FRIDAY, June 20th, 2008

After going through each one fo your comments yesterday, I had to acknowledge that you guys are eccentric. (Look it up) But I definitely enjoy reading your weird, animated, exciting devotional comments! Keep up the good work!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABY!!

Many Thoughts From Yesterday:
Rachel: I agree with you: I am glad that I dont have the "right" to judge, because I dont think I would show as much grace and mercy as Jesus did! Thats Why He Is So Great!
Josh S: I am not sure what you were saying yesterday? Read over your comment before you post it next time :) I am glad you are being so faithful!
Josh L: Be careful man... It is not a light thing that many of the people we read about are in Hell, you keep saying how stupid they are, but WE DO THE EXACT SAME THING! so be careful! But I do enjoy your animation very much... AND CONGRATS ON THE CAR!!!! THAT IS SWEET! You need to come and take me for a ride! (Can you drive alone yet?)
CARY: I BET YOU JUST COULD NOT DO YOUR DEVOS IF THERE WERE NO SUCH THING AS CAPITAL LETTERS!! AND WHAT IS "LALALALALALALALA..."
Tyler: Great Job: We do just need to leave the judging up to Jesus. He is the best at it!
Lucy: Girl! They were about to STONE HER!! did you not see that part?
Brooke: Glad I could be of service to you this morning... I almost texted you back on accident :) hey, chill out with the "Karma" :) that is a Hindu belief about fate that has nothing to do with God!
Alex: Shiney Pebbles? Very Cool! You really think your mom is going to let you go to England with a bunch of Drummers? I would be very suprised!
Jon: we listen to you! Did you see Josh's comment after yours yesterday?
Amy: ARE YOU HOME NOW? Call me so I can explain the inf about our trip! Glad Your Back!
Jessica M: Hey Congrats on your License! Listen now you need to be doing your devotions more than ever! And we all need to praying like crazy that She doesnt run over us! :) J/K


John 7: 21-30
21 Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”
22 So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”
23 And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
25 Then they said to Him, “Who are You?” And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning.
26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”
27 They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.
28 Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.
29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”
30 As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.

It seems like every single day that Jesus is trying to explain to these people that He is the savior of the World, yet they wont believe... Now before we go and judge these people I first want us to understand: If Jesus were here among us, he would be trying to convince us that He is the savior of the world...

You may say: Pastor Lee, I already believe that Jesus is God and that He is the savior of the world. And I would say: They why dont your actions prove it...

Your actions prove your beliefs! If you say you believe but you don't obey there is a serious problem... So Dont judge them, judge yourself!

On to the devotions:

In Verses 21 - 24 Christ is explaining that He is the savior of the world, the payor of sins, the one true King that should be lifted up, and what do they say in verse 25? They ask: Ok, so who are you? AAAHHHHH!!!! Jesus responds: " I am exactly what I have been saying from the beginning!!!" Jesus had so much patience with these men. There is so much application here:

Even when people do not want the truth, or do not know the truth, or will not listen to the truth, I must be patient as Christ was. I must not get frustrated, I must lovingly explain it again!

Verse 27... They still do not understand!

Many times: We Just Dont Get It Either! How can we hear a message about something and then walk out the door and forget it, doing exactly what we just learned not to do?!?!

I love the end of this passage: Verses 28-29 make it clear that Jesus was here to do the will of His father. What a great example: although He was God in the flesh, He still chose to obey God the father... It says: "I always do those things which please Him"

That should be our Goal. We should strive to ALWAYS do those things which please God.

What did you learn?