Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.

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John 1:1-51
Christ, the Eternal Word
1In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn't make. 4Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. 5The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
6God sent John the Baptist 7to tell everyone about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8John himself was not the light; he was only a witness to the light. 9The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was going to come into the world.
10But although the world was made through him, the world didn't recognize him when he came. 11Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted. 12But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God.
14So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. F1 And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.
15John pointed him out to the people. He shouted to the crowds, "This is the one I was talking about when I said, 'Someone is coming who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before I did.'"
16We have all benefited from the rich blessings he brought to us—one gracious blessing after another. F2 17For the law was given through Moses; God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God. But his only Son, who is himself God, F3 is near to the Father's heart; he has told us about him.
The Testimony of John the Baptist
19This was the testimony of John when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants F4 from Jerusalem to ask John whether he claimed to be the Messiah. 20He flatly denied it. "I am not the Messiah," he said.
21"Well then, who are you?" they asked. "Are you Elijah?" "No," he replied. "Are you the Prophet?" F5 "No."
22"Then who are you? Tell us, so we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?"
23John replied in the words of Isaiah:
"I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare a straight pathway for the Lord's coming!'" F6
24Then those who were sent by the Pharisees 25asked him, "If you aren't the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?"
26John told them, "I baptize with F7 water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not know, 27who will soon begin his ministry. I am not even worthy to be his slave. F8 " 28This incident took place at Bethany, a village east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.
Jesus, the Lamb of God
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30He is the one I was talking about when I said, 'Soon a man is coming who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before I did.' 31I didn't know he was the one, but I have been baptizing with water in order to point him out to Israel."
32Then John said, "I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. 33I didn't know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, 'When you see the Holy Spirit descending and resting upon someone, he is the one you are looking for. He is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Son of God. F9 "
The First Disciples
35The following day, John was again standing with two of his disciples. 36As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and then declared, "Look! There is the Lamb of God!" 37Then John's two disciples turned and followed Jesus.
38Jesus looked around and saw them following. "What do you want?" he asked them. They replied, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"
39"Come and see," he said. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place, and they stayed there the rest of the day.
40Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of these men who had heard what John said and then followed Jesus. 41The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother, Simon, and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means the Christ).
42Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, "You are Simon, the son of John—but you will be called Cephas" (which means Peter F10 ).
43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Come, be my disciple." 44Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter's hometown.
45Philip went off to look for Nathanael and told him, "We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth."
46"Nazareth!" exclaimed Nathanael. "Can anything good come from there?" "Just come and see for yourself," Philip said.
47As they approached, Jesus said, "Here comes an honest man—a true son of Israel."
48"How do you know about me?" Nathanael asked. And Jesus replied, "I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you."
49Nathanael replied, "Teacher, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!"
50Jesus asked him, "Do you believe all this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this." 51Then he said, "The truth is, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down upon the Son of Man." F11
FOOTNOTES:F1: Greek grace and truth; also in 1:17. F2: Greek grace upon grace. F3: Some manuscripts read his one and only Son. F4: Greek and Levites. F5: See Deut 18:15, 18; Mal 4:5-6. F6: Isa 40:3. F7: Or in; also in 1:31, 33. F8: Greek to untie his sandals. F9: Some manuscripts read the chosen One of God. F10: The names Cephas and Peter both mean "rock." F11: See Gen 28:10-17, the account of Jacob's ladder.
Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living TranslationCopyright © 1996 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.


~ Lena’s Journalin’ ~
To all who believe and accept Him, He gave the right to become children, to be made new persons in the spirit; where I become spiritually alive unto God’s eternal purposes. These promises are given, and received by a choice, an act of the will to decide then prove faith in by the evidences in a changed life.
Do we believe? Have we received? Are we pointing the WAY, as John did? John means beloved. The beloved points the way. Are you loved? Do you love? Then point.
Do you shout or whisper His name? Are you afraid of God or the world? Whom you fear is whom you serve. Whom you give enough respect to respect- is who we serve. Who do we serve? The world? Self? God?
When is the Lord coming? How do we know? He’s coming at any time that anyone believes and receives and tells about Him. THAT is His appearing to and for someone.
Do you see Him enough to tell someone, “Here He is”?” telling is the evidence that faith has truly come.
What is baptism? Saturation with or immersion in? The water is the word of God, the spirit is His Holy presence and breath of spiritual life, Are we sprinkled, saturated or immersed in His word and spirit life? If not, why not? We choose.
When one sees they can believe. I’m speaking of spiritual insight, not natural signs. It takes a revelation to “see” Him as He is, The WAY The Truth and THE life. One must see this to believe and for Him to appear to and for them.
When one sees there are certain evidences that they have seen. They believe, they receive, they are immersed in the desire to know more. When a true conversion has been made, a life changes for good. That person becomes one who follows and who leads others to Christ..
Do you follow after someone who also leads others to Christ? If not, why not? Are they human? Yes, and imperfect also, that’s why they follow Christ. Go ahead and follow after someone who follows Christ, don’t worry, trust Your Father-God! He set the kingdom up that way. Become a disciple, make disciples. Go ahead. R U saved? THAT is fruit, evidence of true salvation received and proving Christ in the earth.
This is why we all were born again, to follow Him and not stay alone in our following. We follow with someone in front of us and many behind us.
There’s an awesome little 100 page book, that is cheap- can get it off the internet. It will help you follow and want to follow. It is called, “The master’s Plan of Evangelism” by Robert Coleman. You can get it used for $2
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0800786246/002-3681597-9376021?v=glance&n=283155 .
Every Christian believer should read it,. It was written in 1963! And because of its truth, it is still a fresh idea from God’s mind that is applicable today. It is on the discipleship principle Jesus showed us here in John 1.
Buy a copy and get another for a friend and potential disciple. Do that part by faith and then wait for the opportunity to save someone and have them follow you. He made us to be fishers of men. Go Fish!
God Bless You!

Daily Repetitive Verses:

Isaiah 58:12 – in multiple translations….
The Amplified Bible
And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of [buildings that have laid waste for] many generations; and you shall be called Repairer of the Breach, Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.
The Holy Bible, New International Version®
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language
You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past. You'll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again.
The New King James Version
Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.
GOD'S WORD
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the foundations of past generations. You will be called the Rebuilder of Broken Walls and the Restorer of Streets Where People Live.
New Life Bible
And your cities which were destroyed long ago will be built again. You will set up the stones of the bases of the old buildings. You will be called the one who builds again the broken walls, and who makes the streets on which people live like new.