JoAnn's Spiritual Lessons

John 1:1, Genesis 1, Revelation 22, John 5:39, John 6:68/69, John 14:6/7;  What does God say in His Word?

 The following is from Back to the Bible with my comments following at the end.

So what do you know now about God? Where did you pick up those ideas? I know, you've seen the movies or Veggie Tales videos, or maybe you even remember the old flat flannel graph boards in Sunday school. Great tools, but they give you an incomplete picture. The best way to find the truth about God is to open the Bible, God's own word to you.

Receive

God is on every page of the Bible, either actively visible or behind the scenes. We see that not only is God the Father there, but Jesus (God the Son) is there too. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1, ESV). From the dawn of creation (Genesis 1) through the glorious eternal future (Revelation 22), you can trace Jesus' part in the Father's unfolding plan.

And it's in the Bible that we discover Jesus brings us eternal life. In John 5:39, Jesus says "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me" (ESV). The Bible or Scripture doesn't save you, but you are saved through the One it bears witness or testifies about. He has "the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God" (John 6:68-69, ESV). You would never know that if you didn't open your Bible.

Through faith in Jesus Christ, who died for your sins, you not only have the gift of eternal life, you have new life today with access to the Father. "Jesus said to him, '"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him'" (John 14:6-7, ESV). It's through Jesus that you get to know God the Father.

Revelation 1:5-6 describes Jesus Christ as "the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth…who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father" (ESV). That's a lot you'd never know about Jesus if you skipped reading His Book.

Reflect

Read through these passages and jot down what you learn about Jesus.

Colossians 1:13-23
Hebrews 1:1-4
Hebrews 2:9-18
Isaiah 52:13-53:12

• Did you find something new or something you didn't really think of before?
• Where else do you think you could find out more about Jesus?
• What are you doing on a regular basis to get to know Jesus better?

Respond

Let's go back to the first question we asked today -- what do you know about Jesus now?

• As you've read through these passages and made notes, has it changed your picture of Him?
• What do you think matters most to you, today?
• What about Jesus can change your view of tomorrow?
• How could you take what you know and talk about Jesus with a friend, to your kids, with your spouse?

When you do that, you're not only opening the Book, you're making it part of your life. You're bringing Jesus right in where He wants to be, in your heart, mind and soul.

My Comment: In the Word of God we find His eternal love for us; His patience we see from the very beginning in Genesis; His wish to bring us to Him we see in the Law; His sacrifice for us we see in His sending our Lord His Son to die on the Cross for our sin. There is much, much more one can find within the pages of the Bible and the more one reads the Words the more the Holy Spirit teaches, and guides us.

Loved ones I encourage you to buy or borrow a Bible or even check it out of the library and study it in prayer, pray to your Heavenly Abba (Daddy) to guide you and grow your understanding and relationship with Him as you pray and read His Word.

Abba, we bring our needs before you and pray we grow closer to You, through pray and the reading of Your Word. Help us to understand what we read and to make it a part of us. Give us discernment to use what we read wisely and wisdom in how to apply it to our lives. When we need Your Words give them to us and help us to know when and where and how to use them for ourselves and for others and for the growing of Your kingdom. Amen