All Things Work Together 11.01.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today we are beginning our studies on the book of John, please read Chapters 1-3 in your Bible or you can Click Here to read them online. If the link does not work you can copy and paste this link to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%201-3&version=9

Today we will read about the Diety of Christ; John the Baptist; Jesus, the Lamb of God; Jesus turning the water into wine; the cleansing of the Temple; and a man named Nicodemus. Today's message focuses on the importance of realizing that regardless of our suffering, sorrows, or tragedies we can be sure that all things work together for good to them that love God.

The book of John is the 4th book of the New Testament, the final book of the Gospels, and contains 21 chapters. The author of the book is John and it was written to All believers, whom John portrays Jesus as the Son of God. The purpose of the book is to convince the people that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, and to lead men to everlasting life. What we are to learn from the book is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, the only source of salvation and way to everlasting life.

The Gospel of John introduces Jesus as the preexistent, Eternal Word who became one of us, because of this, the Holy Spirit led John to recognize Jesus as God. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." (John 1:1-5).

John portrays Jesus as the Son of God, the Creator of all things and the Perfector of our lives, but He was also known as a Man of sorrows. "He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not." (1:10-11). None of us escape sorrows during our lifetime, but, it is during our sorrows, that we are to follow in the footsteps of our Savior. "It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." (II Timothy 2:11-13).

There was a man named, Nicodemus who was eager to speak with Jesus, he was a member of the Sanhedrin, the council which controlled the religious life of Israel. "There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him." (John 3:1-2).

Jesus and Nicodemus continue their conversation, "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." (3:3-7).

To illustrate how essential it is to be born again, Jesus reminded him of when the Israelites, near the end of their 40 years of wilderness wandering, once again complained about their circumstances. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." (3:11-15).

The instant we were born as babies we received the sinful nature which was inherited from Adam. However, when we accept Jesus and are born again into the family of God, we receive His divine nature. The one who is born again of the Holy Spirit now loves the things he once ignored, and hates the things he once desired.

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
As I commit myself to You this day, I ask that You make me a glowing ember of Your truth, Your wisdom, and Your compassionate mercy. I want my light to shine for You so that all glory will be directed back to You, my source of light. If I find myself in the midst of a circle of employees engaged in ungodly conversation help me not to blend in. But rather help me to be the light of Your glory in my conversation, full of grace seasoned with salt, so that I will know how to respond to each person. I ask that You would reveal to me any false motivation for carrying out good deeds. Remind me that it is for Your glory that I do these things. It is neither for the praise of others nor for personal advancement, but the advancement of the Gospel. Lord, help me to reach just one today with an unexpected act of kindness that will direct the recipient’s thoughts toward my Father in heaven. In Jesus' name.....Amen.

Have a wonderful and blessed day.
God Bless,
Christina

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