Jesus is the way – Be Still…

Galatians 6:1-18 – Don’t Give Up!

These are Paul’s final words to the believers in Galatia, and they pack a punch. He reaffirms all that he has taught them, nearly beating them over the head with the truth. Here we feel like Paul is affirming us and sending us on our way equipped to face the evils of this world better than before.

Paul empowers his readers to live their faith out loud and help other believers who may be struggling. There is no question in Paul’s mind that brothers and sisters in Christ are going to stumble. That’s a given. But for each fallen soul, there needs to be a stronger believer standing by to help Jesus rescue them. But there is danger of falling in the pit right along with them, so beware! Continue reading “Galatians 6:1-18 – Don’t Give Up!”

John 14:1-14 – The Way to the Father

Read John 14:1-14

There are so many gems in this reading. The wisdom Jesus shares may have gotten lost on his original audience because they were so close to him. Maybe they were blinded by the light, so to speak. While we think it would be obvious who Jesus was, his initial followers were held back for some reason. We may wonder how they could be so hesitant.

We’re like that, too, to some degree. We may let influences outside the church distract us from our utmost devotion. We may take Jesus for granted or not give him all the honor he deserves. In those moments, Jesus needs to reel us in and set our minds straight. What insight can we take here from Jesus? Continue reading “John 14:1-14 – The Way to the Father”

John 14:6 – Who is Jesus?

“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6)

This was the first verse I had the girls at the orphanage memorize because it is that important. If the girls take nothing more away from my class than this truth, they are on their way to living a more Christ-centered life. This verse is simple, yet powerful. If we have any desire to be close to God, Jesus is how we get there.

Context: Jesus was speaking intimately with his disciples in this chapter, telling them about the future and what was to come. He could sense their uneasiness in the unknown, and so he gave this direction to comfort and assure them. We may not understand the kingdom of God, heaven, or where Jesus is physically at this moment, but we can be sure he is the one to be watching. He certainly has left us a bunch of great teaching nuggets in this chapter. Continue reading “John 14:6 – Who is Jesus?”

Advent ? John 14:1-3 – Trust

Have you ever wondered where Jesus went when he left his followers on the mountain that day? Luke tells us in Acts 1 about Jesus’ ascension. In his last in-person appearance, Jesus was “taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him.” (Acts 1:9) Surely the disciples must have wondered where he went!

Jesus had prepared them, and these verses from John 14:1-3 tell us where Jesus might have gone.

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”

Ecclesiastes 6:1-9 – Enjoy Life!

Read Ecclesiastes 6:1-9

That old wind Solomon is chasing or dreaming of chasing! The last line is great! “Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless—like chasing the wind.”

Before he gets to that realization, Solomon took a bit of a turn down a dark road in this reading. I’m sure you also noticed the enormous amount of (one hundred) children referred to in his lament. With hundreds of wives, he likely had many offspring, so 100 would not have sounded too lavish to be believable!