2/27/2012

John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

I think it is so interesting that this verse does not imply there is a certain moment where I have increased Christ and decreased myself “enough” or “finished”. This is an ongoing process, which reveals a constant need of dying to self and redirecting…. praise, decisions, or people’s attitudes back to the throne of the Lord asking Him for the strength to respond as He would. The longer that I am a Christian, the closer, I believe, I should aim to live out this statement. It is something I should be continually looking to perfect in my life because I will never arrive until I stand before God clothed in the righteousness Jesus Christ.

I have found that no matter who I am around there is always a certain element of dying to self where I have to say, “What would she/he like to do today? How is she/he doing? How should that affect my attitude around her/him? Does she/he need a word of encouragement? How can I serve her/him today with my actions and words?” It is esteeming others higher than oneself…Jesus said that if you have done this (His example: giving a glass of water) to one of the least of the brethren, you have done it to Me, Jesus Christ Himself. Oh, how I desire to show Jesus how much I love Him and one of the practical ways I can do that is through serving.

Application: I am going to find something specific today to serve my team today to demonstrate practically my love for Jesus….God, please give me strength….as our Ignite theme song sings, “More of you and less of me…”

2/23/2012

John 3:28 “You yourselves bear me witness that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,; but ‘I have been sent before Him.’”

In the previous verse, the Jews had come to John trying to make him jealous of what Jesus was doing. However, John knew exactly what specific calling God had put on his ministry and what he should be doing (no matter what others were doing around him).  He was secure in his calling and would not allow comparison between his and Jesus’ ministry.

What an important lesson to follow. So often I can feel discouraged because I compare my spiritual gifts or what I am doing for Jesus to others in the ministry. But this is wrong; God has called me to a specific area of ministry that is unique to me…most of all, I should be concentrating on preparing the way for the return of Christ. If all believers are looking to boast in Jesus Christ and not themselves, then there will be no issues.

Application:

I am going to stop comparing my gifts and areas of ministry to those around me. Honestly, I have been discouraged lately because I have allowed myself to compare, but this is not right and just puts the emphasis on me instead of the Lord.

2/24/2012

John 3:29 “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. “

Here is John’s response as the Jews were attempting to plant jealousy in the in his heart about Jesus. John recognizes that Jesus was the bridegroom and we are Christ’s bride. Jesus was drawing the bride unto Himself. In the same way, other people in ministry (as God works through them) will be trying to draw others to Christ. However, this drawing of people to Christ can only be done through the power of God. Therefore, it is important to recognize that this power is not in and of the person but about drawing as many people to salvation.

Yesterday, I was convicted not to be jealous of those in the ministry around me, and to recognize that the emphasis should not be on myself but on God. However, John gives us an example to go beyond just not being jealous BUT REJOICING! Rejoicing…he could only do this because he had the right mindset…an eternal mindset.

2/20/2012

John 3:20-21 “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God,”

Wow, this verse really made me question how I am living my life in all areas. What do I tolerate to be said around me? What occurs in my heart…because God deals with the thoughts of the mind and intentions of the heart and not solely our outward actions.

Clearly in verse 20, if you are practicing evil, you hate the light. If we are not for Jesus, we are against Him. I need to be continuingly asking the Lord to search my heart for any wicked way in me like David did in Psalm 139:23. For it says in verse 21, that those who know the truth come to the light that their deeds may be clearly seen. When we come before God in the light, our works are transparent before His throne. I don’t want to have anything to hide from Him but to be open and honest because He knows all, it is just a matter of me recognizing and admitting my wrong.

Application: I am going to take some time today asking God to do a heart search of areas in my life that I needed to be open about and communicate with Him. I want to keep doing this continually…it is not meant to be a one- time act, but a continual life process (in fact daily).

2/21/2012

John 3:23 “Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized.”

Here John is being obedient to the last call he heard which was to prepare the way for the Lord…one of the ways he was obeying this call was by baptizing. John is baptizing in Aenon because there was a lot of water there. I think it is interesting how it adds….”because there was much water.” Obviously, a voice didn’t come out of heaven saying, “John baptize in Aenon”. No, he was going where there was obvious supply for what God had called him to do.

How often I want an answer to come out of the sky….”Janessa, go do this or that…”, but other than examples from the Bible, I have not yet experienced this. God most often speaks to me through His Word, Godly leaders/ mentors in my life, or my prayer time. Sometimes, it is also when I see an “open door” and his provision is present in whatever He last called me to do.

 I think this is important to keep busy with what the Lord has last told me to do instead of thinking about the next step. I have often been told that the majority of the time, the Lord just gives you the next step not the big picture because if He did give us the big picture, we wouldn’t believe it. God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isa. 55:9).

Application: God, I pray that you would open my eyes to continue to see where you are providing open doors…. I don’t want my thoughts to crowd out Your vision and provision for my life.

2/22/2012

John 3:25-26 “Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification, And they came to John and said to him, ”Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified - behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him.”

How interesting this is to me that conflict arose even though so many great things were happening in the name of the Lord… numerous people were getting baptized! Oh, what an important lesson this is about spiritual warfare. Until I came to Costa Rica, I don’t think I had seen this much spiritual warfare. Often, it seems that when the greatest things for God are happening, there is the greatest spiritual warfare. It is as if Satan’s attention is caught and he hones in on the areas that he thinks will weaken and tear apart the greatest progress for the Lord.

It is also interesting to me what this conflict is about. The verse first addresses it as purification but then the following verse (26) reveals the deep motive of the Jews. The Jews were trying to plant a seed of jealousy.  John and Jesus were a team in saving souls for the kingdom, but it is interesting to me how the Devil often works within a team to divide. He knows that people united in the name of Jesus are much more powerful together; and therefore, he tries to create division.

Application: When team division comes up, I need to remind myself where these attacks are coming from. God places certain people together on a team, in a Bible study, or ministry for specific reasons and it is the Devil that tries to corrupt something beautiful. We need to see each other through the eyes of the Lord and not at each other’s humanness. But, we can only do this by pressing into Jesus even stronger and using the armor of God that He has given us.

2/17/2012

John 3:18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

How sweet it is to know that those who are in Christ Jesus are not condemned… I am free in Jesus Christ and am no longer under the bondage of sin and death. At the same time, how sad it is to know that those who have not believed in the name of Jesus Christ are already condemned. The joy that I have in knowing I am no longer under condemnation should drive me to share this with others.

Under condemnation, one has no hope and only unrest. Yet, in Christ Jesus there is hope; I can hardly keep from smiling when I meditate on the fact that I have eternal life where there is eternal joy and peace. God is so good.

Application: In my attitude and my countenance, I want to constantly be reflecting the hope that I have in Jesus Christ so that I might have any opportunity to share by example and word to someone else.

2/16/2012

John 3: 17 “For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Jesus’ intention to come into the world was never to condemn emphasizing our human weaknesses and how we fall short. No, His only desire for coming to earth was to show us our need and to provide a way of redemption. Redemption… He exchanged our past, present, and future sins for His taking the blame and going in our place to the cross that we might stand before God righteous. We are saints because we are clothed in the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ motive was always coming in a spirit of meekness and servant hood.

Application: God, thank you that you did not come in a spirit condemnation but as our Savior. When I am feeling condemned, I need to remind myself that it is not from the Lord but from the Devil. God is offers redemption and this promise can never be broken. Thank you Lord!

2/15/2012

John 3:15-16 “that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

These verses are so well known throughout the world among believers and non-believers which is good, but they are not to be taken lightly. This last Monday night, I led a devotion for the PFK girls’ sleepover about the love of God that He demonstrated on the cross. As I was thinking through this devotion, I was amazed yet again of Christ’s infinite love that He demonstrated for me. Oh, how I never want to take this too lightly.

I can hardly believe at times that God wants to spend eternity with me because He loves being with me….even when I constantly let Him down and have every reason to be deserving of hell. God wanted to provide a way of redemption which was only possible through the blood of Jesus Christ and not anything in and of myself. Even though this was the hardest sacrifice God would have to make, He did it because He loves us so much.

Why would God love me, Janessa, who constantly falls short failing to do what He asks of me? …again, I hear it from the heart of Jesus…because I love you. God loves us! To apply this to my life, I want to treat others and myself accordingly…whether they are believers or not because His offer of redemption is for all, it should be shown to all.

2/13/2012

John 3:13 “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is , the Son of God who is in heaven.”

No one rose (ascended) into heaven who came down first from heaven except Jesus Christ the son of God. Yes, Elijah and Enoch were both swept away into heaven but they did not descend from heaven…they had only been on this earth.

I love how clearly this verse points to Jesus Christ as being the One and Only son of God because Jesus is the ONLY ONE who fits this description. Imagine how unfathomable it is that Jesus Christ came from heaven where He had constant communion with the Father to earth….a place that had originally been paradise but was now contorted and twisted because sin had entered the world. What a difference from perfect peace and harmony in heaven to constant strife and conflict on this earth!

Jesus, thank you for even being willing to consider yet alone fulfill this calling to come to earth. This leads me to question in my own life, how far am I willing to go for Christ? Are there areas I am holding back? Am I offering myself a living sacrifice unto the Lord? (Rom. 12:1) God, I want to be willing to go to whatever extent Your calling is on my life. Please give me the strength to live this out.

2/14/2012

John 3:14 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.”

Here Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus the things that would be happening to Him in the near future. I thought it very interesting that Jesus uses this example of Moses in the Old Testament to explain his crucifixion. I don’t know if this was Jesus’ intention, but I found it fascinating that Moses (often representing the law) was the one who lifted up the snake…in the same way the Pharisees, who were following the law religiously, lifted up Jesus on a cross. Jesus most likely used this example from the Old Testament because Nicodemus was a leader of the Jews and most likely very well read in Old Testament scriptures. Jesus was using what was relatable for Nicodemus to understand.

Application: I think this is a very critical point when evangelizing or ministering to someone…that I use relatable terms unique for each person because everyone is different in the way they understand and grasp new concepts. Jesus used what was relatable to Nicodemus, God please give me insight on how to most effectively minister to those around me using concepts and vocabulary that they can best understand and relate to.

2/6/2012

John 3:1-2 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

Here Nicodemus is coming to Jesus secretly seeking truth. He was the ruler of the Jews holding a very prominent place over society, yet obviously questioning whether the Jewish community’s stand on Jesus was right. He knew there was something more and desired to find it.

However, it is interesting to note that Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night, no doubt because he was risking his reputation and potentially his life. Yet, isn’t this exactly what Christ did for us and more. He was punished a criminal’s death his reputation tainted, yet not because of anything He did. He was completely true and pure, yet He died an excruciatingly painful death for us when we did absolutely NOTHING to deserve it.  This is convicting to me because I am reminded of Psalm 27 where it says “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” I should not fear for my reputation, my relationships, or even my life if that means choosing to obey Jesus Christ with all of my heart with no compromise.

Lord, I pray that I would fear no one nor anything but You. You alone have the words of eternal life and I desire to seek the truth in You.

2/7/2012

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

I love how in verse 2 Nicodemus had not even really posed a question, yet Jesus knew exactly what he was looking for. All Nicodemus had stated was he believed that Jesus was from God because of the signs he had seen Jesus do. I love how Jesus responds with such a simple answer. God knows exactly what we are thinking even when we are having a hard time conjuring it up into understandable words. God has given the Gospel in simplified concepts that we might understand. There are aspects of Him we just won’t be able to fully enjoy until we are actually with Him in paradise.

God, thank you for not lording Your knowledge, strength, and power over me even when you have every right to do just that. Instead, you call me Your daughter providing a simple way that I might become part of your family, to be born again. When I am feeling misunderstood by others and sense frustration rising in my heart, I want to quickly remind myself that God knows all my thoughts and intentions. There is no need for anxiety and fear because God knows ALL even before I speak the words.

2/8/2012

John 3:4-6 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.

Here Nicodemus is only seeing what is visible to the physical eye, yet God is not limited to the physical… He is not bound by time, past decisions, present circumstances, and future decisions. He is outside of all our boundaries things possible and impossible in this world. I love that we can be a part of God’s family by being spiritually born into His family. I am daughter of the King…how incredible this is. Truly, God has been giving me more of a love for Him than I have ever before in my life experienced, and I am so thankful to be a part of His family.

God, just as you have demonstrated Your power in my life to do the impossible by making me a part of Your family, I desire to have that same faith in You to do numerous other miracles in my life and the lives of those around me. These situations may seem impossible in the moment but it just takes a word from Your mouth to speak and it will be done.

2/9/2012

John 3:7-8 “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes.

Being born again takes faith. I love how Jesus uses such a simple concept (wind) to help our finite minds understand how our attitude should be of faith. That is what faith is “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) “The evidence of things not yet seen”, God has plans and promises for my life that I might not see the evidence of now but have to have hope for.

For verses 4-6, I emphasized having more faith in the acts of God for my application…His strength to do the impossible. Here in these verses, I want to apply faith in the area of my future. God knows where the wind comes from and where it goes. I don’t and I don’t need to know…all I need to know is to trust Him in the moment and follow the Lord as He leads me.

John 3:12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

Oh, what a helpless case we are sometimes. J  It makes me smile when I think of the immense patience Christ has for us. Truly, I would have given up on the world a long time ago if I was God. Here Nicodemus is questioning and struggling to accept the truth of having the simple faith in God to be spiritually born into His family. At the same time, even though I do struggle at times with faith in different areas of my life at times, it makes me excited as I anticipate all that Christ will show us in heaven. For here it says, “How will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” There is a whole other aspect of God that we have not yet experienced, a heavenly one. What a gloriously grand day that will be when our eyes are fully opened to see the splendor of God.

God, please forgive me where I have doubted you and not believed in even the earthly things you have shown me. Thank you that you have even greater with more vast heavenly things still yet to show me which makes me so excited with anticipation for that amazing day!

1/30/2012

John 2:17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten me up.”

I think it is so incredibly amazing how over and over Christ fulfilled prophesies spoken about Him hundreds of years before He came to earth. Even more amazing here is the disciples remembering this prophesy about Jesus and watching it before their eyes as He was driving out the money changers and livestock.

The phrase “Zeal for Your house has eaten me up” caught my attention. Jesus Christ’s passion for the church consumed Him. It was in the very being of who He was. I have a zeal for Jesus Christ but it made me see my need to invest in the church, the body of Christ as well. Jesus poured all His energies to grow, teach, and encourage the body of Christ, and I should have the same passion consuming me.

Application:

As I am here serving at Capilla de Calvario in Costa Rica, I want to have this desire consuming me, a passion for the House of God to honor the Lord. Christ was so burdened for His people…and I desire to live that out in my life as well whether that is investing in the kids at the youth group, encouraging a woman who needs a listening heart, or helping out in the nursery so that parents can get fed without distraction.

1/31/2012

John 2:18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do you show to us, since You do these things?”

The Jews did not want to admit their wrong and are turning the situation back on Jesus asking for a sign as proof for His authority. I think it quite amazing that whether I am living in 2012 or living in the years of Christ…people are constantly looking for a sign.

Lately, I have been going through Revelation with Joe Focht and have been reminded of how close the end is in sight through the signs that we see around us and how they correlate to what Christ told us to watch for. God could come back whenever He chooses whether that is tomorrow or in 50 years, only He knows. As our generation and generations past keep looking for the sign that determines our world is at its end, I am reminded that all my confidence should not be in what I see but what I know the Word of God tells me. In Jesus Christ is the only place to find complete truth not in the visible happenings in my life, city, and world. God is what I need to meditate on. As the world draws nearer and nearer to the return of Jesus Christ, my eyes need to be more focused and heart closer to that of my Lord.

2/1/2012

John 2:19-21 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

Here the Jews are clearly referring to the physical temple that they saw before their eyes obviously not seeing how Jesus was referring to the temple of His physical body. The Jews were questioning how anyone would be able to rebuild the temple which took so long to construct in only three days. Yet, how even more unfathomable it is that Jesus Christ raised Himself from the dead. No one else raised Jesus Christ from the dead…He did it Himself conquering death and the grave.

I found myself trying to picture how I would react if I had been one of the Jews. In my finite mind, I could have be more awed by the temple being rebuilt in three days than Jesus Christ raised from the dead because I can relate to the rebuilding of the temple in physical terms as I am a mere human. However, it is much more difficult to even grasp Christ’s vast power that He demonstrated by raising Himself from the dead let alone conquering eternal death. He has been existent before time even began, yet He was “rebuilt” in three days.

God, please continually help me grasp the depth of love and power that you demonstrated on the cross that I might experience eternal life with you. I am so thankful for Your power and might to be able to do this for me. Thank you!

2/2/2012

John 2: 22 Therefore, when he had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that he had said this to them, and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

How exciting this must have been for the disciples to realize when Christ was raised from the dead, they were witnessing what He had already predicted would happen. This verse confirms that the words of Jesus Christ are scripture meaning we should take very seriously to the teachings and promises that God shares in His word.

This is critical in our walk as Christians to treat the Bible as authority and direction over our lives whether that is how we treat others or respond to trials and joys in our life. God’s word is to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105). I am not supposed to be “out in front” of the Word of God planning according to what I think will happen (like the disciples who thought Jesus was dead forever). Instead, I need to be focused on the truth of the scriptures and focusing on what they say because God ultimately knows how all things work together and were made to be.

God, I thank you that Your Word is true and there are no lies in You. I pray that I would gird myself up with the belt of Your truth that I might not be deceived by the father of lies, the Devil. I want to only listen to what you say over my life and ask that you would guide me in my future as You hold everything together in the palm of Your hand. I don’t want to be clutching tightly but with my hands open unto You and Your will.

2/3/2012

John2:23-24 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men…

John is sharing how the ministry of Jesus was starting to take off and people were turning and following Jesus because of all the signs they were seeing Him do. However, Jesus was not accepting the power that perhaps they were pressuring on Him to potentially lead because they were looking to Him as a fulfiller of their human desires not a fulfiller of their heart.  Jesus “knew all men”…He knows our weak spots and what we can handle.

I think it is important that as I am in ministry, I should be very careful that I am always directing those around me to Jesus never to myself. It is not about the physical that is so important (although we are called to fulfill practical needs such as feeding the hungry). I believe that God wants those who are the recipients of ministry to be ultimately looking to the Father in heaven for their daily spiritual bread. Jesus knew that if He accepted the power and acknowledgement of the people, it would lead down a path that was not beneficial for them. He knows best.

Application: We are all to be working in ministry no matter where we are or what we are doing, but I need to be extra cautious as I am specifically here in Costa Rica to serve in the ministry that I direct those around me to the Lord. Yes, it is good to fulfill physical needs but people also should be aware of their spiritual need just as importantly.