February 19

JOHN 9
24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out. – John 9:24-34

JOHN 9 THOUGH I WAS BLIND NOW I SEE
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When you believe in Jesus, you will be given sight
All those things you didn’t see will now be visible and clear
He frees us from what we were enslaved with and gives life
He directs us from a life of darkness into his light
If you allow him to be your Master, you will discern
Free yourself from all bondages, come to Jesus Christ.

It is tiring to hear of these Jewish leaders who kept on pursuing unbelief and legalism. They had to ask the former blind man again and again how he regained his sight. It is such a futile activity to go around in circles and miss what is being shown to them. They cannot even hear what the man was saying because they want him to say what they want to hear. On the other hand, the man born blind did not just get healing for his sight, but his spirit was also healed when he began to claim that Jesus can only be able to do what he did because he worshiped God. This angered the Jews. They do not want to hear the truth.

REFLECTION
• Share some things that you used to be blind from and now you see.

February 18

JOHN 9
18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
– John 9:18-23

JOHN 9 CONTINUED UNBELIEF
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
If someone continues with his unbelief, he will pursue logic
Man’s mind will do its best to understand what it cannot fathom
When a man leans too much on his own mind, he will not believe
Because of unbelief, there’s no way they will see signs or receive it
Continued unbelief leads to double-mindedness and confusion
They are tossed and blown like the wind and they are unstable.

In this account we see how relentless the Jewish leaders are to investigate the healing of the blind man from birth. They will never believe or admit or even entertain that it may be true that Jesus healed him. So, they summoned the parents of the man to further ask them with the threat of excommunication if they didn’t show up or give them sufficient answers to satisfy their investigation.
In Ezra 10:18, we see an example of the consequences of excommunication. It says that those who failed to come within three days would, if the leaders and elders so decided, forfeit all their property and be expelled from the assembly of the exiles. According to a commentary by Dods, they are treated like lepers and entirely cut off. We can therefore understand why the parents were so terrified and deflected answering anything about the healing of Jesus to their son who is already “of age.”

REFLECTION
• Share some insights about the effects of continued unbelief to people.

February 17

JOHN 9
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”– John 9:13-17

JOHN 9 THE DOWNSIDE OF LEGALISM
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When we have a legalistic view, we become slaves to rules
We develop a tunnel vision to focus only on what we know
We do not want to hear anything that opposes our mindsets
We become blind to other people’s knowledge and belief systems
Legalism brings conflict; it enslaves others to only go with your flow
It is not proactive but reactive; it wants to live in what it knows.

In this account, we see the downside of legalism. The Pharisees had to investigate the former blind man. They were looking at all kinds of loopholes to charge Jesus with something so he could stop the signs he was doing. They were threatened by what Jesus could do and their insecurities were activated by Jesus’ big following. They had tunnel vision which only focuses on the law that Jesus broke. He healed the blind man on the Sabbath. How ridiculous was it to grill someone who freed the blind man from being in the dark all his life? This is what happens to legalistic people. They cannot see anything good. They are so obsessed with following rules and they want to control everyone else around them to do so. They do not care if you have another view because that will negate their knowledge which will make them lesser and activate their inferiority complex.
Instead of believing that Jesus was the Son of God, they had to prove that Jesus was a sinner. It would make them right to find fault in Jesus and feel a sense of control over it.

REFLECTION
• Share how legalism or legalistic people have destroyed themselves and others.

February 14

JOHN 8
48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. – John 8:48-59

JOHN 8 IF YOU KEEP GOD’S WORD
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Those who claim to believe in the Lord must keep his word
If you do not follow his word, you will be consumed by the world
It is the word that will bring you discernment from what is not true
It exposes what lies the enemy uses to destroy and kill you
So, keep being faithful to seek the truth in God’s word
It will free you from the bondage of sin propagated in this world.

We continue to witness the violence that the Jewish leaders are throwing at Jesus. They are so mad that they don’t hear anything Jesus says. They were hyper-focusing on arresting him and killing him. As Jesus continued to expose their unbelief and not understanding what he was saying, they got more and more violent to the point at picking stones to throw at him. But, of course, we know that God won’t allow that as it is not yet Jesus’ hour at that time. They aren’t able to hear the truth because they are of the devil.

REFLECTION
• What benefits have you enjoyed when you keep God’s word?

February 13

JOHN 8
39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” – John 8:39-47

JOHN 8 WHEN YOU BELIEVE LIES
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
The devil is the source of all deceptions and lies
If you believe his lies, you will surely die
Because he is the father of lies, there is no truth in him
So, when you follow his mindsets, you will always sin
If you believe lies, you won’t hear the word of the Lord
Because you will be held captive by the system of the world.

It is sad that many people cannot distinguish a lie from truth. Because the world system has penetrated our thinking and because we do not really hunger for truth that only comes in God’s word, the devil has a big playground in our minds to twist and give us half truths just like he did in the Garden of Eden when he enticed Adam and Eve.
Jesus was telling the Jewish leaders that because their father is the devil who is the father of all lies, they were unable to hear the truth and believe that he comes from the Father up above. They can’t hear because they do not belong to God.

REFLECTION
• How do we discern lies from the truth? In what form do lies hide?

February 12

JOHN 8
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”– John 8:31-38

JOHN 8 ONLY TRUTH SETS YOU FREE
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
If you justify your sins and continue to practice it
You are definitely a slave to sin and you need Jesus
If you believe in Christ, you will follow his word
When you do so, you will be set free by the truth.

There are some followers who truly do not understand what being a true Christian means.
When you believe in Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwells in your heart and you will be changed. You will no longer long to follow your sinful nature which wants to cater to pleasures of the flesh. You will become aware of sins because the word of God will expose it and lead you to do what is right and true. You will no longer make a habit of sin. Even though you are still a sinner, you no longer are bent to follow it. Because the Holy Spirit leads you to give glory to God and to Jesus, you will become aware when you are being self-focused.
In this account, Jesus promises freedom to all those who will believe in him and follow his word. The Jews claimed that they are offspring of Abraham and thought they weren’t enslaved to anyone but Jesus was talking of spiritual slavery to sin which they didn’t understand. He identified the slave to sin by saying they practice it, meaning they make a habit of it. Jesus confronted them that they are unable to be free because their Father is not God but he was referring to the devil as their father.

REFLECTION
• What may hinder a Christian from being truly set free?

February 10

JOHN 8
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” 19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
– John 8:12-20

JOHN 8 THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
If you are confused and living in the dark
There is a way for you to walk in the right path
Jesus is the light of the world, come to him
He will free you by exposing all kinds of sin.

In this account, the Pharisees continue to find fault and press charges on Jesus. Each truth that Jesus declares, they get obsessed with grilling him. When Jesus declares that he is the light of the world and that whoever follows him will no longer walk in darkness, you already know how the Pharisees were going to take this. Of course, they rejected it and further nailed Jesus’ identity by asking “Where is your Father?” They wanted to arrest him, but they had no idea that it wasn’t Jesus’ hour yet. They thought they could control all these things and plot against Jesus at the exact time they wanted to, but they were so wrong. So many people may claim that they are believers but they live in darkness and confusion. How can they not have the light of the world if they truly believe in Christ?

REFLECTION
• How can you see if a believer has the light of life that comes from Jesus alone?

February 9

JOHN 8
1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
– John 8:1-11

JOHN 8 NO CONDEMNATION IN CHRIST
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
All those who believe in Christ will be free
They are not going to stay guilty or condemned
They will have the power to overcome sin through the Spirit
Because they belong to Christ, they have assurance in Him.

Many theories and speculation about what Jesus wrote on the ground in this account were more focused the contents of what he placed on it. Some say that he wrote the sins of the Jew, while other commentaries claim that since the woman was caught in adultery, she must be naked and Jesus concentrated on the ground to lessen her shame.
I think that the point of this account is the exposure of the evil manipulation of the Jews to use a sinful woman to catch Jesus to make a mistake, so they can charge him. But according to the law of Moses in Leviticus 20:10 says that both the adulterer and adulteress must be put to death. There is no man in this scene, only a woman.

REFLECTION
• What do you think is the point that Jesus was making in this account?