New Testament in a Year

John 7:31-53
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John chapter 7 verses 37 & 38 are powerful verses for each of us to meditate upon – ““Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow from the heart of those who believe in me.”  Wow… these are powerful words from Jesus.  And so true.  I know that I have been very spiritually thirsty in my life in the past and Jesus has most certainly quenched that thirst in my life.  And I do believe that rivers of living water flow from the heart of those that believe in Jesus.  This is the Holy Spirit, which indwells within us when we are in relationship with God the Father through Jesus the Son.  This living water flowing from our hearts – the Holy Spirit – is an intriguing topic.  I know different folks experience the Holy Spirit in different ways.  I do hope that each of us do tangibly experience the Holy Spirit in our hearts and lives each and every day.  I do know there are some days where I really sense and experience the Holy Spirit in my heart and life.  And there are some days where I may not – but I don’t believe the Holy Spirit has departed.  It’s more likely that I’m just caught up in the hustle / bustle of this life and focused on the flesh / world and not the Spirit.  Do you believe that rivers of living water will flow from the heart of those that believe in Jesus?   Are you thirsty?

 

Interesting to see Nicodemus come up in today’s readings in verses 50 & 51 – “Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, then spoke up. “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” he asked.”  Think Jesus’ conversations with Nicodemus in John chapter 3 changed Nicodemus’ life forever?  Remember that John 3:16 is in that chapter – imagine being the person actually hearing that from Jesus himself!  Oh my goodness… hard to imagine.   I gotta believe that Nicodemus – a Pharisee – was now a Believer…  Not surprising that he’s defending Jesus in these verses today.  Below is a beautiful painting by artist John La Farge from the year 1880 recalling recalling the “Visit of Nicodemus to Christ” from John 3:

Bible.org’s commentary on today’s (and yesterday’s) John chapter 7 readings titled “Jesus in Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles” is at this link.

Worship Video: Today’s readings remind me of Needtobreathe’s song “Who Am I:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iooys8xC3QA

Who are you? Click here to be loved by Jesus!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture today: “Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:37-38 TNIV

Prayer Point: Pray that your spiritual thirst has been quenched by your faith in Jesus. Pray that streams of living water – the Holy Spirit – is flowing within you today and forevermore.

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 7:1-30
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Hmmm… I found John chapter 7 verse 12 intriguing today as it said this about Jesus – “There was a lot of discussion about him among the crowds. Some said, “He’s a wonderful man,” while others said, “He’s nothing but a fraud, deceiving the people.””  Does this verse sound familiar to you at all?  Maybe like something we would hear about Jesus or Christianity in our modern world today?  “Jesus & Christianity is wonderful.  Jesus & Christianity is nothing but a fraud, deceiving people.”  Times really have not changed much have they?

Jesus’ words in verse 17 are powerful – “Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.”  I like that – if we want to do the will of God, we will know whether Jesus’ teaching is from God or is his own.  Do you want to do the will of God?  When you read Jesus’ teachings in John, do you know that his teaching is from God?

I will say this – I am so transformed when I read Jesus’ words in the Gospel of John.  I don’t know what it is about this Gospel…. but for some reason the words speak to me at a deep spiritual level.  Certainly when I read the words of Jesus in the other Gospels, or when I read any other words in the Bible, I know they are true words and I know they are feeding me spiritually. But… there’s something about the Gospel of John.  It is such a blessing to me.  It makes me want to cry with joy!   Really…

Bible.org’s commentary on John chapter 7 readings today titled “Jesus in Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles” is at this link.

Worship Video: Today’s readings reminded me of the classic worship song “Open the Eyes of My Heart” by Paul Baloche:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emkUsoER740

Is your heart open? Click here and open the eyes of your heart!

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 6:43-71
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Okay, so John chapter 6 verses 53 through 58 are some verses that get interpreted several different ways – some saying these verses speak of the Lord’s Supper and some saying they speak only of faith in Jesus because the Lord’s Supper had not yet been instituted by Jesus at this time.  I think the key for us to focus on is that Jesus is our nourishment – our literal spiritual food if we have faith in him. It is interesting to note that many disciples turned away from Jesus after this teaching.  I love Peter’s reply to Jesus in verses 68 & 69 after Jesus asks if the Twelve will leave too – “Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You alone have the words that give eternal life. We believe them, and we know you are the Holy One of God.””  True words indeed Peter.  True words indeed.  If not Jesus, to whom would you go?  Does anyone else have the words that give eternal life?

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

Worship Video: Today’s readings reminded me of Michael W. Smith’s classic song “Friends:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAeD2UEYaAk

Do you believe friends are friends forever? Click here for Forever!

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 6:22-42
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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!