TRIUMPH

Today’s Reading: John 12

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).

The view towards the Old City of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. Mt. Zion is central on the horizon. The City of David is on the left and in the foreground is the high point on the wall which is known as the pinnacle of the Temple.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verses: John 12:10-11, 31

But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus… Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

Like Lazarus, we who believe in Jesus have been raised from the dead. Ephesians 2:1 describes us as “dead in trespasses and sins,” but now “made alive.” We are living proof that Jesus is real and that He brings new life where there was death.

Our second key verse declares the reality of what happened at the Cross. The world, with its pride and rejection of God, mistakenly thought it was judging Jesus. The opposite is true. God was judging the world by the way it treated His Son. The so-called “ruler of this world” thought he was the winner, but again the opposite is true. The pretender to the throne was cast out. Jesus is King. His eternal Kingdom was established forever and ever. Amen!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Jesus, You are Lord of all. Grant that I may demonstrate that I’ve come out of the grave and discarded the grave clothes. May my life be the proof that You judged the world and deposed its ruler. I celebrate my new life with great joy. Thank You, Jesus! Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I thank you who send me a reply. I read what you have written. The best way to get answers is by asking your Pastor or a Bible teacher at your local congregation. You can critique what I have written with your friends on facebook, or better still, in a home Bible Study with your brothers and sisters in Christ and potential new believers. If you start a home study group, get the blessing of your church. Beware of false teachers who may come to your door or who may be on radio or TV. There is protection in the fellowship of a church which is affiliated with an established denomination. Here in Canada, you can check the website of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada for affiliated churches. Also, there are local congregations of the historic denominations which may not be a part of the EFC, but they are true to the historic Christian faith. Check out the church. Click here for the most ancient declaration and summary of our faith, “The Apostles Creed.” Still have questions? Make an appointment with a Pastor.

Yours for the glory of the One Who said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32),

David

LAZARUS

Today’s Reading: John 11

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).

These are tombs of the sons of Hezir found in the Kidron Valley between the Mount of Olives and the Old City walls of Jerusalem. Hezir was one of the priests in the time of King David listed in 1 Chronicles 24:15.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: John 11:25

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live…”

It’s natural to fear death as it remains filled with the unknown. Nevertheless, we can say with Job, “I know that my Redeemer lives” (Job 19:25). People everywhere are filled with despair when they contemplate their death because they think of it as the final reality. Jesus exploded that myth and opened the doors for us to see the triumph, the joy, the celebration that is ours through believing in Him. This is the message that our dying world needs to hear. To move forward into the Church and to discover where we come into the resurrection picture, please read the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 15.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, thank You for weeping over the loss of Lazarus. You are there for me when I mourn. Please give me grace to live with the secure knowledge that I need not fear death. Please enable me to weep with those who weep, bringing to all the comfort with which I am comforted. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I’ve spoken the words of our key verse at many graves. Without fail, I think on those occasions, “This could be the moment of Christ’s return,” as is written in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. After Norma-Jean and I sold her birthplace farm, we wanted to take all of our children and grandchildren to visit my family roots. To do this, we rented a bus (it had the seats around the sides rather than behind each other). What a great time of family fellowship we had as we visited significant sites from my childhood. One stop we made was at the cemetery in the little village of Elgin, Ontario, where we visited the graves of my ancestors on my father’s side, right back to my great-great-grandmother. Of course, I had stories about them all. Then I did something which shocked my children and grandchildren. You may think this was morbid, but I wanted to make the point that we need not fear death. I laid down on the spot where, if Jesus does not come first, my body will be buried. I could not help but notice some shocked looks on faces around me. Then, those looks gave way to laughter. We rejoiced in our faith that this will not be my final state. Norma-Jean’s plot is beside mine. She informed everyone that she believes Jesus will return before she needs it. She made it clear that she does not intend to use that plot! She often says, “I’m looking for the ‘upper-taker,’ not the undertaker!”

Yours for life in this world and in the world to come,

David

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Today’s Reading: John 10

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).

It was a joy to observe the care and interaction between this shepherd and his sheep and goats in the recreation of Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown, as it may have been in the first century.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: John 10:11

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

A relationship is obvious in the picture above. Gather around our Good Shepherd and enjoy His company. Jesus is our Friend, our Provider, our Comforter, and He calls Himself, “the Door.” Shepherds literally became the door every night. The sheep slept in a cave, and the shepherd would lie down across the opening as their protector. We are His sheep. No enemy will be able to destroy us. He bears the attack. He is our Protector and Deliverer. Our Shepherd has already given His life for us and is alive forevermore. We need fear no evil. He has already overcome the evil one and won victory over death and hell. He promises that we will know His voice. We should take time right now to listen. We’ll hear that still small Voice of our loving Shepherd. He has a message of love, peace, and hope. Psalm 27 ends with the words, “Wait on the Lord.” We may want to read this entire Psalm (click here).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, Slow me down so that the pace of modern life won’t get in the way of my relationship with You. Because of Your Presence, I am filled with courage and my heart is strengthened. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Several readers responded to my blog the other day with a request for the rest of the story. Avedis from Armenia was one who asked me to do this. Check back to October 23rd for the first part of the story in my “100 Personal Words” portion.

I was told this story when I was in the Armenian Socialist Soviet Republic delivering equipment for a children’s hospital following the devastating earthquake there in 1988. There was disunity amongst the churches in the region.  The Pastors of the Baptist and Pentecostal churches had been arrested following their Sunday night services. As they sat in the cell, the warden arrived with another prisoner. It was the Patriarch of the Armenian Orthodox Church. They sat in silence for a time when the Patriarch spoke. He said, “I was the leader of the young communists when I was in my thirties. I had an encounter with Jesus Christ and He transformed my life. I arranged your arrest with the authorities. It was the only way I could get your attention. I beg you to stop attacking me. I want to win people to Jesus just as much as you do. We’ve got to work together to win Armenians to Jesus.” They’ve been helping each other ever since. The two Armenian priests, who were sent by the Patriarch to study with us here in Canada, graduated with the highest marks in the history of our School of Broadcasting. We have graduates in over 80 countries who help share the Good News of Jesus on TV and radio. Therefore, what the Patriarch said includes you and me; “We’ve got to work together.”

Yours for the call to “work together” to reach the world with the best News ever heard,

David

THE WORKS OF GOD

Today’s Reading: John 9

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).

The southern tip of the Dead Sea in the Jordan Valley with the Mountains of Moab in the distance.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: John 9:3

Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him…”

It is so typical of human nature that Jesus’ disciples wanted to lay blame on someone for the blindness of this man. A particular kind of venereal disease can cause blindness in a newborn. So often we see scandal when we should be seeing an opportunity to help. We fall into gossip instead of falling on our knees in prayer. For Jesus, this was an opportunity to bring glory to His Father. The Judge of all the earth did not judge. He who knows all things rejected speaking of the past sins of this man or his parents. Jesus did a creative miracle! The Pharisees are often seen as the bad guys, but here the followers of Jesus were acting like their opponents, abandoning compassion for criticism.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Dear Lord Jesus, I pray that You’ll grant me grace always to see human need with compassion and prayer. Help me to think, “What would Jesus do?” and act accordingly. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

My mother died when I was 12 years old. My most vivid memory of her was not of her making dinner, but was of seeing her on her knees in prayer. After her death, my Dad was silent as we drove down Bank street in Ottawa, and finally he said, “I can never remember hearing your mother say anything bad about anyone.” This reinforced my positive memories of her. I do know that she visited the most needy families in the little village where we lived at the time. I marveled at the glowing eulogies given her. I didn’t think it was exceptional. I thought all mothers were like that. I know now that this is not the case. I also know that Jesus changed my heart to make me more like Him, and yes, more like Mother, Hazel Pritchard Mainse. Norma-Jean’s mother was killed by a drunk driver in a car accident when Norma-Jean was just 17. All reports are that Lillian Davies Rutledge was a woman of God. Neither Norma-Jean nor I have met our mothers-in-law. Just yesterday, as I meditated, I thought that no doubt they’ve met in Heaven. What a wonderful truth it is that I’ll see them both someday soon.

Yours for ministering to the needs of others,

David

TRUTH

Today’s Reading: John 8

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).

Sunrise over the Dead Sea from Ein Gedi. The Apostle John wrote of Jesus Christ, “All things were  made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of Men.” (John 1:3,4)

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: John 8:32

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Truth and Freedom…these words stand out in our reading. The accusers of the woman taken in adultery were faced with “TRUTH!” The result was “FREEDOM,” not only for the woman, but also for the men. She was free from death and was not condemned by Jesus. They were free to admit their sin and to be freed from the guilt of hypocrisy. Jesus was the only One who could’ve cast a stone. He is without sin, and He chose not to! What right does He have to change the Law of Moses? The scribes and pharisees quoted Moses’ Law on the matter. Jesus has every right to change Moses’ Law, because, as He stated, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” Jesus, in Himself the “TRUTH,” was the very One who had told Moses from the burning bush that His name was “I AM.” No wonder that the Jewish leaders, as recorded in the last verse of our reading, “took up stones to throw at Him.” He had given to Moses the Laws we’ve read in Leviticus, in order to show the impossibility of anyone living a holy life on their own. He is the One who provides forgiveness for our sins. The most often repeated verse in the Bible is, “His mercy endures forever.” For our worship today, we could read 1 Chronicles 16 and Psalm 136 (for both passages, click here). Turn to these amazing Words in your Bible, as I’ve done.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, “I Am,” I throw myself on Your mercy. I pray with the publican in the Temple, “Lord, be merciful to me a sinner.” Just as You said that this person went to his house “justified,” so am I justified before You, O Holy God. Thank You, Lord, that as I daily abide in YOUR WORD, TRUTH MAKES ME FREE. AMEN!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I am honoured to know Dr. Paul Maier, Professor of Ancient History at Western Michigan University. He is often called on by the major radio and TV networks for his expertise. He spent every day for a year with me on 100 Huntley Street as we explored the book of Acts. His Dad is Dr. Walter Maier, Founder and former preacher on “The Lutheran Hour: Bringing Christ to the Nations.” I wrote Paul as we read Leviticus. Without explaining the context of my enquiry, let me quote the Doctor concerning the Leviticus’ laws: “Most of these laws regarding ‘abominations’ are inoperative today, as they were in Jesus’ day 2,000 years ago. Rabbinical Courts rarely, if ever, applied them.” I asked Dr. Maier specifically about Moses’ law concerning the practice of homosexuality. I quote, “The practice of homosexuality is in an entirely different category, since it is opposed also in the New Testament and is against natural law.” As I pointed out in the Leviticus commentaries, FORGIVENESS for ALL sin, based on the animal sacrifices which pictured the sacrifice of Jesus, Who is our final and complete Sacrifice for sin, is taught in the operative Word of God (Romans 1:16-32).

Yours for a Holy Spirit taught understanding of TRUTH,

David

BROTHERS

Today’s Reading: John 7

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).

A Jewish man studies the Torah in a library situated in a tunnel along the Western Wall of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: John 7:5

For even His brothers did not believe in Him.

Today’s reading tells us that Jesus knew the feeling of family betrayal. His brothers refused to believe in Him. He knew what it was to feel completely alone. He said, speaking of the world, “It hates Me” (John 7:7). He understands when we feel alone and misunderstood. He is the Source of our comfort. The names of His brothers are recorded in Mark 6. It might be helpful to read again Mark 6:1-6. God can change families. Jesus’ brothers received the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14). Two of them, James and Jude, wrote books that are part of the New Testament, the books bearing their names. Sometimes it increases the impact of Scripture on our lives to read it out loud. This morning, in order not to awaken Norma-Jean, I’ve gone outside and read so that I not only see the Words of Jesus from this chapter, but hear them too. They are powerful, life-changing Words.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, I pray that Your Holy Spirit will teach me daily as I read, highlight, write in the margins, learn, and digest Your Word inside of me. I know You are helping me to follow this blog daily, and I thank You with all my heart. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

The largest private office I’ve ever visited was in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem. I had made an appointment to see the Armenian Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem about renting office space in one of their buildings for the Arabic television ministry. His main goal was not to do business but to convince me that the “brothers” mentioned in Mark 6 were actually cousins. Be that as it may, we prayed together, and I thanked him for his time. Sometime I hope to share here about the other Patriarch in Yerevan. There are two of them in the Armenian church, one in Jerusalem and one in Armenia. The Armenian Patriarch then is now their Pope. When in his thirties, as the leader of the Young Communists of Armenia, he had an Apostle Paul type conversion. He sent two of his brightest priests to study with us at Crossroads. He’s now telecasting the Gospel from Mount Ararat into Turkey, the area of the infamous Armenian holocaust. He, along with Baptist and Pentecostal pastors, ended up in the same cell in a communist prison, but that’s another story.

Yours for a daily commitment to study God’s Word,

David

“THE I AM”

Today’s Reading: John 6

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).

These are windows in the Church of the Loaves & Fishes (also known as the Church of the Multiplication), located in Tabgha on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. This is the traditional site of Jesus’ miracle of multiplying the five loaves and two fish (John 6).

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: John 6:20

But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”

The Bible has much to say about “fear.” The most familiar words are from Psalm 23. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 27 starts with these words, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?” The translator put a capital on the pronoun, “Whom.” He believed, I’m sure, that when we fear God (awe, respect and worship), we need not fear anyone or anything else. Jesus made it very clear that He is the same One who spoke from the burning bush, giving His Name as, “I Am” (Exodus 3:1-6). Over and over Jesus refers to Himself as “I Am.” In today’s reading, He says, “I am the bread” twice. He illustrated this by providing bread for the multitudes. We could read again now verses 48 to 58 in our Bibles. There is spiritual communion where spiritually, and not just physically, we make Christ Jesus the integral essence of our innermost being. We eat of Him. He is our very life. We also need to gather with other believers to participate in the Communion service. Paul teaches about the right way to eat and drink of Christ (read 1 Corinthians 11:17-34).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Dear Lord Jesus, when I partake of the Communion emblems, the bread and the fruit of the vine, I am reminded of Your words here in John 6. I am most conscious of Your Presence with me. On the cross, You sacrificed Your body and shed Your blood for me, so that I would have everlasting life by partaking of You by faith. I pray for a fresh daily experience of Your life, death, and resurrection. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

John 6:37 is the Word I believed for my salvation as a 16 year old. Yes, I had prayed many times at my mother’s knee when she would encourage me to do so, and I had gone forward to the altar to pray for salvation. I had gone through the procedures that the church recommends, but I did not have the assurance of eternal life in Jesus until one night in the Glebe Collegiate auditorium in Ottawa, when I went forward at the invitation of an Evangelist from New York City by the name of Jack Wyrtzen. He had a radio program that I listened to, and I liked his preaching. However, it was not his preaching that night that brought assurance to my heart; it was the words of an elderly man, whose name I don’t know, who met me at the front, held his Bible open at John 6, and asked me to read verse 37 several times. I did so. Then he said, “You’ve come to Jesus, right?” I answered, “Yes.” He then looked intently at me and said, “Then, what does Jesus do?” Suddenly, for the first time in my life, I truly believed, “He does not cast me out.” I believed with all my heart at that moment that Jesus received me and that I was saved. The next day I quoted that verse over and over, and I have not doubted my salvation since. I know that when I believe and confess the Word of God, the power of God is activated in my life. This is why I’m committed to this daily blog.

Yours for the assurance that comes from believing the “Word,”

David

ARISE

Today’s Reading: John 5

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).

In the Old City of Jerusalem are the ruins of the Pool of Bethesda. This is where Jesus healed the paralytic man who had been waiting for his healing for 38 years (John 5:1-15). Here you can also see ruins of a Roman temple to the god of medicine and the remains of a Byzantine church built over the temple.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: John 5:24

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

In yesterday’s reading we moved from “PERISHING” to “EVERLASTING LIFE.” Today, Jesus teaches that by believing we move from “DEATH INTO LIFE.” Seven times in John 3, 4, & 5 Jesus repeats His eternal or everlasting life promise. He really wants us to know the facts about our future as believers in Him. Since the sin of our first parents, we, as a human family, have moved in the opposite direction. We’ve gone from life to death. But in Jesus, that direction of destruction has been reversed, both in this life and in the hereafter. The example of the man with the 38-year-long infirmity shows us the “DEATH INTO LIFE” principle at work in our physical bodies in the here and now. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day failed to understand that Jesus came to turn what was the normal process around 180 degrees. By believing in Jesus, the new normal is “LIFE.”

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, I believe in You. I give You my entire life for both time and eternity. I believe You for the healing of my body, my soul and my spirit, a complete turn around from death to life. Please continue to give me the gift of faith to believe, 24/7, that this is a fact and that nothing will ever change this fact. This assurance fills me with joy. Thank You, Jesus! Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

When I served as a Pastor I was requested to lay hands on a newborn baby and pray for his healing. Marina Cooper’s little one was born with a hole in his heart. The very next day, I received a call that the hole had closed and her baby’s heart was perfect. I believe that Jesus did this!!!  He promised that these signs would follow them that believe. He said, “…they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover” (Mark 16:18b). Every believer qualifies to do this. Just do what the Scripture says and leave the rest up to God. For some reason I have begun to sing words from one of the children’s songs from the GodRocks ministry, “Not a doubt! Check it out! Better believe it!” My eldest daughter, Elaine, and her husband, Bruce Stacey, have given me t-shirts with those words on them, plus an additional t-shirt with another line from the same song, “Not ashamed to shout it!” Here is one of their scripture songs online.

Yours for believing,

David

THE FOUNTAIN

Today’s Reading: John 4

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).

This photo was taken in Caesarea Philippi, also known as Banias. The water originates from Mount Herman then flows into underground springs. It then makes its way down to the Galilee, into the Jordan River, and eventually to the Dead Sea. The water provided life to ancient Israel and still does today for modern Israel.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: John 4:14

…but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.

In the last nine verses, Jesus is back in Cana. Jesus said, “Go your way; your son lives,” and a fountain of healing water burst forth on the north shore of Galilee, about 18 miles away. The man’s son was healed. The woman Jesus met at the well in Samaria had been doing her best to quench her spiritual thirst for love and purpose in life. She’d had five husbands and currently was living with a man who was not her husband. When she believed in Jesus, an artesian well bubbled up with such satisfaction and joy that she left her water pot and rushed to tell others about Jesus, bringing many to Him. What began here in Samaria was continued later by Philip. Philip had four daughters who were prophetesses. Revelation 19:10 tells us that “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Philip and his girls were exercising New Testament prophecy, telling everyone about Jesus. Fountains of living water were springing up all over the place! Please read the sequel to Jesus’ visit to Samaria in Acts 8:5-17. Everywhere Philip and his girls testified for Jesus, there was new life. This is the primary ongoing sign of keeping filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter quoted the prophet Joel about this kind of prophecy. It was the birthday of the Church (Acts 2:16-18). Let the living waters erupt. Drink deeply and bring others to the fountain.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, I drink of You. My thirst is quenched. May I not keep this living water to myself. That would be so selfish. May I offer a drink to everyone I meet. Jesus, You are the “Fountain opened in the house of David for sin and uncleanness.” Amen! Thank You, Jesus, for fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 13:1.

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I was 18 years old when I rented a hall for Sundays and began a Sunday School. I realized that I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t do everything I could to give “the testimony of Jesus,” as I mentioned above. I would deceive myself if I claimed to be filled with God’s Spirit, even though other gifts of the Spirit were evident, if I were not a personal soul winner. That Sunday School has grown to become a fine congregation in the area today. I’ve learned that when the fountain flows in and through me, I have unbounded energy for service. Jesus had been hungry and sent His disciples to buy food. When they returned, He was no longer hungry. The flow of the fountain of God’s Spirit is physically strengthening. As the woman we read about was bringing the people of her community back to the well to see Jesus, He said words I am taking to heart every day. I believe Jesus pointed to those streaming toward Him, and that’s when He said to His disciples, “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest” (John 4:35). I make a new commitment to Jesus now…as long as I live, I will offer the living water to thirsty souls and work to bring lost souls, the harvest, to Jesus.

Yours for the full, free flow of the Living Water,

David

P.S. Norma-Jean, as a little girl, lived in the village of St. George, Ontario, for a time. She would tell me about the artesian well in the village to which people would come from as far away as Toronto to fill up their containers. When we moved to the area as a family, we often did the same. One day, I came to the well and found it was covered with concrete. Some government official declared it a health hazard. For 150 years people drank from it and no one ever reported illness. Throughout the centuries, religious bureaucrats have shut down the free flow of Jesus’ Fountain. For me, I’m going to keep digging new wells. How about you?

EVERLASTING LIFE

Today’s Reading: John 2 – 3

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).

Here is a panorama of the modern-day city of Cana (John 2). The population at the time of Jesus would have reflected more the size of a small village.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Jesus repeated the John 3:16 truth again in 3:18, and in 3:36 He restates this fact. We should watch for when the Holy Spirit inspires the writers of Scripture to record these repeats. Jesus would not waste words, but would make sure He got His point across. In this case, eternal destinies are at stake. The words “believe in” make all the difference. We can believe about Jesus, or believe maybe, and go through all the motions of religion, but nothing will change. Believing “in” Jesus changes everything! This is what a bride does when she walks down the church aisle and says, “I will” and “I do.” She is giving her very life to her beloved. According to Jesus, in marriage, the two become one. We are one with Him. Jesus, as in the wedding in Cana, literally becomes the LIFE of the party. Our celebration of our union with Him goes on forever. We should celebrate together with others as often as possible. Going to Church and enjoying the company of others in Christ’s Bride is a natural expression of our union.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, You gave Your life to me, and I’ve given my life to You. I believe in You. I pray for grace so that I won’t take You for granted or bring any disgrace to You. You love me and have told me over and over that You do. I love You too, with all my heart. I delight in Your presence! Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

A few blogs ago, I mentioned a live Canadian Broadcasting Corporation TV interview where I was asked about money. In that same show, the host, who was a one-time ordained minister, said that Jesus only spoke of being “born again” once. I answered, “Charles, have you been reading your Bible faithfully lately?” Jesus said that twice for a stronger emphasis. The Apostles taught this in several places such as in 2 Corinthians 5:17. Saint Paul taught that if we are in Christ we are new creations. Old things have passed away and all things have become new. What an amazing opportunity to boast in the Person and work of Jesus.

I can’t let this blog pass by without mentioning that in 1983 our second daughter, Ellen Jean, married a young man named Nizar Shaheen, whose home town is Cana of Galilee, where Jesus performed His first miracle (John 2). His culture says that the groom’s family puts on the wedding, not Ellen’s family. Nizar’s arrival at the church in Cana was spectacular. He was dressed in white and rode on a highly decorated white horse with hundreds of men dancing around him. The bride, on the other hand, simply slipped out from the background to stand before the pastor for the ceremony. Experiencing a Middle-Eastern wedding helped me to understand the coming of Christ for His Bride in a new way (Revelation 19:11 & 21:9). I’ve taken the time just now to thrill to the reading of the last chapter of the Bible, Revelation 22. I recommend it. Also, I encourage everyone to check out what God has done with this Cana marriage by visiting the website of Nizar and Ellen’s ministry to the Arab world called Light For All Nations.

Yours to tell the stories of the past, an old man’s joy, and to teach that we can be confident that God will put the final period to the stories of how His Bride and He have done God’s will on earth as it is in Heaven,

David