How to live a life that is faithful to our calling as followers of Jesus Christ......
Loving and Sacrificial Service One of the most amazing, mind-boggling accounts in the life of our Lord Jesus is found in John 13. It's the shocking account of our Lord, the "Teacher" and "Lord" (John 13:13), girding Himself about and washing the feet of His disciples. The narrator, the Apostle John, tells us both the motivation for Jesus' act and the lesson that the disci...
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The Quest for Christlikeness These were the humble words of John the Baptist (John 3:30), whose public ministry lasted less than one year, and ended shortly after Jesus appeared on the scene to begin His own public ministry. And yet, Jesus said later about John the Baptist, "I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least i...
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Practicing Compassion toward the "least of these" I have had the privilege of traveling to 16 countries over the years, primarily in Southeast Asia and Latin America. Very quickly your eyes are opened to the realities that people face daily outside of America. I taught on many subjects, one of those being "mercy" ministries. I recall many times very genuinely talking to...
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HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! InEphesians 1:15-23, Paul prays that his brethren would have a greater understanding of three things: "what is the hope of God's calling" (v. 18), "what are the riches of the glory of God's inheritance in the saints" (v. 18), and "what is the surpassing greatness of God's power toward us who believe" (v. 19). The latter petition, then, b...
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Read: Matthew 26:47-27:61; Mark 14:43-15:47; Luke 22:47-23:56; John 18:2-19:42 BETRAYAL AND ARREST Motivated by sheer hatred, the religious leaders arrest the Lord Jesus sometime after midnight, early Friday morning. All of this is spearheaded by one of Jesus' very own disciples, Judas Iscariot, who, showing his true colors, betrays Jesus with a traitor's kiss. Jesus ...
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Read: Matthew 26:17-46; Mark 14:12-42; Luke 22:7-46; John 13:1-17:26 With the religious leaders intent on finding opportunity to put Him to death, Jesus, knowing that He had come to die in the place of sinners, instructs His disciples to make preparations for the traditional and symbolic Passover meal. While in the Upper Room, the Lord reveals to them His impending death...
Keep Reading Read: Matthew 26:3-5; Mark 14:1-2; Luke 21:37-38 In comparison to the previous 3 days of Passion Week, Wednesday passes by very quickly, but not without the growing hostility of the religious leaders. Prompted by the events of the previous days surrounding Jesus' words and actions, the Jewish Sanhedrin deliberately plans on putting Jesus to death. However, they fear the p...
Keep Reading Read: Matthew 21:20-25; Mark 11:20-13:37; Luke 20:1-21:36 Teaching, teaching, and more precious teaching marks Tuesday of Passion Week. First, having cursed the fig tree on the previous day (Monday), Jesus uses the opportunity of the now withered tree to speak to His disciples about the importance of having faith. This is very strategic and deliberate, for 3 days later Hi...
Keep Reading Read Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:29-44; John 12:12-19 What we often refer to as "Palm" Sunday marks the beginning of our Lord's final week before His death (Friday) and resurrection (the following Sunday, 7 days later). After approximately 3 and a half years of public ministry, the King arrives to Jerusalem, in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, "Rejoice greatly, ...
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