Category: Gospels
Blessed! Happy! To be Envied
Scripture reading for January 5th: Matthew 5:1-30, Psalm 4, Proverbs 1:22-27
Jesus Christ was at heart a teacher. His teaching was with authority that many religious people of that day lacked because He clearly understood the word of God. (Matthew 7:28-29) His longest recorded teaching is these passages we will read the next few day in Matthew 5-7 called the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus climbed a mountainside or hillside to gather His disciples and teach them. Large crowds gathered to hear Him teach and marveled at what He taught them.
The introduction to this teaching is called the “beatitudes”. These short statements all begin with “blessed” and are a description of the kind of life that belongs to those who choose the kingdom of heaven revealed by Jesus. These verses all contain blessings and promises to those who meet the requirements for the blessings. According to the Amplified Bible, the term “blessed” includes in the meaning happiness and a joy and blessing that is to be envied. To be blessed is to have God’s favor and smile of pleasure. The Aaronic blessing of Numbers 6:24-27 comes to mind as God’s instruction to Aaron the High Priest for blessing the Israelites. God is the great King of the Kingdom and the King’s smile is a sign of His pleasure and acceptance.
Various attributes and attitudes are considered to be blessed. If you are poor in spirit, meek, or pure in heart God’s blessing is yours. If you are hungry and thirsty for righteousness or actively a peacemaker, God is smiling on you. If you are suffering persecution because of your righteousness, that also merits God’s blessing and favor. Great reward will come to each of these who exhibit these attributes and attitudes. These people will be the salt of the earth and light of the world! (Matthew 5:11-16) They must be careful to keep their salty status and let their lights shine to bring praise to God the Father in heaven!
True blessedness and joy comes from being what God created you to be. These attributes are formed in those who humbly follow Jesus and ask to be filled with His Spirit. Jesus perfectly exhibited these attributes and will form them in us as we submit to His word! Let your light shine and flavor the world with real saltiness! All glory goes to God!
Led by the Spirit!
Scripture reading for January 4th: Matthew 4, Psalms 3, Proverbs 1:20-21
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. The tempter came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of god, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” (Matthew 4:1-4)
Jesus, Himself, was filled with the Holy Spirit at His baptism. (Matthew 3:16-17) The Holy Spirit came in the bodily form of a dove and lighted on Him after His baptism by John. Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness and to identify with sinners that He came to seek and save. Jesus was a human man and yet was God. He was empowered by the Holy Spirit to begin His life of ministry at the age of 30.
The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit living in us. God’s Spirit is a person, not an impersonal force or some creepy presence. The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus and immediately began to lead Him into God’s will and purpose for His life. It is interesting to note that the first place the Holy Spirit led Jesus was into the desert for testing. He led Jesus to a forty day time of fasting in that desert where He underwent a series of temptations from the devil. We have a record of three of these temptations, but the Scriptures imply that there were many more.
What is fasting all about? We all have flesh that likes to call the shots in our life. Fasting is a willful denial of the rule of our flesh and a purposeful recognition that we want to live by God’s will and word. We recognize that we need the rule of God’s Spirit to help us in life more than we need bread or sleep! We tell the flesh “no” and say “yes, Lord” to God. Jesus was tempted to turn stones into bread to satisfy His hunger. Jesus spoke Deuteronomy 8:2-3 to Satan, countering the temptation with God’s will and word! Satan was trying to get Jesus (and us today) to live for ourselves and our appetites instead of God’s will! As we continue our journey through 2011, let’s ask the Lord for victory over our flesh and the devil’s temptations!
The Holy Spirit and Fire!
Scripture reading for January 3rd: Matthew 3, Psalms 2:7-12, Proverbs 1:15-19
“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand and He will clear His threshing floor, gathering His wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:11-12)
John the Baptist was the last prophet in the Old Testament who came in the spirit and mold of Elijah. (Malachi 4:5-6) Malachi had spoken of him in his last word over 400 years earlier. John came calling people to repentance and insisting that everyone needed to be baptized. Baptism was something that new converts to Judaism were called to do, but John insisted that all needed it. This angered the religious establishment but drew huge crowds of hungry people who were hoping to prepare themselves spiritually for the coming Messiah.
John told of the One coming after him! This One would bring a new baptism, the Holy Spirit and fire! As we seek to prepare ourselves for this new year, we would do well to seek Jesus for a fresh baptism or filling with the precious Holy Spirit! The fire was a symbol of the presence of God. Natural fire brought heat, light, and energy to those close to it; the fire of the Holy Spirit brings a holy energy to be a witness for the Lord. The fire of God’s amazing love will burn hot in those so baptized and they will share their love of Jesus and God’s love in them with those who have not heard!
It is interesting to note that Jesus is pictured by John with an instrument of harvest in his hands. His purpose is to gather His wheat into the barn. The wheat represents those who are believers in Christ and have the kernel of the Holy Spirit and God’s life in them. The barn represents God’s Kingdom and rule. Those who are “chaff”, have no life in them and are only fit for the unquenchable fire! The baptism of Jesus with the Holy Spirit and Fire is ours for the asking! (Luke 11:9-13) Don’t go another day without this precious gift!
Happy New Year! 2011 is here!
Scripture reading for January 1st: Matthew 1, Psalms 1 Proverbs 1:1-7
Welcome to BibleTrekToday.com, a blog that comments on a personal journey through the Scriptures in 2011! I would like to invite you to read the Bible along with me and participate in the journey for yourself.
This year I want to focus on the New Testament and plan to write 2-3 days a week so that I can do more reading and spend time in worship and prayer. I will post the readings for each day from the New Testament and Psalms and Proverbs. This will allow a more leisurely reading of Scripture and should allow for a deeper understanding of what we are reading.
Our theme for 2011 at Good Shepherd Church is “By His Spirit”. Key scriptures for this theme are found in Zechariah 4:6-7 and Galatians 5:16-25. The Holy Spirit is the Father’s gift to the Church. The Spirit marks all who belong to Jesus Christ with a seal of ownership (Ephesians 1:18) and is actively involved in helping believers live a victorious life over our flesh and enemy the devil. The Spirit brings gifts to be used as He wills in bringing understanding, healing, and revelation to build up the church. (1st Corinthians 12:4) The Spirit produces fruit that is pleasing and Christ-like as we allow Him to dwell in us. (Galatians 5:22-23)
It is the Holy Spirit who initially baptizes us into the Body of Christ at our conversion. (1stCorinthians 12:13) We are all told to “be filled (and continually filled) with the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). This is a continuing work of grace given to those who seek to be Christ’s witnesses. (Acts 1:8, 2:4) Those led by the Spirit of God are sons of God and without the Spirit, we do not belong to God! (Romans 8:9,14)
Many in Good Shepherd Church are filled with the Holy Spirit and learning to live by the Spirit. Others are seeking to learn more. Some are not at all acquainted with the Holy Spirit and all of us can grow in our relationship to the Holy Spirit. Being led by His Spirit is the only path to fulfilling our purpose and living by faith, which ultimately pleases God. Please join us in our passionate pursuit of living life “by His Spirit” as we read the New Testament. It is going to be an exciting year!
A special thanks to my wife and ministry partner, Mary, who has faithfully edited these blogs and offered corrections!
Sunday Rest and Reflection:John 17
Dear Friends,
Greeting on this day of rest in the finished work of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ! He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, and the punishment that brought us peace fell upon Him! By His stripes we are healed! We have a great King to worship!
As I look back over this past week, there are many passages of Scripture that we did not get to look into. One of the most encouraging chapters is the prayer of Jesus for Himself, His disciples, and all who would believe as a result of their witness. This prayer is the longest recorded of Jesus Christ in the Bible. It is given as Jesus approached the Garden of Gethsemane the night before He was crucified.
Jesus begins this prayer by looking up to heaven and addressing His Father. He is aware that, and states that, the time had come for His final work. His prayer acknowledged that God had given Him authority to give eternal life to those who believed on Him. Eternal life involved knowing the Father and Jesus Christ, His Son. Jesus asked the Father to glorify Him in His presence with the glory He had enjoyed before the world began. (John 17:1-5) Wow! What a personal request for Jesus to ask of His Father!
Jesus then prays for the disciples. He asks the Father to protect His followers who will remain in the world. This protection would come through the power of God’s name and the unity of Father and Son that they would themselves enjoy. (John 17:6-19) Jesus wanted them to be kept from the evil one, Satan, and given a full measure of His joy. He also wanted them to be sanctified in the Truth of God’s word. The reason for this was the mission that Jesus had given them to go into the world to preach and make disciples.
Finally, Jesus prays for the believers down through history until He comes again. (John 17:20-26) Jesus prayed for all to be one, brought into complete unity as He and the Father were in unity. Jesus prayed that all who would believe would be with Him where He was to behold His glory. The power of this prayer is drawing each one of us heavenward. We are being prayed for even now! The best is yet to come!
Receive the Holy Spirit
Scripture reading for November 5th: John 18-21
John’s account of the resurrection contains some information not recorded by the other Gospel writers. John tells how Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early in the morning and found the stone rolled away. (John 20:1-22) She found Peter and “the other disciple” (John) and they ran to the tomb. John got there first and was looking in when Peter caught up and went right on in. They found the grave clothes and head cloth neatly folded where the body had been laid. John saw this and believed that Jesus had risen from the dead.
Mary stood outside crying, and as she bent to look into the tomb, she suddenly saw two angels dressed in white. They asked her why she was crying. She responded that she was broken because she did not know who might have taken the body away and where they had put Him. Turning around, she saw a man standing there. She thought it might be the gardener and asked him where Jesus’ body might have been put. Jesus spoke her name, “Mary” and she recognized Him. “Do not hold on to Me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to My brothers and tell them ‘I am returning to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.” (John 20:17) It is interesting that Jesus now calls the disciples His brothers. He calls His Father and God, their Father and God!
On that evening of the first day of the week that Jesus rose again, the disciples were gathered behind locked doors. Jesus came and appeared to them. “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent Me , I am sending you.” And with that He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (John 20:21-23) This was the first thing John recorded that Jesus did when He visited them on that first day after the resurrection. Jesus wanted them filled with peace. He wanted them to have a vision and purpose to their lives: being sent into the world for seeking lost people. He wanted them to be empowered with the Spirit enough to personally breath on them. What joy this must have brought after the experience of Jesus’ crucifixion!
“Lord, Show Us the Father.”
Scripture reading for November 4th: John 13-17
Jesus did not do anything on His own; as the Son of God, He came to do His Father’s will. His Father’s will was that none that Jesus was given would perish, but that they would all be raised up on the last day. (John 6:39-40) It was the Father’s will that all who looked to Jesus and believed on Him would have eternal life and resurrection of their bodies. To that end, Jesus came to earth and ministered the Gospel message of repentance and faith, calling all to believe on Him. It was to that end that He laid His life down for His sheep, demonstrating the Father’s heart for the lost.
Jesus repeatedly told those who heard Him that He was not here on His own, but to do the will of the One who sent Him. (John 7:28-29, 8:18-19, 42, 10:18, 12:27, 14:6-10) In our reading today, Jesus told His disciples that He was going to die and go away. They were downcast and He sought to encourage them by telling them that He was going away to prepare a place for them and that He would come again and take them to be with Him. Thomas, one of the twelve, was puzzled and asked Jesus where He was going and how they could know the way. Jesus spoke, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Jesus told them that if they really knew Him, they would also know the Father. He told them that from now on they knew the Father and had seen Him.
“Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” (John 14:8) Philip was not getting it. He wondered when Jesus was going to show them the Father and begged Jesus to do just that. Jesus responded, “Don’t you know Me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen Me, has seen the Father.” (John 14:9) Jesus told them again and again that He was there to do the will of His Father. All the words Jesus gave them were from the Father. All the miracles Jesus did, revealed the Father working through Jesus. Jesus’ promised these followers, “And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” Wow!
The Good Shepherd
Scripture reading for November 3rd: John 9-12
We are likened to sheep in the Bible. People resemble sheep in a number of ways. We all need a shepherd or we easily get into trouble. Sheep are known to wander away looking for food and when separated from the flock, they are virtually helpless to defend themselves. They also depend on the shepherd to guide them to the pastures and to tend to their needs. Even a group of them have very little that they can do to protect themselves. They are easy prey for predators and make tasty meals!
Jesus taught His followers that He was the gate for the sheep. (John 10:7-10) As the gate, all sheep who entered through Him would be saved and would find safe pasture. Those who found this gate would find life and abundance of life. The thief, (Satan) came to steal, kill and destroy the sheep, but Jesus would protect them in His fold.
Jesus taught His followers that He was the good shepherd of the sheep. (John 10:11-18) As a good shepherd, He would lay His life down for the sheep. A hired hand runs away when the wolf comes because he really doesn’t care for the sheep, but for his own life. Jesus knew His sheep and they knew Him. His sheep would not follow another stranger, because they knew His voice. Jesus, as the good shepherd, had other sheep outside of the flock at Israel. He was their shepherd too!
Jesus told his followers that He would voluntarily lay His life down for His sheep. But after He lay it down, He would also take it up again. He said this to indicate the resurrection that would occur on the third day after laying His life down. We who follow Jesus know that His death was on our behalf. He took our sin and bore it’s penalty so we could be free. He faced the wolf, and won by giving Himself! What a Savior! What a Good Shepherd who really loves His sheep enough to die for them! He now lives to pray for us and has given us the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us through this life to the green pastures and still waters of the Kingdom! Do you know His voice? Are you one of His own sheep? Today is a good day to surrender!
The Father’s Will
Scripture reading for November 2nd: John 6-8
After the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, Jesus drew a great number of followers. They followed Him across the lake, and Jesus confronted them with their true motive: they had eaten the bread and been filled. (John 6:26) He warned them not to work for bread that spoils, but to seek the food that endures to eternal life, which only He could give them. The miracle was a sign that God the Father had placed His approval on Jesus the Son. This prompted them to ask Him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.” (John 6:28-29)
Jesus spent a great deal of time telling His followers about the Father. Jesus was the Son of God the Father, and knew Him well. Part of Jesus mission was to reveal the Father to those made in His image. The miracle of the bread and fish had impressed these followers and brought them the remembrance of the story of Moses and how bread was provided in the desert wilderness. Jesus pointed out that it was not Moses who gave them bread, but His Father who gives the True Bread. Jesus Christ, Himself, was this true bread that came out of heaven from the Father. The True Bread gives life to the world. These followers had a hard time grasping what Jesus was saying and asked for some of this bread again. “Jesus declared, “I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty.”” (John 6:35)
Jesus declared to them His Father’s will, “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of all that He has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:39-40) Our Father is merciful and draws all men to salvation through His Son. He has provided true Bread and an eternal thirst quencher! All we must do is believe on the One He has sent! It is so simple, yet so profound! Are you doing the work that provides the Bread of Life?
Do You Want to Get Well?
Scripture reading for November 1st: John 3-5
Healing of sickness and disability is an interesting subject. Some Christian people believe that miracles stopped with the days of the Apostles and Jesus. Others fervently believe that miracles are for today. Some people who are afflicted or disabled, have prayed for years and still not been healed. In Jesus’ time, it was no different.
Jesus visited Jerusalem and walked by a pool called Bethesda where many sick and disabled people gathered daily. Tradition said that when an angel troubled or stirred the waters, the first person into the water would be healed. At that pool Jesus saw a man that was paralyzed, and upon inquiring, found out that he had been that way for 38 years. Jesus asked him, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6b) The man did not directly answer Jesus’ question, but told Him that he had no one to help him get in when the water was stirred. At that, Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk!” The man was instantly healed and able to walk and carry his mat! (John 5:8-9)
As we look at this miracle, we note that Jesus was concerned with the crippled man’s desire to get well. Some people seem to enjoy being sick and like the sympathy or excuse that they have for avoiding life. It takes faith to want to get well after 38 years of the paralyzed life! Jesus was trying to get him to express his faith and believe. It worked!
The religious Jews, however, were concerned that this man was carrying his mat on the Sabbath, for the healing took place on that day. They tried to get the man to tell them who healed him and authorized him to break their law! He could not tell them who it was. Later, Jesus found him at the temple and spoke one more time, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” (John 5:14) Jesus was not only concerned about this man’s healing, but also about his soul. Paralysis may cripple a body, but sin will destroy a man’s soul! The wages of sin is eternal death and damnation! (Romans 6:23) We must want to be healed from sin as well as disabilities! Do you want to be made whole?