I AM: Discovering the Nature of Jesus!
Wednesday, March 3, 2004
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, May I never rely on anyone, but Jesus as the means to gain access to You! I pray that I will not rely on my deeds or the deeds of my ancestors in an attempt to gain Your favor, but rather that I will always rely on You grace through faith in Jesus as my Savior and Lord. I pray that You will fill me with Your Holy Spirit right now, that I may be confident in You regardless of the circumstance or situation I may face today. Thank You in advance for using me to encourage others to faithful service in Your name. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God's Word Today
John 8:12, 39-47
12Jesus said to the people, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
39“Our father is Abraham,” they declared.
“No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were children of Abraham, you would follow his good example. 40I told you the truth I heard from God, but you are trying to kill me. Abraham wouldn’t do a thing like that. 41No, you are obeying your real father when you act that way.”
They replied, “We were not born out of wedlock! Our true Father is God himself.”
42Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. 43Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to do so! 44For you are the children of your father the Devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning and has always hated the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! 46Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47Anyone whose Father is God listens gladly to the words of God. Since you don’t, it proves you aren’t God’s children.”
Reflecting on God's Word
In what way are all people “children of the Devil,” before trusting Jesus as Savior and Lord?
A Deeper Exploration of God's Word
What evidence does Jesus give to demonstrate that the Israelites are not descendants of Abraham? (8:39-41)
What evidence does Jesus give to demonstrate that the Israelites are not descendants of God? (8:42-47)
What characteristics of Satan does Jesus emphasize in today’s reading? (8:44-47)
Understanding God's Purpose
What do you think Jesus hoped to gain by calling the Israelites who had just decided to believe in Him, “children of the Devil”?
What does Jesus’ description of the Devil in today’s Scripture do to help us be ready for the Devil’s attacks in our lives?
Applying God's Word to Our Lives
What is the most important truth you glean from today’s Scripture and how will you put it into practice in you life today?
Thoughts... A Liar and The Father of Lies...
Many folks in our world today do not believe in evil, let alone the personification of evil—the Devil. In fact, the major prevailing worldviews of western society at this moment don’t include a belief in God either. What do I mean by that? Secular humanism is the prevailing world-view in America today. It is accept-ed as “truth” by many. The basic assumption of secular humanism is that we are the result of a cosmic evolutionary process that operates on random chance. There is no God, or designer of things living or dead. Jesus attacks this worldview, long before its official arrival on the world scene. He tells us that the Devil exists and that He lies to us, that in fact, every time the Devil speaks to us, he is lying. Why would we assume that a worldview based on no God, would tell us the truth? The theory of evolution has been around for more than a century and a half, yet not one of its major tenets has been proven to be true. The point is not whether evolution is true, but why the theory developed in the first place—it developed to explain away a need for God! God exists, and He has revealed Himself most clearly through Jesus! Let us be aware that the Father of lies would still have us confused. Thank God for the light of Jesus, which leads us to all truth!
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