Speak Life

John 5:14

But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, "Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you."

Lord, how many times did you offer forgiveness of sins before you gave physical healing. Yet in this instance, you didn't even offer. Instead, you told this man to stop sinning. It must have been obvious to you that he was not ready to repent. This is so sad to me. This man may have been healed, but he was still dead.

John 5:25-26

"And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it's here now, when the dead will hear my voice - the voice of the Son of Man. And those who will listen will live. The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son.

Lord, speak your words through me to share that life-giving power with the dead around me. I have the power to speak life because I have your power within me. It's your word that saves, not my words. That's why I want to memorize as much of your word as I can. Help your words to be constantly coming out of my mouth. 

For that to happen, I need to be intentional. I need to be thinking about the verses I'm learning and reviewing them in my mind. Lord, that doesn't come naturally to me. I tend to get caught up in the details and minutia of my life. Please remind me to think about my verses when my mind is free of other demands. Help this to become a habit so that I automatically meditate on and review my verses every chance I get. I want to be so steeped in your word that it seems to exude from my very pores and I can't help speaking your words to everyone I meet. In Jesus' name, amen.

MEMORY VERSES

2 Corinthians 4:15-17

All of this is for your benefit. And as God's grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

2 Corinthians 4:15-17

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Spiritual Food

John 4:34

Then Jesus explained: "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work."

Lord, what are you wanting to say to me through this verse? It seems important because you reminded me that I am fasting from sugar and sugar substitutes right now. Maybe it has something to do with choosing what is better for me. Physical food is good and keeps me alive here on earth, but spiritual food is better and will keep me alive for eternity.

Thank you for showing me that my spiritual appetite needs to be filled with more than just reading my Bible, prayer and going to church. I also need to be obeying what you tell me to do and making the most of every opportunity to tell others about you.

I praise you for task you have given me to help disciple young Christians in our Salt & Light Group. This is a huge responsibility. I pray that you would give both Jenny and me wisdom and your words to share with these precious new believers. Please give us discernment to know how to guide them and when to correct them. Help us to encourage them as they grow in you.

Lord, I pray also for the leadership of Salt & Light. I pray that you will give Debbie and the servant team wisdom and discernment as well. Thank you for putting them in leadership over us. Please protect them as they are on the front lines in this spiritual war. In Jesus' name, amen.

2 Corinthians 4:15-17

All of this is for your benefit. And as God's grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

MEMORY VERSES

2 Corinthians 4:15-17

All of this is for your benefit. And as God's grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

2 Corinthians 4:15-17

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Living Water

John 4:13-14

Jesus replied, "Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life."

Lord, thank you for the living water you give me. Thank you also for the spiritual food you give me, that is your word. It feeds and sustains my soul. Like the manna in the wilderness, I must gather it daily. But unlike the manna, it doesn't evaporate in the heat of the day, it's always here waiting for me.

There is a real river filled with living water. One day I will get to see it in heaven.

Revelation 22:1-2

Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelves crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.

MEMORY VERSES

2 Corinthians 4:15-17

All of this is for your benefit. And as God's grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

2 Corinthians 4:15-17

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Faith Muscles

John 2:5

But his mother told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

Jesus, I want to be ready and willing to do whatever you ask me to do. This ability comes from a complete trust in you. Help me to have that kind of trust in you. Help me to exercise the muscles of my faith so that it can be strong. 

Then I will have the courage to do anything you want me to do. Even if it means being thrown into a fiery furnace, or a den of lions, or being stoned as Stephen was. In Jesus' name, amen.

MEMORY VERSES

2 Corinthians 4:15-17

All of this is for your benefit. And as God's grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

2 Corinthians 4:15-17

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Who Does He Think He Is?

John 1:24:25

Then the Pharisees who had been sent asked him, "If you aren't the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?"

According to the footnotes in my Bible, there was a sect of Jews called the Essenes who would baptize Gentiles when they converted to Judaism. So the Pharisees wanted to know why John, who was baptizing Jews, was treating Jews like lowly Gentiles. John's answer was that his baptism was merely symbolic of the repentance of the people who came to him. When Jesus - the Messiah - came, he would forgive the people who repented of their sins and also baptize them with the Holy Spirit.

John 1:29

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

Thank you, Jesus, for being my sacrificial lamb! Only your blood could wash away my sin. 

THIS WEEK'S MEMORY VERSES

Zechariah 11:11

The suffering flock was watching me, and they knew that the LORD was speaking through my actions.

Zechariah 11:11

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I Have the Privilege of Suffering

John 1:10-13

He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed in him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn -- not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

Thank you, Jesus for giving me the right to become a child of God. Thank you that I have been reborn. I am a new creation in Christ.

Romans 8:17

And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Philippians 1:29

For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.

Jesus, you have granted me the blessing and privilege to suffer for and with you. I haven't suffered like many Christians in other countries are having to. And I will probably never suffer a fraction of what you went through.

When I do suffer, help me to rejoice in it. Help me to see it as an opportunity to not only grow in my faith, but also to get my mind and heart focus centered back on you, to prove to myself and others that my faith is real, and to be an example to a world who is closely watching to see how I will react.

I thank you for the example you have been to me, and for your word that helps me to get through the suffering. I cling to your word and hide it in my heart. You remind me of verses when I need them and they comfort and instruct me.

Jesus, I have been having trouble remembering which verse goes with which address. Would you please show me a way to make these things stick in my old brain. You created my brain and you know how it works. I know that you can help me with this. Thank you for how you are already helping me to remember the verses.

  

THIS WEEK'S MEMORY VERSES

Zechariah 11:11

The suffering flock was watching me, and they knew that the LORD was speaking through my actions.

Zechariah 11:11

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

By His Stripes I am Healed

Matthew 27:26

So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

This picture is from:  naturesdesignsonline.com

Lord, why would Pilate order such a severe whipping of a man he thought was innocent? All the crowd was asking for was for you to be crucified. They weren't insisting that you be whipped as well. I suppose it had to happen to fulfill prophecy. Maybe Pilot wanted to make absolutely sure that he appeased that mob. Like a token gesture to guarantee that he would follow through with the crucifixion. 

After my bit of research, I realize that the whipping was part and parcel with crucifixion. As if one of these alone wasn't enough.

Isaiah 53:5 NKJV

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5 NLT

But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.

Thank you doesn't seem enough to show my gratitude for what you did for me Jesus. You were willing to endure the shame, agonizing pain, being spit on and cursed and beaten, being mocked, being whipped within an inch of your life, and finally crucified -- all for me. You took on every negative response I could ever receive from unbelievers for sharing the gospel. If you could take all that at one time with such grace, surely I can endure a tiny fraction of that for your sake. Help me to be willing and ready to suffer for you. In Jesus' name, amen.

In my research I came across this website: naturesdesignsonline.com. I must warn you as the site page does, this is not for the weak stomached. But it does give an accurate, descriptive explanation of what Jesus whipping would have been like. 

  

THIS WEEK'S MEMORY VERSES

Zechariah 11:11

The suffering flock was watching me, and they knew that the LORD was speaking through my actions.

Zechariah 11:11

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)