As we continue our 40 day journey through the NT, we begin reading the Gospel of John.  Today's convictions:

1. About God: The great statement "the Word was with God, and the Word was God" establishes Jesus' divinity with an abrupt directness (as the introduction to the gospel). BTW, Colwell's Rule in Greek grammar dictatest that this reference to "God" is a definite reference to God rather than to "a god." 

2. About NT Christianity: From reading these four chapters, I get a real sense of the Jewishness of both Jesus and his disciples. "He came to that which was his own;" "Look, the Lamb of God;" "Rabbi where are you staying;" "We have found the Messiah;" "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law;" "Here is truly an Israelite;" "Rabbi, you are the son of God, the king of Israel;" "six stone jars used by the Jews for ceremonial washing;" "time for the Jewish Passover... temple;" and so on and so on. While we are reading the NT this month, it is imperative for me to gain greater and greater familiarity with the OT to hear Jesus' words as this audience did.

3. DWIS (Do What It Says): John 4:50. "The man took Jesus at his word." That's great faith. I need to take Jesus at his word today... "I am with you always" "Where two or three are gathered I am with you" "Stop doubting and believe" "Ask it will given, seek and you will find, knock and the door will opened" "If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us" - in other words, an upward call to faith today.