handicap. (Remember that Jesus said it would be near impossible for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.)
Bottom line: I must humble myself and strive to depend on God, not on my own abilities and resources.
Prayer: Father, thank You that You desire to show Your amazing works through the most ordinary of people. Thank You that Your strength is made perfect in weakness. Help me to see and seize opportunities to let You do Your will and work through me. May I be growing in this every day.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture: John 9:1-3
1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life..."
Observation: First, this always strikes me as one of the most stupid questions in the Bible: "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" How could the disciples think that the man's blindness could have been caused by his own sin, since he was born blind. That means he would have had to have sinned in the womb! I'm surprised that Jesus didn't crack up when he heard it.
Instead Jesus answers their question. What I noticed for the first time is that I have always made an assumption that may not be correct. I have understood Jesus' words, "this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life," to mean that the man was born blind to give an opportunity for a great healing. But could it mean something else? I think so. It seems that a blind person (or any handicapped person) has more limitations that require a certain dependency on others, and that because of that, the blind person could have a greater faith and reliance on God which would necessarily mean that God would demonstrate His faithfulness and grace to a greater degree in this blind person's life.
This makes much more sense to me because I have always felt that it was kind of cruel to the blind man that he had to suffer for so many years just to be a prop in one of Jesus' public relations events. That may be overstating it but the essence is true. (By the way, with my interpretation, the eventual miracle was serendipitous.)
Application: Dependence on God, whether caused of a person's disability or caused of a person's will and decision, magnifies the reality of God's work in a person's life. The more I rely on God, and the less I rely on myself, the greater God's works can be manifested through my life. This is where great competence or resource can, ironically, be a handicap. (Remember that Jesus said it would be near impossible for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.)
Bottom line: I must humble myself and strive to depend on God, not on my own abilities and resources.
Prayer: Father, thank You that You desire to show Your amazing works through the most ordinary of people. Thank You that Your strength is made perfect in weakness. Help me to see and seize opportunities to let You do Your will and work through me. May I be growing in this every day.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Title: Shortcuts & Substitutes / Topic: Spiritual Intimacy With God
Today’s Reading: John 7; John 8
Scripture: John 7:14-15
14 Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. 15 The Jews were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?"
Observation: The people's response to hearing Jesus teach is telling. "How did this man get such learning without having studied?" In other words, they believed that the only source of learning was their teaching. And because Jesus had not gone through their course of study, they couldn't figure out how He could have the knowledge base or wisdom to teach as He did. Even though they were religious, they were humanistic. They thought that apart from their own system, there was nothing. They, in their study of God, forgot about God.
Application: It is possible to be very committed to God and to the things of God and to miss God. It is possible to be very involved in the pursuit of God and to miss God. How is this possible? I think it is because the authentic pursuit of God is hard work. It is not at all easy. So, we create shortcuts and substitutes for connecting with God. We make rules and lists and such.
For example, daily communing with God is the desired goal, but it is hard to measure and even harder to do, so we substitute reading the Bible and a designated number of minutes for praying. Then, if we read the required Bible passages, and give the necessary minutes on our knees, we check it off our list and our "time with God" is done. Never mind if we might have been distracted by stray thoughts or too sleepy to really connect with God -- we did the time! So we are OK. Meanwhile, God wanted to just have us quiet our hearts before Him and listen to His still small voice. We have totally missed God but we are OK with it because we fulfilled the substitute ritual that we created.
Bottom line: For me it's this: I must strive to stay fresh and honest with God. I must vary my spiritual practice. I must worship. I must be silent. I must kneel. I must lay prostrate. I must stand and lift my hands. I must work to bread any routine and habit that would substitute itself in my life for real living relationship with God. And I must be honest with my heart and ask if indeed, I connected with God. And I must clear more time to wait until the connection is real and clear.
Prayer: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner. I fall so short of this that I am journaling about today. I do desire, in my heart of hearts, to know you intimately and passionately. But I struggle with busy-ness and distractions that I inflict upon myself. Help me to follow the path of simplifying my life and clearing time and space for You. I say that You are the most important Person in my life. Help me to live that out every day.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture: John 7:14-15
14 Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. 15 The Jews were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?"
Observation: The people's response to hearing Jesus teach is telling. "How did this man get such learning without having studied?" In other words, they believed that the only source of learning was their teaching. And because Jesus had not gone through their course of study, they couldn't figure out how He could have the knowledge base or wisdom to teach as He did. Even though they were religious, they were humanistic. They thought that apart from their own system, there was nothing. They, in their study of God, forgot about God.
Application: It is possible to be very committed to God and to the things of God and to miss God. It is possible to be very involved in the pursuit of God and to miss God. How is this possible? I think it is because the authentic pursuit of God is hard work. It is not at all easy. So, we create shortcuts and substitutes for connecting with God. We make rules and lists and such.
For example, daily communing with God is the desired goal, but it is hard to measure and even harder to do, so we substitute reading the Bible and a designated number of minutes for praying. Then, if we read the required Bible passages, and give the necessary minutes on our knees, we check it off our list and our "time with God" is done. Never mind if we might have been distracted by stray thoughts or too sleepy to really connect with God -- we did the time! So we are OK. Meanwhile, God wanted to just have us quiet our hearts before Him and listen to His still small voice. We have totally missed God but we are OK with it because we fulfilled the substitute ritual that we created.
Bottom line: For me it's this: I must strive to stay fresh and honest with God. I must vary my spiritual practice. I must worship. I must be silent. I must kneel. I must lay prostrate. I must stand and lift my hands. I must work to bread any routine and habit that would substitute itself in my life for real living relationship with God. And I must be honest with my heart and ask if indeed, I connected with God. And I must clear more time to wait until the connection is real and clear.
Prayer: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner. I fall so short of this that I am journaling about today. I do desire, in my heart of hearts, to know you intimately and passionately. But I struggle with busy-ness and distractions that I inflict upon myself. Help me to follow the path of simplifying my life and clearing time and space for You. I say that You are the most important Person in my life. Help me to live that out every day.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Title: The Swamp Of Religiosity / Topic: Legalism
Today’s Reading: John 5; John 6
Scripture: John 5:5, 8-10
5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years...
8 Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat."
Observation: A paralyzed man has just been healed and is walking for the first time in thirty-eight years! Imagine the excitement those around him must have felt. Wouldn't you think that everyone would hug him and celebrate with him? But that is not what happens. The first thing that "The Religious" people do is to rebuke him! This is so typical of "The Religious" -- they never have found a celebration they couldn't spoil. And this is no exception. Instead of rejoicing over a great miracle (obviously God was involved here), they pick on a very minor infraction (which is not truly an infraction at all) of their interpretation of the sabbath rules.
Application: "The Religious" are people with a kind of self-assigned legalism that masquerades as spirituality but is not anything of the kind. These people do not know God or His ways. All they know is a list of rules that they delight in imposing on others to validate their own worth. What is the point of all this?
The point: Whenever you find yourself getting picky about some religious or legalistic trivialities, watch out. You might be getting stuck in the kind of religious swamp that sucks the true joy and love of God right out of a person. If you have no joy in Jesus, ask God to show you why. The Bible tells us "the joy of the Lord is our strength."
Prayer: Lord, I thank You that Jesus was not religious. He was filled with joy and love and purpose which drove the religious people crazy. Help Your people to be infected with the same kind of positive stuff. Keep us out of religiosity.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture: John 5:5, 8-10
5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years...
8 Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat."
Observation: A paralyzed man has just been healed and is walking for the first time in thirty-eight years! Imagine the excitement those around him must have felt. Wouldn't you think that everyone would hug him and celebrate with him? But that is not what happens. The first thing that "The Religious" people do is to rebuke him! This is so typical of "The Religious" -- they never have found a celebration they couldn't spoil. And this is no exception. Instead of rejoicing over a great miracle (obviously God was involved here), they pick on a very minor infraction (which is not truly an infraction at all) of their interpretation of the sabbath rules.
Application: "The Religious" are people with a kind of self-assigned legalism that masquerades as spirituality but is not anything of the kind. These people do not know God or His ways. All they know is a list of rules that they delight in imposing on others to validate their own worth. What is the point of all this?
The point: Whenever you find yourself getting picky about some religious or legalistic trivialities, watch out. You might be getting stuck in the kind of religious swamp that sucks the true joy and love of God right out of a person. If you have no joy in Jesus, ask God to show you why. The Bible tells us "the joy of the Lord is our strength."
Prayer: Lord, I thank You that Jesus was not religious. He was filled with joy and love and purpose which drove the religious people crazy. Help Your people to be infected with the same kind of positive stuff. Keep us out of religiosity.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Title: Miracle Wine / Topic: God's Priorities
Today’s Reading: John 2; John 3; John 4
Scripture: John 2:7-11
7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet."
They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
Observation: I love the fact that Jesus' first miracle was to change water into wine! And not just any wine -- I mean to change water even into cheap wine would be amazing -- but Jesus made great wine! The maitre'd judged it the best.
Application: What this says about God is that He is all about blessing people and their lives and relationships. In Jesus' day, weddings were a big deal and wine was a part of every social occasion. (This is still the case in many communities in our world today.) Jesus made the water into wine to bless those who were there to celebrate the joyous occasion of this wedding and all it represented for that community.
Bottom line: We serve a loving and positive God who love people and loves to bless them. We should reflect God's love for people by being a great blessing to them whenever we are around people. God wanted people to be happy.
Prayer: I thank You that You are a positive God. Thank You for Your great love for people and Your desire to bless us. Help Your people to portray Your sweetness and compassion in the way we relate to others. May we be kind and positive and draw others to You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture: John 2:7-11
7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet."
They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
Observation: I love the fact that Jesus' first miracle was to change water into wine! And not just any wine -- I mean to change water even into cheap wine would be amazing -- but Jesus made great wine! The maitre'd judged it the best.
Application: What this says about God is that He is all about blessing people and their lives and relationships. In Jesus' day, weddings were a big deal and wine was a part of every social occasion. (This is still the case in many communities in our world today.) Jesus made the water into wine to bless those who were there to celebrate the joyous occasion of this wedding and all it represented for that community.
Bottom line: We serve a loving and positive God who love people and loves to bless them. We should reflect God's love for people by being a great blessing to them whenever we are around people. God wanted people to be happy.
Prayer: I thank You that You are a positive God. Thank You for Your great love for people and Your desire to bless us. Help Your people to portray Your sweetness and compassion in the way we relate to others. May we be kind and positive and draw others to You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Title: Great Gifts / Topic: God's Grace
Today’s Reading: 2 Peter 1; 2 Peter 2; 2 Peter 3; John 1
Scripture: 2 Peter 1:3-4
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Observation: What a wonderful God we serve! Here, Peter tells us that we have been given great gifts. Gifts that we were given freely and which guarantee that we have "everything we need for life and godliness." Included are "very great and precious promises" to enable us to "participate in [God's] divine nature and escape the corruption in the world..."
Application: It is so important to keep these things in mind. I have a tendency to sometimes get focused on what I don't have and I can forget the fantastic blessings that I do have. I can actually forget that I have been given everything I need for life and Godliness and I can forget the "great and precious promises." That's one reason I need to stay in the word -- to remind myself of God's great blessings to me.
Bottom line: We've been given so much. Remember the gifts of God and live a life of thanksgiving and joy -- a life worthy of the great God we have the privilege of serving.
Prayer: Thank You, Lord for Your great gifts. Help me to walk in full awareness of what You have given me. And help me make full proof of the gifts that You have placed in my life.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture: 2 Peter 1:3-4
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Observation: What a wonderful God we serve! Here, Peter tells us that we have been given great gifts. Gifts that we were given freely and which guarantee that we have "everything we need for life and godliness." Included are "very great and precious promises" to enable us to "participate in [God's] divine nature and escape the corruption in the world..."
Application: It is so important to keep these things in mind. I have a tendency to sometimes get focused on what I don't have and I can forget the fantastic blessings that I do have. I can actually forget that I have been given everything I need for life and Godliness and I can forget the "great and precious promises." That's one reason I need to stay in the word -- to remind myself of God's great blessings to me.
Bottom line: We've been given so much. Remember the gifts of God and live a life of thanksgiving and joy -- a life worthy of the great God we have the privilege of serving.
Prayer: Thank You, Lord for Your great gifts. Help me to walk in full awareness of what You have given me. And help me make full proof of the gifts that You have placed in my life.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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