Monday, August 3, 2009

Application of Lesson No. 1

Set a specific time for devotion...it is best to start very early in the morning when your mind is fresh and ready to receive a message from God. Close your eyes and ears that you may focus on God who has been waiting for you to talk to Him. Praise Him for all the blessings you received and the blessings to come. Sing a joyful song for Him from the heart. He will be glad to hear you sing.

Now, let me take you to a tour of the Gospel of John starting with Chapter 1:

John 1 (New King James Version)
John 1
The Eternal Word 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend
it.

Meditate on the above verses. Who was being referred here as the Eternal Word? Have you ever wondered why the exact date of the birth of Jesus was not mentioned in the whole Bible? It is because He has no beginning, no one created Him...He was co-Creator with Father God...He was with Father God in the beginning and He was God. We were made through Him and for Him. In Him was life...we, Christians, were all dead to sin...and now have a new life because of Him. He was the light of men...He guides us like a lighthouse in the middle of the sea...without His guiding Word in the Bible, we will all lose our way to destruction. People who are righteous draw near to the Light that shines brightly in the darkness of this world...but evil men would not want the light because their deeds would be exposed and they, being dead to sin, did not comprehend nor understand what the Word teaches...and they remain in darkness.

John’s Witness: The True Light 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

John the Baptist was sent to this world to bear witness to the Light, the True Light...Jesus, that all might believe in Him. Jesus was the true Light which guides every man being born here in this world. He was in the world as a man but the Spirit inside Him was God...but the world did not know Him as God. Even His own sisters and brothers thru Mary did not believe that He was God and did not receive Him as God. To the apostles and those who received and believed in Him, He gave the right to become children of God. To those who do not believe in Jesus as God, they reject the Word of God, and those who reject the Word of God, rejects the Father who sent Him. But those who received Jesus, were born again, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. It is God who calls us to become His children through the teachings of the Jesus in the Bible. When you become more and more interested in the Word of God...that means God is already calling you to become His child, a newborn man with the Holy Spirit in him...and if you are already His child, the evil one cannot touch you.

The Word Becomes Flesh 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’” 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

Jesus, the Word, came into this world as a son of Mary...in the flesh but inside his body was God, the only Son begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Jesus, in the flesh, was the Son of Mary but Jesus, the God, was the only Son begotten of the Father. He, as God, existed before Mary was created so Mary cannot be called the Mother of God...the mother of the Son of man, Jesus, yes! ...but not the mother of God. The ten commandments were given to Moses for all the Israelites, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. The Israelites were under the law of Moses...anyone who violated one of these laws would be under the wrath of God...as a consequence or curse for committing a sin against God...but we are under the grace and truth through Jesus Christ. Grace is free...given to all who believe in the Son as Saviour and Lord...humbling themselves, accepting they are sinners and asking forgiveness for all their sins, small and great, washing them all and purifying their hearts by the most precious blood of Jesus that poured out on the cross of Calvary. No one has seen the Father, not a soul...but only the Son Jesus who came out from the Father's bosom and was with the Father in the beginning of this world. To know Jesus and to love Him is to know the Father who sent Him.

A Voice in the Wilderness 19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said: “I am ‘ The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “ Make straight the way of the LORD,”’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” 28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

When asked about our faith, do we deny what we believe in? ...or we just keep silent afraid that others wouldn't accept us because of our faith. When John was asked by the priests and Levites, he confessed and did not deny his faith but told them he was not the Christ. He was the voice of one crying in the wilderness to make straight the way of the Lord. I am also a voice trying to lay down the foundation, others will build on it, but God will give life and make it grow from a miniature seed to a full grown tree that would give shade and fruits that others may live. John baptized with water but Jesus whom they did not know came after him, preferred or much better than him, whose sandal strap he was not worthy to loose. John was a humble man and knew who Jesus was and prepared the way for Him.

The Lamb of God 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” 32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

John saw Jesus and he knew and declared that He was the Lamb of God who could take away the sin of the world. He proclaimed to them all that Jesus existed before he was born. John did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to all Israelites. John came baptizing with water and he bore witness saying he saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Jesus. God the Father, who sent John baptizing with water, revealed to him that upon whom the Spirit descended and remained on Him, He was the One who would baptize them with the Holy Spirit. John further testified that Jesus was the Son of God. This is a definitive testimony from John, the Baptist, of the existence of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

The First Disciples 35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). 40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).

When you seek Jesus with all your heart, you will find Him...and He will let you see who He really is. He might even change your name...because there is power in a name. What you are often called will become a reality later on.

Philip and Nathanael 43 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe?

You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Jesus knew Nathanael personally...He knows you and me, He knows our names, what we do, where we go everyday...and what is in our hearts. His promise is something greater than the eyes can see...something that has never entered our minds.


Scripture Verse to Memorize:


John1


1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.


Message from God for me today:


I was made through and for Jesus and without him I have no 'life' in me. His light shines thru me. All that I say and do should reflect Jesus that is in me.


Promise of God for my life:


If I abide in His Word, He will show me greater things than the eyes can see... that has never entered my mind.


Personal Application:

This is rather hard to do especially if you are experiencing trials but if you do it faithfully you will be triumphant and victorious. Immerse in the Word every morning of your life to guide and light your path so you won't stumble and fall. Never lose hope...may magandang bukas pa at sisikat din ang araw sa buhay mo. Don't just read the verses in the Bible, meditate on them, write them in your hearts, chew each word if you must, obey the teachings and make them part of your life, and eventually you will see the sun shining through again after a storm. Be careful to observe all the statutes and judgments so that promises and blessings will come true in your life. (Read Deuteronomy 11)

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