New Testament in a Year

John 6:22-42
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Wow… verses 28 & 29 in John chapter 6 are so beautiful and simple that I think it is easy to miss the strong meaning behind this conversation between the crowd & Jesus – “They replied, “What does God want us to do?” Jesus told them, “This is what God wants you to do: Believe in the one he has sent.””  Check out that very last sentence.  This is what God wants you to do.  Believe.  That’s it.  It’s that simple.  Believe.  Not give away all your money to the poor.  Not do thousands of good deeds.  Not become a perfect person over night.  Just believe.  Believe.  Yeah, okay, maybe God will ask you to give away some money and do good and become better person after you believe…  🙂  But the key is first and foremost to Believe.  Do you Believe in Jesus, the One whom God sent?

And verse 35 is so powerful as well – “Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again. Those who believe in me will never thirst.”  Jesus saying he is the bread of life is similar to him saying he is the Door or the Vine.  Bread is a beautiful metaphor that Jesus supplies divine nourishment to us spiritually.  For me, this verse also reminds me of The Lord’s Supper in our churches today.

Bible.org’s commentary on our John chapter 6 readings today titled “The Bread of Life” is at this link.

Worship Video: Today’s readings reminded me of the great Matt Maher song “Hold us Together:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SHXQNfib_M

Do you believe love will hold us together? Click here for Love!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”  John 6:35 TNIV

Prayer Point: Pray that Jesus is your bread of life. Pray that through faith in Jesus you will never be spiritually hungry or thirsty. Pray you will withstand hunger or thirst in this fallen world, knowing that Jesus is your bread of life.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

John 6:1-21
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It is very interesting to note that Jesus’ miracle of feeding the 5,000 is the only miracle, along with the resurrection, that is described in all 4 gospels!  In John chapter 6 verse 14 we read – “When the people saw this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!””  The Prophet the crowds are referring to comes from Deuteronomy chapter 18 verses 15 & 18 – “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him…. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.”

Bible.org’s commentary on our John chapter 6 readings today titled “The Messiah: Mightier than Moses” is at this link.

Worship Video: Today’s readings reminded me of Needtobreathe’s song “Testify:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCKU7kAUrvU

Have you testified? Click here to Testify!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

John 5:24-47
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I am intrigued by Jesus’ words in John chapter 5 verse 30 today: “But I do nothing without consulting the Father. I judge as I am told. And my judgment is absolutely just, because it is according to the will of God who sent me; it is not merely my own.”  I love that Jesus says his judgment is absolutely just.  And I believe this is true – 1. that Jesus will judge us and that 2. his judgment is just.  I think this is both something to be celebrated – there is no one else I would want to judge me… – and I think this can be sobering – if his judgment is absolutely just, then it is obvious that we cannot “sneak” anything by Jesus.  Everything we have ever done or will do will be judged by Jesus.  I think ultimately it is very healthy to recognize this.  Maybe initially this realization will keep us from sinning because of some fear of judgment – but ideally this realization matures into a love for Jesus that encourages us not to sin because we would not want to disappoint Jesus whom we love with all that we are.  Do you believe that Jesus is your judge?  Do you believe that Jesus will judge you absolutely justly?

Bible.org’s commentary on John chapter 5’s readings today titled “Like Father, Like Son” is at this link.

Worship Video: Today’s readings reminded me of the Chasen song “On and On:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqh9sHTXcAI

Do you believe in Miracles? Click here for a Miracle!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

John 5:1-23
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I’m not sure if you noticed this unique thing about Jesus’ healing of the man at the pool of Bethesda today – the man did not seem to have faith in Jesus or know who Jesus was!  You’ll recall with many of the healings we read about in the Gospels people yell out to Jesus for healing, or reach for Jesus’ garment, and show some sort of faith or recognition of who Jesus truly is.  Well, here in John chapter 5 verse 6 Jesus asks this man at the pool: “Do you want to get well?”  And then in the following verses the man still doesn’t realize who Jesus is and doesn’t ask Jesus for healing, but instead frets about not getting into the waters of the pool where he thinks the waters will heal him.  Well, come verse 8 Jesus says, “Get up!  Pick up your mat and walk.”  I find this whole scene awesome and a great example of God’s grace!  Perhaps sometimes in our lives when we miss seeing what Jesus is doing, He will still often heal us or care for us!  Even sometimes (though I don’t think always…) when we seem to looking for the other “waters” that we think will heal us.  Even sometimes when we don’t ask Jesus for healing, he’ll still do it for us.

Bible.org’s commentary on our readings in John chapter 5 today titled “Jesus Heals the man at the Pool of Bethesda” is at this link.

Worship Video:  Today’s readings reminded me of Consumed by Fire’s song “First Things First:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpTOcZN9JB4

Are you putting first things first? Click here for the Alpha/First!

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Based on my reflections above about the healing of the man at the pool of Bethesda, has Jesus ever done something amazing for you without you asking for it?  Perhaps even when you were looking for somebody or something else to fix or heal something for you, is there a time when God’s grace showed up on the scene instead and made the situation right?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

John 4:43-54
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Hi everyone!  Brief post today.  Back to a full post tomorrow!

Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in John titled “Jesus Heals the Royal Official’s Son” is at this link.

Worship Video:  Today’s readings reminded me of Casting Crowns song “Glorious Day:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqrqPGt11bA

Is today a glorious day for you? Click here for Glory!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

John 4:4-42
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Wow.  The Jacob’s Well story in John chapter 4 today is beautiful on so many levels.  I definitely recommend you check out Bible.org’s commentary on this chapter at this link if you aren’t familiar with all of the meanings of this story. 

I love Jesus’s words in verse 34 – “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.”  If this is true for Jesus – think this might be true for us too?  Do you believe that our nourishment comes from doing the will of God?

Worship Video:  So much of today’s readings including the woman at the well with Jesus reminded me of the fantastic song “Savior Please” by Josh Wilson. Here’s a great live version of Josh performing this song. Feel free to worship along!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxhNVEUY55c

Is Jesus your Savior? Click here and be Saved!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

John 3:22-4:3
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Wow… I love John the Baptist’s words about Jesus in John chapter 3 today!  Great stuff.  Please read these verses again and meditate upon them in your life today.  The verse that really stood out to me today was verse 30 when John said this about Jesus – “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” How very true and how very applicable to our lives today.  We must let Jesus become greater and greater in our lives, hearts, and actions, and our individualism / selfishness must become less and less.  How are you doing on this?  Are you allowing Jesus to become greater and greater in your life and are “you” becoming less and less? 

Bible.org’s commentary on John chapter 3’s readings today titled “John’s Joy and his Disciples Jealousy” is at this link.

Worship Video:  Today’s readings remind me of Bebo Norman’s fantastic song “I Will Lift My Eyes:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZ9bLnyIEyw

Are you looking at God? Click here and lift your eyes!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “He (Jesus) must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:30 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that Jesus is becoming greater and greater in your life day by day and that you are becoming less and less. Pray for more of Jesus and for less of you.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

John 3:1-21
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Today in John chapter 3 we will read about Jesus’ interactions with Nicodemus, a member of the Pharisees. This is obviously a powerful chapter, as Jesus’ words in this chapter include the famous John 3:16. In verse 3 we will read this from Jesus – “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” And to this Nicodemus asks in verse 4 – “How can a man be born when he is old? Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born?” What do these verses mean to you? Do you understand Jesus’ statement in verse 3? Do you understand Nicodemus’ confusion and why he asked the question like he did in verse 4? Jesus later goes on in chapter 3 to say that he is referring to being born again in “the Spirit.” It is not a physical rebirth Jesus is referring to in verse 3, but a Spiritual rebirth. I do think this is an appropriate time in our One Year Bible readings – the gospel of John and John chapter 3 in particular – for each of us to ask ourselves if we have been born again in the Spirit? If not, do you want to be born again in the Spirit? Will you pray today to God and Jesus for this Spiritual rebirth?

An image is below for verses 14 & 15 as Jesus says this to Nicodemus – “And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so I, the Son of Man, must be lifted up on a pole, so that everyone who believes in me will have eternal life.”

Bible.org’s commentary on John chapter 3 titled “The Doctrine of Salvation” is at this link and commentary on “Jesus and Nicodemus” is at this link and at this link.

Worship Video:  Reading John 3:16 today reminded me of the terrific We The Kingdom song “God So Loved:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq5URsXbKXs

Do you believe John 3:16? Click here for God’s love!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you fully know and believe John 3:16. Pray for 316 people that you can share the message of John 3:16 with this next year.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

John 2:1-25
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John chapter 2 verse 11 is of note – “This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was Jesus’ first display of his glory. And his disciples believed in him.”  It is interesting that John refers to Jesus’ miracles as “signs.”  Signs seems to indicate the significance of Jesus’ actions, rather than the marvel.  What do you think Jesus’ miracles might have been “signs” of?  Below is “The Marriage of Cana” by the Florentine Italian painter Giusto de’ Menabuoi from the year 1378, and this fresco is located in the baptistry of the Cathedral in Padua:

Tyndale’s One Year Bible Companion has a very interesting commentary on John chapter 2 verse 14 – “In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; and he saw money changers behind their counters.”  Tyndale answered the question of why there were merchants & money changers in the temple as follows:  “The temple tax had to be paid in local currency, so foreigners had to have their money changed.  But the moneychangers would often charge exorbitant exchange rates.  The people were also required to make sacrifices for sins.  Because of the long journey, many could not bring their own animals.  The price of sacrificial animals was much higher in the temple than elsewhere.”  It is understandable why Jesus was upset with all of this.  Thank goodness we do not have this system still in place for us today – with moneychangers & merchants for tax & animal sacrifices…  thank you Jesus!  Below is a fresco of “The Money-Changers in the Temple” by the Italian artist Giotto from the year 1306:

Bible.org’s commentary on John chapter 2 titled “The First Sign: Jesus Turns Water into Wine” is at this link and commentary titled “The Cleansing of the Temple” is at this link.

Worship Video:  Today’s readings reminded me of We the Kingdom’s song “Holy Water:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfY7CGU8sck

Have you received God’s Holy Water? Click here for Forgiveness!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture today: “So Jesus made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” John 2:15-16 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that our churches would not be marketplaces, but places of prayer. Pray that our faith is pure, and not motivated at all by money or the market.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

John 1:29-51
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I absolutely love John chapter 1 verse 29 – “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”  Do you believe Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world?

Verses 45 & 46 I find so truthful, along with Nathanael’s reply being amusing – but mostly Nathanael’s reply demonstrates how very humble of a background Jesus came from – “Philip went off to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.” “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from there?”  Are we ever like Nathanael – having preconceived notions about places or things or maybe even Jesus?  Can we leave our preconceived notions about things behind us and move forward in the spirit of truth, particularly when it comes to Jesus and who He is?

Bible.org’s commentary on John chapter 1 titled “The Witness of John” is at this link and commentary titled “The First Disciples” is at this link.

Worship Video:  Today’s readings reminded me of the song “Way Maker:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kBvpS3z9Qo

Do you know our Way Maker God? Click here to meet Him!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that Jesus has taken away your sins through your faith in his life, death on the cross for your sins, and his resurrection. Pray that you have repented from your sins and have left them at the Cross.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!