Romans 12:1-12

"Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-His good, pleasing, and perfect will."  Romans 12:1-2

The Lord God is such a merciful God to us!  He sent His own Son to die the horrid death on the cross for your and my sins! He also heaps undeserved and abundant blessings on us each day. He always protects us and is with us.  In light of all this, our Scripture passage today in Romans 12:1 tells us, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship"

This means that the Lord needs to permeate every area of our lives.  He must permeate our every action and our every thought!  Our faith must be expressed in total obedience to the Lord.  Our lives must be a "spiritual act of worship."  Our lives must show that we have the new life of the Holy Spirit flowing though us.  Our faith must not just be dead and empty ritual but must be based on a passionate love for the Lord. Our lives must be based on a zeal and passion to obey and do the Lord's will.  All we do must involve our desire to love and serve the Lord with our heart, mind, and will!  It involves more than our money, talents, and time but also the total giving of ourselves to the Lord. Jesus Christ gave His all for us on the cross.  The only reasonable response on our part is the giving of our all to the Lord.

Romans 12:2 tells us that we must not "conform any longer to the pattern of this world."  Rather me must be "be transformed" by the Holy Spirit.  This can only be accomplished by a "renewing" of our mind.  We must not follow the world's philosophies and ways of thinking.  We need to think Biblically and must think the way the Lord wants us to think.  We must pray to be transformed by the Holy Spirit in our thinking and our acting.  We must pray and desire to become more like Jesus.  We must pray to be transformed into a person who is pleasing to the Lord. Then you and I will truly "be able to test and approve what God's will is-His God pleasing and perfect will." Then we will be able to do what the Lord wants us to to do and not what our self-centered selves want to do in this life. His will is always good and "pleasing," because it glorifies the Lord.  It also leads to our spiritual and moral growth.  This is true even in difficult times when we do not understand the Lord's ways in our lives.  No improvement can be made on the will of God.  We must give our all to the Lord.

Our hearts and minds must be renewed and transformed by the Holy Spirit so that we are more and more in the center of His will.  We must not be squeezed into the world's mold, but we must be shaped by God's will and thinking.  We must prove in practice in our lives that His plan for us is good and moves us to spiritual maturity.  We must prove in practice in our lives that we are totally committed to giving our all to the Lord.  The Lord must be our master stylist!  We must adjust our lives to His will and mind.  Zeal for the things of the Lord must never be lacking in our lives.  We must keep our spiritual fervor and excitement for the things of the Lord and for serving Him.  We must be joyful in the certainty of His promises and patient with His will for our lives. We must also pray for the Lord's help in our lives.  Our lives must be "living sacrifices" to the Lord. This is the reason for which we were created, and this is the only path to joy for time and eternity!

Romans 8:30-39

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord,"  (Romans 8:37-39)

As children of God we have victory in Christ Jesus, our Lord!  We need to fear nothing, for the Lord is on our side!  Nothing can separate us from the love of God!  What an awesome thought, and what an awesome promise!  In light of all this there should be overflowing joy in our hearts!

What wonderful victories, blessings, and promises we have in Christ Jesus, our Lord!  God choose us and called us  from eternity to be His own.  Romans 8:30b says, "those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified."  We not only have the forgiveness of sins, but we have a secure eternal future in Christ.  This eternal future is so secure in God's plan for us that Romans 8:30b speaks of this eternal future as if it has already taken place!

We are secure in Christ for time and for eternity.  Romans 8:31b reminds us, "If God is for us, who can be against us?"  Sometimes we may feel as if everything is against us, but the Word of God teaches us that the great God of the universe is always for us and is always with us!  Romans 8:32 says, "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all-how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?"  God proved His love for us by sending His only Son to die for our sins.  Surely we can trust Him to provide us with everything we need for time and eternity.  No one or nothing can ever oppose us as children of God and ultimately succeed.  In the dangers, trials, and uncertainties of life we can rest in the Lord.  We have the Lord God on our side, and we are victors in Him!

We have absolute security in Christ in all things, because He died for our sins and freed us from the guilt of our sins.  Christ is also in heaven sitting at the right hand of the Heavenly Father in the position of power.  Nothing can happen to us that is not in God's plan for our lives, so we need not fear.  Finally, Christ is always interceding for His children.  What a blessed promise!

In light of all this, Romans 8:35 says, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?"  The answer is that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ!  No matter what hardship, trial, or trouble we may be experiencing in our lives at the moment, we are never separated from the love of Christ.  In fact, trials in our lives are part of God's plan and purpose for our lives to mold us to become more like Jesus in our characters and attitudes.  Romans 8:37 reassures us by saying, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

We become conquerors through the trials of life by patiently enduring these trials and by being submissive to the Lord's will.  We become "more than conquerors" by using these experiences to grow in our love and service for the Lord.  Also God will always see us through these difficult times and bring us to ultimate victory.  Victory is always assured for the Christian, if not in this life, then in eternity.  Absolutely nothing will ever separate us from the love of God and the victory we have in the Lord Jesus Christ! 

Romans 8:38-39 says, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Praise the name of the Lord for our victory in Him!

Romans 8:28-29

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.  For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers." 
Romans 8:28-29

Romans 8:28 is a promise we can rest on and trust in when our world around us seems to be falling apart.  It is a blessed promise, but it is also a promise with which we may at times struggle.  We can believe and trust this promise, however, even when we are overwhelmed and puzzled by adverse circumstances all around us.

The writer of this devotional remembers first struggling with the promise of Romans 8:28 when her dad was suffering the excruciating pain of cancer and radiation.  She wondered how "all things" could possibly be working for good in this case.  What could possibly be "good" about cancer and severe pain?  For that matter what could possibly be "good" about any pain or heartache or trial?   Since that time long ago there have been other heartaches in this writer's life such as her own husband's neurological disease, decline, and death.  She also fought breast cancer herself in the time period in which she was caring for her husband.  How could God be working things for good in these situations?

But God's Holy Word tells us that God works "all things," not some things or even most things for our ultimate spiritual good; if we love Him.  The key to understanding this verse is to realize that not all things are good in themselves.  Sin has wrecked havoc with our world, and there are many experiences in this world that are not good or pleasant in themselves.  God, however, works both the "good" and the "bad" events of our lives together for our ultimate good. 

It has been said that life is like a tapestry.  When you look at the backside of a tapestry it does not look beautiful.  There are knotted off ends and threads that seem to have no meaning or beauty.  When one turns the tapestry over, however, one sees a beautiful picture or design.  When we see life's trials and difficulties we see the backside of the tapestry of life.  God, however, is bringing all the threads or events of our lives together, both good and bad, into a beautiful tapestry.  The Lord already sees the top part of our tapestry of life.  The Lord already sees the beautiful end results of what He is accomplishing in our lives.  When we do not understand the reason for the difficult circumstances in our lives we must simply trust that the Lord is working out all things in our lives for His glory and to accomplish His plan.  He is also working out all things for our ultimate spiritual good.

The ultimate spiritual good that the Lord God is seeking to accomplish in our lives is that we might, as Romans 8:29 says, become "conformed to the likeness of His Son."  It is God's purpose and plan for us that we become more and more like the Lord Jesus.  He desires that we become more like Jesus every day in our thoughts, attitudes, and actions. 

In order for this to happen there must be a conforming process taking place in our lives.  This conforming process often can only occur during times of trial and difficulty in our lives.  Gelatin is only able to be conformed or shaped to the mold into which it is placed after it has been dissolved in hot water.  So we too often have to go through the heat of trials and difficulties to become more conformed to the image and likeness of Jesus Christ.

God has the pattern for our lives all figured out.  He knows and understands the beautiful tapestry that He is weaving for our lives.  He knows the beginning from the end.  We must trust the Lord to do His beautiful work in our lives even in times when life's events and circumstances seen very difficult and overwhelming!

Romans 8:17-27

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."  Romans 8:26

As children of God we have everything we need for time and eternity!  Romans 8:17 tells us that we are "heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ."  Along life's way it is inevitable that we will have a certain amount of heartache and pain, but we have the absolute assurance of God's presence with us throughout our entire lives.  We also have the assurance of a future entrance into our eternal inheritance in Christ Jesus. 

The heartaches and pain we suffer on this earth are temporary, and they can not begin to compare to the glory we will have with the Lord Jesus some day.  Paul said in Romans 8:18, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."  Even creation is presently affected by sin and its consequences.  So the children of God also "groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." (Romans 8:23)  We already have the Holy Spirit in our hearts as a deposit or promise of what is to come in our glorious eternal futures.  We already have the forgiveness of our sins in Christ.  We are already free from the penalty and power of sin, but sin and its effects are still present in our lives.  So we groan in excited anticipation of the day when we will be completely free from the presence of sin and its consequences in the world and in our lives.  We presently "hope" or look forward with absolute certainty to the blessed eternal inheritance that we have in Jesus Christ!  Romans 8:25 tells us, "But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

As the blessed assurance of our eternal inheritance and future in Christ sustains us, so the Holy Spirit helps us in our prayer life.  Romans 8:26 promises the following, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."  Have you ever tried to pray and felt so overwhelmed with some heartache that you did not know how to pray?  Have you ever felt that you could not find the words to express in prayer the depths of your feelings and needs in your heart? 

God understand our weaknesses and has provided us a helper in our prayer lives.  That helper is the Holy Spirit Himself!  The Holy Spirit prays in and through us.  He also prays for us especially during those times when we are too overwhelmed with heartache to find the right words to express our pain to the Lord in prayer.  The Holy Spirit understands our sorrows and is our prayer helper, and He "intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."  The Holy Spirit Himself pleads and intercedes for us before the Heavenly Father!  The Holy Spirit is our perfect intercessor before the Heavenly Father, because Romans 8:27b says "the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." 

Praise the Lord for His infinite blessings!  He is our salvation.  He is our source of strength, promise, and hope.  He provides for every need in our lives for time and eternity.  The Lord provides us the Holy Spirit to help us live for the Lord and to help us in our weaknesses.  Finally, the Lord even provides the Holy Spirit as our prayer helper and advocate!  What a glorious God we serve!  Praise His name!

Romans 8:1-17

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."  Romans 8:1

Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins!  Many of us have heard that blessed truth since we were children.  Because we have heard this truth so often, we may be in danger of becoming complacent in our faith.  We must pause often, however, to think about the wonder of Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross.  Romans 8:1 says, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."  Wow!  Praise the Lord!  We a believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are no longer separated from God by our sins.  As redeemed children of God we can now live a new victorious life in Christ through the Holy Spirit!  Through Jesus Christ Romans 8:2b tells us we are now governed by "the spirit of life," and we are set "free from the law of sin and death."

Because Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on the cross, Romans 8:4b tells us that we now have the power to "not live according to the sinful nature, but according to the Spirit."  Romans 8:5 goes on to tell us that in gratitude for what the Lord Jesus had done for us we must have our "minds set on what the Spirit desires" and not on what our sinful natures desires. 

Living for the Lord leads to life, peace, security, and joy.  We as children of God are controlled by the Holy Spirit.  We have Christ's resurrection power in us to live for God.  We will always struggle against sin until we go to be with the Lord, but we have the Holy Spirit's power within us to choose to reject sin and to live for God.  Romans 8:13-14 tells us that we have a responsibility to "put to death the misdeeds of the body" and to live lives "led by the Spirit of God."

There are wonderful blessings in living a Holy Spirit controlled life.  We are no longer a slave of anxiety, fear, or sin!  We are now sons and daughters of God!  The Holy Spirit in our hearts now "testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. (Romans 8:16b)"  When we are going through difficult times in our lives we can call on our heavenly Father.  Romans 8:15b reminds us that we can cry out to Him saying, "Abba, Father."  The cry "Abba Father" is not the cry of a Christian at his or her highest level of spiritual experience.  It is the cry of a child of God who is hurting.  It is a desperate plea of child of God who is crying, "Heavenly Daddy, help me!"  It is at this point of need that the Holy Spirit helps us and confirms that we are children of God!

Finally, there is yet another blessing we receive in being a child of God and living Holy Spirit controlled lives.  Romans 8:17 tells us that we are "heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ!"  All the riches and blessings of an eternity with the Lord are available to us through Christ Jesus!  All of God's promises, strength, power, and grace are always with us.  All of God's love, mercy, peace, and joy are at our disposal.  All that belongs to God, the Father, also belong to Jesus Christ and to us as His "heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ!"  We must be diligent in God's Word and in prayer so that we are not spiritual paupers and overlook any part of what we possess in Christ Jesus.  There is victory and not condemnation for a child of God!  Let us live our lives in the center of the will of God through the Holy Spirit's power!

Romans 6 and Romans 7:15-25

"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus."  Romans 6:11

Jesus Christ has died on the cross to pay the penalty of punishment for our sins.  We now have a righteous and pure standing before God.  When God now looks at us, He does not see our sins, but He sees Christ's righteousness!  We are free from the power or tyranny of sin.  As a child of God, we have the power to say "no" to the devil and "yes" to God.  We as believers, however, will not be completely free from the presence of sin in our lives until we go to be with the Lord.

As a child of God we must struggle against the sins still present in out lives.  Romans 6:2b tells us, "We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"  We already have a righteous standing before God because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross.  Now we need to struggle to show practical holiness and righteousness in our lives.  Because we are united with Christ through His death and resurrection our old sinful selves were "crucified" with Jesus Christ so that as Romans 6:6 tells us "we should no longer be slaves to sin."  As children of God we have already experienced new spiritual birth in Christ.  Now we need to increasingly display that new life in Christ in our struggle against sin and in practical holiness in our lives. 

Hence, Romans 6:11b tells us that we must count or consider ourselves "dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus."  We must choose against sin, and we must choose for the Lord.  We must do all that we can to guard against our sinful natural appetites.  We must do all we can to live in the light of the truth found in God's Word.  We must saturate ourselves with His Holy Word.  Romans 6:13 tells us that we must seek to do all we can to reject sin in our lives, and to offer ourselves to God as "instruments of righteousness."  We must experience in practice what we already are in position-dead to devil and sin and alive in Jesus Christ.

We have a choice, either to be a slave to sin and the devil, or to be a slave to obedience and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Slavery to sin leads to destruction and death.  Slavery to Christ leads to life and righteousness.  We must not let sin be our master, But Christ must increasingly become the Master and Lord of every area of our lives.

We will continue to struggle against sin our entire lives until we go to be with the Lord.  Paul said in Romans 7:15b, "For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." Paul said this because of the sin still living or present in him.  In frustration Paul said in Romans 7:18b, "For I have a desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out."  We, as believers today, also struggle against sin in our lives.  What is the answer to all this?  Paul tells us the answer to this question in Romans 7:24b-25a, when he says, "Who will rescue me from this body of death?  Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord!" 

We will and must continue to struggle against sin in our lives, but we must increasingly grow in practical holiness in our lives.  The Lord Jesus must increasingly become Lord of every area of our lives.  Then we will have ultimate victory in the Lord!

Romans 3:10-31

"There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
Romans 3:10-11

"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.  There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in His blood." Romans 3:22-25a

We can not truly be thankful for the wonder of our salvation until be begin to understand the depth of our sin.  We often try to compare our lives with others. We can so easily imagine ourselves better than say a hardened criminal who has perhaps killed people.  The truth of the matter is, however, that outside of Christ we are all sinners.  If we would commit only one sin in our entire lives, we would deserve God's eternal punishment.  That is how horrific sin is in the eyes of God.  The fact remains, however, that we commit many sins against our Lord every day.

Romans 3:10-11 tells us, "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God."  Not one of us is righteous before God in ourselves.  Only if we are washed in the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, can we have a right relationship before God.  In our natural sinful state we have no understanding about God and about what is right and holy.  Romans 3:12b goes on to say, "there is no one who does good, not even one."  Our natural minds, hearts and wills are turned against God.  In our natural state outside of Christ there is only deceit and corruption.  Hence, outside of Christ there is no peace, humility, or reverence for God and the will of God found in our lives.  Romans 3:17-18 says, "And the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes."

But praise God, Jesus Christ has provided a remedy for this horrid sin condition in which we find ourselves!  Jesus Christ came to this earth to first live the sinless life that we fail to live and then to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.  If we have accepted Christ's awesome gift of salvation, we now stand righteous before God because of Christ's atoning sacrifice!  Romans 3:22-25a tells us, "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.  There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood."

What grace and what love was shown to us by our Lord and Savior!  It is only when we recognize the depth of our sins that we can truly be thankful for and delight in our salvation.  As we begin to more and more realize the depth of our sins from which we were redeemed, we begin to more passionately seek to live our lives in gratitude and service to the Lord.  It is only then that we begin to passionately desire to make Jesus not only our Savior but also the Lord of every area of our lives.  Some of us have heard the story of salvation so often that we may be in danger of beginning to became complacent in our awareness of the depth of our sins and the awesomeness of our salvation.  Let us spend time today thinking about the wonder of our salvation!  More importantly, let us live our live today and every day in gratitude for God's grace to us!

I Kings 19:1-18

In our Scripture passage today; Elijah had just gone through a spiritual mountaintop experience.  In chapter eighteen of I Kings Elijah had been used by God in a powerful way.  God had used Elijah to demonstrate to the people of Israel that the Lord is the only true God and the only one who can hear our prayers.  God had shown decisively that Baal, the god the people were serving, was a false god.

In spite of this tremendous recent spiritual mountaintop experience Elijah now found himself in the depths of discouragement, depression, and fear.  The wicked queen, Jezebel, was seeking to kill Elijah, and he was fleeing for his life.  Elijah had just seen a wonderful demonstration of God's faithfulness and power on Mount Carmel in I Kings chapter eighteen.  In chapter eighteen Elijah had also demonstrated great faith and trust in God's power.  But  now when a new crisis had arisen in his life, Elijah was afraid and discouraged.  Elijah was not trusting the Lord to once again lead and protect him.  Elijah was looking at the difficult circumstance and looking away from God.

God has also been faithful to us.  He has answered so many prayers in our lives and has been with us each step of the way.  In spite of this, however, it is easy for us also to become afraid and not trust in the Lord when a new crisis arises in our lives.  We need to cling to God's precious promises, and we need to trust that He will always be with us.  There is great joy and peace in trusting in the Lord!

Elijah found himself so discouraged and depressed that he asked God to take his life.  Elijah felt that his life had been fruitless. Hence, he felt his life was not worth living.  He had temporarily lost his confidence in the ultimate triumph of God's Kingdom.  We too must remember that God is in control.  We must further remember that anything we do in our lives for God's kingdom is worthwhile.  This is true even when we do not always understand the workings of God in our lives.

In the midst of Elijah's depression and fatigue an angel touched him and ministered to his needs.  Some believe this angel may actually have been a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ!  The Lord also give us strength for each new day.  The Lord provides for our needs, and He gives us exactly what we need in the moment we need it.  We too might become discouraged by our circumstances at times.  This happens when we look at our circumstance and fail to focus on the Lord.  God is always there to refresh and revive us, however.

In our Biblical narrative Elijah retreated to a cave.  In I Kings 19:9b God approached Elijah and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?  God repeated that question in verse thirteen.  Groveling in self-pity in a cave was not where God wanted Elijah to be.  Elijah was not where he was supposed to be, and he was not in the center of God's will.  Elijah was following in his own misguided plan of action instead of God's will for his life.  Both times Elijah answered God's question. "What are you doing here, Elijah?" with complaints and lack of submission to God's will.  God wants us to trust Him in all of life's circumstances, and He wants us to be submissive to His will in all areas of our lives.

God then spoke to Elijah in a gentle whisper.  Elijah had to learn the lesson of being quiet and calm in his spirit, so he would be able to hear the Lord's voice,  We too have to be still and listen for God's voice speaking to us.  When you and I read a Scripture passage, we are not to rush through the passage.  Instead we need to quietly think about what the Holy Spirit is trying to teach us personally in our lives through the Scripture passage.  Our hearts and souls need to be tuned to God, so we can hear His voice.  Then we must respond in obedience and submission to the Lord's will for our lives!

Psalm 25

"To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in You I trust, O my God." Psalm 25:1
"Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long."  Psalm 24:4-5

In Psalm 25 David prayed to the Lord for relief.  David was going through a crisis in His life, and he needed the Lord's help.  Psalm 25 is a prayer for God's help in David's time of illness, distress, or attacks from enemies.  David said to the Lord in Psalm 25:1, "To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in You I trust, O my God."  David lived in a deep personal love relationship with the Lord.  Hence, in his moment of crisis and need, David could immediately and confidently go to the Lord in prayers for help.  David approached the Lord in prayer with a humble heart.  David recognized his own unworthiness and the Lord's great power and love.  In this way, David experienced the power of prayer and of the Lord's presence and love in His life.  When our lives are saturated with God's Word and with prayer we too can experience the power of prayer and of the Lord's presence in our lives.  We too can then be used by the Lord in powerful ways.

David needed the Lord's direction and guidance in his time of crisis.  David said in Psalm 25:4-5, "Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long."  This must be our prayer also both in times of crisis and in times of relative calm in our lives.  God has a plan for our lives.  Psalm 33:11 tells us, "the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations." 

Since the Lord already has a plan for our lives, we need to only ask the Lord to direct our steps.  We need only to pray, "Show me Your ways, O Lord."  The Lord already knows the way that He wants us to go.  We often wish that we could see ahead into the future.  Peace, however, comes by simply letting the Lord take care of our future and by trusting Him to lead step by step.  We must patiently trust in the Lord's guidance and not seek to run ahead of Him.

David asked the Lord to teach Him the Lord's paths and ways.  This must be our prayer also.  Who could be a better teacher and guide for us in this life than the Lord?  He is the one who made us and takes care of us in love.  The Lord is the One who knows the beginning from the end, and He is the One who has planned our lives.  We need to trust that the Lord will guide us along the way.  The Holy Spirit will use Scripture, prayer, and circumstances to guide us step by step through this life.  Psalm 25:9 tells us that the Lord "guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way."  Psalm 24 goes on to say in verse ten, "All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of His covenant." 

In spite of our weaknesses and sins Psalm 25:12b promises the child of God that the Lord "will instruct him in the way chosen for him."   Hence, we can face the future unafraid.  We simply need to keep our eyes focused on the Lord and not on our circumstances and on the unknowns in our lives.  Even though we do not know what our future holds the Lord does, and we can trust Him.  We can say with confidence along with David in Psalm 25:15, "My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only He will release my feet from the snare."  The Lord will remove any obstacle from our paths in our journey through this life.  We need only to bring our needs and our desires for His guidance before the Lord.  He will guide us.  We can trust the Lord and say to the Lord with David of old in Psalm 25:21b, "my hope is in You."  The Lord is our source of certainty for our salvation and for eternity.  The Lord is also our trustworthy and faithful guide through each step of our lives!  Praise His name!

John 21

The disciples had just witnessed the crucifixion and death of our Lord Jesus.  They had also heard about the resurrection appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene, and the Lord Jesus had appeared twice to the disciples themselves.  The disciples were now together at the Sea of Galilee or also known as the Sea of Tiberias.  The disciples perhaps did not fully comprehend what had happened in the last few days.  Peter impulsively said in John 21:3, "I'm going out to fish."  The other disciples decided to join Peter.  Peter was not only forgetting his call to follow Jesus and be a fisher of men, but he was also causing the other disciples to forget their spiritual calling also.

The disciples eagerly cast their nets, but they did not catch even one fish that night.  Early the next morning Jesus was standing on the shore.  Jesus called out to the disciples in John 21:5, "Friends, haven't you any fish?"  Jesus Christ is God Himself, and He knows all things.  He knew that they hadn't caught any fish the night before.  Jesus was asking them this question to point out their own insufficiency.  Their efforts at fishing had not been directed by the Lord.  Lack of success and disappointment had followed their self-willed and self-directed efforts.

Then the Lord said in John 21:6, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat."  When the disciples followed the Lord's direction in obedience, John 21:6b tells us that "they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish."  Obedience brought blessing for the disciples.  Obedience to the Lord will bring  us blessings also.  These blessings may not necessarily be physical blessings, but when we obey we will always experience the blessing of the Lord in our lives.  When we try to live our lives in our own strength we will fail.  When we allow our lives to be directed by the Lord we experience God's best for our lives, and our lives will only then be productive for God's Kingdom.

After the disciples landed on shore, the disciples saw that the Lord Jesus already had a fire going with some fish cooking.  Jesus said to His disciples in John 21:12, "Come and have breakfast."  Jesus was providing for the disciples' physical needs.  The Lord had also provided for their spiritual needs by dying on the cross for their sins.  The Lord would further provide for them spiritually by sending His Holy Spirit into their hearts and lives, so that they could live abundant and productive lives for the Lord.

The Lord Jesus also daily provides for our physical needs.  What is more important the Lord also provides for our spiritual needs.  We must continue to feed our souls with the spiritual food of His Holy Word.  We must continue to nourish our personal love relationship with the Lord.  The Lord wants us to be diligent about nourishing our spiritual lives as well as our physical lives.  The Lord wants us to grow and flourish spiritually.

After finishing their meal which Jesus had prepared for them Jesus said to Peter in John 21:15, "Simon, son of John, do you truly love Me more than these?"  Jesus was asking Peter whether he loved the Lord more than anyone or anything else in his life.  The Lord asks the same of us today.  Does our love and passion for the Lord eclipse our love for earthly things, earthly security, and earthly relationships?  Does our love and passion for Christ eclipse our own lives?  Our love and passion for Christ must involve our whole being.  Peter would not go back to his old life.  Peter's new life now centered in Christ and in service to Him.  So we too must live radically changed lives in service to the Lord.  The Lord died for us and purchased our salvation.  How can we do anything less than live our lives in service and gratitude to Him?  How can we do anything less than passionately offer our "bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God." (Romans 12:1)

John 20

"But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name."  John 20:31

Jesus is alive!  We serve a risen Savior!  Jesus conquered sin and death for us!  When Peter and John ran to the empty tomb on that wonderful resurrection day they found undeniable physical evidence that Jesus had indeed risen from the grave!  John said about Himself in John 20:8, "He saw and believed."  As a result John's life was changed forever.  The apostle John then went on to write the Gospel of John; the Epistles of I John, II John, and III John; and the book of Revelation.  As we also truly behold the Lord Jesus in all of His glory and in all of His mercy and love, we too are changed forever.

Because of Jesus Christ's resurrection and death our hopelessness is removed.  When Mary Magdalene was standing in the garden she was crying tears of hopelessness.  Mary thought that Jesus was still dead and that someone had stolen His body.  Jesus appeared to Mary and said in John 20:15, "Why are you crying?"  Mary's hopeless crying was needless.  The Lord was and is alive!  Those who do not know or accept the Lord in their lives have no hope or true purpose in their lives.  As children of God, however, Hebrews 6:19 tells us that we have Jesus Christ's hope and peace in our lives "as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." 

John 20:19b says that when Jesus appeared to His disciples He said to them, "peace be with you!"  Jesus then showed His disciples His hands with their nail prints and His side which had been pierced.  John 20:20b tells us, "The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord."  Jesus Christ, our resurrected Lord, is also our source of joy and peace!

Because of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection doubt and fear are removed.  The apostle Thomas was not present the first time that Jesus appeared to the disciples, and he did not believe the other disciples' reports of Jesus Christ's resurrection.  Thomas said in John 20:25b, "Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe it."  Because of Jesus Christ's love for Thomas He revealed Himself to Thomas about a week later.  When Thomas saw Jesus face to face all doubt was removed.  At that moment John 20:28b tells us that Thomas said to the Lord Jesus, "My Lord and my God!"

Jesus Christ removes our doubt and fears also.  Jesus said in John 20:29b, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."  We have not physically touched or seen the Lord Jesus.  We are blessed and joyful, however, because we have believed in Him.  The Lord has removed our doubt, and He has blessed us with His joyful presence in our lives.  We know with absolute certainty that He will lead us through this life into eternity! 

Because of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection God's children have His life in them.  All the wonderful things recorded in the Gospels about our Lord and Savior were written down for a purpose.  The apostle John says in John 20:31, "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name."  Jesus Christ is our certainty for eternal life.  Jesus Christ is our only purpose for living.  He is our joy, hope, and peace.  He removes our fears and doubts; and He is our sure foundation.  The Lord Jesus changes our lives for time and eternity!  Praise His holy and awesome name!

John 18-19 Isaiah 53

Jesus said, "'It is finished.'  With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit"  John 19:30b

"But He was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed."  Isaiah 53:5

In John 19:30 Jesus said, "It is finished."  Jesus has completed your and my redemption!  Your and my sins are so horrendous in God's sight that they deserve the the punishment of God's eternal wrath. Instead Jesus Christ willingly suffered the consequences of our sins on the cross! Jesus Christ suffered the horrors of hell on the cross for us!

Jesus Christ voluntarily left the glories and perfection of heaven and the presence of God the Father. Jesus voluntarily came to this world of sin and trouble.  He did this willingly for us, His chosen children!  Jesus Christ then lived a perfect life for us which we are unable to live.

Jesus Christ also voluntarily accepted the rejection of others.  Isaiah 53:3 says, "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering."  Jesus Christ accepted and experienced betrayal and denial from His own disciples.  He was beaten unmercifully by the soldiers. Isaiah 52:14b tells us "His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and His form marred beyond human likeness."  Finally, Jesus Christ voluntarily laid down His life for our sins. John 19:30b tells us "Jesus said, 'It is finished.'  With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit."  Death did not conquer our Lord Jesus Christ, but Christ voluntarily "gave up His spirit!"

It was necessary for Christ to die on the cross for His children.  Without Christ's death on the cross we have no joy, no peace, and no comfort.  Without Christ's blood being shed we have no pardon from sin, no purposeful life, and no hope.  It was OUR sins that put our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross.  Isaiah 53:6 tells us, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."  So often we like to rationalize our sins or compare ourselves with others, but our sins were so abominable in the sight of God that they could only be atoned for by Jesus Christ's precious blood on the cross.  Isaiah 53:5 says, "But He was pierced for out transgressions.  He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon  Him, and by His wounds we are healed."

Praise God for His great gift of salvation!  Praise God that Christ's work on the cross is accomplished. Praise God that His children are now in right standing before Him!  We are sinners, but the Lord Jesus saved us and made us children of God!  The Lord saved us for a purpose, however.  That purpose was to bring glory and honor to the Lord.  Ephesians 1:12 tells us that He saved us and made us His children "in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory."  May our hearts be filled with thanks for Jesus Christ's salvation. May that thankfulness to our Lord be shown in our lives and actions.  May it be our consuming passion to live our lives in gratitude "as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God." (Romans 12:1)

John 17

Prayer is as essential to our spiritual lives as breathing is to our physical lives.  Jesus, the Son of God, felt the need to spend time with the Heavenly Father in prayer.  If Jesus Christ felt the need for prayer in His life here on earth, we certainly need prayer in our lives.  In John chapter seventeen Jesus was about to suffer the horrors of hell on the cross, and so Jesus prayed.

In verses one through five Jesus prayed for Himself.  Jesus recognized that the time for His crucifixion had come.  Jesus asked the Father to glorify the Son of God through this process. Jesus said in John 17:1, "Father, the time has come.  Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You." Jesus' humiliating death on the cross would bring glory to Himself.  This was because Christ's death on the cross was the Father's will and would bring glory to the Father. Because God the Father and God the Son are one, it would also bring glory to God the Son.

Furthermore, it would bring about the glorious redemption of God's chosen people.  Jesus recognized that the glorious redemption of His people could only come about by His atoning sacrifice.  We too can be fully confident in the sufficiency of Christ's atonement for our sins, because we were given to Jesus Christ by the Father.  Further we can be confident in our salvation, because Jesus completed the work on the cross that God gave Him to do.

Jesus also prayed for His disciples.  Jesus said that they were given to Him by the Father. Jesus' disciples had shown that they belonged to the Lord by their obedience and acceptance of God's Word. They had shown that they belonged to the Lord by their acceptance of Jesus as the Son of God.  They had shown they belonged to the Lord, because glory had come to the Lord through them.  So our lives as disciples today must show these same fruit of being disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Our passion and desire should be to bring glory to His name by our lives. Jesus went on in His prayer to ask the Father to protect His disciples, because they were still in the world.  He also prayed that they would be united in Him.  The Lord of the universe continues to protect His disciples today!  He also desires our unity as believers.

Jesus further went on to pray for the disciples' joy.  This is a joy which we can also have. It is a joy that we can experience in the Lord and is not based on outward circumstances.  It is a joy which comes from abiding in Christ Jesus and in His promises in His Word.  Finally, Jesus prayed for the sanctification of His disciples.  He prayed that His disciples would grow in their faith.  He prayed that through the truth of God's Word they would grow in practical holiness and righteousness in their lives.  That is His desire for us today as well.

Jesus Christ's prayer was not just for the disciples of that day.  It was for us as well, His disciples today! Jesus said in John 17:20, "My prayer is not for them alone.  I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message."  It is also His desire for us His disciples today that we become more like Him.  It is His desire that our lives more and more reflect His holiness. Jesus further prayed that we may be one in unity as believers in Him.  This is so the world will take note our lives and believe in Jesus Christ .  Christ's prayer was that He will live in us, as He lives in the Father. Jesus Christ's prayer was that we would be with Him eternally to be able to see Him in all His glory. Jesus Christ's prayer was that He and His love will be in us.  Are we living our lives according to Christ's desires and prayers for us?  Is living for the Lord our consuming passion?  May we be increasingly reflecting Him in our lives!

John 15:18- John 16:23

The night before Jesus went on the cross He told His disciples to expect persecution on this earth. Jesus said in John 15:19b, "I have chosen you out of the world.  That is why the world hates you."  In the free world we enjoy much freedom and do not experience a lot of the blatant outward persecution which is found in some parts of the world.  There is subtle persecution in the free world also, however.  Further, as the free world moves ever increasingly toward the acceptance of all kinds of immoral behavior, we will also increasingly see more open persecution of believers.  Already we as followers of Jesus Christ are considered narrow and judgmental, if we do not follow or accept the life styles and philosophies of the world around us.

The world does not understand the wisdom of God and of His Holy Word.  They do not understand our love for the the Lord and our desire to serve Him.  It is difficult sometimes to live for the Lord in this world.  The Lord Jesus promised His disciples to send the Holy Spirit, however, to help them. The Holy Spirit is our helper also today.  The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins and leads us to Christ.  The Holy Spirit guides us into all of God's truth and speaks God's truth into our hearts.  He does this through God's Holy Word.  He gives us the guidance we need when we need it.  He makes known to us what God, the Father and God, the Son, wants us to know and understand.

The night before Jesus died on the cross Jesus tried to tell His disciples that He would soon be dying on the cross for their sins.  Jesus further tried to explain to His disciples that He would be leaving this world to return to the Father.  This was necessary so that He could pay for our sins and then go to prepare an eternal home for His people.  Jesus said to His disciples in John 16:16, "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see Me," Jesus'words must have been confusing and a cause for grief for the disciples.  Sometimes we don't see Jesus in the difficult circumstances of our lives either.  Sometimes it is difficult to hang on to our faith during these times in our lives.

Jesus told His disciples that they would grieve temporarily, but their grief would turn to joy.  This would happen when Jesus rose from the grave victorious over sin, Satan, and death!  Jesus told His disciples in John 16:22 that when this happened "no one will take away your joy."  We too may have suffering and difficulties in this life.  Our final victory, however, has been won through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ!  Because of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection even the trials of life can not rob us our our joy in the Lord!  Also someday Jesus will return for us. What joy! What glorious expectations we have in Christ Jesus!

While we are on this earth we need to abide in Christ.  John 16:24 tells us that if we abide and remain in Christ, we can ask for anything form the Father in Jesus Christ's name.  We can go directly to the Father in prayer.  Jesus says this is true in John 16:27 when He says, "the Father Himself loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I come from God."

If we abide in Christ we experience His peace.  It is a peace which the world can not understand or take away from us.  We should not be shocked if we often face difficult obstacles in this world. Jesus says in John 16:33b, "In this world, you will have trouble."  Trials of various kinds are inevitable in this world.  Jesus goes on to say in that same verse, however, that we should not become discouraged. Jesus says, "But take heart!  I have overcome the world."  Jesus has won the final victory! Everything is under His control, even the smallest details of our lives.  He gives us grace to meet each and every trial that He allows in our lives.  Hence, in Jesus Christ we have His joy and His peace in our lives.

John 15:9-17

"I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."  John 15:11

"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name."  John 15:16


Jesus tells us in John chapter fifteen that the only way we can expect to live spiritually fruitful lives is by remaining in Him.  Jesus is like the vine.  We are like the branches.  A branch can only survive when it is attached to the vine.  We can only live our lives in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord when we are doing it in the Lord's strength.  Our strength alone will fail ever time.  God's strength in our lives is all-sufficient.

One way we show that we are remaining in Jesus Christ's love is by obeying His commands. We can not just have a lukewarm affection for the Lord.  Our love for the Lord must be a passionate love. Our love for Him must be demonstrated in a love for His Holy Word and in a desire to obey the Lord in all areas of our lives.  Christ demonstrated this kind of obedient love for the Father. Christ was willing to endure the horrors of hell on the cross, so He could be obedient to the Father's will.

Another way we can show that we are remaining in the Lord's love is by loving our fellow Christians. We need to love each other, as the Lord has loved us.  Jesus Christ was willing to go to the cross because of His love for us!  This was sacrificial love beyond our comprehension!  We need to show sacrificial love for each other.  John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this, that He lay down His life for His friends."  In verse fourteen of John chapter fifteen Jesus says to us, "You are My friends if you do what I command."  Proof that we are remaining in the Lord's love is obeying His commands, and one of the Lord's commands is to love each other.

When we abide in the Lord it brings joy to His heart.  When we show spiritual fruit in our lives and a passion and love for the Lord it also brings joy and delight to the Lord's heart.  If we are abiding and remaining in the Lord it further brings joy to our own lives.  Jesus says in John 15:11, "I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."

Joy in the Lord is much deeper than the joy and happiness found in pleasant and peaceful circumstances.  The Lord's joy is found in our lives, because we delight in the Lord.  The Lord's joy is found in our lives because of our love for Him, and this joy is present even in the midst of very difficult trials in our lives.  The Lord's joy is constant and enduring in spite of outward circumstances. The Lord's joy in our lives is abundant and overflowing.  We must draw daily from the Lord for our joy and strength.  That joy will then overflow to others.  The Lord's joy is found in obedience to Him and in our love of others.

Finally, the Lord's joy is found in fulfilling the purpose for which we were put on this earth and that purpose is to bring glory and honor to God.  Jesus says in John 15:16, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last.  Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name."  God chose you and me to bring glory to Him and to bear spiritual fruit.  We must be willing to serve Him in this world in the place where He has placed us. We must bear spiritual fruit for Him and continue to grow in our love and obedience of Him.  May this be our passion and desire.   

John 15:1-8

"Remain in Me, and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me."  John 15:4


When we know someone we love is about to die we tend to cling to their every last word.  John chapters thirteen through seventeen reveal Jesus' last words and prayers for his disciples.  Jesus spoke these words the night before He went on the cross.  These were truths that were very important to the Lord.  Jesus wanted His disciples to apply these very important truths to their lives.  We need to pay attention to what the Lord said to His disciples then and says to us today.

In John chapter thirteen Jesus speaks of the importance of servanthood in our lives.  In John chapter fourteen Jesus comforts the disciples and speak of His preparing a place for us in Heaven.  In John chapter fourteen Jesus also tells us that He is the only way to the Father.  Then in chapter fifteen Jesus speaks of the need for fruitful service in our lives.  Jesus says that He is like the vine, and we are like branches.

Jesus goes on to say that God, the Father, is like the gardener.  In judgement God, the Father, will cut off branches that bear no spiritual fruit in their lives.  These are people who profess to be Christians but really are not true believers.  God, the Father, who is like the gardener, also prunes all the branches that do bear fruit.  This represents true believers who show spiritual fruit or evidence of faith in their lives.

Pruning of plants involves cutting away unwanted parts on a plant.  This pruning process produces more fruit from plants.  God, the Father, also does pruning in our lives.  He seeks to prune the undesirable things out of our lives, so we can grow spiritually and bear even more spiritual fruit in our lives.  God often uses trials and difficulties in our lives to rid our lives of undesirable things and to help us become more like Jesus in our thoughts, motives, and actions. This pruning process in our lives can be painful sometimes.  It is necessary, however, if we are going to grow spiritually.

The only way we can expect to be fruitful in our service to the Lord is by remaining in Jesus. Jesus says in John 15:4, "Remain in Me, and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me."  We have no spiritual fruitfulness in our lives apart from fellowship and union with the Lord Jesus Christ.  If we, the branches, are out of contact with Jesus, the vine; we are useless and lifeless.

Jesus goes on to say in John 15:5b, "apart from Me you can do nothing."  We may struggle and struggle on our own, but without Christ in our lives we can do nothing.  We must give control of our lives completely over to the Lord.  We must not seek to be self-reliant, but we must seek to rely on God's all-sufficiency alone.  This is the secret to a spiritually fruitful life which is lived for the Lord. It is the secret to a life which truly shows the evidence of faith in one's thoughts, motives, and actions.

Remaining and abiding in the Lord is the secret also to a fruitful prayer life.  If we desire a fruitful prayer life, we must remain in Jesus and live in constant fellowship with Him.  We also must be certain that we daily read His Holy Word with a passionate desire to seek His will for our lives. The Lord's words in the Bible will prune, control, and direct our desires in the right direction.  If we do this, we are in a position for the Lord to hear and answer our prayers.

We bring glory to the Father by bearing spiritual fruit in our lives.  This is the reason for which we were created.  We can only bear spiritual fruit in our lives, if we are remaining in Jesus and finding our strength in Him alone.  It must be our consuming desire to bear spiritual fruit for Him.

John 14:15-31

"If you love Me, you will obey what I command.  And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-the Spirit of Truth.  The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him.  But you know Him, for He lives with you, and will be in you." John 14:15-17

"Because I live, you also will live.  On that day you will realize that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you."  John 14;19b-20


Jesus gave His all for us on the cross.  Jesus, the Son of God, paid the horrible penalty for our sins on the cross.  We need to be filled with gratitude and love to the Lord for the awesome sacrifice He made for us.  We show our love and gratitude to the Lord by our obedience to His Holy Word.  Our salvation is all of grace through faith.  We can do nothing to earn our salvation. Thankful obedience always accompanies true faith, however.

Jesus said in John 14:15, "If you love Me, you will obey what I command."  Jesus said these words to His disciples the night before He went on the cross, and He says these same words to His children today.  Jesus promised His disciples to send the Holy Spirit as their helper in their life of obedience. The Holy Spirit today also helps us in our comprehension of God's Holy Word and in the comprehension of God's will.

Jesus tells us in John 14:17 that the Holy Spirit will be with us forever and that He is "the Spirit of Truth.  The Holy Spirit brings us to the truth of God.  The Holy Spirit always stands by us who are God's children.  The Holy Spirit is our comforter, encourager, counselor, advocate, and the One who strengthens us.  The world does not understand this, but Jesus' promise to you and I in John 14:17b is that the Holy Spirit "lives with you and will be in you."

As children of God we will live eternally!  Jesus says to us in John 14:19b, "Because I live, you also will live.  Jesus goes on to say in John 14:20b, "I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you."  Jesus, the Son of God, is in the Father.  Furthermore, we are in Jesus Christ, and He is in us! Isn't that an exciting thought?

Jesus goes on to remind us again in verse twenty-one, however, that we need to show we are children of God by our lives.  We show we are children of God and show our love for Him by our obedience. Then and only then will the Lord reveal Himself to us.  Then the triune God will come and make His home in our lives and hearts!

The Holy Spirit is our homemaker and lives in us to transform our lives lives and hearts into a fit dwelling place for the Father and the Son.  The Holy Spirit in our hearts teaches us and reminds us of God's commands and promises in His Holy Word.  The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins, and He comforts us in our times of difficulty. He helps us to experience the peace of Christ in our lives even in the worst of times.  The Holy Spirit also helps us in our obedience to the Lord. Jesus' life was a perfect example of obedience to the Father.  Jesus said in John 14:31b, "I do exactly what My Father has commanded Me." Jesus was speaking here of His death on the cross the very next day! Jesus paid the entire penalty for your and my sins!  We owe Him our obedience.  We owe Him our all!

John 14:1-14

"Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in Me.  In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am."  John 14:1-3

"I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me."  John 14:6

"And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.  You may ask for anything in My name, and I will do it."  John 14:13-14


In chapter 14 of the Gospel of John it is the night before Jesus is to go on the cross for our sins. Jesus is telling His disciples of his imminent death.  Jesus is also speaking of leaving His disciples and returning to God, the Father.  The disciples are probably confused and troubled by what Jesus is saying to them.  Jesus tells them in John 14:1, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me."

When we are troubled by life's circumstances the first place we need to run it to the Lord.  We need to turn our worries or grief over to the Lord in trust.  We can do this, because even though we have difficulties and grief in this world we have a certain eternal future.  Jesus is preparing an eternal place for us with Him right now!  Jesus says to us in John 14:2, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you."

Furthermore, the Lord will return some day to take us to be with Him!  John goes on to say in John 14:3, "and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where where I am."  Any difficulties we may have in this life are of little significance in light of the glories of an eternity with the Lord!

Jesus goes on to tell us that He is the only way to the Father and to life eternal.  Jesus says in John 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me."  The world tells us that we are being judgmental and narrow, if we say Jesus is the only way to eternal life. The Lord  makes it very clear in His Holy Word, however, that He is the only way to the Father and to eternal life.  There is only one price sufficient to purchase our way to heaven; and that is the death of Jesus, the Son of God, on the cross.

God, the Father, gave us His Son, Jesus, to be punished for our sins and to pay the price for our sins.  Jesus is the only way, truth, and life.  He will lead us safely through this life to eternal life! We must trust in Him alone, because Jesus is the very Son of God.  Jesus is God incarnate, and thus He is the only way to the Father and to an eternity with Him.

As His children we have intimate fellowship with the Lord.  Verse twelve of John chapter fourteen suggests that we will and can do great things in Jesus' name.  If we are totally submissive to His will and desirous of serving Him, He can use us in powerful ways.  John goes on to say in John 14:13-14. "And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.  You may ask for anything in My name, and I will do it."  If we are asking for things in our prayers which will bring glory and honor to God, the Lord will hear and answer such prayers.  The Lord will answer those prayers in a powerful way.  This is what gives meaning to life.  Jesus and living for Him is the way to joy, life, and truth.  Jesus Christ is the only way to blessings now and for eternity

John 13

"I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."  John 13:15
"A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."  John 13:34-35

Displaying a servant attitude towards others is not a popular concept in the world's philosophy. The world believes that we need to "look out for number one" and defend our rights.  Jesus, however, commands us to lovingly serve each other.  Jesus so desired for us to show a servant attitude to one another that it was one of the last things He talked about with His disciples the night before He went on the cross.

Jesus not only talked about being a servant, however, but He demonstrated it by washing His disciple's feet.  The streets and roads of those days were not paved and so were dusty.  Hence, it was important for feet to be washed after being out in the dirty streets.  This was a menial task usually performed by a servant.  It seems as if this time no servant was available, and not one of the disciples were willing to perform this task. Perhaps they thought washing feet was below their dignity.

Verse three of John chapter thirteen reads, "Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God."  In spite of the fact that Jesus was the Son of God and had all power, something amazing happened next in verses four and five!  Jesus began to wash the disciple's feet!  He performed a servant's job which the disciples had thought was below their dignity!  Peter at first objected to Jesus washing his feet. Jesus told Peter in John 13:8b, however, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me."  The foot washing was symbolic of the spiritual cleaning from sin that Peter needed.  It is also symbolic of the spiritual cleansing that you and I need as well.

Jesus Christ's demonstration of what it meant to be a servant extended far beyond foot washing, however.  The very next day Christ died the horrible death on the cross for your and my sins! Christ being a servant for you and I involved Jesus being forsaken on the cross by God the Father.  Jesus Christ was willing to pay the punishment for all God's wrath against our sins! Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for your and my sins!  The wonder of what He did for us is almost too much to comprehend!

Our lives should be lived in eternal gratitude for what He has done for us.  One way we can do this is by showing a servant attitude to each other. Jesus said in John 13:15, "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."  Later in verse seventeen Jesus said, "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."  Jesus was saying that you and I will find joy in life by having a servant attitude towards others!  Jesus went on to say in John 13:34-35, "A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Our standard for our love for others is Christ's love for us!  It is the distinguishing mark of Christ's followers.  We are to carry the aroma of Christ to those around us!  How far you and I fall short in all this!  We must not become discouraged, however.  The Holy Spirit is working in our hearts and lives to make us more and more conformed to the Lord's will.

John 10

"He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out."  John 10:3b

In Biblical times a group of eastern shepherds would keep small flocks of sheep together in one fold or sheep pen during the nighttime hours.  They would do this for the common protection of their sheep. This sheep pen was a type of court area surrounded by walls and open to the sky. The sheep pen had only one entrance, and it served to keep the sheep from wandering or being harmed by wild animals. When the shepherd returned in the morning for the sheep the sheep would recognize and listen for the shepherd's voice.  They would follow the shepherd, because they recognized and trusted the shepherd.

John 10:3b-5 tells us that the shepherd "calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.  But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."

Jesus is our Shepherd, and we are His sheep.  He calls and knows each of us, His sheep, by name! He knows everything about us and has planned our entire lives!  In fact, in Jeremiah 1:5 God tells us, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart." Before we were a speck in our mother's bodies, Jesus, our Shepherd, knew us and had set us apart to be His chosen sheep!

Jesus, our Shepherd, also leads us, His sheep; and we must follow.  He goes on ahead of us and paves the path for us.  He protects us from lurking dangers and wisely leads us to safe pastures. We do not always understand why we have to endure certain difficult circumstances in our lives, but we must also trust our Lord's leading.  He is infinitely wiser than you and I.  Our job is to simply follow Him in trust and obedience.  Jesus Christ, our Shepherd, can be fully trusted. Running after pleasures that the world offers is like following false or pseudo shepherds. Following or running after anything or anyone but the Lord will only lead to distractions and destruction.

John 10:10b tells us however, that our Good Shepherd has come that we "may have life, and have it to the full."  The Lord Jesus Christ, our Shepherd, is the only way to joy and peace.  He alone can make our lives beautiful for Him.  He alone can shape our lives into lives which are pleasing and honoring to Him.  He is also the only way to eternal life.  Jesus said in John 10:11, "I am the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep."  Only because of Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross can we be forgiven of our sins and experience the joy of being His sheep forever.  He is also our gate into an eternal relationship with Him!

Some of the religious leaders of Jesus' day expressed contempt and rejection of Jesus.  In response, Jesus simply reiterated the fact that that He was the Good Shepherd.  Jesus said in John 10:27-28, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow Me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand."  We must listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, our Shepherd.  We must follow Him in trust and obedience.  He knows us better than we understand ourselves, and He will meet our every need.  Our Shepherd gives us eternal life through His sacrifice on the cross.  We are not only saved from sin's consequences, but we are saved for a joyful love relationship with Him.  We are saved to bring glory and honor to the Lord, our Shepherd. We are eternally secure in the Good Shepherd's love! Praise His name!

John 1

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning."  John 1:1-2
"Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become the children of God."  John 1:12

Jesus Christ is called "the Word" in John chapter one.  Jesus, "the Word," was with God the Father from the beginning.  Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  Jesus Christ is God Himself. Through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, all creation came into existence.

Jesus Christ, the creator of the universe and who is God Himself, is also our Savior!  Jesus Christ is the source of our salvation from sin and the source of our right standing before God. John 1:14 says, "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us."  Jesus Christ totally identified with us. Jesus Christ as God and man came to this earth and lived a perfect life for us that we could not live.  He then died on the cross to pay the just punishment for our sins!  John 1:29b says that Jesus Christ is the "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" Now because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross John 1:12 tells us that "all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."  What grace! What awesome love!

Jesus Christ is the source of abundant life, spiritual light, and truth.  As His children He has worked in our hearts through His Holy Spirit.  John 1:14b tells us, "We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."  Jesus Christ is our source of truth and wisdom.  The world's philosophies will never lead us to true wisdom and truth. Only Jesus is the perfect revelation of God the Father to us. Only Jesus is the source of truth, wisdom, and light.  The Lord is also the source of abundant blessing.  John 1:16 states, "From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another."  From Jesus Christ we not only received the blessing of salvation, but we also receive bountiful blessings.

In gratitude for what Jesus, the Son of God, did for us on the cross and in gratitude for His daily blessings in our lives we must point others to the Lord Jesus.  John the Baptist pointed people to the Savior.  John said in John 1:34, "I have seen and I testify that this is the the Son of God." Then John said in John 1:36b, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

In verses of forty-one and forty-two Andrew also pointed his brother, Peter, to the Savior.  We do not read much about Andrew in the Bible.  He was perhaps not a spectacular person.  Christ must have been very real to Andrew, however, because Andrew was involved in leading his brother, Peter, to the Lord.  This was significant, because Peter later became a prominent apostle in the the church of Jesus Christ.  Peter also wrote two of the Epistles in the New Testament.  This would never have happened, if Andrew had not allowed God to use him in pointing Peter to the Savior!  Philip also pointed Nathanael to the Savior in John chapter one verse forty-five.

So we too must do all we can to point others to the Lord Jesus and His awesome salvation.  In God's providence the person we lead to the Savior might someday be used in a powerful way for the cause of Christ and His kingdom.  May others see Christ in us, as we seek to live our lives for Him!  

Judges 6:1-16

The Midianites had been oppressing God's Old Testament people, the Israelites, for seven years. The Midianites ravaged the Israelites' crops and killed all their animals.  Judges 6:3 in the Old Testament tells us, "Because the power of Midian was go oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves, and strongholds."

One day and angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." (Judges 6:12b).  The Lord is with us also even in the darkest and most difficult times of our lives. Even and especially in the very difficult times in our lives we can be used as "mighty warriors" for the cause of Christ and for His glory.  We can be used for the Lord's glory, because the Lord's strength is residing in us.

After the angel spoke to Gideon he replied to the angel in Judges 6:13, "if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?"  Sometimes it is difficult to understand why we have to go through some of the trials that we experience in this life.  We have to trust that the Lord is in control in all situations, however.  God weaves both the "bad" and "good" circumstances of our lives together for our ultimate good.  Often trials help us grow spiritually and cause us to lean more heavily on the Lord.

Romans 5:3-4 tells us that difficult times in our lives helps to produce perseverance. Perseverance in turn produces Christ-like character in us.  This Christ-like character in us produces hope.  The word "hope" in Scripture means something we are absolutely certain about but have not yet received.  We have absolute certainty about our eternal futures with the Lord.

The Lord turned to Gideon and said to him in Judges 6:14, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand.  Am I not sending you?"  God was calling Gideon, a timid and fearful man with no real ability, to lead the Israelites against the Midianites,  Gideon did not have to go in his own strength, however, because it was the Lord who was sending Gideon.  Since the Lord called Gideon to this task, the Lord would also supply Gideon with His supernatural grace and strength.

In spite of this fact Gideon began to make excuses for not following God's calling.  The Lord once again reassured Gideon in Judges 6:16 by saying, "I will be with you."  In spite of his own weaknesses and inadequacies Gideon would be be able to do great things in the name and strength of the Lord!  When the Lord calls us to a task we also must not make excuses.  We must not say that the task is too great for us.  The Lord always gives us His strength for whatever tasks He assigns in this life.  We simply have to trust in Him and in His strength.  We may be weak, untalented, and ill-equipped; but the Lord's strength in us is all-sufficient.

In II Corinthians 12:9 the Lord says to us, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  God delights in using people who feel inadequate in themselves, because such people will lean more heavily on the Lord and on His strength.  Our human weaknesses provides the perfect opportunity for God to display His awesome power and all-sufficiency.  In ourselves we can do nothing. but with Christ's strength in us we can do whatever task He asks of us.  Paul said in Philippians 4:13, "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

Gideon undertook the task assigned to him by the Lord, and he was able to accomplish great things in the Lord's strength.  Continue to read in the book of Judges about the exciting defeat of the Midianites by God's people.  The Lord can use us also to do great things for Him.  We just need to be willing to follow the Lord's leading and rest and trust in His all-sufficient strength!  The Lord promises to always be with us with His presence and strength!

Luke 18:1-8 and James 5:13-18

(There will be no post next week.  The next post will be on or around May 19.)

"always pray and not give up."  Luke 18:1b

"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."  James 5:16b

There is power in prayer.  Needs are met, and the seemingly impossible is accomplished through prayer.  Prayer should be a daily and constant part of all of our lives.  It should almost be like breathing to us.  We may at times become discouraged and not always feel like praying, but we must persist in praying.

Luke 18:1 says that we should "always pray and not give up."  Obviously we can't have our hands folded in prayer every second of the day, but there should be a constant attitude of prayer in our lives. Our line of communication with our Lord should always be open.  There should always be a sense of the Lord's presence right beside us.

We often have a tendency to pray only after our own perceived resources and attempts to solve a problem has failed.  We need to pray first and "always" and not seek to run ahead of the Lord. We are also to be persistent in our prayers and "not give up."  Even if if we have been praying about something for a long time with seemingly no visible results, we must persist in prayer and trust the Lord to bring about His results in His perfect timing.  God is infinitely wiser than us.  Luke 18:7-8 says,  "And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night?  Will He keep putting them off?  I tell you, He will see that you get justice, and quickly."

James 5:16 states, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."  God's power is released in our lives and in the lives of others after we pray.  The possibilities of what can be accomplished through the power of prayer are limitless.  We need to be persistently praying for our needs .  We must also be persistently praying for the needs of others and for the needs of the world around us.

We need to not only be persistent in our prayers, but we must be fervent and genuine in our prayers. There is great power in persistent and fervent prayer.  Our prayers requests also must be specific, if we expect specific answers to our prayers.  There is great power in Holy Spirit directed specific and fervent prayers.

Elijah in the Old Testament was a man of prayer.  Although Elijah sometimes became discouraged and faltered in his faith, much was accomplished through his prayers.  James 5:17-18 says, "Elijah was a man just like us.  He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.  Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops." Read the exciting stories of Elijah in I Kings in the Old Testament!  Elijah, the prophet for God's Old Testament people, knew the power of prayer.  Elijah understood and saw that the impossible could be accomplished through the power of prayer.  Elijah's prayers were specific, persistent, and fervent; and Elijah's prayers were answered!

We too can experience the power of prayer in our lives.  We need to first be sure that our hearts are right, and we need to be sure that we are passionate about our Lord and His will.  Then we may and must come to the Lord boldly with our specific and fervent requests.  Like Elijah and many other Biblical saints of old we too can experience the power of answered prayer!

Luke 12

Greedy?  Who me?  Greed is only shown by the wealthy and power-seeking tycoons of the world, right?  Wrong!  God has warned all of us of the dangers of greed creeping into our lives.  Greed can come into our lives whether we are wealthy or poor in this world's goods.  Greed has to do with the attitude of our hearts.

In our passage today in Luke 12 a man approached Jesus with a greedy heart.  He expected Jesus to settle a quarrel he was having with his brother over an inheritance. Jesus said to him in Luke 12:15, "Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a mans's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

Jesus warned us that there is extreme danger in depending on and running after the things of the world.  When people place their priorities and values in the things of the world, they will never be satisfied.  This kind of passion for things will only lead to a desire for more and more.  The things of the world will never satisfy.  A life lived in a relationship with the Lord is the only way to find joy and satisfaction.  Joy and peace is found only in the Lord.  Life is not about pursuing things, but life is about growing in our love relationship with the Lord.  Life is about serving the Lord and bringing honor to His name.

Greed is a form of idolatry.  Greed involves putting other things before our relationship with the Lord and before our desire to serve the Lord.  Greed can also lead to all kind of other sins.  Greed can lead to lying, cheating, stealing, and arrogance.  We must take heed of Jesus Christ's warning to "watch out! Be on guard against all kinds of greed."

In Luke chapter twelve starting in verse sixteen Jesus told a parable about a man who had much in terms of worldly wealth and possessions.  This man begin to think of himself as independent from God and self-reliant.  All this man's confidence was misplaced in his own perceived "wisdom" and abilities.  There was no acknowledgement of God and God's provision for him from this man.  The man made all his plans without regard to God's will for his life.  This man showed no fear of God or love for others.  His life consisted only in his selfish whims and pursuits.

God said to this man in Luke 12:20, "You fool!  This very night your life will be demanded from you.  Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?"  It is so meaningless to chase after temporal things, because our life on this earth is so temporal compared to eternity.  We can take nothing with us into eternity except our salvation and love for the Lord!

When people pursue a life style independent of the Lord and wrapped in themselves they will find only emptiness in their lives.  Life will have no joy or purpose.  Ecclesiastes chapter one verse two says of this kind of life, "Utterly meaningless!  Everything is meaningless."  The writer of Ecclesiastes was speaking of a life outside the Lord and lived only for oneself.  Such a life is meaningless.  There is no meaning or joy to life outside of living it for the Lord!

There are no guarantees in this life in regards to our own provisions and careful planning for ourselves.  Life can change so quickly, and all our carefully laid plans for ourselves can fall apart and fail.  A child of God can rest in the Lord and in His provisions, however.  The Lord has always promised to provide for our needs, as we rest in Him and are faithful to Him.  We must be content with what He has given us.  We must be content with where He has placed us in this world.  A relationship with Him as His child and as His disciple is the only way to peace and security!
Luke 12:21 reminds us that we must not seek to "store up things" in this world.  That will lead to greed and all kinds of other sins.  It will also lead to emptiness and restlessness.  Rather we must seek to become "rich toward God."  This is the secret to joy!        

Luke 11

"Lord teach us to pray." Luke 11:1b

Prayer is as essential to our spiritual well-being as breathing is to our physical well-being. Luke chapter eleven verse one tells us that one day one of Jesus' disciples came to Jesus and said, "Lord, teach us to pray."  Jesus then gave His disciples the Lord's prayer as an example prayer to help them in their prayer lives.  The Lord's prayer continues to be a wonderful example for us today in how to pray.

Our prayers should always include worship and praise for our great and awesome Lord.  The first thing Jesus said in His prayer to His heavenly Father in Luke 11:2 was "hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come."  So often we rush into our prayers asking for things.  God desires that we ask for things from Him; but we must also not forget to spend time in worship, praise, and thanks to the Lord.  We must praise and worship Him for all He is in His being and character, and then we must thank Him for all His bountiful blessings in our lives.

Notice the Lord Jesus also says, "Your kingdom come."  It should be our supreme desire that the Lord's will is done on this earth and in heaven.  Our lives should not be about our self-centered whims and desires.  Our lives should be centered on bringing about the Lord's will on this earth and in our lives.  Our lives should be centered on bringing glory and praise to the Lord.

Our prayers also can and must include asking the Lord to meet our daily needs.  In Luke 11:3 Jesus prayed, "Give us each day our daily bread."  "Daily bread" includes more than our food.  It includes all our physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.  It is good and necessary for us to ask the Lord for our needs.  In doing this we show our trust in the Lord and our reliance on Him to meet our every need.  This dependence on the Lord and not on our perceived resources is pleasing to the Lord.

Our prayers also must include prayers for forgiveness for our sins.  Jesus said in Luke 11:4, "Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.  And lead us not into temptation."  We need to daily confess our sins to the Lord.  We need to daily ask for His forgiveness.  We also need to ask for the Lord's strength to grow in holiness and Christ-likeness in our lives.

Notice that Jesus' prayer asks for forgiveness from God for our sins, as we forgive others their sins against us.  If we are not willing to forgive the petty little things others do against us, how can we ask the Lord to forgive the magnitude of our sins against the Almighty God?  Finally, we also need to ask the Lord to keep us from the devil's temptations all around us.

After Jesus gave His disciples the Lord's prayer as an example prayer, He told them a parable about prayer.  In this parable the Lord Jesus taught His disciples the need to be bold and persistent  in prayer.  Jesus said in verses nine and ten of  Luke chapter eleven, "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

Jesus went on to say in verse thirteen, "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"  The Lord desires and longs for us to come to Him in prayer.  He desires to heap His blessings and good gifts on us.  He especially desires to give us His spiritual gifts and the work of His Holy Spirit on our lives.  If we who are sinful give good gifts to our children, the Lord God will surely give us His best and choicest gifts.  We can and must be bold and persistent in approaching Him in prayer for our needs.  We serve a loving and faithful God who desires to meet our needs, as we approach Him in humbleness and trustful dependence!

Psalm 23 Part Two

"He restores my soul.  He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name sake.  Even 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.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."  Psalm 23:3-6

Do you ever feel emotionally or spiritually drained?  Psalm 23 tells us that at times like these our Good Shepherd, Jesus, restores our souls.  He revives and refreshes our souls.  He renews and encourages us even when we have sinned or are discouraged.  Psalm 23:3 tells us that our good Shepherd also guides is "in paths of righteousness for His name's sake."

Sheep tend to stray.  The shepherd must lead them back to the right path, as it is dangerous to stray from the path.  Our Shepherd, Jesus, seeks to lead us on the "paths or righteousness" in this life that are for our protection and well-being.  The "paths of righteousness"  that our Shepherd leads us on are always pleasing to His will, and they are always for our ultimate good.  If we stray off the path, the Shepherd may have to send painful circumstances in our lives to teach us not to stray and to lead us back to the "paths of righteousness."  Our Shepherd, Jesus, does this all "for His name's sake."  The well-being of His sheep brings honor to the Good Shepherd's name!

Psalm 23:4 says, " Even 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."  Sheep are defenseless animals.  Left to themselves they have reason to be afraid.  They desperately need a shepherd, So we also desperately need our Shepherd, Jesus.

Even though we walk through dark and bitter experiences, however, we need to "fear no evil," because Jesus, our Shepherd, is with us all the way!  He will walk us through the deep and dark valleys of our lives.  He doesn't always take us around the valleys, but He will take us successfully through the valleys of life.  He will comfort us, guide us, protect us, reassure us, and rescue us in the deep and dark valleys of life!

Psalm 23:5 says, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies."  Keeping sheep in abundant grass is a full time job for the shepherd.  While the sheep are grazing the shepherd is is already thinking about where he will graze his sheep the next day.  A shepherd is also always aware of the need to protect His sheep from enemies.  The Lord, our Good Shepherd, has our future in His hands.  He is always protecting us from anything which will bring us harm. He controls everything in our lives.

Psalm 23:5 goes on to say, " You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."  In the summer sheep become frantic in their attempts to cope with flies.  At the first sign of this the shepherd applies an oil to the heads of the sheep  to combat the problem.  With the aggravation gone the sheep become quiet, content, and peaceful.  Our Good Shepherd provides peace, comfort, and protection to us, His sheep!  "My cup overflows."  Our Good Shepherd not only cares for us, but He cares abundantly.  Our blessings from Him are abundant and overflowing!

In light of all these blessings we can say with the Psalmist in Psalm 23:6, " Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."  We can count on God's goodness, love, and faithfulness all throughout our lives and throughout eternity! "The Lord is my Shepherd!"  You and I need absolutely nothing else for life and for eternity!