Devotional Notes Psalm 126+John 14

Blogging will be rather sporadic as we are selling the house and moving.

MORNING

Psalm 126

B1 What does this mean?

C1 We can’t but help to praise God when prayers are answered. Are we thankful?

C2 Praising and thanking God also gives witness to His goodness.

C3 The laughter of the ransomed: — God's glorious deliverance always seems too wonderful to be real. Even the apostle who finds his fetters dropped off and his dungeon door swung open, is like unto them that dream: "he wist not that it was true, but thought he saw a vision." So in modern times, when Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, the abolitionist, heard that the long fight was at last finished and every slave on British soil was a free man, he broke out instinctively into the joyful verse: "Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing." (T. H. Darlow.) as found in Bible Illustrator—Old Testament.

B2 How do I apply this to my life?

EVENING

John 14

B1 What does this mean?

C1 Jesus Comforts His Disciples

D1 Comfort is a character trait of God.

E1 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 BBE Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort; Who gives us comfort in all our troubles, so that we may be able to give comfort to others who are in trouble, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

E2 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 WPNT Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope, by grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good word and work.

D2 Verse 2 speaks of our citizenship in heaven and home

E1 Philippians 3:20 NKJV For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

E2 Home for our soul/spirit: 2 Corinthians 5:1-2 NKJV For we know that if our earthly house, [this] tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven,

E3 Home, a specific place. Heaven is where God’s throne is. The New Jerusalem comes from heaven. It is a special city. Revelation 21:2 ESV And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

C2 Jesus and the Father Are One

D1 God’s being one refers to His essence, the stuff that God is. God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are of one essence. They are three persons. Jesus is stating that He is God the Son.

D2 Verse 12: Clarke comments: Perhaps the greater works refer to the immense multitudes that were brought to God by the ministry of the apostles. By the apostles was the doctrine of Christ spread far and wide; while Christ confined his ministry chiefly to the precincts of Judea. It is certainly the greatest miracle of Divine grace to convert the obstinate, wicked heart of man from sin to holiness. This was done in numberless cases by the disciples, who were endued with power from on high, while proclaiming remission of sins through faith in his blood.

D3 Verse 13, obviously not everything. If we ask to walk on water or flap our arms to fly, it won’t happen. This verse is to be understood the way the Apostle John did: 1 John 5:14 ESV And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

C3 The Promise of the Coming Comforter

D1 15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.” We can either obey God or our sinful passions.

D2 Comforter

E1 The Greek word has the idea of advocate, pleader, intercessor (Abbot-Smith) but also so in Rabbinic lit., פְּרַקְלִיטָא), "a friend of the accused person, called to speak to his character, or otherwise enlist sympathy in his favour" (Abbot-Smith)

E2 Also used in John 14:16; 26; 15:26; and 16:7.

D3 Note how Jesus gives strong promises of His return. It is soon. Come, Lord Jesus.

D4 Verse 21 is one test for us if we are believers. No one is sinless, except Jesus, but we can with the grace of the Holy Spirit do God’s will as taught in the New Testament. Doing God’s will is in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds.

D5 Verse 26 primarily applies to the 12 Apostles of Christ. God does help us also when He brings a verse to mind, etc.

B2 How do I apply this to my life? Lord, by your grace give all believers comfort and wisdom.

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.