My goal for this year is to memorize John 15. I divided it into two parts, and we have complete the first part; verses 1-17. Each week I will "recite" what we have learned and add one more verse. If you wish to join me, post your "recitation" in the comment box or email it to me.
John 15: 18-23
18. If the world hate you,
ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19. If ye were of the world,
the world would love its own,
but ye are not of the world,
but I have chosen ye out of the world,
therefore the world hateth you.
20. Remember the words that I have said,
The servant is not greater than his lord.
If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If they have kept my sayings, they will keep yours also.
21. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake,because they know not Him that sent Me.
22. If I had not come and spoken unto them,
they had not had sin,
but now they have no cloke to hide their sin.
23. He that hateth me, hateth my Father also.
CORRECTIONS: looked 4 times; vs.19 "his", "you"; vs.20 "said unto you"; vs.22. "for their sin"
John 15:24
"If I had not done among them the works
which none other man did,
they had not had sin;
but now have they both seen
and hated both me and my Father."
This verse is very similiar to verse 22. "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin, but now they have no cloke for their sin." Do you see the difference? This verse is focusing on the things that Jesus did.
He not only TOLD them that He was God, He SHOWED them by the things that He did.
He did things that "none other man did"...miracles... things that only God can do.
From the day he told the servants to serve water to wedding guests until the day He ascended to heaven, He did miracle after miracle. Yet...they couldn't believe it.
He walked on water,
healed the sick,
multiplied the loaves and fishes,
calmed the waves,
filled nets with fish,
escaped throngs,
controlled the waves,
rebuked devils,
read thoughts,
walked through locked doors,
rode an untamed donkey,
raised the dead,
forgave sin,
plus many, many other wonderful things,
and best of all, rose from the dead himself
and ascended to heaven!
No man can do these things.
Does God do miracles today?
Yes! Have you seen a person, that doctors have given up hope for, make a complete medical recovery? Have you seen needed funds appear seemingly out of nowhere? Have certain people crossed your path in strategic timing? Have you been protected from a fatal accident when it didn't seem possible?
Yes! Our God still is working miracles everyday! They are not coincidences. Things just can't "happen" like that. I think God loves "impossible" situations. He wants us to be at the end of our rope, not knowing which way to turn and all seems hopeless. When we are "rescued", we know that only God could have done it.
Sceptics scorn and try to reason away these unexplainable occurances. They don't want to believe. For if they believe that what Jesus did was something only God can do, then they have to believe that He is God. They have to face their own sinfulness and guilt and admit that they need Him and His gift of salvation.
Do you have a miracle story? I'd love to hear it!
2 comments:
I think it was C. S. Lewis who said, and I paraphrase, that one who wishes to remain an atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. It's our testimonies of God's work that change lives. If one wishes to go on not believing, they have to keep running from our stories. Our job is to keep chasing and keep writing.
I do have a great story of how God worked in my life. It is way too lengthy to share here, but if you are interested, I wrote a blog about it a few months ago.
http://mywritingloft.blogspot.com/2009/04/holy-ghost-bumps.html
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