Saturday, July 28, 2007

OPA AND MIKAH HAVING FUN AT THE ZOO!

I AM THE SON OF GOD

READ 10:31-42

31-39) Why did the Jews want to stone Jesus? For blasphemy and making Himself out to be God. Jesus used the Scriptures to prove them wrong. Psalm 82:6 (v.34 "I SAID, YOU ARE GODS"), gods here means judges. These judges were called "gods" because they brought forth the Word of God, they had a quasi-divine function. Jesus, who is the Word incarnate, the one who the Father sanctioned and sent into the world, has every right to call Himself God. (Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words) Quote from Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words: "Jesus argued that it was not blasphemous to call Himself the "Son of God" when, in fact, He was the One the Father consecreated and sent into the world. Furthermore, on occasions God had called the judges of Israel "gods," inasmuch as they were His agents of God. If God called them "gods," why was it blasphemous for Jesus, the One consecrated by the Father and sent into the world, to say "I am God's Son." The Jews could not argue against this because it stands written in "the Scriptures." But Jesus was greater than those men who received messages from God, for He Himself was the very message from God to represent Him, the Son of God came from heaven as the consecrated one, dedicated to do God's will one earth."

40-42) Jesus leaves Jerusalem and goes to the place where John was baptizing. The people there realized that all that John the Baptist had said about Jesus was true and many believed.

Friday, July 20, 2007

ABUNDANT LIFE

READ 10:1-30

ENEMIES OF JESUS CHRIST
1-10a) There are enemies who wish to pull people away from the truth or confuse the message of the truth.
1)Their method is defective (v.1), instead of entering through the door, which is Jesus Christ, they seek to come in through "some other way." These deceivers become thieves and a robbers.
2)Their message is deceptive(v.5). A true believer will seek to know and follow the voice of the Lord. A deceiver, according to 2 John 7, is one who does not acknowledge Jesus Christ and is against Him. We as believers are to flee from the deceiver.
3)Finally their motive is destructive (v.10a). They come to steal, kill and destroy.

JESUS CHRIST IS OUR ABUNDANT LIFE
15-16,10b) Where the deceivers want to steal, kill and destroy, (v.10a) Jesus came to give His life for His sheep, (v.15,17). Where the deceivers would leave you when things get difficult, (v.12-13), Jesus came to sanctify our life by being our anchor and unify us as one with Him, (v.16). Where the deceivers cannot satisfy, (v.8a), Jesus came to satisfy completely, (v.10b).

THIEF/ROBBER/HIRELING
Counterfeit doors
Comes to steal, kill, destroy
Not a shepherd
Not an owner of the sheep, hireling
Face of danger - leaves the sheep
Not concerned about the sheep


JESUS/GOOD SHEPHERD
Door of the sheep
Enter through Jesus=Salvation
Go in and out and find pasture
(freedom, safety, sustenance)
Have life abundantly
Good Shepherd/lays down life
Knows the sheep/sheep knows Him
One flock under One Shepherd

17-30) Because of what Jesus has done we can know with certainty that we have abundant life. We possess it, (v.10b) and no one will snatch us out of His hand, (v.27-30) In the light of this truth, we can live our lives with our heads held high and our confidence assured.
FATHER, THANK YOU FOR JESUS CHRIST WHO GAVE HIS LIFE FOR US AND THAT WE ARE SAFE AND SECURE IN HIS LOVING ARMS. ANCHORed FOREVER, NEVER TO BE SEPARATED. AMEN

Saturday, July 07, 2007


All together at Easter - 4 Generations
READ JOHN 9:8-41

Answer the Questions as you read. Get a sense of what this story is all about: Believing in Jesus or believing in a religion.

8-12) 1. Who is the man questioned by?

13-16) 2. To whom was the former blind man taken?
3. On what day did Jesus perform this miracle?
4. What was the Pharisees objection?
5. What were some others saying?
6. What was the result of their discussion?

17-23) 7. What did the blind man believe about Jesus?
8. How did the Jews respond?
9. What were the parents afraid of?

24-29 10. How did the Jews question the former blind man the second time?
11. How did the man answer?
12. What was the Jew's hang-up about this man's healing?

30-33)14. What are the main points of this man's teaching?

34) 15. How did the Jews respond to him?

35-38) The physical healing of the blind man now becomes a spiritually healing as well. Praise God that his eyes were open, not only to see the earth, but also to see his Savior. His example is one we can all learn from, believing in the truth no matter what the cost.

39-41) Jesus teaches here about judgment (Judgment does not contradict that Jesus came into the world to save, remember back in John 1:5, 10-11 and Romans 1:16-19)
Cause: those who do not see Effect: they may see
Cause: those who see Effect: may become blind (the become here does not mean that they were not blind before, but that their already blind state is fulfilled, it is an aorist tense which states a fact and in this case that fact can be changed by belief in Jesus.) Jesus is telling the Jews that if they were to admit that they were blind, that would not be in sin, but the fact that they do not admit their blindness they are sinning. The Pharisees' insistense that they could see made their sin willfil. We are all born blind spiritually and when we meet Jesus we either believe in Him and the blinders are removed or we reject Him and the blinders are tighted.
FATHER, HOW INCREDIBLE ARE YOU WAYS AND HOW MERCIFUL IS YOUR DESIRE FOR ALL TO COME TO BELIEF IN YOUR SON. MAY YOU CONTINUE TO OPEN THE EYES OF THE BLIND. FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, AMEN.