Week 29 Day 1

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 29 Day 1

Introduction…In 2005 Jack Nicholson stated one of the all time great lines in the movie, “A Few Good Men”. He said, “You can’t handle the truth.” Many people today can handle the truth, but don’t want the truth. They would rather live a lie, be deceived, or just don’t want truth. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 warns about some people saying, “for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine (teaching) but, after their own lusts, shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears and they will turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned to fables.” Then in Titus 1:14-15 it underscores the same warning, “do not give heed to fables and commandments of men, that turn from the truth…but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled.”

Read John 16:12-15 “I have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of Truth has come, he will lead you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own authority and out of his own knowledge, but he will speak all that he will hear and he will tell you of the things to come. He will glorify me, for he will take of the things which belong to me and will tell you of them. All things that the Father has are mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take of the things which belong to me and tell them to you.”

Bible Study

• Jesus clearly stated that when He was leaving, there would remain many things unrevealed until the Holy Spirit would be sent. See John 16:12
• Jesus assured that this further revelation would be completed after the Spirit came to guide us into all truth. See John 16:13
• Jesus promised the further revelation would come. No doubt referring to Scripture that would be written. It would be…
  • Historical by “bringing all things into remembrance.” See John 14:26
  • Doctrinal by “teaching you all things.” See John 14:26 and 16:14
  • Prophetic by “showing you things to come.” See John 16:13
  • Given to certain chosen people to receive and witness the revelations. See Matthew 28:19; John 15:27&16:13; Acts 9:15-17
  • The revelation would be recorded for posterity, ‘those yet to come to Christ’. See John 17:20 & Acts 1:8
• The Apostle Paul was chosen to receive new revelation and record it in Scripture. Ephesians 3:3-5 gives us insight into how God revealed to Paul. “By revelation God made known to me the mystery, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge …which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Sprit.”
• The further revelation Jesus promised would come after His departure is seen in Romans 16:25-26, “now to Him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God…”
• “For those who live according to the flesh, set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:5-6

Application

• The spirit of deception is rampant in the world. Billboards, TV, magazines and Internet advertisement show smiling Hollywood people who are in the process of divorce, drug and alcohol rehab and a host of other problems and issues, but they are still made to look good for the pictures and products they are selling.
• Instead of being deceived like many people choose to be, we can choose to know and live in truth, with the Spirit of Truth that gives us discernment between good and evil, right and wrong, real and fake and truth from error.
• Choose to hear the voice of the Spirit within you speaking and hold onto the truth from the Spirit of Truth that is living within you and I.

Tags: Take 10

Week 26 Day 2

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 26 Day 2

Introduction…The Bible, God’s divinely inspired Word, the foundational sacred writing of the Christian faith, differs in many ways from the writings of other religions. For example in the Vedas and Shastras of Hinduism, the Zend-Avesta, and the Koran of Muslims, the concept of God is vastly different and the writings of other religions does not have any word of prophecy, or a prediction of future events. The Bible is full of prophecies, some already fulfilled, others in process in our day, and still others to be fulfilled in the future. Fulfilled prophecy is a pillar which upholds the structure of the Divine inspiration of Scripture. Only the True God can speak and fulfill prophecy infallibly.

Read John 13:18-25 “It is not about you all that I am speaking. I know the kind of men whom I have chosen. It is all happening that the Scripture should be fulfilled: ‘He who eats my bread has lifted up his heel against me.’ I am telling you this now, before it happens, so that when it does happen, you may believe that I am who I claim to be. This is the truth I tell you, he who receives whoever I send, receives me and he who receives me, receives him who sent me.’ When Jesus had said these things, he was troubled in spirit. Solemnly he declared: ‘This is the truth I tell you, one of you will betray me.’ The disciples began to look at each other because they were at a loss to know about whom he was speaking. One of his disciples, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining with his head on Jesus’ breast. So Peter made a sign to him and said to him: ‘Ask who it is that he is speaking about.’ The disciple who was reclining with his head on Jesus’ breast said to him: ‘Lord who is it?”

Bible Study

• Jesus predicts His betrayal and warns His disciples so they will not be discouraged over the events that are about to happen.
  • Jesus warns us in John 16:33 that in this world there will be tribulation, but tells us to be of good cheer for He has overcome the world.
  • God is not taken by surprise. He knows all. He was, is and will be.
• Since God is eternal, with no beginning and no end, and He is omniscient, all knowing. He can and did plan Creation and Salvation before the world began.
• According to the plan of God, Jesus was the Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world and He came to fulfill that plan. See Revelation 13:8
• The True and Living God sent His Word, Jesus, to show us the way, the truth and the life of God. See John 14:6
• In this passage, Jesus quoted a Scripture that was written 1000 years before by the prophet and King David, that was going to be fulfilled that very day by Judas. See Psalms 41:9 “Even my friend, in whom I trusted, who eats my bread has lifted up his heel against me.”
  • We see the cruelty of Judas’ disloyalty is revealed in the sorrow Jesus experienced and expressed. Have you been betrayed by someone? See Psalms 55:12-14.
  • We see that this tragedy of betrayal is woven into God’s plan and purposes. Jesus knew what was happening and accepted it.
  • We see the valuable lesson of faithful loyalty of Jesus to His disciples. He didn’t want them or us to lose heart because of the failure of others.
  • We see that His disciples are sent in this world representing Jesus and we too owe Him our best.

Application

• Thirty percent of the Bible contains prophecy. No other religious book contains any prophetic substance. Does that tell us something?
• There are over 300 prophecies concerning the Messiah and Jesus Christ of Nazareth, born of a virgin in Bethlehem, fulfilled them all.
• God gave us unquestionable and convincing evidence that Jesus indeed was the Messiah, Son of God, sent by the Father to earth to save us from our sin.
• Let us give of our best to the Master today!

Tags: Take 10

February 8, 2010 – Change, Part 2

What if God’s dream for each of us was that we would be different - Not just what our personalities would dictate, what our family origins have influenced to become, what our past experiences have driven us to be - That we could be people that are different – shaped and molded by him – changed by the power of His Spirit.

II Cor. 3:17 says, Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (the freedom we have in Christ is freedom from things for things, to do things differently). 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, (or reflecting his image, what he looks like) transformed (or changed) into the same image from glory to glory (or step by step), just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

The Biblical claim that we see all throughout scripture is that we have the ability to change.  That we don’t have to stay the same – that we have the power to be transformed.  When God intersects with a life you are different, you are changed.  The result of this transformation is His spirit animates us and produces fruit in us (Gal. 5:22).

You cant love your enemies or someone who hurts like the Bible instructs you on your own by your own will.  It only can come through God’s spirit, His power must be alive on the inside of you to change you to live like that.  To have joy in the midst of pain is backwards unless God’s spirit and his power comes into your life and in the middle of pain and sorrow the fruit it produces is unspeakable joy.  You cant have peace when your world is crashing in around you unless you allow his spirit to invade your life and change you.  That is being different than the world around us – us being changed

How do we allow God’s Spirit to change us, to mold us, to shape us back into his image.  First, it comes with surrendering.  Surrendering your life to him – your desires, your agenda, your will for your life for his will for your life.  The Bible refers to this as dieing to ourselves, dieing to our sin nature and allowing His Spirit to be more active in your life producing the fruit of His spirit.  You are saying I want your spirit to come and invade my life and change me – I don’t live for me anymore, I live for you – so the first way is surrender.

Second, comes by looking in the mirror of scripture (Js. 1:23).  The Bible says the word of God is sharper than any two edged sword and it rightly divides truth.  Read it, use it, use it as a mirror - Allow God’s spirit to speak to you through it and change you.

Rom. 12:2 Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think,

Jonathan

Tags: Jonathan Spuler

February 1, 2010 – Change, Part 1

Those that witnessed the death and resurrection of Jesus knew that something was different about the world.  That something had changed; something had been put in motion and a seed had been planted for a transformed world.  That in Christ a new form a creation had come and that they were a part of that story (II Cor. 5:17).  And so the story about Jesus being born, dying and rising again is all about change – the old becoming new and we continue to be a part of this story.  Every generation is charged in doing this, in taking up this challenge of being bearers of this changed life experience (Rom. 12:2).

When you talk about change…it isn’t easy…it is a messy undertaking so here are some thoughts – if we are to be bearers of this changed life experience – to help in our change process.

First off, you have to be ok with the fact that change feels un-natural.  Because change is so un-natural, you feel like you are faking it.  You see, if you are going to see change in your marriage, or in your relationships, or in the way you act on the job God is going to lead you down some paths that feel very un-natural to you .  Unless you are ok with that un-natural feeling and navigating through that completely you wont truly change.  Not just in behaviors or habits but even in theological thinking – you have to wrestle with new revelation that God may share with you about himself.  It may be uncomfortable for awhile because it is against the way you were raised or contrary to your thinking and you have to work through it.  Heb. 12:2 Keep your eyes on Jesus, because he is the author and the perfector (or the developer of) our faith.

The second reason change is so hard is that it’s a very deconstructive process.  What do I mean by that – you have to change the way or give up the way you used to act and think in any given scenario.  You have to stop and asses and deconstruct the way you view things.  If you don’t change the way you think about parenting you will parent exactly the way you saw it modeled and have the same relationship with your kids as you had with your parents.  If you don’t change your thinking in your marriage in a few short years you will have drifted away from your partner.  If you don’t change the way you think about food you health will decline in the years to come.  You are going to have to decide to stop, assess that stronghold/that blindspot and deconstruct that stinkin’ thinkin’ to experience change.

How?  The best way I know how is with scripture.  The Bible is referred to as a sword and the scripture says it rightly divides truth.  Read it, memorize it, wrestle with it – it will build your faith and help you change.

Lets get better at change – a change will do you good,

Jonathan

Tags: Jonathan Spuler

Week 9 Day 1

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 9 Day 1

Introduction…John, the writer of the Gospel of John, was one of the original 12 disciples called by Jesus to come follow Him. John was part of the inner circle of closest to Jesus disciples along with Peter and James. John, the last of the 4 Gospel’s, was written circa 90AD. In the book of the Revelation, the 4 Gospel writers are represented in symbol by the 4 beasts that are around the throne of God. See Revelation 4:7. The lion stands for Matthew, who in the first Gospel, saw Jesus as the Messiah, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The man represented Mark, the most human and straight forward of the Gospels. The ox, the animal of service and sacrifice, stands for Luke, who saw Jesus as the great servant of God and mankind, the sacrifice for sin that whosoever will may come. The eagle, represents John, the writer of the 4^th Gospel, because like eagles who can look steady into the sun, so John had the most penetrating gaze into the eternal mysteries and truths of God as we will see in the study of the Gospel of John.

Read John 1:1-2 “When the world had its beginning, the Word was already there and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was in the beginning with God.”

Bible Study

• John, who recognizes himself as a servant of the Most High God, never mentions his name as the writer of this gospel. Instead he mentions himself as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’ 4 times, see John 13: 23; 19:26; 20:2 and 21:20. He also describes himself as the witness, see John 19:35; and 21:24.
• John describes Jesus as the Word, ‘Logos’ in Greek, meaning word and reason.
  • The Word of God and the Reason of God is expressed through God the Son, Jesus.
    • God the Son is the creative, life giving and light giving Word of God to the world
    • God the Son is the power of God which created and sustains the world.
    • Love is the reason God the Father, sent God the Son to this world in human bodily form of Jesus to die for our sins
    • Jesus, God the Son was and is the image of God and the expression of love that God has for us.
  • The Jews were God’s chosen people, who for centuries were responsible to bring us light. Jesus, God the Son, came to earth, born of a virgin in Israel and grew up as a Jew. However, according to Scripture, Jesus came into the world for all mankind of the world, so that whosover will come to Him might be forgiven their sins, set free and given new life.
  • In the person of Jesus, God expressed His love and purposes to the world while revealing His nature.
• God the Son, the Eternal Word of God, was there at the very beginning.
  • In the beginning, before Creation, the Eternal God the Son was and is .
  • Since the beginning of time, God has always wanted relationship, fellowship and communion with us. From Garden of Eden and ongoing until today, God has desired and ordained communion with us.
  • God has been and is the same yesterday, today and forever. What has changed is man’s understanding and knowledge of Him. See Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.”
  • Revelation 13:8 speaks of Jesus, God the Son as ‘the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.’
  • That relationship with God starts at salvation when we are forgiven and begin our fellowship with God.
• God the Son, the Word of God, was and is with God.
  • God the Son was there as a part of the Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) Trinity, but there has been the closest connection between them.
  • God the Son, is so intimate with God the Father, since he has been with Him for eternity past.
  • Jesus is the 1 person in the universe that can and does reveal to us what God is like and shows us the love God feels toward us.
• God the Son, the Word of God, was and is God
  • The very same character and quality and essence and being as God
  • When we see Jesus, we see what God is like.
  • It is Jesus who shows us who God is and like a window into the very nature of God, we see God is full of love and compassion.

Application

• Jesus, was so much man, He was called Son of Man. Yet at the same time, He was so much God, He was called, Son of God. No one ever lived like Him. From His virgin birth, his miracles, no one ever spoke like him, and no one ever died and rose again from the grave.
• Through Jesus, God and His purposes are revealed.
• Through the created world God is also revealed. See Psalms 19. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows forth His handiwork. Day after day it speaks and night after night is shows knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world…”

Questions or comments?

Tags: Take 10