JourneyMen Breakfast Bible Study
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February 2020
October 2019
It Takes Life To Give Life
JourneyMen celebrated its 25th Take the Lead Bible study and fellowship event on October 25th. Bob Downs, along with the musical talents of Dave Osborne and friends, and Ben Ryan and his band of BBQ brothers, make this event a joyous gathering opportunity for men to gather for fun, fellowship and grow in faith.
This past event was no different. It’s become a tradition to have someone share their faith story how God has touched their life. Randy Johnson, a good friend of Bob, has been attending Take the Lead events for years. Unfortunately, Randy was diagnosed with a terminal lung disease that was slowly taking his life. Strong in faith, Randy stayed close to God and prayed for a miracle. His journey was long and difficult; it was also expensive.
When Randy discovered his could qualify for a lung transplant, he was told he would need to raise money to cover the after expenses that accompany a transplant. His small-town community of Sedalia, Mo rallied around Randy and his family raising over 42,000 in one benefit dinner/action. God was preparing Randy to receive his miracle. One night, when breathing was extremely difficult, Randy prayed and asked God to call him home, or give him lungs; he received the long-awaited call just five days after being placed on the recipient list. By the grace of God every requirement needed was met and Randy headed to St. Louis to receive his new lungs and begin his three-month rehabilitation in St. Louis.
With life, come death. A life had to be given to give Randy life. A 24-year-old women suffered a life ending head trauma from a horse-riding accident in Texas. While Randy had a drive to St. Louis, his new lungs were being flown in from Texas. At 10pm the day Randy arrived in St. Louis, the surgery began and lasted until 7am the next morning – it was a complete success. God provided Randy continued life.
In time Randy would meet the family of the lung recipient and discovered the amazing faith of the family hearing how they prayed for each person receiving an organ of their lost loved one. A friendship was developed, and Randy eventually was able to visit the family in Texas. The organ donor was a lover of horses and had one horse that was often a little restless. Randy wanted to meet the donor’s horse and pet it. It was a magical moment as Randy stood by the horse. It laid its head against Randy and just rested as though it knew its long lost friend had returned and now everything was OK.
Randy was given a bracelet to wear during his journey of waiting for this second chance of life. He still wears it today as a remind of how great is our God. It says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
2018 was a tough year for Randy when his wife suddenly passed, and that same year God called his mother home. Through it all Randy continues to hold on and live his life in faith. It takes a mighty God to carry us through the storms of life. We praise God for the gift of faith and the promise we have knowing he is always with us. As in Randy’s physical life, it takes a life to have life. We praise God for the gift of eternal life we have in Christ who gave his life for us.
September 2019
Devotion – John 18:28-32 Jesus Before Pilate
John 18:28-32 Jesus Before Pilate
28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”
30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”
31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”
“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.
Words to Live By:
To avoid religious contamination, the Jewish leaders refuse to enter Pilate’s residence, but they unjustly seek to use Pilate’s authority to put Jesus to death. Even religious people are capable of manipulating others to advance personal agendas. Remarkably, Jesus’ death at the hands of unjust accusers became the very means through which our gracious God took away the guilt of sin.
Living God’s Word:
IT HAD TO BE A CROSS
Jesus sacrificial death was an inevitable necessity for our salvation. But the very means of that death was designated by God in order to accomplish several detailed purposes of God. Among the reasons for the Crucifixion are the following:
- The Crucifixion preserved the accuracy of long-standing messianic prophecies, or typology—that none of Jesus’ bones would be broken, whereas stoning broke bones (Exodus 12:46) and that piercing would occur (Zechariah 12:10).
- The Crucifixion combined the Jews and Gentiles in a conspiracy of death. The responsibility and guilt for the death of Jesus was thereby placed upon the world (Acts 2:23; 4:27).
- The Crucifixion actualized another Old Testament type, the serpent lifted on a pole as a sign of salvation (John 3:14).
- The cross also represented God’s commanded form of death for anyone who was under divine curse. He was to be hanged from a tree in judgment for his sin (Deuteronomy 21:23; Galatians 3:13).
God used the cross of Jesus to work out every detail of his eternal plan to accomplish our salvation!
Making it REAL in your life:
What do you see when you look at the cross?.
Prayer:
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Ps 51:10). Amen.
July 2019
John 7:25-36 God’s Grace is for All
Living God’s Word
John 7:25-36 God’s Grace is for All
25 At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26 Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? 27 But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”
28 Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, 29 but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.”
30 At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Still, many in the crowd believed in him. They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man?”
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.
33 Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me. 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”
35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? 36 What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”
Words to Live By:
Jesus teaches that when He dies, He will return to His Father and become inaccessible to His enemies. Yet, He remains gracious toward all. The “window of opportunity” for the Gospel will soon close, both for the individual and for the world. But God now graciously extends the time for the Gospel’s proclamation that many others may hear and be saved (2Pt 3:9).
Living God’s Word:
The mention of Greeks in this passage ought to catch the attention of those who are not Jewish. John’s readers appreciated the startling and hopeful nature of Jesus’ words. To appreciate the impact, we must remember that the Jewish people perceived anyone who was non-Jewish as totally isolated from God. They regarded the Greeks or Gentiles as pagans and infidels, cut off from God, without hope. But Jesus’ message promises rivers of living water to “anyone” who is thirsty. If we have believed in Jesus, we have discovered that God’s grace extended even to us!
Making it REAL in your life:
Are there times in your life you feel distant from God? What helps you to be reminded God’s grace has been extended to you?
Prayer:
Make me alert, O God, to seize every opportunity to share Jesus’ saving love. Amen.
John 5:31-47 Letting Others See Jesus in You
Living God’s Word
John 5:16-30 Letting others See Jesus in You
31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true.
33 “You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. 35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.
36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
41 “I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
45 “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”
Words to Live By:
The Father gives binding witness to His Son’s true identity, which is revealed in the works He performs and in the Scriptures that everywhere speak of Him. Those who fail to see Christ in the pages of the Bible, including the OT, are blind to its central purpose. Through Scripture’s testimony of Christ, God reveals His great love toward all people.
Living God’s Word:
Jesus’ description of John as a “lamp” and container for the light reminds us of Jesus’ description of the believers as being “the light of the world.” He said, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 niv). We have both the privilege and command to be carriers of the light in our corner of the world. We can hardly predict how God might use the witness we have to offer others, but we have been warned not to keep our light hidden.
Making it REAL in your life:
We simply must keep asking ourselves if those who are regularly part of our lives know of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Do the people you encounter daily see Jesus in you? How bright of a light bulb would you be?
Prayer:
O heavenly Father, I praise You for the testimony You have given me of Your Son, my Savior, through Your life-giving Word. Amen.
John 3:22-36 Giving Credit Where Credit is Due
Living God’s Word
John 3:22-36 Giving Credit Where Credit is Due
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”
31 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
Living God’s Word:
Pastors, Christian leaders, and possibly yourself, may be tempted to focus more on the success of their ministries than on Christ. It’s easy to get trapped by all the praise. Others may project a false humility or even a destructive self-hatred. Healthy humility, as modeled by John, defines itself in truthful comparison. John did not say he was nothing. He identified himself in relation to the most important person in his life. Because of John’s profound understanding of his purpose in life, he eagerly pointed to the greatness of Jesus. John welcomed the success of Jesus’ revelation as the Messiah even though he realized his own moment in the spotlight was passing. The more Jesus was recognized, the more John could enjoy his own success. Humility combines the persistence to do and be what God has called us to be, the wisdom to recognize those things we cannot do and be, and the vision to always see ourselves in relation to God’s greatness.
Making it REAL in your life:
God has chosen you to serve Him. When you acknowledge the gifts God has given, can you respond with a sincere “Thank You.” God wants you to experience the joy of serving Him. Your praise comes in recognizing who is working though you. Take time to recognize how God is working through you to help others.
Words to Live By:
John the Baptist steps aside when Christ comes because Jesus is the Son of God from heaven and possesses the Holy Spirit without measure. God reveals His wrath against those who do not believe in His Son and deprives them of everlasting life. But He gives everlasting life to all who trust in Jesus.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, give to me a full measure of Your Spirit, that I may always remain faithful to You and bear witness to You. Keep me humble and always mindful that I do if to Your glory. Help me to live a life of humility and at the same time say “Thanks” for all the ways you choose to use me in reflecting the Light of Christ to others. Amen.
John 3:1-15 Today we have New Life in Christ
Living God’s Word
John 3:1-15 Today we have New Life in Christ
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” k
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. r 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, t 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” v
Living God’s Word:
Most people, at one time or another, wish they could start life over again. But second thoughts usually bring us to the conclusion that another trip through life would involve just as many opportunities for mistakes as the first time. Nicodemus saw only complications and impossibilities in Jesus’ challenge. But Jesus later made the point in discussing the possibility of salvation with his disciples that “with man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27 niv). The only way a person can really start over in life is by being born from above—“born again” by receiving God’s eternal life and the regenerating Holy Spirit. Starting over may be naturally impossible; but Jesus makes it a supernatural possibility.
Making it REAL:
Do you sometimes feel like you need a fresh start? Wake up each day renewed in Baptism. Yesterday has passed, today is a new beginning. How can you better experience God’s renewal in your life, today?
Words to Live By:
Nicodemus, though “the teacher of Israel,” shows that he cannot comprehend the Spirit’s miraculous work of new birth through Baptism. Human reason, darkened by sin, cannot accept that God can grant spiritual rebirth through ordinary water used with His Word. But such a great promise has come from none other than the Son of Man, lifted up on the cross for our salvation!
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, I praise You that You have given me new birth to a living hope through Christ’s resurrection. Help me live today in the newness that only comes through Jesus who gave his life for me. Lead me to the cross when I find myself drifting from you. Thank you for the gift of new life received through the waters of Holy Baptism. Amen
John 2:13-25 Worshiping God as He Desires
Living God’s Word
John 2:13-25 Worshiping God as He Desires
13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” o
18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”
19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
Living God’s Word:
Too many churches today do everything they can to make the time of worship convenient for people. And some people attend church because they see it as a place for personal contacts or business advantage. But worshiping God is not always convenient; it demands true devotion and self-sacrifice. Nor is it for our own earthly advancement. Our focus should be on God alone. We are to worship sincerely, reverently, and humbly. That is not to say we cannot be excited, even zealous, about God. But we are always to worship with reverence—recognizing and remembering who God is. Great speaking preachers, top quality musicians, gifted singers are all wonderful and gifts from God! However, these are not be our focus for attending. Our greatest draw to church is Jesus who deserves our praises. It’s all about Christ who gave His life for you. “Come, let us worship Him.”
Making it REAL:
Does worship service have to fit your schedule, or is it the priority of your day? Why do you attend worship services; are your motives pure?
Words to Live By:
With holy zeal, Jesus cleanses the temple, which has been turned into a marketplace, and He predicts His resurrection to those questioning His authority. When we disrespect God’s Word and sacred things, He calls us to repentance. Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection reveal God’s heart, which is zealous for those He loves.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, give me a heart that fervently clings to You and Your Word. Cleanse the temple of my heart so that my desire is to offer my praise and worship to You alone. Help rid me of the worldly aspects of church and renew my Spirit to see and hear You as I gather with others to in You house of worship. Amen.
Are You Thirsty? Dave’s JourneyMen Devotion
Dave Smith’s JourneyMen Devotion
“Are You Thirsty?”
JourneyMen,
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. –John 4:13-14
This is my 9th year of being a “Pool Boy.” We opened our swimming pool earlier this year, and despite cooler temperatures than normal until recently, we have been able to get in a good amount of swimming. Due to the early pool open and cooler temperatures, my ‘Pool Boy” maintenance has been easier than normal. This includes something I didn’t plan on, which is not needing to add water into the pool, not even once. I am sure the pool will need water added as the temperatures heat up and God stops sending the amount of rain He has provided since the pool opened. But for now, my pool continues to not be thirsty, being supplied with all of the water it needs. How about you? Are you thirsty? Are you being supplied with all the “water” you need? Or do you need to be filled up again?
In ways, I am like my swimming pool. When we (my pool and I) have enough water, we thrive. Having the water we need enables us to function and do our best. At times, the refilling of the water comes almost without notice. Over time, we can come to expect it to happen. And then it occurs. God’s rain providing us with the water we need slows down. The temperature heats up, draining us of needed water. We eventually reach the point that we don’t have enough water to properly function. We are no longer thriving. We are then surviving! We find ourselves in need, praying for more rain, and water. How about you? Are you like my pool and I? If so, then what is the solution? How can we quench our thirst?
Closing Thought: My swimming pool needs water. I need water. You need water. The water that you and I need is different than the water my swimming pool needs. My swimming pool will become thirsty again. It will need water added in. Usually I add water in through my home’s garden hose. By comparison, we will also become thirsty again, but the water we truly need we actually already possess! This water is “living water.” Living water has already been given to us by Jesus himself. Even when we feel thirsty for water on earth, and we will feel thirsty a lot, we actually have the water we most need in us through Jesus amazing gift of “a spring of life welling up to eternal life!” Are you thirsty? Then go to the well of living spring water that Jesus has already given you, through faith, and take a drink from the well of Jesus! Remember, only Jesus can truly quench your thirst, both now, and for eternity!
John 2:1-12 Jesus Uses Us to Impact Lives
Living God’s Word
John 2:1-12 Jesus Uses Us to Impact Lives
1On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
4 “Woman, x why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”
11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.
Living God’s Word:
Jesus did not require the help of the servants nor the filled jars in order to perform his miracle. The filling of the jars could itself have been part of the miracle. But as Jesus demonstrated repeatedly in dealing with people, God honors us with significant roles in his work. We are not indispensable, but graciously included. For another outstanding example, note the resurrection of Lazarus (11:43–44) where Jesus gives life, but friends unwrap and clean up what must have been a completely shocked Lazarus!
Making it REAL:
How has God blessed you in Your service to Him and others? Does your work carry the imprint of Christ upon it? Do you fulfill your responsibility, sensing how Christ is using you?
Words to Live By:
Jesus, through whom all things were made (1:3), performs His first miracle (“sign”) at a wedding at Cana in Galilee, manifesting His glory by turning water into wine. Today, take your concerns to Jesus in prayer. By His life, and at the hour of His death, Christ revealed His great mercy toward us, assuring us that no need escapes His care.
Prayer:
Lord, We know You alone can do all things. Give me confidence as I seek You in my hour of need and help me to recognize the time You are working in my life to help the needs of others. Use me as Your messenger of love in a world filled with hopelessness. In Your name, Amen.