Bible League: Living His Word To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."To whom was Jesus speaking in our verses for today? At first glance, one might think that Jesus was speaking to disciples that truly believed in Him. When one reads our verses for today in its context, however, it becomes plain that the belief of those He was addressing was not as firm as required for true discipleship. Jesus was often surrounded by people who had a superficial, conditional belief in Him. They had the kind of belief that would disappear in a moment's notice if things didn't turn out as they expected. What does it take, then, to be counted as a true disciple of Jesus Christ? Jesus answered this question by setting forth one of the main criteria for true discipleship: You have to hold to His teaching in order to be a true disciple. You have to hold to His teaching all the way to the end of your journey here on earth. It's easy to get caught up in a moment and say you believe in something or someone. The true test of your belief is whether you hold on to it through thick and thin. If you hold on to your belief, then you will know the truth. The people who Jesus was addressing didn't really know the truth. They didn't really know Jesus, who is the truth (John 14:6). They only knew the Jesus they wanted to know. Although they were willing to accept Him as Messiah, they were only willing to do this if He met their expectations of what the Messiah should be. As events unfolded, they were not willing to accept the true Messiah that was actually before them. If you actually know the truth, then the truth will set you free. Apart from Jesus Christ, people are slaves to sin (John 8:34). Sin is a bondage that keeps the soul enslaved to its evil desires. It is a blindness that keeps the soul from seeing the truth. The truth, the truth that is Jesus Christ, however, breaks through and sets us free from all this. Today, accept and believe the real Jesus, not the Jesus of your own making. Surrender to the Jesus that can actually set your soul free from the bondage of sin and sin's misguided expectations. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingIsaiah 34, 35, 36 Isaiah 34 -- God's Judgments against the Nations NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Isaiah 35 -- The Joyful Will Flourish in Zion NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Isaiah 36 -- Sennacherib Invades Judah, Threatens Jerusalem NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Philippians 2 Philippians 2 -- Your Attitude Should be that of Christ; Becoming Blameless and Pure; Timothy and Epaphroditus NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches. Insight The Corinthian believers excelled in everything they had—faith, good preaching (speech), much knowledge, much earnestness, much love. Paul wanted them to also be leaders in giving. Giving is a natural response of love. Paul did not order the Corinthians to give, but he encouraged them to prove that their love was sincere. Challenge When you love someone, you want to give him or her your time and attention and to provide for his or her needs. If you refuse to help, your love is not as genuine as you say. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon John 4:14 Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.He who is a believer in Jesus finds enough in his Lord to satisfy him now, and to content him for evermore. The believer is not the man whose days are weary for want of comfort, and whose nights are long from absence of heart-cheering thought, for he finds in religion such a spring of joy, such a fountain of consolation, that he is content and happy. Put him in a dungeon and he will find good company; place him in a barren wilderness, he will eat the bread of heaven; drive him away from friendship, he will meet the "friend that sticketh closer than a brother." Blast all his gourds, and he will find shadow beneath the Rock of Ages; sap the foundation of his earthly hopes, but his heart will still be fixed, trusting in the Lord. The heart is as insatiable as the grave till Jesus enters it, and then it is a cup full to overflowing. There is such a fulness in Christ that he alone is the believer's all. The true saint is so completely satisfied with the all-sufficiency of Jesus that he thirsts no more--except it be for deeper draughts of the living fountain. In that sweet manner, believer, shalt thou thirst; it shall not be a thirst of pain, but of loving desire; thou wilt find it a sweet thing to be panting after a fuller enjoyment of Jesus' love. One in days of yore said, "I have been sinking my bucket down into the well full often, but now my thirst after Jesus has become so insatiable, that I long to put the well itself to my lips, and drink right on." Is this the feeling of thine heart now, believer? Dost thou feel that all thy desires are satisfied in Jesus, and that thou hast no want now, but to know more of him, and to have closer fellowship with him? Then come continually to the fountain, and take of the water of life freely. Jesus will never think you take too much, but will ever welcome you, saying, "Drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved." Daily Light on the Daily Path Revelation 19:6 Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.Job 42:2 "I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. Luke 18:27 But He said, "The things that are impossible with people are possible with God." Daniel 4:35 "All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, 'What have You done?' Isaiah 43:13 "Even from eternity I am He, And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?" Mark 14:36 And He was saying, "Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will." Matthew 9:28,29 When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." • Then He touched their eyes, saying, "It shall be done to you according to your faith." Matthew 8:23 When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. Isaiah 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Psalm 20:7 Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God. 2 Chronicles 32:7 "Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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