Day 28: The Instruction To Repent

John 20, 21; Acts 1, 2, 3

This past week was a bit difficult when it came to nourishing myself spiritually.  I felt this sense of laziness which I couldn’t explain.  Catching up has been difficult to do because it feels like I’m needing to hurriedly finish my reading.  I pray that I don’t let “life” distract me from what I should want to do everyday.  I’ve asked the assistance of my great small group to keep me in their prayers when it comes to my diligence and enthusiasm.

As I was reading yesterday’s (Sunday’s) chapters, I was left with a very powerful concept.  Near the end of Acts, chapter 2, Luke (the author) recounts when Peter addressed the crowd with what the people had done.

³⁶“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

³⁷When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

³⁸Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:36-39

Repent.  Come before Him, kneel and ask for forgiveness of my sins.

I recognize my sins and the extent of my sins daily and pray to cast them aside. I struggle with leading a worldly life.  I struggle with having worldly thoughts, desires, and achievements.  At the same time, I notice that the grip isn’t as tight anymore.  I find myself slowly embracing and understanding what the Scripture’s instructions are.  I know I need to repent.

¹⁹Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,” Acts 3:19

Repent and then turn to God. This is what I will strive to do.

Dear Lord, as I continue to read your Word, I am reminded of my weaknesses but also of the magnitude of your love.  I ask that I can find comfort in your Words, that I do not approach with cautiousness but in full embrace.  I ask that you grant me a repenting heart, to break down these walls of pride (or whatever is left of it) and truly turn my eyes towards you.  I know what to do and yet, I struggle with what I actually do.  Forgive me Lord, for my inequities.  In your name, I pray. Amen.

Day 27: When Jesus Prayed

John 17, 18, 19

Would you believe that in the moments before his arrest, that Jesus prayed? He prays for himself, his disciples and most importantly, for all believers.  What Jesus does, is of such unselfish merit – it’s astounding.  I still can’t grasp the fact that He knew his Father’s plan for him and yet rejoiced and prayed diligently.  As I read chapter 17, I couldn’t help but feel inadequate for my lack of belief.  As I read that in the hardest of times, Jesus completely surrendered himself into prayer, stirred a hardened part of my heart.

His prayer right before his arrest was such a moving plea to His father before He would join him.

³Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3

⁹I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. John 17:9

¹¹I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. John 17:11

¹⁵My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷Sanctify^[a] them by the truth; your word is truth. John 17:15-17

²⁰“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. John 17:20-21

²³I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. ²⁴“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. ²⁵“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. ²⁶I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” John 17:23-26

Jesus prayed – and it shows me that I need to pray – for everything and in His name.

Lord, let me take this reading and apply it to my life.  If anything, it has become apparent, how much I lacked in my faith.  Let me take your accounts and your word to truly come and seek your name.  I ask that I am able to fully and completely submit to your will. In your name I pray, Amen.

Day 26: The Vine and the Branches

John 14, 15, 16

I wanted to focus today’s post on what Jesus tells his disciples about the vine and the branches.  It’s such a crucial part of our faith, to understand what it means to be fruitful. Reading the first 17 verses of chapter 15 was just a captivating way of understanding the explanation of the relationship that each and every one of us have with him.

¹“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ²He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. ³You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. ⁸This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

⁹“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. ¹²My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. ¹⁷This is my command: Love each other. John 15:1-17

Again, this goes to show that without Him we are nothing.  In return, all that he asks is to remain in His Word and to love each other.

Lord, we cross paths everyday, challenged by what you have instructed us to do.  Allow these words to sink deep into our hearts, so that we may live and breathe your command to us.  Let us be fruitful by remaining on the vine.  Help me to love those that cause me pain and suffering as your son was able to. Thank you for allowing me to trust in You. Amen.

Day 25: Light vs. Darkness

John 11, 12, 13

We are asked to walk in light not in the darkness.  There are plenty of reasons for that.  The scripture recounts Jesus’ sermons to those that followed him (whether in truth or curiosity).  In the darkness, we trip and fall.

⁹Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light. ¹⁰It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light.” John 11:9-10

²⁵Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; ²⁶and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

³⁵Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. ³⁶Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. John 12:35-36

We sin in darkness because we do not know where we are going.  The darkness is naturally comforting to man – it the light that we must persevere through.  It won’t always be easy but it is through Him that we are able to.

Dear Lord, we all sin in so many ways.  We know to live in the light and not in the darkness – yet because it is what we are comfortable with, we slight in your instruction.  Allow us to truly take in your word and that despite the trials and tribulations that we may face, to have strength in walking in Your Light. Amen.

Day 24: He Is Our Shepherd

John 8, 9, 10

One of the oldest comparisons that is recounted throughout the Bible is that Christians are sheep and Jesus Christ is our shepherd.  As he beautifully explains the unconditional love that a shepherd has for his flock, my heart stirs.  He recounts even further that there are thieves and hired hands – all to which will abandon us during hard times.

²The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. ³The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” John 10:2-5

¹¹“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11

What brought me to the bottom of my faith was reading the following verse.  It’s amazing to read and feel the love that Christ shows us everyday.

¹⁷The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. ¹⁸No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” John 10:17-18

For this alone, I want to follow Him.  I want to believe Him.  I want to know that God has plans for me. …I do.

Dear Lord, your Word, powerful and amazing, recounts time after time that your love is true.  Lord, keep me from wandering away from you today.  Help to me to realize that you’ll keep me safe and provide everything I need if I’ll just stay close to you.  thank you for love me in Christ my Lord. Amen.

Day 23: Through His Will

John 5, 6, 7

Everyone struggles with the concept of “I can’t do this” and you are right in thinking so.  Time after time, we are reminded that it is not on our own accord that we can accomplish our ascent into heaven.  But as Christ reminds us that it is through Him that we can come to the Father, he eloquently reminds us that He is also not here to do this on his own.

As a man, Jesus had the temptations and urges that man faced, but through God, He prevailed.  He reminds the disciples as well as the thousands that followed Him for his sermons that it is through God’s will that this was all possible.

¹⁹Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. ²⁰For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. John 5:19-20

³⁰By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. John 5:30

⁴⁴“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:44

Ultimately, this had all been cleverly planned by our Father, lessons, trials and all – for us to understand that it is not through any of our human strengths and will, but by God’s divine plan – even for his own son, Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord, as I continue to meditate on your word, it becomes increasingly clear that none of this can be done without you.  No matter how much we push you away, because you have chosen us to be your children, we are gently reminded by your graciousness.  Help me to stay steady in your Word, that I may truly seek peace and acceptance of my salvation. Amen.

Day 22: His Sacrifice For Us

John 2, 3, 4

 ¹⁶“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,^[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. John 3:16-18

This promise is so great. Coming as far as 22 days of reading into His Word, it brought tears to my eyes, to read what He had done and sacrificed.  It truly resonated in my heart of the sacrifice God had made within his only Son, for the sins of man.  He loves us that much and we all take it for granted. 

Dear Lord, to read the sacrifice you made for the sake of all of your children on this earth, meant so much.  It’s as if I was finally able to truly grasp the sacrifice that you have made in your one and only son.  I thank you so much for this ultimate sacrifice. Amen.

Day 21: What Will Be Asked Of You?

Luke 21, 22, 23, 24, 25; John 1

Many things can be considered as the sign of a Christian.  But with a society of perversion, one may have asked what actually differentiates a believer from anyone else?  As I read these 5 chapters, I was challenged with what Jesus explains to disciples what they will encounter. 

Despite ridicule and persecution, Jesus explains to his disciples and through His Word, explains to all of us – what being a believer of our faith would mean to us.

¹⁴But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. Luke 21:14

^{17All men will hate you because of me. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By standing firm you will gain life. Luke 21:17-19}

²⁸When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21: 28

 We place angst and worry above all commandments of God – and we hardly realize it.  I was challenged to really apply these instructions in my everyday relationship with Christ. I am, for the first time, understanding the peace that God’s word has on my life.  All he asks is to stand and lift our heads, to stand firm and to not worry about the “how”. 

Lord, I thank you for blessing me with a renewed heart into creating and cultivating a more solid relationship with you.  As I continue to read, I pray that your words may wash over my heart and allow me to truly walk in Your light. Amen