Tag: thoughts

Posted in From the Insideout

After Thoughts: John 3:9-21

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Today’s Reading

I’ve recently started using the NET (New English Translation) Bible and was fascinated with the rendering of verse 16. “For this is the way God loved the world:” This is a demonstrative statement that demonstrates God’s expressed love. A love so deep and wide that He held nothing back. We were all sinners (Romans 3:23) condemned (Romans 6:23) unclean but God’s love triumphed over sin and death and brought not just life but eternal life to all who would believe (Acts 16:31). The action of “giving His one and only Son” for the salvation of all who would believe showed an unimaginable love not just for the collective world but for each individual, no matter their race or station in life – Jew or Gentile, uncivilized, slave or free. The demonstration wasn’t just for show or done without thought – He planned and carried out each detail. So, He didn’t just give His Son, He gave Him with the knowledge that He would be crucified on a cross of shame for the sins of the world, more pointedly for your sins and mine. Simply stated, belief would equal salvation and salvation would equal eternal life and not because of anything we had done or could do – but simply and yet profoundly because HE SO LOVED THE WORLD! 💜

My encouragement for today – Let this knowledge move you to worship Father and Son for their deep and matchless love. Let it move you to live and love like Jesus. Finally, let it move you to share this message with at least one other person (friend, family member, neighbor…) today. Who knows, maybe they will share it with their friends and on and on until the whole world knows of God’s amazing love.

Posted in From the Insideout

Intently

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Today’s Reading

Jesus, knowing Nicodemus was both a Jew and a Pharisee, wanted him to know the most important truth – that knowing and/or acknowledging He was from God would not gain Him the kingdom of God. Christ wanted Nicodemus to know that his position in life nor anything he could do, nor any knowledge he attested to could gain him access to the Kingdom of God. He made it clear that only by God giving him life through His Spirit – would he be allowed to enjoy such a privilege. The words Nicodemus spoke were true -Jesus was from God. However, Christ knew his heart and didn’t settle for the “right words” neither did He ignore the words, but instead addressed them by delivering the truly life-changing message of the Gospel.

There is, I believe, a secondary lesson here for believers as well – James’ words that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:17) seems fittingly applied – perhaps, even more rightly applied – to knowledge. We cannot just know what God’s Word says and affect change. We must live according to what His Word says, and can only hope to truly do this by the power of His Spirit in us. Think of the disciples – the Gospels teach us that they walked with Jesus, studied under Him, and served with Him for three years – however, the real, lasting, and distinctive change came only after they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8 and 2:1 and following). Christ, Himself, said it was better for Him to go away so that they could receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7). He is Christ’s power in us. It is only through His presence that we are able to be the light and salt and spread the hope of eternal life to those who may know the right words but not the true and living God.

So, here’s my encouragement for today – Let’s live and love like Jesus, who listened intently and spoke boldly. Let’s not be satisfied with merely knowing God but let’s seek a relationship with Him and walk according to the Spirit. When we do this, people will see that we, as Nicodemus said about Jesus, are from God. Then, we – like Jesus – will have the opportunity to give an answer for the hope that is within us.