I started a new notebook yesterday. I don’t use anything fancy, just a composition book that I can get for about $.50. I don’t keep them. I don’t re-read them or go through them once I have finished them. But I use them to write down my thoughts with my bible studies. I also take notes for the books I am reading and the random thoughts I have while I am reading. When I am done, I put the information in better places. I rarely keep my writing around on paper. I have lost so many things, I just don’t see a reason to keep it. I like things to be easy.
When I get into the word, I use a format from the last church I attended. They called it SOAP. Each day they have a list of readings. Yesterday I read Jeremiah 18-20, Psalm 93 and John 17. The idea is to read all the parts of the bible on the list and then the scriptures that stand out to you, you are supposed to write down the Scripture, make and Observation, Apply it to your life and and Pray about it.
Yesterday the verses that stood out to me were: John 17:7-9
“Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. I pray for them, I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.”
This scripture is Jesus talking to God. It is coming close to the His time to be captured and crucified and He is becoming more intense. It is scary to follow through with our plans sometimes, especially when it is to die for the world. What caught my attention was that Jesus said He did not pray for the world because they were not given to Him, but only for the ones that were given to Him and were God’s.
This concept that many are called but few are chosen has tripped me up before. I have questioned God before and since I am not going to church right now and I don’t have an elder to question, I only have the Holy Spirit to ask.
I tend to skip scrutinizing scripture before I pray and just jump in with Jesus in prayer. I have seen other people break apart scripture beforehand but I don’t see any reason to leave Him out of the process:
Jesus if You do not pray for the world than do You not help everyone, even though You created them all? How does this affect how I am to love my neighbor if they are not chosen? I believe You are the Son of God and I am Yours and I thank You. Please help me understand.
Now the second part of my bible study is whatever devotional I am carrying around at the time. Right now I am using Live in Grace Walk in Love a 365 Day Journey by Bob Goff.
The scripture for yesterday was Luke 9:17
So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of leftovers were taken up by them.
When I read the devotional I tend to read the scripture and treat it the same as the SOAP scripture. I ponder it and let it sink in and pray through it, and then I read what the author has to say about the scripture but I was stumped this time. I found myself saying, “Now what are you talking about Bob?”
When I am this situation I just read what the author was trying to lead me to. Of course that scripture is taking about when Jesus fed the 5,000 with just a few fish and a few loaves of bread and then took up tons of leftovers. Jesus didn’t take a second to differentiate between chosen and unchosen people. He loved and fed everyone that was there. That was the point of the message. And that was the answer to my question about my neighbor.
It is not my job to worry about if my neighbor is chosen or not. It is my job to love them.
Thank You Jesus for making it easy for me to understand.
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Christian, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Christian…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
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