SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/1/2016 8:18 AM
My Worship Time Focus: The Accusation
Bible Reading &
Meditation Reference: John 8:13
Message of the verses: “13 So the Pharisees said to Him, "You
are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.’”
First we
want to go back to John 5:31 “"If I alone testify about Myself, My
testimony is not true.” This perhaps is
why the Pharisees said what they said to Jesus.
The Pharisees also could have been referring to what the OT Law has to
say about this as every fact in a legal matter had to be established by the
testimony of more than one witness as seen in verses like Num. 35:30; Deut.
17:6; 19:15, and we can also compare Matthew 18:16; 2 Cor. 13:1; 1 Tim. 5:19;
and Hebrews 10:28). Do you think that
the Pharisees for one moment may have though that what Jesus said was
true? I doubt it as it was their agenda
to get rid of Jesus because he was spoiling their party so to speak as they did
not want anyone getting in their way as the pedaled their poison.
We have
looked in earlier Spiritual Diaries about those who could testify of Jesus
claims as we looked at John the Baptist testimony, and also the twelve disciples,
along with the Samaritan woman, we will also see that Martha and Mary, along
with their brother Lazarus too. John
MacArthur writes “Thus, there is no contradiction between Jesus’ statements
here and in 5:31; He was not, as the Pharisees alleged, the only witness who
could verify His claims.”
The problem
with the Pharisees exists today with people who are so far in the darkness that
when a little light is given to them they refuse to accept it or look for more
light. I mentioned a story about a woman
from Cambodia who had just a little light that actually saved her life. The story takes place during what is called
the “killing fields of Cambodia” when the communists were randomly killing as
many Cambodians as possible in the cities and then in the countryside. A number of them came to this woman’s village
and told them to come out of their huts and dig a large hole. Some fled and were killed others dug the hole
and then were ordered to stand around it waiting to be killed. The only thing this woman knew was that she
heard about the God who died on the cross, that was all of the light she
had. As these people were standing
around this hole waiting to be killed she cried out to the God who died on the
cross and then they waited, and waited and after a while they opened their eyes
and all of the soldiers were gone. Some
months or perhaps years later missionaries came to this village to tell them
about Jesus Christ, God who died on the cross.
Her reaction to them was “What took you so long?” She had a little light and believed and more
was given to her. These Pharisees had
the very Light and yet rejected it and would die in their sins.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I see that one of the great problems of the
Pharisees was pride, and pride can be a problem with me at times and it needs
to be replaced with humility.
My Steps of Faith for
Today: Do not be prideful, but be
humble.
Memory verses for the week:
2 Corinthians 12:7-9a “7 Because of the surprising greatness of the
revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given
me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me-to keep me from
exalting myself. 8 Concerning this I
implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. 9 And He said to me ‘My grace is sufficient
for you, for power is perfected in weakness,’”
Answer to yesterday’s Bible question: “Ephesus” (1 Corinthians 15:32).
Today’s Bible question:
“Who was Abraham’s wife?”
Answer in our next SD.
6/1/2016 8:45 AM
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