John 12:12  On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.Thought:  The people were at the Passover feast to remember how God saved Israel from Egypt. That feast was an appointment set by God. On this day, Jesus walks into that appointment as the true Passover Lamb.  In Exodus, each family chose a lamb, cared for it, and then killed it ...  Read More

Hebrews 11:5“…for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”ThoughtThere is no greater thing that could be said about a person than this: they pleased God. Not that they were famous. Not that they were successful. Not that they were popular. But that in the middle of a dark world, they walked with God and pleased Him.Pleasing God does not mean living a perfect life. Only J...  Read More

Hebrews 11:6“…and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”ThoughtGod is not distant and cold toward those who seek Him. He is a rewarder. That means He responds to those who come to Him in faith. He hears. He sees. He answers. He draws near. He gives Himself to those who earnestly desire Him.The greatest reward God gives is Himself. He gives us His Son for our salvation. He gives u...  Read More

Hebrews 11:6…for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.ThoughtFaith is not only for the day you are saved. Faith is also for every step after that. The Christian life is a journey of following God in faith. Many times God does not show us the whole path. He shows us only the next step. In those moments, faith must lead and feeling...  Read More

Hebrews 11:5By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.ThoughtEnoch lived in a very wicked time. The world around him was growing more corrupt, more violent, and more ungodly. Yet in the middle of all this sin, Enoch had a different story. The Bible says he walk...  Read More

Hebrews 11:6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.ThoughtFaith is not an extra part of the Christian life. It is the very beginning and foundation of it. The Bible says that without faith we cannot please God at all. That means we cannot know Him, walk with Him, or be right wit...  Read More

Colossians 1:17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.Thought:Jesus is not only the healer by the pool. He is the Lord of all creation. He existed before all things, and by Him all things consist, or are held together. Every breath you take, every beat of your heart, every rising of the sun, all are kept by His power.This same Jesus came into the world to do the Father’s will p...  Read More

Psalm 46:1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.Thought:At the pool of Bethesda, Jesus healed one man, but not everyone there was healed in that moment. That is hard for us. We know Jesus can heal. We know He can deliver. Yet there are times when healing does not come quickly, when the answer seems delayed, and when the burden or struggle remains with us.The truth we must ...  Read More

John 5:17But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.Thought:Jesus healed a man who had been crippled for thirty-eight years. The religious leaders did not rejoice about this man's healing. They only saw a rule they thought Jesus had broken. They were angry because it happened on the Sabbath. But Jesus saw something very different. He saw the Father at work.When Jesus said, “My...  Read More

2 John 1:9Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.Thought:The world often teaches that greatness means independence. People boast, “I did it my way. I do not answer to anyone.” But Jesus, the eternal Son of God, shows us something very different. He is fully God, equal with the ...  Read More

John 5:19Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.Thought:Jesus is not a separate God doing His own thing. He is one with the Father. When He says He can do nothing of Himself, He is not saying He is weak. He is saying He is so perfec...  Read More

John 8:47He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.Thought:In the airport, the agent asks the traveler for proof of identity. His feelings, background, and confidence are not enough. He must show something that verifies who he is.Jesus does something similar in John 8. The religious leaders claim to be children of Abraham and children of God. But ...  Read More

John 14:23–24Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.Thought:Jesus gives a clear test of love. He does not say, “If a man loves Me, he will feel a lot of emotion du...  Read More

Ezekiel 36:26–27A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.Thought:John 8:47 shows a serious truth. Some people cannot truly hear God’s Word because they ar...  Read More

Psalm 95:7–8For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart.Thought:The Bible shows that the real problem with hearing God is usually not in the ears or the mind, but in the heart. Israel heard God speaking through Moses and the prophets, but often they hardened their hearts. They wanted their own way. They ...  Read More

John 8:47He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.Thought:Jesus spoke these words to very religious people. They knew Scripture. They went to the synagogue. They claimed to belong to God. But Jesus said the real proof of belonging to God is this: a person who is “of God” hears God’s words.“To be of God” means more than simply being religious or m...  Read More

John 14:7If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.Thought:It’s common for many people to hold God at arm’s length. They love learning about Jesus, chatting about spiritual concepts, and soaking up Bible wisdom, but they still don’t fully connect with Him. They see Him as someone to figure out, not someone to trust. They crave infor...  Read More

John 14:21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.Thought:Christ’s saving love does not change. If you belong to Him, He loves you with a steadfast love that took Him to the cross and secures your salvation. That love is rooted in His finished work, not in your u...  Read More

John 14:21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.ThoughtGod’s love is the beginning of everything. Scripture teaches that the Lord moved toward us first, not because we were good, but because He is gracious. He loved us while we were still sinners, and that love...  Read More

John 14:15If ye love me, keep my commandments.Thought:Jesus defines love in a way that questions our shallow ideas. In His teaching, love is not simply an emotion that rises and falls with our moods or circumstances. Love is faithful loyalty. It is a settled devotion of the heart that shows itself through obedience. Jesus does not call for warm feelings or kind thoughts about Him. He calls for a l...  Read More

John 14:21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me…”Thought:Jesus does not say, “He that has heard my commandments,” but, “He that hath my commandments.” That difference matters. To hear Christ’s words can simply mean you have only been exposed to them. You can sit in a service, listen to preaching, read a passage, or memorize facts, and still keep His Word at a dist...  Read More

Acts 27:2929 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.Thought:On Paul’s dangerous voyage, the sailors could not control the wind, the rain, or the waves. They did what they could. They cast out anchors and waited for daylight. The anchors did not calm the sea. They simply kept the ship from being smashed to pieces.We often ...  Read More

John 15:9, 12–139 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. …12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”Thought:In John chapter 15, Jesus speaks to disciples who are weak and imperfect. Peter, who will deny Him. Thomas, who will doubt Him. Others with ...  Read More

Hebrews 6:1919 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.Thought:In Israel’s worship life, pegs, hooks, and nails held the Tabernacle curtains in place and the Torah scrolls in order. The Word of God was pictured as something hanging and secured. Jesus said that all the law and the prophets hang on the two great commands of lo...  Read More