Devotional Notes Psalm 116+John 4

9 Apr 20

MORNING

Psalm 116

B1 What does this mean?

C1 The Psalmist praises God because God helped him.

D1 Heard his prayer asking for mercy and deliverance.

D2 He felt that he was going to die.

D3 He experienced pain and agony. This is probably emotional pain. Certainly, emotional can bring on physical pain because of stress.

D4 Notice verse 4, that the Psalmist kept on praying. It was not one prayer it was often. God does not become angry if we pray thus. He is the Counselor of all counselors, perfect in love, compassion, and wisdom.

D5 This deliverance had awesome results: more dedication, more prayer, more love and respect (fear) for God. God still answers prayer and hopefully, we still give God the credit for His help and thank Him.

C2 The Psalmist kept the faith

D1 Even in extreme trials, he remained steadfast and true. This is surely God’s grace in strengthening us.

D2 He was overcome with panic. Can we relate to this?

D3 Another result (beyond giving God the credit and being thankful), was to call on God’s name forever and to keep his vows. Vows are for a specific time, a specific result, with specific conditions, and God expects us to keep our word. Let us be careful with our vows.

D4 If and when we die, God will remain with us. We must remember. God help us.

D5 Thanksgiving is a sacrifice (verse 17).

E1 Psalms 50:14 GW Bring your thanks to God as a sacrifice, and keep your vows to the Most High.

E2 Hebrews 13:15 GW Through Jesus we should always bring God a sacrifice of praise, that is, words that acknowledge him

D6 The Psalmist kept his vows, so should we. Compare Hannah:

E1 Promise made: 1 Samuel 1:11 GW She made this vow, "LORD of Armies, if you will look at my misery, remember me, and give me a boy, then I will give him to you for as long as he lives. A razor will never be used on his head."

E2 Promise kept: 1 Samuel 1:25-28 GW Then the parents butchered the bull and brought the child to Eli. 26 "Sir," Hannah said, "as sure as you live, I'm the woman who stood here next to you and prayed to the LORD. 27 I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request. 28 In return, I am giving him to the LORD. He will be dedicated to the LORD for his whole life." And they worshiped the LORD there.

B2 How do I apply this to my life? As above.

EVENING

John 4

B1 What does this mean?

C1 Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

D1 Note verse 4, necessary to go to Samaritan village named Sychar.

E1 The Greek word for necessary/necessity/had to is δεῖ deî. It means must, necessary, has to, etc.

E2 Vine writes: an impersonal verb, signifying "it is necessary" or "one must," "one ought," is found most frequently in the Gospels, Acts and the Apocalypse, and is used...(b) of necessity brought about by circumstances, e.g., Matthew 26:35, RV, "must," AV, "should;" John 4:4; Acts 27:21, "should;" 2 Corinthians 11:30; in the case of Christ, by reason of the Father's will, e.g., Luke 2:49; 19:5;

E3 Why necessary? Jews usually traveled around Samaria. Perhaps to seek that which is lost (Luke 19:10 NIV For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost).

D2 Jesus’s humanity is seen in verse 6—He is tired. If we’re tired from service, sickness, or whatever, Jesus knows this. He is compassionate. We must be patient.

D3 Notice again the many ways Jesus dealt with people in preaching the Gospel. We can learn that it is not necessary to use the same method as if there is magic formula. We can use the weather or current events or needs or whatever the person is at.

D4 Note in verses 13-14, how Jesus strokes her curiosity.

D5 In verse 16, the Lord Jesus knows and exposes her past. She confesses that He is correct. This is important. God is light and exposes sins and convicts of sin to which we must respond not in pride (“I am a good person”) nor make excuses.

D6 In verse 20 we see the wrong teaching she has received. She questions Jesus about the correct place to worship. Jesus then teaches her.

D7 Robertson comments on the phrase “from the Jews” in verse 22: For salvation is from the Jews (οτ η σωτηρια εκ των Ιουδαιων εστιν). "The salvation," the Messianic salvation which had long been the hope and guiding star of the chosen people (Lu 1:69, 71, 77; Ac 13:26, 47). It was for the whole world (Joh 3:17), but it comes "out of" (εκ) the Jews. This tremendous fact should never be forgotten, however unworthy the Jews may have proved of their privilege. The Messiah, God's Son, was a Jew.

D8 Verse 23:

E1 Seek is to desire for oneself and/to look for/search. It is the Greek word ζητέω zētéō. The Father wants (seeks) this type of worshipper.

E2 True worshipers, that is, genuine. They are not doing the rituals, they with a true heart do worship, that is, recognize, believe, and are thankful for God, His ways, and His kingdom.

D9 Jesus confesses that He is THE Messiah.

D10 That the woman believes is seen in her action of evangelism in verse 29. She asks a question, not because she is not sure that He is Messiah, but to arouse their curiosity.

D11 Would that we all had the attitude of the Lord Jesus: John 4:34 NIV "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.

D12 In verse 37 we see that the work of evangelism and the Christian life is one of a family, not separate individuals. We are a family.

C2 Jesus Heals Religious Leader’s Son

D1 After staying in Sychar for 2 days teaching the people, he leaves for Galilee.

D2 In verse 48, Jesus is considered to only be a miracle worker, not Messiah. The people of Sychar believed he was the Messiah from His teaching.

D3 Compare the differences:

E1 The centurion: Matthew 8:8 NIV The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.

E2 The people of Galilee: John 4:49 NIV The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies."

D4 Notices how Jesus tests this man, and the man believes Jesus because he left for home. We have the words of Jesus today in the Scriptures. Do we believe it or explain them away by twisting their meaning?

D5 The account ends well: John 4:53 WEL Then the father knew that it was at that very hour when Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” So, he believed, along with his whole family.

B2 How do I apply this to my life? As noted above.

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.

Addictions An Evangelistic Message

Problems of addiction

Personal

Overwhelmed, isolated, out of control, anxiety (themselves and others), prone to other problems, fetal alcohol syndrome (as well as various drug damaged baby brains), cancer, impaired judgment, pain, injuries, won't deal with problems except more addiction, being taken advantage of, prison, loss of everything including job, family, self esteem, increased early death, loss of love, etc.

Family

Interpersonal problems, jealousy, arguments, all types of abuse, pulling apart, conflict with children, fear, conflict over money, loss of employment, health costs, emotional trauma, yelling, falling down, insults, manipulating, violence, cheating, other addictions (porn, internet sex, prostitution), risky behavior in family members, acting out, children more likely to follow your addiction, emotional problems in children, loss of love, loss of commitment, homelessness, etc.

Society

Health care, accidents, poor judgment, out of control character, stealing, etc (need for money), etc.

How many addictions are there?

B1 No one knows.

B2 Whatever is pleasurable, demanding, repetitive, a necessity.

B3 The 8 main ones are gambling, sex, internet, shopping, video games, plastic surgery, food, risky behavior.

B4 A quote from Everyday Health:

But alcohol, uppers, downers, and other commonly abused substances aren't the only things Americans abuse or think they're addicted to. In fact, just substitute the word "behavior" for "substance," and you open up the definition of addiction to all kinds of dependencies, some of which may surprise you. Whether it's sex, the Internet, or bungee jumping, the desire to experience a "high" becomes so strong that the so-called addict loses control and seeks the activity despite all negative consequences.

As serious, troubling, sorrowful, burdensome addiction is, there is one addiction that is the worst. It affects all of us.

That addiction is sin.

B1 Sin is pleasurable: Hebrews 11:24-25 GW When Moses grew up, faith led him to refuse to be known as a son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25 He chose to suffer with God's people rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a little while.

B2 It is the “natural” thing to do. It is what we want to do: Ephesians 2:3 GNB Actually all of us were like them and lived according to our natural desires, doing whatever suited the wishes of our own bodies and minds. In our natural condition we, like everyone else, were destined to suffer God's anger.

B3 Desires for pleasure: James 4:1-3 GNB Where do all the fights and quarrels among you come from? They come from your desires for pleasure, which are constantly fighting within you. 2 You want things, but you cannot have them, so you are ready to kill; you strongly desire things, but you cannot get them, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have what you want because you do not ask God for it. 3 And when you ask, you do not receive it, because your motives are bad; you ask for things to use for your own pleasures.

B4 Our own desires. We cannot blame anyone but ourself: James 1:14-15 GNB But we are tempted when we are drawn away and trapped by our own evil desires. 15 Then our evil desires conceive and give birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

What is sin?

B1 Lawlessness is rebellion against known law or a standard. 1 John 3:4 WEL Everyone doing sin, also is doing lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

B2 God has summarized His law in 10 precepts:

C1 You must not have any other Gods except me.

C2 You must not have any idols. (a physical representation of a god made of wood, stone, metal, etc.).

C3 You must not blaspheme God’s name or character.

C4 You must keep the Sabbath holy. (This one is for Israel, for it is not repeated in the New Testament. Christians celebrate Jesus’s resurrection. So, 1 Corinthians 16:2 NIV On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made).

C5 You must honor your father and mother.

C6 You must not murder.

C7 You must not commit adultery. (This includes porn).

C8 You must not steal. (This includes stealing of time).

C9 You must not bear false witness against your neighbor. (This includes any lying).

C10 You must not covet.

B3 These 10 must be kept perfectly in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. Compare:

C1 Thoughts and desires: Matthew 5:28 NIV But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

C2 Words: Revelation 16:11 WEL And blasphemed the God of heaven, because of their intense pain and ulcers, but they did not repent of their deeds.

B4 The penalty for breaking God’s laws is death.

C1 The penalty is compared to a paycheck: I work and my payment is death. Romans 6:23 WEL For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

C2 The one who sins will die: Ezekiel 18:4 BSB Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.

C3 The body dies and becomes compost: Genesis 3:19 NIV By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.

C4 The soul is punished for eternity: Matthew 25:46 NRSV And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

What is the solution?

B1 Truth. For any addiction, we must acknowledge that we are addicted. We must acknowledge the truth about us. We are addicted. Regarding sin, we have sinned.

B2 God sends light for us to understand that we have sinned. He shed this light, this understanding, over us by the Holy Spirit, who initiates salvation.

B3 We must confess, that is, agree with God’s opinion about us.

B4 Believe and trust into Jesus Christ.

B5 Live by His grace.

What Can We Learn?

B1 All of us have an addiction. This addiction is sin.

B2 Sin is breaking God’s law.

B3 Breaking God’s law requires punishment.

B4 Punishment is physical death, spiritual, and eternal death.

B5 Someone must be punished. It is either me for my sin, or a substitute.

B6 The only substitute is the Son of Man, Jesus Christ.

B7 He requires agreement that we are sinners, acknowledging He is the only savior, and trust in Him for forgiveness of sin.

B8 There is a Christian life to live.

B9 There is a hope for heaven after death and a sin free world coming in the future.

B10 Our only hope is Jesus Christ.

How To Evangelize False Christians

Here is a great video. She gets right to the point. Fake Christians are among us. Highly recommended.

A Changed Life

This is a brief about a man named Louis Zamperini. He was full of bitterness and rage. He was torn up with addictions to alcohol. He rage had affected his marriage. All this came about in part because of the severe abuse he suffered as a Japanese prisoner of war. Here is part of his story. Read the full article here: Louis Zamperini's Story of Survival and Redemption.

When 94-year-old Louis Zamperini opened his mailbox a few months ago, he found a letter he will always treasure.

"Dear Louis," wrote Billy Graham, "My associate read me parts of the new book about you yesterday. What a life you have lived. What a description you have in the book of your conversion to Christ in 1949, and the great part that [your wife] Cynthia played in it, which I was aware of, but not in such detail. I had tears in my eyes and praise in my heart for what God has done through you."

Mr. Graham's letter is one of thousands that have poured into Zamperini's mailbox since the release of the New York Times No. 1 bestseller "Unbroken." The story about Zamperini's remarkable journey from Olympic runner to World War II hero has been hailed by TIME magazine as the best nonfiction book of the year.

And Billy Graham isn't just a consumer of "Unbroken," he plays a pivotal role in the book.

As his letter said, the year was 1949. The city: Los Angeles. Louis Zamperini was adrift and struggling with alcoholism and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following savage abuse as a prisoner of war in Japan. Cynthia was ready to saddle him with divorce papers.

It was around…

Some say there cannot be a change as this but there is such a change as mentioned in the article. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17, EMTV).

Changing the political scene does very little if anything, but when God changes the person into a new creation, then society changes.