May 26 :: 1 Chron 28-29; John 9:24-41

1 Chronicles 28:9-10

And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.

May 25 :: 1 Chron 25-27; John 9:1-23

Healing of the Blind Man 

Brian Jekel :: http://picturesofjesus4you.com/482.html 

 

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

John 9:13-20

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see."

Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided.

Finally they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened." The man replied, "He is a prophet."

The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents. "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?"

"We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind."

I don't know about you, but sometimes when I hear nowadays about miraculous healings being had all over the world through the power of God...I doubt. Who am I to doubt? I am so like these pharisees, demanding tests & proof. Who am I to do such? If you are anything like me, it's time to think about the fact that God is truly all good AND all powerful at the exact same time...why wouldn't He still heal in such amazing ways? 

May 24 :: 1 Chron 22-24; John 8:28-59

John 8:43 (Jesus speaking in below passages)

"Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word."

John 8:47

"He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God."

It is said by some that if you hear the voice of GOD in your heart and turn in faith to Christ, that you have been predestined and selected by the Father before the beginnings of the world. Others would say that He doesn't necessarily select you, but in that He fore-ordains what is to come, He allows certain people to come to know Him. And still others may think it is a combination of the two or neither.

This can be a very confusing area for many, including myself oftentimes. I believe that most Christians would hold that it is only by the Grace of God and not by works that they have been saved - yet somehow, there is still something spiritual left to reconcile in our hearts and minds regarding Jesus' words. How is it that some people are not of God? Please share any wisdom, thoughts, or more questions you may have on this interesting subject.

May 23 :: 1 Chron 19-21; John 8:1-27

May 22 :: 1 Chron 16-18; John 7:28-53

May 21 :: 1 Chron 13-15; John 7:1-27

1 Chronicles 13 :: 9-12

When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. The LORD's anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God. 

Then David was angry because the LORD's wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.

David was afraid of God that day and asked, "How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?"

Notice here that David is actually angry at God! Have you ever been angry at God? Although God is completely just in His actions....do we always believe that He is good at the same time? What David has run into here with his upset at Uzzah's death is, low and behold, the classic problem of evil! If God is all good, why is there evil - like death? It's a great question and can yield some great answers as well as a few unsatisfactory ones. If you were with David when this happened, what would you say to console him and restore his trust in God? What if you were David? What do you think you would be misunderstanding about the situation to bring you to be angry with God?

May 20 :: 1 Chron 10-12; John 6:45-71

Modern Christian Art by Mark Lawrence entitled "Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life" :: http://marklawrenceart.blogspot.com/2007/06/jesus-christ-bread-of-life.html

 

John 6:56 (NIV)

"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him."

John 6:60-65

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."

Consider for a moment - some of the disciples were confused as to what Jesus meant, even though it made perfect sense once Jesus explained it to them. Are you offended by something Jesus is doing in your life now? Is your life not happening the way you thought it should? Think about what you may be offended by and ask Him for understanding!

May 19 :: 1 Chron 7-9; John 6:22-44

Is it the case that now that the Spirit of God is no longer in the physically-built sanctuary, but in the hearts of His people, that we still are not assigned to administer to particular functions and roles of the Spirit? By no means! Think about a group of men and women that you have fellowship with and consider how this group may or may not be functioning as a team to carry out the services of the Holy Spirit. 

1) Do you play a certain role through a gifting from God? 

2) Does your brother or sister have a specific function of which you are aware? 

3) Is there anything you would change to be more obedient to what the Lord has called you to do regarding serving others through the Holy Spirit in you?

Consider the following scripture:

1 Chronicles 9:22-33

"They were registered by genealogy in their villages. The gatekeepers had been assigned to their positions of trust by David and Samuel the seer. They and their descendants were in charge of guarding the gates of the house of the LORD -the house called the Tent. The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north and south. Their brothers in their villages had to come from time to time and share their duties for seven-day periods. But the four principal gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries in the house of God. They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they had to guard it; and they had charge of the key for opening it each morning.

Some of them were in charge of the articles used in the temple service; they counted them when they were brought in and when they were taken out. Others were assigned to take care of the furnishings and all the other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the flour and wine, and the oil, incense and spices. But some of the priests took care of mixing the spices. A Levite named Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with the responsibility for baking the offering bread. Some of their Kohathite brothers were in charge of preparing for every Sabbath the bread set out on the table. 

Those who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night."

May 18 :: 1 Chron 4-6; John 6:1-21

John 6:16-21 - The Message 

In the evening his disciples went down to the sea, got in the boat, and headed back across the water to Capernaum. It had grown quite dark and Jesus had not yet returned. A huge wind blew up, churning the sea. They were maybe three or four miles out when they saw Jesus walking on the sea, quite near the boat. They were scared senseless, but he reassured them, "It's me. It's all right. Don't be afraid." So they took him on board. In no time they reached land—the exact spot they were headed to.

This passage seems significant for a multitude of reasons - can you point any out?

May 17 :: 1 Chron 1-3; John 5:25-47

John 5:25

I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.