Today, I am talking about John 17:6 - 17:8. I will be telling you about how this bible study came about.
Do you know how some days, things keep happening over and over, which causes you to start thinking or reading about something, well last Wednesday was a day like that. I went outside in the morning to start potting the flowers that I had bought for, of course, the pots around my deck. I attached my IPod to my dress, and decided to listen to The Book of John. I was really enjoying listening to it out in the sun that morning, and I even started listening to the first part of The Book of Acts, before I was finished potting.
Once I had finished I went inside my house, and found that I had some missed calls from a close friend. I called her back and spoke with her for a while, and told her I had just been listening to John. I told her how great it had been planting and soaking in God's word. I also told her I had finished the book The Secret's to Intercessory Prayer by Jack Hayford and had written a book review about it for the blog. Sometimes she goes to his church, The Church on the Way, in Van Nuys, California, so she has actually heard his sermons before. Anyway, she went on to tell me about a book that she had read and that I needed to read called Flight to Heaven by Captain Dale Black. Well I got the book that day, and I had read quite a bit of it that afternoon, and it also had references to John.
The next thing that happened last Wednesday, and brought home certain verses that I felt God needed me to remember was at church that night. I go to Orchard Road Christian Center and last Wednesday night Pastor Sarah Bowling was speaking about John 17:6 - 17:8, which were the some of the verses that I had read in Flight To Heaven, and listened to earlier that day. At this point, I got the picture, God was definitely speaking to me, and I was supposed to listen. He definitely had my attention.
Here are the verses
Joh 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
Joh 17:7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
Joh 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me
Since I had now heard and read this several times that I day I was paying close attention. Pastor Sarah had several points that she made that night, which helped me tremendously with understanding these verses.
First: God gave Jesus these specific 12 disciples. They kept God's word.
Second: They received God's word. When no one else believed, they believed that Jesus came from God, and that he gave them God's word. Important: They received God's word.
Third: They understood that the words are from God. That the words Jesus spoke were specifically from God.
Fourth: They believed that God sent Jesus. One of the things Sarah said was that belief is a choice, a decision you make. I really liked that. She also said that belief precedes truth.
The next thing she asked was a question, "What am I missing because I haven't received"? She talked about praising God with song and prayers, but she also asked are we receiving what He all that he has to give us. We praying for others and worship, which I am not downplaying at all, but are we receiving the things he has to give us. She then said go to Psalms 103:2 - 103:4.
Psa 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Psa 103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Psa 103:4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
These are just a few of the things that we can receive from God, but also don't forget: joy, strength, forgiveness, God's word. These are just a few more of the things that we receive, and like in verse 103:2 "forget not all his benefits".
I hope this speaks to your heart today. It was something that I felt that I needed to share with all of you. It was definitely a day spent with God, and those are great days.
Have a blessed week.
Debi
Find us at these great parties
Here are the verses
Joh 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
Joh 17:7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
Joh 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me
Since I had now heard and read this several times that I day I was paying close attention. Pastor Sarah had several points that she made that night, which helped me tremendously with understanding these verses.
First: God gave Jesus these specific 12 disciples. They kept God's word.
Second: They received God's word. When no one else believed, they believed that Jesus came from God, and that he gave them God's word. Important: They received God's word.
Third: They understood that the words are from God. That the words Jesus spoke were specifically from God.
Fourth: They believed that God sent Jesus. One of the things Sarah said was that belief is a choice, a decision you make. I really liked that. She also said that belief precedes truth.
The next thing she asked was a question, "What am I missing because I haven't received"? She talked about praising God with song and prayers, but she also asked are we receiving what He all that he has to give us. We praying for others and worship, which I am not downplaying at all, but are we receiving the things he has to give us. She then said go to Psalms 103:2 - 103:4.
Psa 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Psa 103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Psa 103:4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
These are just a few of the things that we can receive from God, but also don't forget: joy, strength, forgiveness, God's word. These are just a few more of the things that we receive, and like in verse 103:2 "forget not all his benefits".
I hope this speaks to your heart today. It was something that I felt that I needed to share with all of you. It was definitely a day spent with God, and those are great days.
Have a blessed week.
Debi
Find us at these great parties
I didn't have time to read this yesterday, but I remembered to look for it today. Thank you for sharing your scriptures that God showered on you - and all the ways He did so! Sometimes God has to hit me over the head for me to take notice of something He's trying to tell me. I enjoyed reading your post very much. You might remember me mentioning a battle we are in against Satan. I'm trying to focus on God's promises rather than grieving over our situation. These verses helped me, so thank you...I love Psalms!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, my account at Google has an old deactivated email, and they refuse to change it. I never check the notify me box because it's the wrong email. I like Google in some ways, but the email thing is very unfortunate!
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