SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/23/2017
9:21 AM
My Worship Time Focus: The
Requirement He Meets
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: John 17:4
Message of the
verse: “4 “I glorified You on the
earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.”
We look today at the third facet of the saving purpose of
God, which is as stated “The Requirement He Meets,” and as we look at this
verse we can see that the Lord looked past the cross as if it had already
happened. I think that we could say that
this verse is in what some have called “the prophetic tense.”
As we take a look back in eternity past we see that it
was the plan of God the Father to get a bride for God the Son and in eternity
past God chose those who would be the Son’s bride, and the Son would come to
earth to pay the price for their redemption, which is what verse four is
talking about would happen. This is God’s
perfect plan and in this perfect plan we see His perfect justice take place as
the Son pays for the sins of those whom God has chosen in eternity past. I know that in writing this that many will
not believe this is all true, and yet as I study the Scriptures I certainly can
see this taught. Early in our study of
John I quoted extensively from a sermon John MacArthur preached called “Two
Truths” and in that sermon he spoke of God’s choice in salvation and mans
responsibility of receiving the gift of salvation that Christ has
provided. Both the choosing and the
receiving are involved in salvation.
Jesus came to earth to fulfill the Father’s plan “10 “For
the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost’ (Luke 19:10).” MacArthur adds “The Father’s gift was so
precious to the Son that He was willing to do whatever was necessary to receive
it (cf. Phil. 2:1-11.) I won’t quote
that passage as we have looked at it before, but it is worth taking the time to
go over it once again as there are many great truths in it.
We know that Jesus did as He states in verse four and
that is that He glorified the Father during His time on earth and He did this
by having perfectly accomplishing the work which the Father gave Him to
do. Let us look at a few verses to help
us with this point. “34 Jesus said to
them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His
work (John 4:34).” “30 “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I
judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will
of Him who sent Me (John 5:30).” “38 “For
I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who
sent Me (John 6:38).” “10 "If you keep My commandments, you will
abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His
love (John 15:10).” Now we know that
that work culminated in the cross which Jesus views here in an anticipatory
way, none the less will happen just as it had been planned from eternity
past. MacArthur writes about this “Jesus
was certain that the eternal promise of God would be perfectly accomplished,
and that nothing could prevent the Father’s purposes from being realized. But His statement did more than merely reveal His own confidence in the
plans of the Father. It also served as
an example to the disciples—reminding them to trust in God’s sovereign working
and take comfort in knowing that He was in control.”
We will continue with this
subject in our next SD.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: To gain from
knowing that God is in control of what goes on in my life whatever that may be,
and to trust Him to see me through what His plans are for my life no matter
what those are.
My Steps of Faith for Today:
Trust the Lord who is in complete
control of all things.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “40.”
Today’s Bible
question: “Was Solomon made king before
or after David died?”
Answer in our next SD.
2/23/2017 9:53 AM
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