Archives for August 2016

What does it mean to follow Jesus? As we continue our study in John’s gospel, we find a clear clue!

He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they come and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

John 1:39

John the Baptist had highlighted Jesus as God’s Lamb. His two disciples left him “and they followed Jesus” (John 1:36-37). As they were following, Jesus asked: “What are you seeking?” They responded: “Where are you staying?” Jesus didn’t give many specifics; He said: “Come and you will see.”

     Following Jesus is a walk by faith and not by sight. He doesn’t disclose much. Yet, there is no greater certainty in life than following Him—all other ground is sinking sand. While we may not know the way, we know the Person.

     It’s ultimately a matter of Whom and not what—who He is and not what He can provide. Later on many would desert Him. Jesus asked the Twelve: “Do you want to go as well?” Peter responded: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:66-68).

     When our goal is to be with Jesus, we’ll never be disappointed. However, when we want to know all the specifics of our life, there’ll be inevitable disappointment because He doesn’t reveal that and following Him is mostly through the more difficult roads.

Jan Blonk
The Devotional Writer
Author of “A Glorious Sacrifice“

P.S. Coming soon: “Battling Sexual Temptations and Sins: Overcoming through God’s Word and Spirit.” For more info go to www.devotionalwriter.com

Question: would you like to preview “Battling Sexual Temptations and Sins“? There are 40 short devotionals, encouraging and equipping you to arm yourself with God’s Word and Spirit in this important battle.

     Just email me and I will send you a copy of the book. My request (yes, there is a small string attached) is that you will write an honest review of the book on Amazon when it goes live (probably at the end of this month or the beginning of September). A review only takes a few minutes of your time and is a great blessing for me.

     As we continue in John’s gospel, we’ve come to a vital question: What are you seeking? Are you seeking Jesus for who He is or for what He can provide?

Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”

John 1:38-39

It may have been the first time that Jesus asked the reason why people were following Him, but it was certainly not the last time. Later on He would say to those who followed Him: “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves” (John 6:26).

     One of the two disciples was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. Their response was: “Rabbi . . . where are you staying?” It seemed that they were truly following Jesus for who He was, while the ones in the sixth chapter for what He could provide. He asked “what” and they responded with “you.”

     What are we seeking from Jesus? Are we seeking what He can give or do, or who He is? While the “giving” and “doing” are an integral part of who He is, He should be the main pursuit. When our reason for following Him is based on what He can give or do, we can easily become disappointed—not providing the healing we plead for or not do other things we consider important. On the other hand, when we seek Him for who He is, whatever He may give or do, we’ll never be disappointed.

Jan Blonk
The Devotional Writer

It seems that yesterday’s post didn’t go out through MailChimp. It’s worth the read: http://thegloryofchrist.com/the-lamb-of-god/ Here’s the one for today. What’s the measure of a true Christian leader?

The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

John 1:37

John’s mission and mandate was “to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him” (John 1:7). His main message was to point to “the Lamb of God.” That’s also our main message. When John’s disciples heard him talk about Jesus, highlight Him as God’s Lamb, they left John and followed Jesus.

     What would be the opposite? Sects and sectarian tendencies try to pull its hearers to themselves. They like to emphasize that the truth is really (and only) found with them, discouraging the adherents from other real and legitimate Christian churches.

     Whenever a Christian leader tries to attract and keep the hearers to himself, he’s lost the Biblical mandate, which is to always point to Jesus and follow Him. John had no problem with his disciples leaving him as long as they were following Jesus. Isn’t that the test of a true Christian leader?

Jan Blonk
The Devotional Writer

P.S. Coming soon: “Battling Sexual Temptations and Sins: Overcoming through God’s Word and Spirit.” You can find out more right here: www.devotionalwriter.com

What was John the Baptist’s main message? What was John the Apostle’s main message? What was Paul’s main message? What should be our main message?

The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

John 1:35-36

John the Baptist “came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.” What did his witness consist of? His main message was that Jesus is “the Lamb of God.” The Father sent His Son to live a perfect righteous life—to be our unblemished, spotless Lamb—and then He offered Him as our sacrifice: “Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief” (Isa. 53:10).

     In Acts we read: “For truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place” (Acts 4:27-28). God offered His Son as our Lamb.

     Paul emphasized that which is “as of first importance”—the gospel. He wrote to the Corinthians: “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures . . .”  (1 Cor. 15:3-4). That was his most important message throughout his ministry.

     The reality of Jesus as God’s Lamb is everlasting. In revelation we read: “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev. 7:9-10).

     Indeed, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Rev. 5:12).

Click here to get your copy of “A Glorious Sacrifice” (only $0.99)

Jan Blonk
The Devotional Writer
www.devotionalwriter.com

P.S. Coming soon: “Battling Sexual Temptations and Sins: Overcoming through God’s Word and Spirit.”