“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, “There are still four months and then comes the harvest?” Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!’” (John 4:34-35)                If someone asked you to rank your priorities in order, how would you list them?  Many people would...  Read More

“But He needed to go through Samaria.” (John 4:4)                Some time after Christ’s encounter with Nicodemus, He made the decision to leave Judea and head north toward Galilee.  Between Judea in the south and Galilee in the north, there is a small section of Israel known as Samaria.  Samaria was an area that was heavily influenced by the Babylonians.  When the Babylonians captured Israel, th...  Read More

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)                John the Baptist was a fascinating man.  He was set apart by God to be the forerunner of Jesus.  By all human standards, we would say he was a little unorthodox.  Scripture tells us that his diet consisted of locusts and wild honey, and that he chose to wear camel’s hair.  I imagine he spent much of his time in seclusion and praye...  Read More

“Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’”  (John 3:5)                John gives us glimpses into the life of Jesus that are not provided by the Synoptic Gospel writers.  One of those glimpses is John 3 – Christ’s encounter with a truth-seeking Pharisee named Nicodemus.  The Bible doesn’t tell us much about him ...  Read More

“This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and [a]manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”  (John 2:11)                Depending on how you count the miracles of Jesus, there are about 40 recorded miracles of Christ in the New Testament – 7 of them included in John’s Gospel.  The first miracle takes us back to an occasion when Christ and the disciples had been invited ...  Read More

“Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.”(Prov. 16:3)                Everyone is guilty of getting the cart in front of the horse from time to time.  For instance, we start planning vacations before we’ve determined how to pay for them.  We start thinking of all we’ll do upon graduation without making sure that every assignment is complete.  In regard to today’s verse...  Read More

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”(John 1:1, 14)                One of the most pivotal portions of the New Testament is the prologue to John’s Gospel.  John was most likely the youngest of the apostles and church history says that he outlived them all.  During the later part of his life, he had a significa...  Read More

“And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God.” (Luke 24:52-53)                After Jesus rose from the dead, He presented Himself alive to at least several hundred people mentioned in the Word of God.  Among those were the disciples, to whom He presented Himself on multiple occasions.  When the time came for Christ...  Read More

“And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” (Luke 24:27)                On the same day that Jesus rose from the dead, two of his followers decided to make the 7-mile journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus.  Along the way, a gentleman approached them and began a conversation.  It’s no surprise that the two men were talking abou...  Read More

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” (1 Sam. 16:7)                After the Lord rejected Saul; as king over Israel because of his disobedience, the Lord instructed Samuel to go to the house of a man named...  Read More

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.” (1 Sam. 15:22)                The Israelites were a people of sacrifices.  Throughout the year, God’s people were commanded to come to the place of worship and offer their sacrifices to God.  There were all sorts of sacr...  Read More

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren. (Luke 22:31-32)                We have lots of acquaintances, but there are very few people who know us really well.  We draw near to people like parents, siblings, children, and best...  Read More