COMMANDS28 (Hear): Goodbook 02-10-15

One of our challenges for 2015 is to learn and live all 50 commands of Jesus.  Jesus told us that following his commandments is a way to love him and a way for his love and his joy to fill our lives (John 15:9-12).  In his Great Commission, Jesus tells his followers to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything he commanded us (Matthew 28:19-20).  So each week in this year we are learning and living one command of Jesus.  Here is our command for this week...

Week 28:

“Whoever has ears, let them hear.” (Matthew 11:15).

Application:

Jesus used this phrase often when he was teaching and preaching.  He would speak words of truth, life, grace, promise, challenge, wisdom, hope.  Then he would say, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

This past weekend I preached a message entitled “Media Madness.”  Media is not a bad thing and can be used for good.  But in our fast-paced media culture, we are being bombarded with media noise all the time and spending a lot of time consuming media.  Therefore, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to hear the voice of Jesus in our lives.

I invited the congregation to reengage the ancient practice of meditation.  Meditation is filling our minds with God’s Word and then taking time to think deeply about it.  In this Goodbook devotion, I wanted to help us all do this.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus said 8 “I Am” statements.  That’s one for every day of the week plus a bonus one.  I've listed these statements below.  Pick one statement a day and do the following steps.  You can do all the steps at one time or scattered throughout the day:

·         REQUEST – Ask God to speak to you through the passage

·         READ – Read the passage.  Read it a couple of times.  Read what comes before and after.  Memorize it.

·         REFLECT – Think deeply about the passage.  What does it mean?  What might God be saying to you through it?  How does it relate to your life and what you are going through?  How could you respond to this verse with faithful action?

·         RESPOND – Write down one thing you can do in response – prayer, thought, action, activity, etc.  Then do it!

I would really enjoy having you share what you are hearing and doing.

John 6:35, 48 I am the bread of life

John 8:12, 9:5 I am the light of the world

John 8:58 Before Abraham was, I am

John 10:9 I am the door

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd

John 11:25 I am the resurrection and the life

John 14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life

John 15:1 I am the true vine

Share your comments and application ideas…