Category: Uncategorized

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 15:23-16:23 ESV, John 18:25-19:22 ESV, Psalm 119:113-128 ESV, Proverbs 16:10-11 ESV

Daily Verse: “Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So, they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” (John 18:25 ESV)

THERMAINO (2328): “To warm, heat (Eng. ‘thermal’ etc.), when used in the middle voice, signifies “to warm oneself.”[i]

Warm oneself.

Peter finds himself by the fire.  Having witnessed Jesus’ arrest, the disciple waits to see what happens next.  Never did he imagine life would lead him to this spot.  Just hours ago, Peter pledged his undying love to Christ, and now the follower denies Him, not once but three times.  Peter didn’t wait well.

Everyone waits.  A bride waits for her wedding day, then children, then grandchildren.  Sick people wait for healing; soldiers wait for battle; kids wait for recess.  Learning to wait well challenges the best of us.

Waiting for Jesus.

We live in Saturday, waiting for Sunday, the day of Christ’s return.  Peter didn’t know the future.  Standing by the fire, I can’t imagine the emotions Peter experienced.  The disciple had no clue Jesus would hang on the cross, die, and resurrect in the days ahead.  Peter no longer had hope.

But we do.  We know what Peter didn’t; Christ lives.  Jesus’ resurrection overcame death and gave us hope for eternal life.  We know this world will have troubles, but Christ overcame them on Calvary.  Eternity begins the moment you place your faith in Jesus.  You can have peace on earth with Christ in your heart.

Peter didn’t understand salvation when he stood by the fire warming himself.  But he soon would.  And we do.  Let Christ take residence in your heart; He warms you like no one else.

Wait well with Jesus.  Follow Him and gain His peace which surpasses all understanding.

---

[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 115) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 14:1-15:22 ESV, John 18:1-24 ESV, Psalm 119:97-112 ESV, Proverbs 16:8-9 ESV

Daily Verse: “So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” (John 18:11 ESV)

THEKE (2336): “A place to put something in, a receptacle, chest, case, is used of the “sheath” of a sword.”[i]

Place to put.

Peter, defending Jesus, slices off Malchus’ right ear.  The servant of the high priest came with the religious leaders to arrest Jesus.  Immediately, Jesus heals the offense and reprimands Peter, telling him to put his sword away.  The sheath Peter wears the place to put his weapon.

Things need a place, just like Peter’s sword needed a home.  The sheath protects the sword from the elements, keeping it honed and ready for use.  But the casing also protects Peter from accidentally getting cut by the weapon’s sharp blade.  Much like what happens to us when we place our faith in Jesus.

Place for faith.

Wrestling with the spiritual side of life leads people to one question.  Where do I place my faith?  We need somewhere to put the mysteries of the unknown.  People look for salvation in all types of ways, money, relationships, and religion, to name a few.  Only one path exists for all, Jesus.

Placing faith in Jesus protects us from the enemies’ attacks.  Putting on God’s armor makes us ready for battle, just like Peter’s sword.  Jesus purifies our hearts as we give them to Him, protecting us from ourselves.  Our internal struggles more complicated than the external ones.

Peace comes no other way than through Jesus.  Knowing where to place your faith will lead you to eternal life.  Put your trust in Jesus; let Him lead the way.

---

[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 116) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 13:1-39 ESV, John 17:1-26 ESV, Psalm 119:81-96 ESV, Proverbs 16:6-7 ESV

Daily Verse: “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,” (John 17:1 ESV)

LALEO (2980): “This word focuses on the articulated; distinct sound of the formed word in human language.”[i]

Formed words.

Jesus spoke audibly to His heavenly Father, praying for His glorification and our salvation.  Christ used words for our benefit so that we would know His thoughts.  Allowing us to listen to His conversation with the Father lets us know how to talk to God and pray for others. 

What comes out of our mouths does impact those around us.  Jesus’ words give us hope; we should do the same for others.

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29 ESV)

Uplift and encourage.

Before words leave your lips, ask yourself a simple question.  Will, what I say uplift and encourage the listener or not?  Socrates said the same thing differently:

“Is it true; is it kind, or is it necessary?”

Jesus prayed intentionally, using His words carefully.  God’s message to us comes through His Son.  We take God’s divine design for granted; He wastes nothing, especially words.  Nor should we.

First, accept that what you say does impact those around you.  Stop and think about what you want to say.  Ask yourself, will this uplift and encourage or tear down and destroy?  Choose your words carefully.  Speak the truth when necessary with kindness.

---

[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 148) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 12:1-31 ESV, John 16:1-33 ESV, Psalm 119:65-80 ESV, Proverbs 16:4-5 ESV

Daily Verse: “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7 ESV)

SUMPHERO (4851): “Signifies transitively, lit., “to bring together,” (sun “with,” phero, “to bring”), intransitively, “to be an advantage, profitable, expedient,” it is used mostly impersonally,”[i]

Bring together.

Jesus knows that His time has come to leave.  Limitations exist in the physical realm, even for Jesus.  To reach the world, Christ sent the Holy Spirt in his place.  God’s Spirit has no boundaries, able to indwell in believers everywhere.

Utterly dependent on Jesus, the disciples can’t imagine life on earth without Him.  The boys don’t understand Jesus’ departure from the world doesn’t mean He’s leaving them.  Because Christ ascended, He brought them and us together with the Holy Spirit.

Advantage Jesus

Explaining to someone how the Holy Spirit works in my life seems challenging at times.  Anyone who places their faith in Jesus and begins to pursue Him will understand what I mean.  Nudges come from within precisely at the right time, way, and place.  When God prompts, you know without a doubt what to do; His message clear.

Without Jesus’ departure, we wouldn’t have the benefit of His spirit.  The advantage Christ gives us comes from our heavenly Father as we merge our soul with His.  Every day we pursue Jesus, our advantage grows stronger.

Letting the Holy Spirit lead you means getting out of your comfort zone. Christ’s teachings go against the world’s, His emphasis on the eternal instead of the temporary.  Where the world says to hate, Jesus calls us to love.  Instead of revenge, we must pray for our enemies.  If we see a need we can meet, God wants us to meet it.

God’s Spirit dwelling in you will help you love others well.  Following His promptings will continue to grow God’s kingdom.  Jesus’ departure from earth gave us our spiritual advantage, let the Holy Spirit guide your way.

---

[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 239) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 9:1-11:27 ESV, John 15:1-27 ESV, Psalm 119:49-64 ESV, Proverbs 16:1-3 ESV

Daily Verse: “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:2 ESV)

KLEMA (2814): “A limb or shoot (as if broken off).  Denotes a tender, flexible branch, especially the shoot of a vine, a vine sprout.”[i]

Flexible branch.

Growing healthy fruit requires pruning, taking away the dead, the fruitful pruned becoming even more productive.  God, our gardener, tends to the soil of our hearts, planting seeds of love.  Jesus, blending truth and grace perfectly, exposes our sinful nature, replacing it with His affection.

Christ, the true vine, connects us to the gardener, God.  Sprouting from Jesus, our branches will multiply the more we follow Him.  As we grow, we’ll learn flexibility; we must so we can love others.  The more flexible we become, the more loving our actions.

Become bendable.

Growing branches bend and wave in storm winds, but they don’t break.  Attached to the true vine, God won’t let you go.  As the wind whips, and the rain pounds, Go holds you tight in His grasp, always with you.  And when you need pruning, God will do the clipping.

Talking to a friend about why people lie, I didn’t have the answer.  When I feel tempted to lie, God nudges me.  Maybe the person won’t know I lied, but God does.  From within, He prunes me, reminding me of the Holy Spirit’s presence in my life.

The same thing happens when I feel proud.  When I hit the golf ball on the sweet spot, sending it flying in the air, I immediately feel like a pro.  But then, on the very next hole, I dink it, barely hitting the ball,  instantly feeling humbled. 

How God prunes us, only He knows. In order to grow, we must accept the pruning. Bending, twisting, and flourishing, our branches grow. With Jesus’ help, we’ll produce good fruit.

---

[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 139) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 7:1-8:18 ESV, John 14:15-31 ESV, Psalm 119:33-48 ESV, Proverbs 15:33 ESV

Daily Verse: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever” (John 14:16 ESV)

PARAKLETOS (3875): “Is the one summoned, called to one’s side, esp. called to one’s aid and is used of the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after Christ’s ascension to the Father), to truth, and give them divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom.”[i]

Divine strength.

God never meant for us to do life on our energy; He provides divine strength for us, which helps us thrive in a dark world.  Jesus set the example for us to follow and then sent help to accomplish the mission.   Grounded on the Rock, we can withstand the storms.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15 ESV)

We demonstrate our affection for Jesus when we obey His commands.  Summarized, God wants us to love Him and others.  Without divine strength, we can’t build the divine kingdom.  Through love, God’s family grows

Accept help.

After my dad died, I watched my mom cope with the loss.  Sixteen, I didn’t grasp the full scope of what losing a spouse meant.  My teenage brain decided I didn’t want to depend on anybody; then, I couldn’t get hurt again.  But God created us for community; we need help to stay the course.

Admitting to Jesus we need Him allows us to accept the help He offers.  Following Jesus doesn’t make you weak; it makes you divinely strong.  When bad things happen in this life, which they will, God’s family surrounds you and helps you move forward, like my mom’s friends did for her.

 Jesus gives us our purpose in life, follow His commandments.  Our obedience to Him will become evident in our love for others. We must love the people God gives us when we have them; eventually, God wants them back.  Until then, we can honor Jesus by loving His flock well.

---

[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 190) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 4:1-6:23 ESV, John 13:31-14:14 ESV, Psalm 119:17-32 ESV, Proverbs 15:31-32 ESV

Daily Verse: “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’” (John 13:33 ESV)

TEKNION (5040): “Only figuratively and always in the plural, is a term of kindly address by teachers to their disciples under circumstances requiring a tender appeal, e.g., of Christ to the Twelve just before His death, Jn 13:33; the apostle John used it in warning believers against spiritual dangers.”[i]

Kindly address

As gently as possible, Jesus tries to explain future events.  Christ, speaking to the disciples, loves them more than they know.  Even though they can’t follow Jesus now, they will rejoin Him one day.  In the meantime, Jesus gave them a mission:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35 ESV)

Currently, Jesus sits at the Father’s right hand, ruling with Him as one (Hebrew 1:3 ESV).  Like the disciples, we will one day reunite with the Savior, but until then, we have the same mission as the disciples: love one another as Christ loves us.

Continue the legacy.

Jesus left a legacy behind, which continues today.  Christ’s acts of mercy and kindness move forward through history, long after His death and resurrection.  When we meet Him again, physical death leads to our eternal life.  Our actions today impact the legacy we leave behind.

On the other side of a half-century, I realize I have less time left on earth than what lies before me.  Knowing the truth makes me ask myself a question.  What kind of legacy do I want to leave behind.  My answer remains the same; she loved the Lord.

For people to know I love God, I must love others.  My affection for others identifies me as a disciple of Christ.  Obedience to Jesus requires me to offer grace and mercy to all I meet, just as He did for me.  Continuing the legacy of Christ means dying to self.

Love others for Jesus today, even those hard to love.  Find ways to share God’s love with the world, continuing Christ’s legacy for the next generation.

---

[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 248) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 2:12-3:39 ESV, John 13:1-30 ESV, Psalm 119:1-16 ESV, Proverbs 15:29-30 ESV

Daily Verse: “Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” (John 13:8 ESV)

NIPTO (3538): “To cleanse (espec. The hands or the feet or the face).  This word is only used of washing part of the body.”[i]

Jesus cleanses.

Imagine getting up from the dinner table and washing the feet of those around you.  Most people don’t wear sandals and walk on dusty roads all day long; dirty feet the by-product.  Yet, Jesus did exactly that to set an example for His disciples, as well as for us.  Christ wants us to do as He did.

Cleansing washes away the sins of yesterday.  Each morning, when we connect with Jesus, we can begin again.  Letting Christ’s grace and mercy cleanse us from within allows us to do the same for others.  Receiving Jesus’ forgiveness helps us to forgive people.

Wash feet.

Thankfully, we don’t have to wash people’s feet most of the time.  But we must offer grace and mercy to those around us, finding ways to love them to the best of our ability.  Keeping Jesus’ commandment to care for others in the forefront of our minds helps us approach relationships differently.

When I meet a cantankerous soul who presses all my buttons, I remind myself of one fact, Jesus loves them.  Christ loves the grumpy person, and He died for them willingly.  Remembering God’s love for the world helps me love the unlovable.

Boundaries make relationships healthy.  Jesus never enabled anyone; He allowed people to live their lives the way they wanted, even if they didn’t follow Him.  Unhealthy people unwilling to take responsibility for their actions might require more distance.  Hardened hearts need God’s help to soften them.  We can’t change people; only God can.

Follow Jesus’ example and wash the feet of those around you by offering them grace and mercy.  You can’t control their actions, but you can control yours.  Imitating Christ will help you love others well.

---

[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 172) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 1:1-2:11 ESV, John 12:20-50 ESV, Psalm 118:19-29 ESV, Proverbs 15:27-28 ESV

Daily Verse: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24 ESV)

APOTHNESKO (599): “As a verb, means lit., “to die off or out” and is used of the separation of the soul from the body, i.e., the natural “death” of human beings; of violent “death” whether or men or animals; with regard to the latter it is once translated “perished,” Mt. 8:32; of vegetation, Jude 12; of seeds, Jn 12:24.”[i]

Natural death.

Only with death can new life begin.  When a grain of wheat dies, it produces more in death than in life.  One grain of wheat makes over 320 seeds, but it must die first.  Jesus, speaking to the Greeks, uses the farming metaphor to explain what’s coming.  Jesus knew He had to die on the cross, His death multiplying the harvest of believers.

Tensions ran high as the day of crucifixion approached.  People became angrier and angrier the more Jesus did His own thing, which caused His popularity to decline.  People doubted Christ’s teaching; the religious leaders failed at trapping Jesus in any way.  Jesus knew the time had come for the final act, but the people still didn’t understand.

Death and resurrection.

When Jesus committed His soul into God’s hand moments before He died, people lost all hope.  Their Savior no longer lived, His ministry over.  The incubation period of the dead seed would soon multiply. Jesus, now dead, emerges three days later in His glorified body, an invitation to eternal life for all.

Those whose faith wavered before Jesus’ death no longer doubted.  With over 500 witnesses to His resurrected body, Jesus’ followers still multiply to this day, His seed-bearing much fruit.  Without death, we cannot have life.

One day, we will join Jesus in eternity, our address moving to a heavenly zip code.  We can pursue Christ vigorously, experiencing Godly adventures we can’t imagine.  Dying to self leads to full life in Christ.

---

[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 35) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 29:1-31:13 ESV, John 11:55-12:19 ESV, Psalm 118:1-18 ESV, Proverbs 15:24-26 ESV

Daily Verse: “They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” (John 11:56 ESV)

HIERON (2411): “The neuter of the adjective hieros, “sacred,” is used as a noun denoting “a sacred place, a temple.”  The Temple mentioned in the Gospels, and Acts was begun by Herod in 20 B.C. and destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70.”[i]

Scared place.

To participate in the feast at God’s temple, people had to undergo a ceremonial cleansing, which took seven days. Waiting at the Holy Temple, the Jews couldn’t imagine Jesus wouldn’t show up. Because of the increasing hostility from the Jewish people, Jesus withdrew from Jerusalem.  Six days before Passover, Jesus goes to Bethany to visit Lazarus instead of heading to the Temple for His ceremonial cleansing. 

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV)

Since Jesus’ death and resurrection, the location of the Temple changed.  When we place our faith in Jesus, His Spirit takes up residence inside of us, making our bodies God’s temple.  As divine creations, adopted into God’s family through faith, you see God’s sacred place in the reflection when you look in the mirror.

Living temples.

Christ-followers live with God’s Spirit inside of them.  Everywhere we go, Jesus goes with us.  No longer do we have to endure ceremonial cleansings to enter the temple.  But we must keep a soft heart to Jesus’ voice, especially when we don’t have answers to all our questions.

The Jews didn’t understand Jesus, and they became mad at Him.  Their anger kept Jesus away from the temple.   Our anger and frustration can separate us from God.  Christ doesn’t leave us, but we metaphorically leave Him, angry because Jesus doesn’t do what we want.

Submission to Christ means accepting His will for our lives.  Jesus’s plan often differs from ours.  As living temples, the sacrifice of our desires to align our hearts with God shines His light to the world. 

Honor God’s temple today, knowing His Spirit resides in you.  Let God’s light shine brightly in your life as you embrace His grace and mercy.

---

[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 120) Thomas Nelson