Dear God,
Your Canadian geese are obnoxious. Sheesh!
Thank you that you came so that we could have LIFE TO THE FULL!!! Help me listen only to your voice, like a sheep listens only to his shepherd. Thank you that eventually everything will make perfect sense. Thank you that I don't need audible voices, because if that were the case, I'd be sunk right now. Thank you for not judging me, but saving me instead. Thank you VERY much for your promise for wisdom.
It was fun to make a list of Jesus' names in Revelation, and what will happen to him who overcomes. Thanks for all that's going to happen!
Love,

John 10
Sheep. They only follow one voice. (Lord, I pray that I would become more like a sheep... too often I try to think things out for myself, or listen to somebody else. I want you to be the only voice I listen to.)
v 10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." As TS would say, "Why has he come, child of God? So that you may have what? LIFE and have it to the FULL!! Just think about that!" And I have. And I will...
Couple things: Jesus and his sheep are one, just like Jesus and his Father are one. How awesome is that?! Also, Jesus has a couple of sheep pens. Never noticed that. So Jesus knows definitely that the Gentiles are gonna be a part of his flock. :-) Of course he knows that.
Best part: He's going to lay down his life for the sheep, then take it back up again. No one takes it from him. Not Judas, nor the Sanhedrin nor Pilate nor Herod nor the Pharisees who stirred up the people nor the Romans who actually did the crucifying. He laid it down himself. Then he took it back up again. He has authority to do it from his Father.
And everyone wonders if he's gone crazy or is possessed by a demon. Pretty crazy.
So everyone's getting a little tired of Jesus' maybe hints. Well, are you the Christ or not? Answer: Daily double. There's my 1. Miracles and 2. I and the Father are one.
And they try to stone him, when he says yes. hmm...
John is like the best gospel for disproving people's theories today about Jesus. He was a good teacher only... not God. Well, he thought he was God. He definitely thought he was God. That's clear. And that's not good, if he isn't God. And if he is, he's not just a teacher. Well, maybe he's crazy. That one's a little harder... hmm... I'll have to ask someone about this, because I can't think up a good answer off the top of my head. I mean, if you read the Gospels, there's too many things that he does that proves that he's not crazy. I just don't have specifics...
Yes, I'm working on my apologetics. I'm just not that good yet.
11
So. Lazarus gets sick and Mary wants them to come... partly because Jesus is his friend and partly because Jesus can heal him. But Jesus stays where he is until he knows Lazarus is dead. And he tells the disciples plainly that he is glad he wasn't there. Sounds harsh, but when you know how it ends, it makes perfect sense. That's usually how it is with everything God does.
In the end, everything will make perfect sense, and I'll look back and shake my head at the whole attitude of my spiritual life. I know I'm not taking God and his love and forgiveness seriously enough. He is glad whenever I make any step in the right direction. He's not charting out my life on a graph: Oh, she was really spiritual that day, but then it went down today because she slept in (which is what happened today...)
Anywho. So Jesus is like, let's go back to where Lazarus lives, which happens to be where they tried to stone him not too long ago, and the disciples are convinced they're all gonna get killed.
11: 25-26 Awesome verses, I'm telling you! MEMORIZE these too, Me. Hehe.
So Martha is an awesome Christian, and I can totally relate to her. She gets Mary to go see Jesus. So Mary comes and probably a little more emotional than Martha. Just a guess, no way to know for sure... And Jesus started crying. And I think that's so interesting, because he knew Lazarus wasn't going to stay dead (I'm sorry, did I ruin it for you?) but he still was sad that he had died. Plus, tears are contagious. :-P I should know that pretty well...
So Lazarus comes back to life. I wonder if he was more appreciated after this haha.
Wow, we're already getting to the major plot to kill Jesus and
12
Jesus anointed and coming into Jerusalem.
Ok, can I just say that everyone is in their typical spot. Lazarus is hanging out with Jesus, Martha is serving, and Mary is showing pure adoration. Umm... Ok, so I can't bash Martha serving too much. That's an act of worship. But she's eclipsed by Mary. Of course. haha.
Just from their personalities, I'd say Martha is older than Mary...
They were plotting to kill Lazarus as well as Jesus. We don't find out if they succeeded, though I think not. I'd hope John would mention it, right?
A week before Jesus' death, it looks like the whole world believes in him. But many turn around a week later, so that Jesus would be glorified, though they don't know that. But seriously, a
week?? Sheesh.
So some Greeks want to see him. In the context/what Jesus talks about next, it's kinda random. But I don't know everything, I wasn't there. But I feel like there are some missiong pieces.
I love how Jesus is just standing there talking about his death and how he doesn't want it per se, but he wants to glorify God's name more. And then out of nowhere, this voice answers him. Some say it was an angel, some thunder... but I love this next part: Jesus said that the voice was for the people around him's benefit. He didn't really need to hear what God said about already having glorified God's name and doing it again soon. Jesus knew all that because the Spirit already told him. I have the Spirit. I don't need audible voices from heaven either. Sweetness, right? I mean we'd all love the audible voices from heaven, but we don't need them.
So some leaders do believe Jesus is the Christ, but they keep it a secret, because they loved praise from men more than praise from God. I bet that's the same for me. Percentage-wise. Hehe. Thankfully for me, more often than not, praise from men and God are the same because I have so many Christians in my family and friends. But if I had no support... would I be able to say I love God's praise more than men's? I'd like to think so, but I don't know. But God has not put me in that position (yet) so I don't have to worry about it (yet).
John 12:47 "As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it." Jesus doesn't judge me, he saves me... yes, there is a time when there's judgment, but I have you to save me from that. :-) And yes, I don't always
not keep Your words, but I don't always
keep your word, either. I'm memorizing this one eventually, too.
Man, I have a lot to memorize! Sheesh...
Proverbs 1
So he says not to follow the evil men who wait for people's blood. But hardly ever is it that obvious. That's when you need wisdom to listen to God. :-)
2
If I call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and look for it like silver and gold, then I will ... find the knowledge of God. What a great promise! I need that one right now. Yesterday I was calling out for insight about which college I should go to. Nice to know I'll know.
And not just for college, for everything! Being in college, living life, doing everything that I'll be doing? I'll have God's wisdom. I'll have God's wisdom. How ridiculous is that! You are so generous.
Revelation 3
Couple of things: There's the church where most have gone astray, but a few have stayed faithful (how awesome are those few!); there's the church who are weak from persecution and trials but have held on (they too are amazing!); and there's the church who doesn't really have anything going for them (lukewarm water really is the most disgusting of the lot).
Jesus' different names:
-He who holds the seven stars (angels of the churches) in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands (the seven churches).
-He who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.
-He who has the sharp, double-edged sword (out of his mouth--Word of God?).
-Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
-He who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars (angels).
-He who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.
-The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation.
He who overcomes:
-I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
-will not be hurt at all by the second death.
-I will give some of the hidden manna, and give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
-I will give authority over the nations...I will also give him the morning star.
-Will be dressed in white, I will never blot his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.
-I will make [him] a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.
-I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Just interesting...
Psalm 119:49-72
This person is chasing after you with all they are. That is ridiculous...-ly awesome!
The earth is filled with your love. Think about that, man!
This person has completely lost their mind. They are completely barbaric, and completely consumed with you. What an example!
EDIT:: I did NOT realize how long this was. Ridiculous! Well, it has been well over an hour....