Devotional Notes Psalm 133+John 21

MORNING

Psalm 133

B1 What does this mean?

C1 The beauty of Christian unity.

D1 John 10:16 GNB There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them, too; they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock with one shepherd.

D2 John 17:11 GNB And now I am coming to you; I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. Holy Father! Keep them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one just as you and I are one.

C2 A unity with God Himself regarding God, God’s kingdom, God’s doctrine, God’s character, God’s lifestyle, God’s worldview, and God’s rules for believers.

C3 It is compared to

D1 The oil of anointing on Aaron, the High Priest:

E1 The oil itself: Exodus 30:23-24 BSB Take the finest spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much (250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant cane, 24 500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of olive oil.

E2 This is the special oil of consecration.

D2 The dew upon Mt Zion:

E1 Constable mentions: Mt. Hermon to the north of Israel was the highest mountain in the land. As such it enjoyed unusually heavy dew. Dew was a great blessing in the parched land of Israel. As the dew freshened and invigorated Mt. Hermon, so the blessing of unity among believing Israelites would refresh and invigorate Mt. Zion as they gathered for worship there.

E2 Zion was the earthly dwelling of Yahweh. Psalms 2:6-7 GNB "On Zion, my sacred hill," he says, "I have installed my king." 7 "I will announce," says the king, "what the LORD has declared. He said to me: 'You are my son; today I have become your father.

B2 How do I apply this to my life? Romans 12:1-2 WEL I implore you, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present yourselves as a holy, living sacrifice [which is] acceptable to God [and] your rational service [to Him]. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may discern what [is] the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.

EVENING

John 21

B1 What does this mean?

C1 Jesus At the Sea of Galilee

D1 A principle: God delegates the mission, we do the mission, and God blesses the mission.

D2 Verse 14, John states that this is the third time Jesus appeared to His disciples.

C2 Jesus Encourages Peter

D1 Peter probably was despondent, because he spoke of great dedication but failed. The Lord Jesus wanted to be clear that Peter is restored. So too for us. What Peter did was not a reason to never be an Apostle and pastor. Sexual abuse, abuses of power by pastors, etc. do disqualify them forever.

D2 Feed my sheep refers to Jesus’s calling and commission for Peter to teach. Peter did teach. He taught the Gospel, the Resurrection, the Christian life, etc.

C3 Many Things Jesus That Did Not Get Recorded

D1 The Scriptures are the truth: Psalms 119:160 WEB All of your words are truth. Every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.

D2 We have a reasonable faith. John states: 1 John 1:1-4 WEB That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life 2 (and the life was revealed, and we have seen, and testify, and declare to you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was revealed to us); 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 And we write these things to you, that our joy may be fulfilled.

D3 We have more than one witness: Acts 1:1-2 GNB Dear Theophilus: In my first book I wrote about all the things that Jesus did and taught from the time he began his work 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven. Before he was taken up, he gave instructions by the power of the Holy Spirit to the men he had chosen as his apostles.

D4 Let us be committed as the Apostle Paul: 2 Timothy 1:12 AMPC And this is why I am suffering as I do. Still I am not ashamed, for I know (perceive, have knowledge of, and am acquainted with) Him Whom I have believed (adhered to and trusted in and relied on), and I am [positively] persuaded that He is able to guard and keep that which has been entrusted to me and which I have committed [to Him] until that day.

B2 How do I apply this to my life? We have a most reasonable faith.

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.

1 Year Bible—Ephesians Part D

B2 Practical Chapters 4-6

C1 Encouragement for Spiritual Growth Chapter 4:1-16

D1 Spiritual growth is compared to physical growth. We mature in our knowledge, experience, wisdom, actions, etc.

D2 The potential is already there, but it needs proper nutrition to reach that potential.

D3 What does God require as seen in this passage?

E1 A holy life—as God has defined it in the New Testament

E2 Humility—not self promotion

E3 Gentleness—instead of abuse and control

E4 Forbearance—instead of rehearsing failures

E5 Love—as defined in 1 Corinthians 13 both public and private

E6 Unity in peace—instead of self-seeking

D4 It is not unity at any cost. It is not unity to tolerance in false doctrine, practices, or life. We must be in unity not only with believers today but also the whole body of believers from Pentecost to today.

D5 It is unity defined as

E1 One body—from Pentecost until the Rapture

E2 One Spirit—as a holy temple: Ephesians 2:21-22 BSB In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together into a dwelling place for God in His Spirit.

E3 One hope—of Him, our Messiah. This is one of many hopes we have: I John 3:2-3 BSB Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

E4 One Lord—Jesus There is no other lord whether spirit or human. There is only one authority—Jesus.

E5 Faith—the doctrines we believe. There is no change. What was taught by the Lord Jesus and His Apostles is still the same faith.

F1 1 Corinthians 16:13 NRSV Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.

F2 1 Timothy 6:20-21 WEB Timothy, guard that which is committed to you, turning away from the empty chatter and oppositions of what is falsely called knowledge; 21 which some profess, and thus have wandered from the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.

E6 Baptism—probably referring to the Baptism by the Holy Spirit.

F1 1 Corinthians 12:13 NRSV For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

F2 But also in water at our public profession of faith: Romans 6:3-4 NRSV Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

E7 One God and Father—there is no other God: Isaiah 43:10 NRSV You are my witnesses, says the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.

D4 2 Peter 2:1-5 WEL Beside this, be diligent to add to your faith moral excellence; to moral excellence add knowledge. 6 To knowledge add self-control; to self-control add perseverance; to perseverance add godliness. 7 To godliness add brotherly love; to brotherly love add unselfish, unconditional love. 8 For if these qualities are in you and are plentiful, they will make you not to be barren or unfruitful in the thorough knowledge concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he who lacks these qualities is blind, short sighted, and become forgetful that he was totally cleansed from his past sins.

C2 Encouragement for Spiritual Life Chapter 4:17-32

D1 We must get rid of the old way of life as described in many places particularly in Galatians 5:19-21. Then, we must put on the new: Ephesians 4:22-24 WEL Get rid of the former lifestyle, the old nature, which is rotten from deceitful lusts, 23 Instead, be renewed in the spirit of your mind. 24 Put on the new nature, which according to God’s [likeness] is created in righteousness and true holiness.

D2 The rest of the chapter lists some of these new ways of life. These characteristics are the ones God has and is in His kingdom.

C3 Encouragement for Spiritual Lifestyle Chapter 5:1-20

D1 There is an obvious Christian life.

D2 It is not in a man-made list. The lifestyle is listed in Scripture.

D3 This is why we must read chapters like this and live it. We can do so with God’s grace.

C4 Encouragement for Living as a Godly Family Chapter 5:21-6:4

D1 Notice how husband and wife both must submit, that is, NOT be adamant and controlling. Ephesians 5:21 GW Place yourselves under each other's authority out of respect for Christ.

D2 Leadership in the family must be the same leadership style as Jesus has.

D3 A husband must love his wife (with the actions of 1 Corinthians 13), and the wife respect her husband.

D4 Fear has 2 senses

E1 A running away from: Genesis 3:8-10 GW In the cool of the evening, the man and his wife heard the LORD God walking around in the garden. So they hid from the LORD God among the trees in the garden. 9 The LORD God called to the man and asked him, "Where are you?" 10 He answered, "I heard you in the garden. I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid."

E2 A running to:

F1 Cornelius feared God, yet came praying every day: Acts 10:2 NRSV He was a devout man who feared God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God.

F2 Proverbs 18:10 GW The name of the LORD is a strong tower. A righteous person runs to it and is safe.

E3 Both seen. One does not come, the other does: John 3:20-21 NRSV For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.

C5 Encouragement for Living as a Godly Employee Chapter 6:5-9

D1 Carrying out their duties without pressure.

D2 Carrying out their duties properly.

C6 Encouragement for Living with God’s Armor Chapter 6:10-20

D1 Christians have 3 enemies: the devil, the world, and the flesh.

D2 The world is the mindset and worldview of those who are not believers.

D3 The flesh refers to the sinful desires of the flesh as seen in Galatians 5:19-21.

D4 God has given provision for fighting these 3 things.

D5 The armor of God is for all Christians.

E1 Truth

F1 John 8:32 NRSV and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.

F2 Many interpret truth in various ways such as the Gospel, etc. Personally, I think the Lord means “truth.”

F3 Truth delivers from sin, from addiction, from stupidity, from wrong decisions, etc. Truth is delivering. Truth is the start of healing from abuse, addiction, stupidity, foolishness, etc.

F4 Truth as to doctrine and Christian living. The Bible must be interpreted in its plain, normal sense.

E2 Righteousness—to be free of guilt, a bad testimony, bad choices, etc. It leads to a good testimony, better choices, etc. It is protective. The devil wants us to sin.

E3 The Gospel—this is salvation. It is protective by God’s protecting the soul. The devil can kill, but he cannot kill the soul.

E4 Faith—this is believing God instead of something else.

E5 Salvation—this is deliverance. A promise of deliverance now and in the future. A person might be persecuted, but the knowledge and the possession of salvation comforts and gives assurance.

E6 The Word of God—the only source of 100% truth

E7 Prayer—this is asking for wisdom, deliverance, help in many ways. God’s wisdom is perfect. His decisions are done in wisdom, love, and holiness.

D6 The struggle is written about in Romans 7, while the cause is Romans 6, and the solution in Romans 8.

E1 Romans 6:12 GW Therefore, never let sin rule your physical body so that you obey its desires.

E2 Romans 7:23-24 GW However, I see a different standard at work throughout my body. It is at war with the standards my mind sets and tries to take me captive to sin's standards which still exist throughout my body. 24 What a miserable person I am! Who will rescue me from my dying body?

E3 Romans 8:26 NRSV Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. AND Romans 8:34 NRSV Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

C7 Prayer for the Ephesians Chapter 6:21-24