I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

 John 17:1-5

I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. John 17:4-5

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 17:1-5, where Jesus pauses speaking to the disciples to pray what is referred to as the High Priestly Prayer.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Jesus sticks to His mission and plan given to Him by the Father - to seek and save the lost through His ministry on earth then to die on the cross and to rise again claiming victory over sin and death as the perfect sacrifice for all sin throughout redemptive history.  Jesus shares how the "hour has come" given He has completed what He was sent to do on earth (vv1, 4) and He is now ready for His arrest and crucifixion which we see comes next in John 18-19.  Jesus prays that He and the Father are glorified - v1.  In v2, He supports His prayer in v1 by sharing that He is worthy of glory Himself and worthy of bringing glory to the Father because the Father has given Him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom the Father has given Him (adopted into His family). V3 is not a prayer per se but a definition and set of conditions of eternal life for those that will receive it - you must know God the Father and Jesus (and of course that they are One - both persons of the Triune God).  In v5, Jesus repeats His prayer that He be glorified - in the Father's presence (similar to Jesus' baptism) - with the glory Jesus shared with the Father since the beginning.  The Triune God has existed since the beginning and will exist through the end - Alpha and Omega.    
• What do we learn from the text about people?: People exist for the glory of God just as Jesus existed for the glory of God the Father.      
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Claim the promise that Jesus is the Alpha and Omega and that for those that believe He gives them eternal life.  Follow the example of Jesus to know the will of God and to follow it - accomplish the work given to you.  Bring glory to God in all that you do.  We exist to   

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves.  Thank You for Your obedience to the Father and for accomplishing the work the Father gave You.  I am not deserving of how You save and bless.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to accept You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.

John 1:6-10

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. John 1:9-10

I continue my study of John and this morning, I focus on on vv6-10. 

Observations of the vv6-10 based on the Sword Bible Study Method: 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: God sent John ahead of Jesus to prepare the way - v6; Jesus is the Light referred to in vv4-5 that gives light to and helps everyone overcome darkness (sin and death) - He is coming into the world (as incarnate Son of God) - v9.  Although Jesus existed in the beginning and is the author of creation, the world did not know Him (including His purpose - (to seek and save the lost, to serve and not be served - Luke 19:10, Mark 10:45) because He had yet to start His ministry on earth as the incarnate Son of God - v10.     
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: John was sent from God - v6; John was sent to prepare the way for Jesus and His purpose - v7; John is not Jesus, his purpose was to "bear witness" about Jesus, His ministry, and purpose - the gospel - v8.  John's role was prophesied in the OT (see also Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1), so John's appearance fulfills prophecy.
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We should not worship any man who is sent by God, worship only God. We are to see how Jesus gives light and life to everyone - power to overcome darkness - which is sin and death.  We should follow John's example to share the Good News about Jesus. 

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that loves and saves, giving me power to overcome sin and death.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You bless in such ways.  My sin is great and it continues....daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.”

Exodus 3:14

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” Exodus 3:14

This morning, I am going to pause my preparation to host and lead worship services at the Gardens and the Lodge this Sunday 22SEP as I have largely worked through all three core themes of the message from RayFowler.Org Fruit of the Spirit Sermon series - the Fruit of Love.  As I pause, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion for today, which explores how believers "have the unspeakable privilege of knowing Yahweh as our Father — I AM WHO I AM — the God."  John Piper shares more about how we have this privilege by first sharing how Jesus responds to Pharisees who questioned how He could have seen and known Abraham - he responds that He is the Alpha and Omega in see John 8:56-58.  Piper continues by sharing awe in Jesus' response and how this response expresses how Jesus "took up all the majestic truth of the name of God, wrapped it in the humility of servanthood, offered himself to atone for all our rebellion, and made a way for us to see the glory of this infinite, absolute, all-sufficient God — without fear."  Piper concludes by referring us to Psalm 9:10a.  Indeed - know and trust God!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of amazing grace - giving us Yourself so that we can have unity and fellowship with God - eternally.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such amazing grace and for my salvation.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

 

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope...

1 Timothy 1

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope...1 Timothy 1:1

I continue with my study of 1 and 2 Timothy. This morning, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Look at the Book video series, starting with the video for 1 Timothy 1:1-2, Part 2. Excerpts from the video entitled God Is Our Savior From What:

John Piper begins the video by examining, as the title of the video explicitly implies, 1 Timothy 1:1, the use of the word Savior and the question saved from what.

• Paul's role as apostle is animated by saving others as he for "endures everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory (2 Timothy 2:10)." 
• There is a worldview implied with the word Savior that the fundamental problem with humanity and the world is sin and preconversion all of humanity is under condemnation and must be saved; Jesus introduces this condition to us; see Titus 3:3-7, Romans 5:9, 8:1, John 3:36
  
• This is why God - the originator of salvation - sent Jesus Christ; see also 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10
  
• God is first and foremost our Savior, through Jesus BEFORE the ages began; God planned salvation and grace before any sin or condemnation even existed and fulfilled through Jesus; see 2 Timothy 1:8-10
• Titus 2:11-13 describes the same hope referred to in text today.

We do need saving and we should be thankful for our salvation.  Praise Jesus who is the Alpha and the Omega!  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who provides salvation and works through Your Word, the church, the Holy Spirit, etc to bring the Good News of the Gospel throughout the world.  Thank You for saving me!  I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

At this their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”

Genesis 42-44

At this their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?” Genesis 42:28

I maintain a pause on my study of Ecclesiastes to focus on Joseph, in particular Genesis 42-44, and I lean on the Christ-Centered Exposition Series volume for this book. Based on the commentary's breakdown of the divisions and subdivisions of this text (see post from Monday, 24JUN), I move on to the third subdivision of of the first division, which explores Genesis 42:27-38.  In the text for today, we see Joseph's brothers (less Simeon who remains detained in Egypt and Benjamin who remains at home with his father Jacob) on their journey home to Canaan, and they pause for lodging on their way - v27.  When one of the brothers goes to feed his donkey - v27 - he finds that the money given to Joseph in exchange for grain has been returned, he and his brothers are fearful exclaiming - v28 - '[w]hat is this that God has done to us?' In vv29-35, upon return home, they recount to Jacob what has happened to them and that Benjamin must go to Egypt as proof that they are not spies.  Jacob is distraught as he now experiences the loss of not just Joseph, but also Simeon.  He refuses to let the brothers take Benjamin to Egypt - see vv36-38.  The commentary emphasizes how the brothers see God's hand in their circumstances - v28:  "[t]his is the first time they have acknowledged him with regard to their situation. Until this moment, they have looked at their challenges from a human perspective. But now they consider this one from God’s perspective. They consider whether his hand, his providence, might be at work behind things. This is a critical step for God’s people when they face adversity. Indeed, when presented with difficulty or hardship, we should consider whether God might be at work behind the situations we encounter (Romans 5:2-5). The brothers attempt to do this now." Chapter 42 ends with the family at a critical juncture as they are faced with a dire situation and a difficult decision.  Believers must see how God is at work in this text as He always has been and always will be as He is both the Alpha and the Omega.  It is during these times when faith in God is imperative as we lean into Him that He loves us and is always working for good in our lives. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me, who is full of amazing grace and is always working for good in my life.  Thank You Jesus for Your mercies that are new every morning and never cease.  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out for me. My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Jude

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 24-25

I proceed with my study of Jude using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my study consists of a review of Jude 24-25, the final verses of Jude, typically used as a doxology.  A doxology is defined as a short-praise hymn that is part (typically concluding) of a worship service. Concluding words are certainly in order as Jude wraps us his letter focused primarily on warnings about false teachers and teachings.  Jude tells us in vv22-23 to show mercy to others, including those who doubt the gospel, and those who desperately need it and who are dangerously close lost-ness forever.  In vv24-25, Jude comforts believers with these parting words about how God protects believers from falling away, and how He sees us blameless - not condemned (see also Romans 8:1). These verses also share how God presents us to Himself with great joy (similar to how God the Father was pleased with Jesus at His baptism. Finally, Jude provides us with a portrait of Jesus Christ as our only God, our savior, worthy of all glory, majesty, with dominion and authority over all, as the Alpha and Omega. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loved me while I was still sinning, hostile to You, and then saved me and made me a child of God.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.   Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.

Jude

Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. Jude 5

I proceed with my study of Jude using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my study consists of an unassisted review of Jude 5-7. Here, we are reminded to remain in Jesus, so that He is in us (see also John 15:5-6), so that we are spared eternal damnation.  True believers cannot lose their salvation, but most commentaries I have read focus on those who are not true believers in the sense that they never truly had faith and what faith they did have was not strong enough to prevent apostasy.  In v5, I believe, this is the group where Jude focuses - those who believed in Jesus because they perhaps felt awe and wonder at one point (due to miracle perhaps) but beyond awe and wonder never truly believed and then focused on doubt and fell prey to sinful influences and false teaching.  Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega - He was their in the beginning during Creation (see Genesis 1:2 reference to Spirit of God) and the Fall (as the one who will destroy the serpent - see Genesis 3:15) and He will be there at the end coming on clouds (Revelation 1:7-8).  As such Jude (v5) refers to Jesus as "the one who saved a people out of the land of Egypt," but then because much of Israel refused to believe and have faith, God (Jesus) destroyed them in the wilderness. Jude not only uses Israel as an example of those who refused to believe but also fallen angels (v6), and then those in Sodom and Gomorrah (v7) - all of whom perish for eternity.  Key takeaway for those whose faith is weak is avoid focus on doubt but instead to lean into God and ask for strengthening of faith and not to fall away. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God that not only saved me but also provides a way out for me to remain in You and You in me - thank You for my faith.  I am not deserving of my faith.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

John 18

 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” John 18:37

I maintain a pause of my study of 1 Corinthians as I continue using DesiringGod.com's Advent devotions where I pick up on Day 21.  Here, John Piper discusses how Jesus came into the world, which means that He already existed and on Christmas day in Bethlehem became the incarnate Son of God Jesus Christ.  He of course was also the fulfillment of prophecy as Piper refers us to just one of these prophecies in Micah 5:2.  Micah refers to Jesus "coming forth...from of old, from ancient days." Piper then shares that "therefore, [Jesus's] birth was purposeful. Before he was born he thought about being born. Together with his Father there was a plan. And part of that great plan he spoke in the last hours of his life on earth [John 18:37]." Piper concludes the devotion by stating that "[Jesus] was the eternal Truth. He spoke only the truth. He acted out the greatest truth of love. And he is gathering into his eternal family all those who are born of the truth. This was the plan from ancient days." Take comfort in knowing that God has a plan and it is glorious for all believers!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me.  Thank You Jesus. I am not deserving of You love and mercy.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

John 18

Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” John 18:37

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, where John Piper seeks for believers to prepare our hearts for Christmas.  Today's Solid Joys daily devotion marks day 21 of Advent, and today John Piper reminds us that on Christmas we don't celebrate the birth of Jesus, but the incarnation of Jesus as He existed since the beginning of time (Alpha and Omega - see Revelation 22:13).  As John 18:37 says, Jesus "[came] into the world" - this is incarnation.  John Piper shares how incarnation was God's plan from the beginning (ancient days) - that Jesus came to save sinners, He came into the world to die - so that others would be saved.  We are referred to Micah 5:2 and Mark 10:45. Read and listen to the voice of Jesus (the Bible) and rejoice over His incarnation this Christmas!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - You came into the world to die for me so that I could have life now in abundance and for eternity in Heaven with You.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.