John 1-8

My Bible and I have not spent the time together lately that I would like.  I just finished up another Bible Study last week.  It was a good one, but unfortunately I spent my time cramming before small group instead of taking it in one day at a time and really learning what God was trying to teach me.  I look back with regret and all I can do is DO BETTER.  So, this morning I should be doing laundry, cleaning, and preparing for our dinner guests tonight......but instead I am going to spend some time back in my Bible.  It doesn't seem to be the most urgent thing....but I know it's the most important thing!

So.....I'm going to get started on the book of John.  It's the last of the Gospels.  One of the parts that I have marked that I think is important for everyone to know is that doubts and hesitation on trusting God is common.  In the second chapter of John Jesus, his mother, and his disciples were attending a wedding.  At that wedding Jesus performed the first of many miracles.  He turned water into wine.  In verse 11 it says:

This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee.  He thus revealed his glory, then his disciples put their faith in him. 

(about highlighted word above) Really, the disciples are traveling with JESUS....they know who he is.....yet they still did not have full faith in him.  They needed to see a miracle in order to put their full faith in him.  They.....The Son of God's disciples....were also of little faith. 

Often people get the impression that Jesus was meek and mild.  I heard a sermon once that discussed how men have a hard time relating or putting Jesus on high b/c he didn't seem like a "manly man".  Jesus did turn the other cheek many times, but he was a man that stood up for justice and stood tall in honor of His Father.  In these next few verses Jesus went to Jerusalem and found that the temple had turned in to a market.
So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.  To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here!  How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"  John 2:15-16

"I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."  John 3:3

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believe in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  John 3:16

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."  John 3:17
 
"Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." John 3:19

"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I gave him will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I have him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."  John 4:19

"Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out-those who have done good will rise to live and those have have done evil will rise to be condemned.  By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, an my judgements is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me."  John 5:28-30

I am the bread of life.  He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35 

"The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil."  John 7:7

"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me an drink.  Whoever believes in me as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."  John 7:37-38

"If any one of you is without sin,m let him be the first to throw a stone at her."  John 8:7

"I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."  John 8:12

"You judge by human standards."  John 8:15

"If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  John 8:31-32

"I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.  Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.  John 8:34-36

"He who belongs to God hears what God says.  The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."  John 8:47

-nic