See!

S. Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe. John 20:27

O. Jesus is back! Yeah and he just appears in the locked room? Then he says to this guy here is my hands and side? SEE! Open your eyes! Stop it, stop doubting, start believing, NOW!

A. I want to clear my eyes to see Him clearly! I need to give up "things" that are clouding my vision of who Christ is!

P. Jesus, let me see you clearly! I know that you are the man and that you want the best for me. Help me with me being me. Have patients with me. Love me more and more! PLEASE, let me not doubt and believe! Let me see who you are. Let me see who you want me to be. Let me see you clearly!

I love boys!

Just wanted to let you know:)

Thanks for struggles.

S: Then Jesus told him,"Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen me and yet have believed." John 20:29

O: Jesus is making it clear that there will be many people who will not get to know him in flesh, yet will still choose to believe in him.

A: Jesus know how hard it will be for us to believe. I need to realize that Jesus knows what are struggles will be, even before we struggle with them.

P: Keep me close to you. Let the struggles come so that you may be glorified. Thank you for putting hard times in my life, so that I may see your power as you alone take care of them.

You choose

S: "Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. 'Don't you realize I have the power to either free you or crucify you?' John 19:10

O: Pilate tries to exhibit his power over Jesus, but Jesus yells him that he has no power, unless it was given from above. AKA God!

A: I need to stop pretending that I have any say in what God chooses to do. I can pray, but He knows what is best.

P: Let me give my choices and decisions to you. You have overcome the world, I'm positive you can handle my life!

The Man

S. Pilate said to them, "Here is the man." John 19:5

O. Ok, so Pilate wasn't giving him a compliment when he said here is the man! But that's how I want to read it! That's how I see it, that Jesus is the man! Jesus was the man! And He will forever be the man!

A. I want to be the man! I want to live my life like Jesus. I want to serve how he served. I want to love people like he loves people!

P. Jesus, make me more like you!


ps...my Jesus DOES NOT look like this guy!

The Word of God, The Word of Men

S. Let the prophets who have dreams tell their dreams, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully . . . "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? . . . "Therefore," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me . . . But you must not mention 'a message from the LORD' again, because everyone's own word becomes a message from God. So you distort the words of the living God, the LORD Almighty, our God. - Jeremiah 23:28, 29, 30, 36 (TNIV)

O. God has some harsh words for the prophets and priests. It has become their practice to marvel at each others dreams, words, and ideas. They go on repeating these dreams, words, and ideas to anyone who will listen. Clearly they had an audience. These were words the people welcomed and praised them for. God's words have a specific result; it is a fire and hammer to the stubborn hearts of people.

A. Jesus, how are my words? Am I speaking what you talk to me about? Or do I simply repeat the dreams, words, and ideas of others? It is certainly tempting to re-use the words of other pastors. They range from simple, wise, powerful, to unique. They certainly sound good and seem to be helpful. Even my own words sound pretty good from time to time. I want to speak your words and teach your Word. I hear Jesus asking me to "turn now, each of you" . . . in other words, follow through on the time of personal revival so that I would be certain where my strength, words, and actions come from.

P. Here we go Jesus. I want to make a renewed commitment to Prayer, Purity, and Purpose. Help me Jesus in my unbelief. Continue to correct and discipline me through your word.

No Of This World

S. "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." John 18:37

O. Jesus likes it when you agree with him Pilate is asking??? telling??? him that he is the king. Then Jesus drops some knowledge on him by sayin that was the reason for him being born! To bring truth! And he brought it! Then he ends it by reinforcing that he is the TRUTH!

A. I want to listen to Jesus more and more! To be in the center of his truth and will is where I want to be. His only reason for coming and being the king was to bring truth...I want to live in the truth! I want to be known for the truth and living the way God wants me to and have nothing come between that.

P. Please make me a man of truth. A man that listens to your words and does something. A man that jumps at opportunities to speak your name and tell our story. Lord give me wisdom, patients, love and truth!

Like a pregnant woman!

S: So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. John 16:22

O: Jesus is comparing child birth to his coming. It is painful and hard, but after it is so worth it and something to be proud of!

A: I, like a pregnant woman, need to be ready and expecting pain. I need to understand that soon joy will come.

P: Help me hold onto that. Help me to remember you are coming and that it'll be ok soon!

A Call to Personal Revival

S. Therefore this is what the LORD says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them. I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you," declares the LORD. Jeremiah 15:19-20 (TNIV)

O. In Jeremiah 15:15-18 we see Jeremiah's trust, devotion, delight, and frustration with God. He longs for God's presence and work in the midst of a religious system and nation that has turned its back on God. Verse 19 is the foundation of God's prescription for Jeremiah. Personal revival.

A. I have been confronted by three ideas lately. Prayer... through the difficulty of circumstances and the movement of prayer at CBC. Purpose... a consistent reminder about avoiding Pharisaical living. In other words, to love justice, mercy, and walk humbly with God. Purity... a call to holiness. I came across www.theburningheartcontract.com last night which summarized these things into those words. It also has a possible track for a 21 day personal revival. Then I read the verses above today about personal revival. I definitely hear Jesus calling me to a new season of life with him. I am worried about not being faithful for the 21 days, and whether, if I make it, it really makes a difference. I think I am going to start next Monday.

P. Jesus, thanks for speaking so clearly through people, circumstances, your Word, and your Spirit. I hear you calling me to restoration and revival. Thank you for the example of the students meeting in D.C. for prayer and fasting. Help me see clearly the things that may cause me to trip up in the next 25 days.

Plant it!

S: Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:4

O: Jesus is reinforcing the fact that the disciples need him. They can not mature spiritually with out him.

A: I want to grow spiritually, so I need to constantly be remaining in Him.

P: Help me to grow spiritually by remaining in you.

My Life is Not My Own

S. LORD, I know that people's lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps. Discipline me, LORD, but only in due measure— not in your anger, or you will reduce me to nothing. Jeremiah 10:23-24 (TNIV)

O. Jeremiah is clear in his mind that his life is not his own. God is the expert on him and his life, so Jeremiah trusts him to direct his steps.

A. My life is not my own. It is not for me to set up my calendar. It is not for me to determine how I spend my money. It is not for me to set the agenda for a meeting. It is not for me to shape my relationships. It is for me to follow Jesus' lead!

P. Lord, no one likes discipline when going through it. But Lord I am confident that it will be good. And I want to learn how to have you direct my steps. So teach me, discipline me, and care for me.

Speak through me.

S: The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father living in me, who is doing His work. John 14:10b

O: Jesus is explaining how He and the Father are one being.

A: I know Gods words must be powerful if Jesus, who is sinless, says his words are from God. I want to be just like Jesus! I want everything I say to reflect God for He is good.

P: Thank you for being good. Help me to learn your ways and to listen to your words so that I may glorify you.

Um...... Ok.

S: He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." "No," said Peter, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." John 12:6-8

O: Jesus humbled himself to be a blessing to his followers, and they resisted him.

A: I need to trust God because he sees more than I can. I also need to learn to say OK Lord, so that He may be glorified.

P: I know I struggle when I don't know why things are happening. Help me to take comfort in you, who knows all things. Let me be able to just say "Yes!"

Hate Life!

S: The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12:25

O: Jesus says that it is a must to not be loving life... But what about taking like as a gift? Should it be disregarded and hated?

A: I need to love the things that are from God and not from this earth.

P: Help me to discern against different things. Show me what is good and from you.

It's all for You.

S: When He heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified though it." John 11:4

O: Jesus doesn't give up! He knows the reasons behind everything, and just has to remind people of that sometimes.

A: We can't give up either. Everything is for the glory of God! No matter what pain or anything else we are going through, everything becomes worth it when God is glorified.

P: Let us remember You. Tet us remember You have the power in all things and that all things need to be for You, and You alone!

Cry Baby;(

S. Jesus wept. John 11:35

O. There are so many people that see Jesus not as a man. Not as someone that feels what we feel. Not someone that knows pain. HE WEPT! Not cried, but wept. That is deep loss felt by Jesus for a friend.

A. I want to be everything that Jesus is. More and more I read from this guy, He is so good! Money! He cares for people, loves his friends and wants to heal the hurting. 

P. Let me be open and transparent! Let me put my pride aside and show feelings. Give me chances to be Jesus to people everyday that I am alive. STrengthen me, give me wisdom, let me care, let me love and everything else I need. Equip me as I read your word.

He is with me.

S: "They will fight against you but they will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you," Declares the Lord. Jeremiah 1:19

O: God is making a promise to Jeremiah as he is unsure about all of the coming events God is preparing him for.

A: God is preparing a road for me, including people to talk to and different things to do... I need to take God's promise, and to take courage in it.

P: Help me to be courageous, to follow your guiding wherever you want to take me. Help me to hear your voice.

Everyday!

S. They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to  the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyday they continued to meet together in the temple courts. Acts 2:42&46

O. The early church had it. They got it. They wanted it. That's how you become a true community , by meeting everyday. By eating together and praying together!

A. I want to lead our church, students, into meeting everyday. To be connected is what we need. I love eating together so I want to have more people over! That's why I love church so much:)

P. God give me the vision for what you want me to do with this. Give me a laser vision and let me execute it. Let people see the good and be inspired to love you more.

Morning by Morning

S. The Lord within her is righteous, he does no wrong. Morning by morning he dispenses his justice and every new day he does not fail, yet the unrighteous know no shame. Zephaniah 3:5

O. Sometimes  the truth is so truthful. Open your eyes and see! God looks at you as new each day and wants to pour himself on you. Morning by morning. That's so assuring and comforting.

A. I want to be blessed daily by his words. I want to be aware of shame when I'm wrong. I want to wake up tomorrow and see what God will do with me!

P. God renew me daily! Make me new. I want to live right and have you just pour yourself on me. I want to be  a blessing to you. god let me love and be the best Jesus I can be!

Am I a disciple?

S: To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold my teaching, you are really my disciples." John 8:31

O: Jesus was talking to the crowd and some people easily came to God as He spoke.

A: 'If you hold my teaching, you are really my disciples.' There are MANY times in my life that I don't stick to God's path. It is clear here that to be considered a disciple I need to be constantly working to be on Gods path!

P: Help me to always desire to be right with you. I want to be your disciple, for I know that you are more than worth anything this earth could ever offer.