Category Archives: Daily Devotionals

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Spiritual Blindness

“And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:5).

Without a doubt, you have been here on more than one occasion. You begin sharing what God has done in your life with an unbeliever. You tell them about Jesus. You explain their inability to reach God on their own merit, and how Jesus died on the cross for their sins. You plead with them about the importance of turning away from their life of sin and surrendering their life to Jesus. Your effort, however, seems totally useless.

Jesus said, “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil” (John 3:19).

No matter what you tell them, they are simply not interested. They really don’t care about spiritual things. They believe everything will work out just fine in the end. Before God brought you into His family by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, you were spiritually blind. Because of your sin nature, you were born this way. Not only did you live in darkness, you were darkness. You were alive to sin, and dead to God. Regardless of your educational background, you did not have the spiritual capacity to understand the things of God. Why? These realities are spiritual in nature.

Spiritual realities are understood and applied as God awakens our spirit when He shines His light of life in our hearts. For this reason, God is the One who receives all of the credit for our spiritual understanding. God is the one who receives all honor and glory for our salvation.

Paul wrote, “These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:13-14).

If Jesus Christ is your Savior, you are no longer spiritually blind. Don’t get discouraged when you share God’s love with others and they laugh in your face. Don’t get upset when people reject Jesus. Refuse to argue with those who are spiritually antagonistic. Remember, these individuals are spiritually blind. They can’t see spiritual realities as you do. Why? They are unable to see God’s ways because they are spiritually blind.

Read:  Open your Bible and read 2 Corinthians 4:4-6.

Reflect:  Prayerfully consider the following: Who is the one responsible for spiritual blindness? What specifically can’t they see and why?

Respond:  As a result of these truths, what might need to change in my attitude, beliefs, and actions? What steps do I need to take outwardly?

The source of this content comes from our book, Walking with Jesus.

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Still Searching

“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:16-17, NIV).

Have you ever lost something of great personal value? If so, how long did you continue searching for what was lost? The more we value something the more we pursue it. Have you ever considered what God values? Since God never loses anything, what could He possibly need to find?

We know that God’s desire is to live in a shared relationship with His people. This idea serves to remind us of God’s great love for authentic fellowship. God is looking for people who recognize their spiritual emptiness. He wants to fill this emptiness with His perfect presence. God is still searching.

God is not looking for spiritual puppets, but He is searching for empty vessels. An empty vessel in the hands of an Almighty God is powerful. He is not looking for great performers, but He is searching for the right heart to carry out His great work.

God is pursuing those who want to follow His ways, and worship Him in spirit and in truth. Consider this: “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him” (2 Chronicles 16:9).

Today, as you read this devotional, is your heart broken and empty before the Lord? When you sin, does it trouble you deeply and bring you to sorrowful repentance? Repentance means a change of direction. If you are not allowing God to deal with your sin, you are not broken.

If this is the case, don’t expect a rich spiritual experience. Personal holiness precedes authentic fellowship. Are you willing to live a life of personal holiness? Paul pleaded with the believers in Rome, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1, NIV).

Your sin should point you to the Savior. First, remove the things from your life that continue to lead you into sin. Second, get ready to love and worship God like never before. God is still searching to fill hearts that are broken and empty. If today you are unforgiving and resentful, your heart remains full.

Read:  Open your Bible and read 2 Chronicles 16:9, and Psalm 511-19.

Reflect:  Prayerfully consider the following: How can I demonstrate a broken and empty heart before God? What would that look like?

Respond:  As a result of these truths, what might need to change in my attitude, beliefs, and actions? What steps do I need to take outwardly?

The source of this content comes from our book, Walking with Jesus.

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The Master Designer

“All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:3).

Some of the most entertaining shows online and on television have to do with professional cake making: designing and preparing gourmet cakes for special events. These shows enter into the world of professional cake design.

Depending on the complexity of the client’s order, a cake can take anywhere from four hours to more than sixteen hours to design, bake and build. You learn the secrets to what keeps a cake together and how they endure refrigeration challenges, travel, and unexpected surprises. Some professional bakers design a beautiful cake, but in the end do not satisfy the client. Why?

In some cases, because the cake does not hold together until the very end. When it arrives at the event, an important section falls apart. When the weight of the cake is too much for the support structure to endure, the cake slowly falls apart from the inside out.

Jesus is the master designer of life, “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host” (Psalm 33:6, ESV). Jesus Christ is the architect of life. He is the One who created all things for life to exist. Everything and everyone you see is the result of His work. Since the master designer has created us, we all have eternal value in God’s eyes.

Everything was created by Jesus, and for Jesus. In Him, all things exist, move, and have their place. Jesus is the source of life. He is Lord of all. Jesus is our sustainer. Jesus personalized the reality of eternity when He decided to leave His glory in Heaven and live among us: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Jesus came as the physical manifestation of God’s spoken Word. He is the Living Word. Jesus represented the revelation of God’s Word in the Old Testament. Can you imagine looking into the face of Jesus and knowing that He was the One responsible for everything you’ve studied from God’s word? What a powerful thought.

Remember to thank the Lord Jesus for His magnificent creation. Remember to point others to God through the visible work of His hands. What a great work He has done!

Read:  Open your Bible and read Psalm 33:6, and John 1:14.

Reflect:  Prayerfully consider the following: What part of God’s creation can I share with others today to point them to Jesus?

Respond:  As a result of these truths, what might need to change in my attitude, beliefs, and actions? What steps do I need to take outwardly?

The source of this content comes from our book, Walking with Jesus.

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Replaced to Shine

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Imagine living a life without hope, without peace, and without God. Now imagine knowing someone living with the power of God inside them. We were all once without God’s perfect presence living within us. But what if you are the one who has the life of God in you? Don’t you think now is the best time to start shining your light and telling others about the gift of life in Jesus?

Paul wrote, “Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far-gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:11-12).

When you connect with others in conversation, don’t just talk about baseball, the new cable show or the latest news flash. Plead with them to embrace the life. Plead with them to consider God’s mercy, forgiveness and unchanging love. When you connect with people, make sure you intentionally connect them to the light of life. God not only wants us to trust Him for our salvation, but also to live for Him through our daily sanctification.

You don’t have time to continue flirting with sin. You don’t have time to invest in the things that have no eternal value. You only have time to shine! Your old life has been replaced to shine. God’s counting on you to shine the life of His Son through your life. He’s counting on you to replace your old desires with His desires. He’s counting on you to shine.

Your real life, your total fulfillment and satisfaction, is found in Jesus (John 15:1). His life in you is the light of this world. His life in you is the hope for those who live in spiritual bondage. Jesus is the power of God for salvation to those who are eternally lost. This is the message that must visibly shine through our lives every day. Others can embrace the power of life as you allow God’s light to shine through your life. People desperately need to see the light of life.

You have the light of life permanently living within you. “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3, NIV). Your life has been replaced with Christ’s life. Why? So you can freely live for God and express His love to others.

Read: Open your Bible and read Matthew 5:14-16.

Reflect: Prayerfully consider the following: Where can my light begin to shine brighter? What old patterns of ungodly behavior need replacing?

Respond: As a result of these truths, what might need to change in my attitude, beliefs, and actions? What steps do I need to take outwardly?

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Embracing the Life

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4).

Do you remember, as a child, when you first realized the light in the refrigerator did not always remain on while the door was closed? You knew the bulb shined brightly when the refrigerator was open, but you had doubts about whether or not it stayed on when the door was closed. If you were the curious type, you may have wrestled with this thought for days and asked, “How long does this light last? What happens to the food when it’s dark? Do scary creatures walk around inside?”

The Apostle John spends considerable time contrasting life and death and light and darkness. He wants his readers to know explicitly that Jesus is the life, the light of the world. Jesus is not only the source of life, but also the distributor of life. His presence on Earth served in part to shine light into the darkness. Jesus is the light of the world. Through the power of His presence, Jesus distributed life into a world filled with darkness, pain, and hopelessness.

Jesus, the light of life, was the true light. There were no gimmicks or empty promises. Jesus delivered on His every word. He brought freedom from spiritual bondage, healing for the brokenhearted, and rest for those who were tired of figuring life out on their own. Jesus said, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). The life of Jesus is to be accepted and embraced. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Jesus’ life was exactly what people needed 2,000 years ago, and it is exactly what people need today to break free from their world of sin, brokenness, and despair. “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5). If you are a believer, you now have the light of life living within you. Embrace the light and live in the light! Leave the darkness alone. Remember, in Christ, you are the salt and light of the earth.

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

Read: Open your Bible and read John 12:46.

Reflect: Prayerfully consider the following: Is any part of my life drifting closer to the darkness? What can I do to stop this pattern right now?

Respond: As a result of these truths, what might need to change in my attitude, beliefs, and actions? What steps do I need to take outwardly?

The source of this content comes from our book, Walking with Jesus.

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A Perfect Design

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13, ESV).

Have you ever worked on a difficult project for several weeks? Whether a project from your professor, employer, or customer, perhaps it stretched you personally, and required more time than you originally planned. You were responsible for the design and the delivery of the project. In the end, though, everyone was delighted because all of your work was intentionally and perfectly designed for the desired outcome. You have also been perfectly designed by the Lord to accomplish His purposes for your life.

You are not a mistake. You were intentionally created by God to display His qualities to those who do not know Him and to bring honor and glory to His name. Before you took your first breath, God already knew you. You are who you are by divine design. You are not an accident. God does not make mistakes: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

God has carved out a good plan for your life. In Christ Jesus, you have all of the resources necessary for this plan to be realized. You were perfectly designed by God to accomplish His purposes for your life. No matter what breaks down around you, Jesus has the power to keep you together. He provides the strength needed to endure every challenge, from the inside out and from the outside in. Since Jesus is the designer and sustainer of your life, He is the One who holds you together.

God’s perfect work in your life is a direct result of His perfect design for your life. He wants to use your experiences, both good and bad, to display His unlimited power. He wants to use your education to teach and encourage others. He wants to use your talents, gifts, and abilities to skillfully serve His church. God wants to use your finances and material things to demonstrate His heart of generosity.

God made you by His perfect design. He has designed all that you are to be all that He wants you to be. He knows exactly how you function best. He wants to use your life for His will, and He knows just where to place you. You can trust God completely with your life. His master design is perfect for your life.

Read:  Open your Bible and read Psalm 139:1-24.

Reflect:  Prayerfully consider the following: Am I afraid to let God use every part of my life? If so, why do I have such a hard time trusting God?

Respond:  As a result of these truths, what might need to change in my attitude, beliefs, and actions? What steps do I need to take outwardly?

 The source of this content comes from our book, Walking with Jesus.

Andando con Jesús by Marcel Sánchez (Seattle: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2014)

Introducción

Es uno de los mayores desafíos que enfrentan los creyentes en todo el mundo. No importa si usted es soltero o casado, joven o viejo, educado o ignorante, rico o pobre. Esta lucha no hace distinciones. Es común a todos los creyentes. Usted puede preguntar, “¿Cuál es este gran desafío?” Es la lucha para iniciar Andando Jesus-Digital Cover-01y desarrollar un tiempo personal diario con el Salvador para crecer en su amor a Dios, su conocimiento de su Palabra y recibir alimento espiritual. Es la lucha de separar tiempo todos los días para estar a solas con el Salvador. El reabastecimiento espiritual no es automático. Usted tiene que trabajar para ello intencionalmente.

No se pierda esta próxima frase, “Dios está obrando en su vida.” Él está haciendo una buena obra en usted. Esta obra se inició en el momento de su salvación y continúa hasta que se encuentre con Cristo en la gloria. El apóstol Pablo escribió: “Estoy persuadido de que el que comenzó en ustedes la buena obra, la perfeccionará hasta el día de Jesucristo” (Filipenses 1:6). Mientras cumplía su tiempo en la prisión, él les recordó a sus amigos en Filipos sobre una realidad alentadora. Lo que Dios comienza, Él lo termina. Dios tiene la intención de terminar la buena obra que Él comenzó en su vida.

Compra el Libro: Andando con Jesús

Su tiempo personal diario con Dios es una parte de esta buena obra. Sirve para perfeccionar su fe y conformarle a la imagen del Señor Jesucristo. Es la forma de refrescar su espíritu y transformar su alma. Su tiempo personal diario con Dios es lo que Dios usa para cambiar su forma de pensar y alinear sus pensamientos con la mente de Cristo. Es lo que Dios utiliza principalmente para cambiar su actitud, hacer ajustes a su comportamiento y transformar su forma de hablar con los demás. Es lo que alimenta su espíritu. Es necesario que su madurez espiritual florezca. Este es el centro de una vida que permanece en Cristo (Juan 15). Usted no puede crecer espiritualmente sin ello. Es absolutamente esencial para su fe.

Aunque esto puede ser una gran lucha para usted en este momento, también puede convertirse en su mayor oportunidad de experimentar a Dios como nunca antes. Las luchas personales a menudo se pueden convertir en grandes avances espirituales. ¿Está usted listo para un gran avance espiritual? ¿Está listo para profundizarse en la Palabra de Dios y vivir en una mayor obediencia? ¿Desea que Dios le use de una manera poderosa para cambiar las vidas de los que le rodean? Si es así, comience por permitir que la Palabra de Dios le transforme de adentro hacia afuera. Siga sus mandamientos con todo su corazón, toda su mente, toda su alma y toda su fuerza.

Este devocional diario fue diseñado para ser leído una vez al día durante cinco días a la semana durante un periodo de un año. Deliberadamente deja dos días libres para que usted pueda hacer algo diferente como revisar toda la semana, memorizar pasajes bíblicos claves, tener un tiempo prolongado de oración, asistir a un grupo pequeño y participar o acudir a un servicio de adoración en vivo.

Por favor, no se apresure a través de cada devocional. Deje que la Palabra de Dios se profundice en su corazón y le cambie de adentro hacia afuera. Reflexione en oración sobre el progreso a medida que estudiamos el libro de Juan por secciones. Para reflexión personal, cada devocional es seguido por un plan de tres partes:

Repase

Leer las Escrituras es muy importante. Leer pasajes paralelos es muy útil para comprender mejor la sección de cada estudio. Le animo a leer cada pasaje paralelo en voz alta por lo menos dos veces. Piense pausadamente sobre la relación entre el devocional diario que se lee y las escrituras paralelas previstas. Pregúntese: “¿Cómo una complementa a la otra?”

Reflexione

Esta sección le ayudará a analizar las Escrituras desde múltiples ángulos con un claro enfoque en la aplicación personal. Está diseñada para ayudarle a descubrir más sobre el texto con el uso de preguntas y observaciones. Usted aprenderá más sobre las características de Dios y las formas únicas que Él obra por medio de su Hijo, Jesús. Por último, se destacará la aplicación personal para empezar a aplicar estas verdades a su vida, inmediatamente.

Responda

A medida que crecemos en nuestro tiempo personal con el Salvador, tenemos que estar dispuestos y listos para responder a Sus impulsos internos. Se trata de pedirle: “¿Qué tengo que cambiar y cómo puedo empezar a hacer estos cambios?” Nuestra respuesta requiere un plan de acción. Cada cambio requiere acción. Pregúntese, “¿Cuál es mi siguiente paso en la obediencia a la Palabra de Dios?” Aquí es donde el avance espiritual ocurre—a través de la obediencia a la Palabra viva de Dios—mientras el Espíritu de Dios usa la Palabra de Dios para transformar nuestro corazón.

Mi oración es que usted desee experimentar más de la presencia y el poder de Dios obrando en usted y a través de su vida, mientras usted lo busca más cada día. Que usted le sirva más mientras Él le revela Su amor y Su buena obra en su vida momento-a-momento.

Marcel Sánchez

www.MarcelSanchez.com

Compra el Libro: Andando con Jesús

 

Walking with Jesus by Marcel Sanchez (Seattle: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2014)

Walking Jesus-Digital Cover-01Introduction

It is by far one of the biggest challenges faced by believers worldwide. It does not matter whether you are married or single, young or old, educated or uneducated, rich or poor. This struggle does not make any distinctions. It is common to all believers. “What is this great challenge?” you might ask. This struggle, we all face is to start and develop a daily personal time with the Savior, to grow in our love for God, our knowledge of His Word, and to receive spiritual nourishment. It is the struggle to set aside time every day to be alone with the Savior. Spiritual replenishment is not automatic and it is never easy. You have to work at it moment-by-moment.

Don’t miss this next statement: God is at work in your life. He is doing a good work in you. This work started at the moment of your salvation, and continues until you meet with Christ in glory. The Apostle Paul wrote, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6, ESV). While serving time in prison, the Apostle Paul reminded his friends in Philippi of an encouraging reality: What God starts in your life, He always finishes. God intends to finish the good work He started in your life. This is thrilling.

Your daily personal time with God is a part of this good work. It serves to perfect your faith, and to conform you to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is how you refresh your spirit and transform your soul. Your daily personal time with God is what God uses to change your thinking and align your thoughts with the mind of Christ. It’s what God primarily uses to change your attitude, adjust your behavior, and transform the way you speak with others. It’s what fuels your spirit. It is necessary for your spiritual maturity to flourish. It is at the heart of an abiding life (John 15). You can’t grow spiritually without it. It is absolutely essential to your faith.

Although this may be a significant struggle for you right now, it can also become your greatest opportunity to experience God in a completely new way. Personal struggles can often be converted into spiritual breakthroughs. Are you ready for a spiritual breakthrough? Are you ready to dig deeper into God’s Word and live in greater obedience? Do you long for God to use you in a powerful way to change the lives of those around you? If so, it begins with allowing His Word to transform you from the inside out as you follow His commands with all of your heart, all of your mind, all of your soul, and all of your strength.

This daily devotional is designed for you to read five days a week for an entire year. It purposely leaves out two days for you to do something different such as review the entire week, memorize key scriptures, have an extended time of prayer, participate in a small group or attend a live worship service. Please don’t rush through each devotional. Let God’s Word sink deep within your heart. Allow God’s Word to work in you and change you from the inside out. Prayerfully reflect on the progression as we unfold the book of John section-by-section, and include other important scriptures for you to meditate on. Each devotional is followed by a threefold plan for personal reflection:

READ

Reading the scriptures is very important. Reading parallel passages is very helpful to further understand the section being studied. I encourage you to read each parallel scripture out loud at least twice. Think through the relationship between the daily devotional being read and the parallel scriptures provided. Ask yourself, “How does one compliment the other?”

REFLECT

This section helps you analyze the Scripture from multiple angles with a sharp focus on personal application. It is designed to help you discover more about the text through the use of questions and observations. You will learn more about God’s characteristics, and the unique ways that He works through His Son, Jesus. Finally, personal application is highlighted to help you start applying these truths in your life right away.

RESPOND

As we grow in our personal time with the Savior, we have to be willing and ready to respond to His inner promptings. This involves asking the Lord, “What do I need to change, and how do I begin making these changes?” In other words, our response requires a plan of action. Every change takes a step of action. The question we have to ask is, “What is my next step in obeying God’s Word?” This is often where spiritual breakthrough takes place—through our obedience to the Living Word of God—as the Spirit of God uses the Word of God to transform our heart for God.

My prayer is that you would experience more of God’s presence and power working in and through your life as you seek Him more each and every day. May you serve Him more as He reveals His love and His good work in your life day-by-day, and moment-by-moment.

Marcel Sanchez

www.MarcelSanchez.com

Buy the Walking with Jesus Book Today

 

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A Special Purpose

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10, ESV)

Right from the start, God chose you for a very special purpose. In His infinite wisdom, God selected you to be His ambassador, His personal representative here on earth. He removed you from a life without an eternal purpose to carry out His master plan of leading all people to Himself. As a believer in Christ, you are a chosen vessel of God.

In Christ, you have been distinctly set apart to fulfill a specific purpose. Paul wrote, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:3-6).

God has a unique plan for your life. This plan was crafted well before you ever existed. It is a plan that brings true satisfaction and personal fulfillment by living through the starting point of life—Jesus. You may find it hard to believe, but you have been personally chosen by God to be a part of His royal family. Right now, you are royalty. You are a child of the King!

There is no higher calling for your life. If God has chosen you to be His child, there is no higher status. No position can compare with being an heir to the King. You are no longer a slave to your past or a slave to sin. You are a slave of Christ. He is your Savior and Lord. Darkness has no power over your life. Nothing hidden or visible can separate you from your new position.

In Christ Jesus, you are permanently secure! You belong to the King! Paul wrote, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39).

Read:  Open your Bible and read 1 Peter 2:9-10.

Reflect:  Prayerfully consider the following: What can I do today to make God’s name known to others? What skills or resources can I use to minister to others? What can I do right now to live for God’s purposes?

Respond:  As a result of these truths, what might need to change in my attitude, beliefs, and actions? What steps do I need to take outwardly?

The source of this content comes from our book, Walking with Jesus.

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Starting Point

“He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:2).

Have you ever arrived late to a good movie? You may have prepaid your tickets online, but local traffic, and possibly your small children, obstructed every effort to arrive on time. When you ask the person sitting next to you, “How much did I miss?” They look at you and smile, “Oh, only about thirty minutes.”

By this time you are disappointed and very frustrated. You’re not sure where the story is headed or what key parts were missed because you were not present in the opening scene. You missed the starting point of the entire movie. Why? You were not present in the opening scene.

Jesus has always existed. He is the starting point of life. The title “I AM” was used in the Old Testament to refer to the God of the Hebrews. During one of his teachings, Jesus responded, “I tell you the truth…before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58, NIV).

In other words, Jesus unapologetically declared that He was the eternal God over all of creation! This assertion infuriated the religious leaders of the day. Why? Simply put, it placed Jesus in the same divine category as the God of Israel. It meant that Jesus already existed in eternity past with the Father and Holy Spirit. If Jesus was the great “I am” it meant that He is eternal and shares God’s divine nature.

What these leaders failed to understand was that before time ever existed, before the movie of this world started playing, Jesus was already living. Jesus was present in the opening scene and they were not. Isaiah wrote, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called ‘Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace’ ” (Isaiah 9:6).

Jesus was an active part of eternity before our world began. Why? Jesus is the starting point of life. One day everyone will bow and recognize Jesus as Lord of all things. The Living Word of God will return to earth, destroy all evil and reign supreme over His creation. John describes our great God and Savior powerfully when he writes, “He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God” (Revelation 19:13, NASB).

Read:  Open your Bible and read John 8:48-59.

Reflect:  Prayerfully consider the following: What activities are you involved in that bring glory to God? What two friends need to hear more regarding who Jesus is and what He has done to pay for our sins?

Respond:  As a result of these truths, what might need to change in my attitude, beliefs, and actions? What steps do I need to take outwardly?

The source of this content comes from our book, Walking with Jesus.