Anglican Daily Fountain 22nd January 2024 (Devotional Today)
Welcome to Today’s Daily Fountain Devotional of the Anglican Church of Nigeria. Daily Fountain is a daily reading devotional for all Anglicans and Non-Anglicans to read, study, share and discuss the Word of God on a daily basis.
TOPIC: LOOK UP TO JESUS TODAY
TEXT: John 3: 1-21(KJV)
3:1. There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
3:2. The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3:3. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
3:4. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
3:5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
3:6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
3:7. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
3:8. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
3:9. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
3:10. Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
3:11. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
3:12. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
3:13. And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
3:14. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
3:15. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
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.
3:17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
3:18. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
3:19. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
3:20. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
3:21. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Anglican Daily Fountain 22nd January 2024 STUDY:
The Lord reminded Nicodemus of the bronze snake in the wilderness to help him (and us) link the story to the offering up of Jesus on the cross for the salvation of those who believe in him. In both stories, the people were in danger of death because of their sins and we see God providing the agent of salvation (the bronze serpent and His Son). However, while a look at the lifted bronze snake prolonged their physical life, a look at the lifted Christ makes eternal life possible.
Friend, if you are still in sin, you are under divine condemnation and in danger of eternal death. You need to be rescued so you can spend eternity with God. God loves you and has made a provision for your rescue and salvation by giving His Son – that by looking up to him by faith, you will be saved and not be condemned. This same God of love will send the same Jesus a second time to judge the world for sin. Have you trusted him for your salvation? What is the first thing you do each morning? Do you look at the news, social media, your problems and trials, or do you look up to Jesus that you may live eternally?
PRAYER: Lord, help me to make a new commitment to look up to Jesus for encouragement, hope and salvation, Amen.
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