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Sunday, May 04, 2025

Day 123 Bible Readings – John 3: 34-35 (ESV)

Joshua 23 & 24, John 3:22-36, Psalms 74:1-9

John 3: 34-35 (ESV)

“For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.”

In verses 34 and 35 from John 3, John the Baptist tells us we know that Jesus was sent from God because the says the same things as God. Jesus also has the Holy Spirit fully within in because he comes from God. Since Jesus is the son of God, God has given Christ authority over all things. I love these verses from John the Baptist. Jesus was able to perform so many miracles because he had God’s authority. These verses also point to the concept of the Trinity; that God the father, Jesus the son, and Holy Spirit are one being. John the Baptist mentions the Trinity in these verses. But we also know that even though Jesus and God are the same being, Jesus was still subject to his father’s will and divine plan while on earth and that even Jesus did not know fully the plans of God.

Day 122 Bible Readings for May 3 – John 3: 19-21 (ESV)

Joshua 21: 40-45, Joshua 22, John 3: 1-21, Psalm 73: 15-28

John 3: 19-21 (ESV)

“And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

I love verses 19 through 21 from John 3 and how he compares Jesus to light. John tells us that people love the darkness or sin rather than the light. If you do evil things or sin, you will hate the light and Jesus. On the other hand, the people who love truth and do not love sin will come to the light and Jesus. Anyone who believe in Jesus will love the light and will not do evil things or sin. By comparing Jesus to light, I think John is also telling us that Jesus was crucified because he was exposing the evil deeds of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin wanted to keep sinning and did not want Jesus to keep exposing them. As a follower of Christ, I love thinking of him as the light who is helping me to expose my darkness so I can become more a person of light.

Friday, May 02, 2025

Day 121 Bible Readings – John 2: 23-25 (ESV)

 Joshua 19 & 20, Joshua 21: 1-19, John 2, Psalm 73: 1-14

John 2: 23-25 (ESV)

“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.”

In verses 23 through 25 from John 2, we read that Jesus performed many miracles during the Passover feast in Jerusalem which made many people believe in him. But Jesus did not place much faith in people who only believed in him because they saw him perform miracles. Jesus knows what is in our hearts, but he still loves us anyway. The author of a Bible study I read, wrote that Jesus gives us example in these verses on how to have discernment when it comes to people. We need to cautious about trusting people and trust in God’s wisdom to guide us. I think that Jesus also knew that it would be hard to hold on to a faith that is based on seeing miracles. This kind of belief is thin and superficial. Jesus knew that the real test of faith only comes when we can still believe even when things are not going the way we want them to in life. Do we lose our faith when things don’t go our way? Or do we trust in God to know that everything that happens to us, good and bad, is part of God’s plan or can be used by God to further his divine plan.

Thursday, May 01, 2025

Day 120 Bible Readings – John 1: 29 (ESV)

Joshua 17 & 18, John 1: 29-51, Psalm 72

John 1: 29 (ESV)

“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

In verse 29 from John 1, John the Baptizer saw Jesus and immediately greeted him with his future. Jesus was going to be the lamb that was to be sacrificed so he could take away the sin of the world. It took me a long time to realize that Jesus was the sacrificial lamb, and that both and John the Baptizer knew of his destiny. Did the disciples realize the metaphor of Jesus being the sacrificial lamb when they heard John the Baptizer says these words about Jesus? Since it took me a long time to get the connection, I’m sure they had a hard time getting the connection as well. They all thought at the time that Jesus was going to be like David and be another king. Jesus was going to unify all of Isreal to rise up against the Romans and free them from their occupation. But God had a better plan in mind. Jesus came to free us from the our sins, which is much worse than physical occupation.