Week 15 Day 1

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 15 Day 1

Introduction…sometimes we are in a state of bewilderment about what is happening all around us and perhaps to us. In those times, it is good to do a ‘God check’. What is He saying and/or doing? What is His perspective on these matters? Talk about being on different wavelengths and not on the same page…it’s good to be sure we are not on the wrong page…better check it out with God.

Read John 4:27-38 “Upon this his disciples came up and were in a state of amazement that Jesus was talking to a woman. Yet no one said, ‘what are you looking for or why are  you talking with her?’ So the woman left her water pot and went away to the town and said to the people, ‘come and see a man who told me all things that I have done! Can this be the Anointed One of God?’ They came out of the town and were coming to him. Meanwhile his disciples urged him, Rabbi eat! But He said to them, ‘I have food to eat of which you do not know.’ His disciples said to each other, ‘Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?’ Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and complete his work. Do you not say, there are still 4 months and then comes the harvest? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit for eternal life that  both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: one sows and another reaps. I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labors.”

Bible Study

• Jesus blows the socks off the disciples and certainly gives them and us something to think about.
  • Why go into Samaria and speak with ‘inferior’ people? Or are they?
  • Why did Jesus speak to women about God’s love? Who said it is wrong?
  • Why are we worried about food and Jesus is concerned about people?
• After looking at Jesus’ life and ways and comparing His way to ours, we must ask ourselves about our prejudices and ideas…maybe we have to change and get on His wavelength? Maybe what we have learned as a child or in this world is misconceived or wrong?
• Jesus’ meeting with the woman at the well was similar to His encounter with Peter the Apostle. Both realized their sin, lack and need for God in their lives.
  • Peter said, “depart from me for I am a sinful man, oh Lord.” Luke 5:8. Peter saw himself correctly as a sinful man, but misjudged Jesus. Instead of telling Him to depart, Peter should have said, stay and help me Lord!
  • The woman at the well was staggered by Jesus’ ability to look into her life and diagnose the problem and be the solution.
  • See Psalms 139:1-4 says God knows all about us, “You know my thoughts…even before a word is on my tongue, oh Lord, you know it altogether.”
• The life of the disciple of Jesus Christ is to discover Him for ourselves and then to share this amazing love and life that we have found. It is God’s command that we share the Good News. The Good News of what God has done in our own lives through us discovering that love.  See Matthew 28:16-20 for Jesus’ last words to His disciples. When the woman at the well found Jesus, she told everyone!
• Jesus called his 12 disciples and is now us saying, “I will make you fishers of men.” The time of need, the time to care, the time to reach out and help people is now. The need is great…people are needy. The harvest is ready…people are looking help and answers. See Psalms 136:5-6, Amos 9:13, Leviticus 26:5
• Get on God’s page, see His perspective, work for God while we can, share the Good News with precious people…this is the great commission!

Application

• When we accept Christ into our lives, we are no longer what we were, nor are we all that we ought to be and yet at the same time, we are not what we are going to be. The fact is, we are ‘under construction’. God isn’t finished with us yet!
• Let’s pray about this opportunity and challenge God gives us as co-laborers with Him, “Lord of the harvest. Let me see the need of people all around me and be your hand extended, reaching out to the lost and needy.”
• Remember He chooses to use us, imperfect people.  We are His plan A and there is no plan B.  He believes in you!  Let that encourage you today.

Tags: Take 10

Week 15 Day 2

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 15 Day 2

Introduction…God has decided that it will be us, His Creation and His people, not the angels to pronounce the truth of His great love, forgiveness and salvation to the world. We are His plan A and there is no plan B.  What He has done for us, He wants to do through us for others. When you think of it, what an honor to work with God and for Him. And what an honor and awesome responsibility it is to bring precious people to Christ by unveiling His love and grace to them. Someone correctly observed this truth and said,

“He has no hands but our hands to do His work today:

He has not feet but our feet to lead men in His way:

He has no voice but our voice to tell men how He died:

He has no help but our help to lead them to His side.”

Read John 4: 39-45 “And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, ‘He told me all that I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans had come to Him they urged Him to stay with them and he stayed there 2 days. And many more believed because of His own word. They said to the woman, ‘now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.’ Now after the 2 days, He departed from there and went to Galilee. For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast for they also had gone to the feast.”

Bible Study

• Romans 10:14 says, “how are they to hear without a preacher?” It is God’s plan that His Good News be transmitted person to person. Are you available? Ready?
  • “Be ready always to give an answer to every person that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” 1 Peter 3:15
  • “Preach the word, be diligent in season…reprove, rebuke, exhort with all patience and doctrine.” 2 Timothy 4:2
• The Church of Jesus Christ can and will expand until the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of the Lord.
  • Jesus said, “I will build the Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18
  • Acts 2:47 says that the early Church after Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension into heaven, were “praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”
  • Our role is to love people as God does and share what we have been given by God. We are challenged to ‘work for the night is coming when no one will be able to work.’
• Jesus was more than a prophet, rabbi/teacher, priest, king, or good person/example…He is the Savior of the World! 1 John 4:14 “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.”
• It is sad that Jesus was able to do little in Nazareth, His hometown, because people are so critical. Sometimes to a fault. They thought they knew Him. He was just a carpenter’s son and of Mary. They missed the truth. They missed the blessing. They missed the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Application

• May we not miss Christ. He is near. He is as close as the mention of His Name. What are you saying to Him? What is He saying to you?
• Let’s be a ready listener of His Word and willing receiver of His Presence and His goodness.
• “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young, page 164 says,

“Remember that you live in a fallen world: an abnormal world tainted by sin. Much frustration and failure result from your seeking perfection in this life. There is nothing perfect in the world but Me. That is why closeness to Me satisfies deep yearnings and fills you with joy. I have planted longing for perfection in every human heart. This is a good desire, which I alone can fulfill. But most people seek this fulfillment in other people and earthly pleasures or achievements. Thus they create idols, before which  they bow down. I will have no other gods before Me! Make Me the deepest desire of your heart. Let Me fulfill your yearning for perfection.”

Tags: Take 10

Week 15 Day 3

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 15 Day 3

Introduction…God rewards faith. ‘We are saved by faith’ as the Scriptures say. The role of faith is foundational and vital in following Christ. There are miracles we have seen and answers to prayer we have experienced and if you are like me, at times we say, “God I will never doubt you again!” Only to wake up to new situations where we need God, come to our Father and once again ask in faith believing. The Scripture clearly states that, ‘the just shall live by faith’ and ‘without faith, it is impossible to please God’. So we press onward  and upward as we keep living and exercising our faith in God.

Read John 4:46-54 “So Jesus came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water into wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick in Capernaum. When this man heard Jesus had come from Judea into Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son for he was going to die. Jesus said to him: ‘ Unless you see signs and wonders you will never believe. The nobleman said to him: ‘Sir, come down before my son dies!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way, your son lives.’ So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him saying, ‘your son lives.’ Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And  they said to him,. ‘Yesterday at the 1 pm the fever left him.’ So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, ‘Your son lives.’ And he himself believed and his whole household. This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.”

Bible Study

• Desperation causes us to open ourselves to new and sometimes better things. We break habits. We break the norm. We are cleansed of routine and now see clearer what is really important.
• Think of it. The Nobleman/dignitary travels 20 miles by foot to implore Jesus, the carpenter. Or did he see more than a carpenter in Jesus?
• What can we learn from this man and this encounter with Jesus

o      He was in need. He didn’t care about criticism or his status. His pride is swallowed and overcome.

§       Psalms 34:17-19 tells us “The righteous cry and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who are of a broken heart and saves those with a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of them all.”

o      He was not discouraged. Jesus tested his faith and earnestness by saying you only look for signs and wonders. Jesus did the same test with the Syro-Phoenician woman.

§       See Matthew 15:21-28. “a woman came out of Canaan crying ‘have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David, my daughter is grievously vexed with a demon. But Jesus did not answer her…then Jesus said, ‘I am not sent but to the lost of Israel.’ Then she came and worshipped him saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ Jesus said, ‘it is not right to take the children’s bread and cast it to dogs.’ She then said, ‘true Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs…’ Jesus answered her and said, O woman, great is your faith! Let it be as you desire!’ And the woman’s daughter was made well that very hour.

o      He had faith to come to Jesus and had faith to turn and leave having only heard Jesus’ word ‘your son lives’. He resisted his personal preferences of how the meeting with Jesus would go and eliminated negative thoughts.

o      He surrendered himself to now follow Jesus. After the miracle of healing, the nobleman changed and he changed others. He and those he influenced…his entire household…now believed and lived for Jesus.

Application

• Like the Nobleman, people often come to God when they are at the end of their rope. When all else has failed. After their failure. Now it becomes clear right down to our origin, why am I here, where am I going, to whom should I go. Now I will open my thought to God. Now I will call upon Him.
• See Psalms 50:15 “Call upon Me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you and you shall glorify Me.”
• After God rescues us, after He hears our prayers, after His intervention, after He shows Himself to be real?
• How then shall I live?

Tags: Take 10

Week 15 Day 4

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 15 Day 4

Introduction…We do things mostly out of duty or delight…right? Jesus as a Jewish rabbi/teacher followed the customs of worship to be in Jerusalem for the 3 feasts each year out of delight to worship God with precious people. Worshipping and serving God always involves us in reaching out to people. People are the commodity of great value in heaven – in God’s Kingdom. So Jesus while worshipping God at the feast, looks and finds someone in need of God, in need of healing, to show the reality and love of the Living God for people…people like you and me.

Read John 5:1-9 “After this there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, called Bethesda, having 5 porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water, then whoever stepped in first…was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity 38 years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, ‘do you want to be made well?’ The sick man answered, ‘Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred, but while I am coming another steps down before me.’ Jesus said, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk.’ And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.”

Bible Study

• Much of the world is steeped in superstition. Believing that a black cat, walking under a ladder, stepping on a line, or some other act may help you or hurt you. They believe in luck/chance, an old wives tale or dead god/religion.
• Just as misinformed are those that do not know or believe incorrectly about the Living, Loving, Creator God.
• Who speaks for God? Who is tasked to clarify, represent well, show the way and communicate the truth?
• Jesus, the Son of God, certainly spoke well of and for God and showed His heart each time He taught the truth, healed, delivered, and gave forgiveness, hope and life to a lost and dying world.
• The man with the infirmity, only knew superstition…an angel moved the waters and chance…someone had to help him get into the water first.
• Jesus did not lecture the man on his wrong thinking. He asked, “Do you want to be made well?” Some people want to remain invalid, are content with their lost condition, choose ignorance and prefer living in superstition and unbelief.
• Jesus the truth, spoke for God with power, authority and love.

o      1 Corinthians 2:4-5 The Apostle Paul spoke for God saying, “And my speech and preaching were not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

o      The power of God always unites with the faith and will of a person so that together with God “we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.” Philippians 4: 13

o      Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”

Application

• Do you know God’s love? Do you, as does God, love people? Do you, as does God, see the needs of people and reach out?
• Pray for God to give you His eyes to see what He sees in the hurt around us.  Pray that He gives you His heart, that what breaks His heart would break your and move you to action.
• · “If I Can Help Somebody”

If I can help somebody, as I pass along,
If I can cheer somebody, with a word or song,
If I can show somebody, how they’re traveling wrong,
Then my living shall not be in vain.

If I can do my duty, as a good man ought,
If I can bring back beauty, to a world up wrought,
If I can spread love’s message, as the Master taught,
Then my living shall not be in vain

Tags: Take 10

Week 15 Day 5

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 15 Day 5

Introduction…Sometimes we can be so wrong and still not see it. God help us all! How could God Himself be working His love and healing in a person with great need and the ‘religious’ people miss seeing God, His love and purposes and fail to rejoice in His work of healing. Incredibly they were filled with hatred for Jesus doing this ‘work’ on the Sabbath. Healing and hatred just do not go together. Healing is of God and hating is of the devil. The Word says accurately that you know a tree by its fruit. If the fruit is healing, the tree is God. If hatred is the fruit, then the source/tree is the devil/satan.

Read John 5:10-18 “The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, ‘It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.’ He answered them, ‘He who made me well said to me, ‘take up your bed and walk.’ Then they asked him, ‘who is the man who said to you, take up your bed and walk?’ But the one who was healed did not who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, ‘See you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.’ The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now and I have been working. Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making himself equal with God.”

Bible Study

• Can religion get in the way of God? Oh yes!
  • Honoring the Sabbath instead of honoring God.
  • Questioning the man instead of sharing the joy of a man’s healing.
  • Persecuting Jesus instead of receiving and following Him to God.
• Religion is man’s made up traditions to God. God’s love, Jesus, is God’s way to man. Religion does not get one to God. Relationship with God through Jesus does.
• The Jews in the name of religion, took the wide principles God gave them as the Law and broke it down into thousands of rules and regulations that took their eyes off and heart away from God who loved and gave them and the world…Jesus.
• How could religious people be so off base as to hate Jesus? 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 tells us, “But if our gospel be hidden, it is hidden to them that are lost. In whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of them who believe not, less the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
• Jesus said of the Sabbath that was to be kept holy, ‘even on the Sabbath God’s love and mercy and compassion act, and so do mine.’ The work of compassion is unceasing. At Creation, God stopped creating on the 7^th day, but didn’t stop functioning His works of judgment, mercy, compassion, and love continued.
• Jesus gave a life lesson to this man who was infirmed for 38 years and did not know God. Without God in our lives, we are bound to sin. Jesus taught we live for God, know Him, and serve Him.
  • Galatians 5:13 teaches us not to use our liberty as an excuse to sin or to remain living in the flesh instead of the Spirit led life.
  • Romans 6:1-18 teaches us not to abuse the love, forgiveness and grace of God as an excuse or freedom to sin.

Application

• Let’s not miss God and the good He is doing in our world and in us today.

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:9-10

Jesus was limited by time and space. He was God in a body. But the Spirit of God is not limited. The Spirit reveals with a single priority:  “The things…the deep things of God” have to do with God’s true character.  This wonderful truth about God’s good nature and personality, that is full of compassion, simply cannot be contained within any single organized religious group, and breaks forth as light throughout the world:

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork.

Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night shows knowledge. There is no speech

nor language, where their voice is not heard” (Psalm 19:1-3)

Tags: Take 10