February 22, 2010 – Favor, Part 2

There is favor that God shows to us that we don’t deserve – His irrational love and His unmerited grace that He exhibited to us by coming here as a servant to die on a cross that we could have a relationship with Him.  But there is also favor that we can grow in.  Luke 2 says that Jesus grew in favor both with God and with man.  So, the next few weeks we are going to learn how to grow in favor with God.

Duet. 6:24 and 10:12-13 talk about fearing God’s word and how that pleases Him.  The first way to grow in favor with God is to obey His word, to have a fear of it – which means to reverence it as sacred and holy.  The fear of the Lord, the reverence of Him and the gift that He has given us is our motivation for obeying His commands.

A great example of this is found in I Sam. 15.  In it, it describes and interaction between the prophet of God Samuel and Israel’s first king Saul.  Saul was given strict instruction through Samuel to completely destroy the Amalekites but Saul compromised God’s word and spared the king and the best of the sheep and oxen.  The next day Samuel said to Saul why he did not obey the command of the Lord and his response is found in vs. 20 and Samuel’s response that obedience is greater than sacrifice in vs. 22.

We can be doing good things for God obeying His word but still rationalize and compromise his commands.  In Saul’s words he was sacrificing to God his compromise.  Sacrifice is good – giving up something to God but Samuel’s correction came that obedience to God’s word is greater than us sacrificing things to God.  Compromise is just below what is right – it is still good but if we have to rationalize our actions it is not obedience.  Saul said he compromised because he feared the people and obeyed their voice but, complete obedience is better than sacrifice

Saul and many times in the OT Israel thought that by going around and doing what they only felt they had to do, the law, that they would gain favor with God.  That by doing “good,” by sacrificing, they were holy and righteous.  Sacrifice is ok, giving something to God is fine but it doesn’t end there.  It is not enough to just sacrifice, because after Jesus, what sacrifice can we make to please God – the ultimate sacrifice has already been made.  There is nothing that we can do which can equal or surpass that sacrifice.  Therefore, it is better to obey. Indeed, obedience is better than sacrifice.

If we want God’s favor radical obedience free from compromise and rationalization free from self-righteousness is the standard.  God’s favor comes into our lives when we fear the Lord and live in obedience to His word.  Protection and blessing, prosperity and growing in favor comes when we walk in complete obedience of Him greater than just sacrifice.

Lets begin to fear God’s word, to obey beyond what we think we are sacrificing to Him and we will grow in favor with God.

Jonathan

Tags: Jonathan Spuler

Week 18 Day 1

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 18 Day 1

Introduction…The saying, ‘timing is everything’ is especially true when the timing includes God’s perfect will. In Galatians 4:4 we see, that Jesus came in the fullness of time, meaning the precisely right time. God’s will is exactly what we would choose if we knew all the facts as He does. God’s ways are the opposite of our natural inclinations, unless we are led by His Spirit. And God’s work can be identified as what would Jesus do if He were in our situation.  The Bible teaches us that “the mind of man plans his way; the Lord directs his steps.”

Read John 7:1-9 “After these things Jesus moved about in Galilee for he did not wish to move about in Judea because the Jews were out to kill him. The festival of the Jews which is called the Festival of Tabernacles was near. So his brothers said to him: ‘Leave here and go down to Jerusalem so that your disciples will get the chance to see the works that you do. For no one goes on doing things in secret when he wishes to draw public attention to himself. Since you can do these things, show yourself to the world.’ For even his brothers did not believe in him. So Jesus said to them: ‘the time of opportunity that I am looking for has not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I bear witness about it that its deeds are evil. Go up to the festival yourselves. I am not yet going up to the festival because my time has not yet come.’ When he had said these things to them he remained in Galilee.”

Bible Study

• The Festival referred to in this passage happens at the end of September and beginning of October for 8 days. It was an obligatory event that every adult Jew living within 15 miles of Jerusalem was to attend. Thousands of others attended.
• At this time in their life (they did after the death/resurrection), Jesus’ brothers did not accept Him as, the Son of God. They did not follow His leadership/ministry.
• Jesus frequently spoke of ‘his time or hour’. The words used denote the meaning of Jesus’ destined hour of God. But in this passage Jesus is simply telling his brothers that for Him, it was not the opportune time to attend the Festival.
• Jesus could not be manipulated, nor could He be forced to do something that was not right to do, that was sinful, or was not God’s plan for His life.
  • The timing of when to do something is an important item to check with God about.
  • See Acts 17:28 “…in Him we live, and move and have our being.”
  • See Psalms 16:7-8. “I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel, my heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand and I shall not be moved.”
• The Bible says, “the steps of a righteous man are ordered by God.” Meaning that we as disciples of Jesus Christ should be a person that is Spirit led, not led by trends, popularity or by pleasing people. See Psalms 37:23-25.

Application

• Consider this…does our presence in a room, event or situation…does it have an effect or impact? Is it a positive affect?
• Are we being light and salt, meaning we are having a positive impact for God, in our world, where we are located, with those we come in contact?
• Today let’s keep our focus upon God. When we do the confusion in our lives clears and untangles as we become focused upon Him and His Word.

God’s Word “is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.”

Tags: Take 10

Week 18 Day 2

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 18 Day 2

Introduction…Still today, people are divided about Jesus. While the vast majority of people polled believe in God, Jesus is the issue that still divides people. Why? Because He claims to be and is the only way, truth and life and no one goes to the Father God, but through the door of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. God’s plan and provision for a sinful world to be redeemed and mankind to be reconciled with God, so that whosoever will, may come to Him, is through the Son of God, Jesus.

Read John 7:10-18 “When his brothers had gone up to the festival, then he too went up, not openly, but as it were, in secret. So the Jews searched for him at the festival and kept saying, ‘where is he?’ And there was many a heated argument about him among the crowds. Some said, ‘he is a good man.’ But others said, ‘no, far from it, he is leading the people astray.’ But no one spoke about him openly because of their fear of the Jews. The Jews were amazed. ‘How,’ they said, ‘can this fellow read when he is quite uneducated?’ ‘My teaching,’ said Jesus, ‘is not mine, but it belongs to Him who sent me. If anyone is willing to do his will, he will understand whether my teaching derives from God, or whether I am speaking from no source beyond myself. The man who speaks from no other source beyond himself is out for his own glory. He who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true and there is no wickedness in him.”

Bible Study

• There were several verdicts on just who was Jesus.
  • Jesus was a fame seeker. This was the thought of Jesus’ brothers. They thought Jesus’ ambition was to ‘wow’ the crowds. Actually untrue since He came to give His life and die for our sin.
  • Jesus was a good man. This is true at first blush, since Jesus elevated the lives of His disciples, forgave, healed, and helped others. The reality is Jesus was not a good man if He wasn’t all that He said He was. He either was the Son of God or a liar!
  • Jesus was a prophet. This is true in part since prophets speak for God and certainly Jesus spoke for God, but prophets were fallible, sinful people and Jesus was not.
  • Jesus was a lunatic and deceiver. The religious leaders who were protecting their place, prominence and prestige promoted this. True Jesus caused many to leave ‘dead’ religion and elevate to a higher calling of a living relationship with loving God.
• The ultimate truth is…Jesus is the Christ, Son of the Living God, Savior of the world, King of Kings. Jesus does not fit into human categories or descriptions.
• To the religious and political leaders, Jesus was uneducated in their system, schools or their normal path. Offended…the leaders discounted Jesus.
• Jesus didn’t quote other rabbis or teachers. He spoke with authority, God’s!
• Jesus made it clear who should come first and take the preeminence in Matthew 10:33-39 where He calls forth true disciples of Christ, “whoever denies me before people, will I deny before my Father in heaven. Think not that I am come to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against His father and the daughter against her mother…he that takes not his cross and follows after me is not worthy of me. He that finds his life shall lose it and he that loses his life for my sake will find it.”
• With Jesus saying He was THE way, THE truth and THE life, THE only way to get to heaven – He was saying, “Its me, God.  I am the only one who has come here to this place for you!  I am the way – the only one who has come for you to make a way for you.”
  • Some view this in the negative as a narrow way to get to heaven and it is narrow.
  • But view it as I believe it was intended.  Out of love, He was telling us that He came for us to give us the way – the only way!

Application

• No one ever came into this world like Jesus. He was born of a virgin. No one ever lived as did He…the miracles, the amazing words and the supernatural acts of God that He did. No one ever came to die for our sin, lay down their life and then resurrect and ascend into heaven. He deserves our love and service as the Lord of our life.  The one who came here for us to rescue us.

Tags: Take 10

Week 18 Day 3

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 18 Day 3

Introduction…We should seek to glorify God with our words, actions and life, as did Jesus. When Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath, it was to glorify God. See Galatians 3:24, where it tells us that the Law of God, given to Moses, was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ. Why? Because “by the deeds of the law, no person will be justified (declared righteous) in God’s sight…” See Romans 3:20. No one, not one of us can keep the law and thereby be saved, be acceptable to God. So we all need forgiveness, salvation and we all need Jesus.

Read John 7:19-24 “Did not Moses give you the law and not one of you really keeps it? Why do you try to kill me?’ The crowd answered,  ‘You are mad! Who is trying to kill you?’ Jesus answered them, ‘I have done only one deed and you are all astonished by it. Moses gave  you the rite of circumcision (not that it had its origin in Moses, it came down from your fathers) and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If a man can be circumcised on the Sabbath, without breaking the law of Moses, are you angry at me for making the entire body of a man whole on the Sabbath? Stop judging by appearances and make your judgment just.”

Bible Study

• The Jewish faith, like all religions, added requirements to God’s expectations of us, making it difficult and confusing to please God. Religion is all about ‘do’.
• But Christianity is not what we ‘do’ but what has been ‘done’. Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. What God wants is a relationship with us of mutual love. Where we recognize Him for who He is…Creator and the Living God, so thank and praise Him.
• It was God who said keep the Sabbath Day holy. What does that mean? It was a day God set aside for us to rest and remember Him. What the Jews made it was a stringent and difficult day that burdened people instead of freeing them which is what God intended. “God desires mercy, not sacrifice…” Matthew 12:7. Healing a person on the Sabbath was indeed work, but it was the work of mercy!
• Because Jesus challenged the established religion and religious practices with what was truly the heart of God, the religious leaders who had power and prestige became defensive, hated Jesus and wanted to get rid of Him.
• In Mark 7:6-7, Jesus responded to the religious leaders and at the same time spoke to the crowd, when Jesus quoted from the prophet Isaiah saying, “these people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.”
• Jesus condemned people worshipping God based upon human rules and regulations. Jesus went on to say, “you have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.” Mark 7:8.
• Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”
• Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
• Every person that has ever lived has sinned before God. Because of Christ, when we confess our sin, God is faithful and just and will forgive us.

Application

• Are we listening to Jesus?
• In the natural world all around us, He is speaking. In the universe, the worlds are sustained by His Word. Yes, He is speaking with power. The Church, the true believers, are sustained by His voice and Jesus will return for His Church and call them to Himself. So listen and know His voice. Teaching that does not have His sound is not sound doctrine, or the true teaching of Jesus.
• Spiritual Discernment is the true test of spiritual maturity.

Tags: Take 10

Week 18 Day 4

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 18 Day 4

Introduction…Jesus knew human nature very well and was aware of how people were thinking about Him. He knew the people of His day with their rituals, fears, disdain for Roman rule and hunger for hope for freedom and prosperity. Jesus also recognized the mounting tension, hatred and jealousy of the leaders to whom He was a threat. His liberating words of being set free developed hope within the people. The miraculous acts of God’s power and mercy amazed them. The departure from man’s ways and religion in exchange for knowing God personally was appealing. However, in spite of all this good, Jesus was considered dangerous and anti establishment by the religious, wealthy and powerful of that day.

Read John 7:25-30 “When the festival was now half way through, Jesus went up to the Temple precincts and began to teach. So some of the people of Jerusalem said: ‘Is not this the man whom they are trying to kill? And look! He is speaking publicly and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities have really discovered that this is the Anointed One of God? But he cannot be because we know where he comes from. When the Anointed One of God comes no one knows where he comes from.’ So Jesus, as he taught in the Temple, cried: ‘So you know me? And you know where I come from? But it is not on my own authority that I have come, but he who sent me is real and you do not know him. But I know him, because I have come from him and it was he who sent me.’ So they would like to have found a way to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him because his hour had not yet come.”

Bible Study

• Jesus did not fear man and the obvious threats. He was in the hand of God the Father. He came to this earth at an appointed time and He would leave at the precisely right time.
  • For those that hated him and wanted to murder Him, realize that Jesus taught that if you hate, you are guilty of murder.
  • Consider those in religious power were filled with this evil, this sin, to hate and murder!
  • These were the same people that were intent on declaring Jesus’ healing of the sick on the Sabbath as violating God’s law. What hypocrisy!
• The Anointed One could not come from Nazareth, the son of a carpenter
  • The people thought they knew where Jesus was from…Nazareth, and who his parents were…Joseph and Mary, when in fact Jesus came from God the Father, was born of a virgin, born in Bethlehem…all of which fulfills prophesy describing the Messiah. Those along with 300 other Messianic prophesies Jesus fulfilled proving He was and is the Anointed One of God.
  • The people of Jesus’ day assumed and thought wrongly that the Messiah had to supernaturally appear out of no where quite amazingly.
  • We must not miss God ourselves, as those in Jesus’ day missed God and missed out. Make Psalms 119:125 your prayer to God, “I am your servant, so give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.”
  • God is here, with us. He is in the mundane and everyday life activities. Remember the revelation of Elijah
• Jesus knew His time was short so He taught and spoke with urgency, passion and purpose. His words challenged authority that led wrongfully, religion that led people astray, claims about God that were untrue, and the futility of people without hope.
• Jesus knew God because since the beginning He was with the Father and now He was God in the flesh. So His claim to be the only one who God as He did was true. Now it is up to us as it was up to them to believe these bold claims or consider what Jesus said as blasphemous.

Application

• Meditate on the great truth found in Isaiah 30:18 from the Amplified Bible

“And therefore the Lord (earnestly) waits (expecting, looking, and longing) to be gracious to you and therefore He lifts Himself up that He may have mercy on you and show loving kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who (earnestly) wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him (for His victory, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship).

Tags: Take 10

Week 18 Day 5

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 18 Day 5

Introduction…”To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”…So says the Bible in Ecclesiastes 3:1. The Word also says, “Today is the day (or time) of salvation”…meaning there is an urgency and God is saying why not begin to know me now! The prophet Isaiah saw the great value of seizing the moment, of taking full advantage to find God while the opportunity avails when he writes in Isaiah 55:6, “Seek the Lord while He may be found.” Why? Because time is fleeting, life is short and there is nothing more important than to find God, “it is appointed unto men (a time) once to die, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27

Read John 7:31-36 “Many of the crowd believed in him. ‘When the Anointed One of God comes,’ they said, ‘surely he cannot do greater signs than this man has done?’ The Pharisees heard the crowds carrying on these discussions about him and the chief priests and Pharisees dispatched officers to arrest him. So Jesus said, ‘For a little while I am to be with you and then I go back to him who sent me. You will search for me and you will not find me. You cannot come where I am.’ So the Jews said to each other, ‘Where is this fellow going to go that we will not be able to find him? Surely he is not going to go to the Jews who are dispersed among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What can this word of his mean, ‘you will search for me and you will not find me’ and ‘you cannot come where I am?”

Bible Study

• Jesus proved by His words, works and life that He was the Christ, but to believe and follow Him you will always need faith and exercise faith in serving Christ.
• To the people sincerely following Christ, believing He was the Messiah, it was increasingly obvious to them because no one had ever done the amazing works of Jesus before or since.
  • Jesus used His supernatural works of God as His proof positive.
  • When John the Baptist was imprisoned, he asked if Jesus was the Messiah and Jesus responded, “tell John what you hear and see.” Read Matthew 11:1-6.
• Jesus was just in ministry as the Messiah for 3 years. What a short time, but remember Jesus came to die, to take upon Himself the sin of us all, to be a ransom for many. He came and laid down His life for our salvation. No one took His life.
• No casual seeker finds God by mistake. It takes God’s consistent drawing of each one of us and our will that says yes to His love.
  • Jeremiah 29:11-14 teaches us about our relationship with God.  “For I know the thoughts that I have toward you says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end. Then shall you call upon me and you shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken to you and you shall seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.”
• The role of Holy Spirit is part of the strong effort God makes toward us to save each and every person. His Spirit convicts of sin, convinces of judgment and part of the drawing process, so there is no excuse for any person who rejects God’s love. His purpose, plan, process and person of Jesus. See Romans 1.
  • God warns us to heed the work of the Spirit of God to bring us to Him. Genesis 6:3 says “And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man…”
  • If and when we resist the work of the Holy Spirit, He is grieved. See Ephesians 4:30

Application

• John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am, there you may be also.”

Tags: Take 10

February 15, 2010 – Favor, Part 1

God being a good God, and Father who loves his children  - wants to show favor to us.  This series is understanding what favor is and how do we get favor in our lives.  If you have been at Elevate for any length of time or have read any of these blogs you know that we talk all the time about God’s love and unmerited grace/favor that he shows us.  That there is nothing that we can do, no actions, no performance that can make God love us anymore than He does.  That there is nothing that we have done, or can do to make God love us any less. (Rom. 8:35-39)  Grace is God’s unmerited favor that he shows toward us – something again, that we don’t and can’t earn and yet is God’s posture toward us. (Rom 5:15-17)

When we accept that love and that grace by believing by faith that God did this for us we gain the favor of being adopted into His family.  That He is our Father and we are His children.  By being in God’s family there is favor – there are perks and privileges to membership (I Pet. 2:9-10).   You are somebody because you know somebody and that somebody knows you.

Lk. 2:52 says that Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.  So though we have undeserved favor, and favor by accepting that undeserved favor by being in God’s family – your favor with God and with man can grow from there.  Over the next few weeks we will be looking at how we can have increases favor in our lives.

Is. 45:2-3 I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places…(but remember the source, why – God’s favor) so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. (a reference back to I Peter, you are chosen, royalty, God’s choice).  God showing you favor bring Him joy as your Father, but it also brings Him glory as your God.  Remember that He is your Lord.

Experience His favor in your life this week,

Jonathan

Tags: Jonathan Spuler

Week 17 Day 1

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 17 Day 1

Introduction…God does not have to prove His existence or defend His acts to us, but He does choose to love us and offer forgiveness to us so that by His grace (unmerited favor toward us), we are able to come to God. The role of our faith is the key that opens the doorway to God. “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Hebrews 11:6

Read John 6:30-40 “They said to him: ‘What sign are you going to perform that we may see it and believe in you? What is your work? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness. As it stands written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ Jesus said to them: ‘This is the truth I tell you, Moses did not give you bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the real bread from heaven. The bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him: ‘Sir, always give us that bread.’ Jesus said: ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never  hunger and he who believes in me will never thirst anymore. But I tell you, though you have seen me, yet you do not believe in me. I came down from heaven not to do my will, but to do the will of him who sent me. This is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose none of those he gave to me, but that I should raise them all up on the last day. This is the will of my Father that everyone who believes on the Son, when he sees him, should have everlasting life. And I will raise him up on the last day.’”

Bible Study

• God wants and is all about love and a relationship with us, the people He created. Since Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we see that fact and truth about God.
• God wants us to believe, have faith and trust Him as our Father.
• Man is looking for some other way to God…let’s build a tower to heaven, let’s create a religion, or demand that God gives us a daily indisputable sign so we will not need faith. Something where God meets our demands.
  • Miracles of God get us to look but not commit
  • Following as a true disciple is all about believing and committing to Christ
• Here Jesus is God come in the form of man and the people are so blind toward God, that they miss God with them and want more…a sign. He is the sign! They want…bread. Instead of giving bread, He gave Himself, the Bread of Life.
• Jesus says it right. As our Creator, He knows what we need.
  • The heavenly manna given to God’s people years before was from God.
  • God now was sending a heavenly person, Jesus Christ, to give us life. It is Him the bread of life that we need!
• Jesus, The Bread of Heaven and Bread of Life
  • Bread is known to be the staff, the basic food sustaining life
  • Life is more than mere existence, it is relationship with God and a vital connection to God our Creator through His Son, Jesus Christ.
  • Without Jesus there is no forgiveness, salvation or relationship eternal

Application

• Why are we here?
  • We were created for God to live with God, both now and for eternity.
• Bread of Heaven…meaning God sent God the Son as His essential provision for life.
• Bread of Life…meaning with Jesus, God the Son, there is no life as it is intended and no life eternal with God

Tags: Take 10

Week 17 Day 2

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 17 Day 2

Introduction…Murmuring…is a soft, indistinct subdued grumble, or half suppressed complaint or objection. It sounds like a simple, insignificant word, but what destructive power it contains!  Murmuring was THE reason God would not let allow the 1 million Jews, that He miraculously freed from slavery, to enter the Promised Land. The murmuring consisted of complaining about the direction, stopping their trust in God for victory and lost faith in His promises. What should have been a 10 day journey from Egypt to Israel took 40 years and God would not allow any of the murmurers to enter.

Read John 6:41-51 “So the Jews kept murmuring about him because he said: ‘I am the bread which came down from heaven.’ They kept saying: ‘Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say: ‘I have come down from heaven?’ Jesus answered: ‘Stop murmuring to each other. No one can come to me except the Father who sent me draws him and I will raise him up on the last day. It stands written in the prophets: ‘And all will be taught by God.’ Everyone who has listened and learned from my Father comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God, he has seen the Father. This is the truth I tell you, he who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and died. This is the bread of life which comes down from heaven that a man may eat of him and not die. I am the bread of life which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever.”

Bible Study

• There is a spirit of negativity that some people have that causes them to miss God, complain about their situation in life, refuse to trust God, and lose faith in God.
  • There is great value in a positive outlook, attitude and encouraging word
  • Be careful of what and who you listen to. There are more negative reports and messengers than positive ones. A negative report breeds fear and wears us out, negativity robs faith, complaining replaces trust in God, murmuring stops the blessing of God. See Daniel 7:25
  • What we say matters to God, others and to ourselves. We can lose out on blessings and miracles by how we think and speak. See Mark 5:39-40.
• The Jews rationalized and argued with each other, dissected every word of Jesus, his background and murmured between themselves, looking for some reason to not believe, discounting Jesus’ claims and missed God, His love and salvation.
• There is a significant difference between listening and learning.
  • We can listen with a readiness to criticize, resent, and sense superiority.
  • We can listen with a readiness to learn and receive the drawing of God
  • See Matthew 13:13, Romans 10:17, Hebrews 5:11
• Did you ever ask yourself, “if Jesus were to have come to earth during your lifetime, would you have heard and received Him as God the Son, or like so many of that time, would you have missed God?”
• If we make our judgments about God based upon human values or standards we will certainly miss God.
• God has used many and various messengers, none greater than Jesus. Are you looking and listening for God? He sees your searching heart and He is speaking.

Application

• Someone said, you cannot judge a book by its cover. Based upon the Scripture and what we studied today, it is evident that we must be careful not to discard or resist a message from God because we do not like the messenger.
• Hear God speak to you through unusual messengers by using your spirit of discernment. Pray for the spirit of discernment, that spiritual ability to know right from wrong, truth from error, if a message is from God and not be deceived.

Tags: Take 10

Week 17 Day 3

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 17 Day 3

Introduction…In the times and culture while Jesus was on earth, with society as it existed, the people understood the reality and norm of animal sacrifices. We may think of these practices and the entire subject as gross, but it was common in that day.  It was a part of their culture. Jesus speaking to the people of His day used terms they understood and were accustomed to for centuries. The symbolism and lessons learned from the discussion apply to us even today.

Read John 6:51-59 “The bread which I will give him is my flesh which is given that the world may have life.’  So the Jews argued with each other saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ Jesus said to them: ‘this is the truth I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot possess eternal life within yourselves. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day. My flesh is the real food and my blood is the real drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. As the living Father has sent me, so I live through him and he he who eats me will live through me. This is the bread which came down from heaven. It is not a case of eating as your fathers ate and died. He who eats this bread lives forever.’ He said these things when he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.”

Bible Study

• The flesh of Jesus is full indication of his humanity. Immanuel, God in the flesh who came to dwell among us, live and die for us that we too might live with Him.
• Hebrews 4:15-16 tells us about that Jesus, our High Priest and life example took upon Himself humanity to identify with us,  “For we have not a high priest who cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us, therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
• 1 John 4:2-3 says, “Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God. In fact, the spirit which denies that Jesus is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of antichrist.”
• The blood is indication and stands for life and Jesus says we must take His life into ours, into our core being to be alive in Him.
• Jesus is not a topic, an ideal or theological discussion…He was a person, Son of Man and as Son of God was God who came in the flesh who shed His blood for the cleansing/forgiveness of our sin.
  • When we come to Christ and ask for forgiveness and confess our sins, because of the blood of Jesus, our sins are taken away and separated from us, to be remembered no more by God.
  • Matthew 26:28, Jesus said regarding communion, “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
  • Hebrews 9:22 and 28 “…without the shedding of blood is no remission…so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many…”
• To complete the picture and teaching at a later time, Jesus explained the importance of embracing His broken body symbolized by eating the bread and taking into ourselves the cleansing blood of Jesus and the new testament symbolized by drinking the wine, as He instituted Holy Communion.

Application

• Revelation 12:10-11 pictures the scene in heaven saying, “now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren (Satan) is cast down, who accused them before our God day and night. And they (believers) overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb…”

“The Blood Shall Never Lose Its Power”

The blood that Jesus shed for me

Way back on Calvary

Oh the blood that gives me strength from day to day

It will never lose its power

And it reaches to the highest mountain

And it flows to the lowest valley

Oh the blood that gives me strength from day to day

It will never lose its power.

Tags: Take 10