Month: January 2019

Friday Morning: 11 Jan 2019 – John 2:13-25 ~ Jesus Clears the Temple

Friday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (Collect for Purity)

Almighty God: to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of my heart through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ my Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – John 2:1-12 (NLT)

Jesus Clears the Temple

It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”

Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.”

But the Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing? If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.”

“All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

“What!” they exclaimed. “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?” But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this, and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.

Jesus and Nicodemus

Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people. No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart.
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Morning Reflection:

Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures:
“Passion for God’s house will consume me.” – John 2:17 (NLT)

Jesus’ first public work was to transform a market place into a place of worship.

Imagine going home and finding squatters trashing your house in the middle of the day. How would you respond? Probably with anger, but certainly with a sense that your person, your sanctuary, had been violated. And so, the Word of God cleansed the House of God, in order to restore it as a place for Communion with God.

No one needed to tell [Jesus] about human nature,
for he knew what was in each person’s heart. – John 2:25 (NLT)

And so it is today, Jesus is just as passionate about his place in your heart – the place where you commune with God.

Collect for Purity: “Almighty God: to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of my heart through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ my Lord. Amen.”

Questions for your consideration:

+ What is going on in your heart? Is Jesus welcome? If not, why not?

+ What thoughts, desires, or secrets need cleansing so that Jesus can feel welcome and at home?

+ Ask Jesus for forgiveness and help in transforming your heart into his home.
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Morning Prayer:

Lord Jesus: Here are my thoughts, desires, and secrets that I know offend you….
I’m sorry, please forgive me.

Thank you for your assurance of forgiveness and cleansing; help me turn things around so that “I may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name.”

I ask this in your Name, so that my life, inside and out, might glorify you. Amen.
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“Clean This House” – Isaac Carree

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Thursday Morning: 10 Jan 2019 – John 2:1-12 ~ The Wedding at Cana

Thursday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (Collect for Purity)

Almighty God: to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of my heart through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ my Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – John 2:1-12 (NLT)

The Wedding at Cana

The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”

“Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”

But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions.

When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!”

This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

After the wedding he went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples.
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Morning Reflection:

Jesus reveals his glory at a joyous wedding celebration, and his first miracle reinforces the disciples’ faith. As you read through this story, what stands out for you?

Here’s what I found interesting –

+ Jesus’ participation – It’s a joyous celebration with wine included. And he was happy to participate in the event, bringing friends along with him.

+ Jesus’ reluctance – He’s not ready to reveal himself, the timing isn’t right. Why does Mary intervene? Perhaps the embarrassed hosts are relatives.

+ Jesus’ power – Demonstrated over the natural world (that he created as the Word of God); he simply spoke the command. And converted water for ceremonial washing into wine for joyous celebration.

+ Jesus’ humility – It’s all done quietly without fanfare. There is no “tadah” moment. But the wonder of it all is not lost on Mary and his new followers.

Questions for consideration:

+ When do you invite Jesus into your life events – When you’re happy? When you’re sad? When you’re in trouble? At other times?

+ What do you expect of him – Bless your proceedings? Comfort your distress? Fix your problems? Perform a miracle? Something else?

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Morning Prayer:

Come Lord Jesus, into our lives, and into our life events. Give us the boldness of Mary to ask, and the obedience of the servants to do, what is required to demonstrate your glory, that all may believe. I ask this in your name and for your glory. Amen.
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“When You Walk Into the Room” – Bryan & Katie Torwalt

https://youtu.be/W5PfebIHVzI?rel=0
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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Wednesday Morning: 09 Jan 2019 – John 1:35-51 ~ Come and see for yourself.

Wednesday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (Collect for Purity)

Almighty God: to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of my heart through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ my Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – John 1:35-51 (NLT)

The First Disciples

The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus.

Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them.

They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

“Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day.

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”).

Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”).

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.” Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown.

Philip went 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 Nazareth?”

“Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied.

As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.”

“How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.”

Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!”

Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.”
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Morning Reflection:

Meeting Jesus personally will change your life forever.
Steven J. Cole

How did you come to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord?

For me, it was a two-step process. I knew about Jesus as a teen, but it wasn’t until I sat down with a friend over coffee that I decided to follow Jesus, and that was 15 years later. And that decision changed my life forever.

In today’s reading, five men decided to follow Jesus at the very beginning of His ministry. They didn’t know a lot about Jesus, but they were willing to take a look, listen to what He had to say, and learn from Him.

What they discovered is that there is a lot more to Jesus than they realized, but they were willing to begin the journey with Him – the Lamb of God, the Messiah – because of the life-changing promise of sins forgiven.

Questions for consideration: Have you begun your journey with Jesus?

+ If not, why not begin today? See for yourself how at PeaceWithGod.net.
+ If yes, who was instrumental in bringing you to Jesus? And, do you have a friend that needs your help getting to Jesus? Ask God for help.

Morning Prayer:

Heavenly Father: Thank you for your saving grace throughout my life, and especially for my wife and friends who gently introduced me to your Son, the Lamb of God, who took away my sins. My life has never been the same.

Renew in me that experience of “first love” – when everything was new and exciting as I climbed a very steep learning curve. Thank you for those who were patient with me, and sometimes long-suffering. Thank you for those who prayed for me.

As the year unfolds, give me opportunities to befriend the people around me, and show me how to gently connect them with you. Keep me faithful in daily time spent with you, and teach me your ways, through your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Amen.
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“Help Me Find It” – Sidewalk Prophets


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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Tuesday Morning: 08 Jan 2019 – John 1:19-34 ~ “Who are you?”

Tuesday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (Collect for Purity)

Almighty God: to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of my heart through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ my Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – John 1:19-34 (NLT)

The Testimony of John the Baptist

This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.”

“Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?”

“No,” he replied.

“Are you the Prophet we are expecting?”

“No.”

“Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”

John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’”

Then the Pharisees who had been sent asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”

John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.”

This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.

Jesus, the Lamb of God

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’ I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.”

Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.”
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Morning Reflection:

We need to be clear on who we are in God’s kingdom
so that we can effectively point others to Jesus for salvation.
Steven J. Cole

Some thoughts for consideration:

People were flocking to John the Baptizer from near and far and responding positively to his message of repentance and baptism. That’s why the religious authorities challenged him – “Who are you?”

John responded to their questioning by saying who he was not – the Messiah, Elijah, or a prophet. And then clarified who he was – a messenger who was preparing people to believe and receive the Messiah – Jesus, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

And so the same question is addressed to me and you today – “Who are you?”

+ I am not God; I can’t forgive sins; and I can’t save anyone.
+ I am a believer in Jesus; I am a baptized repentant sinner; I am a reborn child of God; and I am at my very best when I point others to Jesus – the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world – in other words, when I help people connect with Jesus.

Question: Who are you? Where do you fit into this story? Are you a skeptic, a penitent, a believer, or a messenger? Or, something else? How is God speaking to you today?

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Morning Prayer:

Heavenly Father: You have sent your Son, Jesus Christ, into the world in order to save the world. Help me to find my place in your plan of Salvation. Take me as I am, and make me what you want me to be. Use me, however you will, to connect others with Jesus – the Lamb of God who takes away my sins, and the sin of the entire world. In his name, and for your glory, I ask it. Amen.
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“Behold the Lamb” – The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Monday Morning: 07 Jan 2019 – John 1:1-18 ~ In the beginning was the Word…..

Monday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (Collect for Purity)

Almighty God: to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of my heart through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ my Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – John 1:1-8 (NLT)

Prologue: Christ, the Eternal Word

In the beginning the Word already existed.

The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”

From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.
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Morning Reflection:

John’s Prologue is a perfect introduction to our 2019 reading through the New Testament. Why? Because it expands our understanding of who Jesus is and what it means to believe him and accept him. Here are some thoughts to ponder –

Creation – Jesus, the Word of God, has origins that go back to the beginning of time itself. He was not only with God in the beginning, but was God. And, apart from him, “not one thing came into being” (vs 3).

Revelation – Jesus, the Word of God, is the source of revelation and grace for all people everywhere: he is “the true light which enlightens everyone” (vs 9). Reflecting God’s glory, he is “full of grace and truth” (vs 14, 18).

Rejection – Jesus, the Word of God, was tragically rejected by his own world and the people he created. “The world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him” (vs 11).

Incarnation – Jesus, the Word of God, became a human being and lived among and within humanity: “and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (vs 14). The barrier between the divine and human realms were breached to a degree never before realized.

Blessing – Jesus, the Word of God, is the conduit of God’s mercy and truth that now flow in measures never possible before: “from his fullness, we receive grace upon grace” (vs 16).

Question: Do I believe Jesus and accept him as the Gospel of John presents him – the eternal Word of God? How is God speaking to you today?

To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn — not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. (vs 12-13)

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Morning Prayer:

Heavenly Father: It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around the wonder and mystery of Christmas – the child Jesus born in a manger is the Divine Word that spoke all of creation into being. Reveal to me your grace and truth, your unfailing love and faithfulness, throughout the coming year. And show me how to live as a reborn child of God, through Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior, in whose name I pray. Amen.
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“Christ Be All Around Me” – All Sons & Daughters


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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen