June 14
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HE WHO DOESN’T OBEY WON’T SEE LIFE
31 “He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33 He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” – John 3:31-36
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The whole chapter three of John’s gospel declares verse by verse the divinity of Jesus. He comes from heaven and is above all. The previous verses before these ending for this chapter is giving us a picture of the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God sent to us so that God’s love will be manifest in Him alone. He has made everything for Him and through Him and has given all things into His hand.
The greatest promise of God to mankind is emphasized in this chapter. He gave his only begotten Son so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. That is one of the conditions; to believe. The other condition is to obey.
Some Christians think that to believe is a passive act. Nelson’s bible dictionary defines faith as a belief in or confident attitude toward God, involving commitment to his will for one’s life. Nelson says belief is to place one’s trust in God’s truth. A person who believes is one who takes God at his word and trusts in him for salvation. So, when you commit, it isn’t a passive act. It is active because you have put your heart into it. Obedience is compliance with an order, request, law or submission to another’s authority. So, if we made a decision to believe in Jesus Christ, shouldn’t obedience be automatic? Just like when we decide to marry someone, we have made a commitment to be with that person for life and that we will do life together. A wife entrusts her life to her husband and he is supposed to care and love her as he would his own body. She in turn needs to submit to him in everything. This is how Christ, who is the bridegroom treats his wife, the church. He brings her honor and ensures that she stays pure for him. This is why disobedience is such a defiance to God’s commands. He can’t fulfill his promise when we don’t obey him.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think obedience is a very important factor in a Christian’s life?
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HE MUST INCREASE AND I MUST INCREASE ILMA’S VLOG
June 13
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HE MUST INCREASE AND I MUST DECREASE
22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized— 24 for John had not yet been thrown into prison. 25 Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.” 27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So, this joy of mine has been made full. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease. – John 3:22-30
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John’s followers reported to him about how he is losing people to baptize because they were all going to Jesus instead. It is interesting how humans can be very limited about loyalties. They think that John the Baptist was the greatest prophet who cannot lose his following just because this one man came after John. They still didn’t know that Jesus was the Messiah that John had been prophesying about.
Let’s examine the character of John in this account. We witness someone who is very wise and spiritual. In verse 27, he says to his followers, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven”. This is clearly a statement that exemplifies John’s supernatural wisdom in understanding the deity of Christ. His humility is astounding as he continues to declare that he is not the Christ and gave the illustration that he is just the friend of the bridegroom, whom he is referring to Jesus. He says that he must not be seen as much as the bridge-groom should; that it is Jesus who must increase and he must decrease. No wonder Matthew 11:11 declares John the Baptist as the greatest prophet who has ever lived. John knew his place. He never took credit for what’s not his assignment. He knew that his life was to be Jesus’ precursor and that his whole life was to fulfill that role. Do we even recognize the purpose of our lives in God’s kingdom?
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think some Christian take credit for what only belongs to God?
THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE TO ALL BELIEVERS ILMA’S VLOG
June 12
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THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE TO ALL BELIEVERS
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the [only begotten Son of God. 19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”
– John 3:16-21
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The book of John is full of the loving nature of God. Verse 3:16 is the essence of Christianity and is the whole theme of the bible. Because of God’s big heart, he decided to rescue mankind from corruption and evil by sacrificing his own Son, Jesus. This chapter explains that Jesus isn’t the one who will judge the world, but it is God the Father who will. In the old testament, we know that God got tired of how evil man has become. So, God decided to bring flood to annihilate them and left Noah and his family who were the only righteous people that time. When the Israelites became unfaithful and served other gods after God delivered them from their enemies, they were also punished. God cannot tolerate evil. Even though he loved all his creation, he will destroy anything wicked.
God loves us so much that he thought of a solution: to make his only begotten Son, Jesus as the sacrifice to atone for our sins so we can be reconciled to our beloved Father. It was a gift of reconciliation. That through Jesus, we can have clean beginning to commune with our heavenly Father. There is nothing required from us but to believe in Jesus because those who won’t believe are already judged and is disqualified to have eternal life. Those who continue to embrace evil in their lives won’t get this gift of salvation. We are told that those who love the darkness will be afraid to come into the light. Light covers darkness, so it won’t even go near it. If it did, it will be extinguished by the great light that only comes from Jesus Christ. We are only asked to believe in Christ so we can have eternal life.
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REFLECTION
• Why do some believers fail to comprehend the concept of “grace through Christ?”
UNBELIEF LEADS TO DEPRAVITY ILMA’S VLOG
June 11
________________________________________ UNBELIEF LEADS TO DEPRAVITY
9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. 12 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.– John 3:9-15
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Prior to these following verses, we learned that Nicodemus, a high-ranking Jewish teacher went secretly to Jesus at night to ask questions. He was curious about how Jesus knew so much about God truths when he wasn’t educated like him. Jesus answered one of his questions prior to these part of Scriptures about being born again, but Nicodemus still couldn’t comprehend what Jesus was saying. It is clear in the words of the Lord that Nicodemus was struggling with unbelief. Jesus asked the Jewish teacher how can he know earthly things that he already explained earlier, how harder would it be if he told him heavenly things. Jesus told him that he is the Son of Man from heaven, but there is just so much disbelief that he couldn’t accept it. Thereby, making him more confused and ignorant. Curiosity hindered him from hearing the truth. His accolades as a Jewish ruler can’t grasp the concept of this poor uneducated man who claims to be the Son of God.
Unbelief destroys the capacity to understand even simple things. I have a fellow believer who is doing life with me and for a whole year of studying and discipleship, she still couldn’t let go of all her beliefs that doesn’t align with truth. She wants to cling to what she knew because it was comfortable for her to hold on to what she was used to. She didn’t want to hear the truth since she had been believing all lies and distorted teachings about Jesus. She could not put on the new nature in Christ because she wouldn’t take off the old nature. One cannot put another set of clothes over the top of old clothes. It wouldn’t sit right. It is the same with the new creation when you became born again. You can’t mix it with the old. It wouldn’t be right.
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REFLECTION
• What is your concept of unbelief? Why do you think there are there still many Christians who live unbelieving lives?
BORN AGAIN ILMA’S VLOG
June 10
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BORN AGAIN
Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
– John 3:1-8
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In this account of John, we meet Nicodemus who is a ruler of the Jews. It is a fact that the Jews didn’t like to bend rules. They are so legalistic and a stickler to their laws. Interestingly, we hear from this story how Nicodemus pays a visit to Jesus at night. Could it be that he wanted to ensure that no colleagues or any Jews for that matter, sees him going to see Jesus. Most of the religious leaders were beginning to be stirred by Jesus’ teachings, miracles and claims that he is God’s son. Nicodemus even addresses Jesus as “Rabbi” meaning Teacher.
Jesus explain to Nicodemus the importance of being born of water and the Spirit and that it is a requirement to be born again in order to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus explains the difference of natural and spiritual birth to someone who is supposedly a Jewish ruler. The Spirit is not visible, according to Jesus, but His presence can be experienced by the believer.
Isn’t it interesting to see the contrast of what we can do in the natural against what we can do in the Spirit’s work? Only the Spirit of God can make one understand spiritual things. It is not on our own understanding that we are able to gain understanding on spiritual matters. It shows how a learned Jewish leader can miss out a spiritual truth because he isn’t born again yet.
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REFLECTION
• Why is the concept of being born again missed by some Christians?
• When does one become born again?
ZEAL FOR THE FATHER’S HOUSE ILMA’S VLOG
June 9
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ZEAL FOR THE FATHER’S HOUSE
13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15 And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; 16 and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME.” 18 The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken. 23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.
– John 2:13-25
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It is interesting the Jesus started his public life with the zeal for his father’s house. Just after his first miracle at Cana, the public witnessed his passion for keeping God’s house holy. He was just beginning his public ministry and he was consumed by the desecration of his Father’s temple. This anger at making a marketplace of his father’s house exhibits the divinity of Jesus. Even though he was angry, no one was reported hurt in this manifestation of righteous anger. His zeal for keeping holy his father’s house is amazing. It ignited the religious to keep their eyes on this Jesus who claimed God is his Father. It also became the motive for these insecure hypocrites to plot the death of someone who confronts sin outrightly. Only someone divine can make these people obey him when he showed anger at the desecration of his Father’s house. Do we show the same passion and zeal for keeping God’s temple holy? Do we keep our bodies holy for the Lord? After all, it is our body that the Trinity lives in when we become believers, isn’t it?
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REFLECTION
• How do you manifest a zeal for keeping God’s temple sanctified?
MIRACLE AT CANA ILMA’S VLOG
June 8
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MIRACLE AT CANA
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; 2 and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus *said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus *said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” 6 Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. 7 Jesus *said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He *said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So, they took it to him. 9 When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, 10 and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days. – John 2:1-12
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During Jesus’ time, weddings typically extended over a period of five to seven days. Usually the entire village gathered for a wedding. Cana was a smaller town than Nazareth so in this account of Jesus’ first miracle, we see that Jesus’ mother, Mary and His disciples were all invited to the wedding. In a small town, almost everyone knows everyone. We hear from this account that Mary seemed to have authority over the servants where the wedding feast was held. It would be a shame to run out of wine so she asked Jesus to solve this problem. When she asked Jesus, he answered with “Woman, my hour has not yet come.” We see here how Jesus puts her in place because this was the start of his public ministry. He works for his Father first and in his timing too. Yet, we see how Jesus responded to the request to do something to save this wedding feast from being the talk of the town if they ran out of wine. It was also the start of the many miracles that will prove that he was the Son of God, the Messiah. This first miracle manifests his glory and begins the many wonders that he will show the world.
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REFLECTION
• Why did Jesus address his mother woman instead of mother in this story?
CAN ANY GOOD THING COME OUT OF NAZARETH? ILMA’S VLOG
June 7
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CAN ANY GOOD THING COME OUT OF NAZARETH?
43 The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” 50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” – John 1:43-51
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Here are some facts that may have led him to think this way. Nazareth lay in the hills twelve miles southwest of the Sea of Galilee: a fertile land. It was small. Steep ravines and ancient terraces on the northern slope confined the oval-shaped settlement. Excavations show just how small it actually was – but every bit of space was used effectively. It was built on porous rock, so as well as the buildings above the surface there were underground cisterns for water, vats for oil, and silos for grain. There was a single, ancient spring for water. It was a conservative town, clinging to traditional Jewish culture in a world that had been radically affected by Greek thought and culture. The people of Nazareth were essentially farmers, Nazareth would have had a population of around two to four hundred in antiquity, so everyone knew everyone else. Could you blame Nathaneal for asking Philip what good can come out of Nazareth? This only shows that before knowing Jesus, people can’t think out of the box. We don’t know the mind of God. Interestingly, God chose his Son to come from a humble family, a small town and yet, he is the King of all kings. As soon as he talked to Jesus, light immediately shone on his dark and blinded mind and saw Jesus in the Spirit. This is what happens when we become exposed to the Light and Life that only comes from Jesus Christ. We begin to see.
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REFLECTION
• What limited thoughts and beliefs are you saved from when you met Christ?
THE FIRST FOLLOWERS OF JESUS ILMA’S VLOG
June 6
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THE FIRST FOLLOWERS OF JESUS
37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So, they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter). – John 1: 37-42
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Peter Pan’s original soundtrack begins with “Following the leader, the leader, the leader. We’re following the leader wherever he may go.” These lyrics remind me of this account of the first followers of Jesus during his public life. Prior to this, we see John the Baptist witnessing to the Messiah. According to verse 40, Andrew and Simon who were brothers must have been hearing all the prophecies of John the Baptist. They must have been listening to John about the Messiah who was going to save people from their sins. They must have been waiting for the day of the Savior’s coming. Matthew 4:18 tells us what these brothers did for a living. They were fishermen.
Andrew must have been following John the Baptist for a while before Jesus came. He must have been listening to all John’s preaching about the coming of the promised Messiah and was hopeful that one day, he too will be witness to the salvation promised to his ancestors. As soon as John testified to Jesus, Andrew’s first impulse was to look for his brother Simon and immediately gave him the news that they have found the Messiah. He brought his brother to Jesus and there Jesus changed Simon’s name to Cephas which translates to Peter.
What a privilege it was to be Jesus’ first followers! Wouldn’t you want to be one of those who saw with their own eyes the actual Son of God? As soon as they heard, they immediately believed and followed. Isn’t that what is expected of all those who want to be His disciples? Following the leader, the leader…where ever he may go.
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REFLECTION
• Share an account when you first heard of Jesus and decided to follow him?
• What have you observed with the circumstances surrounding the first disciples?
• How did they come to know about Jesus? What was their first response to it?
TESTIFYING TO THE SON OF GOD ILMA’S VLOG
June 5
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TESTIFYING TO THE SON OF GOD
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ 31 I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” 32 John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.” 35 Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” – John 1:29-36
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Luke 1:57-80 gives an account of the whole story of John, the Baptist, a relative of Jesus. Luke 1:80 says that John, the child became strong in the spirit and lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel. His life centered on waiting for Jesus’ coming. In Matthew 11:11, John was declared as the greatest man who had ever lived.
While John was baptizing by the river, Jesus came and immediately acknowledges Jesus as the Lamb of God, the one who is above and before him. John declares right away as he remembered the revelation given to him by the Holy Spirit. It was revealed to him that he will recognize the Messiah for the Spirit will descend upon him. As he was baptizing others, Jesus came to the river and John witnessed with his own eyes, the Son of God who was promised long ago by prophets before him.
Interestingly, John was born six months before Jesus in the account in Luke 1:39-45 as Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, John’s mother. Even in his mother’s womb, John leaped as he heard of Jesus’ conception in Mary’s womb. He was the precursor of Jesus and all his life was focused on preparing for the Lamb of God. He acknowledges a Man who ranked higher than himself and who pre-existed him though he was born before him. John declares the divinity of Jesus and his life came about to be the evidence of Jesus coming down as human to save mankind. John was in God’s plan to bring people to repent of their sins and be saved by Jesus.
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REFLECTION
• Have you witnessed Jesus’ divinity in your own life? Did you testify for Christ?