Devotional Notes Psalm 129+John 17

MORNING

Psalm 129

B1 What does this mean?

C1 Persecution

D1 This refers mainly to Israel but can be applied to all believers.

D2 God takes note of this persecution and punishes justly: 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 ESV2011 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

D3 The example of Jesus: 1 Peter 2:23 ESV2011 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

D4 Our response should be: 1 Peter 3:14-16 ESV2011 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

D5 A summary from Dake (beware):

Six Things To Do In View Of Suffering:

1 Be happy in suffering (1 Peter 3:14; Matthew 5:10).

2 Be not afraid of man (1 Peter 3:14; Matthew 10:28).

3 Be not troubled by trouble (1 Peter 3:14).

4 Take suffering as unto God and hold Him sacred in your heart (1 Peter 3:15).

5 Be ready to give an account of your life, conduct, and hope (1 Peter 3:15).

6 Maintain a good conscience by good behavior (1 Peter 3:16).

C2 The need to thank God for deliverance. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 HCSB Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

B2 How do I apply this to my life? Realize troubles and sorrows will come. Be thankful for help in these things and His deliverance when it comes.

EVENING

John 17

B1 What does this mean?

C1 Jesus’s Prayer—For Himself

D1 To know is both a reasonable faith of knowing and the experience of knowing.

D2 Verse 5 makes it clear that Jesus existed before creation.

C2 Jesus’s Prayer—For His Disciples

D1 Verse 6, Jesus witnessed and made known the true God, so should we. Ryle writes on this passage: The sentence before us means, "I have made known Thyself, Thy character, and Thine attributes to my disciples." The word "name" is continually used in this sense in the Bible. Thus: Psalm 22:22; Psalm 52:9; Psalm 119:55; Isaiah 26:8; Acts 9:14; Proverbs 18:10. A right knowledge of God the Father was the first thing which Christ revealed and taught to His disciples.

D2 15 “I am not asking that you would take them out of the world, but that you would keep them safe from the evil. Whedon writes in his commentary:

Not… take … out of the world—Peter was ready (John 13:37) to follow his Lord out of the world. Wearied Christians often would sigh to depart and be with Christ. But that aspiration must be checked within the most reverent limits. What could the world’s great carcass do if the salt should all depart? What but suffer the fate of Sodom for want of ten righteous men? The good men hated by the world are the world ’s preservers.

Keep them from the evil—For how easy is it for them to assimilate by gentle shadings with the world. The world, then, will no longer hate, however much they will despise them for the compromise. God keeps them, not merely for themselves, but for the honour of his own name, and from mercy to the world that hates them.

D3 Verse 17, truth is sanctifying.

E1 It separates from lies.

E2 It frees from lies.

E3 It gives us the words of truth to tell to others.

E4 Psalms 119:160 GW There is nothing but truth in your word, and all of your righteous regulations endure forever.

E5 Proverbs 12:19 GW The word of truth lasts forever, but lies last only a moment.

E6 Truth is a character trait of God.

D4 Verse 19, Jesus didn’t sanctify Himself because He had a flaw, but because He was separated from sin, consecrated for sacrifice, entered the Holy of Holies in heaven’s Temple, and secured our salvation.

C3 Jesus’s Prayer—For All Believers

D1 One refers to one agreement in goals, purpose, and action.

D2 Verse 24, note how the Lord Jesus asks for us to be with Him. One of the reasons humans were created was for fellowship with God. He does not need it but enjoys it.

D3 Philippians 3:20-21 GNB We, however, are citizens of heaven, and we eagerly wait for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven. He will change our weak mortal bodies and make them like his own glorious body, using that power by which he is able to bring all things under his rule.

B2 How do I apply this to my life? Let us praise God and thank Him for all He has done, is doing, and will do.

I hope to have a devotional every day on John’s Gospel starting with the last chapter of Luke’s Gospel. This is the way I do my devotions. You may notice grammatical and spelling errors. It is my hope you will also start or continue in your daily reading and thinking about the Scriptures. I do this Monday through Friday. It is a 3 year plan of reading and thinking on 1 chapter in the Old Testament, which takes 3 years, and reading and thinking on 1 chapter in the New Testament once a year for a total of 3 times. So, I read through the Old Testament 1 time and the New Testament 3 times over a period of 3 years. I do this Monday through Friday and use Saturday and Sunday for other devotions.