John 1 WOWweeeee

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 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend F1 it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. F2 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, F3 and His own F4 did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.' " 16 And F5 of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, F6 who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." 21 And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No." 22 Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?" 23 He said: "I am 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the Lord," ' F7 as the prophet Isaiah said." 24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" 26 John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose." 28 These things were done in Bethabara F8 beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.' 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water." 32 And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God." 35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"
37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?" They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?" 39 He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). 40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. F9 You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone).
43 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." 46 And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" 48 Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." 49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" 50 Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these." 51 And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter F10 you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."
FOOTNOTES:F1: Or overcome F2: Or That was the true Light which, coming into the world, gives light to every man. F3: That is, His own things or domain F4: That is, His own people F5: NU-Text reads For. F6: NU-Text reads only begotten God. F7: Isaiah 40:3 F8: NU-Text and M-Text read Bethany. F9: NU-Text reads John. F10: NU-Text omits hereafter.
New King James Version.Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.Used by permission.

~ Lena’s Journalin’~
I love this chapter. This chapter brings heaven and earth together through One man, Jesus Christ. God is manifested. He is the answer to a darkly lost world. He is the very beginning, middle and end. It is about Genesis to Revelation summed up in One purpose, the salvation of the whole world, the reconciliation between creation and the Father. Not just with the Creator, but with the Godhead complete - Father, Son, Spirit all 3 in One, manifested in Him for all creation, for all men, for all time.
It takes us back even further than Genesis when all was One with Him, sin entered, One became Two, then Two was cast out to earth, a curse came over the earth, utter darkness flooded the earth, the earth became in need of salvation before it even began. Jesus Christ was there, yearning for reconciliation, saying, “If You can use anything Lord, You can use Me…”, He was saying to the Father God, “Here I AM, Lord send Me.” He said that to Himself, before Adam was ever created.
Adam was created as opportunity for light to shine in darkness. Light was found in darkness. Light was there. God said, “Let there be Light”, then He also said, “Let US make man in Our image…and let them be fruitful (bring reconciliation in darkness)..”. He took One man, who had Eve inside of Him, he separated Him out (God’s image came clear in One becoming Two- ahh see a similarity, a prophetic similitude?) They were One- as all once were One (in heaven), then (through sin) Two came to being, So God made a visible sign of what had happened, in Adam, the answer man- plural. God separated them out to show a visible picture, to get to the root of the separation between creation and Father God, yet to show that Two can be One again!
God said to man- plural (Adam & Eve) You Two, shall become One (again)…The story goes on to show darkness trying whole heartedly to nullify One and keep Two, but God is the answer and Two cannot stand, cannot have it’s way. Jesus had already said He would go. Father knew that. Adam didn’t. It appeared that darkness prevailed; it even appears now that darkness prevails, but it does not eternally prevail and that’s how God lives, thinks and sees- eternally. Everything now is for eternity, either with or against God and His kingdom, power and glory.
God said – “Let Us make man, let the Two become One, Light be!” God’s words do not go out void, they accomplish what He has set them forth to accomplish, both now and later on, especially later on!
His word is still resounding today. His plan for man is still the same. Jesus came to show man what he was designed for, reconciliation of the world to God the Father, through the Son and by the Spirit.
Vs 5 is so powerful. We all need to sink our faith into it and open our spiritual eternal eyes to see it’s eternal truth…here it is, the same word, 6 ways (N-S-E-W-Up- Down)
To the N. -And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it]. Amplified
To the S. -The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. NLT
To the E. -The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out. Good news Translation 2nd Ed.
To the W.- The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn't put it out. Message
Up-The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered it. NCV
Down- The Light shines in the darkness. The darkness has never been able to put out the Light.
It does not matter what it looks like, for even satan himself thought he’d won the victory in Jesus’ death. He thought he killed the Lord of Glory. He forgot whom he serves! He forgot about the power of light and life. He did not even think of the resurrection!
Don’t be so moved by what appears, for what appears are many times smoke screens for faith. What will we sink our faith in? Evil or God? Fear is faith in evil.
As I read this verse I was thinking about how dark it seems to have gotten even recently. I was in Blockbuster and I scanned the new release isle, my spirit felt grieved, I saw movie title after movie title of grave darkness, scorcery, witchcraft, murder, the occult, etc, etc. I thought, wow, what darkness, it seemed overwhelming! We read or listen to the news in our own area of the world and we feel darkness trying to swallow up light, then we look at world news and it seems bleaker still. When I read this, this morning and realized it may look bleak, dark, and overwhelming, BUT He died and rose again! I have the life and power of God in me. I’m alive unto God and God is light.
No, I did not rent any of those films. I don’t need to help the enemy flood the earth (my head is made of earth to – like yours is) with any more darkness than he already has.
I realize, I Am a light. So I say to the Father, Here I Am to worship, to bow down to You, To Go where You say and do what You’d like for me to do, now in this earth where you placed the two of me to become One. (My old flesh natured not born again man, like Adam is my firstborn man, flesh and my new born again man, my spiritually alive man, is my 2nd man, in Christ).
N-S-E-W-up-Down? I will go for You. For no matter the darkness, I Am is the Light and the darkness cannot overcome, overwhelm, extinguish, put out, or overpower it, for it is not it, “It” is Him.
Do I live as though I believe the Light has come?
Do I point the WAY to God the Father through Jesus the Son as my Lord, by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit?
Do I lead the way, preparing hearts to hear truth by living the truth?
Do I follow after Him, or pursue the world’s goods, treasure, truths?
Am I a disciple, who’s left the world’s calls behind the calls of Two, to become One man in Him?
Am I a reconciler of God and man through Christ, and am I expressing the importance of Following and Lordship?
Think about these tools in combat-
Satan rose up in pride which is against God and brought a curse to the earth.
Humility is the opposing force of pride, so to purposefully oppose darkness , I keep humility as a vision before my eyes, I participate in humility on purpose! (humility defined – I don’t let my own wishes and desires rise above God’s if that means I bow, then I must, if it means I arise up and go forth, than that is what I do)
Pride, said, You serve me, I don’t serve You. This was satan speaking to God now! OUCH, not a good move there. Ever feel your self life arise and ask why God isn’t doing this and that for you, or ever complain when asked to serve, because you deserve better, aren’t there others who can do it, haven’t you done it enough, isn’t it someone else’s turn? A tool to oppose such temptation- serve with a whole heart, with love as a giver, serve! Don’t ever stop serving, if it means wash someone’s feet, someone who has stinky dirty, haven’t changed socks in weeks, feet. Serve!
Another area of spiritual warfare in the area of Oneness with God is agreements, or should I say arguments? Is there a difference? Yes there is! Why would Two agree (come into One-ness) when they just can’t seem to? Why would they decide to or try to, agree? Why? Because to dis-agree is to stay Two, to agree is to bring into One-ness.
See why when Two on earth touch on anything that they shall ask about and agree upon, they can have anything from God? Because it is too easy to dis-agree, always. It absolutely does not work the will and purpose of God, debate, revelry, fighting, separations, divorce, disunity, disassembly- division, etc, are all devices of God’s enemy against us and ultimately through us he reaches to touch the heart of God.
So, why agree? Why not?
Now the ?....

Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”