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.