The first day of the study was an eventful one to say the least.
This study in John has me walking close to Jesus, that's for sure. I need to be close by His side at all times to be protected from the attacks. Yesterday was one of those attacks and I knew it would happen. Little things happened and I laughed because I knew. Then the phone rang and it was my Doctor calling to tell me that I have pre-cancerous cells AGAIN on my cervix. He's not worried but I do have to have a colposcopy done next week. I had one done when I was pregnant with Ava Beth so it wasn't too long ago. I have always gone to the Doctor and had my annual check ups. In fact, I am faithful to those appointments. When I found out I was pregnant with Ava Beth it was also time for my annual so I had a pre-natal app AND an annual all in the same day. We found out that I had a mild case of dysplasia on my cervix. Child birth will often make it go away when you deliver but for me it did not. Then I had a procedure to remove the cells and it was gone! But it has come back! I have been getting exams every three months to check and see what was going on and I had two test come back perfect until last week. He assured me there is nothing to worry about but told me to go ahead and get pregnant with our third baby. So needless to say, yesterday was kind of a shocker for many reasons. After I have my third child, which we know we want, I may have to have my cervix removed OR continue to deal with constant in office procedures and the threat of cervical cancer. But then I heard the Holy Spirit gently knocking on my door, "Have you thought about being HEALED? Instead of accepting a Doctor's report, have you thought about being HEALED?" So, I'm gonna pray for healing. Then one of my precious friends who is also doing the John study with us found out yesterday after having a mamogram that they have found something. By the time she got home from the exam, they had called her house and left a message telling her to go straight to her doctor in the morning for blood work. She is not sure what they found but they did find something. As soon as I talk to her today I will update you. As you do your study today, remember that the enemy wants to do everything he can to keep you out of God's word. Don't let him win!
The Wedding
I love this story of Jesus' first miracle. When I got married I had one of the Pastor's give a charge to the audience. We wanted anyone at the Wedding that did not know Jesus to be given the opportunity to meet him there. Our ceremony was worshipful and completely focused on Christ. Anyone there who didn't believe heard the gospel. The pastor explained that the first miracle done at a wedding was a symbol of what God wanted to do in our lives. He took something colorless, odorless, tasteless, WATER and transformed it into something rich, full, vibrant, tasteful, WINE. I will never forget that analogy. Jesus wants to do that for ALL of us! He longs to turn your marriage into something amazing. He longs to take you out of depression, insecurity, addiction, pride or whatever else that enslaves you and make something beautiful!Just as this miraculous sign in the Bible made others believe, the same can happen in our life. When others see what God miraculously does in our life, others believe.
Jesus Clears The Temple
I have read this portion many times before. This time when I read it, I thought about churches today. Many churches today are turning into Fortune 500 Churches. It's like a corporation instead of a church. You would think you could buy stock. Has the church today turned the Father's house into a marketplace? I believe some have. But the same goes for our bodies, our temples. At times our culture has us so wrapped up that our ears and eyes are completely taken by television, computers, mp3 players. Have our bodies become a marketplace? I love the verse that explains the disciples remembering prophecy from scriptures. "Passion for God's house burns within me." I pray that I become aware of what has taken over my worship. Nothing should hinder it!
It has only been a day, but can you feel the Lord working? I know for me there is a passion right now inside and I am really trying to let it overtake me. All of you read yesterday! Some of you posted a comment, some of you emailed me but all of you read! The devil was defeated!
Father, I pray protection over these women. I pray that their children will come into alignment with you. I pray that their homes are peaceful today and that you saturate them with your love. I ask you to give these precious women a GLIMPSE of your glory! Lord Jesus, as they serve you, I pray that they will learn to serve others. Give them a passion and desire to see other's saved. Today, put a smile on their face and allow them to feel your love like never before. In Jesus powerful name! AMEN!
17 comments:
SARAH's commenst for chapter 2 are so good. I was slow at getting the post up so she put her comments for Chap 2 on yesterday's. She has some awesome insight!
momteacherfriend said...
John 2
"My timing has not yet come." (v4) Timing is everything! He has a plan for us, it is important to do things in his timing.
Jesus made wine! Safe to say it is ok to have wine at a wedding celebration. When Jesus makes wine he makes the best. (v10) "you saved the best til now."
This was the FIRST of his MIRACULOUS SIGNS. It revealed his glory and caused his disciples to put their faith in him. Seeing increases faith. Like in chapter one, those little things that are spoken that could only be known by God speaks to us and increases our faith. I also believe that miraculous signs are still alive today. I saw miracles and healings this weekend that I can barely begin to comprehend let alone explain. Yet I know this; they were of God and he is alive and well and still active this very day. No doubt or denying.
"Zeal for your house will consume me." (v17) Oh, my does his righteous anger burn. He has no complacenecy for it. If it disgraces his house it angers him. I also saw his righteous anger this last weekend. Wake up church. His anger was for things against his father. What do you get angry about?
In response to what miraculous sign would show his authority he answered; "Destroy this temple, and raise it again in three days." They challenged this with man's thinking. (took 46 years) The temple spoken was his body. Which as we know was accomplished on the cross and the raising on the third day. Served as witness to the disciples when they remembered his words.
(v23) saw and believed in his name.
(v24) Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He knows when our faith is sincere. He knows that all who see the miracles will not remember all he has done. That some of those very people stood and screamed "Crucify him!"
Keep the faith not only in moments of spiritual highs but in all things. Even when it is not received by man. Even when you are the only one who believes with the depth that you do. Keep the faith.
May our first reaction to any sign of trouble in our lives be "Father, I completely trust you in this situation. I will not worry. You can turn water into wine. Take this situation and breathe life into it and create life from it - life in others and new life in me."
Blessings y'all!
V.
Amanda- I began to read your post and when I read about the attacks I felt two things. 1. Satan you are MAD at this study, you would love to discourage it. He will try and attack. 2.Don't claim it, don't accept it. Then I read on. That indeed was the Holy Spirit speaking to you saying "Having you thought about being healed?" My heart rejoiced when I read those words. I pray you hear them, I know you heard them. I pray you act on faith in them. Believe you are healed, even this day. Say I do not accept this doctors report, I do not receive it. Do not be discouraged. Do not accept Satan's lies and deception. Do not accept his attacks. Continue you on...by faith.
I loved what you said about the temple being our bodies. So true.
I reread the comments I had and it was confirmed to me. (vs21)But the temple he had spoken of was his body.
The part that really stuck out me was when it said that Jesus did not trust man because he knew his human nature.
We can never trust our human nature because ut will always fail us and fail God.
Amanda do you have two e-mail addresses? I just e-mailed you and then I noticed there were two different address but then again I dont know another Amanda....
i am PRAYING, for you and your friend. I'll agree with you for healing, and praising His holy name that He whispered to you about it. Oooh, I just love Him!
All I Read Today: John 2
Best Thing I Marked: John 2:16-17
Thought: "To those who sold doves he said, 'Get out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!' His disciples remembered that it is written: 'Zeal for your house will consume me.' "
How It Impressed Me: As I read these verses today, I immediately thought of 1 Cor 6:19-20 where we are told that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we must honor God with our bodies. We know by these verses that Jesus was angry when He entered the temple. Surrounding Him were booths and booths of people buying and selling (and no doubt cheating). I wonder if there was any room to worship at all? My mind now races to my heart, my body - my temple. What does He see when He peeks inside me? What have I sold myself to? Is there reason for Him to begin 'turning over tables'? His passion for cleaning out the temple should be my passion for cleaning up my temple. I have so much inside that shouldn't be there! Little by little (as I can take it ) the Holy Spirit reveals sin I need to deal with. David Crowder talks about the beautiful collision that occurs when my depravity meets God's divinity. That is where I am at right now...searching for and extinguishing anything in my heart/life that doesn't accurately reflect God. God - please continue to reveal what I need to work on. Never do I want to be the reason someone doesn't want to know You. Give me the discipline to make the hard choices. I can't do this without you!!
WOW! I am just loving some of your comments. Isn't it amazing ow the Holy Spirit speaks to us. I want to tell you something though. For those of you that don't feel anything or get anything out of what you are reading. It's okay. Don't feel like you have to write like me or Sarah or Kelly Ann or anyone else. Just seeing you post, "Hey, I read!" is wonderful. I am so excited about what the Lord is doing.
I have read - I think right now I am not yet thinking so much about what it
means to me or what I think the scripture means - but when I read today I
did it first thing and I pictured Jesus at the Wedding and at the temple -
it was kinda like reading a novel and it plays out in your head. Anyway -
like I said I did not so much try to interpret it at all - but I did feel
peaceful, calm and closer to Jesus after reading - it was nice ;o))
Nancy
I loved reading this chapter, and the thoughts that some you shared. I also believe that we have let worldly things get in the way of heart for Jesus. I also believe that this study will help focus our thoughts to take back control of our hearts. In the past two days, I have to admit that Satan has been trying to get the best of me. It wasn't until I called Amanda to vent my frustration and she started laughing that everything was put in perspective. I was able to use this new perspective to save me from getting frustrated many times today. Focus on the Word, Satan has already lost!!
Ladies, please pray for me. The devil has attacked me today in a very hurtful way. Thank God for his truth in John 2.. "My timing has not yet come." YET is the key. I am believing God for a baby and when he tells us its time it will happen - regardless of what men may say. Amanda, I am praying for your healing and I will stand in for you here in AR if you would like and be anointed with oil.
Amanda- I will be posting twice. On my blog and in your comments may not always be the exact same. I read the chapter twice... but the second time I realize I did not pray first. So I stopped and pray then I continued.
I really ... dont have anything to say just that I would have loved to see him change the water into wine. God always comes through for us. The part about the temple... I remember reading that and nothing until I read your comment about the churches. I completely agree. The last verse about the Him knowing what was in man...just stuck with me. I just could not put into words what I was thinking until I read your husband's comment. Everyone has been so insightful... seeing things I dont see or hear. I am getting a little discouraged but at the same time I know God will let me hear the words He chooses to stand out to me. Dont worry I will still hang in there. I am learning so much already.
Veronica, don't get discouraged about that. I was afriad some may be feeling this way so I said something earlier about that. Remember the Word has a heartbeat so regardless of how you feel sometimes, you are still soaking it up. I think we all feel like you at times. I have been on the computer WAY TOO much today so I got cut back. I have just been so excited about this study.
I just read chapter 2. I really didn't get any revelations from it but I think the point is not necessarily what I will get in my own personal reading, but to do this with others so that we can be the revealers for each other. It is just the best to keep reading and not worry if you don't feel anything. You are making a commitment to be in GOD'S word and HE will bless you for it.
Amanda, I had a healing of an illness when I was a teenager. The moment of my healing the HOLY SPIRIT said to me, "Why don't you ask ME to heal you?" I had never even thought of it. I had always said things like, "Why me?", "Why did I have to get sick?" and when I asked HIM HE said that is not the question. "Why don't you ask ME to heal you?" I said, "Heal me? YOU'D do that?" HE said, "Here you go." And that was it. A light passed through my body and I was healed, immeadiatly. Just believe if HE asked you than HE wants to. In one breath you can say "Yes, LORD." But for me that wasn't it. I had a continuing battel that WE faught together. Satan said, "GOD didn't really heal you it's all in your head." I learned to say right back, "I am healed." I repeated that for weeks. It is harder than we like to work now a days, but guess what? That is the point. We are to work with GOD. HE will not fight our battles for us. HE needs us to do it with HIM.
This is great blogging.
I read John 1 and 2. I'm a late-comer and just catching up.
One thing that stood out for me in Ch. 1 is verses 31 and 33. John the Baptist says, "I knew Him (Jesus) not". Jesus was John's cousin, so surely he knew him in the social sense. I believe what John is saying in these 2 verses is that only when John saw the Spirit of God descending on Jesus like a dove was it revealed to John that Jesus was more than just a man, John's cousin. This was God's revelation of Jesus' divine nature and the very beginning of Jesus' ministry on the way to the
cross. John had known Jesus his entire life and never knew that Jesus was the Son of God until God revealed it to him.
We may hear about Jesus our entire life, but until we are drawn by the conviction of the Holy Spirit, we too will never recognize Jesus as the Son of God.
In Chapter 2, verse 22 I read of how the Disciples remembered AFTER Jesus' death, burial and resurrection what Jesus had said about if the Temple were destroyed, Jesus would raise it up in 3 days. Jesus had taught them every day for about 3 years all about the time that was coming when He would be crucified, die and rise again, but much of His teachings fell on deaf or inattentive ears. Aren't we just like the Disciples in so many ways? The Holy Spirit is ready and willing to teach us so much, but either we lack faith, or we are unconcerned or slack in our personal devotions and hear and heed not His Word. I know I sin and fall short of His glory every minute of every day. Forgive me, Lord.
I am having so much fun, and enjoying this so much!! I am praying for everyone, and I look forward to getting to know everyone better as we progress. God Bless!!
Diane
I'm so glad to be on board. Chapter 1. What strikes me about this chapter is the two verses.
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.
I have a friend here at work who is a Jehova Witness. They do not believe that Jesus is God. I find myself getting more in the Word, and memorizing scripture so that I can be able to present the truth, when asked. Here in verses 1 and 2, it is so evident that Jesus is God. We may not understand the Holy Trinity, but the evidence is written throughout the scriptures.
Chapter 2.
What struck me here, was the respect Jesus had for his mother. She infomed him about the wine, knowing that he had the power to do something about it, and he obliged. Sometimes, God asks me to do something, he knows that I have the tools and resources to do it. I don't always follow through. Lord, I pray that you would open my ears and eyes to the things that you want me to do, and that I will have an open heart to follow your will.
I had made a comment about GOD healing me. I wanted to clerify something. I am remembering more and more of the moments before my healing. There seemed to be two simultainious conversations with the HOLY SPIRIT. One that I mentioned before and another. I remember discussing my attitude. How I was playing the myrter. The last thought I had before I saw the light pass through me was, "It's not about me." That is what I have claimed from the expierence.
Love you all and am praying for us all.
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