Happy Mother's Day to my own mummy.
PHIL. 4:19 and 3:20.
L/T.
09 May, 2010
02 May, 2010
À propos du fils de Zébédée
I have had a happy few months reacquainting myself with John, writer of the 4th gospel account as recorded in our Bibles.
Regrettably, I have no idea when I will have time to sit down & prepare the last of my personal study notes (on ch.18-21) for posting here on the blog. (If God wills, maybe before the end of May!)
But it's been fun, & I hope the intellectual among you have enjoyed the journey & been challenged to search the Scriptures more yourself.
Because if I've learned anything from John, it's this:
Knowing God (for the believer) is about reading, keeping & paying attention to His Word.
Signing off
(at least until I get on top of my new job),
L/T.
Regrettably, I have no idea when I will have time to sit down & prepare the last of my personal study notes (on ch.18-21) for posting here on the blog. (If God wills, maybe before the end of May!)
But it's been fun, & I hope the intellectual among you have enjoyed the journey & been challenged to search the Scriptures more yourself.
Because if I've learned anything from John, it's this:
Knowing God (for the believer) is about reading, keeping & paying attention to His Word.
Signing off
(at least until I get on top of my new job),
L/T.
30 April, 2010
Le fils de Zébédée - 17e, 18e et 19e chapitres
In many ways these three chapters are (collectively) more straightforward than the previous ones.
Chapter 17 of the gospel of John records the prayer & priority of Jesus prior to His arrest, trial, crucifixion, death & resurrection.
Chapters 18-19, by comparison, are mostly narrative, giving attention to what happens to Jesus rather than focusing on His teachings or sayings.
..Anyone know the tune of new-ish song "O the deep, deep love of Jesus"..? Hum along, then..
O the living Words of Jesus,
Far surpassing all the rest,
They are lifelines, they are comforts
In your times of ease or test
O the living Words,
All I need to hear
Are the living Words of Jesus.
©MLTC, Friday 30th April 2010
________________
Now, to my usual study focus..
Ch.17
What does the 17th chapter of John's gospel seem to be telling us about
how to know God?
~ To know God is equated with glorifying Him(1),
seeing the glory(24) of Father & Son;
knowing Him is also the essence of eternal life(2-3)
~ It is also equated with knowing Jesus, whom God sent(3,
vv.8, 18, 21 and v.25);
conversely, Jesus reveals God to us by name(6)
{ie. He makes God known to us(26)};
& He keeps us safe by His Name(12).
Jesus is with those who believe in Him(12) & He is in them(26), His love in them
~ And we know God by His Word(6)
that He gave through Jesus(8, also v.13-14);
in the same way, by believing Jesus through that same Word (message, v.20) given through the disciples who were with Jesus during His ministry
~ In addition to this, we can know Him because He sanctifies us by His truth(17-19).
________________
What does this same chapter of John's gospel seem to be telling us about
(i) ..what God wills/wants is for us?
(ii) ..how we can know His will?
~ A re-iteration of the famous verse, 3:16..
..in that, God wants for us to have eternal life by knowing Him, the Father
& knowing Jesus Christ the Son whom He sent(2-3)
~ He also desires our obedience(6) to & acceptance(8) of His Word,
& that we know that all He has given Jesus comes from Him;
Jesus is His ultimate representative(7-8)
~ For us who believe to be as one is also high priority for God the Son;
Jesus wants His disciples to be united(11-12; also v.22-23), which is why He prays that they be protected, kept safe & not lost
- esp. protected from the evil one(15) whilst remaining in the world.
He wants His love to be in them & in all who will believe in Him(26);
& another reason for His desire that His disciples be one
is in order that the world may believe Jesus was sent by God(23).
~ Jesus also shows us His desire that His disciples be sanctified by the truth(17-19);
that we be with Him where He is & we see His glory(24)
..[this sounds very much like ch.14, verse 3]
________________
SUMMARY
Knowing God has to do with knowing Jesus
- believing in Him, & in His Words;
because He sanctifies us through by the truths about Him.
It also involves glorifying Him (seeking His glory);
and to know Him in these ways means that we can have eternal life.
Knowing what God wills or wants for us is entailed in
obeying & accepting His Words, as given through Jesus & Jesus' disciples (such as John Zebedee himself);
He wants us to be sure that Jesus is from Him, was sent by Him (as repeated so often in the gospel of John so far);
He wants unity among all those who have believed in Him,
& belief for those who have NOT
- and ultimately, He wants us to be with Him in glory.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
{Disclaimer - or whateveryoucallit!!}
Once again (in case any of what I've been blogging about
re:John's gospel account has made you worry about me),
I must remind any who have been looking at these notes on John 1-17 of the following:
I am but a fallen human being.
My findings are by no means comprehensive or definitive;
at the same time, since the Word of God is living, acive & powerful,
I would like to hope that I'm not completely off the mark, in terms of what I have been discovering during my readings of this part of Scripture.
And where I am in error, I earnestly hope - and expect - that my Father will open my eyes to this; that He will keep me humble, contrite & trembling at His Word.
Until then - read anything I have written with careful discernment. Thanks!
L/T.
{P.S. Upcoming reflections - on chapters 18 & 19.}
Chapter 17 of the gospel of John records the prayer & priority of Jesus prior to His arrest, trial, crucifixion, death & resurrection.
Chapters 18-19, by comparison, are mostly narrative, giving attention to what happens to Jesus rather than focusing on His teachings or sayings.
..Anyone know the tune of new-ish song "O the deep, deep love of Jesus"..? Hum along, then..
O the living Words of Jesus,
Far surpassing all the rest,
They are lifelines, they are comforts
In your times of ease or test
O the living Words,
All I need to hear
Are the living Words of Jesus.
©MLTC, Friday 30th April 2010
________________
Now, to my usual study focus..
Ch.17
What does the 17th chapter of John's gospel seem to be telling us about
how to know God?
~ To know God is equated with glorifying Him(1),
seeing the glory(24) of Father & Son;
knowing Him is also the essence of eternal life(2-3)
~ It is also equated with knowing Jesus, whom God sent(3,
vv.8, 18, 21 and v.25);
conversely, Jesus reveals God to us by name(6)
{ie. He makes God known to us(26)};
& He keeps us safe by His Name(12).
Jesus is with those who believe in Him(12) & He is in them(26), His love in them
~ And we know God by His Word(6)
that He gave through Jesus(8, also v.13-14);
in the same way, by believing Jesus through that same Word (message, v.20) given through the disciples who were with Jesus during His ministry
~ In addition to this, we can know Him because He sanctifies us by His truth(17-19).
________________
What does this same chapter of John's gospel seem to be telling us about
(i) ..what God wills/wants is for us?
(ii) ..how we can know His will?
~ A re-iteration of the famous verse, 3:16..
..in that, God wants for us to have eternal life by knowing Him, the Father
& knowing Jesus Christ the Son whom He sent(2-3)
~ He also desires our obedience(6) to & acceptance(8) of His Word,
& that we know that all He has given Jesus comes from Him;
Jesus is His ultimate representative(7-8)
~ For us who believe to be as one is also high priority for God the Son;
Jesus wants His disciples to be united(11-12; also v.22-23), which is why He prays that they be protected, kept safe & not lost
- esp. protected from the evil one(15) whilst remaining in the world.
He wants His love to be in them & in all who will believe in Him(26);
& another reason for His desire that His disciples be one
is in order that the world may believe Jesus was sent by God(23).
~ Jesus also shows us His desire that His disciples be sanctified by the truth(17-19);
that we be with Him where He is & we see His glory(24)
..[this sounds very much like ch.14, verse 3]
________________
SUMMARY
Knowing God has to do with knowing Jesus
- believing in Him, & in His Words;
because He sanctifies us through by the truths about Him.
It also involves glorifying Him (seeking His glory);
and to know Him in these ways means that we can have eternal life.
Knowing what God wills or wants for us is entailed in
obeying & accepting His Words, as given through Jesus & Jesus' disciples (such as John Zebedee himself);
He wants us to be sure that Jesus is from Him, was sent by Him (as repeated so often in the gospel of John so far);
He wants unity among all those who have believed in Him,
& belief for those who have NOT
- and ultimately, He wants us to be with Him in glory.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
{Disclaimer - or whateveryoucallit!!}
Once again (in case any of what I've been blogging about
re:John's gospel account has made you worry about me),
I must remind any who have been looking at these notes on John 1-17 of the following:
I am but a fallen human being.
My findings are by no means comprehensive or definitive;
at the same time, since the Word of God is living, acive & powerful,
I would like to hope that I'm not completely off the mark, in terms of what I have been discovering during my readings of this part of Scripture.
And where I am in error, I earnestly hope - and expect - that my Father will open my eyes to this; that He will keep me humble, contrite & trembling at His Word.
Until then - read anything I have written with careful discernment. Thanks!
L/T.
{P.S. Upcoming reflections - on chapters 18 & 19.}
27 April, 2010
Un an - hier!
This blog is officially 1 year and 1 day old. *blowing paper trumpet*
When it was engendered, I called it my "going-on-mission blog". But, as one of my favourite Terry Pratchett novel quotes goes:
"We've all passed a lot of water since then."
(No, that was not a typing or thinking error!)
One thing that hasn't changed, is that the blog still reflects and is tracking my journey into Paris - from when I first visited in June '09, & departed regretfully in July - then retraced my steps back into it & out again during September '09..
..to the present moment.
Oh, the journey's not over.
In many ways it has become a great & ongoing adventure.
> Through personal sorrow and disappointment, then out the other side - not ending in worldly happiness or satisfaction, but in a deeper thirst for my Father & what He wills for my life.
>> Through the kindled fires of OSCC** mission enthusiasm - the dampening winds of doubt - the sharp light of financial restrictions juxtaposed with the softer, warmer rays of hope in God's holy power to do whatever He wants regardless of how humanly impossible a situation may be.
________________
{Only slight fluffiness in these lyrics.
Enjoy them - they're from an old hymn.}
Every step is getting brighter
As the golden stairs I climb;
Every burden's getting lighter,
Every cloud is silver-lined.
There the sun is always shining,
There no tear will dim the eye;
At the ending of the rainbow
Where the mountains touch the sky.
Many things about tomorrow,
I don't seem to understand;
But I know Who holds tomorrow,
And I know Who holds my hand.
HERE is the source of the lyrics,
by Ira Stanphill.
C'est vraiment formidable.
Béni soit le nom glorieux du Seigneur.
L/T.
**
Click here if you need to know what OSCC stands for.
When it was engendered, I called it my "going-on-mission blog". But, as one of my favourite Terry Pratchett novel quotes goes:
"We've all passed a lot of water since then."
(No, that was not a typing or thinking error!)
One thing that hasn't changed, is that the blog still reflects and is tracking my journey into Paris - from when I first visited in June '09, & departed regretfully in July - then retraced my steps back into it & out again during September '09..
..to the present moment.
Oh, the journey's not over.
In many ways it has become a great & ongoing adventure.
> Through personal sorrow and disappointment, then out the other side - not ending in worldly happiness or satisfaction, but in a deeper thirst for my Father & what He wills for my life.
>> Through the kindled fires of OSCC** mission enthusiasm - the dampening winds of doubt - the sharp light of financial restrictions juxtaposed with the softer, warmer rays of hope in God's holy power to do whatever He wants regardless of how humanly impossible a situation may be.
________________
{Only slight fluffiness in these lyrics.
Enjoy them - they're from an old hymn.}
Every step is getting brighter
As the golden stairs I climb;
Every burden's getting lighter,
Every cloud is silver-lined.
There the sun is always shining,
There no tear will dim the eye;
At the ending of the rainbow
Where the mountains touch the sky.
Many things about tomorrow,
I don't seem to understand;
But I know Who holds tomorrow,
And I know Who holds my hand.
HERE is the source of the lyrics,
by Ira Stanphill.
C'est vraiment formidable.
Béni soit le nom glorieux du Seigneur.
L/T.
**
Click here if you need to know what OSCC stands for.
Où se trouve le capitaine?
A couple of months ago, one of my longest-standing friends, a Singapore army captain, sent word to us that he was going to be "overseas on a military exercise".
He should be returned by now - but - calling Captain Chan?
Send more word if you happen to be alive.
And if alive, hope all is well with your soul.
________________
Speaking of long-lost but valued friends I haven't seen in a while..
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEONIE!!
You are now only 1 year younger than Jesus was when He died!
COLOSSIANS 2:6-7
COLOSSIANS 1:9-14
COLOSSIANS 1:28-29
1 THESSALONIANS 3:12-13
L/T.
He should be returned by now - but - calling Captain Chan?
Send more word if you happen to be alive.
And if alive, hope all is well with your soul.
________________
Speaking of long-lost but valued friends I haven't seen in a while..
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEONIE!!
You are now only 1 year younger than Jesus was when He died!
COLOSSIANS 2:6-7
COLOSSIANS 1:9-14
COLOSSIANS 1:28-29
1 THESSALONIANS 3:12-13
L/T.
Le fils de Zébédée - ch.15-16 (II)
In my previous post, Theophilus - er, sorry, I meant "idle internet-dwelling readers" - I made some comments on chapters 15 and 16 of the gospel written down by John Zebedee, regarding how it is possible to know God.
Now I seek to note down what I have been learning
in light of the 2nd question raised:
2. How to know God's will
- what He wants for us?
________________
JOHN 15-16
Jesus, God the Son has so much that He wants for us here..
A. Remaining/abiding** in Him (the vine, 15:4-7 & inferred in 16:1), & bearing much fruit
(15:2, 15:4-5, 15:8 and 15:16) - fruit that will last.
** The word "abide" turns up 7 times in 4 verses.
Jesus obviously wants us to understand how important it is that we abide in Him. Probably because we are so prone NOT to..!
.. & by remaining in Him, with His Words remaining in us,
we can request (ask) the Father in His name (15:7 and 15:16; also 16:23-26).
Abiding in Jesus (& thus knowing Him) is about communication
- a relationship involving talking & listening -
& the latter, with obedience to God's commands (15:10 and 15:14), as well as remembering His Words to us (16:4).
B. Glorifying God, abiding in His love,
& ending by rejoicing in Him (15:8-10; verse 22 of ch.16)
- if we are His disciples;
loving not only Him, but loving others just as He loved us
(15:12-13 and 15:17; verse 27 of ch. 16),
desiring the preservation of life for His people (not their death, 16:2-3)
C. Testifying about Jesus,
that is to say, bearing witness to Him (15:26-27)
D. Believing in who Jesus is
(& that the Father sent Him - 16:9 & 16:27
________________
SUMMARY..
How to know God's will?
~ by His Words & commands given through the Son, (& the Spirit's reminders)
..what God wants for us:
~ Glorifying Him;
treating the Son for Who He really is;
believing in Him;
& remaining (=abiding) in all that He is, & all that He has said.
{All ideas drawn from JOHN 15-16, as well as from all preceding chapters.}
L/T.
Now I seek to note down what I have been learning
in light of the 2nd question raised:
2. How to know God's will
- what He wants for us?
________________
JOHN 15-16
Jesus, God the Son has so much that He wants for us here..
A. Remaining/abiding** in Him (the vine, 15:4-7 & inferred in 16:1), & bearing much fruit
(15:2, 15:4-5, 15:8 and 15:16) - fruit that will last.
** The word "abide" turns up 7 times in 4 verses.
Jesus obviously wants us to understand how important it is that we abide in Him. Probably because we are so prone NOT to..!
.. & by remaining in Him, with His Words remaining in us,
we can request (ask) the Father in His name (15:7 and 15:16; also 16:23-26).
Abiding in Jesus (& thus knowing Him) is about communication
- a relationship involving talking & listening -
& the latter, with obedience to God's commands (15:10 and 15:14), as well as remembering His Words to us (16:4).
B. Glorifying God, abiding in His love,
& ending by rejoicing in Him (15:8-10; verse 22 of ch.16)
- if we are His disciples;
loving not only Him, but loving others just as He loved us
(15:12-13 and 15:17; verse 27 of ch. 16),
desiring the preservation of life for His people (not their death, 16:2-3)
C. Testifying about Jesus,
that is to say, bearing witness to Him (15:26-27)
D. Believing in who Jesus is
(& that the Father sent Him - 16:9 & 16:27
________________
SUMMARY..
How to know God's will?
~ by His Words & commands given through the Son, (& the Spirit's reminders)
..what God wants for us:
~ Glorifying Him;
treating the Son for Who He really is;
believing in Him;
& remaining (=abiding) in all that He is, & all that He has said.
{All ideas drawn from JOHN 15-16, as well as from all preceding chapters.}
L/T.
26 April, 2010
Le fils de Zébédée - ch.15-16 (I)
As I have skipped happily back and forth through the account of Jesus' life & ministry on earth, as written by John the apostle (the son of Zebedee), I have continuously used the following questions as study points:
1. How to know God [i.e. personally]?
2. How to know God's will
- what He wants for us?
________________
JEAN 15 et 16
Knowing God
- as our Lord Jesus seems to have made abundantly clear
(on numerous occasions so far) -
is all about..
..Him speaking words to us - & to others
(15:3, 15:7, 15:20).
Jesus tells/says many things to His disciples
(15:11; & also look at ch.16, verses 1, 4, 6-7, 11 and 25).
By His words He makes things known (15:15) to those with Him (apostles/disciples).
The Spirit Jesus has promised does this also - making known what the Father intends (16:13-15).
...God's love for us, AND His choosing us
(Loved ~ 15:9 and 15:12-13; 16:27)
(Chose ~ 15:16 and 15:19)
- a love that sent Jesus to our world to save us (cf. 3:16), & a choice that we had no part in
....the Father's sending of the Son & the Holy Spirit
that people could know Him personally
(15:21 and 15:25; also 16:5 and 16:7)
- esp. the role of the Spirit, in..
> >convicting hearts of guilt (16:8-11)
>> >guiding God's chosen & loved ones (us who believe!!) into all truth (16:13), AND
>>> >glorifying Jesus Christ the Son (16:14)
.....God as the carer (gardener in NIV, or vinedresser in ESV)
of all whom He chose to go & bear lasting fruit to His glory,
e.g. pruning those who need it (15:1-2)
......God with us, as the Son was with the Father,
& knowing all that we think & feel (16:19-32)
- the emphasis again on God knowing us (wanting to know us, & making this possible); also, answering what we ask Him
- ON that day of joy where we see Jesus again (16:22-24)
.......God the Son (Jesus, of course) who has overcome the world (16:33),
that we may have peace & take heart in tribulation (rendered "trouble" in NIV)
________________
We know a God who wants us to know Him. Such that He's done so much in an effort to draw us nearer to Himself.
How do we know God?
One main reason this is possible (according to John Zebedee's records here) is because of God's work that we may know Him.
Not our work.
Nor our effort.
Nor even our own initiative. (!!)
{Upcoming - my answers to Q.2, based on the 15th and 16th chapters.
That is, when/where God allows a door to be opened for such blog postings in the next twenty, yes 20, hours..}
L/T.
1. How to know God [i.e. personally]?
2. How to know God's will
- what He wants for us?
________________
JEAN 15 et 16
Knowing God
- as our Lord Jesus seems to have made abundantly clear
(on numerous occasions so far) -
is all about..
..Him speaking words to us - & to others
(15:3, 15:7, 15:20).
Jesus tells/says many things to His disciples
(15:11; & also look at ch.16, verses 1, 4, 6-7, 11 and 25).
By His words He makes things known (15:15) to those with Him (apostles/disciples).
The Spirit Jesus has promised does this also - making known what the Father intends (16:13-15).
...God's love for us, AND His choosing us
(Loved ~ 15:9 and 15:12-13; 16:27)
(Chose ~ 15:16 and 15:19)
- a love that sent Jesus to our world to save us (cf. 3:16), & a choice that we had no part in
....the Father's sending of the Son & the Holy Spirit
that people could know Him personally
(15:21 and 15:25; also 16:5 and 16:7)
- esp. the role of the Spirit, in..
> >convicting hearts of guilt (16:8-11)
>> >guiding God's chosen & loved ones (us who believe!!) into all truth (16:13), AND
>>> >glorifying Jesus Christ the Son (16:14)
.....God as the carer (gardener in NIV, or vinedresser in ESV)
of all whom He chose to go & bear lasting fruit to His glory,
e.g. pruning those who need it (15:1-2)
......God with us, as the Son was with the Father,
& knowing all that we think & feel (16:19-32)
- the emphasis again on God knowing us (wanting to know us, & making this possible); also, answering what we ask Him
- ON that day of joy where we see Jesus again (16:22-24)
.......God the Son (Jesus, of course) who has overcome the world (16:33),
that we may have peace & take heart in tribulation (rendered "trouble" in NIV)
________________
We know a God who wants us to know Him. Such that He's done so much in an effort to draw us nearer to Himself.
How do we know God?
One main reason this is possible (according to John Zebedee's records here) is because of God's work that we may know Him.
Not our work.
Nor our effort.
Nor even our own initiative. (!!)
{Upcoming - my answers to Q.2, based on the 15th and 16th chapters.
That is, when/where God allows a door to be opened for such blog postings in the next twenty, yes 20, hours..}
L/T.
24 April, 2010
Le fils de Zébédée - chapitres 13 et 14
Marathon time!
(Owing to likely commencement of work from 28th Apr. onwards.)
_______________
It really is remarkable how, once you start tracking an idea or word group through one Bible book, it just keeps turning up. Or, in the case of my longsuffering apostle friend, once you track several..it's like panning for specks of gold that just keep turning up!
JEAN 13 et 14
Have had a quick look back over my notes & summaries already posted here, & there is not much new under the sun.
This section of the gospel according to John Zebedee is interesting because the emphasis on how to know God seems so strong on the Godward side. That is, so much of knowing God (here) has to do with God taking the initiative. In short, it is possible to know God just because HE wanted us to know Him.
________________
So that we may know Him, GOD acts:
* out of His love for us
(13:1 and 14:21-23)
* in order to cleanse us that we may have share/part in Him
(13:8, 9 & 10 - the footwashing incident)
* in humility - as Jesus serves His followers
(13:5 onwards)
* by sending His Son, the Spirit (of truth), & others
(13:20, 14:16-24)
=> with the Son being sent as the way to God, the Father
(14:6, cha-cha!^)
* by speaking - in the person of the Son He sent, to the ones he chose
(13:19 and 14:10-11; also verses 24-25 of ch.14)
* by coming back to us after going away,
that we may also be taken where He, the Son will be going
ie. the Father's house (14:2-4; see also verses 18 and 28)
=> God wants us to be with Him!!
(Of course, I knew that already, but it's nice to be reminded!)
* by reminding us about all that Jesus said & taught
- through the Spirit sent to us,
who is with believers like us & lives in us, a teacher & Counselor
(I am informed that this last word in Greek is 'paraclete';
ch.14, verses 17, 20 and 26)
* for His own glory,
by doing what we ask for His glory in Jesus' name
(14:13-14)
How can we know God?
Because He has made it possible.
So many times John appears to have highlighted God's actions, God's initiation of the relationship between Him and us. Which is, as far as I can see, an essential part of the big-picture of the Bible.
{^
from Colin Buchanan song based on JOHN 14:6}
________________
Having tackled what these chapters seem to be saying about knowing God, we gallop on into the land of reflection..
..regarding what it means (here) to know what God wants for us; to know what God's will is. Both now, in things quotidienne, & in the future..?
God the Son (ie. Jesus), in the way He relates to His disciples, seems to draw out a number of things that He desires & intends for them:
1. He wants them to do as He has done for them
- serving each other even if it means lowly/humble tasks
(such as footwashing was, back in the apostles' days, 13:15)
- doing what He did
(that is, what Jesus did right throughout John's account,
seeking the glory of God, & drawing people to a saving knowledge of Himself through faith in Him - 14:12)
2. He wants them to believe & accept His words, all He says to them
(13:19 and 14:10-11)
- & also, that they accept anyone He sends
(13:20, inferred in 14:17)
3. He wants them to show the same love for one another
as He did for them,
as disciples of Him;
- & He wants their love for Him to be shown in their obedience to His commands/words
(13:34-35, as well as verses 15, 21 and 23 of ch.14)
4. He wants for them to trust Him,
not to be troubled or afraid but to have peace
(ch.14, verses 1 and 27)
________________
This is all pretty straightforward.
But one question - which I don't ask often enough aloud (or even silently in my own head, day by day):
How am I going with these things? .. ie. these 4 points?
That said, if you are a Christian sister or brother of mine, how are YOU going with such things?
L/T.
(Owing to likely commencement of work from 28th Apr. onwards.)
_______________
It really is remarkable how, once you start tracking an idea or word group through one Bible book, it just keeps turning up. Or, in the case of my longsuffering apostle friend, once you track several..it's like panning for specks of gold that just keep turning up!
JEAN 13 et 14
Have had a quick look back over my notes & summaries already posted here, & there is not much new under the sun.
This section of the gospel according to John Zebedee is interesting because the emphasis on how to know God seems so strong on the Godward side. That is, so much of knowing God (here) has to do with God taking the initiative. In short, it is possible to know God just because HE wanted us to know Him.
________________
So that we may know Him, GOD acts:
* out of His love for us
(13:1 and 14:21-23)
* in order to cleanse us that we may have share/part in Him
(13:8, 9 & 10 - the footwashing incident)
* in humility - as Jesus serves His followers
(13:5 onwards)
* by sending His Son, the Spirit (of truth), & others
(13:20, 14:16-24)
=> with the Son being sent as the way to God, the Father
(14:6, cha-cha!^)
* by speaking - in the person of the Son He sent, to the ones he chose
(13:19 and 14:10-11; also verses 24-25 of ch.14)
* by coming back to us after going away,
that we may also be taken where He, the Son will be going
ie. the Father's house (14:2-4; see also verses 18 and 28)
=> God wants us to be with Him!!
(Of course, I knew that already, but it's nice to be reminded!)
* by reminding us about all that Jesus said & taught
- through the Spirit sent to us,
who is with believers like us & lives in us, a teacher & Counselor
(I am informed that this last word in Greek is 'paraclete';
ch.14, verses 17, 20 and 26)
* for His own glory,
by doing what we ask for His glory in Jesus' name
(14:13-14)
How can we know God?
Because He has made it possible.
So many times John appears to have highlighted God's actions, God's initiation of the relationship between Him and us. Which is, as far as I can see, an essential part of the big-picture of the Bible.
{^
from Colin Buchanan song based on JOHN 14:6}
________________
Having tackled what these chapters seem to be saying about knowing God, we gallop on into the land of reflection..
..regarding what it means (here) to know what God wants for us; to know what God's will is. Both now, in things quotidienne, & in the future..?
God the Son (ie. Jesus), in the way He relates to His disciples, seems to draw out a number of things that He desires & intends for them:
1. He wants them to do as He has done for them
- serving each other even if it means lowly/humble tasks
(such as footwashing was, back in the apostles' days, 13:15)
- doing what He did
(that is, what Jesus did right throughout John's account,
seeking the glory of God, & drawing people to a saving knowledge of Himself through faith in Him - 14:12)
2. He wants them to believe & accept His words, all He says to them
(13:19 and 14:10-11)
- & also, that they accept anyone He sends
(13:20, inferred in 14:17)
3. He wants them to show the same love for one another
as He did for them,
as disciples of Him;
- & He wants their love for Him to be shown in their obedience to His commands/words
(13:34-35, as well as verses 15, 21 and 23 of ch.14)
4. He wants for them to trust Him,
not to be troubled or afraid but to have peace
(ch.14, verses 1 and 27)
________________
This is all pretty straightforward.
But one question - which I don't ask often enough aloud (or even silently in my own head, day by day):
How am I going with these things? .. ie. these 4 points?
That said, if you are a Christian sister or brother of mine, how are YOU going with such things?
L/T.
Leçons apprises d'une classe de danse
L'évangile
(selon le ballet classique)
I had one of those mini-epiphanies in ballet class last week.
Our ballet teacher, in her youth ("long before your time, darling"), was a former coryphée with the London Festival Ballet/English National Ballet. In the last fortnight we had one of those days where she wanted us to concentrate more on technique and less on falling over.
The class was a daytime Elementary-level ballet class. She was asking some of us to have our feet less parallel (=opposite of "turned-out") than we normally do, while executing a slow developpé^.
Technically, a developpé is hard to do without losing your balance or just keeling over. Because we don't want to embarrass ourselves in this way, some of us tend to execute developpés with our feet too turned-in, that is, parallel.
But our teacher said, in essence:
Don't worry if you fall over. It's better if you're doing the exercise correctly.
As long as you're trying, I see it. I notice your efforts to improve, & it's really only my approval that matters, because you're all different & have trained for different periods of time.
Don't worry about what anybody else in the class is going to think of you. They've all got their own issues or things to work on.
________________
Sometimes I think ballet class can be a bit of a metaphor for corporate Christian life.
I say this because, very often, we can worry about how our fellow Christians see us. Esp. if we come across as weak or ungodly in a specific area. Just like I feel sometimes in the Elementary and Intermediate classes, we are self-conscious that others might be watching us, judging us, comparing us to themselves. We are afraid to be honest if we think it won't look that good to someone else nearby. Or worse, that someone may misunderstand & misinterpret what we do. Or say.
Even though what matters most is *not* the approval of our fellow learners, but that of our Teacher.
Perhaps we shouldn't worry so much about how other Christians see us.
As long as we're trying in dependence on the Spirit of Him who dwells in us, He sees it.
He notices our efforts by His Spirit to improve, & it's really only His approval that matters, because we've all been believers for different periods of time..have different backgrounds..different struggles & trials..different experiences.
Perhaps we shouldn't worry about what anybody else running the Christian race with us is going to think of us. They've all got their own issues or things to work on.
"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God?
Or am I trying to please man?
If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."
GAL. 1:10
L/T.
^
What a "developpé is"
- NON-BALLETOMANES stop reading now (unless you want to die of boredom)
Stand on two feet, draw one foot up the shin (bending the knee of the leg attached to the foot you are using), then unfold the leg/fully straighten the knee at hip/waist height.
(See this example of a developpé done by a genuine ballerina. The 0:05 mark - she does 4 of them, each with a different partner.)
{EDIT - 14/12/2010: My ballet friends!
And our teacher on the far R.}
Apart from our teacher, from L-R you can see: Midori, Maria, Phyllis, [yours truly] and Vivian.
Photograph courtesy of my friend Emma.
~
(selon le ballet classique)
I had one of those mini-epiphanies in ballet class last week.
Our ballet teacher, in her youth ("long before your time, darling"), was a former coryphée with the London Festival Ballet/English National Ballet. In the last fortnight we had one of those days where she wanted us to concentrate more on technique and less on falling over.
The class was a daytime Elementary-level ballet class. She was asking some of us to have our feet less parallel (=opposite of "turned-out") than we normally do, while executing a slow developpé^.
Technically, a developpé is hard to do without losing your balance or just keeling over. Because we don't want to embarrass ourselves in this way, some of us tend to execute developpés with our feet too turned-in, that is, parallel.
But our teacher said, in essence:
Don't worry if you fall over. It's better if you're doing the exercise correctly.
As long as you're trying, I see it. I notice your efforts to improve, & it's really only my approval that matters, because you're all different & have trained for different periods of time.
Don't worry about what anybody else in the class is going to think of you. They've all got their own issues or things to work on.
________________
Sometimes I think ballet class can be a bit of a metaphor for corporate Christian life.
I say this because, very often, we can worry about how our fellow Christians see us. Esp. if we come across as weak or ungodly in a specific area. Just like I feel sometimes in the Elementary and Intermediate classes, we are self-conscious that others might be watching us, judging us, comparing us to themselves. We are afraid to be honest if we think it won't look that good to someone else nearby. Or worse, that someone may misunderstand & misinterpret what we do. Or say.
Even though what matters most is *not* the approval of our fellow learners, but that of our Teacher.
Perhaps we shouldn't worry so much about how other Christians see us.
As long as we're trying in dependence on the Spirit of Him who dwells in us, He sees it.
He notices our efforts by His Spirit to improve, & it's really only His approval that matters, because we've all been believers for different periods of time..have different backgrounds..different struggles & trials..different experiences.
Perhaps we shouldn't worry about what anybody else running the Christian race with us is going to think of us. They've all got their own issues or things to work on.
"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God?
Or am I trying to please man?
If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."
GAL. 1:10
L/T.
^
What a "developpé is"
- NON-BALLETOMANES stop reading now (unless you want to die of boredom)
Stand on two feet, draw one foot up the shin (bending the knee of the leg attached to the foot you are using), then unfold the leg/fully straighten the knee at hip/waist height.
(See this example of a developpé done by a genuine ballerina. The 0:05 mark - she does 4 of them, each with a different partner.)
{EDIT - 14/12/2010: My ballet friends!
And our teacher on the far R.}
Apart from our teacher, from L-R you can see: Midori, Maria, Phyllis, [yours truly] and Vivian.
Photograph courtesy of my friend Emma.
~
11 April, 2010
Le fils de Zébédée - encore
I have this mad but not impossible plan to complete my John studies before I go back to work - start date between 19th and 27th April.
________________
At last count, I was re-reading chapters 11-12 of John's gospel account.
Some themes common to my study so far are as follows.
BELIEF (knowing God)
Once again, it seems that God the Son wants people to believe in Him
(idea of trusting Him or putting faith in Him included here)
~ ch.11:
v.15
25, 26 & 27
40
42
45
~ ch.12:
v.11
36, 37 & 38
42
44
46
As for knowing God
- well, God is the One who has acted first
(He's taken the initiative to seek our knowledge of Him)
..as SENDER
~ ch.11
v.42,
sending Himself (as the Son, Jesus)
..see also:
~ ch.12
v.44
45
49
..as the One who DRAWS people to Himself
~ ch.12
v.32
(nice link to ch.6, v.44)
And we can know Him
through His WORD
~ ch.11
v.26-27 (believing the Word of God, ie. Jesus)
~ ch.12
v.28-30
47-48 (accepting/keeping Jesus' words)
49-50 (since God the Son speaks what words/commands the Father gives Him)
________________
Knowing what God wills/wants:
A desire for His own glory
~ ch.11
v.4
40
~ ch.12
v.23
28
..In addition to His people desiring His glory/praise above that of any [hu]man
~ ch.12
v.42-43
..& of course, knowing what God wants for His people is entailed in
* a willingness to go with Him, even the road to Jerusalem (where certain death awaits) - 11 v.16
** bearing fruit for His glory - 12 v.24
*** serving Jesus by following Him - & even hating life in this world - 12 v.25-26
**** walking in Him (ie. in the light) - 12 v.35-36
***** hearing, keeping & accepting His words - ibid., v.47-48
_______________
Knowing God & what He wants seems really so clear-cut & straightforward, according to John Zebedee.
It all seems to boil down to knowing Jesus by His words, & seeking God's glory.
Or so I conclude so far..!
L/T.
________________
At last count, I was re-reading chapters 11-12 of John's gospel account.
Some themes common to my study so far are as follows.
BELIEF (knowing God)
Once again, it seems that God the Son wants people to believe in Him
(idea of trusting Him or putting faith in Him included here)
~ ch.11:
v.15
25, 26 & 27
40
42
45
~ ch.12:
v.11
36, 37 & 38
42
44
46
As for knowing God
- well, God is the One who has acted first
(He's taken the initiative to seek our knowledge of Him)
..as SENDER
~ ch.11
v.42,
sending Himself (as the Son, Jesus)
..see also:
~ ch.12
v.44
45
49
..as the One who DRAWS people to Himself
~ ch.12
v.32
(nice link to ch.6, v.44)
And we can know Him
through His WORD
~ ch.11
v.26-27 (believing the Word of God, ie. Jesus)
~ ch.12
v.28-30
47-48 (accepting/keeping Jesus' words)
49-50 (since God the Son speaks what words/commands the Father gives Him)
________________
Knowing what God wills/wants:
A desire for His own glory
~ ch.11
v.4
40
~ ch.12
v.23
28
..In addition to His people desiring His glory/praise above that of any [hu]man
~ ch.12
v.42-43
..& of course, knowing what God wants for His people is entailed in
* a willingness to go with Him, even the road to Jerusalem (where certain death awaits) - 11 v.16
** bearing fruit for His glory - 12 v.24
*** serving Jesus by following Him - & even hating life in this world - 12 v.25-26
**** walking in Him (ie. in the light) - 12 v.35-36
***** hearing, keeping & accepting His words - ibid., v.47-48
_______________
Knowing God & what He wants seems really so clear-cut & straightforward, according to John Zebedee.
It all seems to boil down to knowing Jesus by His words, & seeking God's glory.
Or so I conclude so far..!
L/T.
30 March, 2010
Fête de la Pâque
Yesterday night my Jews began Pesach (Passover).
The bulk of the money I've earned from casual work since 8th March is a direct result of their Pesach prep. at school;
as a former Music teacher there, I was hired as their piano accompanist for all their demonstration Seders. (A seder is pretty much the Passover meal, in modern orthodox Jewish style).
The parents come and watch their kids going through the motions of the ceremony - the praying, the saying, the blessing, the eating and of course the singing.
As a result of my work, I now have a string of Pesach songs that are continually jumping about in my head (like the plague of frogs sent in EX. 8).
It may be the one time of the year my Jews admit to ever having been slaves to anyone:
Avadim hayinu, l'pharo b'mitzrayim,
Ata b'nai chorin, b'nai chorin
("We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt – now we are free.")
I often thought during rehearsal, of their forefathers talking to the Son:
"We are Abraham's descendants
and have never been slaves to anyone.."
- JOHN 8:33
And like me, they really like Elijah the prophet, with a song that I think I had to play at least 12 times during the Seders:
Eliyahu ha-Navi,
Eliyahu ha-Tishbi,
Eliyahu, Eliyahu, Eliyahu ha-Giladi.
Bimhayrah v'yamenu, yavo aleynu, im Mashiach ben David,
Im Mashiach ben David.
("Elijah, the prophet .. Elijah, the Tishbite .. Elijah the Gileadite
In haste and in our days, may he come to us
With the Messiah, son of David. ")
And here is that sting:
"But I tell you, Elijah has already come,
and they did not recognise him,
but have done to him everything they wished.
In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands."
- MATTHEW 17:12
________________
During my Pesach music gigs, there were times where I felt quite sad (to the point of tears).
If you know the Scriptures as I do, I think I don't need to explain why.
At this point it is important to grip ROMANS chapters 9, 10 and 11 very tightly indeed!
L/T.
The bulk of the money I've earned from casual work since 8th March is a direct result of their Pesach prep. at school;
as a former Music teacher there, I was hired as their piano accompanist for all their demonstration Seders. (A seder is pretty much the Passover meal, in modern orthodox Jewish style).
The parents come and watch their kids going through the motions of the ceremony - the praying, the saying, the blessing, the eating and of course the singing.
As a result of my work, I now have a string of Pesach songs that are continually jumping about in my head (like the plague of frogs sent in EX. 8).
It may be the one time of the year my Jews admit to ever having been slaves to anyone:
Avadim hayinu, l'pharo b'mitzrayim,
Ata b'nai chorin, b'nai chorin
("We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt – now we are free.")
I often thought during rehearsal, of their forefathers talking to the Son:
"We are Abraham's descendants
and have never been slaves to anyone.."
- JOHN 8:33
And like me, they really like Elijah the prophet, with a song that I think I had to play at least 12 times during the Seders:
Eliyahu ha-Navi,
Eliyahu ha-Tishbi,
Eliyahu, Eliyahu, Eliyahu ha-Giladi.
Bimhayrah v'yamenu, yavo aleynu, im Mashiach ben David,
Im Mashiach ben David.
("Elijah, the prophet .. Elijah, the Tishbite .. Elijah the Gileadite
In haste and in our days, may he come to us
With the Messiah, son of David. ")
And here is that sting:
"But I tell you, Elijah has already come,
and they did not recognise him,
but have done to him everything they wished.
In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands."
- MATTHEW 17:12
________________
During my Pesach music gigs, there were times where I felt quite sad (to the point of tears).
If you know the Scriptures as I do, I think I don't need to explain why.
At this point it is important to grip ROMANS chapters 9, 10 and 11 very tightly indeed!
L/T.
28 March, 2010
Je ne sais pas ce qui arrivera demain (A)
I don't know about tomorrow,
I just live from day to day.
I don't borrow from its sunshine,
For its skies may turn to grey.
I don't worry o'er the future,
For I know what Jesus said,
And today I'll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.
Many things about tomorrow,
I don't seem to understand;
But I know Who holds tomorrow,
And I know Who holds my hand.
(1st verse of hymn, "I know Who holds tomorrow"
- lyrics & music by Ira Stanphill, circa 1950)
Full lyrics (complete with errors in punctuation/grammar) can also be viewed.
Whoever said "no-one wants hymns anymore" needs to damn well WAKE UP.
L/T.
I just live from day to day.
I don't borrow from its sunshine,
For its skies may turn to grey.
I don't worry o'er the future,
For I know what Jesus said,
And today I'll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.
Many things about tomorrow,
I don't seem to understand;
But I know Who holds tomorrow,
And I know Who holds my hand.
(1st verse of hymn, "I know Who holds tomorrow"
- lyrics & music by Ira Stanphill, circa 1950)
Full lyrics (complete with errors in punctuation/grammar) can also be viewed.
Whoever said "no-one wants hymns anymore" needs to damn well WAKE UP.
L/T.
21 March, 2010
Une pensée folle de temps en temps
Just occasionally over the course of a week, my thoughts & feelings about where life is heading can seem a little like this.
Looks happy & harmless, until you realise what ballet this clip is from. And precisely where, in Act I, this little solo occurs.
(And yet, at the same time, I can see marked similarities between the synopsis of this particular ballet & the good news of Jesus in the Bible. Yes, it sounds quite unusual, but it's true - there are matching elements! Love, death, mercy & forgiveness undeserved..)
L/T.
Looks happy & harmless, until you realise what ballet this clip is from. And precisely where, in Act I, this little solo occurs.
(And yet, at the same time, I can see marked similarities between the synopsis of this particular ballet & the good news of Jesus in the Bible. Yes, it sounds quite unusual, but it's true - there are matching elements! Love, death, mercy & forgiveness undeserved..)
L/T.
Retour: Plus du fils de Zébédée
While I may have been publicly quiet about the gospel of John the apostle
- owing to lots of casual/supply Music teaching & accompanist work -
I have continued my personal quest for answers to my original ponderings..
..How to know God?.. (..and..)
..How to know what He wants/wills for us?..
_______________
JEAN ch. 9 et 10
Once again, John seems to be saying that we can only know God because HE wanted it, & acted to bring it about..
e.g. through Jesus, the One whom He sent to show & tell us about Himself (ch.9, verses 4 and 33; also ch.10, verses 25, 32 and 36)
e.g. because He came to find us
(ch.9, verse 35;
..ALSO, have a look at Luke's recorded parables of the lost sheep & lost coin..)
e.g. like a shepherd who gives life/cares for, knows & brings out His sheep
(ch.10, verses 2, 10-11 & 28, 13-14 & 27 as well as verse 16).
And for us to know God, just as it was in previous Johannine chapters, it's about believing in Jesus, & believing what He tells us
(ch.9, verses 35-38; then ch.10, verses 25-26, 37-38 and 42).
Knowing what He wants here, is about listening to Jesus' words/voice & to those who testify about Him
(ie. as recorded in Scripture;
see ch. 9, verse 27, where the man born blind talks to the Pharisaic Jews..
and ch.10, verses 40-41, as people across the river Jordan recall what John the Baptist said about Jesus - "all that John said about this man was true";..
..from verses 3 & 8, 16, 20 and 27 of ch. 10, the importance of listening to God seems evident..
..& once again - like a broken record, or a damaged compact disc in an old CD player - I note that my friend John the son of Zebedee has mentioned this many times in the preceding chapters of the gospel God led him to write).
As above, so below?
L/T.
- owing to lots of casual/supply Music teaching & accompanist work -
I have continued my personal quest for answers to my original ponderings..
..How to know God?.. (..and..)
..How to know what He wants/wills for us?..
_______________
JEAN ch. 9 et 10
Once again, John seems to be saying that we can only know God because HE wanted it, & acted to bring it about..
e.g. through Jesus, the One whom He sent to show & tell us about Himself (ch.9, verses 4 and 33; also ch.10, verses 25, 32 and 36)
e.g. because He came to find us
(ch.9, verse 35;
..ALSO, have a look at Luke's recorded parables of the lost sheep & lost coin..)
e.g. like a shepherd who gives life/cares for, knows & brings out His sheep
(ch.10, verses 2, 10-11 & 28, 13-14 & 27 as well as verse 16).
And for us to know God, just as it was in previous Johannine chapters, it's about believing in Jesus, & believing what He tells us
(ch.9, verses 35-38; then ch.10, verses 25-26, 37-38 and 42).
Knowing what He wants here, is about listening to Jesus' words/voice & to those who testify about Him
(ie. as recorded in Scripture;
see ch. 9, verse 27, where the man born blind talks to the Pharisaic Jews..
and ch.10, verses 40-41, as people across the river Jordan recall what John the Baptist said about Jesus - "all that John said about this man was true";..
..from verses 3 & 8, 16, 20 and 27 of ch. 10, the importance of listening to God seems evident..
..& once again - like a broken record, or a damaged compact disc in an old CD player - I note that my friend John the son of Zebedee has mentioned this many times in the preceding chapters of the gospel God led him to write).
As above, so below?
L/T.
18 March, 2010
Bon anniversaire: Un ami de longtemps
Today is the birthday of one of my longest-standing mates, Simon Kritsotakis.
We made friends during a French language crash-course for our last year of high school (last century, hehe), and I'm not quite sure how, but - in spite of our completely different worldviews - my heavenly Father has kept the friendship intact. And given me quite passable communication skills in French as a result of it (we went through uni. together too).
Happy birthday Simon!
L/T.
We made friends during a French language crash-course for our last year of high school (last century, hehe), and I'm not quite sure how, but - in spite of our completely different worldviews - my heavenly Father has kept the friendship intact. And given me quite passable communication skills in French as a result of it (we went through uni. together too).
Happy birthday Simon!
L/T.
07 March, 2010
À propos de la prière
Deux milles et un
Just over eight years ago, while my teaching career was in germination stage, I did a prac. with a class of thirty-one Year 4 students. In that class of 20 boys & 11 girls was one student from a Christian & church-going background.
I remember with great fondness that whole class, though they weren't the easiest bunch to work with as a group. It's hard to believe that now most of them have completed high school. But it was in 2001, that year, when I first began to pray for students I was teaching - for the salvation of the unbelieving & the genuinely-proved/maturing faith of those in Christian or churchgoing families.
Now it's 2010, & to my delight, I recently learned that the student mentioned in my 1st paragraph is yes, genuinely Christian still, & actively so.
Deux mille deux
A year after that 2001 prac., I did a teaching internship at an Anglican school, with fifty Year 5 boys. I had but one term teaching them, & my prayers for them were the same as for previous students
- with the added request to the Father from time to time, that for those who grew into committed Christians, they would develop into godly leaders of the future.
One of those fifty boys is now doing a GAP year at the same school. Is a Christian. Is interested in further training for ministry. Is under the leadership of much older Christian brothers whom I go to church with each Sunday morning. Is currently helping look after children of my Bible-study friends - all young/ish mothers - so that they can get more out of Bible-study time!
I had no idea, when I began praying around 8 years ago, that I would see an answer beyond what I could ask or imagine.
That 8 years after starting to pray those little prayers for my [then] little students would result in them coming to help out in my own church.
That wasn't specifically what I prayed over the last 8 years. But I'll receive it with thanksgiving!!
________________
Moral of story:
Pray.
Without.
Ceasing.
You never know what God will do, eight years down the track.
Words cannot describe Him!!
L/T.
Just over eight years ago, while my teaching career was in germination stage, I did a prac. with a class of thirty-one Year 4 students. In that class of 20 boys & 11 girls was one student from a Christian & church-going background.
I remember with great fondness that whole class, though they weren't the easiest bunch to work with as a group. It's hard to believe that now most of them have completed high school. But it was in 2001, that year, when I first began to pray for students I was teaching - for the salvation of the unbelieving & the genuinely-proved/maturing faith of those in Christian or churchgoing families.
Now it's 2010, & to my delight, I recently learned that the student mentioned in my 1st paragraph is yes, genuinely Christian still, & actively so.
Deux mille deux
A year after that 2001 prac., I did a teaching internship at an Anglican school, with fifty Year 5 boys. I had but one term teaching them, & my prayers for them were the same as for previous students
- with the added request to the Father from time to time, that for those who grew into committed Christians, they would develop into godly leaders of the future.
One of those fifty boys is now doing a GAP year at the same school. Is a Christian. Is interested in further training for ministry. Is under the leadership of much older Christian brothers whom I go to church with each Sunday morning. Is currently helping look after children of my Bible-study friends - all young/ish mothers - so that they can get more out of Bible-study time!
I had no idea, when I began praying around 8 years ago, that I would see an answer beyond what I could ask or imagine.
That 8 years after starting to pray those little prayers for my [then] little students would result in them coming to help out in my own church.
That wasn't specifically what I prayed over the last 8 years. But I'll receive it with thanksgiving!!
________________
Moral of story:
Pray.
Without.
Ceasing.
You never know what God will do, eight years down the track.
Words cannot describe Him!!
L/T.
27 February, 2010
Les cygnes les plus grandes
A number of you looking closely at my profile may have noticed I'm into classical ballet.
If you have no interest, stop reading now!! What follows will bore you senseless.
For those still reading, something which has me thinking at present is - which dancer of the last 2 decades is best at interpreting the Swan Queen?
Here are four dancers, each performing the same Odette solo from Lac des Cygnes. In all other aspects of talent, their dancing is exquisite. True ballerinas.
I must add that I do not commend them for their appearance; I would actively discourage myself & every other girl I know from thinking they are normal, or something to strive towards by dieting, exercise or other means of weight-loss.
But in terms of balletic artistry - who is most swan-like, in her movements?
Galina Mezentseva?
Lucia Lacarra?
Svetlana Zakharova?
Or Yulia Makhalina?
My main criteria is how swan-like are the movements of the dancers' arms - & the slower, the better.
See what you think.
L/T.
If you have no interest, stop reading now!! What follows will bore you senseless.
For those still reading, something which has me thinking at present is - which dancer of the last 2 decades is best at interpreting the Swan Queen?
Here are four dancers, each performing the same Odette solo from Lac des Cygnes. In all other aspects of talent, their dancing is exquisite. True ballerinas.
I must add that I do not commend them for their appearance; I would actively discourage myself & every other girl I know from thinking they are normal, or something to strive towards by dieting, exercise or other means of weight-loss.
But in terms of balletic artistry - who is most swan-like, in her movements?
Galina Mezentseva?
Lucia Lacarra?
Svetlana Zakharova?
Or Yulia Makhalina?
My main criteria is how swan-like are the movements of the dancers' arms - & the slower, the better.
See what you think.
L/T.
26 February, 2010
Quelques choses
On the agenda for This Post:
1. John's gospel - personal reflections/notes
2. A random, unexpected, but by God's grace fruitful, gospel conversation
________________
Jean, lui qui Jésus aimait
It has been brought to my attention that a few more people are tracking my postings here because of my notes on Johannine recounts.
Welcome!
He's my friend of the moment, John Zebedee
- but I've been concentrating my study on
(a) what he seems to be saying about how we can know God
(b) what he seems to be saying about how to know what God wants for us
(that is, any or all of us who are His people because of our hope & discipleship in Christ Jesus, our Lord & Saviour).
Hope the notes may be of some use - relevant posts have this phrase: "..du fils de Zébédée.."
________________
C'est chouette!
C'est super!
C'est merveilleux!
Béni soit le nom glorieux du Seigneur!!
This week I was sitting in the prep staffroom of a prestigious boys' school west of where I live; it was after school, & as a casual, I was writing notes for the teacher I'd replaced au sujet de lessons she had hoped I would teach for her students.
What I have to say next involves some "in-talk", & if you need explanation, I apologise that I'm not able to give it straight away. Most of you should know what a GAP year is, & who can be called a "gappie".
So I was in the staffroom tying up some paperwork ends, & this "gappie" (GAP student) no older than my first graduating class of students, the Class of 2009, walked up & introduced himself, having done the rush-by "meet-&-greet" earlier in the day. We got talking, & by the grace of God got, somehow (I cannot imagine how, really), into discussing Christianity, the Christian faith, the Catholic faith to which this "gappie" was exposed; .. & in that discussion
- thanks to good old John/Genesis studies at TAT/meetings to discuss women's ministry with my MTS coach Alison Napier -
I was able to talk to this "gappie" about what the Bible really says on issues that he thought (as an unbeliever of agnostic persuasion) were open to interpretation and/or controversial. About real relationship with God & with Jesus, based on Bible referencing. As much as possible I talked up the Bible & the importance of reading it for oneself.
It was an opportunity which I had not in fact expected - though I do remember asking God early in the day to open doors for me to encourage & witness to school staff (though many profess Christian faith).
It was an opportunity I couldn't have taken without the solid reading God had given me to do of His Word according to John, in Genesis & in tracking Christian women's roles (esp. ministry ones) with Alison N.'s guidance.
Truly, PSALM 73 is so very salient at this time -
"..as for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
that I may tell of all Your works."
Seems like I'm joyfully thanking the Father a lot more these days.
Thank You, GOD!!
Par-tay!
L/T.
1. John's gospel - personal reflections/notes
2. A random, unexpected, but by God's grace fruitful, gospel conversation
________________
Jean, lui qui Jésus aimait
It has been brought to my attention that a few more people are tracking my postings here because of my notes on Johannine recounts.
Welcome!
He's my friend of the moment, John Zebedee
- but I've been concentrating my study on
(a) what he seems to be saying about how we can know God
(b) what he seems to be saying about how to know what God wants for us
(that is, any or all of us who are His people because of our hope & discipleship in Christ Jesus, our Lord & Saviour).
Hope the notes may be of some use - relevant posts have this phrase: "..du fils de Zébédée.."
________________
C'est chouette!
C'est super!
C'est merveilleux!
Béni soit le nom glorieux du Seigneur!!
This week I was sitting in the prep staffroom of a prestigious boys' school west of where I live; it was after school, & as a casual, I was writing notes for the teacher I'd replaced au sujet de lessons she had hoped I would teach for her students.
What I have to say next involves some "in-talk", & if you need explanation, I apologise that I'm not able to give it straight away. Most of you should know what a GAP year is, & who can be called a "gappie".
So I was in the staffroom tying up some paperwork ends, & this "gappie" (GAP student) no older than my first graduating class of students, the Class of 2009, walked up & introduced himself, having done the rush-by "meet-&-greet" earlier in the day. We got talking, & by the grace of God got, somehow (I cannot imagine how, really), into discussing Christianity, the Christian faith, the Catholic faith to which this "gappie" was exposed; .. & in that discussion
- thanks to good old John/Genesis studies at TAT/meetings to discuss women's ministry with my MTS coach Alison Napier -
I was able to talk to this "gappie" about what the Bible really says on issues that he thought (as an unbeliever of agnostic persuasion) were open to interpretation and/or controversial. About real relationship with God & with Jesus, based on Bible referencing. As much as possible I talked up the Bible & the importance of reading it for oneself.
It was an opportunity which I had not in fact expected - though I do remember asking God early in the day to open doors for me to encourage & witness to school staff (though many profess Christian faith).
It was an opportunity I couldn't have taken without the solid reading God had given me to do of His Word according to John, in Genesis & in tracking Christian women's roles (esp. ministry ones) with Alison N.'s guidance.
Truly, PSALM 73 is so very salient at this time -
"..as for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
that I may tell of all Your works."
Seems like I'm joyfully thanking the Father a lot more these days.
Thank You, GOD!!
Par-tay!
L/T.
25 February, 2010
Béni soit Dieu! Un étudiant ancien est sauvé!!
I cannot express my feelings of pure joy at hearing this news..
(Video link shows how I'd be dancing in response!)
Back in 2003, I taught a class of gifted students at Smithfield PS (NSW, south/western Sydney). A couple of students from that Smithfield class got into, & went to, Sydney Boys' HS.
Today I met a young Christian who went through Sydney Boys' with these 2 former students. Imagine my delight at hearing his report that 1 of my 2 was now a believer in the Lord Jesus.
I am so incredibly thrilled and I cannot thank God enough for this answer to prayers!!
Rejoice with me, for what was lost is FOUND!!!!!
L/T.
{Update: (18/10/10) The link provided is the testimony of how this 2003 student came to know Jesus Christ as Lord & Saviour.}
(Video link shows how I'd be dancing in response!)
Back in 2003, I taught a class of gifted students at Smithfield PS (NSW, south/western Sydney). A couple of students from that Smithfield class got into, & went to, Sydney Boys' HS.
Today I met a young Christian who went through Sydney Boys' with these 2 former students. Imagine my delight at hearing his report that 1 of my 2 was now a believer in the Lord Jesus.
I am so incredibly thrilled and I cannot thank God enough for this answer to prayers!!
Rejoice with me, for what was lost is FOUND!!!!!
L/T.
{Update: (18/10/10) The link provided is the testimony of how this 2003 student came to know Jesus Christ as Lord & Saviour.}
23 February, 2010
Musicien/ne? Allez-vous étudier à Sydney?
If you know anyone who's starting university-level Music studies at the Sydney Conservatorium this year, you are welcome to forward this link to them:
http://conchristiangroup.org/
God willing, those young Music students who aren't Christian - but who are open to hearing of Jesus & the Bible - may meet others who are in Christ, & perhaps come to know Him themselves.. .. ..
L/T.
http://conchristiangroup.org/
God willing, those young Music students who aren't Christian - but who are open to hearing of Jesus & the Bible - may meet others who are in Christ, & perhaps come to know Him themselves.. .. ..
L/T.
20 February, 2010
À propos de la souffrance
Suffering - reflections
Some ideas about suffering can be read by clinking on the link to this forum thread.
Feedback welcome..
L/T.
Some ideas about suffering can be read by clinking on the link to this forum thread.
Feedback welcome..
L/T.
19 February, 2010
Pensées d'un coeur loin de France
This may seem a bit random & abstract, but I find the music from this Tchaikovsky ballet so nostalgic (go to 1m45s).
The girl is torn between two worlds, in a sense.
Matches my mood.
This week I have had reason to feel particularly torn between two countries in two different hemispheres.. .. ..
L/T.
The girl is torn between two worlds, in a sense.
Matches my mood.
This week I have had reason to feel particularly torn between two countries in two different hemispheres.. .. ..
L/T.
18 February, 2010
Confort et chanson
ISAIAH 40, verses 27 to 31
Ésaïe 40,27-31
"Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel,
'My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God'?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."
________________
The hymn I'm about to quote, I remember well from my childhood.
But what does it really mean?
What does it not mean?
And what does my Father want it to look like for me?
Donnez le meilleur
Give of your best to the Master;
Give of the strength of your youth.
Throw your soul’s fresh, glowing ardour
Into the battle for truth.
Jesus has set the example,
Dauntless was He, young and brave.
Give Him your loyal devotion;
Give Him the best that you have.
Give of your best to the Master;
Give of the strength of your youth.
Clad in salvation’s full armour,
Join in the battle for truth.
SOURCE
(words): Howard B. Grose (1902).
[See link for more.]
L/T.
Ésaïe 40,27-31
"Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel,
'My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God'?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."
________________
The hymn I'm about to quote, I remember well from my childhood.
But what does it really mean?
What does it not mean?
And what does my Father want it to look like for me?
Donnez le meilleur
Give of your best to the Master;
Give of the strength of your youth.
Throw your soul’s fresh, glowing ardour
Into the battle for truth.
Jesus has set the example,
Dauntless was He, young and brave.
Give Him your loyal devotion;
Give Him the best that you have.
Give of your best to the Master;
Give of the strength of your youth.
Clad in salvation’s full armour,
Join in the battle for truth.
SOURCE
(words): Howard B. Grose (1902).
[See link for more.]
L/T.
16 February, 2010
VI: Du fils de Zébédée (pas du tout Jacques!)
Hahah, you thought John been allowed to go off for a rest, but no such luck..!
Still working hard on understanding his writing.
________________
La plupart de Jean chapitre 8
Firstly, please note:
Owing to the fact that the first 11 verses of John's 8th chapter are contentious in their placement, I have let them go for the moment.
Yes, they have things to teach me.
Yes, they say relevant things about knowing God, & knowing what He wants for me to be & do, think & say.
Yes, I believe it's a genuine historical incident recorded here.
But I also agree with a number of commentaries & footnotes, which seem to feel that that eleven-verse chunk doesn't actually belong between the words of Jesus in ch. 7 & ch. 8 - whereas the recount of the blind man (ch.9) fits in much more seamlessly..
..
..
Sorry, getting ahead of myself again!
________________
8e chapitre (v.12-)
Five times here, Jesus emphasises that God the Father sent Him (16, 17, 26, 29, 42).
God the Sender - who takes steps towards people - seeking us before we seek Him?
Why does Jesus need to say this so often? Are the ones to whom He speaks really so much "thicker than a yard of lard" (thanks to Discworld novelist, Sir Terry J. Pratchett, for that phrase)? In other passages of Scripture, God only says something three times, & that's enough to get the point across.
________________
Une idée en français(e)
Being able to refer to a French Bible really adds to my study at times (I suppose that's my version of the gift of interpreting tongues!).
In English, another huge standout idea in this passage is somewhat lost in translation - the idea of the Son & the Father's testimony, testifying, witnessing.
That is, "témoignage" in French;
a witness translates to "témoin"; and
the action verb testify/witness is rendered "témoigner".
In the space of seven verses (from v.12 to v.18), this idea appears 7 times! (Which means something to those who know what the Bible does with certain numbers..)
It seems that knowing & responding rightly to God involves accepting His testimony, as the Father, about Jesus - in addition to accepting what Jesus testifies about Himself.
________________
Les croyances
Those Jesus is talking to will not believe what He says about Himself. Once again, the concept of believing in Jesus - abiding in, hearing & keeping His Word - pops up constantly (like this mad mole-bashing toy game that I was playing with the youngest of 3 kids on Saturday night while babysitting, only you don't hit the Word with a plastic hammer when it lights up!!).
To verify what I'm saying here, check out 8,31; 8,43-47; also 8,51-55.
Oh, and that Word is truth (v.14,16,32,40,45-46).
My impressions of this section overall are that knowing God has everything to do with knowing Jesus (see also v.19 & 55); AND as reinforced constantly in the preceding chapters).
That being a disciple of Jesus is about abiding in His Word (sticking with His Word?).
That what God wants means recognising our slavery to sin before Him (vv.32-36);
loving (v.42), honouring (v.49) & glorifying Him (v.50);
accepting Him, & accepting the One He sent.
________________
Still common themes. And this is not a comprehensive study. Haven't even focused on the light-darkness comparison. Yet the patterns I've been tracking have continued recurring thus far.
And next chapter, there will still be unbelief towards Jesus. Oh, and increasing hostility. And yet - one blind man, who will truly see..
But that's for later.
{To Be Cont'd}
L/T.
Still working hard on understanding his writing.
________________
La plupart de Jean chapitre 8
Firstly, please note:
Owing to the fact that the first 11 verses of John's 8th chapter are contentious in their placement, I have let them go for the moment.
Yes, they have things to teach me.
Yes, they say relevant things about knowing God, & knowing what He wants for me to be & do, think & say.
Yes, I believe it's a genuine historical incident recorded here.
But I also agree with a number of commentaries & footnotes, which seem to feel that that eleven-verse chunk doesn't actually belong between the words of Jesus in ch. 7 & ch. 8 - whereas the recount of the blind man (ch.9) fits in much more seamlessly..
..
..
Sorry, getting ahead of myself again!
________________
8e chapitre (v.12-)
Five times here, Jesus emphasises that God the Father sent Him (16, 17, 26, 29, 42).
God the Sender - who takes steps towards people - seeking us before we seek Him?
Why does Jesus need to say this so often? Are the ones to whom He speaks really so much "thicker than a yard of lard" (thanks to Discworld novelist, Sir Terry J. Pratchett, for that phrase)? In other passages of Scripture, God only says something three times, & that's enough to get the point across.
________________
Une idée en français(e)
Being able to refer to a French Bible really adds to my study at times (I suppose that's my version of the gift of interpreting tongues!).
In English, another huge standout idea in this passage is somewhat lost in translation - the idea of the Son & the Father's testimony, testifying, witnessing.
That is, "témoignage" in French;
a witness translates to "témoin"; and
the action verb testify/witness is rendered "témoigner".
In the space of seven verses (from v.12 to v.18), this idea appears 7 times! (Which means something to those who know what the Bible does with certain numbers..)
It seems that knowing & responding rightly to God involves accepting His testimony, as the Father, about Jesus - in addition to accepting what Jesus testifies about Himself.
________________
Les croyances
Those Jesus is talking to will not believe what He says about Himself. Once again, the concept of believing in Jesus - abiding in, hearing & keeping His Word - pops up constantly (like this mad mole-bashing toy game that I was playing with the youngest of 3 kids on Saturday night while babysitting, only you don't hit the Word with a plastic hammer when it lights up!!).
To verify what I'm saying here, check out 8,31; 8,43-47; also 8,51-55.
Oh, and that Word is truth (v.14,16,32,40,45-46).
My impressions of this section overall are that knowing God has everything to do with knowing Jesus (see also v.19 & 55); AND as reinforced constantly in the preceding chapters).
That being a disciple of Jesus is about abiding in His Word (sticking with His Word?).
That what God wants means recognising our slavery to sin before Him (vv.32-36);
loving (v.42), honouring (v.49) & glorifying Him (v.50);
accepting Him, & accepting the One He sent.
________________
Still common themes. And this is not a comprehensive study. Haven't even focused on the light-darkness comparison. Yet the patterns I've been tracking have continued recurring thus far.
And next chapter, there will still be unbelief towards Jesus. Oh, and increasing hostility. And yet - one blind man, who will truly see..
But that's for later.
{To Be Cont'd}
L/T.
14 February, 2010
le 14 février
Ça fait 7 mois..!
It is seven months since I left Europe after my first Paris mission (plus London stopover).
A little frustrating, since it feels I'm no closer to returning there to actively participate in the work that I know needs to be done.
I'm sure many of my équipiers from June/July mission have moved on.
But as for me, I was always at a different stage of life from them - apart from Mia* or Kade* (who seem settled in for the long haul with GBU Paris) and probably Asher* (who until recently was still on the UCCF circuit in England).
A large portion of heart still looks towards the needs of the gospel in Paris & generally across France & Europe.
Which is why I've chosen Chinese New Year 2010, oops, meant VD, to ramble on about this.
My preference, if at all possible, would be to stay in Sydney work-wise, just because there's need for me to be trained & mentored (in specific ministry skills) by more mature Christians, who can't move with me as trainers/mentors to another city, state or country, if I get work there.
But I need to see what God provides.
How long, o Lord?
L/T.
It is seven months since I left Europe after my first Paris mission (plus London stopover).
A little frustrating, since it feels I'm no closer to returning there to actively participate in the work that I know needs to be done.
I'm sure many of my équipiers from June/July mission have moved on.
But as for me, I was always at a different stage of life from them - apart from Mia* or Kade* (who seem settled in for the long haul with GBU Paris) and probably Asher* (who until recently was still on the UCCF circuit in England).
A large portion of heart still looks towards the needs of the gospel in Paris & generally across France & Europe.
Which is why I've chosen Chinese New Year 2010, oops, meant VD, to ramble on about this.
My preference, if at all possible, would be to stay in Sydney work-wise, just because there's need for me to be trained & mentored (in specific ministry skills) by more mature Christians, who can't move with me as trainers/mentors to another city, state or country, if I get work there.
But I need to see what God provides.
How long, o Lord?
L/T.
10 February, 2010
Des missionnaires en Mexique
I'm always so encouraged by what I read at this blog link.
The post from yesterday, for example. (Sarah Sholl, along with husband Pete & daughters Karina, Lucy & Miriam, have been in Central America for around 1 year now - through CMS).
It's all so real - human people, struggling along, trying to overcome the language barrier that so often occurs when one tries to share the good news of Jesus in an overseas cross-cultural context.
Missionary stories & reflections always give fallen, unprepared, sometimes-useless-feeling people like me hope about our own parts in the future work of the Kingdom.
L/T.
The post from yesterday, for example. (Sarah Sholl, along with husband Pete & daughters Karina, Lucy & Miriam, have been in Central America for around 1 year now - through CMS).
It's all so real - human people, struggling along, trying to overcome the language barrier that so often occurs when one tries to share the good news of Jesus in an overseas cross-cultural context.
Missionary stories & reflections always give fallen, unprepared, sometimes-useless-feeling people like me hope about our own parts in the future work of the Kingdom.
L/T.
08 February, 2010
GAL. ch.1, v.10 .. et .. 2 COR. ch.12, vv.7-10
Galates 1,10
"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?
Or am I trying to please men?
If I were still trying to please men,
I would not be a servant of Christ."
2 Corinthiens 12,7-10
"..there was given me a thorn in my flesh,
a messenger of Satan,
to torment me.
Three times I pleaded with the Lord
to take it away from me.
But He said to me,
'My grace is sufficient for you,
for My power is made perfect in weakness.'
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly
about my weaknesses,
so that Christ's power may rest on me.
That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses,
in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I am strong."
L/T.
"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?
Or am I trying to please men?
If I were still trying to please men,
I would not be a servant of Christ."
2 Corinthiens 12,7-10
"..there was given me a thorn in my flesh,
a messenger of Satan,
to torment me.
Three times I pleaded with the Lord
to take it away from me.
But He said to me,
'My grace is sufficient for you,
for My power is made perfect in weakness.'
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly
about my weaknesses,
so that Christ's power may rest on me.
That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses,
in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I am strong."
L/T.
Troisième année de mes juifs
This morning got my first 2010 call-up from the Jewish school where I've spent most of my teaching days since July 2007. It was a normal Monday, teaching Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 classes (not in that order though!).
It was nice to see my little Jews again - although they're growing up so fast! And this year's Y2s have just come so far since I first taught them when they started school in 2008. I had a great time with three separate Y2 classes before and after lunch, singing & playing musical games with them (yes, that is part of the Infants teaching program).
Plus, it's so funny to see their incredulous expressions just because I remember their names!
L/T.
It was nice to see my little Jews again - although they're growing up so fast! And this year's Y2s have just come so far since I first taught them when they started school in 2008. I had a great time with three separate Y2 classes before and after lunch, singing & playing musical games with them (yes, that is part of the Infants teaching program).
Plus, it's so funny to see their incredulous expressions just because I remember their names!
L/T.
05 February, 2010
V: Du fils de Zébédée (pas du tout Jacques!)
Let the reader BEWARE!
Réflexions pas faciles à comprendre
The notes to follow in this post are merely my thoughts written down
- notes taken while reading John chapter 7, then looking back over all my notes about the previous six chapters.
Therefore, read..
..and be confused..
..at your own risk!
----------------
KNOWING GOD (the Son/Father)
~ Believe in Jesus
7(5)+(38)+(39)
++6(29)(30)(35)(36)(40)(47)(64)(69)
SubTotal of 11 times, Added to the 13 times already mentioned in first five chapters.
.. - GRAND Total of 24 times
[Believing in Jesus]
________________
~ [Accept/Receive] the Son's teaching which comes from
the Father who sent Him
7(16)
5(43)
3(33)
1(11)(12)
= Listening/Hear-then-React
7(51)
6(45)(60)
5(24)
1(40)
~come to Jesus & drink [cf. living water4:14, blood6:53-56?)
{ie. accept Him, participate[?]}
7(37)
Total of 13 times, plus inferences
[Accepting/Receiving/Listening-to/Hearing&Responding-to
the Words of Jesus]
________________
~On HIS initiative (inferred);
God the Father is the sender of God the Son (Jesus)
7(16)(28)(29)(33)
6(44)(65)(70)
5(23)(24)(30)(36)(37)(38)
4(7)
2(11)
1(6)(18)
Total of 17 times
[Knowing God is possible
only because He has Initiated this By Sending Jesus]
----------------
KNOWING WHAT GOD WANTS HIS PEOPLE TO be/do/say/think
ie. Response to Him
~ Accepting Him/JESUS for who He is, accepting His *judgments* about us;
~ Seeking His *honour* & His will;
..~{not hate His sent One just because He testifies that [our] deeds are evil}
7(7)
..~right response to JESUS - not trying to kill Him or rejecting His Word/God's law given throu'Moses
7(19)+(28-30)
6(63)(68)
5(24)
4(41)(50)
2(22)
SubTotal of 10 times
5(32)(33)(36)(37)(39)
4(39)
3(11)(32)
1(7)(8)(15)(19)(32)(34)=testimony/witness
SubTotal of 15 times
.. - GRAND Total 25 times
[Accepting the Word/Testimony/Witness of the ones God sent]
++++++++++++++++
..~{choose to do God's *will*}
7(17)
..~{work for the *honour* of the sending God - as Jesus did[?] - truth, nothing false}
7(18)
..~right *judgment* of what JESUS does & why He does it - healing over law-keeping
7(23-24)
..~{recognise JESUS - whom God sent - as the Christ}
7(31)
L/T.
Réflexions pas faciles à comprendre
The notes to follow in this post are merely my thoughts written down
- notes taken while reading John chapter 7, then looking back over all my notes about the previous six chapters.
Therefore, read..
..and be confused..
..at your own risk!
----------------
KNOWING GOD (the Son/Father)
~ Believe in Jesus
7(5)+(38)+(39)
++6(29)(30)(35)(36)(40)(47)(64)(69)
SubTotal of 11 times, Added to the 13 times already mentioned in first five chapters.
.. - GRAND Total of 24 times
[Believing in Jesus]
________________
~ [Accept/Receive] the Son's teaching which comes from
the Father who sent Him
7(16)
5(43)
3(33)
1(11)(12)
= Listening/Hear-then-React
7(51)
6(45)(60)
5(24)
1(40)
~come to Jesus & drink [cf. living water4:14, blood6:53-56?)
{ie. accept Him, participate[?]}
7(37)
Total of 13 times, plus inferences
[Accepting/Receiving/Listening-to/Hearing&Responding-to
the Words of Jesus]
________________
~On HIS initiative (inferred);
God the Father is the sender of God the Son (Jesus)
7(16)(28)(29)(33)
6(44)(65)(70)
5(23)(24)(30)(36)(37)(38)
4(7)
2(11)
1(6)(18)
Total of 17 times
[Knowing God is possible
only because He has Initiated this By Sending Jesus]
----------------
KNOWING WHAT GOD WANTS HIS PEOPLE TO be/do/say/think
ie. Response to Him
~ Accepting Him/JESUS for who He is, accepting His *judgments* about us;
~ Seeking His *honour* & His will;
..~{not hate His sent One just because He testifies that [our] deeds are evil}
7(7)
..~right response to JESUS - not trying to kill Him or rejecting His Word/God's law given throu'Moses
7(19)+(28-30)
6(63)(68)
5(24)
4(41)(50)
2(22)
SubTotal of 10 times
5(32)(33)(36)(37)(39)
4(39)
3(11)(32)
1(7)(8)(15)(19)(32)(34)=testimony/witness
SubTotal of 15 times
.. - GRAND Total 25 times
[Accepting the Word/Testimony/Witness of the ones God sent]
++++++++++++++++
..~{choose to do God's *will*}
7(17)
..~{work for the *honour* of the sending God - as Jesus did[?] - truth, nothing false}
7(18)
..~right *judgment* of what JESUS does & why He does it - healing over law-keeping
7(23-24)
..~{recognise JESUS - whom God sent - as the Christ}
7(31)
L/T.
03 February, 2010
Adoniram Judson
Move over please, Horatio Spafford!
This man, Adoniram Judson, translated the Bible into the Burmese language, during the 19th century.
He worked faithfully at trying to reach the lost of Burma (Myanmar) with the good news of Jesus for over 30 years.
Was he a super-Christian?
A missionary without flaws?
With a productive & fruitful ministry from the outset?
To help answer that, here's a quote from CMS Summer School 2010 speaker, Michael Raiter (himself a former missionary, recent background in history of missions..):
"When he was released [from prison] his small church of 18 had dwindled to 4. In 1828, his wife died. He went into deep depression and spent 4 months sitting by her grave, watching her decomposing body, and writing this
- 'To me, God is the great unknown. I believe in Him, but I cannot find Him.'"
During his years of mission work (in the 1800s), Judson lost 2 wives, 6 kids and 11 co-workers.
Yet by 1993, there were approx. 6 million Christians in Myanmar - all tracing spiritual ancestry back to this man, because he had made the Scriptures available in the Burmese language.
________________
Yes, he suffered.
(So have I - in lesser ways.)
Yes, he was not perfect.
(Nor am I anywhere near it, as my sisters would daily testify.)
Yes, God still used him anyway.
(And amazingly, God has used me, too.)
How I forget God's Word in places like 1 Timothy chapter 1, verses 12-17, at my peril!
At the following link (which will have changed by 2011, so check it out QUICK), if you have just under 42 minutes of spare time, the rest of Michael Raiter's 1st CMS Summer School 2010 talk
- from which I quoted the excerpt, and my source for this post -
is worth a listen.
Please do think about setting aside the 42m to listen; & I hope that it is an encouragement, an inspiration and maybe even a challenge.
Love to all,
L/T.
This man, Adoniram Judson, translated the Bible into the Burmese language, during the 19th century.
He worked faithfully at trying to reach the lost of Burma (Myanmar) with the good news of Jesus for over 30 years.
Was he a super-Christian?
A missionary without flaws?
With a productive & fruitful ministry from the outset?
To help answer that, here's a quote from CMS Summer School 2010 speaker, Michael Raiter (himself a former missionary, recent background in history of missions..):
"When he was released [from prison] his small church of 18 had dwindled to 4. In 1828, his wife died. He went into deep depression and spent 4 months sitting by her grave, watching her decomposing body, and writing this
- 'To me, God is the great unknown. I believe in Him, but I cannot find Him.'"
During his years of mission work (in the 1800s), Judson lost 2 wives, 6 kids and 11 co-workers.
Yet by 1993, there were approx. 6 million Christians in Myanmar - all tracing spiritual ancestry back to this man, because he had made the Scriptures available in the Burmese language.
________________
Yes, he suffered.
(So have I - in lesser ways.)
Yes, he was not perfect.
(Nor am I anywhere near it, as my sisters would daily testify.)
Yes, God still used him anyway.
(And amazingly, God has used me, too.)
How I forget God's Word in places like 1 Timothy chapter 1, verses 12-17, at my peril!
At the following link (which will have changed by 2011, so check it out QUICK), if you have just under 42 minutes of spare time, the rest of Michael Raiter's 1st CMS Summer School 2010 talk
- from which I quoted the excerpt, and my source for this post -
is worth a listen.
Please do think about setting aside the 42m to listen; & I hope that it is an encouragement, an inspiration and maybe even a challenge.
Love to all,
L/T.
IV: Du fils de Zébédée (pas du tout Jacques!)
Jean chapitre 6
Home stretch!
{Continued from previous posts..}
vv.51-59
My questions, as always, are about knowing God personally (of course) & knowing what He wants us to be/do/say/think.
Jesus is still playing variations on the theme of Eternal Life And Resurrection (*ah, sweet music*)
~ "If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever" (v.51)
~ "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day" (v.54)
~ "..so the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me" (v.57)
~ "..he who feeds on this bread will live forever" (v.58)
..which reinforces that knowing God has a lot to do with eternal life & being raised up at the last day!
This seems closely related to what God wants for us (ie. how we can know what He wants)
~ feeding on Jesus (= bread of life - v.51, vv.53-54, vv.56-58).
Which begs another question:
**What does it mean to feed on Jesus - to eat His flesh & drink His blood?**
________________
vv.60-66
All that Jesus has said has elicited a reaction of arguing (v.52) & grumbling (vv.60-61) among the Jews who had sought Him after seeing the miracle of 5000 fed.
Jesus then appears to respond to the grumbling by indicating the importance of believing (*ding!!*) in His Words just spoken (vv.63-64). Finally, He rounds it off by reminding them that God the Father is the One who enables people to come to Him - again, emphasis on this being God's work first (and not ours, e.g. v.65; refer also to v.44).
The sad result, which must have been hard for God the Son & Father, is that "many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him" (v.66).
________________
vv.67-69
"'You do not want to leave too, do you?' Jesus asked the Twelve.
Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.'"
Is this the right response to God?
Is this what God wants for us, what knowing God is all about?
Is there more to it than this? ..After all, Peter's understanding is hardly complete, as ch.13 will show..
________________
vv.70-71
And then, a curiously foreboding conclusion to this section..
.."..Jesus replied, 'Have I not chosen you, the Twelve?..'"
(That's not the foreboding part; the idea that Jesus chooses His followers, though, is in keeping with God's initiative as stated several times above - cf. v.44 & v.65.)
.."..'Yet one of you is a devil!'
(He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray Him.)"
I think that last bit is clear as crystal - the predicted response of the betrayer is certainly not what God would want for us!
But this gives rise to my last question (for the moment):
**What did betraying Jesus really mean for Judas Iscariot, & how are we to avoid that, in the grace & will of God?**
________________
Wow, that was a thick passage of text to deal with. I'm in two minds about whether to sum up all my notes so far, or whether to let it go for now.
As I type this, though, it occurs to me that I never shared my findings about ch.5..in which case, I shall need to double back to it soon!
L/T.
Home stretch!
{Continued from previous posts..}
vv.51-59
My questions, as always, are about knowing God personally (of course) & knowing what He wants us to be/do/say/think.
Jesus is still playing variations on the theme of Eternal Life And Resurrection (*ah, sweet music*)
~ "If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever" (v.51)
~ "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day" (v.54)
~ "..so the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me" (v.57)
~ "..he who feeds on this bread will live forever" (v.58)
..which reinforces that knowing God has a lot to do with eternal life & being raised up at the last day!
This seems closely related to what God wants for us (ie. how we can know what He wants)
~ feeding on Jesus (= bread of life - v.51, vv.53-54, vv.56-58).
Which begs another question:
**What does it mean to feed on Jesus - to eat His flesh & drink His blood?**
________________
vv.60-66
All that Jesus has said has elicited a reaction of arguing (v.52) & grumbling (vv.60-61) among the Jews who had sought Him after seeing the miracle of 5000 fed.
Jesus then appears to respond to the grumbling by indicating the importance of believing (*ding!!*) in His Words just spoken (vv.63-64). Finally, He rounds it off by reminding them that God the Father is the One who enables people to come to Him - again, emphasis on this being God's work first (and not ours, e.g. v.65; refer also to v.44).
The sad result, which must have been hard for God the Son & Father, is that "many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him" (v.66).
________________
vv.67-69
"'You do not want to leave too, do you?' Jesus asked the Twelve.
Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.'"
Is this the right response to God?
Is this what God wants for us, what knowing God is all about?
Is there more to it than this? ..After all, Peter's understanding is hardly complete, as ch.13 will show..
________________
vv.70-71
And then, a curiously foreboding conclusion to this section..
.."..Jesus replied, 'Have I not chosen you, the Twelve?..'"
(That's not the foreboding part; the idea that Jesus chooses His followers, though, is in keeping with God's initiative as stated several times above - cf. v.44 & v.65.)
.."..'Yet one of you is a devil!'
(He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray Him.)"
I think that last bit is clear as crystal - the predicted response of the betrayer is certainly not what God would want for us!
But this gives rise to my last question (for the moment):
**What did betraying Jesus really mean for Judas Iscariot, & how are we to avoid that, in the grace & will of God?**
________________
Wow, that was a thick passage of text to deal with. I'm in two minds about whether to sum up all my notes so far, or whether to let it go for now.
As I type this, though, it occurs to me that I never shared my findings about ch.5..in which case, I shall need to double back to it soon!
L/T.
02 February, 2010
III: Du fils de Zébédée (pas du tout Jacques!)
Jean chapitre 6
{Continued from previous post..}
vv.22-29
Once again, the crowd are searching for Jesus - a crowd that wanted to make Him king by force. In the wider context of the whole chapter, this is by no means commendable..but anyway, as Jesus implies, this crowd is more interested in "food that spoils" (v.27) than they are in what endures to eternal life which the God-approved Son of Man gives.
Perhaps, the gentle nudge about wanting what God wants to offer us by Jesus
- rather than wanting what WE want for ourselves?
{In other words, knowing what God wants for us might be
the eternal life that Jesus the Son of Man gives - not complete physical/material satisfaction now..?(v.27)}
The question of the crowd seeking Jesus next runs like this:
"What must we do to do the works God requires?" (v.28)
Oh, how classically Jewish that sounds to me - although it is also the 2nd of the questions I've been asking while reading this gospel.
And even more classic is the response of Jesus - a perfect fit for the context so far:
"The work of God is this: To believe in the One He has sent."
(v.29)
Oh, boy!!
That idea of "..believing.." just keeps coming back - we're up to FOURTEEN TIMES!!!!!
________________
vv.29-33
Oh, good grief.
Look with me at the crowd's reaction. They've just had a big miraculous feeding, and now it seems they want ANOTHER sign? How thick can you get??!?
"So they asked Him, 'What miraculous sign will you give that we may see it and believe You?..'" (v.30)
For crying out loud!!
Back to topic questions..knowing God appears to be knowing & receiving the bread of heaven that God sends
- "..the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.." (v.33); that is, Jesus Himself, the Word become flesh, the Lamb of God who the Baptist recognised would take away the sins of the world.
So this is about knowing & receiving Jesus (= bread of life).
________________
vv.33-51
I've split this off from the previous chunk only so that there's less clutter for readers - logically it seems that these two segments in vv.29-51 really belong together.
Jesus identifies Himself as the bread of life, assuager of hunger & thirst; the One from heaven;
- the One by whom we can know God; knowing God is about believing in Jesus, looking to & coming to Him (vv.35-37; also v.40 and v.47).
It's also about God the Father being the One who draws people to Himself (v.44).
And knowing what God wants for us is closely tied into that
~ that we listen to Him our Father, be taught by Him & learn from Him (v.45)
~ life eternal & resurrection at the last day (v.33, v.35, v.40, v.47 and vv.50-51).
Example:
"For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (v.40)
________________
Seems to be more reinforcement of similar ideas here
~ belief for eternal life
~ the work, the will & the way of God (ie. not our way),
related to His desire for us to know Him (v.37-39, for instance).
Some new stuff too.
*pausing to catch breath*
L/T.
{Continued from previous post..}
vv.22-29
Once again, the crowd are searching for Jesus - a crowd that wanted to make Him king by force. In the wider context of the whole chapter, this is by no means commendable..but anyway, as Jesus implies, this crowd is more interested in "food that spoils" (v.27) than they are in what endures to eternal life which the God-approved Son of Man gives.
Perhaps, the gentle nudge about wanting what God wants to offer us by Jesus
- rather than wanting what WE want for ourselves?
{In other words, knowing what God wants for us might be
the eternal life that Jesus the Son of Man gives - not complete physical/material satisfaction now..?(v.27)}
The question of the crowd seeking Jesus next runs like this:
"What must we do to do the works God requires?" (v.28)
Oh, how classically Jewish that sounds to me - although it is also the 2nd of the questions I've been asking while reading this gospel.
And even more classic is the response of Jesus - a perfect fit for the context so far:
"The work of God is this: To believe in the One He has sent."
(v.29)
Oh, boy!!
That idea of "..believing.." just keeps coming back - we're up to FOURTEEN TIMES!!!!!
________________
vv.29-33
Oh, good grief.
Look with me at the crowd's reaction. They've just had a big miraculous feeding, and now it seems they want ANOTHER sign? How thick can you get??!?
"So they asked Him, 'What miraculous sign will you give that we may see it and believe You?..'" (v.30)
For crying out loud!!
Back to topic questions..knowing God appears to be knowing & receiving the bread of heaven that God sends
- "..the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.." (v.33); that is, Jesus Himself, the Word become flesh, the Lamb of God who the Baptist recognised would take away the sins of the world.
So this is about knowing & receiving Jesus (= bread of life).
________________
vv.33-51
I've split this off from the previous chunk only so that there's less clutter for readers - logically it seems that these two segments in vv.29-51 really belong together.
Jesus identifies Himself as the bread of life, assuager of hunger & thirst; the One from heaven;
- the One by whom we can know God; knowing God is about believing in Jesus, looking to & coming to Him (vv.35-37; also v.40 and v.47).
It's also about God the Father being the One who draws people to Himself (v.44).
And knowing what God wants for us is closely tied into that
~ that we listen to Him our Father, be taught by Him & learn from Him (v.45)
~ life eternal & resurrection at the last day (v.33, v.35, v.40, v.47 and vv.50-51).
Example:
"For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (v.40)
________________
Seems to be more reinforcement of similar ideas here
~ belief for eternal life
~ the work, the will & the way of God (ie. not our way),
related to His desire for us to know Him (v.37-39, for instance).
Some new stuff too.
*pausing to catch breath*
L/T.
II: Du fils de Zébédée (pas du tout Jacques!)
Jean chapitre 6
As stated in a recent post, my current amble with John Zebedee through the gospel God inspired him to write is based on variations-on-a-theme of two questions:
1. How to know God?
2. How to know what He wants for His people?
Here we go gathering nuts in May..
..No, wait.
That's not right!
I meant gathering ideas in chapter 6, of course.
Not an easy task..!
________________
vv.1-15
In opening, I cautiously venture to say that, since Jesus is right there with the disciples & the people of Israel's countryside, then knowing God is obviously about being near Him. But what the motivation is for people to be near Him - well, that varies..
.."because they saw the miraculous signs He performed on the sick" (v.3)
..context of Philip, to whom Jesus speaks - "Finding Philip, [Jesus] said to him, 'Follow Me.' .. Philip found Nathanael and told him, 'We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote..'" (1,43 and 1,45)
Hah!
Even Philip understands that knowing God - & recognising the One whom He sent - is through God's own Word (ie. the Law/Prophets).
Knowing God seems to have to do with relationship, too
- esp. the communication side of things. Jesus talks to His disciples, e.g. Philip & Andrew (vv.5-10), engaging them in conversation - quite simple, in a sense.
Also, Jesus uses the little physical resources available, with His disciples following His instructions - in order to supply food for the people to eat.
His own knowledge of God the Father shows plainly here, as He takes the available food & gives thanks for it before distributing it.
In this section it is hard to see what God is saying about what He wants for us. I do not believe that He wants us to see exactly this kind of miracle today in 2010.
So why was it written? The short answer that jumps to mind is John 20:31. BUT I'm getting ahead of myself. Back to the passage.
________________
vv.15-21
The disciples are on a boat in the lake, facing rough waters & strong wind.
Knowing God here & being who He wants appears tied up in what Jesus has to say as He approaches them by walking on the water:
"It is I; don't be afraid."
In some ways, self-explanatory. As if a knowledge that Jesus is not only with them, but has authority over the waters (as God the Son), should be enough to quell their fears.
________________
And now we get into very deep water. Time for a rest before the next related post.
L/T.
As stated in a recent post, my current amble with John Zebedee through the gospel God inspired him to write is based on variations-on-a-theme of two questions:
1. How to know God?
2. How to know what He wants for His people?
Here we go gathering nuts in May..
..No, wait.
That's not right!
I meant gathering ideas in chapter 6, of course.
Not an easy task..!
________________
vv.1-15
In opening, I cautiously venture to say that, since Jesus is right there with the disciples & the people of Israel's countryside, then knowing God is obviously about being near Him. But what the motivation is for people to be near Him - well, that varies..
.."because they saw the miraculous signs He performed on the sick" (v.3)
..context of Philip, to whom Jesus speaks - "Finding Philip, [Jesus] said to him, 'Follow Me.' .. Philip found Nathanael and told him, 'We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote..'" (1,43 and 1,45)
Hah!
Even Philip understands that knowing God - & recognising the One whom He sent - is through God's own Word (ie. the Law/Prophets).
Knowing God seems to have to do with relationship, too
- esp. the communication side of things. Jesus talks to His disciples, e.g. Philip & Andrew (vv.5-10), engaging them in conversation - quite simple, in a sense.
Also, Jesus uses the little physical resources available, with His disciples following His instructions - in order to supply food for the people to eat.
His own knowledge of God the Father shows plainly here, as He takes the available food & gives thanks for it before distributing it.
In this section it is hard to see what God is saying about what He wants for us. I do not believe that He wants us to see exactly this kind of miracle today in 2010.
So why was it written? The short answer that jumps to mind is John 20:31. BUT I'm getting ahead of myself. Back to the passage.
________________
vv.15-21
The disciples are on a boat in the lake, facing rough waters & strong wind.
Knowing God here & being who He wants appears tied up in what Jesus has to say as He approaches them by walking on the water:
"It is I; don't be afraid."
In some ways, self-explanatory. As if a knowledge that Jesus is not only with them, but has authority over the waters (as God the Son), should be enough to quell their fears.
________________
And now we get into very deep water. Time for a rest before the next related post.
L/T.
Quatre rêves
Let me say from the outset of this post that I stand very firmly on the authority of the Word of God.
Spending time with John son of Zebedee has only strengthened that.
I know, both from looking again at John's writings, as well as from all the Scriptures God has enabled me to retain in my head, that I know God because He's made Himself known to me. He's the most active One in the relationship (10 times this idea has surfaced in chapters 1-5 of John's gospel).
So far in this gospel, it also seems crystal clear that knowing God (on our part) is about believing in Jesus, the One whom He sent. Thirteen (13) times that idea has turned up so far.
13 times across only FIVE chapters.
The next most frequently occurring idea is the importance of the WORDS - whether spoken by God the Father, or by God the Son.
I have counted 9 times in the 5 chapters studied where emphasis is placed on listening to God's Word.
________________
If I didn't already hold the view that the most important things in the Christian walk are knowing God through His initiative & subsequently listening to & believing in His Word, I should be bashing myself over the head right now.
Having firmly established that I rely more than anything on what God's Word says, it's time to talk about 4 dreams. 1 when I was only seven; 3 others in quick succession over this last weekend.
1 rêve
(à l'âge de 7 ans)
At the tender age of seven I was a proud Sunday-School know-it-all. Had you seen me at church, you would have noticed that the level of Bible knowledge I had was probably not so distant from where it is now.
But as a seven-year-old, I had one of those dreams where you wake up quite scared. It was a Judgment Day kind of dream. I won't go through all the details of how I knew what I was seeing - though I could, & if you ask me then I will in some subsequent post.
I, my family, and unknown others appeared to be standing before God in His glory. Waiting for Him to call us. One by one I watched my family members welcomed into eternal life. And I stood there, waiting my turn, having seen them all go ahead of me.
And then I woke up, thinking, "What about ME??!?".
_________________
Quite chilling at the time - though I think now, it was God's way of shaking me up. So what if I knew the Scriptures rather well at age 7? By knowing them alone it wouldn't have been enough to possess eternal life.
As such I suspect this whole dream was intended to say, "So you think you are a Christian, little Sunday-School genius girl? You think you can be sure of salvation and eternal life? Just because you know so much about Me and My Words?..
"..Well, THINK AGAIN."
3 rêves
(récemment)
For 3 consecutive nights (up 'til Sunday) I've had dreams about mission in France. Dreams about being back there on team with international & local fellow-workers, getting ready to go out & do outreach via Bible-stands.
..Why?
________________
It does make me wonder.
Once again, I reinforce that knowing God is - more than anything else - about Him & His Word. He is enough for me - & His Word as already recorded in the Bible we have is more than enough for me. It has been exciting finding new treasures in John, a book I've read through for myself - on & off - since I was 19.
And yet for me, personally, it may not be wise to let the odd dream just go. Or three of them in quick succession.
La chose la plus importante
Still I emphasise:
FIRST and foremost
- above all other apparent revelations and experiences -
hear the Word of the LORD God.
Not by might, nor by power, but only by His Spirit.
Because the Spirit of God already lives in you - if Jesus is your Saviour and Lord; if you belong to Him.
If Jesus is your Saviour and Lord, you do not have to ask God for the Spirit to be given you. He is already there!
(See a bit of Romans 8 - God says it!)
The issue is to be living by the Spirit that is already in us. Not begging Him to be there because some crack theology has implied He isn't there.
I know I'm now off on a major tangent (my first on this blog, I think!), but I am growing so tired of prayers that I hear, esp. by well-meaning praying believers at CCC Milson's Point, that God should send His Spirit to us, or fill us with His Spirit, or other phrases that imply we don't yet have the Spirit.
How silly, and how totally unBiblical.
God's Spirit says that we who belong to Christ are God's children. It's a matter of choosing to live by the Spirit (not by the sinful nature/flesh, the old way of thinking).
A choice that we fight to make every day - by depending on the already present Spirit.
Rant over.
Sorry if you fell off the train of thought on the way.
L/T.
P.S. Beloved friends - test EVERYTHING that you see and hear and read against the Scriptures!
Please!
Do not just blindly swallow the ideas of a speaker or writer!
"For this reason, since the day [I] heard about you, [I] have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
"And [I] pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way:
bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation."
COLOSSIANS 1:9-15
Spending time with John son of Zebedee has only strengthened that.
I know, both from looking again at John's writings, as well as from all the Scriptures God has enabled me to retain in my head, that I know God because He's made Himself known to me. He's the most active One in the relationship (10 times this idea has surfaced in chapters 1-5 of John's gospel).
So far in this gospel, it also seems crystal clear that knowing God (on our part) is about believing in Jesus, the One whom He sent. Thirteen (13) times that idea has turned up so far.
13 times across only FIVE chapters.
The next most frequently occurring idea is the importance of the WORDS - whether spoken by God the Father, or by God the Son.
I have counted 9 times in the 5 chapters studied where emphasis is placed on listening to God's Word.
________________
If I didn't already hold the view that the most important things in the Christian walk are knowing God through His initiative & subsequently listening to & believing in His Word, I should be bashing myself over the head right now.
Having firmly established that I rely more than anything on what God's Word says, it's time to talk about 4 dreams. 1 when I was only seven; 3 others in quick succession over this last weekend.
1 rêve
(à l'âge de 7 ans)
At the tender age of seven I was a proud Sunday-School know-it-all. Had you seen me at church, you would have noticed that the level of Bible knowledge I had was probably not so distant from where it is now.
But as a seven-year-old, I had one of those dreams where you wake up quite scared. It was a Judgment Day kind of dream. I won't go through all the details of how I knew what I was seeing - though I could, & if you ask me then I will in some subsequent post.
I, my family, and unknown others appeared to be standing before God in His glory. Waiting for Him to call us. One by one I watched my family members welcomed into eternal life. And I stood there, waiting my turn, having seen them all go ahead of me.
And then I woke up, thinking, "What about ME??!?".
_________________
Quite chilling at the time - though I think now, it was God's way of shaking me up. So what if I knew the Scriptures rather well at age 7? By knowing them alone it wouldn't have been enough to possess eternal life.
As such I suspect this whole dream was intended to say, "So you think you are a Christian, little Sunday-School genius girl? You think you can be sure of salvation and eternal life? Just because you know so much about Me and My Words?..
"..Well, THINK AGAIN."
3 rêves
(récemment)
For 3 consecutive nights (up 'til Sunday) I've had dreams about mission in France. Dreams about being back there on team with international & local fellow-workers, getting ready to go out & do outreach via Bible-stands.
..Why?
________________
It does make me wonder.
Once again, I reinforce that knowing God is - more than anything else - about Him & His Word. He is enough for me - & His Word as already recorded in the Bible we have is more than enough for me. It has been exciting finding new treasures in John, a book I've read through for myself - on & off - since I was 19.
And yet for me, personally, it may not be wise to let the odd dream just go. Or three of them in quick succession.
La chose la plus importante
Still I emphasise:
FIRST and foremost
- above all other apparent revelations and experiences -
hear the Word of the LORD God.
Not by might, nor by power, but only by His Spirit.
Because the Spirit of God already lives in you - if Jesus is your Saviour and Lord; if you belong to Him.
If Jesus is your Saviour and Lord, you do not have to ask God for the Spirit to be given you. He is already there!
(See a bit of Romans 8 - God says it!)
The issue is to be living by the Spirit that is already in us. Not begging Him to be there because some crack theology has implied He isn't there.
I know I'm now off on a major tangent (my first on this blog, I think!), but I am growing so tired of prayers that I hear, esp. by well-meaning praying believers at CCC Milson's Point, that God should send His Spirit to us, or fill us with His Spirit, or other phrases that imply we don't yet have the Spirit.
How silly, and how totally unBiblical.
God's Spirit says that we who belong to Christ are God's children. It's a matter of choosing to live by the Spirit (not by the sinful nature/flesh, the old way of thinking).
A choice that we fight to make every day - by depending on the already present Spirit.
Rant over.
Sorry if you fell off the train of thought on the way.
L/T.
P.S. Beloved friends - test EVERYTHING that you see and hear and read against the Scriptures!
Please!
Do not just blindly swallow the ideas of a speaker or writer!
"For this reason, since the day [I] heard about you, [I] have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
"And [I] pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way:
bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation."
COLOSSIANS 1:9-15
01 February, 2010
Mon beau-frère - merci!!
A quick but heartfelt thank-you to my youngest step-brother Jeremy Lin.
Really appreciated your generosity at dinner after church; it meant I could stay & talk to a number of different people, & was encouraged and/or challenged by the ensuing conversations.
Thank you once again for your pecuniary resourcefulness. I simply cannot express how much it was appreciated.
L/T.
Really appreciated your generosity at dinner after church; it meant I could stay & talk to a number of different people, & was encouraged and/or challenged by the ensuing conversations.
Thank you once again for your pecuniary resourcefulness. I simply cannot express how much it was appreciated.
L/T.
30 January, 2010
I: Du fils de Zébédée (pas du tout Jacques!)
When John son of Zebedee is mentioned in the gospels, in fact, James is mentioned first - "James son of Zebedee, and his brother John".
Interesting.
Perhaps those of you reading this may want to speculate why that is
- however, it's not my focus.
MES QUESTIONS
1. How can God's people know Him (better)?
{that is, How to know God?}
2. How can God's people know what He wants for them?
{or rather, How to know what God wants us to do and be?}
DISCLAIMER
These are my personal perceptions and reflections on the Word of God. Please read with care & discernment; feel free to disagree (incl. by commenting); above all, DO NOT Blindly Swallow everything (or anything) I might say.
________________
The first thing I noticed in John chapters 1 to 4 is that we can only know God because *He's* initiated the relationship..
Par exemple
~ God sends His witnesses (e.g. "There came a man who was sent from God") 1,6
~ God comes into the world to be received - 1,11-12
~ He comes to dwell among us & bless us with His grace - 1,14-16
~ He makes Himself known to us (e.g. "No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.") - 1,17-18; see also ch.2, v.11, where Jesus reveals His glory to the disciples at the Cana wedding; AND ch.4, v.7, where Jesus initiates the conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well.
I could go on and on, and I think I will..!
God, who sent John the Baptist, tells him who Jesus is - thus the Father makes Him(self) known to John. The Baptist doesn't work it out for himself; he gets told by God ("the one who sent me to baptize with water told me..I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God." - 1,33-34.)
________________
The second thing observed so far is the number of times the concept of *believing* rocks up..
1,7-10: .. 2x
1,50-2,11: .. 1x "believe", .. 1x "putting faith in"
2,22-25: .. 2x
3,11-36: .. 8x (aïe!)
4,28-42: .. 3x**
4,45-54: .. 2x
TOTAL: .. 19x
I think it would be safe to say that believing (or putting faith) in Jesus - the One God sent - is a somewhat important concept here.
Now I want to flesh this out a little more.
I thought that Jesus' stopover at the well in the Samaritan town of Sychar was worth returning to. (Hence ** above.)
In ch.4, v.4-42, Jesus' encounter with a non-Jewish woman at the Sychar well results in, well, this:
"Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him
because of the woman's testimony, 'He told me everything I ever did.'
So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them,
and he stayed two days.
And because of his words many more became believers.
They said to the woman,
'We no longer believe just because of what you said;
now we have heard for ourselves,
and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.'"
~ What I think is SO very interesting here, is that they believe because of what the woman tells them - the only bit of her words to the town recorded for us is "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" (4,29.)
This is in stark contrast to those whom Jesus encounters both before AND after the Samaritan episode:
(i) "Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name." (2,23.)
~ Here we have a presumably Jewish majority.
Who believe, not because of words/testimony from another (like the Samaritans), but because of miraculous signs.
(ii) "When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him.
They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, for they also had been there.
Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine.
And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum.
When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea,
he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
'Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders,' Jesus told him,
'you will never believe.'" (4,45-48)
~ Even Jesus seems to be implying that the faith the Galileans have in Him is dependent on miraculous signs.
So we have Galileans - presumably Jews because they were at Jerusalem for Passover - who believe in Jesus because of the miracles He has been doing.
And then we have Samaritans (with whom, we are told, Jews do not associate - 4,9), who believe in Jesus because of His words (conversation) to a witness (the woman).
But wait, there's more. The passage about the royal official has an intriguing conclusion..
"When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea,
he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
'Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders,' Jesus told him,
'you will never believe.'
The royal official said, 'Sir, come down before my child dies.'
Jesus replied, 'You may go. Your son will live.'
The man took Jesus at his word and departed.
While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.
When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him,
'The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour.'
Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, 'Your son will live.'
So he and all his household believed." (4,47-53)
~ The royal official takes Jesus at His word.
He doesn't insist that Jesus comes with him (though me being me, I would have!!).
He does, in fact, see a miraculous sign - the healing of his dying son.
But - unlike the other Jewish people inferred so far - the official, plus his household, believe - though they had not visibly seen Jesus go to his son & heal him.
This official, therefore, seems one step closer to the Samaritans than the Jews here
- because it was about believing in the Word, rather than just believing after seeing Jesus perform a miraculous sign.
________________
So, backtracking.
We know God because He's made Himself known to us.
He's initiated the relationship.
Are we called also to believe in His Word
- whether we see Him perform miraculous signs (e.g. physical healings or water-into-wine) in our lives -
..Or Not?
..Well, the Samaritans seemed able to.
The Samaritans believed because of what the woman told them about Jesus; & because they heard Him for themselves.
The closest thing they saw to a miraculous sign, as far as the Bible tells us in John's gospel, is that Jesus knew the woman & told her everything she ever did. No physical healing or water-to-wine was necessary for these Samaritans of Sychar to believe.
We can know God, it would seem, because He wants us to know Him; & we can believe in His Word alone. (We don't need tangible miracles to believe.)
Or so I would conclude..
..I hope to keep going in my reports on John the apostle's writings soon.
L/T.
Interesting.
Perhaps those of you reading this may want to speculate why that is
- however, it's not my focus.
MES QUESTIONS
1. How can God's people know Him (better)?
{that is, How to know God?}
2. How can God's people know what He wants for them?
{or rather, How to know what God wants us to do and be?}
DISCLAIMER
These are my personal perceptions and reflections on the Word of God. Please read with care & discernment; feel free to disagree (incl. by commenting); above all, DO NOT Blindly Swallow everything (or anything) I might say.
________________
The first thing I noticed in John chapters 1 to 4 is that we can only know God because *He's* initiated the relationship..
Par exemple
~ God sends His witnesses (e.g. "There came a man who was sent from God") 1,6
~ God comes into the world to be received - 1,11-12
~ He comes to dwell among us & bless us with His grace - 1,14-16
~ He makes Himself known to us (e.g. "No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.") - 1,17-18; see also ch.2, v.11, where Jesus reveals His glory to the disciples at the Cana wedding; AND ch.4, v.7, where Jesus initiates the conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well.
I could go on and on, and I think I will..!
God, who sent John the Baptist, tells him who Jesus is - thus the Father makes Him(self) known to John. The Baptist doesn't work it out for himself; he gets told by God ("the one who sent me to baptize with water told me..I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God." - 1,33-34.)
________________
The second thing observed so far is the number of times the concept of *believing* rocks up..
1,7-10: .. 2x
1,50-2,11: .. 1x "believe", .. 1x "putting faith in"
2,22-25: .. 2x
3,11-36: .. 8x (aïe!)
4,28-42: .. 3x**
4,45-54: .. 2x
TOTAL: .. 19x
I think it would be safe to say that believing (or putting faith) in Jesus - the One God sent - is a somewhat important concept here.
Now I want to flesh this out a little more.
I thought that Jesus' stopover at the well in the Samaritan town of Sychar was worth returning to. (Hence ** above.)
In ch.4, v.4-42, Jesus' encounter with a non-Jewish woman at the Sychar well results in, well, this:
"Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him
because of the woman's testimony, 'He told me everything I ever did.'
So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them,
and he stayed two days.
And because of his words many more became believers.
They said to the woman,
'We no longer believe just because of what you said;
now we have heard for ourselves,
and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.'"
~ What I think is SO very interesting here, is that they believe because of what the woman tells them - the only bit of her words to the town recorded for us is "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" (4,29.)
This is in stark contrast to those whom Jesus encounters both before AND after the Samaritan episode:
(i) "Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name." (2,23.)
~ Here we have a presumably Jewish majority.
Who believe, not because of words/testimony from another (like the Samaritans), but because of miraculous signs.
(ii) "When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him.
They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, for they also had been there.
Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine.
And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum.
When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea,
he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
'Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders,' Jesus told him,
'you will never believe.'" (4,45-48)
~ Even Jesus seems to be implying that the faith the Galileans have in Him is dependent on miraculous signs.
So we have Galileans - presumably Jews because they were at Jerusalem for Passover - who believe in Jesus because of the miracles He has been doing.
And then we have Samaritans (with whom, we are told, Jews do not associate - 4,9), who believe in Jesus because of His words (conversation) to a witness (the woman).
But wait, there's more. The passage about the royal official has an intriguing conclusion..
"When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea,
he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
'Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders,' Jesus told him,
'you will never believe.'
The royal official said, 'Sir, come down before my child dies.'
Jesus replied, 'You may go. Your son will live.'
The man took Jesus at his word and departed.
While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.
When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him,
'The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour.'
Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, 'Your son will live.'
So he and all his household believed." (4,47-53)
~ The royal official takes Jesus at His word.
He doesn't insist that Jesus comes with him (though me being me, I would have!!).
He does, in fact, see a miraculous sign - the healing of his dying son.
But - unlike the other Jewish people inferred so far - the official, plus his household, believe - though they had not visibly seen Jesus go to his son & heal him.
This official, therefore, seems one step closer to the Samaritans than the Jews here
- because it was about believing in the Word, rather than just believing after seeing Jesus perform a miraculous sign.
________________
So, backtracking.
We know God because He's made Himself known to us.
He's initiated the relationship.
Are we called also to believe in His Word
- whether we see Him perform miraculous signs (e.g. physical healings or water-into-wine) in our lives -
..Or Not?
..Well, the Samaritans seemed able to.
The Samaritans believed because of what the woman told them about Jesus; & because they heard Him for themselves.
The closest thing they saw to a miraculous sign, as far as the Bible tells us in John's gospel, is that Jesus knew the woman & told her everything she ever did. No physical healing or water-to-wine was necessary for these Samaritans of Sychar to believe.
We can know God, it would seem, because He wants us to know Him; & we can believe in His Word alone. (We don't need tangible miracles to believe.)
Or so I would conclude..
..I hope to keep going in my reports on John the apostle's writings soon.
L/T.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
