The Daily Dose

Grace and Peace

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Corinthians 1:3

This scripture is the greeting that the Apostle Paul used in his letter to the people of the church at Corinth.  It’s an interesting greeting because he starts by giving grace to them.  He said: “I’m sending grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ”.  How can he write this message?  Did He get permission from God and Jesus to offer grace and peace to those in Corinth?  Paul uses this greeting in many of his letters.  So why does he think it is ok to speak on behalf of God and the Lord Jesus?  The reason is because grace and peace are for all God’s people, and they are necessary to live life and complete each assignment.  How does the Apostle Paul know that it is ok to greet members of the body of Christ with grace and peace?  Because he knows that God freely gave them to him at his conversion and also gives them to all believers that receive salvation through the Lord Jesus as Savior.

This may sound like a simple concept, but why did he choose these two aspects of salvation as his greeting?  Grace and peace?  We read in 1 John that the Apostle John offered prosperity and health in his letter. So there are many different ways that the letters were addressed.  The reason, I believe, is because grace and peace are what they needed at the time he was writing to them.  Paul starts his letter by letting the Corinthian people know that grace and peace are available, and this is what he wants to draw their attention to.  God’s unlimited grace and surpassing peace.  As we read through 1^st and 2^nd Corinthians, make note of the trouble the people at Corinth are having, then you will be able to ascertain for sure that the solution is indeed grace and peace to their trouble.

Secondly, although this offer of grace and peace was sent to the Corinthians hundreds of years ago, it is still available today for you and me.  Glory to God.  God’s unlimited grace and excessive peace are still here for us to walk in each day.  Not only that, but we can give them to others just as the Apostle Paul did.  We can greet each other with words of encouragement and remember that grace is available to get you through the day and peace is there to calm the storm you are facing.  Instead of getting down in the dumps with those who are already down, give a word of truth that will remind them that they are a child of God and more than a conqueror. (See Romans 8:17 & 37)

Today I want to encourage you to remember that grace and peace belong to you.  As a born-again child of God, you don’t have to be knocked off course and have your world rocked every time a new problem comes along.  The storms will not stop, but you always have a way through riding on the grace and goodness of God’s love and peace!  Take that with you and then share it as you have the opportunity.  Help others to navigate their storms by remembering that grace and peace belong to them, too.

Today’s scripture reading: 1 Corinthians 1:1-3

1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Be a witness

Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.”  John 10:41

Have you ever felt intimidated about being a witness?  Has there ever been a time in your life when you didn’t tell people about the love of God for them?  Maybe it was because you didn’t think they would believe you or maybe you decided they wouldn’t be interested?  Maybe you just didn’t have time to stop that day to share the good news?  I think it is pretty safe to say that we all have passed on opportunities for one reason or another.  I remember at times thinking that if God would do some great miracle through my hands or life, then others would come running to Him because of the mighty work or sign.

In today’s reading, people came to Jesus and because they had heard about Him from John the Baptist, they remembered that John didn’t do any miraculous signs, he just told them that Jesus was coming, and He would do the signs and wonders.  When they had a personal encounter with Jesus and saw that everything that John had said about Him was true, then they believed.

I believe it still works that way today.  When we tell others about Jesus and that He wants to be their Savior and do a might work in their life, they may not be convinced at first.  After they leave and go on with their life, that word about salvation goes with them and continues to work in them.  Then one day, they have a personal experience with Him and they realize that everything you told them about His love and goodness was true and then they believe.  It may take an hour or a day, it could even be a month or a year.  It just doesn’t matter how long it takes for that meeting to take place because when someone is rescued from this dark world because of your witness, it will all be worth it.

Today I want to encourage you to be a witness.  Help others come to God and know Him on a personal level through Jesus our Savior.  Tell the good news of His love and salvation every chance you get.  It doesn’t matter if they understand or believe that very hour or not.  They will take your words and testimony with them and it will grow up until the day that they see, understand and realize that everything you told them is true and many will believe in Him through your conversation.

Today’s scripture reading: John 10: 40-42

40And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. 

41Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” 

42And many believed in Him there.

He really did love them

but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.”  John 10:38

Have you ever really wanted to sincerely help someone know the truth, but no matter how hard you tried and no matter how kind you were, it just didn’t seem to make a difference.  I’m sure it made you feel frustrated and although your intentions were good, you may have even started to get a little tense because of the resistance.  I have been in situations where I felt that I could help someone see that even though they thought they were a mature believer, their conversations always seem to end up in gossip and condemnation for others.  At first, I felt like I had to stop it and control it when I was around it, but then one day, the Holy Spirit spoke up on the inside of my heart and said:  You don’t have to try to “fix” everyone.  Wow!  This was such freedom, and I instantly felt the relief of a burden that I didn’t need to be carrying in the first place.  Although it was up to me to not let myself get pulled into the negative conversations, I didn’t have to let others know that I didn’t approve of their talk.  It was almost like I had a knowing inside that if the Holy Spirit isn’t talking to that person about their conduct, then I certainly don’t need to be.  Sure, the Holy Spirit probably was, but that is His job, not mine.  This has helped me many times since then.  When I become tense or even irritated about a conversation that I hear other believers engaging in, I quickly remember that I don’t have to “fix” or correct them.  I can walk away, or I can pray silently if I am confined in that circumstance.  Mostly what I try to do is gently steer the conversation in a direction that is uplifting and edifying for everyone involved.

In today’s scripture, Jesus is talking with the Jewish leaders and they once again are trying to corner Him into saying something that they can charge Him with.  When you listen to Jesus’ response, you can hear His love for them in His words, and that He truly does want them to believe and understand why He was sent into the world.  He is not trying to argue or belittle them.  He talked about things that were prophesied in the Old Testament and then He told them to look at the good things He was doing because He was sent by His Father to do good.  As much as He tried to help them, they refused to believe and ultimately, they ended up condemning Him.  It is truly a sad story but still goes on even today.  Sometimes no matter what we do there are still some that will not surrender their heart.

There is good news though.  When you do your part and follow the direction that the Holy Spirit gives, you are not the one responsible for the other person’s decision.  You can try to help all you want, but the fact is, you cannot choose for anyone but yourself.  When you do your part of loving people, praying for them and letting them know that the God of the universe has made provision to save their lives, you are no longer responsible for their decision.  It is only when you don’t tell them that you will be held accountable.

So, today I want to encourage you to pray for people.  Pray for hearts to be softened.  Pray for opportunities to share the love of God with other and pray for lives to be changed.  You don’t have to fix people, but you do need to tell them that there is a God and Father that loves them and wants to walk through life with them. Then they make the decision for themselves. Be a witness and testimony today but when it comes to making the decisions, that is the Holy Spirit’s work, not yours.

Today’s scripture reading: John 10:31-39

31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 

32 Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”

33 The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? 

35 If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 

36 do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 

37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 

38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” 

39 Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.

Follow His leading

I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. John 10:14

Yesterday, I talked with a friend who was struggling with a life decision she was about to make.  She said that her co-worker had given her some counsel on how to go about making the decision.  This co-worker told her where she should be looking and how to go about it.  That person told her what to look for and who to talk to.  My friend was a little overwhelmed.  In fact, she was beginning to stress over the situation.  As I talked with her, she said that before she talked with her colleague that she had peace about the right decision to make.  She explained to me what she believed the Holy Spirit was putting in her heart about the situation.  When she told the person she worked with that she was trusting God, that just make sense to her.  I encouraged my friend to follow that peace and believe for God to open the right doors for her at the right time.  I advised her to write down what she believed He was putting in her heart so that she could look at it whenever she began to doubt or when she had a bad day.  Lastly, I told her to pray that her heart would be in the direction that the Spirit was leading and for the faith to follow even when it didn’t make sense to the people in the world around her.

Our Heavenly Father is so wonderful, and He wants to help us and lead us away from things that can trap and harm us.  He also wants to lead us to the wonderful plans and things He has for us.  That is why He sent His Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth (His way) and away from darkness (John 16:13). To recognize when you are hearing from God, you must know Him.  That is the first place to start. To hear or sense God’s leading in your life, you must first be a child of God.  That is when you come to the point in your life when you recognize that you need a Savior and receive the Lord Jesus into your heart and life.  After you receive Him into your life, develop a personal relationship with Him through spending time talking to Him (praying) and reading His Word (the Bible).  As you begin to bring your life into agreement with the things He has taught in His Word, you will sense promptings on the inside that you know are aligned with His Word.  Such as:  If you tell a lie, you may remember that you read in God’s Word you should not lie, or if you gossip or talk about others, you may hear a “prompting” again that these are things you know are not pleasing to God by what you have read in His Word.   Using God’s Word as a guideline in every area of your life will empower you to know what you should and should not eliminate in your daily habits. 

Side note: Just because you have accepted Jesus into your life as Lord, doesn’t mean that whatever you are thinking or feeling is from Him.  You have to yield to Him and let Him know that you want to follow His leading into your designed purpose.  This is the way God wants to lead us, by relationship.  You can go through life obeying all the rules you read in the Bible, but never have a personal relationship with God.  You will probably miss out on things He wants to lead you to through following the leading of His Spirit.  The other thing to watch out for is not doing things because you don’t feel like it or because it may not make sense in the natural world.  Feelings are fickle and because they can change so quickly, you cannot depend on them to lead your life. Things such as tithing, loving your enemy, or submitting to one another may not make sense to you in the natural, but they are spiritual laws that God has set up to bless you.  These are things that require faith and humility and may be uncomfortable at times.  But when you act in faith on the things God leads you to, He will give you the grace to follow through and receive His blessing in response.

Lastly, hearing from God is a step of faith, and His Spirit’s promptings will always be backed up with His Word.  If you are not sure God is leading you in a direction, ask Him for scripture to back up what you hear on the inside.  He will bring it to your thoughts or will lead you to it in your daily reading.  In the case of my friend’s decision, she already knew the direction God was leading, but because of an outside influence, she began to question it.  It is not wisdom to live life by what is going on around you but rather who is living in you.  I promise you God is not trying to make it hard.  He sent us His Holy Spirit to help us have an advantage over the rest of the world and He wants us to know the things He is leading us to and that they are good.

Today, I want to encourage you to talk to God about “hearing” from Him or getting a “word” from Him on the inside, so you can begin to learn what His voice sounds like.  You can start by saying something like “I love you, heavenly Father”. Then sit quietly and wait for a response on the inside and He will tell you.  Let Him know that you want to start living your life led by the prompting of the Spirit inside you. He will begin small, so if you act on it, you will have little risk if you are wrong.  Write down what you are hearing and review it often to reinforce and remember that He is leading you.  God is so good, and He has given us a Helper to help us in this life.  Don’t ignore His leading, learn His voice on the inside, and He will guide your every step.

Today’s scripture reading: John 10:11-21

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 

12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 

13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 

14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 

15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 

16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 

18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

19 Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. 

20 And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?”

21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

Expose your enemy

 “The thief comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”  John 10:10

Have you ever felt confused about things going on in your life’s circumstance?  Maybe when going through a struggle or even tragedy of some kind? Maybe you even thought that God was the reason for the trouble.  Sometime people even think God is punishing them when things aren’t going very well, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

In today’s key verse, Jesus plainly explains why sometimes bad things happen and sometimes good things happen.  It is not strictly up to God.  In fact, it is mostly in our own hands.  Jesus said that it is the thief (Satan) that comes to steal, kill and destroy not God.  So now we have a guide on how to recognize what is happening around us.  If it’s stealing, killing, or destroying clearly, it’s the work of God’s enemy Satan, the thief.

But Jesus didn’t stop there.  He goes on to reveal what His purpose is:  Jesus said that He came to give life more abundantly!  He is showing us that abundance and goodness comes from Jesus and His Father!  Simply put:  If it is good, it’s from God, but if it is bad, it is because of the enemy.

This is not to say that God doesn’t take the bad circumstances and turn them around for good.  Certainly, when we call on Him, He answers us. (Psalms 91:15) Everything we bring to God can be turned around for good.  Just like Joseph told his brothers that what they meant for evil, God made good to come out of it. (Genesis 50:20)

Lastly, I mentioned that it is mostly within our control what happens in the circumstances around us.  When we wake up each day and commit the day’s activities and events to the Lord, He is faithful to walk us through the day with success in the things we put our hand to.  He brings life to our circumstances and abundance in His grace.  Simply put: God is good and He desires to lead us in His good plan and purpose for our life.  He also wants to protect us from the traps and distractions of the enemy by helping us to stay far from them.

Today I want to encourage you to begin to recognize that the good coming your way is from God and the bad is from your enemy.  God is not out to get you, He’s out to save you and give you life more abundantly!!  He is your good Father that wants only His best for you!! Commit your day and life to Him right now and follow His leading away from the pits and troubles the enemy is setting up for you.

Today’s scripture reading: John 10:7-10

7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 

8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 

9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 

10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Watch out for the sheep

“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.  John 10:1

I’m going to take this passage quite literally, so I hope you will be able to follow.   Have you ever gotten to school or work late and tried to sneak in through a side door so you would not be noticed?  What about running out to the store but avoiding the main aisles because you are in a hurry and do not want to see people.  Maybe, you passed by someone needing help on the side of the road because you didn’t want to be inconvenienced.  Could those scenarios count as stealing?  Stealing time or opportunities?

Today’s verse talks about a thief trying to get in to the sheep without being noticed so he can either steal some or cause problems.  It is definitely not the same as avoiding people, but what if we took this a step further.  What about those who are on the inside that are not looking out for the robber when He breaks in?  Shouldn’t we take some responsibility to keep the flock close to the Shepherd to keep them from being devoured by the enemy?

This passage goes on to say that when you are one of His, you will know the Shepherd so well, that when He speaks, you are hanging on every word.  It also says that when another voice tries to call you away, you will not follow because you know that it is not your Shepherd’s voice.

So many parallels in life in this passage.  First of all, we know the thief, or the one sneaking around to make trouble is our enemy, Satan.  We can also consider those who try to pull us away from the purpose that God has for your life a burglar, too?  Certainly, any person or activity that creeps into your life to steal your time and ministry is considered an enemy and not the true Shepherd.

Going back to the ideas at the beginning of avoiding people, could also be considered missed opportunities that the enemy is orchestrating?  We know he wants to fill your life up with distractions and preoccupations.  How many diversions are in your life even right now. 

What about those of us on the inside that are close to the shepherd?  Do we stay so close that we are not even aware that some of His sheep are suffering at the hand of His enemy?  How can we be better at keeping watch and help others stay accountable so they remain enclosed and protected by the Shepheard and the flock?

One way is to stop avoiding people.  Go out of your way for the little person.  Watch for those hurting and lost along the way.  Even those who are not in the flock (church) right now are just lost ones who can’t find their way because they have been blinded.  Walk along side those who are fallen and struggling to get back on their feet again.  Bring people with you to the good Shepherd when you pray and when you hear His calling.  Don’t let the distractions of life and the hurry of schedule keep you from being the hands and feet of the Shepherd to bring the forgotten ones in to Him.

Today I want to encourage you to be on guard for the things and activities that the enemy would distract your with.  Clean out the distractions of this world that are not absolutely necessary for you to be involved in.  Follow the voice of your Shepherd and step into the purpose that you were designed for as part of His flock.  Then start reaching out to others that have been deceived and lured away from the call.  If you have never given your life to the good Shepherd, Jesus, do that today.  Invite Him into your heart and ask His Spirit to lead you out of the pits and traps you have been snared in.  He will come close and save you and deliver you from everything that holds you.  Pray this prayer today and receive Him as your own Savior:

_{God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.  I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me.  Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new today.  I know Your Son, Jesus died for me.  I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead.  At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward.  I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in the blood of Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to accomplish the things You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen}

Today’s scripture reading: John 10:1-6

1 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 

2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 

3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 

4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 

5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 

6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

Power of God

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Romans 1:16

Are you ashamed of the gospel?  I think most of us would answer “No” to that question, but what we really feel shows up in our actions.  Paul says to the Christians of Rome that he is not ashamed of the good news about Jesus because it is the power of God to get salvation to us.  The message of salvation is actually God’s power on display!  Think about it:  There was nothing in the entire world that could get us back to God after sin entered.  There was absolutely nothing we could do to gain access to Him.  As much as He wanted us back, there was only one solution, and a brilliant one at that.  He demonstrated how much He loves us!  He tricked His enemy into thinking he had won.  He made a way to restore us back to the relationship He had in mind when He created us and He made it so simple, even the most challenged can get it.  All you have to do is believe.

Sounds easy right?  So why does it seem so difficult to live by faith at times?  This passage says the just or the justified through the blood of Jesus should live by faith.  What does that even look like?  It means that all those who would call Jesus their Lord, live every area of their life submitted to Him and His plan.  There is no “me” place anymore.  You give Him access to every detail and keep nothing seemingly hidden from Him.  For example, in your day-to-day activities, you consider what He would have you do and whom He would have you reach out to.  Then when you do sense that He is leading in a direction or to someone to encourage, you follow that leading instead of ignoring it.  This is truly when you know that you are not ashamed of the gospel.

This happened to me just the other day.  I briefly said hi to someone at work and exchanged pleasantries.  As I was getting ready to leave, I sensed a nudging to share a book with her.  I didn’t want to.  It was awkward and uncomfortable, and besides, I was in a hurry.   However, I knew I would regret it if I didn’t, so I got back out of my car and went back over to her and briefly explained the booklet.  She was very happy and then she told me it meant so much more to her than I could ever know.  That was simple, but in my mind, I made it hard.  I was so glad that I listened and impacted her life in that way.  The thing is that I only need to listen and follow instructions.  The Holy Spirit does the real work, and He is working in her heart even now.  So now I am praying for her, and I feel much more compassionate and love toward her because of the encounter.

Today I want to encourage you to live every part of your life by faith.  Whether it’s your family, friends, finances or work, don’t hold anything back.  Make the decision today to surrender all to Him.  Start each day by offering up yourself for God’s purpose.  Ask Him for the courage and empowerment to impact the lives around you.  When You get on His mission, you don’t have to be anxious, worried or ashamed of the gospel of Christ Jesus because He is sure to make all your obedient acts successful.

Today’s scripture reading: Romans 1:16-17

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

Hear His Heart

And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” John 9:37

Jesus is full of compassion.  He was when He walked the earth 2000 years ago and He still is today.  He loves people just as His Father loves and in that loving, compassion is poured out.  It is especially evident when He touches and heals someone.  The blind man in John 9 is no exception.  After Jesus sent the man to the pool to wash his eyes, the man did not see Him again until later on after he had been thrown out of the synagogue.  Even though the man had just been healed and then reprimanded and put out by the Pharisees, Jesus was there for him.  As you read the interaction between Jesus and the man, you can hear the compassion in Jesus’ words and how he wanted the once blind man to know Him personally.

Jesus first invited the man by asking him if he believes in the Son of God.  The man responded with: If I can know who He is, I will believe.  That is when Jesus revealed Himself personally to the man.  The man acknowledged that he was lost in darkness and needed the help of the Savior and then when the Savior was revealed, he quickly believed.

Thank goodness, that is the same love and compassion that Jesus offers to us still today.  But there is a difference. He already paid our sin debt and now He not only offers His compassion and healing, He also offers salvation and freedom from the oppression of the enemy.  Today, He is asking you: Do you believe in the Son of God?  The answer is totally up to you.  You can choose to make your encounter with Him the greatest connection in your life, or you can choose to put it off for another day but let me warn you . . . there is no guarantee that you will have another day.

Today I want to encourage you to invite Jesus into your heart and into your life.  If you have never received Him as your Lord and Savior, make today the day.  If you have invited Him in, but never made the change in the direction you were heading, turn around today and walk toward Him.  It is not hard to do, you simply begin to acknowledge Him in all your ways and then follow the direction He points out to you.  Pray this prayer today from your heart.  Jesus will take your hand and walk out all the days of your life leading you to your blessed and intended purpose.

God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.  I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me.  Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new today.  I know Your Son, Jesus died for me.  I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead.  At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward.  I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in the blood of Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to accomplish the things You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen

Today’s scripture reading: John 9:35-41

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”

36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”

37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”

38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.

39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”

40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”

41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

Focus on His love

Therefore, some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.  John 9:16

A few years ago, we had the honor of going on a tour in Israel.  It was such an amazing opportunity, and the entire trip took 10 days.  We arrived there on a Wednesday and left on the following Tuesday, so we were actually there on Saturday the sabbath.  We were still able to go out and see some places, but the entire country, still shuts down on the sabbath day.  So much so that in the hotel we stayed in, every light was set on timers and the elevators are set to move continually stopping on every floor, so no one would flip a switch or push a button.  It was definitely foreign to us and hard to believe that it was necessary to go to such extremes. 

God gave the commandment for the sabbath so that His people would have permission to set aside a day from working.  It was to be a day of rest and set apart to God. In Mark 2, Jesus quoted Isaiah the prophet by saying the sabbath was created for man, not man for the sabbath.  Jesus was telling the priests of His day that God gave the sabbath as a gift to people not as an obligation.  God wanted His people to be different from those who did not know Him personally and to not feel pressured into pushing themselves to over work.

In today’s reading, the Pharisees, once again are trying to condemn Jesus for opening a blind man’s eyes on the sabbath day.  These religions and legalistic leaders were more focused on enforcing the law instead of the care and well being of the people around them.  They did not know the concept of love and they had become enforcers of the law rather than loving the people God had entrusted to them to care for.

Legalism is a dangerous place to be, and in the world, we live in it can be easy to look at who is doing the right things and who is doing the wrong things.  If we are not intentional about loving the people around us, we can easily get caught up in this enforcement mentality.  Instead of looking at lost people’s behavior, it is more important to look at them as one of God’s creations and the object of His love.  Remember that God want to recue all people, not condemn them.

Today I want to encourage you to focus on loving all people with God’s unconditional love.  Don’t decide who is worthy or unworthy of your attention.  There are none that are worthy, but Jesus died for all.  It is our job to love them and share the message of God’s love and let the Spirit of God be the one that convicts and draws them in.  Let’s not be a people that are like the Pharisees of Jesus day, instead let’s be like Jesus who went out to all the people so that they all could come in to Him.

Today’s scripture reading: John 9:13-34

13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 

14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 

15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.

17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 

19 And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 

21 but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” 

22 His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 

23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”

25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”

27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”

28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 

29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”

30 The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 

31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 

32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 

33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.

I was one way, now I am another

Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.” He said, “I am he.” John 9:9

Before I had a personal encounter with Jesus, I lived my life in a direction that was fear and survival based.  I thought that if I wanted anything in life, I was going to have to struggle and fight for it just like the rest of the world did.  I had no idea or concept of purpose or vision.  I just lived day to day, living from one bad circumstance to the next.  In a sense, I was blind to the plan and life God had designed for me to live.  I was groping through life in the dark with no end or light in sight.

Then one day, I met Jesus.  He opened my eyes to the truth of His love and the good news of His salvation.  He rescued me from that life of deception and blindness.  The scales fell off my eyes and I could see the light of the future shining in.  Before I started walking in a personal relationship with Him, I was one way, but after I gave my life to Him, I am now another better way.

This same thing happened to the blind man that Jesus met in today’s reading.  He was blind and begging for food to live another day.  He was in a bad way, for sure.  Those who saw the blind man thought they could figure out how he had gotten into that predicament.  They thought he was born blind because of someone’s sin.  It was his parents’ fault or his that he was there to begin with. 

After the blind man had an encounter with Jesus that day, he was changed.  Never more to sit begging in the streets just to have some food to eat.  Now he was a completely different person that could begin to fulfill his mission in life.  Now he would be able to help others and become a witness of the great works that Jesus did.  He was one way with no hope in sight, but then he met Jesus and his life changed and turned in a totally different direction.

Today I want to encourage you to have an encounter with Jesus.  If you have never entered into a personal relationship with Him, do that today.  You can invite Him into your heart and into your life and when you meet Him on a personal level, your life will begin to have meaning and purpose.  If you have already invited Him into your heart but have grown stale in your walk with Him, you can have a fresh encounter today.  Reach out to Him with your heart and ask Him to help you back on the right track with Him.  He will meet you where you are and put your feet back on solid ground.  Your life can begin again to have purpose and you will walk in newness in your personal connection with Him.  Pray this prayer today and Jesus will come into your life.  Then you will be able to say: I was one way, but I met Jesus and now I am another way.

God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.  I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me.  Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new today.  I know Your Son, Jesus died for me.  I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead.  At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward.  I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in the blood of Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to accomplish the things You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen

Today’s scripture reading: John 9:8-12

8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”

9 Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.” He said, “I am he.”

10 Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”

11 He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”

12 Then they said to him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.”