Jesus wanted His disciples to persist despite rejection, so He gave them a heads-up about what was to come. John 16: 2 For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God.[1] There was already a precedent for …
Jesus tells us we are chosen and appointed for a purpose. John 15: 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other. [1] Some claim they “found …
Followers of Jewish rabbis were considered to be slaves to their teacher. But with Jesus, we see a friendship forged by sacrifice. The night before Jesus was crucified, He celebrated a Passover meal with His disciples. There, Jesus had washed their feet, warned one of them would betray Him, and that Peter would deny Him. …
Jesus began His teaching by urging His disciples to abide in Him like a branch does to a vine. Then He tells of the joy of obedience. He asks the disciples to remain in His love. They can do this by being obedient to His commands. A result of this obedience will be overflowing joy. …
Forgiving in the face of suffering is one of Jesus’ most extraordinary acts of compassion and mercy as He suffers on the cross. Luke 23:34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.[1] As we reflect on this verse, we see …
Trusting God leads to obedience, which is seen in Peter’s life as the Lord begins to do something new. Hebrews 11:1Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.[1] As the early church spread out from Jerusalem, it was now God’s plan to evangelize the Gentiles, but …
child and how important being loved was. How has being loved shaped your life? As I write this, our granddaughter is almost a year old and loves to give her doll hugs. It does not take long for a child to understand something unique about hugs and love. Love did not begin with us but …
How do we avoid fear and judgment when stepping into the unknown of eternity? Eternity is not something most of us are thinking about unless a loved one has died, is seriously ill, or we are struggling with a life-threatening situation. Faith and peace are the opposite of fear. John gives us the words of …
The Bible teaches us to abide in Jesus, which means to stay in a relationship with Him. Our connection to God is like a baby’s umbilical cord to the mother from which life and nutrients come. As the baby grows within the mother, it is a close relationship. The mother’s womb protects, and nurtures the …
God initiated love toward us is the story of our creator and us, His children. As the pages of the Bible unfolds, we find that our Lord is the God of love, creation, intervention, and hope. The Lord’s love for us is deeper than the oceans and higher than any mountain. For God to create …