the words of Jesus

WEEKLY MEDITATION 14 – 20 APRIL (Holy Week)

As you begin this holy week, think about the following scriptures and how they apply to your life and your growing relationship with the Lord.

“This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with the power from on high” (Luke: 24:46-49)

“This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” (Luke 24:44)

“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14-15)

“The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my own life – only to take it up again. No 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)

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”  Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s Kingdom.” (Matthew 26:26-29)

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14-16)

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16-17)

” Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In God’s great mercy he has caused us to be born again into a living hope, because Jesus Christ rose from the Dead” (1 Peter 1:3)

 

WEEKLY MEDITATION 7-13 APRIL

As you begin this week, think about the following scriptures and how they apply to your life and your growing relationship with the Lord.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12)

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7)

“I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness” (John 12:46)

“Whoever believes in him [Christ] 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. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God” (John 3:18-21)

WEEKLY MEDITATION 31-6 APRIL 2014

As you begin this week, think about the following scriptures and how they apply to your life and your growing relationship with the Lord.

” Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are vicious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:15-16)

” When you see the abomination that causes desolation; standing where it does not belong – let the reader understand – then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” (Mark 13-14)

” I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved” (John 10:9)
 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites as it is written: ‘ These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’  You have let go of the commands of God ini order to observe your own traditions. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that” (Mark 7:6-9 and 7-13)

Weekly Meditation 17-23 March 2014

As you begin this week, think about the following scriptures and how they apply to your life and your growing relationship with the Lord.

“Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you”. (Matthew 6:1-4)

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:5-8)
 
Please consider this passage during the Lent Season.
 
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, which is unseen; and your father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:16-18)

 

The Truth and the Way

“I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6)

Cross 8

These are the words of Jesus. Quite a statement and promise.  Jesus made this incredible promise to those who would build their lives on His words and teaching. Jesus’s words stand alone in truth, power and authority. Its important to understand that His promise is not for those who followed or follow the words of any other teacher, prophet or leader. He promised “If you abide in My word, then you are truly the disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32 NASB). But this was just the beginning. Think about the many other promises Jesus made to those who chose to “abide” in His word:

  • You will receive eternal life
  • Your desires will be fulfilled in answer to your prayers
  • God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit will be your constant companions, both with you and within you
  • You will receive a level of peace and joy, direct from God, that is otherwise is unattainable
  • You will impact the lives of others in ways that can’t be achieved strictly by human effort
  • You will be loved by God in a unique way
  • You will avoid God’s ultimate judgement
  • You will see miracles in your life that others can’t understand or explain
  • You will learn eternal truths that will set you free from all that holds you captive

Are these difficult for you to believe? Really? Why? These are the promises Jesus teaches us throughout his ministry here on earth.  You see its important to understand that Jesus did not come down to earth to start a new religion. In fact, he saved his harshest criticism and judgement for the religious leaders of the day. He accused them of not knowing God and said they had used religion to bind people to a life of misery, frustration, and failure. He claimed those leaders were blind and had blinded the “spiritual eyes” of their followers (see Matthew 15:13-14; 23:13-24).

When He described Himself, Jesus claimed that He had come from God and that His mission was to reveal who God was and what God wanted for his children. Most importantly, Jesus claimed that He would lead anyone into an intimate relationship with the only true God and that in doing so, He would lead them into eternal life. In His final prayer before His crucifixion, Jesus stated, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3).

As we begin this  weekly mediation series, we will be looking at the greatest words ever spoken. The direct teaching of Jesus Christ taken from the New Testament in the Bible. We will carve out one or two related teachings a week and share them in this series so we can meditate on them and in doing so, get to know the creator of the universe. Your savior and God and learn how to apply these teachings in our lives so we to can “abide” in his word. Remember John 3:16 -17 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him”. We hope you join us on this weekly journey and further your relationship with your Lord and Savior.

Humbly in Christ,

David