Travelling On A Road Full Of Blessing

Acts 18:22-19:22
Apollos ‘taught accurately the things concerning Jesus’. He needed to have ‘the way of God expounded to him more accurately’(24-26). There is always more to learn. We should never adopt a ‘know-it-all’ attitude. In ‘two years’ of ministry, ‘God did’ great things through Paul (10-11). Paul was moving on. His road led to ‘Rome’. It was a road, full of blessing - ‘The Word of the Lord grew and prevailed mightily’(20-21). Paul was on the move. God was on the move. Wherever Paul went, there were opportunities to make Christ known. Wherever he went, people were trusting Christ. Paul was moving from place to place, bringing Christ to so many different people. People were moving ‘from death to life’(John 5:24). This is what drove Paul on - Bringing more and more sinners to his Saviour!

Acts 19:23-20:16
verse 28: ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians’. Remember Exodus 20:3 - ‘You shall have no other gods before Me’. Remove all pretenders from God’s throne. Rededicate yourself to the Lord - ‘King of my life, I crown Thee now, Thine shall the glory be’(Redemption Hymnal, 165). People could not get enough of God’s Word. Be hungry and thirsty for God, for His righteousness, for His Word, for His blessing (7; Matthew 5:6). Paul wanted to be ‘at Jerusalem... on the day of Pentecost’(16). This had been a place and time of blessing (2:1-4,41). Paul was eager for the blessing of God in his own life. He was eager to bring God’s blessing to others. How much does the blessing of God mean to you? Do you want His blessing? Do you want to be a blessing? ‘Lord bless me and make me a blessing’.

Acts 20:17-21:14
From Paul’s farewell to the Ephesian elders, there are some lessons for all of us. (a) ‘Repentance to God’ and ‘faith in our Lord Jesus Christ’(21) - This is not only a call for conversion. It is for every believer - all the time. (b) ‘Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock of God... Care for the Church of God’(28). Taking our own spiritual growth seriously will always involve caring for others. (c) ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’(35). Jesus Others Yourself - This is JOY. Let it be Thanksgiving (‘I want to’) rather than Duty Giving (‘I ought to’) or Grudge Giving (‘I have to’). For Jesus and Paul, Jerusalem meant suffering. For both, the important thing was doing ‘the Lord’s will’(10-14; Matthew 16:21-23). ‘Let us go forth to Him... and bear the abuse He endured’(Hebrews 13:13).

We Need The Word of The Lord On The Lord's Day. We Need The Word Of The Lord Every Day.

Acts 17:1-34
Notice the importance of the Scriptures for both public ministry - ‘reasoning with them from the Scriptures’ and private devotion - ‘examining the Scriptures every day’(2,11). We need the Word of the Lord on the Lord’s Day. We need the Word of the Lord every day. God is not the ‘unknown God’. He has made himself known to us. For many, He seems to be the ‘unknown God’. We must seek to lead them beyond a vague awareness of ‘the God who made the world’ to a real knowledge of Jesus Christ who died and rose again for our salvation (24,3). When our faith is grounded in the Scriptures, we will not think of God as the ‘unknown God’ about whom we can know very little. We will make it our ambition ‘to know Christ and the power of His resurrection’(Philippians 3:10). ‘Let us press on to know the Lord’(Hosea 6:3).

Acts 18:1-21
It was not an easy situation at Corinth. There were some who ‘opposed Paul and became abusive’(6). There was great pressure on Paul. He could have given up very easily. It was God’s Word which kept Paul going (10). Paul did not collapse under thee pressure - ‘he stayed a year and six months, teaching the Word of God among them’(11). At Ephesus, there were people who asked Paul ‘to stay for a longer period’. He ‘declined’. Paul was moving on. He refused to be shackled by the expectations of other people. The important thing was ‘God’s will’. For us, there can be no standing still. We must move on with God. We must not get ‘stuck in a rut’. Some say, ‘Everything must remain the same. Nothing must change’. Paul had to ‘set sail from Ephesus’. We must ‘launch out into the deep’- at Jesus’ Word (20-21; Luke 5:4-5).

In Salvation And Surrender, We Find Our True Joy.

Acts 15:1-35
The Gospel is for all nations. In the Old Testament, we catch a glimpse of this (Genesis 12:1-3; Psalms 96:1-3;100:1; Isaiah 45:22). Here, we have the Gospel made clear. Peter says, ‘We shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus’(11). Paul says, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved’(16:31). This is the Gospel: ‘By grace you have been saved through faith’(Ephesians 2:8). Together with the Good News concerning salvation, there is also an ‘exhortation’ to go on with the Saviour (31). In this call to submit to the Lord, we hear the word, ‘abstain’(20,29). Does this sound negative? It is a positive call to be set apart for God- ‘saved... for good works...’(Ephesians 2:8-10). Christ is our Saviour. He is also our Lord. In salvation and surrender, we find our true joy (31).

Acts 15:36-16:40
Notice the importance of prayer in the advance of the Gospel. They were looking for a prayer meeting when Lydia was saved (13-14). They were going to a prayer meeting when the girl was saved (16-18). They were having a prayer meeting when the jailer was saved (25-34). They had gone to Philippi ‘to preach the Gospel to them’(10). Even when they were ‘in chains’, the Gospel proved itself to be ‘the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith’(Ephesians 6:20; Romans 1:16). ‘The Word of God is not bound’. It is ‘living and active’. ‘Sharper than any two-edged sword’, it is ‘the sword of the Spirit’(2 Timothy 2:9; Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:17). Do you want people to ask the Salvation question and heed the Gospel answer (30-31)? ‘Pray at all times in the Spirit... with all perseverance’(Ephesians 6:18).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Look Beyond The Preacher. Look To The Saviour And Give All The Glory To Him.

Acts 13:1-43
'‘Set apart’ by ‘the Holy Spirit’, ‘sent out by the Holy Spirit’, ‘filled by the Holy Spirit’(2,4,9): In the ministry of Paul and Barnabas, we see the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In their teaching, we have ‘the teaching of the Lord’(12). This is what Paul describes in 1 Thessalonians 2:13 - ‘When you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the Word of God, which is at work in you believers’. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. What is God saying to us as we listen to His Word? - ‘Continue in the grace of God’(43). How are we to continue in the grace of God? - Keep looking away from the human servant to the divine Saviour: ‘After me One is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am unworthy to untie’(25).

Acts 13:44-14:28 
When God is working powerfully through His servants, there is always the tendency to attach too much importance to the servants. We must resist this temptation. The glory belongs to God alone. We must never forget: ‘We too are only men, human like you’. God has called us to ‘bring Good News’ to sinners, the Good News of salvation. As we proclaim this Good News - ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’- , we must never forget this: We are ‘unworthy servants’, ‘the worst of sinners’(14:28; 1 Timothy 1:15-16; Luke 17:10). Look beyond the preacher, the evangelist, the teacher of God’s Word. Look to the Saviour. Give all the glory to Him. He is the Gospel. He is our salvation. He is the living Word. The Gospel is preached. There is blessing. We say, ‘God has done this!’(52,8,27).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures

"When The Holy Spirit Comes On You ... You Will Be My Witnesses."

Acts 9:1-43
Saul the persecutor become Paul the Apostle (13:9). What a great turning-point this was in the life of the early Church! When we read of Paul’s missionary journeys (13:1-28:31), we may be tempted to think, ‘What a great man Paul must have been’. In his letters, Paul insists that we must not think like this. He tells us that ‘nothing good dwells within’ him. Paul never forgot his ‘past’: ‘I cursed Him, persecuted Him, and acted arrogantly toward Him’. Paul describes himself as ‘the worst of sinners’. Paul gives his testimony: ‘The grace of God was poured on me abundantly’(Romans 7:18; 1 Timothy 1:13-15). God’s true servants direct our attention to Christ. Ananias said, ‘The Lord Jesus... has sent me...’(17). Saul ‘preached boldly in the Name of Jesus’(27). Peter said, ‘Jesus Christ heals you...’(34).

Acts 10:1-11:18 
'When the Holy Spirit comes on you... you will be My witnesses... to the ends of the earth’(1:8). This great advance of the Gospel - Salvation reaches ‘the Gentiles’(10:45; 11:1,18) - is a movement of ‘the Spirit’(11:12). The Spirit speaks through the Word (10:44; 11:15). In God’s Word, we read of (a) God’s love for the whole world (John 3:16); (b) God’s Son who died for ‘the sins of the whole world’(John 1:29; 1 John 2:2); (c) God’s command that ‘the Good News’ should be preached to ‘everyone’(Mark 16:15); (d) God’s purpose that there should be disciples of Christ in every nation (Matthew 28:19). ‘Every person in every nation, in each succeeding generation, has the right to hear the News that Christ can save... Here am I, send me’(Youth Praise,128). ‘Go forth and tell!’(Mission Praise, 178).

Acts 11:19-12:25
Barnabas ‘was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord’(11:24). Let’s be like Barnabas, giving ourselves to the Lord and asking Him to make us more useful in His service. Great things can happen when ‘earnest prayer’ is ‘made to God by the church’- God ‘is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think’(5-7; Ephesians 3:20). Give all the glory to the Lord. Herod ‘did not give God the glory’. He accepted the praise of the people - ‘This is the voice of a god, not of a man’. Herod’s sudden death - ‘an angel of the Lord struck him down’- is a warning (12:22-23; Proverbs 29:1). ‘Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows that he will also reap’. ‘Walk humbly with your God’(Galatians 6:7; Micah 6:8).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures

"Search Me, O God ... " - And Make Me Like Jesus.

Acts 6:8-8:3 
In life and death, Stephen was Christlike. In life and death, he made a great impact. In life, we see him, ‘full of grace and power’, doing ‘great wonders and signs among the people’. People noticed that ‘his face was like the face of an angel’. Even his enemies took notice of him. Unable to ‘withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke’, they decided that he needed to be silenced. (6:8,15,10-11). In death, we hear him praying, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit... Lord, do not hold this sin against them’(7:59-60). In Stephen’s words, we hear an echo of Christ’s words from the Cross (Luke 23:34,46). Stephen was dying. Stephen was praying. Saul was watching. Saul was listening (8). God was working. The seeds were being sown. Saul would be born again as the Apostle Paul (9:4-6)! 

Acts 8:4-40 
Make sure that it’s real! Simon the magician was impressed by the ‘signs and great miracles’, but his ‘heart’ was ‘not right before God’(13,19). The Ethiopian’s conversion was real. Searching the Scriptures, he found the Saviour (30-35). From the Ethiopian’s conversion, we learn of Jesus’ promise: ‘Seek and you will find’. From Simon’s tragedy, we hear Jesus’ warning: ‘Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord”, shall enter the kingdom of heaven...’(Matthew 7:7,21-23). What is God saying to us from these two very different stories? - ‘Be even more diligent to make your calling and election sure’(2 Peter 1:10). ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart today; Try me, O Lord, and know my thoughts I pray; See if there be some wicked way in me, Cleanse me from every sin and set me free’(Mission Praise. 587).
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Blessings in Christ 
Christ in all the Scriptures 

Lord, Give Us Boldness. Lord, Send Your Blessing.

Acts 4:1-5:11 
Peter preached Christ with great boldness: ‘There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved’(12). This boldness came from the Holy Spirit. Peter was ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’(4:8). Don’t say, ‘I‘m no Peter’. Peter failed his Lord and had to be restored (Matthew 26:69-75; John 21:15-17). Peter drew great strength from ‘the company of those who believed’. They ‘gathered together’ for prayer. They ‘were of one heart and soul’...’(31-33). Why did God deal so severely with Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-11)? This was the start of something great. God refused to let His work be spoiled! There is a warning for us: Don’t pretend to be more holy than you really are. God sees what you’re really like. ‘Search me, O God...’(Psalm 139:23-24). 

Acts 5:12-6:7 
There was great blessing: ‘More than ever believers were added to the Lord’(14). There was persecution (17-18). This did not hinder the advance of the Gospel (42). Satan was not going to give up easily. He came right back at the apostles (1). Satan was defeated. Through the Spirit of God and the Word of God, the victory was won. The apostles ‘devoted themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word’. They were supported by ‘seven men... known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom’(3-4). Armed with ‘the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God’, let us be ‘be strong in the Lord’- ‘filled with the Spirit’- as we ‘let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly’(Ephesians 6:17,10; 5:18; Colossians 3:16). Filled with His Spirit and obedient to His Word, let us look to God for His blessing (7). 
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Blessings in Christ 
Christ in all the Scriptures 

Preach Christ. Pray for the Spirit's Power. Seek God's Blessing.

Acts 1:1-26
We read, in John 7:39, that ‘the Spirit’ would not be ‘given’ until Jesus was ‘glorified’. Now, as Jesus was about to be ‘taken up... into heaven’, He tells His apostles, ‘the Holy Spirit’ will ‘come upon you’(11,8). He gives them His Word of promise: ‘I send the promise of my Father upon you’. He gives them His Word of command: ‘stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high’(Luke 24:49). They wait upon the coming of the Holy Spirit. They cannot fill themselves with the Spirit. They can only ‘be filled with the Spirit’(Ephesians 5:18). Waiting for the Spirit, the apostles ‘devote themselves to prayer’(14). They do not earn the Holy Spirit as a reward for spending much time in prayer. Waiting on God, their strength is renewed as they receive God’s gift(Isaiah 40:31; Luke 11:13).

Acts 2:1-47
‘No one can say “Jesus is Lord”except by the Holy Spirit’(1 Corinthians 12:3). ‘In Jerusalem’, on ‘the day of Pentecost’ there are ‘Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven’(1,5). They are ‘amazed’ at what they hear - ‘we hear them telling in our own tongue the mighty works of God’(7-11). The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ (John 16:14). ‘To God be the glory! Great things He hath done!’(Church Hymnary, 374). Speaking ‘as the Spirit gave them utterance’, the apostles pave the way for Peter’s bold proclamation: ‘God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified’(36). Empowered ‘by the Holy Spirit’, this message - ‘Jesus is Lord’- is still God’s way of bringing people to Himself. Preach Christ. Pray for the Spirit’s power. Look to God for His blessing (41-47).

Acts 3:1-26
'Laid daily at the gate of the temple’, the ‘man lame from birth’ had seen plenty of ‘ordinary’ days (2). This was no ‘ordinary’ day. This was a day for ‘walking, and leaping, and praising God’(9). Jesus Christ can do for us what ‘silver and gold’ cannot do (6). He is ‘the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith’(Romans 1:16). From the healing of the lame man came a great opportunity for Peter to preach the Gospel to ‘the people’(10-12). Peter gave all the glory to God. Peter and John had not performed this miracle by their ‘own power or piety’(12). This was the work of God, ‘the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob’, the God who raised Jesus from the dead (13-16). This is the God who calls us to return to Him. ‘Turn’ to Him. He will forgive your sins. He will send ‘times of refreshing’(19).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

The Love Of God

1Jo 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice for us, showing us His Redeeming Passion when He dies for the sins of the world on the cross at Calvary.
Blessings, In His Glorious Name Ministries Online

Jesus Christ - Risen For Us


John 19:17-20:10
‘It is finished’(30). These are not words of despair. They are words of triumph. At an early stage in His public ministry, Jesus said, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me to finish His work’(4:34). Even then, He was looking ahead to the Cross, to the completion of the work of redemption. In one sense, ‘it is finished’- on the Cross. In another sense, there is more to be done - by the Father. The Cross is followed by the resurrection - ‘God raised Him from the dead’(Acts 2:24; Romans 10:9). To come to the words, ‘It is finished’ is not to reach the end of the story. Jesus was laid in the tomb (42). Still, this was not the end of the story. Something else had to happen - ‘Jesus had to rise from the dead’(11). For our salvation, Jesus died ‘and was raised to life’(Romans 4:25).

John 20:11-31
Christ is ‘the Lord’ (2,18,20,25). Christ is ‘my Lord’ (13,28). Faith becomes real when Jesus comes to us. Here, we see Jesus coming to Mary, the disciples and Thomas. Here, we see Mary, the disciples and Thomas - changed by the power of the risen Christ. In love, He comes to them, and they are changed. (a) Mary was ‘weeping’(13,15). Jesus came to her, and she became a confident believer - ‘I have seen the Lord!’(18). (b) The disciples were filled with ‘fear’. Jesus came to them. He gave them His ‘peace’ and ‘joy’(19-20). (c) Thomas found faith hard to come by (25). Jesus came to him, and he believed - ‘My Lord and my God!’(28). Through the Gospel, we find faith: ‘These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His Name’(31).

John 21:1-25
‘Fishers of men’(Matthew 4:19) - Set your goals lower than this, and you will take others with you. Together, you will discover the emptiness of life without Christ at its centre - ‘they caught nothing’(3). Note the contrast between the self-centered life (5) and the Christ-centered life (6,8,11). Loving, serving and following Jesus - These are the most important things in life (15-17,22). Don’t look over your shoulder at someone else - ‘Lord, what about this man?’(21). Let it be personal - Jesus says, ‘Do you love Me?’(15-17). He asked Peter, ‘Do you love me more than these?’(15) - more than you love these other disciples, more than these other disciples love Me, more than your boats, nets and fishes? Look back and ask yourself, ‘Do I love Jesus more than I did a year ago?’
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures

Jesus Christ - Crucified For Us

John 18:1-27
The story continues. Jesus is betrayed. Jesus is arrested (1-11). He stands before the Jewish authorities (12-14,19-24). Jesus is ‘drinking from the cup which the Father has given Him’- He drinks from the cup of our condemnation that we might drink from the cup of His salvation (11; Matthew 26:38-39; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Jesus’ death was not only ‘expedient’. It was ‘necessary’- for our salvation (14; Luke 24:26). Alongside the story of Jesus was the story of Peter (15-18,25-27). Jesus’ death was not the end of His story - He rose from the dead (Luke 24:5-6; Acts 2:23-24). Peter denied the Lord three times. This was not the end of his story. For each denial, there was a new commitment (21:15-17). For each denial, there were, on the Day of Pentecost, 1,000 people brought to Christ (Acts 2:38,41). 

John 18:28-19:16
‘Barabbas was a robber’. He was released (39-40). There was ‘no crime’ in Jesus. He was ‘crucified’(38,4,6,16). Was Jesus no more than the innocent victim of a shameful and tragic miscarriage of justice? No! Jesus, the King of kings, chose to die. Looking ahead to the Cross, He said, ‘For this I was born...’(36-37). In love, He chose death on the Cross. As truly as Barabbas, each of us can say, ‘He took my place and died for me’. In His death, Jesus did not only take the place of one sinner, Barabbas - ‘He took the place of many sinners’. He did not simply bear the punishment deserved by one sinner, Barabbas - ‘The Lord made the punishment fall on Him, the punishment all of us deserved’(Isaiah 53:12,6). 
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures

Blessing Upon Blessings

There is favor over His called and chosen. Those who seek His face, that meditate on Him, and that stand in His word. You see, God is no respecter of persons, but honors those who diligently seek Him. The key is understanding what God's idea of diligence is.

Jesus Is Still Praying For Us.

John 17:1-26

Jesus prays for you. Jesus prays for me. We have come to faith in Him through the written Word of His apostles (20). The story of the Cross (1-5), the story of the first disciples (6-19) is an ongoing story. It continues in us. The saving effects of Christ’s death are still being felt today. The written Word of His apostles is still exerting its powerful influence on today’s world. Jesus is still praying for us (Hebrews 7:25). He prayed for His first disciples - ‘that they may be one’ (11). He prays the same prayer for us (20-23). Among His first disciples, there was Judas Iscariot, ‘the one who chose to be lost’ (12). If we are to ‘maintain the unity of the Spirit’, we must take account of ‘the Judas factor’ - ‘take notice of those who create dissensions... avoid them’ (Ephesians 4:3; Jude 4; 1 John 2:18-19; Romans 16:17-18).

Overcoming The World Through Faith In Jesus Christ

John 15:18-16:33

Jesus was ‘persecuted’. We will be ‘persecuted’ - ‘all who desire to live a godly life will be persecuted’ (15:20; 2 Timothy 3:12). We have no guarantee that life will be easy. In all our difficulties, ‘the Spirit of truth’ directs our attention to Jesus our Saviour (15:26; 16:13-15). Whatever our problems, we draw encouragement from Jesus’ words: ‘In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world’ (16:33). Here, we have realism and faith. The world is trying to squeeze us into its own mould (Romans 12:2). Sometimes, we feel like faith is slipping away. Sometimes, we feel like giving up. What are we to say to all this? ‘Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?’ - This is our faith’ (1 John 5:4-5).

A Life Of Obedience And Fruitfulness

John 14:15-15:17

Those who love the Lord are called to a life of obedience - keeping His ‘commandments’, keeping His ‘Word’ (21,23). We cannot live this life in our own strength. Christ must make His home in us (23). Once He has come to live in us, we are to abide in Him (4). Jesus says to us, ‘Apart from me you can do nothing’ (5). You cannot live the Christian life until Christ comes to live in you. ‘The Holy Spirit teaches us all things’ (26). Christ’s ‘words’ abide in us (7). We are called to a life of fruitfulness (15:5,15) - ‘the fruit of the Spirit’: ‘love, joy, peace...’ (Galatians 5:22-23). Jesus loves us (21). He gives us His peace (27). He gives us His joy (11). Love, Joy, Peace: Let this ‘fruit’ be seen in us. Let it be shared with others. ‘Love one another... Go and bear fruit... love one another’ (15:12,16-17).

Heaven's Door

He is the way, the truth and the life. The Christ, the Son of God, and no one comes to the Father but through Him. When we seek Him, we find Him. When we knock on the door, Jesus is on the other side. Jesus is more than just words written in the pages of the bible. The Kingdom of God is not some far distant galaxy in the universe. To come to know Jesus, and experience the Kingdom of God, is to share intimate fellowship with Christ as King.

May you be blessed as you seek His face, experience His love, and come to know Him intimately. Blessings to you in Christ
In His Glorious Name Ministries

Beyond Our Difficult Times, There's His Glorious Future!

John 13:21-14:14

Difficult times lay ahead for Jesus. He would be betrayed by Judas Iscariot (21-30). He would be denied by Peter (36-38). For Jesus, there was His departure (31-33). It would be a difficult time for His followers.

He tells them to ‘love one another’: ‘By this all men shall know that they are His disciples’ (34-35).

Jesus points them beyond the difficult times. He speaks of His glorious future. He assures them that the best is yet to be. He is preparing a place in His ‘Father’s House’ for us. He will come again to take us to Himself (1-3). He is the Way to this place, the true and living Way (6).

Now, He reveals the Father to us (9). Now, He is working in and through us (12-14). He is preparing us for His place: ‘Lord Jesus... fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there’ (Church Hymnary, 195).

Believe In Jesus And Confess Him As Your Saviour.

The Pharisees continue to exert their evil influence. ‘For fear of the Pharisees’, many remained silent, ‘loving the praise of men more than the praise of God’ (42-43).
Whatever the opposition, Jesus calls us to believe in Him and confess Him (Romans 10:9). He calls us out of darkness into light (46). If you are a believer, come out into the open. Make it known that you belong to Christ.
Do not only read God’s Word for yourself. Speak His Word to others (50). The ‘hour’ of Jesus’ suffering draws near. Satan is busy. Jesus is in control (1-3). It is the ‘hour’ of His love. We are ‘washed’ in His precious blood (8; 1 John 1:7; Revelation 7:14). What God has done for us comes before what we ‘ought to ‘do for others. Jesus is our Saviour before He is our ‘Example’ (14-15). Knowing Him, let us do His will (17).

God's Great Plan Of Salvation

John 11:45-12:36

The Pharisees are developing their wicked plan. God is fulfilling His saving purpose (49-53).

The voice of ‘common sense’ is not always the voice of the Lord (4-6). There is a higher wisdom than ‘common sense’. We are to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

He leads us to put Jesus at the centre of our lives. Jesus is not suggesting that the poor are unimportant. He is emphasizing that we must not lose sight of Him.

If our concern for the poor is not truly grounded in devotion to Christ, it is not the obedience of faith (8).

The Pharisees are lying in wait for Jesus. They say, ‘The world has gone after Him’ (19). They are going after Him too - in a different way!

The crucifixion draws near. God is to be ‘glorified’ in the defeat of Satan and the salvation of sinners (28,31-32). Jesus had ‘come’ for this ‘hour’ (27).

Jesus - The Resurrection And The Life

John 11:1-44

Everything is moving on towards Christ’s death and resurrection.

On His way to the Cross, Jesus performs a mighty miracle - the raising of Lazarus (43-44) - which points unmistakably to an even greater miracle - His own resurrection (Acts 2:24). Accompanying this miracle - the raising of Lazarus - , we have Jesus’ great declaration concerning Himself: ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die’ (25).

His words are immediately followed by the question: ‘Do you believe this?’ (26).

This question is put to each of us.

Jesus waits for the answer of faith: ‘Yes, Lord I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God...’(27).

This is ‘for the glory of God’ - receiving new life from ‘the Son of God...’ (4).

Victory In Jesus

John 10:1-42
The Christian life is not easy. The devil ‘comes only to steal and kill and destroy’ (10).
Satan was working through the religious leaders. They were trying ‘to stone’ Jesus (31).
‘Again’, they failed (39). They could not take Jesus’ life. ‘His hour had not yet come’ (18; 7:30; 8:20).
When Satan attacks us, we must remember this: God is in control.
God has given us great promises (28-29). Jesus saves. Jesus keeps. His salvation is eternal: ‘He didn’t bring us this far to leave us. He didn’t teach us to swim to let us drown. He didn’t build His home in us to move away. He didn’t lift us up to let us down’.
Satan will cause us plenty of trouble.
* Be on the alert (1 Peter 5:8).
* Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).
Looking to Jesus, we are assured of this: Satan will be defeated (Revelation 12:9).

Night Lights


"One Thing I Know ... I Was Blind, Now I See."

John 9:1-41

Empowered by God, Jesus gives sight to the blind man (3,6-7).

‘The Pharisees’ hear the man’s testimony (15). ‘Some of’ them reject the Lord (16,24).

There will always be those who refuse to believe in the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ. They will pour scorn on those who have come to know the Lord.

The man gives his testimony: ‘One thing I know... I was blind, now I see’ (25). The Pharisees continue to fire questions at him (26).

He puts the most challenging question to them: ‘Do you too want to become His disciples?’ (27). They hurl insults at him (28).

Fools attack what they don’t understand. The more they rage, the more they show their folly.

We say, ‘Lord, I believe’, and our spiritual ‘eyes’ are opened (38; 2 Corinthians 4:6).

Don’t be ‘blind’, despising the believer and the Saviour (39-40; 2 Corinthians 4:4).

Jesus Sets Us Free.

John 8:21-58

In the face of evil unbelief and persistent opposition, Jesus spoke with tremendous assurance: ‘You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world... you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am He’ (23-24).

‘As He spoke thus, many believed in Him (30) - Jesus spoke with power and love. Responding to Him in faith, we are set ‘free’ (32,36; Romans 8:2; Galatians 5:1).

* To receive His freedom, we must recognize our need: ‘everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin’ (34).

* To grow in His freedom, we must ‘continue in His Word’ (31).

To religion without Christ (39,41), Jesus’ answer is emphatic: ‘You are of your father the devil... you do not hear God’s words because you are not of God’ (44,47).

‘I am’ (58; Exodus 3:14). God is in control - not men (59,20).

Rivers Of Living Water - From Jesus

John 7:37-8:20
‘Rivers of living water’ were flowing out of Jesus’ heart. ‘No man ever spoke like this man’! ‘The Spirit’ was speaking through Him with power (37-39, 46).
Still, there were those who ‘wanted to arrest Him’ (44). Stop ‘throwing stones’ (1-11)!
Only Jesus had the right to point the finger at this woman. He refused to do so. He bore her sins and our sins on the Cross (1 Peter 2:24). Jesus spoke to the woman of both forgiveness and holiness (11).
Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world’ (12). This brought an immediate reaction from the ‘Pharisees’: ‘Your testimony is not true’ (13).
They were ‘disguised as angels of light’ (2 Corinthians 11:14). They ‘loved darkness rather than light’ (3:19). Their ‘darkness’ was exposed by ‘the Light of the world’. These evil men could do nothing until God’s time (19-20).

Jesus' Words Are "Spirit And Life" - "The Words Of Eternal Life."

John 6:60-7:36

Jesus’ words are ‘spirit and life’. They are ‘the words of eternal life’ (63,68).

While others - including Judas Iscariot - were drawing back from following Jesus, Peter confessed his faith in Jesus: ‘You are the Holy One of God’ (66-71).

It was only a matter of time before Judas Iscariot (71) and ‘the Jews’(1) formed an unholy alliance. The ‘time’ was ‘not yet’ (6,8). Even the plans of evil men could only be fully developed in the Lord’s time. When God permitted their evil plans to proceed, then it would be His time for Jesus’ crucifixion and our salvation (Acts 2:2).

‘The Jews’ were amazed at Jesus’ teaching - ‘How is it that this man has learning when he has never studied?’ (15). They did not understand that God’s wisdom is different from man’s wisdom. Obey God. Receive wisdom (17; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25).

Let's Feed On Jesus Christ, "The Living Bread."

John 6:22-59

Jesus said, ‘I am the Bread of Life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst’ (35).

Jesus had enemies - ‘The Jews then murmured at Him, because He said, “I am the bread which comes down from heaven”’ (41).

Christ’s enemies are still with us. They ‘murmur among themselves’ (43).

How are we to respond to this situation? We must feed on Jesus Christ, ‘the Living Bread’ (51).

Whatever difficulties we may face, the Lord provides for us: ‘You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies’ (Psalm 23:5).

We have His invitation: ‘O taste and see that the Lord is good!’ (Psalm 34:8).

With His provision and invitation, let us make our response: ‘We taste Thee, O Thou living Bread, and long to feast upon Thee still’ (Church Hymnary, 571).

Search The Scriptures - And Come To Christ!

John 5:30-6:21

‘Search the Scriptures’ - and make sure you ‘come to Christ and receive life’ (39-40).

From Jesus’ miracles - the feeding of the five thousand (1-13) and His walking on water (16-21) - we learn about faith in Christ.

Jesus is more than a ‘prophet’. He is ‘the Bread of God... which comes down from heaven’ (14, 33).

He is not merely a human ‘king’. He is the divine King - ‘Lord of lords and King of kings’ (15; Revelation 17:14).

When the storms of life are raging, Jesus says, ‘It is I; do not be afraid’ (20). He assures us of His final victory - ‘they will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them’ (Revelation 17:14).

‘Will your anchor hold in the storms of life?... We have an anchor that keeps the soul... Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love’ (Church Hymnary, 412).