confess and forsake

Proverbs 28

Honesty and obedience are highly esteemed in this chapter, but it is verse 13 that rings out to me today:

13 People who conceal their sins will not
prosper, but if they confess and turn from
them, they will receive mercy.

which reminds me of 1 John 1:9:

9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

You see, the theology of the cross is counter-intuitive to this world, because the instinct is to hide our sin (e.g., Adam and Eve), but it is through the humble act of confession and pleading for mercy that God breaks our heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh (Ez. 11:19).

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I confess to you that I am prideful and sinful. I am rebelious and dirty. Please forgive me and sanctify me; make me holy as You are holy. Lord, I want to honor you with my life - through honesty and obedience. Amen.

Works of Jesus

John 21
John wanted to record an accurate historical account of Christ's work, but he adds a disclaimer at the end of his book:

25 Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I
suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.

The point is simply this: you can not finitely define/describe/record an infinite entity. Christ's redemptive work is beyond our complete comprehension, which helps us remember that we are not deity but human.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, please help me marvel at the wonders of your love. Help me be awestruck by your infinite qualities. Help me properly see who I am in you. Thank you for letting me be a part of your good work toward others. Amen.

purpose of John's writings

John 20 records the events following Christ's Resurrection. I was impressed that vs. 8-9 reveal that the disciples didn't realize Jesus would be raised to life, even though Christ told them this several times. Also, I appreciate Thomas's confession that Jesus is both Lord and God. But, perhaps the most poignant statement is John's comment in vs. 30-31:

30 The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the
ones recorded in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may continue to
believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him
you will have life by the power of his name.

I think this is a concise purpose statement that could be extended in general to the whole Bible.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, I believe that You are the Son of God, the Messiah Who redeemed mankind from the penalty of eternal death to a righteous relationship with the Father, Son, and Spirit. I put my Faith wholly in You, for you are the Rock of my Salvation. Amen.

King of the Jews

John 19

As I read about Jesus's treatment before Pilate and the Jewish leaders' antagonizing, I am reminded that He was in control the whole time. He willingly laid down His life; no scheme of man or evil did triumph over my Lord. No, it was God's perfect plan that He shed His own blood for my soul - the Life of the Creator substituted for the Death of the creation. And now, my response - that I trade my life for His atoning Death. I don't think you can read the Passion account with all of the fulfilled prophecies and not remember Isaiah 53. (As I am writing this, I heard a song on the radio by David Nasser called "By His Wounds," which is directly from Isaiah 53, followed by a song by Michael W. Smith called "Lord Have Mercy.") It is so powerful to know that it was planned and that Christ completely obeyed the Father.

Prayer
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the suffering you experienced, and thank you for giving your life as a ransoming sacrifice for mine. I echo the words, "Lord have Mercy on me." I trust you, Christ Jesus, with my life and eternal salvation. I pray that you will continue to make me wholly thine. Amen.

betrayal and Identity

John 18
A subtlety was revealed to me this morning: verse 4 discloses that Jesus was fully aware of all that was about to occur in the garden (btw - isn't it interesting that here lies another Betrayal in a Garden?), so he asks the arriving mob whom they seek, to which they reply, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus declares, "I AM," and "they drew back and fell to the ground." Jesus declared himself the same identity as the Covenant God who brought the Israelites out of Egypt, and the people were knocked over by the intense power of the Truth. (In my mind, I see it similar to a scene from the end of the first Matrix movie when Neo goes back into the Matrix and flexes in front of the sentinels and the walls bow out to accommodate his non-linear existence.) Indeed, the most fundamental identity words of the God-Man are so intense that the creation shutters.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, help me know You. Please reveal to me your character and heart. Change the desires of my heart to match yours. Amen.

unity

John 17
Jesus begins His prayer to the Father, and then speaking about the Father, He defines ETERNAL LIFE, "...He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. 3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth."

In the remainder of the prayer, I see three emphases of unity:
1) Christ's unity with the Father
2) Our unity with God the Trinity
3) Our unity with all Believers

Question: Are the many Christian denominations consistent with Christ's emphasis on unity? Do denominations glorify Christ? Clearly scripture teaches us to reject false doctrines, but what threshold concentration of heresy in someone's doctrine justifies forming a new church or denomination?

Prayer
Lord Jesus, I praise you for your mysterious unity with the Father and the Holy Spirit. I praise you that I can not understand the Trinity. Lord, help me be in unity with you, and help me abide in you as your words abide in me. Lord, help me be in unity with the Church, that I will fulfill my role in Your Body. Amen.

Objectives of Proverbs and the Holy Spirit

Proverbs 22
The purpose of proverbs is explained in verses 19 and 21:

17 Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction. 18 For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart and always ready on your lips. 19 I am teaching you today— yes, you— so you will trust in the Lord. 20 I have written thirty sayings for you, filled with advice and knowledge. 21 In this way, you may know the truth and take an accurate report to those who sent you.

Proverbs' Objectives: trust in the Lord (Jesus); know the Truth (Jesus) and tell others about Him

John 16
How encouraging and reassuring that we have the Holy Spirit active in our lives:

8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 10 Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more...
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.

Holy Spirit's Objectives: convict us of sin (not believing Christ Jesus); guide us into all Truth (Christ Jesus)

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for revealing the identity of your Son, Jesus Christ. Lord, thank you for the Holy Spirit guiding me. Please increase the rate of sanctification, that I may be made into the likeness of Christ. Amen.