John 3:16 “…that he gave his only begotten son,…”

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Before we look at the word “gave” lets look at what God gave to the world. God gave what was “his”, so it belonged to Him. God can create anything and as many as He wants too. For God to give something to the world is no great sacrifice, except in this case where the gives His “only” begotten son. There is no other son like this one. He is unique and irreplaceable. This is a true sacrifice on God’s part.

This son is the only “begotten” son. That means God and the son are related by nature and not by adoption. It does not mean that God created the son, since both live in the realm of eternity. Neither of them have a beginning. This is simply talking about a relationship between the two.

The “son” is under the father’s authority by choice. The son placed himself under the authority of the father. They have the same nature of love and trust, and out of that love and trust the son placed himself under the father. The son is the perfect son of God and there is no one like him in all the universe. He is obedient to the father out of choice.

Now lets go back to the word “gave”. The only way for the world to receive the gift of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was for God to give him to us. How can we ever pay for having Jesus? Is he worth all that we own? Sorry but we don’t own enough to purchase him even if we owned the whole world. Can we work hard and do enough good deeds? Your works are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). We could work ourselves to death doing good deeds and never do enough.

To sell the son would be to say his worth is only so much. It would be insulting to put a price tag on the life of God’s only begotten son. If God wanted to save the world He had to give the greatest gift that He possibly could give. Out of His love for the world, God sacrificed what only He could give. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.

Other post on John 3:16:
For God
so loved
the world
that he gave his only begotten son
that whosoever believeth in him should not parish, but have everlasting life.

Photo Credit: Jesus on the Cross by fa73

John 3:16 “...the World...”

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

I am sure you noticed that this verse does not say “For God so loved ‘most of’ the world”.  God means what He says and we need to believe Him.  It is amazing how so many people think that there is an exception to the word “world”

God loves every race of humans.  If we discriminate against someone based on race or color then we are discriminating against someone God created and loves.  God did not make a mistake when He made someone a different color then we are.

God loves rich and poor.  When we lift someone up because they are rich, or promote someone over another because they are poor, we are saying God was wrong to give that person the station in life that they hold.

God loves you.  He knows all the wrong you have done.  God saw every evil thing you ever did and yet He loves you and accepts you.  There are no strings attached to God’s love.  He does not require you to change before accepting His love.  He only requires you to accept it and believe it. He wants to hold you even if you’re all muddy and dirty with sin.

Read this verse again but this time put your name in place of ‘world’. For God so loved you, even when you were in the deepest, darkest, most despicable pit of sin.  God’s love is greater then your sin.  God’s love is for you.  He is ready to embrace you as soon as you come to Him

Other post on John 3:16:
For God
so loved
the world
that he gave his only begotten son
that whosoever believeth in him should not parish, but have everlasting life.
.

Photo Credit: Vortex new year 2000 party by mallix

John 3:16 “…so loved…”

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

I mentioned in my previous post "John 3:16 “For God…”" that God is “the most wondrous and dangerous being to ever live.”  That statement is very true.  He is wondrous; but He is also dangerous.  Anyone can take your life from you, but only God can send your soul into the eternal fires of Hell.  Luke 12:5 "But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him."

The next two words of John 3:16 tell us the driving force of God.  Everyone has something which compels them into the actions they commit.  With God, love is not only the driving force, but it is His very being. 1 John 4:8 says, "...God is love"

Love is a word we use all the time.  “I love this chocolate cake.” “I love chocolate.” “I love that show.” I love how this car handles.” “Of course I love you.”  We use the word love so much to describe our feelings and desires, that I fear it has become almost empty of meaning. Many times, Love is simply a pawn in a game to us.  We use love to get the things we want.

When God uses the word “love” He fills the meaning with His very being.  To Him love means an unconditional commitment that is backed by His very life.  He never uses the word flippantly.  Everything He is and does is because of Love.

Other post on John 3:16:
For God
so loved
the world
that he gave his only begotten son
that whosoever believeth in him should not parish, but have everlasting life.
Photo Credit:Love Game by Juliana Coutinho

John 3:16 “For God…”

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Yes, everyone knows this verse, but I think we know it so well that we ignore it.  I am going to cut this verse up into sections and blog about that section and see what we can find out about it.

“For God…”

What is God?  First off, He is not a what.  He is a person. He has a personality just like us and has deep emotions.  He is not a two dimensional character in a dry old book.  He lives and feels.  God experiences pain and sorrow when we betray Him.  When we have victory over sin and evil, God rejoices and smiles with us.  He desires to sweep us into His arms when we need to be comforted, and dance with us when we are joyful. He is a real, true life, person.

He thinks and reasons, but His mind works far above ours. His mind is so vast that He knows where every atom in the universe was, is and will be. That is difficult to comprehend. It is like a worm trying to understand how knowledgeable a human is. God is not human and we can not limit Him by our human standards.

Where did God come from?  He came from someplace called Eternity.  I do not understand what Eternity is, but there are some hints about it.  Time apparently does not exist there, like it does here.  There is no beginning or end of time there.  God exists within Eternity, always has and always will.  He is the one who created our universe with a beginning and possibly an end of Time.  He exist outside of time and therefore is not governed by it.

He is all powerful.  There is nothing at all that God can not do unless He limits Himself.  God and God alone places boundaries upon Himself.  Can God flood the world?  He has the power to, but He can not do it, because He promised that He would not destroy the world with water again.

So who is this God in John 3:16?  He is the greatest person in the universe.  He can do anything He desires.  Nothing can stop Him.  Nothing can defeat Him. He is the most wondrous and dangerous being to ever live.

Other post on John 3:16:
For God
so loved
the world
that he gave his only begotten son
that whosoever believeth in him should not parish, but have everlasting life.
Photo Credit: Creation of Adam by Sebastian Bergmann

Psalms 23 Goodness and Mercy Shall Follow

Psalms 23:6 "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."

When sheep graze on the pasture they can be the most beneficial livestock or the most destructive.  It depends on how well the Shepherd manages his flock.  If left to themselves they can ruin and ravage the land.  They will eat the grass down so far that the only thing left is bare ground.

When a shepherd does his job right, the sheep can transform a land from a ruined derelict to highly productive property with park like terrain.  The ancient world referred to sheep as “those of the golden hooves" because of how rich and productive  they would leave the soil.

Sheep eat a wide variety of plants including weeds and other undesirable vegetation which invades the fields. Their manure is the best fertilizer of any domestic stock.  When it is dispersed over the fields it greatly improves the soil’s richness.  The least productive land is on top of hills, but the sheep seek out the highest ground to rest upon.  This insures that these higher grounds receive rich nutrients from the grassy lower lands.

In this way goodness and mercy follows the sheep all of their lives.  Where the sheep travel, the lands are blessed and enriched.  The shepherd who works to make sure his sheep have all they need blesses not just his sheep but also the lands where the sheep dwell.

If we are following the good shepherd, the lands about us will be blessed as well.  We are meant to be a blessing to the world.  But living with our Lord does not end with this life. We are promised to live in the presence of God for ever. 

To read the Psalm 23 series please click on the verses below:
Psalms 23:1
Psalms 23:2
Psalms 23:3
Psalms 23:4
Psalms 23:5


Photo Credit: Sunset Sheep, Dartmoor by @MWolstenholm

Psalm 23 Our Shepherd Prepares Our Table

Psalms 23:5 "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over."

The table, in this verse, refers to the flat grazing area at the top of the mountain.  In the Western United States, Southern Europe and parts of Africa the word Mesa is used to describe this flat grassy area.  Mesa means “Table”. This could be what David meant by using the term here.

Before the sheep were brought to the table, the shepherd would go to look it over and decide where the best places to graze the sheep would be and where to stay away from.  He would pull out poisonous weeds so the sheep wouldn’t eat them. Clear out anything that might cause harm.

He would then prepare the table for the sheep by placing salt and minerals in strategic spots where the sheep could get to them. The shepherd would also go to where the water was and clean out the debris left from the winter storms.  He would repair small earth dams he had built the previous seasons and open up springs that were clogged with overgrown grass, brush and weeds.

He would be on the look out for wolves, lions and other predators.  He would scout out where their scat lay and what trails they had made.  The shepherd learned all he could about the hunters, who wanted his sheep, so he could better protect the flock.  He was the only one standing in the way of predators and the lives of the sheep.

While spending the summer on the mountain top, sheep are harassed by Nose Flies.  These flies lay their eggs on the warm mucus of the sheep’s nose.  The eggs hatch and crawl up the sheep’s nose and into its head.  This would cause the sheep to bang their heads on trees and ground; possibly killing themselves.  Fear of these flies would send sheep running until they collapsed in exhaustion or shake their heads constantly.
Seeing the beginnings of the flies bothering his sheep the shepherd would pour oil on its head.  The sheep would then calm down and be able to quietly eat the grass in peaceful contentment.

Sheep also enjoyed rubbing their heads together affectionately.  This constant rubbing would form scabs on their heads.  The rams also received wounds from butting heads together.  They hit so hard that they can seriously hurt or even kill each other.  The oil is poured over their heads to help heal their wounds and keep flies away.

With all the care the shepherd gives to his sheep, is it any wonder that the sheep feel as if their “cup runneth over”?  The sheep who have such a shepherd are truly blessed.

We are also truly blessed to have a God who prepares the way for us and makes the our future nourishing, refreshing and healthful.  He knows what we need and makes sure that we will want for nothing.  Our cup truly runs over with the grace of God.

To read the Psalm 23 series please click on the verses below:
Psalms 23:1
Psalms 23:2
Psalms 23:3
Psalms 23:4
Psalms 23:6


Photo Credit: Lambs at Play by brianac37

Psalms 23 No Fear

Psalm 23:4 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

My question is, “Why would the shepherd take his sheep into the valley of the shadow of death in the first place?”  Stay away from the valley and be safe.  Shouldn’t safety be the number one factor for the shepherd to be concerned about?

The shepherd knows that the best grass to eat during the summer is up in the mountains.  This is where the healthiest and strongest sheep are grown.  To get to the best grazing areas, the shepherd leads his sheep up the mountain by way of the valleys.  The valleys have water from streams and ponds.  The grass in the valleys are lusher and abundant.  The valley paths are not as steep and dangerous to climb as other paths would be.

We must trust our shepherd to take us where we can grow and not worry about the perils along the way.  God watches over us and we have nothing to fear.

If you were shown an area with thousands of cactus and told you would be blindfolded and had to walk to the other side through the cactus, you might be a little nervous or scared.  But if you were given a guide, whom you trusted, to take you through you could relax, knowing that you would be safe.

The rod spoken of in this verse is the shepherds weapon.  It is custom made by the shepherd to protect his flock.  He practices many hours to be able to kill the lion or bear as David did.  He also uses it to keep sheep from dangerous areas such as poisonous food or cliffs.  He will throw the rod to move the sheep back to safely.

The rod is used for the welfare of the sheep.  With that long wool it is not always easy to see wounds, disease or parasites on the skin. Using the rod he parts the wool and is able to examine the sheep. The rod is also used to count the sheep and know that his flock is all safe.

The staff was used to gently guide the sheep on the safe path with a tap or prod.   Sometimes sheep would get caught in a thorn thicket looking for grass and the shepherd would pull the sheep out using the crook of the staff.  If a sheep fell over a shallow cliff and was unable to get back the shepherd used the staff.

No matter what problems we are in, or how bad things might look to us, God is our shepherd and He is fully prepared to help.  He knows the valleys we will be going through.  He knows what awaits us within the shadows.  He will not let anything come into our lives that can not be handled by us as long as we stay with Him.  Fear not little lamb for your shepherd is near.

To read the Psalm 23 series please click on the verses below:
Psalms 23:1
Psalms 23:2
Psalms 23:3
Psalms 23:5
Psalms 23:6


Photo Credit: Lost little lamb by simpologist

Psalms 23 He Leadeth Me

Psalms 23:3 "He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake."

God restores the soul of His sheep.  The soul is the essence of what makes you the person you are.  You are not your body or even your mind.  There is something within you that is the very core of your being.  When God works on healing you, and bringing you back from the destructive path you have taken, He does not work on just the symptoms.  God goes to where the root cause is and that is found in your soul.

No one, including ourselves, can go that deep and heal that completely.  God is the Great Physician who knows every intricate part of your body, mind and soul.  He knows how they work together.  He knows how to cut, mold and regenerate any part of you. He alone can restore you to perfect spiritual health.

In the restoration of our soul we are lead in the paths of righteousness.  There can be many motivations for doing an action.  Some people do things because they feel guilty and shameful.  Perhaps they will act because of fear of punishment.  Many people obey laws out of fear of punishment and that includes the commandments of God.  It is not that they are honest because they want to be, but because they are afraid God is watching and will punish them, possibly by sending them to Hell.

God leads us in paths of righteousness for His name sake.  The only reason a Christian has for being obedient is Love.  We do it simply because it is God who desires it.  We don’t need a better reason. It is for His sake that we are obedient.  We have no punishment hanging over us if we disobey. He will not send us on a guilt trip.  He will only lead us in the way of righteousness and we will follow simply because we love Him.

To read the Psalm 23 series please click on the verses below:
Psalms 23:1
Psalms 23:2
Psalms 23:4
Psalms 23:5
Psalms 23:6


Photo Credit: holding hands by gem fountain

Psalms 23: God Leads Us to Sweet Nourishment.

Psalms 23:2 "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters."

Verse 2 is essentially saying the same thing twice.  When God speaks we should listen, but if He repeats Himself you better listen really well.  This seems pretty straight forward so what could be so important in this Verse?

God makes you lie down where you can eat good food.  The Hebrew word for Maketh means to counterbalance, compose, equalize.  God, our shepherd takes us to where we can adjust and counter the sinful world in which we live, and eat of His good nourishment.   He does not provide just our physical needs but our spiritual needs as well.  He makes sure that no matter who are you, or where your at, you will have the opportunity to be spiritually nourished.

He leads us beside still water.  Leadeth in the Hebrew means to gently guide you to the water.  It is interesting that in both statements God never forces you but gives you what you need, and allows you to choose if you want to eat and drink or not.  He is gentle, allowing you to make the final choice.

If you’re a Christian, you have The Shepherd right there with you.  He is leading you everyday.  You have the opportunity to read His word, hear His voice, and feed upon His wisdom. It is an opportunity, but God will not force you to eat of His good fruit.  If you desire to eat of the rotten fruit of this world you can, but it can make you sick and malnourished.

Pornography, television, money, your job, education, sex, and almost anything in this world including some good things such as Christian literature can be used to replace God and His nourishment.  Anything that causes your way of thinking to veer away from listening to God, is of the world.  Christian books can be used as foundations for what you believe instead of God’s word.  Pastors preach something and we place it as equal to the Gospel. Commentators on TV, our own wisdom and logic, our ethics on the job, and so much more can be the basis of what we believe. 

We need to go back to God and the scripture.  He will lead you to the truth but you have to decide to trust Him and what He says over what the world says.  He will never guide you in the wrong direction.

To read the Psalm 23 series please click on the verses below:
Psalms 23:1
Psalms 23:3
Psalms 23:4
Psalms 23:5
Psalms 23:6


Photo Credit: Sheep drinking the canal by MrSimonWood

Psalms 23 My Shepherd

Psalms 23:1 "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."

This popular Psalm is about resting in the arms of God.  We hear the 23rd Psalm so many times in our lives that we really don’t think about what it say anymore.   It takes us to the basic truth that we must choose God in our lives if we are to succeed in life.

It begins by saying “The Lord is my shepherd”.  Everything after this is predicated upon that simple statement.  If the Lord is not your shepherd then whoever is (money, status, fame, education, or your mother) will be the one to provide all your security.  Then you could read it as “My mother is my shepherd”  Personally, I think God does a much better job.

When God is your shepherd you will not want for anything.  In the Hebrew the word “want” can also be translated “fail”  So if God is your shepherd you shall not fail, because He will never fail.  This sounds so good that there has to be a catch.  God will provide anything you want and you will never fail?  The only catch is that God has to be your shepherd.  He is the one to guide you and lead you in how to live your life.

This does not mean that everything you lust after will be provided.  Nice sports car, CEO of the company, so much money you could buy Texas and women begging for you.  No! It means that what you need to live and serve God, He will be provide.   Your desire should be to place God first, not You first.  With God first in your life, all you want in order to serve Him will be provided. 

To read the Psalm 23 series please click on the verses below:
Psalms 23:2
Psalms 23:3
Psalms 23:4
Psalms 23:5
Psalms 23:6

Photo Credit: April 2007 031 by delayed gratification