If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

 John 15:18-27

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 15:18-19

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 15:18-27, where Jesus shares (and warns) with the disciples that the world will hate (and by definition and implication persecute) them on account of Him.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God's kingdom is not of this world and He opposes friends of the world, including Satan, the father of lies and deception. The world hates Jesus. Jesus fulfills scripture in the text today as He references Psalm 35:19.
• What do we learn from the text about people?: God chose us and gave us faith and adopted us into His family and kingdom.  This means our (primary) allegiance is to Him, and not to those in this world. Because believers are part of God's family, and His kingdom, we also should expect to be hated/persecuted. Those who persecute and hate Jesus and believers had an opportunity to believe because they heard and saw Jesus (either directly or through us who are image bearers of Christ) and have no excuse for their unbelief.  The Holy Spirit will help us bear witness to Jesus, even in persecution. 
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid becoming too comfortable with the world and worldly influences.  Claim the promise that Jesus will provide the Holy Spirit to enable us to withstand the dark forces of this world and overcome.  Follow His example of doing the Father's will despite temptations of this world to do otherwise. Share in His sufferings.  

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves, and give us the Holy Spirit to withstand hate and persecution.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessing.  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.

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

Hebrews 2

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. Hebrews 2:14-15

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 11.  Here, John Piper unpacks Hebrews 2:14-15 as he describes the text as his "favorite Advent text because I don’t know any other that expresses so clearly the connection between the beginning and the end of Jesus’s earthly life — between the incarnation and crucifixion. These two verses make clear why Jesus came; namely, to die."  Piper then proceeds to go line-by-line with the text:

• “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood..."  In other words, in sending Christ, God has the salvation of his “children” especially in view." Those who believe in Christ become God's children and are adopted into His family.  We are referred to Isaiah 8:18, 53:10, John 3:16, 11:52, 1 Timothy 4:10, John 1:12.
• “ . . . he himself likewise partook of the same things [flesh and blood]...” > "Christ existed before before the incarnation" (since the beginning of time) but became the incarnate Son of God - fully man and fully human.
  
• “ . . . that through death...” > Christ came to die for us - and this could only be accomplished if He became fully human. "He was born to die. Good Friday is the purpose of Christmas. This is what most people today need to hear about the meaning of Christmas."
• “ . . . he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil...” > "In dying, Christ de-fanged the devil. How? By covering all our sin. This means that Satan has no legitimate grounds to accuse us before God." We are justified by God.  "Satan’s ultimate weapon against us is our own sin. If the death of Jesus takes it away, the chief weapon of the devil — the one mortal weapon that he has — is taken out of his hand." We are referred to Romans 8:33, 5:9.
  
• “ . . . and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” > "So, we are free from the fear of death. God has justified us. Satan cannot overturn that decree. And God means for our ultimate safety to have an immediate effect on our lives. He means for the happy ending to take away the slavery and fear of the Now." 

A great message indeed! What a great God we have that has done all of this for those who believe!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for coming for me, dying for me, and giving me victory over sin and death - the greatest gift of all time!  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 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. 

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.

Hebrews 2

 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. Hebrews 2:10-11

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is an overview of the commentary for Hebrews 2:10-18, and a look at specifically at Hebrews 2:10-13, the first of three divisions from Hebrews 2:10-18 as outlined by the commentary. The overview indicates how Hebrews 2:10-18 "further explains what it means (from v9 - see post from a couple of days ago) for Christ to “taste death for everyone...” [and it addresses key questions such as]: Exactly how does Christ accomplish this feat? What are the results? How do God’s people benefit?"  In looking specifically at Hebrews 2:10-13, the commentary then stresses the following key points:

• Christ came into the world to adopt us as sons and daughters to glory.  "These words provide a gospel summary that focuses on the relational and familial aspects of the gospel. The gospel transforms believers into children of God and siblings of the Lord Jesus. Our purpose is to bring the glory of God into greater visibility—to be the public display of the glory of God both now and for all eternity. Thus, we become “sons and daughters to glory” in order to magnify the glory of God for all to see." We exist to glorify God!
  
•  The fittingness of God the Father's plan to send His Son to "redeem humanity through a perfect and suffering Savior. The justice of God demanded a substitutionary atonement for the forgiveness of sins....Because of Christ’s perfect obedience to the Father, Jesus has become the “source” of salvation.
• The Old Testament citations in this text (Psalm 22:22 and Isaiah 8:17-18) referring to "brothers and sisters" are "rooted in the reality because believers are Christ’s “brothers and sisters,” we are also “children” of God." The commentary also argues that believers should see how "[t]he Law and the Prophets bear witness to Christ. He is their telos....[and] that the message of the Old Testament is fundamentally messianic. The Old Testament must be read in light of its fulfillment in Christ."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God, who died for me as a perfect, substitutionary atonement for my sins - thank You Jesus for bearing my punishment that I deserved.  I am not deserving of the grace You poured out for me and continue to 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 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.

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Romans 8

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Romans 8:16-17

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued with chapter ten The New Way of the Spirit, which covers Romans 8.  My focus today is Romans 8:14-17, which my commentary refers to under the heading The Spirit of Adoption.  Here, Paul describes a glorious relationship that we have with our Savior - He is our Father in Heaven (Paul refers to Jesus as Abba and Father in v15) and we are part of his family via adoption (also in v15). What is also clear is that unbelievers are not children of God, as scripture makes clear that only those who are led by the Spirit of God (and you can't do this without accepting Jesus as Your Lord and Savior) are children of God (v14). All are created by God but not all are part of God's family.  Paul also highlights in v17 how we are heirs - implying an inheritance.  Paul's letters refer to "inheritance" 7 times (most prominently in Ephesians 1) and once by Peter (1 Peter 1:4) - these instances describe something incredible and according to Peter: "an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you." Believers need to let this sink in on both counts - how we have a Father in Heaven of course who is always there for us, loves us more than anyone ever will, and how He has saved place in Heaven for us.  However, we must also remember that there is a cost which Paul refers to in v17 which indicates "provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."  We may not want to suffer but we know that God is glorified most when we are weak (2 Corinthians 12:9-11). 

My commentary encourages us to see this new identity, intimacy, and inheritance. We are part of a "royal family" and have "all the rights and privileges of a natural child." We are also encouraged to see the horizontal dimension of our relationship to other believers - brothers and sisters in Christ. The commentary also wants us to seek our Father's vocation - to be a light as He is a light. Our new intimacy should give us confidence to approach God as the "fear" (v15) is replaced with "acceptance and security."  We know we can come to God with all of our cares and concerns. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the blessings of adoption!  Amazing - I am not deserving of such blessings and of ALL the blessings You pour out for me - particularly salvation.  My sin - worry, etc. 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.

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

 Genesis 25, 27, 30, and 32

 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This morning, I continue with the story of "Jacob: Wrestling with the Past*".

*Title of lesson three from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day two starts with Max Lucado discussing how Jacob wrestles with God and Lucado indicates that once Jacob recognizes that he has encountered God, He seeks God's blessing and that this is a bold ask.  We are encouraged to approach God boldly in our interactions - not in an arrogant manner, but in a manner where we know that God is all powerful and He is capable of doing anything - assuming it is His will.  Lucado points us to Ephesians 3:

In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. Ephesians 3:12

Lucado then wants us to look at how God has left reminders (physical or otherwise) for us to remember the encounters we have with Him. 

Finally, as part of today's review of Jacob's story, we are encouraged by Lucado to see how Jacob's request to be blessed can be distilled down to a simple matter for God to settle: "God, do I matter to You?"

Lucado points us to the following verses:

• John 1:12 (NCV)
• Romans 8:15-16 (NIV)
• 1 John 3:1 (NLT)
• Ephesians 2:19 (NLV) 
• Galatians 4:7 (NIV) 
• Isaiah 49:16 (NIV) 
  

All of the above verses underscore how we DO matter to God, and how believers are part of God's family.

I am encouraged to be bold in my interactions with God.

Discuss and comment on this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and I know I matter to You...deeply.  I am part of Your family - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift...my sin continues, including worry, etc. 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 to me today and every day.

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Mark 1:1, John 1:1-18, and Luke 1:1-4 

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:12-13

Day 289 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as my commentary* moves into the New Testament and notes, with the Gospels as a starting point, "[a]ll is now ready for the most important event in human history. It is an event planned even before the creation of the world. It is the keeping of a promise made to Abraham over 2000 years earlier....Until now God’s blessings have been reserved mostly for a chosen people, but now they are to become available to all people in every generation....But because his teaching challenges traditional practices of the Jewish religion of his day, and because he claims divine authority, Jesus meets strong opposition from religious leaders." 

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

Although I've posted this previously, I am reminded of it this morning - John Piper's post on how though we may all be created by God, only those who are believers are children of God, adopted into His family. 

Similarly, and naturally, this rebirth into God's family, means we are citizens of Heaven and our allegiance lies there first and foremost. This is particularly relevant for those in the U.S. today as many may be uneasy about an election. Belief in the lamb (Jesus Christ), and not in any party or public official, is what provides us the peace we so desperately seek.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who humbled Himself as a man and then died on the cross for me - so that I would have life...incredible.  The greatest gift of all time.  I am not deserving of such love.  My sin is great and it continues - gossip, worry, etc.  Please forgive me 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.

I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.

Jeremiah 21-22, 34, 32-33

I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Jeremiah 33:8

Day 232 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as my study returns to Jeremiah where we review prophecies of Jerusalem's siege. About 10 days ago, I posted on how Zedekiah was installed as puppet king when Jehoiakim's son Jehoiachin is taken captive to Babylonia. My commentary* indicates that with "Nebuchadnezzar’s army just outside the walls, Zedekiah realizes that it is time to consult God. But the answer from Jeremiah is to surrender or be destroyed....Zedekiah chooses not to surrender, and the siege continues."  Zedekiah is told that he will be taken captive himself (Jeremiah 34). Yet, Zedekiah's heart was hardened and as an example of Zedekiah's hardened heart (similar to that of Pharaoh when Moses delivered messages from God - starting in Exodus 5), Jeremiah is arrested (Jeremiah 32) and my commentary describes how during this time God tells Jeremiah to deliver a message of all of Israel is to be restored (Jeremiah 32-33).

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

There are number of takeaways from this morning's reading:

Although Judah failed to heed these words at the time, we are to "[d]o what is just and right".

Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place. For if you are careful to carry out these commands, then kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this palace, riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people. Jeremiah 22:3-4

God is all powerful, all knowing, and sees all or our sin (and we all sin):

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the parents’ sins into the laps of their children after them. Great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord Almighty, great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind; you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve. You performed signs and wonders in Egypt and have continued them to this day, in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown that is still yours. You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror. You gave them this land you had sworn to give their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey. They came in and took possession of it, but they did not obey you or follow your law; they did not do what you commanded them to do. So you brought all this disaster on them. Jeremiah 32:17-23

God offers restoration for those who repent and turn to Him:

‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’ Jeremiah 33:6-9

I am reminded of the Parable of the Lost/Prodigal Son.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who adopted me in Your family - knowing everything about me, including my sin.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  I am often full of anger rage, and harsh talk and actions.  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.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

1 Peter 2

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. v9

I know God loves me, as I experience His love daily, and I know what He has done for me and continues to do for me.  He is slow to anger and abounding in love.  Here in today's verse we also have another great description of how God thinks of us - as His special possession.  For believers, we are also adopted into His family as His children.  We all have earthly family but it is incredible to know that we have a Heavenly Father that loves us more than anyone else on earth can.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has adopted me as one of Your own children.  Thank You Jesus!  What an incredible gift - I am not deserving of such a gift.  I worry and I have other sin. 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 strengths.  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.

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime[.]

Psalm 30

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime[.] v5

We are imperfect and broken - yet He adopted us as His children.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. Ephesians 1:4-6 

And He is slow to anger and abounding in love.

That He will be with us until the end of the age in the context of knowing that for those who believe, we will never lose our salvation = favor.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  John 10:27-29

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who will never leave or forsake us and You have adopted us as Your children and sealed us for eternity - thank You Jesus.  What an amazing gift and act of grace.  Thank You.  I am not deserving.  I worry.  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 do.  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.  Please 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.