The Promise of the Counselor
If you love me, you will obey what I command. I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. John 14:15 Jesus tells his disciples that He will not leave them as orphans when He goes to the cross. He promises […]
Revelation of the Cross
From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began […]
Rejoicing in God’s Word
Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is sacred to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. Nehemiah said, “Go and […]
Signs of the End of the Age
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves some out, you know that summer is near. Matthew 24:32 Jesus warned the disciples to beware of people who claim to be the “Christ.” He also told them to watch for signs that point to His […]
Doing God’s Will
Peter and the other apostles replied: We must obey God rather than men! Acts 5:29 The apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin, the supreme Jewish court consisting of 70 to 100 men. Imagine the scene: the members of the Sanhedrin sitting in a semicircle, backed by three rows of disciples of the “learned men,” […]
Misunderstanding Grace
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Romans 6:1-2 We have been justified through faith in Jesus Christ and now stand under the shadow of His grace. We are able to […]
Joshua’s Faithful Response
…the Lord said to Joshua, “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the Land I am about to give to them…As I was with Moses so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Joshua 1:1-5 […]
The Holy Spirit’s Guidance
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes he will guide you in to all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. John 16:13 Think back on Acts 3:8 when Peter, “filled with the Holy Spirit,” […]
Demonstration of the Kingdom Within
Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:20-21 The Pharisees questioned Jesus; they wanted […]
Suffering for the Gospel
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. I Peter 4:12-13 Peter writes to his dear friends, fellow believers who […]