If you are following my blog via Facebook (www.facebook.com/FeeFeblogs), you'll know that I started a Bible challenge on April 1, 2015 using the Book of John. The point is to cultivate a habit of spending time before God. I know what it means to be busy. I am in my second year working on my Doctor of Pharmacy degree at a very prestigious college of pharmacy and I understand that many days 24 hours is just not enough time to get everything done. However, last year the Holy Spirit really started convicting me in this area of having daily devotions so I asked Him for the grace to make the time. It was not easy at first and to be honest, it's still not easy, but I am learning to crucify my flesh. The Bible tells us that whatever we feed will grow. If we feed our flesh, we will live by the flesh, but if we feed the Spirit, we will live by the spirit and not fulfill the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). So, for 21 days we are crucifying our weakness, our stress, and our laziness to hear from God! I promised to be sharing what I am learning as we proceed along these 21 days so here are a few things I learned from each chapter.
Day 1: John Chapter 1
1. Jesus Christ is Lord
" In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God."-John 1:1
The very first 18 verses of John chapter 1 described the love that the Father had for us in allowing the Son to come to dwell among us for the sole purpose of reconciling us back to God the Father. No longer are we in bondage to sin and the law because Jesus Christ came with grace. We are not saved by the law or by our good works, but by the grace of God. " And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ"-Jon 1:16-17
2. The Many names of Jesus Christ
- The Word- John 1:1
- The Light - John 1:7
- The Only Begotten of the Father- John 1:14
- The Only Begotten Son- John 1:18
- The Lamb of God- John 1:29,36
- The Son of God- John 1:34
- The Son of Man- John 1: 51
Each of these reference to Christ Jesus reveals a different character of God. Jesus Christ is the Word that was with God from the beginning even before creation. He is part of the "us" in Genesis when God said, "Let us make man in our own image." He is the Light. A friend shared from her devotion that darkness signifies lack of knowledge; therefore, Christ is the embodiment of knowledge. The same John says grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. There are many doctrines claiming to be true, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the truth. Jesus Christ is also the Lamb of God that was offered up as a sacrifice in our place. During this period of Easter, I cannot help but thank God for love that drove Him to the cross! The varies names of Jesus challenged me to find out more of His names. When I know Him, I will be able to stand upon that name and challenge any situation because the Word of God says that every knee will bow and every tongue confess at the mention of the name of Jesus! (Philippians 2:9) There's power in the name of the Lord!
3. We must witness after salvation
One of the most powerful revelations given to me from chapter 1 was seeing how the Gospel of Jesus was propelled from person to person. John the Baptist started it by saying, " I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God"- John 1:34. Among the people who heard John say this was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. The Bible tells us that Andrew, " he first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (John 1:41). Not only did Andrew tell his brother about Jesus, be we are told he brought Simon to Jesus and it was at that moment that Jesus called Simon "the rock". We are then told that Jesus called Phillip, Phillip followed Christ, and then "Phillip found Nathenael and said to him, " we have found Him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote- Jesus of Nazareth" (John 1:45)
The first thing that stuck out to me was that everyone spoke! I was reminded that in order to bring someone to Christ, I must speak! I must verbally share the love of Christ with those around me. None of the new converts came to Christ without someone sharing Christ with them. The Word of God says, " how then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?"-Romans 10:14. We have to speak! We are the preachers that the world is waiting on before they can believe in the Lord Jesus Christ! The second thing that stuck out to me was that the people that called, others to come follow Christ started calling people from their family and people they knew. This just taught me to pray for my family and friends that we may all know Jesus and make heaven. It is not enough to be saved. We are saved to bring others to Christ starting from our own circle of family and friends.
Thank you all for taking on this challenge with me! If you feel led to share what you are learning, please do! I would love to learn from you all! In an attempt not to make these #21DaysBibleChallenge blog posts too long, I will post my devotions from Day 2 and 3 later on this weekend! Until then, may the Lord keep you and bless you. May He honor your efforts in spending time with Him in Jesus' name. Amen!
Yorkamazing <3
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TMV- 2 Timothy 2:15
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