Verse for Today - John 11:25 (click to read)

John 11:25

"Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;"

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Read all of John 11

This verse is found amid the account of Jesus raising his friend Lazarus from the dead.  This comment is actually directed to Martha, Lazarus's sister.  She had just said that if Jesus had come sooner Lazarus would not have died.  

Jesus replies by telling her that her brother will rise again.  Martha affirms that she believes that Lazarus will rise on the last day.  To this Jesus replies with the statement above.  

It's remarkable.  Really.  Jesus indicates with these words that redefines the terms of life and death.  He and all those who believe in Him have Life and will never lose it.  Yes, barring the Lord's return, your body will cease, but if you are in Christ, your soul will continue to with Him. 

Jesus then concludes:  "And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”  

This question reveals the presence or absence of faith in Martha and in us.  "Do YOU believe this?"    To this question Martha gives the right answer (and I hope you do too).

²⁷ She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Verse for Today Blog - John 10:7, 9-10 (click to read more)

John 10:7, 9-10

"Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Read at Bible Gateway

Read all of John 10

In these verse Jesus is defending himself and his ministry from the Jewish leaders of his day.  In John 9 a conflict had arisen about the healing of the man born blind.  In chapter 10 Jesus is using the imagery of a sheep and shepherd to show the relationship between his ministry and his people.  

Whenever we hear Jesus saying, "Very truly" or as the KJV says, "Verily, Verily," it is an affirmation of extreme--utter--importance.  The point is Jesus alone is the "gate for the sheep."  If any would enter into a living relation with the True and Living God, it can come only through Christ.  

This reality is then contrasted with the work of the Evil One and his false teacher.  They come not to help, save and serve the sheep, but to "steal and kill and destroy."  Jesus then follows this up with some of the most beautiful words in Scripture: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

As Jesus spoke these words, he revealed the intention of his work.  To provide life and fullness of life to those who would come to God through Him.  If we have Christ and He has us, we are saved to the uttermost through Him.  Hebrews 7:25 says, ""Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."

What a great comfort!  Jesus makes very clear what he means by this later John 10:27-29

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand."

Verse for Today Blog - John 8:12 (click to read more)

John 8:12

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”"

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Read all of John 8

John 8 is one of those important chapters.  It provides a snapshot of our Lord's ministry as he is confronting the unbelief of the Jesus leaders.  Toward the end of this chapter it will heat up to the point where he tells the scribes and pharisees that they are not Abraham's children, but Satan's.

Today's verse is much more positive.  Jesus makes a profoundly exclusive affirmation.  He is the Light of the World.  If He is, then no one else is.  As the Light, he gives light that we might really see.  There is a quote from CS Lewis that goes something like this, "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen; not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything ...."

He then applies this truth to His followers (us)... "that they will never walk in darkness... but will have the light of life."  Hear Him.

This passage reminds me of a verse from Psalm 36, 

 ⁸ They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house,
         And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.
 ⁹ For with You is the fountain of life;
         In Your light we see light. 
         
 ¹⁰ Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You,
         And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.

Verse for Today - John 1:1-2,14 (click to read)

John 1:1-2, 14

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Read at Bible Gateway

Read all of John 1

Last Wednesday we read these verses in our Catechism Class.  We were discussing the Second Article of the Christian Faith, what it means to believe Jesus Christ His only begotten Son.  The Second Person of the Trinity existed before He was born in Bethlehem that first Christmas night.  As He entered human history he took on a human body.  This is the meaning of verse 14 "and the Word became flesh."

The importance of today's verse is significant.  It teaches us both of the deity and the humanity of Christ.  Part of having faith in God and trusting in Christ for salvation, is being convinced of what the Bible teaches about who Jesus was.  That a man became God, we could not believe... but that God (who can do all things) could become man, that we can and must believe... if we would have true faith Christ (and thus have hope of being saved from our sins).  

This same truth is taught in Colossians 2:9,10

 "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power."

Verse for Today - John 6:35 (click to read)

John 6:35

"Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

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Read all of John 6

There are a handful of passages where the claim that Christ and Christ alone has what everyone needs.  Today's Verse is one of them. 

And this exclusive claim is exactly right.  He is the one and only Savior.  Everything and everyone else will not supply what is needed most.  

Jesus is the One through whom God saves His people from their sins.  When this radical transformation takes place... it satisfies us like nothing else can.  Yes, this verse speaks of never thirsting or hungering again, but it is referring to the fullness, peace and contentment enjoyed by those who have tasted and seen that the LORD is good.  

Listen to what Jesus says after verse 35:

³⁶ "But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷ All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. ³⁹ And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁰ For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

I hope you never hunger or thirst again.

-- 

Verse for Today - Psalm 95:1-2

Psalm 95:1-2

"¹ Oh come, let us sing to the LORD!
         Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
 ² Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
         Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms."

Read at Bible Gateway

Read all of Psalm 95

As this is Thanksgiving week, I was not surprised to see a number of verses from Biblegateway on the subject of thankfulness.  Our verse today affirms that we should be thankful and voice our thanks to the Lord.  In short it says, we should gather with others and worship God.  

The Psalmist has exactly the right answer to the right question.  What is the question?  How can we rightly show God that we are grateful to Him for all He has done in our lives?  And what is the answer?  We should make every effort to worship Him from the depth of our hearts, especially in the presence of our families and fellow believers.  (Noticed the plural voice in our verse.... "Let us....")  

Psalm 116 makes this same point:  

¹² "What shall I render to the LORD
         For all His benefits toward me?
 ¹³ I will take up the cup of salvation,
         And call upon the name of the LORD.
 ¹⁴ I will pay my vows to the LORD
         Now in the presence of all His people."

Real Religion Rediscovered!!

Well, I started this blog back in August of 2010 and promptly forgot about it... and hence haven't posted or updated it sense.

Well, now that I've resdiscovered it, we'll have to see if I manage any better.  Maybe I'll just use it as a Devotional Journal of sorts.  Hmmm... then others might see what I'm doing or NOT doing.  Hmm.. Will have to think that one through.

Later.  Need to finish my Saturday work a bit early as we're going over to friends for supper.  :-)

RK