In the Think to Change message on Sunday, July 17, Jeff issued an invitation to join him in a 21 Day Challenge. The message focused on the joy of knowing Jesus.
The 21 Day Challenge involves:
- Reading a chapter of John each day for 21 days
- Writing down one quality of Jesus that is praiseworthy in your Bible on that chapter and meditating on that quality throughout the day.
- Praying for three people each day for 21 days. (It can be for them to come to know Jesus personally, for their help, health, deliverance, direction, etc. The important thing is to choose three people and pray regularly for them.)
We encourage you to leave comments here about the praiseworthy qualities of Jesus you’re noticing in each chapter and how this focus on the person of Jesus begins to transform your life and focus.
Day 1 – Found. Even though Jesus was the one who called His first disciples, I love that He allowed Himself to be “found” by them.
Day 1 – Jesus is generous. (gave the right to b/c children of God, gave grace upon grace, grace and truth,
Day 2 – Jesus knew the true nature of humanity (2:25) and still gave himself on the cross.
Day 2: Kindness. I love that Jesus changed the water into wine at the wedding. It reveals His kindness in doing something so practical as His first miracle. There’s almost a hint that He did it as an act of grace to both help the bridegroom and to even please Mary. But it revealed His glory, and that was the ultimate point.
Day 3 – Jesus’ generosity was highlighted by John the Baptizer who said, “for he give the Spirit without measure.” (3:34) And Jesus was the Word but in v. 34 John also says Jesus “utters the words of God.” He is both the Word and has the words of life.
In John 5 – the praiseworthy quality of Jesus – “equal.” He’s equal with the Father, and yet He demonstrates humility as He does nothing without the Father’s glory in mind.
John 6 – ABUNDANCE. Jesus fed a multitude after blessing a meager amount of bread and fish. He multiplied the miniscule. He took an offering and made it ABUNDANT. Then He says that HE is the “bread of life.” HE is abundance personified and offers ETERNAL life to all who come to Him. Whatever we offer Him will be multiplied for His glory and our good.
John 8 – “Freedom” – On the one hand, Jesus’ word – abiding in it – sets us free from the narratives we create for our lives. On the other hand, Jesus’ WORK – His cross-work – sets us free from the power of sin.
John 9 – “Sight” – Jesus opens our eyes to what we cannot see. He also opens our minds to what we cannot imagine. This chapter also reminded me of 2 Corinthians 5.7 – “we walk by faith and not by sight.” But we still walk. It’s not that we can’t see – it’s just that we don’t depend on earthly light alone for our direction and movement. We depend on what we see by faith in Jesus. We trust His Word. We believe that living by it will be better for us than in making our own way. And so daily submission to Jesus heals our own blindness. We too were once blind, but in Him, we see.
Here’s my summary of my 21 praiseworthy qualities of Jesus:
1- found
2- kindness
3- salvation
4- uninhibited
5- equal
6- abundance
7- sent
8- freedom
9- sight
10- shepherd
11- moved
12- king
13- king
14- present
15- love
16- preparer
17- glorified one
18- control
19- submissive
20- peace
21- restorer