Wed, Nov 30th - 9:42PM

1 John 5:4,5

^{1 John 5:4} for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. (NIV)

Our faith in Christ gives us victory over the world.  In other words our faith in Christ gives us victory over our enemy, the enemy of all of God’s children, Satan.  We overcome the schemes and temptations of Satan through our faith in Christ. 

Tue, Nov 29th - 9:39PM

1 John 5:3

^{1 John 5:3} In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, (NIV)

If we say we love God and are His children then we want and have a desire to follow His commandments.  It means we follow His commandments out of love for God and not an obligation we feel we have to do.  We follow His commandments willingly, not reluctantly.  If you truly are a child of God you have a desire in your heart to follow the will of God regardless the situation you find yourself in. 

Mon, Nov 28th - 9:15PM

1 John 4:1

^{1 John 4:1} Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (NASB)

One thing I emphasis over and over again is Bible Study.  Why?  Because it is our safeguard against false prophets and false teachers.  If you know the Bible you will not fall into their trap.  Identifying a false teacher is easy.  If what they are teaching is contrary to what the Bible says you know they are not from God.  Why do you think so many false teachers try to discredit the Bible?  Because they know it reveals their falsehood. 

Sun, Nov 27th - 9:52PM

1 John 3:13

^{1 John 3:13} Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you. (NASB)

Why does the world hate Christians?  Because they hate God.  The people of this world are living in darkness and they like the darkness.  As children of God we reflect the light of Christ into their world of darkness and expose their sins.  We make them painfully aware of their sinful state and their destiny with hell.

Sat, Nov 26th - 11:03PM

1 John 2:15-17

^{1 John 2:15} Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. ¹⁷ The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. (NASB)

The things of this world are temporary.  Don’t let things that are temporary decide your eternity. 

Fri, Nov 25th - 10:55PM

1 John 1:8-10

^{1 John 1:8} If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. (NASB)

I tell you right now I AM A SINNER, I am a sinner saved by the grace of God.  There is no such thing as a perfect Christian.  I have heard many Christians say they never sin, what foolishness.  There was only one perfect person to walk this earth and we can never fully be like Him.  But thank God that when we do fall short we have a God that forgives when we confess our sins and seek His forgiveness. 

Thu, Nov 24th - 11:38PM

2 Peter 2:3

^{2 Peter 2:3} Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, ⁴ and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” ⁵ For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, ⁶ through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. ⁷ But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. ⁸ But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.  (NASB)

Of course we know there are many mockers today that do say where is Jesus didn’t he promise to return.  Well yes He did and He still is returning and thank God for His patience for His given sinners time to come to their senses come out of their rebellion and accept God before it is too late because when He does return it will be too late than to accept Him as your Savior because at that time He will be returning to judge the world of its sins.

Wed, Nov 23rd - 10:49AM

John 5:30

^{John 5:30} “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. (NASB)

If we are Christians then we are disciples of Christ and if we are disciples we are suppose to follow the teachings of our master Jesus Christ.  Look at the words of Christ.  Not to do His will be the will of who sent Him which was God.  So if we are following the teachings of Christ like faithful disciples then our desire should to fulfill not our will but the will of God.  Let God direct you in this life by following the Spirit which is in every believer.  Open up your heart to what God is teaching you.  Follow His path for you in this life. 

Tue, Nov 22nd - 10:45AM

John 5:28,29

²⁸ Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, ²⁹ and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment (NASB)

Don't be fooled by those who say otherwise, there is a coming day of judgment for all of mankind. Those who have had their sins washed cleaned by the blood of Jesus will be rewarded with eternal life and those who have rejected Christ will receive the judgment of God for their rebellion.

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Mon, Nov 21st - 10:47AM

John 5:25

^{John 5:25} Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. (NASB)

There is physical death and there is spiritual death.  Many people are alive physically but are dead spiritually.  Their soul is dark, deserted, and empty but God wants to give you life.  Accept Christ as your Savior and live. 

Sat, Nov 19th - 10:50PM

John 4:39-42

^{John 4:39} From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.” ⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. ⁴¹ Many more believed because of His word; ⁴² and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.” (NASB)

Most people read the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman and see a story of Jesus overcoming Jewish prejudices against women, Samaritans, and a person most Jews would consider unclean because of her background.  All of this is true.  But there is more to it than that.  This is also a story of evangelism.  Jesus ignored all of the cultural prejudices of the Jews and because he did so He led a whole city back into a relationship with God.

Christianity is not a Western religion or an American religion or a religion for the Middle class.  True Christianity is not really a religion, it is a relationship with God.  And God wants a relationship with all of mankind no matter their race, ethnic background, or social status.  If you read the story of Jesus you know that Jesus spent time with the outcasts of society, the poor, the sick, and the sinners. 

Fri, Nov 18th - 10:42AM

John 4:31-34

^{John 4:31} Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” ³² But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” ³³ So the disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?” ³⁴ Jesus *said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. (NASB)

Jesus was talking about spiritual nourishment.  He was getting filled spiritual by doing the will of God.  A lot of Christians are starving spiritually.  They are starving because their church is not meeting their spiritual needs and they themselves are not feeding themselves spiritually.  We get fed spiritually by spending time worshipping God in prayer, hearing the Word of God in our churches, studying the Word of God, and doing the will of God by living out His will for us to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth. 

Thu, Nov 17th - 10:46AM

John 3:36

^{John 3:36} He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (NASB)

I love the third chapter of John, it spells out the Gospel point blank.  If you believe in the Son you have eternal life but if you reject the Son you are still under the penalty of sin and will be judged by God for rejecting the salvation offered to you.  Point blank.

I compare rejecting the salvation of Christ to a man drowning in the ocean.  He has a life preserver threw to him but he rejects the life preserver because he doesn’t believe it is real and he really doesn’t believe he is going to drown anyway.  Sadly both assumptions are wrong.  So is the person who rejects Christ.  Christ is real and our only source of salvation and those who reject him will go to hell which is also very real. 

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Wed, Nov 16th - 10:47AM

John 3:28-30

^{John 3:28} You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ ²⁹ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. ³⁰ He must increase, but I must decrease. (NASB)

By this time John had gathered a large following but look at John’s humble words in verse 30.  John knew he was the messenger of Christ.  What he was doing was for the glory of Christ.  Those of us who work in ministry must always remember this, we work for the glory of God, it should never be about us. 

Tue, Nov 15th - 10:38AM

John 3:19-21

^{John 3:19} This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. ²¹ But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” (NASB)

Why does the world hate Christianity?  Because we expose their evil deeds.  As the scripture says those who do evil hates the Light because the Light exposes their evil deeds.  Christ is the Light and we as believers reflect the Light of Christ into a world of darkness.  They hate the Light because it is by the Light that their evil deeds will be judged. 

Mon, Nov 14th - 10:40AM

John 3:16-18

^{John 3:16} “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. ¹⁸ He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (NASB)

If you have the Son you have eternal life.  If you reject the Son you are condemned.  That is the Gospel.  Christ came into the world to be our sin sacrifice on the cross that whosoever believes in Him will be saved from the penalty of sin and have eternal life but if you continue in your rebellion to God and reject His Son and what He did for you on the cross you will be judged.  Accept Christ as your Savior and escape the judgment of God.

Sun, Nov 13th - 10:54PM

John 3:14,15

^{John 3:14} As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; ¹⁵ so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. (NASB)

You want eternal life?  Verse 15 is the answer.  Whosoever believes in Him, Christ, will have eternal life.  That is it.  That is the one and only answer.  Eternal life comes through belief in Christ.  That of course is the first step in a long walk as a disciple of Christ. 

Sat, Nov 12th - 11:03PM

John 3:3

^{John 3:3} Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Unless you are born again you will not see heaven.  To be born again means to be born again spiritually.  It is what happens when we accept Christ as our Savior and are saved.  We are born once into this world physically as a physical being that is corrupted by sin at birth.  When we are born again we are born spiritually as a being that has their sins forgiven by the blood of Christ.  As Paul says we are new creatures, all things have become new.  We are no longer condemned.

Fri, Nov 11th - 10:51AM

John 2:18-22

^{John 2:18} The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” ¹⁹ Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” ²⁰ The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” ²¹ But He was speaking of the temple of His body. ²² So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken. (NASB)

The death and resurrection of Jesus did away with the need of the temple.  The Bible says we, as believers, are the Temple of God.  The Holy Spirit of God lives in all believers.  There is no longer a need for the sacrifice of lambs as a sin offering because Christ died for our sins on the cross that whosoever believes in Him can have the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

Thu, Nov 10th - 10:44AM

John 2:17

^John 2:17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME.” (NASB)

Zeal for the House of God should consume all of us.  Zeal for everything about God should consume us.  If we are true followers of God our number one priority in life should be pleasing God and doing His will for us. 

Wed, Nov 9th - 11:20AM

John 2:14-16

^{John 2:14} And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. ¹⁵ And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; ¹⁶ and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” (NASB)

This is Jesus chasing those who were doing business in the temple area out.  This was the Temple of God meant as a place of worship to the almighty and the Jewish leaders had turn it into a place of business.  The Bible says we are the Temple of God.  We need to keep our temple clean.  We need to keep anything that defiles us, such as drugs, lust, anger, and other sins out of our temple.  Our temple should be clean so that we can stay in tuned with the Holy Spirit of God.  Because our holy God cannot and will not have any part with that which is unholy. 

Tue, Nov 8th - 10:51AM

John 1:29

^{John 1:29} The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (NASB)

Under the Old Testament Law a lamb was sacrificed as a sin sacrifice.  Jesus became our sin sacrifice on the cross that whosoever believes in Him can have the forgiveness of sins and inherit eternal life as the Children of God.

Mon, Nov 7th - 10:41AM

John 1:14-18

^{John 1:14} And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. ¹⁵ John *testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” ¹⁶ For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. ¹⁷ For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. (NASB)

We are able to receive the grace of God through Christ.  Christ became flesh and dwelt among us and through his sacrifice on the cross we are able to obtain the grace of God. 

Sun, Nov 6th - 10:42PM

John 1:10-13

^{John 1:10} He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. ¹¹ He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. ¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (NASB)

Christ came to His own, the Jewish people and they rejected Him but to those who accept Him as their Savior will be the Children of God.  The Jews considered themselves the children of God but they missed the mark when they rejected Christ as their Savior.  To be a child of God you must accept Christ as your Savior born not by the will of man but the will of God.

Sat, Nov 5th - 10:33PM

John 1:1-5

Fri, Nov 4th - 11:44AM

Luke 21:17

^{Luke 21:17} and you will be hated by all because of My name. (NASB)

Why does the world hate Christianity and Christians?  Because we reveal their wickedness.  If we are righteous then they must be wicked.  If we are holy then they must be unholy.  If we are saved then they must be lost.  If we have eternal life then they must have death.  If we have heaven to look forward to then they have hell to look forward to.  We have hope while they have none.  If Jesus is the only Way to Heaven then their way must be wrong.  If our God is the one true God then their god must be false.  If God is our Father then Satan is their father. 

The world hates us because we reject their lifestyle of debauchery and sin and refuse to accept this life of sin.  We reflect the Light of Christ into a dark world that reveals their sinful lifestyles.  Satan isn’t going to let the Light of Christ shine in this world of darkness without a fight. 

Thu, Nov 3rd - 10:55AM

Luke 19:37=40

^{Luke 19:37} As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, ³⁸ shouting:

“BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD;
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” ⁴⁰ But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”  (NASB)

You can’t silence the Word of God.  No one in this world has the power to silence the Word of God.  The Jews tried and failed, the Romans tried and failed, governments and groups throughout history has tried to silence the Word of God and failed.  It is prophesied in the Bible that the Gospel must first be preached to the ends of the earth then the end will come.  Just like every other prophesy in the Bible this to will happen.  Just like the verse says if we are silenced then the stones will cry out in praise of the Almighty God in heaven. 

Wed, Nov 2nd - 11:19AM

Luke 18:9-14

^{Luke 18:9} And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: ¹⁰ “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ ¹³ But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be ^f]">[f]merciful to me, the sinner!’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (NASB)

Can you imagine Jesus having the same attitude of some Christians.  Instead of following the example of Christ, who approached the woman at the well, ate with sinners, and preached to the poor and the outcast, to many Christians have the attitude of the Pharisees, stay away from me you are unclean.  How will sinners ever hear about Christ if those who are suppose to tell them about Christ chose to avoid them and hold then in contempt. 

Tue, Nov 1st - 11:08AM

Luke 17:26-37

^{Luke 17:26} And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: ²⁷ they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. ²⁸ ^r]">[r]It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; ²⁹ but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and ^s]">[s]brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. ³⁰ It will be ^t]">[t]just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. ³¹ On that day, the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back. ³² Remember Lot’s wife. ³³ Whoever seeks to keep his ^u]">[u]life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. ³⁴ I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. ³⁵ There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left. ³⁶ [^v]">[v]Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.”] ³⁷ And answering they *said to Him, “Where, Lord?” And He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the ^w]">[w]vultures will be gathered.” (NASB)

Don’t be fooled by those who say otherwise, Christ is going to return someday to receive His church up to Him and to judge the world of its wickedness.