Recommended Posts

Tuesday 6/28/16 John 13: 5 -17 allows us to see the message that if we are to be true disciples of Christ and leaders then we will always remember to serve everyone, even those we lead. This whole moment where Jesus washed the apostles’ feet was a powerful moment reminding us that the Lord is also here to wash us clean that we may return to the Father. Still in verse 16 we see that as Jesus is explaining the principle he flags the next part as very important. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him” We see Christ as a great leader to us and He did as stated in verse 15 give us a great example to live by, but He also wants us to know that without a doubt He is in no way greater than the Father. This also reminds us as we follow in Jesus’ path He is the one that has guided us in what to do and we must not think ourselves greater than Him. With verse 17 I feel this is still part of the flagged message He states “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” We are totally guided by the love of Jesus Christ to spread His love and charity to all that we meet. As we follow the commandment to love one another we can feel that charity in our lives building us up and providing an indescribable joy and happiness.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wednesday 6/28/16 – In John 13:20 we see a flagged message from Jesus Christ warning us, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” This is definitely letting us know that as we follow disciples of Christ, even His prophets, we will be following the Son and the Father. The footnotes guided me to 1 John 4:6 (1-6) which talks of discerning messengers of God from antichrists. This culminates in 1 John 4:6 “ We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” Now I wanted to go further and cover 1 John 4:7 – 13 (even though the whole chapter is amazing and further exemplifies my point) “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. / He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. / In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. / Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. / Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. / No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. / Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” We learn so much here that brings us full circle to the fact that as we follow Christ and His disciples we will receive the Father. We also get to learn of the importance of charity to bring us closer to the Father. God is love and we get to know of that love because He sent His only begotten Son that willingly and full of love Himself gave His life that we may be saved. Because of that love, even charity, we must also show that love to everyone and as we do we can feel the presence of God in us through His Spirit perfecting us as God also feels us with Him. We are so blessed to have this gospel as it works to show us the never ending power of the God Head and how we can be part of that power even here on Earth as we act in full faith as disciples of Jesus Christ. Charity is the all-encompassing grip in which the Father holds us and as we reflect that love we will be able to help even more feel that grip in which they are already held.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Tuesday 7/5/16John 16: 7 brings to us an understanding that if Jesus were not to have left then we could not receive the Holy Ghost.  As I was reading these chapters especially John 14 -16 I started to try to visualize what it must have been like during this final moment with the Savior. Some understood that it must be, while others seemed to fight the idea at every moment. What a comfort these words spoken as recorded in John 16 could have been. In John 16:12 – 14 we can see how this is a message of continued learning and guidance which is one thing so many feared would be lost. Jesus said, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. / Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. / He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” We will have the Holy Ghost, even the Spirit of truth, to look to for guidance that would be given us straight from the Lord. This brings even more light to why Jesus needed to leave us. He had much to do in the way of fulfilling His Father’s plan, even the atonement, but He is still a man of flesh and bone and cannot be with every person at every moment. The Holy Spirit, even the Comforter, is able to fulfill the omnipresence needed to guide us all and if we needed the sacrifice of the Lord to make that possible it needed to be done.

Here is another beautiful reflection of the love that the Father and the Son have for us. Another way to feel of their charity. Jesus sacrificed Himself and went through all that He did that we may also have the Comforter with us at all times. He knew that He could not fulfill the omnipresent need Himself nor could the Father and that is why they made it possible for the Holy Spirit to be that part of the God Head; that we may have the guidance we need to work our way back to the Father. We may also be able to be part of that charity and bring it to the world as we follow the guidance of the Spirit of truth and perform service for those around us. As we perform that charity, we and others (not even aware) can feel of that love continually being spread throughout the world as part of that omnipresent gift of the Holy Ghost.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Friday 7/8/16 – I have tried to visualize what Peter would be going through in this time of losing the Savior and being told he will deny Him three times. In Luke 22: 31 – 34 we read, “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: / But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. / And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. / And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.” I feel that a big clue to the situation is here in how Jesus introduced the command. He spoke of Satan desiring to sift him as wheat, the JST says sift the children of the kingdom as wheat. Either way this shows a desire to take them away and I feel this is even more literal at the moment. And the Savior is trying to save Peter from being sifted in a most dangerous moment. In Luke 22: 60-62 we read, “And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. / And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. / And Peter went out, and wept bitterly” What if we see the Lord letting Peter know he has done right and the bitter weeping is because Peter has done something he doesn’t want to do? I feel that we may have witnessed another example of strength, bravery, and sheer obedience rather than weakness and cowardice. The conversion the Lord mentions to Peter in verse 32 could very well be pointing out to Peter that as he learns and follows each new truth that will be coming his way, he must teach it to others.

This is another fine example of the Lords love. He has provided a way and a command that allowed Him to do what He must and leave behind others that could teach what the Lord has been teaching. It must have been difficult for Peter, but the Lord wanted a servant to stay behind and teach, not one that would follow Him straight into death. He is not consumed in such self-service, but rather selfless service. The Lord wants us to always have those that can help others.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share