John 8:34 – Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
The man walked into the bar and said to himself “Remember that we’re only here to see if some of the old friends still come here. Just here to see them and have some laughs.” Deep down he knew he was sliding and couldn’t help himself. The woman felt her anger toward that person of a different descent. She doesn’t know where the anger comes from but every time she sees “one of them” a simmering flame flares into a wild fire. She should love that person. Never has “one of them” hurt her but she just doesn’t like them. She should not start a confrontation but she just can’t help herself. Coming up beside that person she knew she was sliding and couldn’t help herself. Sin, of any kind, once embraced and repeated will move from the one-time mistake to a controlling master.
A long time ago a wonderful sister had a flannel graph ministry to kids. She was going to be at the adult service and the kids would sit up front next to her. I wondered whether we should stay as we didn’t have children at the time and I thought the ministry was only for the kids. One of the older saints, whose kids had long ago left their home to raise their own families, encouraged us to stay. She was sure it would bless us. Though skeptical, I didn’t insist that we leave.
The visiting nice elderly woman (probably about my current age) set up her flannel board and then began to speak to the kids and congregants in her Children Sunday School teacher voice. Actually, she was so sweet she immediately pulled me in, and all the rest of the adults.
After a short period of time Ahab felt a coldness come upon him. He opened his eyes and saw the reason for the cold, it was his camel who had poked his nose into the tent and let the cold in. Ahab scolded his camel that he was not allowed into the small tent. But the camel pleaded with Ahab to please let him have only his head inside to stay out of the frigid cold outside the tent. Ahab felt bad for his friend the camel and said “okay, but only your head.” The camel agreed only his head would come inside and Ahab went back to sleep.
Again, a short time later, Ahab was awakened by coldness. He looked over to his camel and saw that the camel had crowded further in and was now in the tent up to his shoulders. The big camel was letting in more of the outside cold. Ahab was again about the throw the camel out but the camel pleaded that the night had become more bitterly cold and so he only came in far enough to keep himself from freezing. Ahab softened for his friend’s condition and relented that he could stay with his shoulders inside, but not any further. The camel promised to obey Ahab’s direction.
During the coldest part of the night Ahab was again wakened by cold air. Also by the smell of his camel and its breath. He opened his eyes and was startled to see the camel was now fully in the tent an almost laying on top of him! Ahab became very upset because now the small tent was so crowded that there was almost no room for him. The camel began to plea again about the cold. Abraham wondered how to handle the situation now.
By the way, the camel’s name was Sin. And this a good story about how we should never let sin sneak into our lives. If we do, like the camel took over Ahab’s tent, sin will take over more and more of our life. And if you need to ask Ahab, he will tell you that it is easier to never let a camel in then to get him out once he comes fully in. That is true about sin in our lives.
Now, some forty years later, I’m glad that we stayed. I learned a good lesson. Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withPsalm 31:14 – But as for me, I trust in You, Lord, I say, “You are my God.”
Oh Lord God I trust in You. With complete confidence I announce that You are the God I know and because I know You, I trust in You. Should lightening fall from the sky, or sickness arise from the earth, I am unflinchingly confident in You. Should I be harmed in any way, and should I die, may my continuous and final words be Praise you Holy God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. May my lips never accuse You but always praise You. Always Lord do I seek to praise You. Praise the name of the Lord!
Titus 3:8 – This statement is trustworthy; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and beneficial for people.
Why should I not speak with confidence and boldness when I speak of You. I am your beloved and You love Yours eternally and infinitely. Of me and my weakness I speak with timidity. But of me, being filled with Your power as I speak of You whom I know, I will speak with confidence and the authority which You give to me. The seal upon me is Your seal. In me I have little confidence. In me empowered with You I am bold, confident and sure. Lord, keep me for I am Yours. Lord You are strong and I am weak but You have elevated from being of dust to become a new creation unto You. From dust to servant of the Most High! Thank you my God, my Savior, my Lord!
Psalm 143:8 – Let me hear Your faithfulness in the morning, For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul.
Lord, every morning of every day I look to You. May I follow the map of Your design every day. Walking in Your will I do not fear. I am led by Your love and coached by Your Spirit. In You my Almighty and Tender God, I trust and love.
Isaiah 26:3-4 – The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.
4 Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.
Along the road heading up North is a mighty rock that has pushed up from the ground and stands strong against the winds, the storms and sea. It is not moved. Infinitely stronger is You Lord God who is our rock against all things of this world and against all spiritual opposition. Because You have gifted me to know you I walk in peace about my present and future. I am peacefully settled behind You Oh Rock of my salvation. I hide behind you, with You, where I am securely protected. Oh how great to be with You and hide behind You Oh Rock of my Salvation.
Psalm 65:5 – By awesome deeds You answer us in righteousness, God of our salvation, You who are the trust of all the ends of the earth and the farthest sea.
Should I be an ingrate, I would have no peace. Should I not relish the blessings that You give. But I remember Your great power even in every breath I take. I have been placed in places where death could come quickly, yet because of You I live. Trials surround me and I would perish if You were not my Protector, my Provider and my Savior. Safely, like a newborn babe, do I sleep at night for You are with me. As I babe, I have nothing to fear because You love me and are with me. You were my everything during the day and I know You are my everything all night. The scent of You surrounds me and reminds me of Your endless love for me. Not because of me, but because of You! You Lord, my everything, my great I AM, keep me in peace at night, at morning time and during the day. You Lord God, my everything are my peace. I need nothing but you. Praise you God Almighty! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace
by Bob withJohn 8:31-33 – So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”
“So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples.” Let’ quickly set aside the notion that these people did not have a saving kind of belief, a saving faith. Let’s simply just believe what the Word says here. First of all the original word came from the word “pisteuó.” The same word for those whom the Word uses for those who came to believe in Him. (V30) The Word says here that these people had move from non-faith, or nonbelief in Jesus, to faith and belief in Him. So these former nonbelievers had become believers, genuine saved believers.
Further proof of their saving belief is Jesus saying that if they “continue” in their faith. So we see that these people who came to believe have the option to continue in their very real faith. We see that these new believers had free will to choose to believe in Jesus and afterward they had they had free will to not continue to believe in Jesus. A believer does not have his free will removed after coming to Jesus. In fact the glorious, beautiful wonder of the Lord bringing about the salvation of mankind, and keeping them, is such a grandiose, chest pounding, tear invoking wonder of how incredible is God that it is almost impossible to conceive. God gives overwhelming reasons to remain in Him, in His love, there is no reason to remove free will after conversion. As scripture calls the man who steadfastly rejects God a fool, how much more so is the one who has walked with God for a time and then simply walked away. So Jesus says “If” (not “since”) they continue then they are truly the disciples who will be with Him in Heaven. “If” they do not continue they will not be His disciples and will not have their eternal place with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
“They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” The unbelieving descendants of Abraham who did not receive the truth and so remained in the dark, could not grasp that they were slaves to the evil one and to the world. Thinking they knew truth they couldn’t understand what they did not know. Thinking they could inherit the truth by the blood of mankind when God declares that the only truth of salvation was the shed blood of perfect divinity.
It is truth that prideful and ignorant people think they know but are blind. One of the obnoxious statements that people who own pets but are not parents say to parents is that they know what having a child is like because they have a pet. Often there is no explaining to them how wrong they are. I love our dog! But loving him has very little resemblance to how I love my sons. So people state they understand the Truth of God’s word while looking through the storefront windows. So blind, so sad. We must yield completely to Jesus and grow in our love for Him. As our love grows our understanding and belief grows. We are stripped of the chains that once bound us and the poundage of dropped burdens free us celebrate our liberty in Him. Be free. Be who the Lord has created you to be. His beloved child. Once the chains are dropped we are free, free indeed. Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withIsaiah 43:1-3a, 5-7 – But now, this is what the Lord says, He who is your Creator, Jacob, And He who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, And gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring My sons from afar And My daughters from the ends of the earth, 7 Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.” “But now, this is what the Lord says, He who is your Creator, Jacob, And He who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!”
Hear you people of the earth, hear all you who scattered round the world. Was it not me who scattered you to save you? Now I call you, all of you, back unto me. You have seen the light from afar and from close. You have wandered. You have heard the lion under the moon roar from a distance and have wondered and slept with fear and yet with wonder. Now the Lion of the tribe of Judah calls to you from close, even from outside your door. My roar rattles your doors, windows and even foundations. A mighty roar from one with fearsome power, but the motivation of the roar is love. Love that calls to you and says “My child, my creation, by beloved draw near. I call you by name and you sense, deep within your soul, that you are mine. You, all who hear, who stop what you are doing to hear the call, to heed the call and to tremble at the power and to cry as the roar goes to the depth of your soul and spirit look, look and see. Look and you will see that now, right now I call to you who are mine, mine before the creation of the earth, you are mine. I know your name, I know what is behind your eyes and I call your name and say come to me my child. Come and receive my love and let fear flee from you as you come to me who is the great I AM. The One who is, and will always be, the One who is the I AM of your life.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; Do not fear, for I am with you.”
My beloved, see that I am still parting seas for you to walk safely through on dry land. I Am with you! Rivers cannot stop you. I AM with you! Fires before you cannot stop or scorch you. I AM with you! I, the Holy One, your God, is with you. I AM with you. Nothing can come between everyone who loves me and my love. None. I AM with you always! Forever! Always for eternity I AM with you!
“I will bring your offspring from the east, And gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring My sons from afar And My daughters from the ends of the earth, 7 Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”
All will hear my call. Now, even now I roar out a call of might and love. Who is it I call for, I call for you. I call to all lands, to all neighborhoods, to those trapped in all situations, to those who have been set free but now trudge through the quagmire, I call to everyone, I call to you! I call all you to be my sons and daughters, and to those who are weak in strength but who have and do follow me. Come to me all, from dark places and enlightened places, come to me. Come and know the shelter of my name. Come and see that I Am He. Yes, I AM He as ordained by the Father. You all are my creation. Now come to your Creator and know His love for you. Come, come to me and I will receive you with love and joy and you will see that I have already prepared a place for you. A place only for you. The time is short. Hear my call and come. There you will really know what the meaning of your life is. Come to me.
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withJohn 5:24 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”
A long, long time ago, at the beginning of time for all mankind, when the earth was still new, the first man and woman committed a terrible sin. (Genesis 3:1-13) It was so terrible that it meant that the only payment for their crime was their physical and worse, their spiritual death. (Genesis 2:17) Because of their terrible crime they had to leave their beautiful home where life was easy, peaceful, fun, and beautiful. (Genesis 3:23-24) They had to live what was the rest of their lives in a place where life would be hard and fearful. There they had to await their death that had immediately begun to overtake them. They were very sad because there seemed to be no hope for them. (Ephesians 2:1) There was no payment they could ever make that would remove this death sentence from them. (Ephesians 2:8-9) It was very sad. But God had given them a clue for hope. (Genesis 3:15b) At the right time, the One who loved them most did something very powerful to save them. (Romans 5:6) Since death was the sentence for their sin, only the giver of life could buy life back for the man and the woman. (Acts 4:12, 1 Timothy 2:5) So, because of His great love Jesus, the perfect one, gave up His life, so that the imperfect ones (us), could live again. (Luke 19:10, Romans 4:25) So redemption is God Himself, who loves all of us, buying back life for all of us, who were hopelessly dead and buried in sin. (Romans 6:4) Simply, God Himself is our only redemption, and He never fails. (John 14:6) The redemption is a free gift from God. Have you accepted your gift? If not, Jesus is holding it for you, why not pick it up?
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob with1 Timothy 1:1 – Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope.
Paul became an Apostle not because he decided to take up that trade or to get a degree in it, but because God chose Him. God commanded him and if we wonder if that is a violation of Paul’s free will (As I once was puzzled by it) that is a good question to consider. After all when the Lord commands so forcefully and confronts, who can withstand the sovereign will of God? (Although in reality, we have millions of examples) Yet when we consider the Lord overwhelming Paul (Acts 9:3-5) we must consider that God is omniscient (Psalm 44:21, 1 Kings 8:39, John 21:27) and we are not. (Job 42:1-6) Therefore He knows Paul’s heart and will. Paul loved being the Lord’s disciple and zealously sought to do the will of God. The Lord knew that he would. The Lord was not forcing Paul to be what he did not want to be. Rather the Lord fulfilled Paul’s dreams by helping him change tracks.
Yes, the Lord powerfully confronted him but in doing that He gifted and assisted Paul to live out what was his most fervent desire. (1 Timothy 1:12-14) Paul was already a zealot to serve God, He was happy in his doing what he thought pleased God. (Galatians 1:13-14) But what Paul thought was right was the opposite of what God wanted. (Acts 9:5) Paul had the right heart but the wrong idea on how to please God. Walking the wrong path for his life, Paul had cried out to God to lead him and use him. So the Lord God answered his prayer. Paul did not have his free will violated but instead the Lord led him to his greatest desire and what Paul had willed for, had prayed for. On the path Paul was on he would not have achieved what he most wanted, to properly serve and honor the Lord. The Lord did not force Paul into anything but rather rescued Him. It is a lack of understanding to say that the Lord violated Paul’s free will and forced him into service, it would be more properly said that Paul was rescued from fighting against his God. Paul’s path was leading him off a cliff and the Lord stopped him from evil overtaking him and set him the correct and safe path.
So we pray “not my will Lord, but yours.” We pray that if we are off target that He help us, we pray for Him step in and lead us. From our very souls we pray “Lord God, keep me close to you.” Let me not wander on a murderous path to my death, but instead keep me on the secure path of Your perfect will, where I am safe with You. Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, God, and know my heart; put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there is any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.” So Lord, please confront me when I am astray and strongly guide me to walk in Your will. As Paul desired, please correct me when needed and cause me to live to please you. There in rhapsody I will live forever with you. Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withJohn 8:21-30 – Then He said again to them, “I am going away, and you will look for Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins.” 25 Then they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “What have I even been saying to you from the beginning? 26 I have many things to say and to judge regarding you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I say to the world.” 27 They did not realize that He was speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am, and I do nothing on My own, but I say these things as the Father instructed Me. 29 And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” 30 As He said these things, many came to believe in Him.
“Then He said again to them, “I am going away, and you will look for Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.”” Most of us know that Jesus was speaking of His death, resurrection and ascension. What should have been ominous to all who He was speaking to, including all of us (via Holy Scriptures) was that most of them, and those in the succeeding ages, will not be able to go where He is going to. And His hour is quickly coming and He will be going to His Father, from whom He came. And our hour, our time of existence here on earth, is soon coming and our spiritual status at the day and hour, will remain forever.
Notice that Jesus does not say that they will die in their sins. (As He said these things, many came to believe in Him. (V21) He specifically said that they will die in their sin, one specific sin. In V24 Jesus told them that that unless they believe that He is the “I AM,” egō eimi, the one sin of not believing in Jesus, the one can keep a person out of eternal life is to not believe that Jesus is the great I AM of Exodus 3:14. To not believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord is to not believe either the words and signs of the Father or His Son. On those who do not believe the wrath of God that all people, when born in to this world, inherit remains upon them. (John 3:18, 3:36) Be sure that Satan does not care what religion or philosophy a man adheres to as long it is not that Jesus is the Savior and Master of the world. Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.”
In V24 Jesus twice warned them about dying in their sins, plural sins not singular sin as before. When he spoke of dying in their sins He was talking about all their sins, including rejecting Him as Savior and Lord. He was letting them know that not only would they suffer for rejecting Jesus but they would suffer for all the sins they have committed in their lives. Sins that could have been placed on Jesus and paid for on the Cross, but instead they would have paid for. They knew about hell, they knew what it meant. Jesus warned them, and He was warning us, to be sure to live as His obedient loving servant or live eternity in horror forever.
“So the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” Jesus was telling them that they could not go to be with the Father and Him forever because they would not believe in Him and live for Him here on earth. They would not put their faith in Him and we know that those who do not have saving faith in Jesus will not have eternal life. (Romans 10:9, Ephesians 2:8-9) All who reject Jesus on earth shall not live with Him and the Father through eternity. Jesus was going to be with His Father and they could not go with Him because they did not love His Son. (John 17:3)
The authorities were so blind that they had no conception that they were not worthy to follow where Jesus would go. They were so self-righteous that they thought they needed no Savior to save them from their sin. Pride kills in eternal ways, then and now.
“And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins.” They needed to quit thinking as the world thinks, but to receive and worship God spiritually. The times had changed so that all must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23)
“Then they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “What have I even been saying to you from the beginning?” Jesus told them, in our vernacular “I am what I have been telling you from the beginning that I am. When they are asking Him “Who are you?” they were basically telling Jesus. Who are you that we should listen to you? Again we see how prideful and arrogant they were. Who is He that they, they their own heroes should listen to Him? Terrifying.
Sadly, they were not listening to Him, they were not believing what He had been telling them all along. He is the one sent as Savior to the world to redeem all who would come back to the Father. As the prologue to this Gospel has stated Jesus was God with the Father and had always been with God. Sadly the darkness did not grasp the Light of the World that came to save the world. (John 1:1-5)
“So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am, and I do nothing on My own, but I say these things as the Father instructed Me.” It will be clear that Jesus lived as the Father instructed Him when He is lifted up to be crucified on the Cross. Then people will come to believe. At the center of our salvation is the cross that Jesus was crucified upon and upon His resurrection after being murdered on the cross. There He bore our sins. That is why we must bring all who would come to salvation to the cross and let them gaze upon it, and to the empty tomb.
“And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” The Father was a good Father to Jesus. The perfect example of Fatherhood. Jesus emulated the Father in His love to us. Now we must emulate Jesus and be an example who Jesus was. There is no higher calling than to live as Jesus lived.
“As He said these things, many came to believe in Him.” While it is true (as Jesus said) the gate (Jesus) to eternal life is narrow, we must always remember that the gate still exists. Not all Jews rejected Jesus then, not all Jews reject Him now, and not all unbelievers stay unbelievers. I am proof of that, as are many of you, praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withJohn 8:12-20 – Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I am testifying about Myself, My testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. 16 But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. 17 Even in your Law it has been written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” 19 So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” 20 These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple area; and no one arrested Him, because His hour had not yet come.
“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”” King David said of the Lord God “For you are my lamp, LORD; and the LORD illuminates my darkness.” (2 Samuel 22:29) Jesus, the long sought after Messiah came into the world. The Apostle John, in his prologue to this Gospel, says of Jesus “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind.” (John 1:4) Psalm 119:105 says of the Lord “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” God the Father sent Jesus His Son to be the light, the Word of God to lights up the path and directs us back to the Father. It is Jesus who is the salvation who makes a way back to the Father. It is He that showed us, by His own being, who God was. Jesus said to see Him is to see God because He and the Father are one. It the will and pleasure of the Father that we should return to Him as long lost reprobates and prodigals. (Luke 15:11-32) Jesus came to proclaim God’s truth to mankind. To see who was Jesus was to see who the Father was. Jesus was to later say that those who have seen Him have seen the Father. (John 12:45) The world, since the fall, is a dark place and we do not see it as it is. It is not until a dark room has light fill it that one can see his surroundings as they are. Jesus lit up the dark places so that everyone can see God the Father. (John 14:9) Jesus is the light that leads all who would come to the Father.
“So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I am testifying about Myself, My testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.” The Pharisees, in general, couldn’t jump from swamp to faith. They always thought with their minds and believed man-made traditions. They didn’t know how to think spiritually. The first and most important thing to understand was that belief and obedience to Jesus was essential. But that came at the loss of control of their life and submitting to and obeying Jesus, which they were unwilling to do. The scriptures, over and over again, tell how the things of God are only understood as God reveals them. Now, in our times, the Word of God is truly revealed by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:10-14, John 14:26, 16:13, 15:26) We yield to God and ask for understanding from Him that is a request that pleased God and He blesses. (James 1:5)
I wonder how many people in our world could say where Jesus truly came from and where He went to. Do they know where He is? But by the Spirit, we know.
They celebrated the Festival of Booths which was a time God led them as a pillar of fire. (Exodus 13:21-22) He was their light. This same Shekina glory later filled their temple (2 Chronicles 7:1)
“You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. 16 But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me.” The Pharisees accused Him of giving false testimony of Himself because they did not believe that He and the Father are one. If they had believed Jesus, then they would have understood, but because they did not believe Him, that means they also did not believe the Father, who testified of Jesus coming. All the things Jesus spoke of, including Himself, were words from the Father. So the words that they heard from Jesus were the Father’s words and Jesus’ words. Because of their hard hearts they couldn’t understand.
“Even in your Law it has been written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” Jesus said it clearly to them now. Jesus told them that His Father also testifies about Him. So Jesus has two witnesses, both Jesus and the Father, which satisfies their requirement for two witnesses. The scriptures and the Father and Jesus testify of Jesus. A purposely blocked mind does not understand.
“So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” The Pharisees and hard headed people from then to now claim they know God but they do not. They reject God’s word in whole or part and then say they know God while rejecting His Word and so thereby are calling Him a liar, or denying His omniscience. Those who reject His words, His Son and His Spirit reject God and those who reject God don’t know Him. Jesus said if someone sees Him one has seen the Father, because they are one. So you cannot see and know Jesus without also seeing the Father. All believers should understand this.
“These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple area; and no one arrested Him, because His hour had not yet come.” This scene had played out during the Festival of Booths and it is good to remember that as we read these verses. This festival celebrating God taking care of them as He freed them from the slavery in Egypt. When they were in the desert God led them a pillar of smoke during the day and a bright burning fire during the night. (Exodus 13:21-22) They didn’t need candles because He lit up their camp. Later their temple was filled with the presence of God and so, as in the desert, the Lord their God was with them leading them. (2 Chronicles 7:1) Then because of their sin the glory of the Lord left their temple. They light of God that once filled their temple had departed. (Ezekiel 10:18) Now Jesus came and stood in the temple and the Light of God had returned. Yet the rulers had become blind and could not see the return of the Light. But some did. The symbolism of Jesus the Light that had led them safely through the desert was back, but because of the hardness of the heart, they didn’t receive Him back. So sad, so very sad. May our hearts be pliable, are ears listening and our eyes open to see the movements of God in the world. Let our lamps be ready. (Matthew 25:1-13) May we be found loving the Lord when He returns. (Revelation 3:5) He is faithful and will reward those who remain faithful to Him. (Revelation 22:12) Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withPsalm 18:1-3 – “I love You, Lord, my strength.” 2 The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress and my Savior, My God, my Rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the Horn of my salvation, my Stronghold. 3 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. The Lord is my strength in times of trouble and times of rest. As the mighty fire encircles me, as the beasts are about seize me, He is my strength. I will not fear. He has guarded me and let me walk in His peace in times without threats and in times without threats. Is He not the same God at both times? He is no less my guardian when fearful things surround me than when I am surrounded by love. Who shall I fear? What shall I fear? The Lord is my strength I will not fear and I will not worry. I accept the good with the bad. I have not mourned the blessings God has given me and neither shall I lament the trials and tribulations that come upon me. He is beyond reproach, beyond doubt and beyond criticism. I will not doubt Him and I will not disrespect Him. He is my God and has proven Himself to me. He is my strength, my everything. He is my Lord, my Savior and my God.
Psalm 18:6 – In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried to my God for help; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry for help before Him came into His ears. When the shout of trouble fills my ears and stands close enough to smell its foul breath, I will not fear because closer and louder is the sure love of my God. Because He loves me He hears me and protects me. He is my strength, my everything. He is my Lord, my Savior and my God.
Psalm 18:7 – Then the earth shook and quaked; And the foundations of the mountains were trembling And were shaken, because He was angry. Fierce is the Lord in the protection of those who love Him. Knowing that, there is nothing that can befall me that I will not see in it the love of God. It is not the circumstances I look for evidence of Him, but I look to what He has shown me in His Word and by His Spirit. In all circumstances I see the love of the Lord. He is my strength, my everything. He is my Lord, my Savior and my God.
Psalm 18:16-17 – He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. 17 He saved me from my strong enemy, And from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. From every evil He is able to save me. From every confusion, from any fear, and from all foes it is He that is with me always. He is the Mighty One. With His hand He protects me as He blows away enemies with His breath. He is my strength, my everything. Mighty and able is our God.
Psalm 18:20 – The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has repaid me. The Lord has given me His righteousness in trade for my unrighteousness. He has taken my righteousness upon Himself and declared me free. So the beauty that belongs to His Son is upon me and therefore His love rests endlessly upon me. He is my strength, my everything. He is the Lord my God my Savior.
Psalm 18:46 – The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock; And exalted be the God of my salvation. He is the Ancient of days, who has ruled, does rule and will always rule. He is the unmovable Rock who stops the evil winds from reaching me. The side of my Rock that faces out faces the lashing, the cold, and the fire. The side that I reside in is calm, peaceful and does not hear the noise from the world. He is my strength, my everything. He stands before me and protects me at all times.
Psalm 18:49 – Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, Lord, And I will sing praises to Your name. Proudly will I share the Gospel of my Savior and Lord! With great humility I will sing His praises before all. Never will He be an offense to me but always the one thing about me that brings satisfaction, joy and peace. Whom or what will I fear? Who or what can take His place? The answer to both question is none and nothing. He is my strength, my everything. “The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress and my Savior, My God, my Rock, in whom I take refuge.” And all my days I will thank and praise Him. Glory to God! Praise Him!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withJohn 8:1-11 – But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning He came again into the temple area, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began teaching them. 3 Now the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in the act of adultery, and after placing her in the center of the courtyard, 4 they *said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” 6 Now they were saying this to test Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. 7 When they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Now when they heard this, they began leaving, one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman where she was, in the center of the courtyard. 10 And straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on do not sin any longer.”
“But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.” He went to pray and be with the Father. Everyone else, at the end of John 7 went to their homes. Jesus went to the Mount of Olives, to prepare to go home to be with the Father and also, as He prayed with the Father, He was home.
“And early in the morning He came again into the temple area, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began teaching them.” Jesus was always ministering either to the masses, to the individuals and to His disciples. All who do the work of the Lord know the blessing of it, but also the exhaustion that can come. How did Jesus do it nonstop? Well, He was God and He was full of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes the Spirit and sometimes the angels ministered to Him. (Matthew 4:11, Mark 1:13, Luke 4:1, 14) Always the Holy Spirit ministers to us and the Lord uses angels also.
The Lord loved the people and so He loved teaching them. When you love what you do…
“Now the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in the act of adultery, and after placing her in the center of the courtyard, 4 they *said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” Of course if these scribes and Pharisees had really been after enforcing the The Law (Deuteronomy 22:23-27, Leviticus 20:10) they would have brought both the adulterer and the adulteress to answer to The Law. But they only brought the woman, which betrayed their motives as V6 reveals. In fact, were they not, as the leaders of the Jews, in this way themselves sinning? The guilty condemning the guilty.
Acting righteous, but only being self-righteous, they quoted The Law to Jesus. If only they knew how clearly they revealed their own guilt and how they did not know The Law as well as they thought. Being taught by the Spirit trumps being taught by men who themselves have the insight of men but not of God.
“Now they were saying this to test Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.” The Apostle John here reveals the true motive of those who were questioning Jesus. It was not for the sake of righteousness as they would falsely claim, but to put Jesus in trouble and in the wrong light to the people and to cause Him run afoul of Romans as in Mark 12:13-17. They wanted to have grounds to accuse Him. They did not learn their lesson then and repeated their error of trying to fool Him. The first pastor I learned under had often said that God is not like the current education system. He won’t pass you to the next grade if you don’t pass the one you’re in. These, because of their pride and hard hearts, did not pass and so never advanced.
Most, if not all of us have wondered what Jesus wrote on the ground. There are some fine suggestions what He may have wrote. Yet we should remember that if God doesn’t tell us, it means He thinks we didn’t need to know. Trust God about such things.
Jesus did not respond to them. The King James Version states that He stooped down and wrote on the ground “as though he heard them not.” Likely, He responded to them both by His refusal to “play their game” and by what He wrote on the ground.
“When they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her. 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Now when they heard this, they began leaving, one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman where she was, in the center of the courtyard.” Can you imagine how these hypocrites hushed their tirade when Jesus sudden straightened up and began to speak to them? Was Jesus going to issue a judgement against the woman? Would He side with The Law or with Roman law? Then He simply said that the one who is without sin could be the first to throw the first stone. One pastor suggests that Jesus was writing the names of those in the crowd and next to their name the woman they had committed adultery with in act or in thought. Maybe, but we don’t know. But certainly the words of the Lord stuck into their conscience and they all left. Guess they still didn’t fool Jesus as they hoped.
“And straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on do not sin any longer.” And here is where the hero of all who know we are nothing more than saved sinners wins us over once again. Jesus had not contested them The Law, or the place of Roman law, or whether mercy rules over judgement. Instead He offered to the woman what He offered to her accusers, love, mercy and a chance to repent and change. He did not accuse her and scold her, He loved her and set her free to do His will and follow Him. 1 Corinthians 13:7 states that love always hopes. I like to think that woman appreciated that Jesus saved her life there and she submitted to His Lordship so that He would also save her eternal life. I hope she did and I hope that some of the accusers did to. I hope so. Love compels me to. Glory to God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob with