I remember vividly a late July evening the summer our girls turned one. Each cradling a twin babe, my husband and I hurried toward Sunday night church when a rush of warm, forceful wind came out of nowhere and stopped us in our tracks. It swirled violently all around us, but as I tried to hold my girl closer, she pushed away in pure delight. She strained toward the invisible gust of air and tried to capture it, belly-laughing even as it caught her breath.
Mysteries abound here in the physical world, don’t they? Over time, science has illuminated some of them, sure, but to live a life of faith often calls us to embrace the mystery of our creator God.
Those who walked with Jesus when He walked the earth, who breathed the same air, got to look at Him face-to-face. They could reach out and touch Him as easily as I’m touching the keys of my laptop right now. And Nicodemus had the privilege of hearing God’s plan for salvation under the singular gaze of God in the flesh.
A Pharisee whose heart had not grown hard, Nicodemus was seeking to reconcile his knowledge of the Old Testament scriptures with the Messiah who stood before Him. He asked the same question so many of us have asked: How in the world can a fully grown human be born again? (John 3:4).
In the stillness of the night, Jesus’s answer is kind yet challenges Nicodemus: “Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (vv.7–8). In other words, if we can so easily accept the nature of the invisible wind created by God, there is room for understanding the work of the Holy Spirit.
The Father did not hold back in giving us His beloved Son, who lived, died, and continues to love as we never could, “so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Our limited minds want proof of a limitless love and the power of the Spirit to save. But the reality of something so momentous can’t be contained and explained. God’s love is a mystery that comes to life. It is a force of the natural and supernatural worlds, whispering, and wooing us to open our eyes and our hearts to His unfathomable goodness (Psalm 34:8).
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114 thoughts on "The One and Only Son"
This is so good and made me reflect again on God’s word’s to Nicodemus and made me think of my faith. So good. ❤️
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Amen and amen ❤️
Loved verse 34, that Christ “gives the Spirit without measure.”
Love this. Jesus has come as a light to the world, to help us and not condemn us, having our deeds be plainly illuminated before God. So thankful for Jesus taking my place on the cross
I love this so much! I sharing this to my friend who is a non believer!!
So true!
No Limit Love ♥️ He must increase; I must decrease
No Limit Love ♥️
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There is no love greater than his love.
A good reminder to have faith and trust in God the creator.
God welcomes our questions. He wants to teach and guide us the same way we teach and guide our children.
he must increase; i must decrease
Amen, so good! We can’t comprehend His love!
God’s love is limitless, why do we or l seem to apply limits? Reading today I was reminded of just how great His Love is for me. Reading these scriptures today swelled my heart. ❤️
So much good stuff:
-He must increase, I must decrease.
I know the truths that matter, even in the unknown!
God gives and gives and gives.
I’ve always felt it’s so freeing to know that we don’t have to (and can’t) explain everything. Some things are just too far beyond what we can comprehend.
Thank You Jesus for dying for me
Nicodemus reminds us that God isn’t afraid of our questions. It’s ok to go before God humbly asking Him what something means and/or to deepen your understanding of something.
I am so grateful to God that His wrath doesn’t remain on me because of Jesus! God give me a heart for the lost. Your plan doesn’t stop in my life with my own salvation. How might you be calling me to share this sweet Gospel with others so that Your wrath may not remain on them, too?
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Thank you, Lauren! This is really helpful and ministers to my soul. Prayers are so powerful, but I believe that prayers from someone else walking through it carry extra weight. Thank you! And may good bless your husband with healing and hope!
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He must increase and I must decrease. ❤️
Lord, thank you that this free gift of life is available not because of my works, but because of Your love. Please open our eyes to that love today. Amen.
He must increase, I must decrease. Such powerful words
I think my post cut off early- said I’m praying that you’ll feel Gods presence in a hard and lonely time and you’ll feel him healing you bit by bit
K Swenson- I will be praying for you. I have been walking through PTSD with my husband for the past year or so and thus have a lot of empathy for others in this boat.
When I was in school, one of my psych professors said, “the path to healing is nonlinear.” I keep thinking back to that and how true it is. With my husband (and others I’ve walked with), he’ll do better, we’ll feel hopeful, then something will trigger him and we feel like we take 2 steps back and the whole family needs time to recover. For me it’s helpful to look at the whole journey and believe that on average, things are getting better.
Regardless, praying that you feel god walking with you in a hard and lonely place and that you feel him healing your heart bit by bit
K Swenson- I will be praying for you. I have been walking through PTSD with my husband for the past year or so and thus have a lot of empathy for others in this boat.
When I was in school, one of my psych professors said, “the path to healing is nonlinear.” I keep thinking back to that and how true it is. With my husband (and others I’ve walked with), he’ll do better, we’ll feel hopeful, then something will trigger him and we feel like we take 2 steps back and the whole family needs time to recover. For me it’s helpful to look at the whole journey and believe that on average, things are getting better.
K Swenson- I will be praying for you. I have been walking through PTSD with my husband for the past year or so and thus have a lot of empathy for others in this boat.
Our limited minds want proof of a limitless love. This is a hard truth to admit, but is so relatable. I find myself so often in all aspects of life searching for proof, or a reason.. I tell myself I have to know why or how.. it is so difficult to release that control or desire and give the power to a mystery. I was raised to believe in God, but was not raised in church. I’m not 28, and since high school I have wandered to a from the Bible, attempting to read it like a textbook, looking for the how and the why and the understanding… and I have yet to find it. I was baptized and joined a church 6 years ago now and when I told my preacher that I wanted to be baptized, I also told him, “but I don’t think I’m ready”. He asked me why, and I told him I didn’t know.. my mind is programmed to want answers, and the truth is, the answers are limitless and far beyond human understanding. I’m still trying to come to grips with that. Thank you for this message. It was so relatable.
@churchmouse, I feel the same way. John 3:17 has always been the more powerful verse for me. It’s very convicting, especially since I fell out of my walk with God when I was in high school. I spent 6-7 years away from God, denouncing his existence, and yet He pursued me, the lost sheep, over and over. He doesn’t care that I strayed away; He welcomed me back with open arms despite all my many bad choices.
I am praying for your friends and for you, let His word comfort your soul. Your light shines through your words of compassion for those you cared about.
Praying for you Emily and Samantha and many others here tonight. So happy to hear Traci slept. Loved todays devotion and scriptures. Kristin, thank you for sharing the u tube link – the pastor preached to just a few people and saved that one person / so beautiful and amazing to witness and watch someone believe and not fear.
Thank you Kelly and others for praying for my nephew Brandon. My sister learned that he was in jail over Christmas but was released. We assume drugs and don’t know where he is. His baby boy James will stay with foster mom (retired nurse) / she will be his guardian permanently judge ruled. James had so many issues and surgeries and needs foster mom and she loves him so much.
EMILY DAFOE – praying that the Lord will be the strength you need. Praying your husband’s colonoscopy went well too
ANGIE, thank you for your prayers. I feel so loved. I really have no words as how special you made me feel.
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Oh Blessed Beth such beautiful words. I also donated my kidney to Tanner. Your daughter gave an amazing gift.
It always amazes me of how many saints (like John) got in trouble for their faith. They were arrested, or suffered through many traumas because they preached Jesus (but out of that came a lot of conversions to Christianity). Despite all that, at the end of their life, they still reaffirmed their faith in God. So many times today, people are willing to let go of their faith for something so small. I hope that we, like John, and many other saints, can still come back to God in the end
Ruth Long- Yes! I too am seeing The Chosen scenes going through the readings! I just love that series so much, I have watched them through the end about 4 or 5 times! You catch so much each time! I bought a sweatshirt to help support the show!
TRACI G— first, yeay for sleep!!! Second, I think you answered correctly. God never leaves us, we leave Him. I think accepting God into our life is a very personal decision. I grew up in a Christian home and accepted Christ as a child, but then I was so rebellious about religion because my grandma made it stifling (ie— “Watch it, the saints are watching. And if you don’t stop fidgeting [while in church] You’ll end up in purgatory.” I was 7 when I started hearing stuff this like this). Anyhow, i was away from God in mind and body, and it wasn’t until 2007 that I came back with a repentant heart. I just asked God to forgive me for straying and turning my back on him. But it was a personal experience wit God.
Yes! He makes us complete.
I met my natural mother in February 1988. I found out I had 2 brothers and a sister. My sister called recently to share with me about The wonderful experience of being born again!❣️She is so happy and blessed Her description is so beautifully personal, just like Jesus Christ is.
Thank you for sharing about The Wind. Our listening to other podcasts today, Our Lord mentions His breath surrounds us in those precious moments when we feel His glorious breath upon us. He is so personal and like you said ‘This joy of mine is complete’
Taste and see that the Lord is good. God’s love is a mystery come to life. Amen and Amen
Yes!!!
As someone who has been known to want to know absolutely everything, the notion that there are things about God I am just unable to fathom really frustrated me. I was able to comprehend that God is bigger than my humanistic thinking, but why would He want to keep things from me? With lots of prayer and maturing, I realized that there is a comfort in not knowing everything, especially about the Lord. If I knew all there was to know about Him, what would the point of my faith be? I am thankful to know what I know,and to continue to learn what He wants/needs me to know. What a beautiful mystery indeed! Have a wonderful day, ladies!
YES !!!
Yes, John 3:16 is one of the first verses I and many of us memorized but it wasn’t until a few years back when I started with She Reads Truth that in one of the comments (I don’t remember whose) that John 3:17 is just as important. John 3:17, “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.” and I have to agree. John 3 goes on to say that if I/we believe I/we am/are saved through the Eternal Light of Christ without judgement but non-believers have been judged and are in the darkness of evil. Until I started with SRT I never really dove into the surrounding Bible verses. We need to let this Eternal Light of Christ shine BRIGHT and spread it THROUGH OUT the world.
Sisters be blessed and let that Light for Christ SHINE BRIGHT.
Emily I am praying foe you right now.
Thank you for your encouragement, Rachel! & I have heard of that book before but never actually read it. I will definitely be checking it out!
Kelly, thank you for posing the question about “we” in verse 11! I had not even noticed the plural pronouns there! The commentaries that I have either don’t mention it at all or suggest that it might refer to Jesus speaking on behalf of His disciples in particular or His followers in general who will bear witness after Him. However, I tend to lean toward the entire theme of witness in the book of John (since Jesus is talking about witness/testify, depending on your translation). In chapter 5, the subject of bearing witness comes up again and it is John the Baptist, Jesus’ works, the Father, and the the Scriptures that testify about Jesus. In chapter 8 the subject comes up again and Jesus says that the Father testifies about Him. So I think the book as a whole supports that when Jesus says “we testify to what we have seen,” He is most likely referring to this collective testimony of the Trinity, the Scriptures, and the works that He is doing.
Praying, Emily!
As I sit here, I look at some art we have in our living room. It is called the Names of Jesus, and I wish I could post a picture! There are 54 names and references to the Biblical passages they come from. They help me remember, JENNIFER LOVES JESUS, that I need to let the world blur and focus on what He has done. I pray that I can decrease and let Him increase! So glad that you were able to sleep last night, TRACI! Have a blessed day, She’s!
Once again I have to stop and thank God for the comments of this community. I have read every word of every post this morning and found faith-full and hope filled inspiration everywhere. I wish I could shout out to all those who specifically touched my spirit but the list would be too long! God’s sweet blessings on you all.
SAMANTHA years ago, I stood in a similar place. Knowing change was coming and needed but paralyzed with fear at what God might require if I said “yes.” He led me to an old book “Hinds Feet on Hight Places” (do you know it?) and used it to crack my will and bring me to my knees. I said yes and spoiler alert: He was so good and so faithful and His plan was beyond anything I could have imagined. Step out in confident faith, sister. He has good things for you. xo
In this world of social media and comparison, I was struck by John’s humility and single mindedness. He wasn’t jealous or resentful when people started to follow Jesus. He knew his lane and he stayed in it. Not totally certain, but there might just be a lesson in this for me :P Praying for all the needs and hurting bodies and hearts this morning.
Praying for you, Emily Dafoe!
Yes!
Yes, Ruth Long! I definitely have been! Going through the first season now and just watched the Nicodemus episode 2 nights ago
Yes!!
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Is anyone else seeing the chosen scenes play in their heads as they read? I am!
I don’t think I ever noticed that Jesus is talking to Nicodemus when he speaks the John 3:16 verse. I am always amazed how I miss so many little details in passages of scripture. I thank the Holy Spirit for constantly revealing new things to me!
Can you pray for me. I was diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago and after four surgeries just feeling weary. I have a fever today and can’t tell if it’s a breast infection or covid or something else. I need to get back to work. Hard year. Ty!
♥️ this point, Churchmouse! Thank you for sharing.
It’s that whispering in the Wind that gives me hope. I am not forgotten. I know that to be true. Even when it feels like it, I know I’m not alone.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…” God loves us so much, He freely offers us so much, and yet sadly, there are still many who reject Him.
Yesterday was an extremely hard day for me. It began at 6:00 in the morning with a call that a dear friend who had been in the hospital for two weeks battling complications due to covid, passed away. Then half way through the day I learned that a dear neighbor friend had passed away on New Year’s Eve with undisclosed reasons of how. My friend Don who died from covid was a vibrant believer and servant of God. I grief that he was taken from his family and this world still “young” at age 65, but rejoice because I know he is in heaven. My neighbor friend, to my knowledge did not know the Lord as his Savior. He was in his early 40’s, I am overwhelmed with grief because he was lost and has no more opportunity for salvation. Compound that with the news that my dearest friend – lost her mother suddenly this past week and the news that Jay Weaver, the bassist for the Christian group Big Daddy Weave passed away from covid.
This world is so full of sadness and death. But I can’t let my mind rest there. I must meditate on all of God’s goodness, His love, His provision of a Savior. I must also remember, this world is not my home – heaven, my real home – awaits. One day there will be no more sorrow, pain, tears, or goodbyes (Revelation 21:4) I must continuously praise Him for the promise of eternal life! No matter how much darkness is in the World, Jesus is the Light! And God is good – all the time, His way is perfect, He does what pleases Him! (Psalm 18;30; Psalm 115:3)
Please pray for my friends as they grieve, that God will give them comfort and peace, and that God would use me to minister to them and be a light to the lost.
This wonderful passage of Scripture prompts me to ask for prayer today: In a card I mailed to a former employer who is in hospice care with cancer, I expressed that I hope he knows Jesus as his LORD and Savior. Please pray that God prepares this man’s heart to receive that message with an open mind and not discard it. This was a bold move for me but I felt the opportunity might slip away and strongly felt the Holy Spirit urging me to do that. Please pray also for his physical needs as he has been ill for a long time. Thanks so much!
TRACI G, I’m so glad you got some good sleep and pray it continues. Praying for you through these days!
Our local book club read Medicine Walk by Richard Wagamese in November. There’s a part in it, where the young native man and his white adopted father are talking about faith. Neither are particular religious, but the father says, “There’s worse ways to live than stopping to thank the mystery for the mystery.”
I really resonate with that, in regards to today’s reading. “I thank The Mystery for His mystery.”
I had forgotten that John 3:16 was connected to the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Love reading through John, being reminded and refreshed.
TRACI GENDRON – continuing to pray for you and so happy you were able to rest. I agree with others that your answer to your friend was exactly right. When we step away or turn our backs on Christ, He is waiting, calling, encouraging our return to Him. As far as action needed, I believe that sincere repentance (of straying, sins, thoughts, etc.) brings down the barriers we’ve put up and allows us to focus on our relationship with Christ, to draw closer and know Him better. Our willingness to return to Him … The Perry’s (southern gospel) song “If You Knew Him” from several years back comes to mind, a verse that says
If you’re wandering in the darkness
Come and step into the light.
Nail scarred hands reach out to help you,
To pull you safe from death to life.
Friend, I, too, have stood where you stand.
Couldn’t trust in things unseen,
Just one step in His direction,
Then in Love, He ran to me!
Praying, JENNIFER FICKLEN, for your son, girlfriend and baby through this process, that the consequences he’s facing will be appropriate, that forgiveness is given and that your son’s faith doesn’t waiver.
SISSY – praying for your friend’s husband
I love how we’re digging deep into the book of John. I’ve studied it before, but it seems all new again. Thankful for the comments today. Blessings and hugs to all of you sisters. ❤️
John 3:16 is the first verse I memorized. I was a child then but I have never forgotten it. I memorized that verse before I was saved and truly understood it’s meaning. It’s so simple and easy that even a child can get it. I love that God made the way to be with Him easy enough for a child to follow. Why do adults make it seem so complicated?
Samantha— all He asks us to do is believe in Him. That’s it. All you will be called to give up is those things that separate you from God. Pray for discernment and clarity that the Holy Spirit shows you what that is. I am praying that as you go deeper in your knowledge, your family will be moved to follow along. Think baby steps as you bring your family into this journey. The more your learn, share that with them.
I believe it is talked about the Trinity. It’s Jesus replying and He refers to We..
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It such a know it all world today with the internet and google, I think there’s a lot of wisdom in realizing “I will never know everything and that’s kind of the point.”
I’m just reminded that I have to die to myself to be born again. The me I was before knowing Christ is gone and buried and a new me has risen in place.
His way are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) Praying for the Holy Spirit to grow my mind and heart to know God and trust Him deeper still.
I love seeing God’s sacrificial love so highlighted in today’s passages. How is the Lord calling me to love sacrificially is something I will be pondering and praying about today
Understanding everything fully isn’t the goal, but trusting without limits is. Just because we aren’t able to fully comprehend all that God is and all that He does, doesn’t make it any less true. Praying that the Holy Spirit will grow my mind and heart to know God and trust Him deeper still.
Understanding everything fully isn’t the goal, but trusting without limits is.
Also, if you want to watch a beautiful rendition of this encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus, the series The Chosen does it beautifully.
Times when I feel the wrestling and strain of being so captivated by God and yet so dismayed at happenings in the physical world I come away stronger. Because of Jesus. I hold onto him and he gives me capacity to hold more for Him. Like Jacob wrestling with God, he held on until God blessed him. Once I realized and remember Who was and is worthy of my focus, the world blurs a little, and I can walk in the strength of His Spirit. In the world but not of the world. Adopt and chosen because I heard His call, and I keep listening. I can see the Kingdom of God because I’ve been born again. Such a good reminder that I can see Him because I believe in Who He Is. I want to be the light so others can be drawn to the difference in ways I walk and help them come Truth
John’s obedience to be of humbly service remind me that status here on earth is not the goal. My purpose is to take pride in serving the lord and witnessing him to others through that sweat humility. Shining the light before the king.
I love reading all you ladies’ thoughts and hearts around the readings. I’m relatively new here. Been following the reading online but just recently invested in the subscription box and am excited to go deeper.
Traci, I’m glad you slept last night. :) As for your question, I too was saved as a young person, and most of my screwups happened when I was older. I look at my life and I can still see God’s hand working even when I was disobeying him. I can still see the gifts he gave me during this time in my life. I think your response to your friend was true.
What stood out to me the most in this passage is that Jesus asks for our belief. Not that we shouldn’t do good works or try to do the best we can, but our salvation does not depend on that. If we genuinely believe he is the son of God who came to save us from our sins, our lives will reflect that, and we will want to do good works. But we can’t earn our way to heaven.
Today I pray for the humility to step into my weakness with honesty so that when I decrease the light and power of Christ may increase and be displayed through me. I pray for the strength to do good works while giving all the glory to the Lord. True humility takes great strength, I pray for the God given strength the be humble. I am reading a book by Richard Rohr called Everything Belongs that discusses the topic of spiritual growth that comes when we decrease. It is a difficult concept to embrace but recent life circumstances have thrown me into a pit. When you are in a pit you see your weakness clearly and Christ meets you there. Then you understand what it means that His power is made perfect in weakness and His grace is sufficient. Have a wonderful Thursday Shes ❤️ We are celebrating my son’s 11th Birthday here is snowy Michigan today with a snow day! Thanking God for this wonderful community and all the wisdom that is shared, you are all helping me on my journey to deepen my relationship with the Lord.
Today I pray for the humility to step into my weakness with honesty so that when I decrease the light and power of Christ may increase and be displayed through me. I pray for the strength to do good works while giving all the glory to the Lord. True humility takes great strength, I pray for the God given strength the be humble.
I love the simple childlike wonder of being caught up in beautiful mysteries, physical and spiritual. Asking for prayer – I recognize that God is summoning me to a deeper level of surrender than where I have been for the last 7 years (which was filled with intensive training/ full time work for a career path). I so want to be able to throw myself upon the mercy and grace of God with reckless abandon, but it is so difficult to overcome the fears of uncertainty. What will He ask me to do? What will I be called to give up? How will my family be affected? I cognitively know that above all else, God is good and can be fully trusted, but that knowledge has yet to grow deep roots in my lived out life. I would greatly appreciate prayers as I wrestle through these things!
I love the fact that John the Baptist is not jealous of Jesus but rather speaks God’s truth about who He is over and over again.
Follow the light and stay in it for God is and always has been with you not because you loved him but because He had ALWAYS
Follow and stay in the light in all darkness
Father increase my faith. In Jesus name, Amen
Traci- YAY for sleep… oh my word it’s the best… ;) So grateful you had rest and I pray it continues!
On your question- someone once responded to me on that very topic saying “Christ died that we would be saved. So if in our lives we come to a place where we begin to lose faith, what does He have to do- die again?” Meaning- we did NOTHING to save ourselves. Nothing. It was all on Christ. He tells us we are “sealed with the Holy Spirit” (eph. 1:13-14). I’d encourage you/your friend to just even Google verses about being sealed by the Holy Spirit. We can deafen our spiritual ears to the Spirit’s prompting in our lives but we have no power to kill it. Once we have received it, scripture tells us we don’t lose it. I pray your friend is encouraged but more than that I pray her husband finds his way back to the Father who hasn’t given up on him and back to the life that has been purposed for him :)
Love this Churchmouse! ❤️
I love the concept in verse 29 of John being a friend of the groom and how his fullness is complete in that. I do believe that Jesus desires to be close to all of us like that – as a friend and I’m JOY. But as the next verse states, we must decrease for that to be fulfilled. We must first focus on him and then find fulfillment that brings joy. It’s a choice, a simple one, but a constant one. And when we choose this life, Jesus welcomes us into that friendship.
I love where John shared about him being the best man to Jesus, where the ones that came to him in jealousy that Jesus was baptizing and everyone was going to him instead.
Traci – God is so good. Last night between 7-8 pm I spent some time praying for you specifically. God laid you on my heart. I am excited for how He will use your kind and tender heart, and the experiences you have had in your care for Tanner, for His kingdom. I also spent some time praising God for the fact that Tanner is with Him, whole, and new, and for the joy and completeness He is experiencing. Praise God for His renewal and rest.
Despite the disputes and comparison around him, John (the baptist) did not get distracted from his mission. He trusted God’s grace FOR him and IN him and THROUGH him. And his joy was made complete. Can I say the same for myself?
I find so much wonder in today’s scriptures.
Nicodemus was a part of the Jewish ruling council. Respected. Powerful. Rich. Also part of a group frustrated by this man, Jesus. Nicodemus goes to Jesus at night. Did he feel pressure from his peers?Was it the only time he had? He starts with what he knows…Nicodemus knows that only God has true power, and sees it in Jesus’ miracles. But what about Jesus, the man? Nicodemus knows there is a Messiah coming. Could Jesus be him? Jesus talks with Nicodemus about being born again, water and Spirit, the wind, and even (it seems to me) shares a little of His heart – the fact that it is not always possible for the earthly to understand the heavenly, and that He, the Son of Man would be lifted up.
Then in my Bible it switches from red letter to black. That is all the conversation we get of Jesus and Nicodemus. John 3:16 is the next verse. How beautiful is that? How amazingly HUGE is our God. We are reading about Jesus’ conversation in the New Testament, explaining what had been prophesied (in the OT), and then immediately ties to when John wrote the book of John and, the call for us today. Only God is that amazing!
And how loving, Jesus knew Nicodemus didn’t understand it all, and that was okay, he had a seeking heart and mind.
We don’t have to get everything. We just have to go to Jesus, declare Who we know Him to be, and ask for Him to show us more of Himself.
Eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to obey. Amen and amen.
Oh Traci I can feel the presence of the Lord in your words this morning. God has some amazing plans for you my dear. So often our strength come through our pain, so be prepared to open your arms and be engulfed in His. God has amazing ministries for each of us,
I lost my mother to ovarian cancer as a teenager, my daughters watched me go through it and survive. We found out it was genetic my daughters were tested, one was positive one negative. The positive daughter had the double mastectomy and hysterectomy. As she says my mother went to war and lost the battle, I went to war and won the battle, and she will not have to go to war. And now we each have a different understanding and compassion. And through out lives we gave strength to my other daughter who this year without hesitation gave a kidney. So there is a circle of God using each and everyone of us even though sometimes we feel unusable.
Open my eyes, ears, heart, and mind to welcome and share God’s love!
Good Morning! I saw a quick video that is under 4 minutes. This video has preacher, Paul Washer, talking about how he and a man went through the Scriptures and what happened after reading John 3:16 again! Here is a link: https://youtu.be/agQXVZ1cw2U
God’s Word is powerful and active for sure! He is amazing!
Prayers for you all today!
I love the image of her daughter delighting in the blowing wind. The mystery of God is so exciting and when the Holy Spirit is moving in our lives it is so much like that! My prayer is that I will always delight in that wind, dancing with it and that I will never be apprehensive of where it will take me!
In verse 11, “Truly I tell you [plural=religious leaders], we speak what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony.”
Who is the “we” Jesus is speaking of? The Scriptures and Himself? The Father, Spirit, and Himself? Commentaries lean toward the Trinity…what do you think?
Churchmouse, thank you and Amen
LISA MAY – I agree with the tension between seeing and believing you outlined yesterday. It perfectly described what faith is. The tension is still with us today. Will we have “eyes to see” the signs of God around us? When we do, our belief (faith) is made stronger. The journey from seeing to believing is a theme in John. Watch for it.
TRACI G – I believe the answer you gave your friend was valid…think the parable of the lost son. The father did not leave, the son did. The father was looking for the son’s return and welcomed him in when he did.
I’m glad you got your much-needed rest.
As much as I love John 3:16, it is John 3:17 that puts an exclamation point to vs. 16 for me. Jesus did not come to condemn but to save. No matter how far we’ve fallen, no matter the terrible choices we’ve made, we are not excluded from His kingdom if we believe. There is no “cancel culture” with Jesus. His arms are open wide. He doesn’t mind one bit if you get him all dirty when you fall into His embrace. He’s ecstatic that you’ve come to Him. And He has a new, white as snow robe just waiting for you. It’s the perfect fit.
I loved this reading. I had a conversation with a friend yesterday. Her husband said he accepted Christ when he was young and wondered if that was enough because he strayed. Did he need to ask God into his heart again? I have heard this question many times. I would love to hear what your thoughts are on this. I told her that God did not move away from him, but that her husband moved away. I’m wondering if I could have answered her in a better way.
Can you imagine what it was like to walk with Jesus?! To have him right in front of you as your teacher. I know that we have Him as well, but the thought of the physical Jesus teaching us is amazing. And I’m always in awe that God gave His one and only son for us. Again amazing! I know that God knows my grief in this way. Tanner was also 33. I think about Mary. She knew what was ahead of her. I’ve known since Tanner was 14 months old that I would outlive him. I also love John 3:29 He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine is complete. He must increase, but I must decrease. John was so humble. Humility seems to have disappeared in our world. I pray to remain humble. To remember the greatest gift we have in Jesus.
I want to thank TINA, HEIDI, RHONDA J, LISA Z, SUSAN C, AND CINDY H for your words and prayers. I’m so appreciative. I feel loved and cared for. And I slept last night!!