Foundations: The Gospel of John - Day 1

Read: John 1:1-34

The first chapter of John starts with a prologue, which is often said to be one of the most beautiful passages of Scripture in the Bible.  In this chapter we are introduced to Jesus as the Word – who has always existed with the Father and who was involved with the creation of all things.  Jesus did not merely stay in Heaven but became flesh and declared the Father to humanity.  He is life, He is light.  Something remarkable has happened!  We can be completely transformed because of this God-man.  We then are introduced to Jesus’s famous cousin, John the Baptist proclaiming Jesus to be the Lamb of God who will take away the sins of the world.  His ministry was to prepare the way for the Messiah. Note that this John is different than the disciple John (the apostle whom Jesus loved), who is considered to be the author of this book of the Bible.  

PRAYER & MEDITATION

1.   What do verses 1-18 teach us about Jesus?

2.   Allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you about your relationship with Jesus.  Have you been taking Him for granted?  If so, confess this as sin.  Then, ask Him to give you a word, thought or picture about His greatness as God of the Universe!  Praise and thank Him for what He shows you. 

3.   Read Isaiah 40:3, then read Matthew 3:1-3 and Mark 1:1-8.  Spend some time asking the Lord to show you any areas in your life where you need to repent and get right with God.  Ask Him to show you specific sins that you need to confess. 

Foundations November 30, 2012

Read Philemon
In your journal, write down the things that stick out to you from today’s Bible reading. Respond to what God shows you as you feel led (confession, thanksgiving, etc.)

Philemon, a very short letter, is often discarded by believers as difficult to understand or not applicable to everyday life. Knowing some of the letter’s context helps with both of these problems. Paul was writing to Philemon, a slave owner, on behalf of Onesimus. We don’t know exactly what happened, but it appears that Onesimus stole from Philemon (vs. 18), ran away and then became a Christian. This was punishable by death. Paul was pleading that Philemon would show Onesimus mercy.

While on the surface this doesn’t seem applicable to daily life, “All Scripture is God-breathed, and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). Some passages simply require further thought and prayer before you know how the Holy Spirit wants to use them in your life.

Prayer and Meditation

1.      Philemon would have been within his rights to kill Onesimus. Paul encouraged him to by merciful to Onesimus. Is there anyone in your life that you need to show mercy to? Ask God to show you what this looks like.

2.      Paul loved Onesimus, a slave on the run from his owner. Ask God how you can love someone who is down and out. Ask how you can share the hope of the Gospel with them.

3.      Paul acted boldly on behalf of Onesimus. Is there anyone that you need to stand up for? Ask God to reveal a group of people who are oppressed and intercede for them.

Foundations November 29, 2012

Read Titus 3
In your journal, write down the things that stick out to you from today’s Bible reading. Respond to what God shows you as you feel led (confession, thanksgiving, etc.)

When we read the Bible on our own effort it can seem repetitive and condemning. Through human eyes, the Bible seems to be comprised of lists of unattainable standards. When we read the Bible with the help of the Holy Spirit, it gives us life. The Holy Spirit desires to speak to us through the Scriptures. If we are humble enough to listen, we can hear God speak in a personal, new way every time we pick up the Bible. God will meet us and talk with us, using His written Word to build a relationship with us. He will prompt us to intercede for others as we read and give us practical ideas to love people. When we walk with God in this manner, descriptions of a godly life will inspire us to love and serve Him more.

Prayer and Meditation

1.      Ask God to grant you more humility when reading the Word. Ask Him for an open heart to hear Him speak to you in your quiet times.

2.      Think back to where you were before you submitted your life to Jesus. Thank Jesus for all of the things He saved you from and all of the ways He revealed Himself. Spend some time worshipping Him as our Saviour and Redeemer.

3.      Look back over the chapter you read today. Ask the Holy Spirit to highlight a verse or passage and show you how to use it to intercede for someone.

Foundations November 28, 2012

Read Titus 1-2
In your journal, write down the things that stick out to you from today’s Bible reading. Respond to what God shows you as you feel led (confession, thanksgiving, etc.)

Paul wrote this letter to Titus, who was given the task of assigning overseers to the churches in Crete. One of the principles reflected in this letter is the importance of trusting our leaders. Titus had a vital job, for which he inevitably would have faced opposition. He could have used his own ideas to select church leaders. However, Paul had experience. He knew what signs suggested someone would be a reliable, godly leader and what characteristics suggested that someone was not a suitable leader. The principle of learning from those who’ve gone before us applies to every area of life. God loves us enough that He lets us learn from others’ experiences rather than forcing us to figure things out on our own. He truly does desire good things for us.

Prayer and Meditation

1.      Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind somebody who is wiser than you. Ask Him what you can learn from this person. Ask Him how He desires you to learn from this person (a one-on-one meeting where you ask them questions, studying their life, etc.).

2.      Meditate on 2:11-14, writing down anything you observe.

3.      Pray for the people of godly wisdom in our world. Ask that God would grant them favour in people’s eyes. Pray that they would have much influence on others.

Foundations November 27, 2012

Read 2 Timothy 3-4
In your journal, write down the things that stick out to you from today’s Bible reading. Respond to what God shows you as you feel led (confession, thanksgiving, etc.)

2 Timothy 3 and 4 describe a very dark, saddening world. Paul writes about people who, in every possible manner, oppose the true God. This description, unfortunately, fits our current world very well. But there is hope. The Holy Spirit did not stop with a forewarning of the evil to come. He continued by describing how Christians are to be a light in the darkness (see, for example 3:14-15, 4:1-5). God chose each one of us to live in this time and place for a reason. We have been called “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).

Prayer and Meditation

1.      Ask God how you can be a better light in our dark world.

2.      Knowing the Scripture is immensely valuable (3:16-17). As November draws to an end take some time to reflect on your devotional life. Are you meeting with God daily? Are you going into your devotional times with an eager, open heart or merely to complete a task on your daily list? Pray about where God wants you to take your devotional life over the next month. Ask for goals, such as growing in prayer or Scripture memorization, as well as practical strategies to reach them (continuing with Foundations, beginning a new Bible reading plan, choosing a time of day, etc.).

3.      Pray for the Christians in our community, region and nation to rise up and be strong lights for Jesus.