As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind” (John 9:1–2, esv)? What a thing to ask. Whose sin is this poor blind guy paying for? Jesus’ healing provided the eye-opening answer to it. He […]
When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught” (John 21:9–10, esv). The disciples were destitute. After His resurrection, Jesus had appeared to them several times. Then, inexplicably, He was […]
And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with […]
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (1 Corinthians 13:6–7, niv). Love protects. Real, biblical love always protects others. When we abandon protecting love, our relationships unravel. The Apostle John reminds us of that with a graphic illustration: “For this is the […]
Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith (1 John 5:4, esv). “Trees don’t grow to the sky,” economists sometimes say. This expression suggests that things in life reach a maximum rate of return, above which they’re not able to achieve any […]
“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). In God’s economy, “fruit” is the evidence of a life changed by Jesus Christ. And when it comes to bearing fruit—bearing “much fruit,” in […]
The Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights (Jonah 1:17, esv). The part that doesn’t often get noticed in Jonah’s well-known, underwater adventure is the connection between the moment when “the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited […]
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him (Colossians 2:6, esv). Do you need a crisis of faith? “A crisis? No thanks!” we might be tempted to respond, lumping crisis in with root canal or bankruptcy. But in the life of a Christ-follower, a crisis can be a very good thing—in […]
Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses (Mark 11:25, esv). Never allow yourself to rationalize that forgiveness is anything other than a choice. If you don’t do it, it’s not because you can’t do it. It’s because […]
Many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well” (John 6:66–67, esv)? In life and friendship, there are moments when your presence alone is enough. At difficult times, just being there may be all that’s required to convey […]