Not seeing is still Believing

Thursday, November 3, 2011—Jesus took care of his mom as he was dying on the cross.

• Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. John 19:25-27

Mary Magdalene saw her risen Lord when he called her by name! Jesus calls us by name, too!

• Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

   “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

“Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

   Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

   She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). John 20:10-16

Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit on us and sends us out.

• On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:19-22

Jesus let the doubter see his wounds and then blessed those that believe without seeing.

• A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:24-29

Why did John write this gospel?

•  Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31

Be sure to enjoy the life, eternal life, we have been given in His name!!!

Your sister in Christ,       

 Barbara

.     SISTERS OF THE BOOK     .

Prayer

11/02/11 FOR Wednesday, November 2, 2011

•         “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.  “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.  “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” John 17:20-26
•  Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” John 18:10-11
•   As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?”  He denied it, saying, “I am not.”  One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the olive grove?” Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow. John 18:25-27
• “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.   Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” John 18:37

All these verses bring to mind a favorite hymn of mine

O worship the King, all glorious above,
O gratefully sing His pow’r and His love;
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise.

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender! how firm to the end!
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.

Your sister in Christ,       

Barbara 

.     SISTERS OF THE BOOK    

 Spirit of Truth

 11/02/11 FOR Tuesday, November 1, 2011

• “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” John 14:1
• “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
• Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:3-6
• Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. John 14:10
•      “If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John 14:15-18
• Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:23
•     “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:25-27
• Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:4
• This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:8-11
•  “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. John 15:18-19
• “All this I have told you so that you will not go astray.” John 16:1
• “I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. … So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” John 16:20-22
• “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Your sister in Christ,        

Barbara

PS: What is the job of the Holy Spirit? Read John 16:7-11

.     SISTERS OF THE BOOK     .

Light and Love

11/01/2011 FOR Monday, October 31, 2011—I found several familiar verses in today’s passages. I have picked out some of my favorites. What are your favorites from these two chapters?

• Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” John 12:17-19
• Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

            “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!”

               Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had   spoken to him.

             Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted     up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” John 12:26-32

• Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. John 12:36
• Then Jesus cried out, “When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. John 12:44-46
• Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 13:4-17
• I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.” John 13:20
•  “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

Jesus upset the religious leaders of the day. We are to be servants, light, accepting of the truth, and love one another. That is how the world recognizes that we are different- we love each other!!

Your sister in Christ,        

Barbara

PS: Read John 11:51-53. What was this referring to?

www.sistersofthebook.com

.     SISTERS OF THE BOOK     .

Monday, October 31, 2011

Your sister in Christ,        

Barbara

.     SISTERS OF THE BOOK     .

Lazarus, come out!

11/01/2011 FOR Sunday, October 30, 2011—Today’s reading only covers one chapter, but it is full of comfort and a wonderful miracle. Mary and Martha got word to Jesus that their brother Lazarus was very ill and asked Jesus to come. Jesus stayed where he was several days letting those with him know it was so they would believe. Jesus then went to their house. Martha met him with the conviction that he could have saved the life of her brother if he had been there and that God could do what Jesus asked now. Jesus told her he would raise him from the dead but Martha did not understand. Read the next part of this conversation and notice the beautiful words of God.

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” John 11:23-27.

Martha got Mary and they went (along with the crowd from the house comforting the sisters) to where their brother was buried. Jesus wept, was deeply moved and then asked them to roll back the stone.

Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. John 11:40-45

If you had been part of the group comforting the sisters in the death four days earlier, would you have been shaken, and challenged to believe in this man, when He raised Lazarus from the dead? How would I have reacted? Would I have believed when I saw the Glory of God displayed in front of my eyes? Or would I have turned off my hearing and seeing and kept to my prior belief system. Would I have been willing to let the miraculous event rock my world? Would I have been willing to put my faith in the Christ/Messiah sent by God as predicted in the Old Testament? Am I willing today, as God draws me to him, to believe?

Your sister in Christ,        

Barbara

PS: Read John Isaih 53:1 and 6:10 for how the Jews would not accept Jesus!

www.sistersofthebook.com

.     SISTERS OF THE BOOK     .

 The Good Shepherd

10/31/2011 FOR Saturday, October 29, 2011—In chapter nine of John, Jesus heals a man who has been blind since birth and again the Pharisees are divided with some thinking Jesus is from the Devil and others arguing that only a man from God could perform such miracles. Jesus came into this world to help those spiritually blind to see God’s plan. For those who were religious but rejecting Christ, they were spiritually blind and could not see and hear what Jesus offered. Several times in the last few chapters Jesus has escaped seizure by those wanting to harm or kill him—look at John 7:30; John 8:59; John 10:39—the answer Christ gave for this is found in John 7:5-7. Chapter ten explained how Jesus is our good shepherd who takes care of us and gives his life so that we can have eternal life. Look at this chart:

These verses bring such peace and joy and assurance to me as a believer! They do such a good job of describing the relationship we have with our savior! As I spend time in God’s word, I understand more of what the shepherd’s voice is saying. To know that I have eternal life and no one can snatch me from Jesus’ or God’s hand is a wonderful comfort.

One passage in particular explains how the world views Christ: “For even his own brothers did not believe in him. Therefore Jesus told them, ‘The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.’” John 7:5-7 Jesus shines his light of righteousness on the evil in this world and they don’t like being seen in that light.

Your sister in Christ,        

Barbara

PS: Read John 10:40-42. What did Christ find here? www.sistersofthebook.com

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Free indeed

10-31-2011 for Friday, October 28, 2011 – Today’s passages cover many descriptions of how Jesus brings light and freedom to the world. It also covers the Father of lies who lives in darkness, But God promises His spirit to his believers. (all passages are from the NIV1984)

• The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. John 7:7
• He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. John 7:18
• Now if a child can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing the whole man on the Sabbath? Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.” John 7:23-24
• On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. John 7:37-39(NIV1984)
• When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” … Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. …“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:7,10-11(NIV1984)
• When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
• I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.” John 8:24
• The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him. John 8:29-30
• To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32
• Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:34-36

Jesus has set us free from the slavery of sin! We are free indeed! He gives us streams of living water and gives us light and truth so that we do not have to walk in darkness. If you have not put your faith in him, come taste of the freedom, truth, and life He offers

Your sister in Christ,        

Barbara

PS: Read John 8:42-47. It is a very good description of the Devil and people who follow him!

What do you think? www.sistersofthebook.com

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Blessed Assurance

FOR Thursday, October 27, 2011—Jesus assures us as believers we are with him to stay!!! ‘These first two verses are to the religious leaders of the day who were rejecting Jesus. The rest bring hope and assurance to believers in Christ! (all passages from NIV1984)

• You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. John 5:39-40
• If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?” John 5:46-47
• Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” John 6:29
• “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. John 5:24
• For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” John 6:33
• Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35
• All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. John 6:37
• And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. John 6:39
• I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:47-51
• The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. John 6:63
• Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” John 6:8-14

Your sister in Christ,        

Barbara

PS: What is meant in the verses 6:43-59? www.sistersofthebook.com

.     SISTERS OF THE BOOK     .

Come into the Light!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011 – We are all familiar with John 3:16, but are you familiar with the verses that surround it? Read in context it is the center piece of a great theological truth that applies to any believer’s life. If we believe, we receive, and if we receive the light the darkness hates the light God gave us.

• Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” John 3:14-21

Jesus asked for a drink and then offered living water – to a Samaritan woman no less!

•  Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14

In a discussion of where was the right place to worship, Christ described the coming church that is not a building but a fellowship of believers and worship that is not in a specific place but in the spirit. Is it a lifestyle of worshipping God?

• Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24

Can we influence our home town by sharing what Jesus did to us when we accepted him as our Lord and Savior? Do we have a faithful witness to the source of our living water and our hope of eternal life?

• They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” John 4:42

Have you met my Jesus? He IS the savior of the world, but he saves one soul at a time and he wants to save your soul. Salvation offers eternal life and a forever relationship with the son of the creator God.

Your sister in Christ,        

Barbara

PS: Who is talking about in Jesus in John 3:29-30 and what can we learn?

.     SISTERS OF THE BOOK     .

www.sistersofthebook.com

All passages quoted from the New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The light shines in the darkness

Tuesday, October 25, 2011—Here are some familiar verses that bear reading again for building up our faith and reminding us as why Jesus came

• In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 
• Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:12-13
• For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17
• The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29
• I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.” John 1:33-34
• Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter). John 1:40-42
• This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. John 2:11
• Then the Jews demanded of him, “What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”  Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” The Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. John 2:18-22   

Do we go and find our brothers and sisters, tell them that we have found the Messiah, and bring them to Jesus? Do we believe the scriptures and words that Jesus has spoken? Do we live in the light as children born of God? Do we follow the law out of love, wonder, and amazement at the grace of God brought and bought through Jesus Christ? Have we put our faith in him-Jesus the Christ, Messiah, Son of God?

 Your sister in Christ,        

Barbara

PS: What is meant in John 2:23-25? www.sistersofthebook.com

.     SISTERS OF THE BOOK     .

All passages quoted from the New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)