Through Jesus

John 14:5-7 KJV

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? [6] Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. [7] If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

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What does it mean to go through Jesus? It means, that to get to heaven you must believe in Jesus. That is simple. What is complicated is trying to figure out what believing in Jesus means. In the above passage, Thomas isn’t even sure where Jesus is going, and still, Jesus says he knows the way. Jesus goes on to say he is “the way, the truth, and the life.” He teaches the disciples that to get to the Father they must go through Him.

So, what does it mean to go through Jesus? Simply, it means we must believe and confess that he is real and that he died to save us. That is all it takes to get to heaven. However, that is not all going through Jesus means. To go through Jesus we must also obey his teachings and example. Going through Jesus means practicing Jesus’ way of life. That does not mean we need to become Jewish. It means we must love and care for people in the way that Jesus did. How did Jesus love people? He loved people to the point of his own death.

Going through Jesus to get to the Father means loving other people more than you love yourself. Jesus gave the perfect example when he willingly died the horrific death of crucifixion. He did that because it was necessary to save humanity from an eternity without God. Jesus also believed in a literal hell. Thus, he gave himself up so we would not burn eternally. The way through Jesus is to believe in him and practice his love with obedience to his teachings.

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Lord Jesus, teach me to believe so I may come to heaven. Please teach me to love others and to walk in obedience to you. I want to receive rewards to enjoy eternally, so please, teach me to obey. I welcome your correction, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Modern-Day Martyr

John 6:57-58 WEB

As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he who feeds on me, he will also live because of me. [58] This is the bread which came down out of heaven—not as our fathers ate the manna, and died. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

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The Father knew that to keep the entire nation following Moses, he needed to provide the manna. It is strange to think that due to disobedience, the Israelites received a miracle (Num 14:1-4). When God came in smoke and rested on the Mountain, the Israelites pulled back from God. They wanted Moses. (Ex 20:19) They wanted a set of rules that they could see and touch.

I understand wanting to be secure in God. What’s unfortunate is when God offered the children of Israel the Promised Land, they could not trust him to take them in. When God wanted to meet with the children of Israel they also rejected him. They wanted bread, just not living bread. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are life. More, all life exists by the power of God. When Jesus said he was the True Bread, he understood the nature of life.

We can either eat the food of the world or we can eat the food of heaven. Eating the food of heaven is not so mysterious. Jesus said his flesh and blood were food and drink. (John 6:54) On the cross, Jesus suffered in his flesh and his lifeblood drained away. So it seems that eating and drinking Christ must have something to do with suffering and death.

That sounds terrible, but it’s biblical. In Colossians 1:24 WEB Paul says, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly;” It is clear that Paul suffered in his flesh. Also, we know he was eventually martyred. Paul’s suffering and death were literal. Consequently, Paul changed the world. In his obedience to suffer, Paul wrote several of the most influential writings of all time.

Our suffering and death are metaphorical.  We do not get flogged in today’s western world. However, we are challenged. Each challenge that brings suffering is a faith opportunity. When suffering comes, do you wait on God patiently? Or do you fall apart wondering why God is not helping? If you wait patiently, you are eating the flesh of Christ. More, when you make decisions that help others at your expense, you are laying down your life which is drinking the blood of Christ.

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Lord Jesus, please teach me to suffer with faith. Change me on the inside so that I am willing to lay my life down for others. Please teach me to eat and drink of you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Entitled to Blessing

John 6:41-42 WEB

The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, “I am the bread which came down out of heaven.” [42] They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does he say, ‘I have come down out of heaven?’”

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The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were legalistic people. When Jesus said he came down from heaven they took it literally. The Pharisees expected the Messiah to come galloping out of heaven, guns blazing, ready to conquer the Romans. Imagine their consternation when Jesus claimed to come down from heaven. They were expecting a magnificent hero that would lead them to victory. Instead, they got a baby in a manger who would grow up and teach to be a conquering hero, you must lay down your life.

Pharisees did not want to lay down their lives. They expected God to bless them because of their piety. However, instead of being blessed, they were castigated as reprobate by Jesus. The Pharisees were waiting for God to come and take responsibility for their problems. The Pharisees were waiting on God.

The Pharisees felt entitled towards God. They expected God to come and fix all their problems. They wanted a Messiah to fight their battles and protect them from harm. The Pharisees felt that because of their devotion to God they deserved to be saved. Worse, because God said in Scripture he was coming, they felt entitled.

Entitlement is the root of legalistic prayers in modern times. Have you ever heard someone tell God what he must do because of what he said in the Bible? I have. I’ve always wondered how God feels about that sort of praying. If I was in a relationship with someone who constantly reminded me of everything I said so they could get what they want, I would feel abused.

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Lord Jesus, please help me grow in praying scripture. I do not want to use the Bible as a tool to force you into submission. Please forgive me for feeling entitled to your blessings. I am secure that you want to bless me. In the meantime help me trust you more. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Birthplaces

John 4:43-50 WEB

After the two days he went out from there and went into Galilee. [44] For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. [45] So when he came into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast, for they also went to the feast. Jesus came therefore again to Cana of Galilee, where he made the water into wine. There was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. [47] When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to him, and begged him that he would come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. [48] Jesus therefore said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will in no way believe.” [49] The nobleman said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” [50] Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.

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Jesus was born in Bethlehem and that made him a Judean. He was raised in Nazareth and seemed to base his ministry out of Capernaum of Galilee, yet still, he identified himself as coming from Judea. Jesus knew where he came from. He knew the stories of his miraculous birth. Jesus recognized he was from a better place and that is where he identified as his home country.

Every person who is in Christ has been born into the heavenly realms. This world is no longer our home. We are not from a certain country or continent, rather, we are from heaven. Having a correct orientation to our birthplace will define everything we do. Where we are born gives us a part of our identity. Where we are born gives us our purpose. Jesus knew he was born in a better place than Galilee, He knew he was from the royal line of David.

It is interesting to note that when Jesus returned to Galilee, it was that which was done in Jerusalem of Judea that caused the people of Capernaum to have an interest. It was that which originated in Jesus’ province of birth that caused interest in the Galileans.

Speaking of the first birth we all relate to a physical location on earth. Yet, when we experience the second birth that is by the Spirit, we have heaven as our hometown. Those things we get from our hometown of heaven will attract the attention of the lost here on earth. In the above text, Jesus chides the man for wanting to see a sign and then heals the child with no sign. Signs attract the attention of the world. But it is our faith that will help the lost make appropriate sense of signs when they come.

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Lord Jesus, please help me identify as a person from heaven so that I can have a correct perspective on earth. Please let my life shine light into others’ darkness that I may lead some to salvation.

What we have Seen

John 3:32-33 WEB

What he [Jesus] has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness. [33] He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true.

When Jesus testified to the things of heaven which he had seen and heard, he was rejected. According to the above verse, no one believed him. Not his apostles, not his disciples, not the people he taught. However, many believed that Jesus was sent by God. The miracles assured at least that much belief. This verse is written by the apostle John, who at the time before the resurrection, did not believe. If the apostles, disciples, and the people did not believe Jesus, they will also not believe modern believers. However, there is hope. We still have the miracles. We have victories in our lives that looked impossible. We have the health breakthroughs, the family relationship breakthroughs, and the financial breakthroughs. We can testify to the power of Jesus in our lives. We can lift the banner of his name and his victory over death. We can lift the testimony of what we have seen and heard. Because we are like the apostle John when he wrote this scripture, we are on the winning side of Jesus’ victory over death. We live and testify after the resurrection. They did not believe Jesus before he defeated death, but they did believe in him after he rose from the dead. If you look at the above verses, you may see something unusual. First John says no one believed Jesus. Next, he says, “he who has received his witness,” that is, they who did believe. So, what happened between verses 32 and 33? Why does John say no one believed, and in the next verse talk about those who did believe? One verse tells the story before the cross and resurrection. The next verse tells the story after Jesus’ victory over death and the grave. On one hand, we are in the same situation that Jesus was in. Namely, that the works of the Father, that is the miracles, testify of the truth of our witness. On the other hand, we are in a different situation than Jesus. The Lord did his work before the cross, we do our work after the cross. Our miracles and victories are backed up with Jesus’ victory at the cross. Therefore, when we testify of unusual victories, that testimony should be brief. This is because all the details are not significant. In fact, too many details ruin the witness because no one will ever have our exact circumstances. When we witness the things we have seen and heard in our own lives, we should sketch out the major points and leave the nuance to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will do the work in the hearer’s heart. In Romans 8:16 WEB it says, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God;” This is why after we testify to the miracles, we must shift the focus from ourselves and onto Jesus. Then, anyone who receives our witness will believe that God is true. (John 3:33 WEB)

Lord Jesus, thank you for the wonderful things you have done in my life. Please help me testify of you and help me keep the focus on you rather than myself. I ask Lord that I may be a holy vessel who opens their mouth to bear witness of the things I have seen and heard. I pray Lord that those who hear my testimony will believe that you are true. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Only You God

John 3:31 WEB

He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

We know that Jesus is God’s son. Jesus is from above, he proceeds from God and when he speaks, he tells of heavenly realities.  The rest of us are not God. We are not a part of the triune, divine, Godhead. We are from beneath and we speak of earthly realities. When we spend time in the presence of God the Father, or, God the Son, or, God the Holy Spirit, we are receiving heavenly things. As we try to share a testimony of the healing we have received or the revelation we have received, we can only share from our earthly position. We can see, we can receive, but we cannot come from heaven. We must share everything that God tells us from our limited earthly perspective. On the other hand, when we lead people to God, they can receive heavenly things from the one who is in heaven and speaks from a heavenly perspective. Matthew 4:4 WEB says, “But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” We must get past wanting to constantly share and testify. Those things do have their place. In Revelation 22:17 WEB it says, “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” He who hears, let him say, “Come!” He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely.” So, testimony paves the path of faith to the hearer which helps them receive from God. However, the critical thing is to bring people to God so they can receive from him themselves. In Hebrews 4:16 NIV it says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” However, we are not the Father. It is not our job to correct and discipline. In Hebrews 12:6 WEB it says, “Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.” There may be times when the Father leads us to pray for the sin of another, but it is a rare thing when God asks us to confront another believer with their sin. In Matthew 7:4 WEB it says, “Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye?” We also are not the Son. We can testify of our healing, but we cannot heal another. We did not receive the strips on our backs or wear the thorns on our heads. In Isaiah 53:5 WEB it says, “But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed.” Even if God uses us to pray for healing with another person, anything that happens is of the Lord. In James 5:14 WEB it says, “Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,” Finally, we are not the Holy Spirit. If we trust the Holy Spirit to lead others into a right relationship with God and righteousness, we will not constantly think we have a special word for others. Titus 3:5 WEB says, “not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,” So often believers fail to recognize their lack of faith. You see these people giving other people “words” or trying to bring correction to other believers. Those things are not our job. Our job is to bring people to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit so that God can save them, heal them, and lead them into righteousness. The Bible says, “in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, [14] who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14 WEB)

Lord Jesus, please forgive me for wanting others to listen to me more than listen to you. I ask you to forgive my pride and I repent of this demonic attitude. Please help me direct others to you. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Only God is Good

John 3:26-27 WEB

They came to John, and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptizes, and everyone is coming to him.” [27] John answered, “A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.

Whatever any person has, for good or evil, is authorized by heaven. The Lord either released it or allowed it. Therefore, whatever good any person has is from heaven. This heavenly reality is critical for men and women of God to have firmly fixed in their minds. Did you learn skills and values in your childhood home so that you are clean and positive? Give thanks, those things are from heaven. Do you Love Jesus and desire his will with all your heart, mind, and soul? Give thanks, those things are from heaven. Are you enduring hardships? Rejoice, those things serve your good. The Father is good and he knows how to bend a twig and how to refine your faith (Romans 8:28). If all things are from God, what do you have to be proud of? Romans 3:27a (WEB) says, “Where then is the boasting? It is excluded.” Have you ever heard gossips and slanderers say unkind things about those who were not given values and were not taught right from wrong? What about the mentally or intellectually ill? Do they deserve to be despised? What, do we think a sound mind is something we gave ourselves? No, it is a good gift and it came from the Father. In Matthew 19:17 (WEB) it says, “He said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” And in Mark 10:18 (WEB) it says, “Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God.” Only God is good so there is nothing for any person to be proud of or boast about. Only God gives each of us our blessings and hardships. If we have this firmly fixed in our minds we will come nearer to the marks of righteousness and holiness. And thus, we will become a vessel that God can make use of. This is God’s goodwill for each of us. “If anyone, therefore, purges himself from these, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, and suitable for the master’s use, prepared for every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:21 WEB)

Lord Jesus, please forgive me for thinking that I have accomplished anything apart from you. Help me to believe your word and thereby become humble and usable. I hope for your will in my life and in the world. Choose me, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Eternal Glory

John 3:13-15 WEB

No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. [14] As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15] that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Do you think there is a difference between eternal life and salvation? The word of God clearly says that one must both believe and confess to be saved. But in the text scripture it says plainly that to receive eternal life one must believe. The word of God says,

“that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9 WEB)

So I ask again, is there a difference between salvation and eternal life? Yes, I am sure there is. Salvation goes along with sanctification and redemption. In Ephesians it says,

“in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,” (Ephesians 1:7 WEB)

It is a process of God repairing our lives and delivering us from unrighteousness that keep us in sin. In the book of Acts, the Bible teaches,

“having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.” (Acts 24:15 WEB)

Eternal life is simply that, resurrection to a life in God. So, how can we understand what is at stake and what is expected of us by God? We turn again to the word. The Bible teaches a difference between those who will be admitted to heaven, and those that will be both admitted and granted entrance into God’s presence. What is at stake is an eternity qualified to be near God. The word refers to this as the elect and in other places as the bride. The bride is those people who endured the pain and humiliation of public confession. They are the people who allowed God to heal their most difficult wounds and sin. The Bible says,

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it; [26] that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, [27] that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without defect.” (Ephesians 5:25-27 WEB)

“Therefore I endure all things for the chosen ones’ sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” (2 Timothy 2:10 WEB)

Yes, believing gets you into heaven, but confession is required if you want eternal glory in the presence of God.

Lord Jesus, I want to spend eternity in your presence. Please lend me the grace to confess you; to humble myself to you. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.