The John Squad
Please click here to chart your own progress - even though I'm the only one still doing this
My Progress:
I completed Chapter 14 this week. I am extremely pleased with my progress. However, these chapters are growing a little more difficult, because Jesus is doing a long narrative and I sometimes get stuck so easily. I was hoping to be able to do one chapter per week for a while, but I may fall short of that goal. (Alright, I may as well admit it... My "official" goal was to complete this project in 2 years. My unofficial secret goal was to do it within a year. There I said it. I was a coward and made a wimpy goal so that I wouldn't be disappointed if I made a challenging goal and failed.) Either way, I am happy to have only 7 chapters to go and I have renewed energy and motivation. People must be praying for me.
Some Thoughts:
14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command."
14:21 "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me."
14:23 "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching."
Yikes! Do I love Him or not? I sure do like to think that I love Him, but how about that obedience...
Amazing Truth: "On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you." That just struck me as totally awesome. First off, because it took me probably an hour just to get that one verse straight, I had some extra time to really think about its meaning. So many verses in the Bible talk about how Jesus is in the Father. But these ones got my attention because it talks about how we are in Him and He is in us. It's just neat to think that we are that important to Him, and we share such an intimate relationship.
Most Encouraging Verses Ever:
"You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." Don't misunderstand and think that means we can ask Him for whatever the heck we want. Clearly, if we ask anything that is in the Father's will, He will do it. Time to figure out what is in the Father's will so we can ask!
"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." Hooray!! So ten years from now, the Holy Spirit will remind me of all 21 chapters of the Book of John and I will be able to recite them flawlessly. How nice to have a Counselor to help us remember things. Now, if He would just remind me where I put my car keys once in a while...
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you." Does that sound awesome or what?!
"Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." I know that one is easier said than done, but it is still nice to hear Jesus say it. They guy who speaks for Jesus on my Bible on CD does an outstanding job and there is something so soothing about his voice. With the craziness and evil in this world, I find it so comforting to just sit and listen to chapter after chapter of this book and reflect on Jesus' life of love that He gave for us.
"The prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me..." I just think it's so awesome how Jesus was totally in control the entire time, even when people thought He was completely defeated. How He was able to humble Himself in such a way is beyond me. I can't imagine submitting to evil the way He did in order to save me while I was still evil!
I am looking forward to memorizing the next couple of chapters. I am feeling more and more of Jesus' distress as the hour is approaching, but the really difficult verses don't come until around chapter 19. I am still worried about memorizing those ones, but I reckon I'll cross that bridge when I get there.
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