The John Challenge
What is the John Challenge?
(The links to all the chapters are below)
It’s where you read and meditate on a chapter of the Gospel of John every day during the Fast. There are 21 chapters in total. You can start this challenge any day, but you need to follow along for 21 uninterrupted days until the last chapter.
Note that it’s not simply to “read.” You’re going to reflect on what you read. To reflect means to think about what you’re reading, to inquire, dive into the text, and especially take lessons for your life.
Just to help you out, I added the links to my daily reflections on each chapter. That doesn’t mean that you will be restricted to what I wrote. Remember that, the word of God is dynamic and through one verse it can say something totally different to you than to me. I also want to encourage you to leave a comment on what you learned while meditating on the daily chapter. Write your thoughts here on the blog. Surely, it will bless others.
Do you want to participate? So:
- Decide that your going to commit for 21 days.
- Start reading from John 1:1, read a chapter a day.
- Meditate on the reading. You should take 10 to 20 minutes a day to do this; choose a quiet place free from interruptions.
- Right after, visit this blog to read the message of the day and post your comment.
Now, what about inviting a friend to participate with you? This is something ideal for friends, kids, husband, wife, etc. Send an email to someone right now…
My meditations:
I suggest that you first read the chapter in your Bible, afterwards read my comments on that chapter, and then post your comment here on the blog.
John 1: the supporting role
John 2: He was talking about your body
John 3: The chapter of the division
John 4: He mingles with the gentiles
John 5: Whose son?
John 6: Jesus is a loaf of bread
John 7: If we can’t stay in Judea, let’s go to Galilee
John 8: Shock therapy
John 9: Jesus the troublemaker
John 10: Dumber than a donkey
John 11: Rage instead of sorrow
John 12: Fire, firewood and money
John 13: Loving those who don’t deserve it
John 14: Together and mixed together
John 15: Under the full moon
John 16: Don’t forget the pregnant woman
John 17: See what He was asking for you
John 18: The lion goes forward
John 19: The lamb surrenders
John 20: Our Big Brother
John 21: Forget the fish
Dear Bishop, when I read John 1, I realize that whenever there is True Light darkness do not prevail no matter how dark it is . The same if there come a difficult moment , if I call my Lord Jesus Christ , the True Light, for help, the solution is revealed , the difficult moment disappears.
I learned alot about the beginning that Jesus was a word and that word is the one that who creat everythings and give lifes for He is life and the light of the world.i have learned that i must be born of the will of God bearing God’s charactors .and i must not ask lot of question but i must obey Jesus as Andrew and other obeyed Jesus.
This is the first day of my challenge bishop and I had read the first chapter of John and your comments. your comments reminds me of myself 6 years ago..it’s true when you said that “when we have a real encounter with God,the desire to receive glory and recognition from others disappears. It doesn’t bother you when people don’t recognize you or despise you or talk bad about you”..that is because we become selfless..we recognize that we are just tools in the hands of God to bring glory and honor to Him and that we are just a mere servants,and this attitude and character that we have is displayed naturally,not by force,we don’t struggle in doing it because it become our nature, a nature that the Holy Spirit given to us..this is me 6 years ago, I’m not saying that I’m not of the same faith anymore,I’m still, but it’s not the same anymore because I am struggling right now, and I miss my old self 6 years ago. And this is why I decided to do this challenge to fight and be that kind of person again that God had turn me into..
I am now on my day 2 challenge,and when I read John chapter 2,I was caught by what Mary said ” Whatever He says to you, do it ” Many times I would resist His voice and make my own excuses,or doubt Him and try to do things on my own..From this day on I’m going to obey and trust Him 100% no matter what I feel,hear or see..Also bishop I am now more enlighten on how to treat with respect the Church (which is the house of God) to keep it in mind that whenever I enter the church, I am entering the house of the King of all kings..in that way I would behave well..
Dear Bishop
i am a member of UCKG here in Botswana and i still dont understand what is meant by the Holy Spirit and how one can feel he/she has the Holy Spirit and the verses to read, please help me i want 2 change my life.
Thank you.
Dear Faith Magandayi l invite you to come to the Cenacle in Main Mall and speak to an assistant or pastor, we will gladly help you specially today as it is the night of Salvation
Chapter:7, Jesus brothers Disbelieve. Today many face persecution inside their families they don’t believe in this way they have chosen, before they giving problems not respecting going out with bad friends,going to sangoma’s,slaughtering they were so worried wanted you to be someone the best taking you to all these places for help; now you find the best place, living the clean life they don’t believe in the New person you are.
People today are like pharases they know the Bible Genesis to Revelation but they fail to summarize it two ” listen and obey” finish, they suffer and say where does it say you must pray to be rich.they suffer because they lack knowledge and understanding.
What really caught my attention from John chapter 1 was the fact that he said that John was a witness. Now the definition of witness is someone who has seen, heard or know something through their personal experience. Therefore if John was the witness of the light, it means he was had that experience with the light. In the same way we have seen the power of God and we are witnesses, so we have to tell other, prepare the way for the coming of the Lord Jesus because it is very soon.
Bishop want i have learned is that God new me be 4 i know him!.God know want wrong i will do and right but want mike God to give me chanse is the Believe have to him!!! if u can see John 1:50-51.Him set to Nathanael “the is why you believe in me.But you will see much greater thing than that”!!.Meaning because i Believe in him i will see more in him!!.
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[i] 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.
This last one is strong! And woe to those who don’t accept the Son. It’s not just accepting because of accepting, such as I believe in Jesus/God. It’s to believe in Him the way He wants us to believe in Him.
I have just finished mediating on John 2, it didn’t take that long to understand what Jesus was speaking to me here. I really took it about the word ”Temple” before reading further down. I knew it was the Templs of the Holy Spirit which is our body. I looked into the part where He mentioned about destroying the temple. Which resembled what is being done in Friday Services and How we have to destroy our temple. No matter if it took years for us to build us up in this way. He can raise us up to be a new person in just three days i.e. Sunday Mornings.
In the same way he turned water into wine – In the Same way That this year 2014 can be completely different for me and have complete Taste.
I’m doing this challenge as part of the Godllywood challenge 17, I’ve learned so much and grown much stronger in my faith. You describe these verses in ways that only the HOLY SPIRIT could have guided you too, and helped me see these verses in a different context placing myself self as you did while JESUS spoke to the disciples I used to wish I was around when he was here physically but I realise that I’m living in the best times because he lives in me and I don’t have to worry about not seeing HIM but one day I will:)
GOD BLESS YOU Bishop see you at the love school event with Miss Christina
Hello bishop,
What stood out to me was verse 31-34 when his disciples asked him to eat and he said to them that his food was to do the will of who sent him; this means to me to put Gods will over our needs, many times we worry to much of what will be of our lives and forget that God already knows our needs and that whatever he asks from us is to going to us in jeopardy.
God bless you sir.
TRUST IN HIM DO WHATEVER HE INSTRUCTS YOU TO DO FOR HE WILL NEVER MISLEAD YOU…ON THE TEMPLE ISSUE HE WAS TEACHING US TO KEEP OUR BODIES CLEAN TO STAY OUT OF THE FILTHY THINGS OF THIS WORLD THAT CONTAMINATES OUR BODIES..EVEN IF YOUR BODY WAS CONTAMINATED AND YOU GIVE UP ALL THESE FILTHY THINGS HE CAN RESTORE IT WITHIN THREE DAYS YOU CAN BE MADE WHOLE IF YOU REALLY GIVE YOURSELF TO HIM FOR OUR LORD IS ABLE TO DO ANYTHING…PRAISE THE LORD…….
Hell Bp in the 3rd dy of this challenge I discoved a treasure the 3 steps to Salvation 1.baptize in water fo remision of my sins 2.to be a newborn person 3.to be sealed by the H/spirit by the Lord Jesus himself.es he told Nicodemus .Those who listen to the Son will never parish forever.
Dear Bishop,
This experience was absolutely amazing.
The level of understanding I now have towards The Lord is indescrible!!
I actually know and understand who He is.
I am going to take on the challenge and ask three more people to the experience I had with this purpose!!
God bless you.
A couple of things I learnt:
Jesus was human. Even though He had a mission, He still He had human reaction. For example when Lazurus died, He wept. Or when He was dying, He was still could recognise Mary. Sometimes, it can be very easy to forget that we are human and we ourselves have limits. Especially for me. I ended up being religious instead of living in faith.
•Jesus, having Authority, served.
Even in the very last chapter, He served His disciples and have them food. We should be exactly the same with other people. Not just in the streets but also inside the church. If you had any experience with God, you should share. That’s a form of giving them food but in a spiritual sense.
In addition to that, we should not use our title or position for a means not serve. It’s a form of humility when you serve. Sometimes, I think “why me why me” and have an ego.
• the importance of looking after yourself.
This Book shows that it is important to look after yourself but not in a selfish way. Just by you looking after yourself you can inspire other people to want to get to know God. I also learnt in order to do that, you have to be intimate with God. Have a clos relationship with Him the way the disciples did.
Thank Bishop !
Bp i decided to start ths challenge of John for my spiritual life, hyoo its very powerful bp, now i coming to know better about who is the Word, from the beginning the only thing i have to do is to belieev and obey His voice.