My Father's Work John 10: 22-42

John 10
Jesus Claims to Be the Son of God 
22 It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. 23 He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The people surrounded Him and asked, “How long are You going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe Me. The proof is the work I do in My Father’s name. 26 But you don’t believe Me because you are not My sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from Me, 29 for My Father has given them to Me, and He is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.” 31 Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. 32 Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone Me?” 33 They replied, “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.” 34 Jesus replied, “It is written in your own Scriptures that God said to certain leaders of the people, ‘I say, you are gods!’ 35 And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people who received God’s message were called ‘gods,’ 36 why do you call it blasphemy when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’? After all, the Father set Me apart and sent Me into the world. 37 Don’t believe Me unless I carry out my Father’s work. 38 But if I do His work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don’t believe Me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.” 39 Once again they tried to arrest Him, but He got away and left them. 40 He went beyond the Jordan River near the place where John was first baptizing and stayed there awhile. 41 And many followed Him. “John didn’t perform miraculous signs,” they remarked to one another, "but everything he said about this man has come true.” 42 And many who were there believed in Jesus.

When we become Christians we are told to read our Bible, attend church, go to Bible Study and fellowship with other believers. We are told to do these things to keep us focused so we will build our faith and not fade back to where we were before we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. If we do what we are told to do, God can make the changes in us He desires. We stop listening to certain music because we realize the lyrics aren't very meaningful. We stop watching certain shows on television because we realize they are expressing things that go against what we are learning. We stop going to certain places because we realize it's contrary to our new beliefs. We stop using certain language because it no longer sounds good to our ears. 

When we do the things we are told to do as Christians, we grow in our faith. We start wanting to please God and do the things that honor Him. For me, that brought me to the "read your Bible" part. Even though I have been a Christian for about 16 years, I still wasn't reading the Bible everyday. Sure I read SOMETHING related to scripture, but not actually studying it myself. God was convicting me. That's why I started doing this email devotion. You all hold me accountable. I love how if I don't get it out I get text messages or emails asking where it is, asking if I am doing ok, and expressing how much you look forward to it and enjoy it. 

David and I felt the Lord urging us to take it one step further then just our own personal devotion emailed to a few of our friends. He urged us to make it public. That's what the Bible has taught us in Acts 1:8b "And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

That's why we started the blog. 

http://stanfordsancutaryscripturestudies.blogspot.com

We don't need to see if it has an impact, we don't need to know if through it anyone is led to Christ we just have to do our part, follow His calling and share the Gospel. How will you share the Gospel today? 

“Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.” 
St. Francis of Assisi.

Blessings, Cecilia