Sunday Scripture

 

As promised, here is our first Sunday Scripture for December.  Remember, I am writing these posts from an Advent study that I did with Good Morning Girls in 2013.  The study, Keeping Our Hearts Focused on Jesus, is still available as a free download, so if you are interested head on over there and get it.  Scroll down and click on the book-like image similar to the illustration above, and the pdf should open right up.  More than just a Bible study, this is an ebook that includes recipes, Advent activities, and more.  I think it will be a blessing to you.

I've mentioned before that I like to use the SOAP method of Bible study, and the studies from GMG use a very similar one.  I find this method a real blessing whether I am studying shorter passages or longer ones, so I hope you'll give it a try if you haven't ever done so. Just a reminder that the S is for Scripture -- just write it out -- and the O is for Observation, the A is for Application and the P is for prayer -- concerning how you'll apply this verse or passage,  or praise for what it means to you.

Each week of this Advent study focuses on a theme: Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace.  This first week's verses are focused on Hope. 

For today's Scripture I chose to focus in on John 1:9-12.  In the actual study, this one was from December 3 -- just in case you downloaded the study and are following along with it.

S= "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
"He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.
"He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.
"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name."  (John 1:9-12)

O= In the Scofield Reference Bible, C.I. Scofield has titled this section of John 1 as "Jesus Christ: the true Light rejected and received".  

The first verse in this passage (verse 9) identifies Jesus as "the true Light" and verse 10 notes that "the world was made by Him".  These statements affirm that Jesus is God.  

The second part of verse 10, plus verse 11, show us that the world as a whole does not understand this.  Verses 11-12 show us a contrast of two different responses to Jesus:
1) His own, that is, the people whom He had created, did not receive Him;
2) Those who did receive Him were given power by Him to become the children of God through belief in His name.

A=  I know and understand well that Jesus is the true Light.  Yet there are many in the world -- a world that was made by Him -- who don't know or recognize who He is.  At this time of year, the world is usually more receptive to hearing about Jesus.  May the Lord give me opportunities to share Him -- the One who came to enlighten our darkness -- this season!

P=  "Lord Jesus, I praise You that You, the true Light, willingly came and dwelt in this fallen world to enlighten our darkness.  I praise You that when we receive You as Savior, believing on Your name, You enable us to become Your children.  You will do this for any and all who will come to You!  Help me in this light-filled season to share the True Light with those who don't know You.  May they be able to see Your light and Your power at work in my life, and be drawn to You.  I praise You for all that You are doing and will do, in Jesus' name, Amen."

And that is today's Sunday Scripture.  I pray that it was a blessing to someone today.