Exploring God's Colossal Promises
This video, “The Mystery of IN,” explores a significant biblical word. Yet we often treat it as flyover country. Jesus’ promises in John 14 are not parables or poetry. The actual relationship God offers us is Intimacy with Him.
In pursuit of excellence, paramedics endure 1800 hours of training, so they can save lives hanging by a thread. Jesus, the ultimate Life Saver, call us to: “Love one another as I had loved you.” Before an unbelieving world, Christ’s excellent love is to be our trademark, our Nike swoosh, saving lives that hang by a thread.
1 Corinthians 13 waxes eloquent about love, but John 13 waxes practical about love. Jesus washes feet and calls us to imitate Him, but we would much rather wash our hands of some people than wash their feet. How can we overcome our distaste for foot-washing?
John 12:27-33 reports a personal conversation between Jesus and God the Father. When has God guided, encouraged, or warned you in a personal way? How highly did you value what He told you?
The Bible calls us to be fruitful. What does fruitfulness look like? John 12 gives five examples. Will I trust the promises in this chapter or seek a mere fraction of what they offer?
When confronted by hopeless cases that require a miracle, will we dare to speak simple prayers of faith? What holds us back? Are our reasons Bible-based or fear-based? Consider the response of Jesus when Mary and Martha send word that their brother Lazarus is deathly ill.
Prophets like Elijah performed many miracles, while John the Baptist did none — with one exception! Do you know John’s singular, stupendous supernatural sign? John 10:41 reports: “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man [Jesus] was true.” John’s sole miracle was foretelling the truth about Jesus.
Did you know that sheep are evangelists? How do sheep witness? In “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23,” author Phillip Keller explains how sheep inform lost sheep they encounter that their Shepherd is Good and worth following.
When Psalm 100 says we are the sheep of God’s pasture, and Jesus says I am the Good Shepherd, is that a poetic metaphor? Or does it described a life-changing reality? The answer is found in John 10.
In 2013 while driving home from a thrilling evangelism conference, the Holy Spirit downloaded to me a new tune. As David says: “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God” (Psalm 40:3a NIV). Singing this song encourages me to trust Jesus as He takes me on fishing trips with Him. I pray it will do the same for you.
Miracles are messy and controversial. In John 9, after Jesus heals a blind beggar, the poor guy gets into hot water with the Religion Police. Will we avoid miracles, or will we seek what Jesus is doing today without concern that His miracles will rock the boat?
When Jesus invites us to walk with Him, it’s not for a stroll in the park but a march of endurance. Yet He promises we “will never walk in darkness,” and “the truth will set us free.” (John 8:12 & 32) Jesus teaches us how to find the strength for the journey in John 8.