Full of Joy
Read: John 15:9-17 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you,and that your joy may be full. (v. 11) Do you know this JOY acronym: Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last? It doesn’t seem realistic to find joy by putting yourself last. But the life God calls us to […]
Pruned to Produce
Read: John 15:1-8 Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (v. 2) It’s hard for me to cut away a perfectly fine, green and growing branch from a plant or bush. But sometimes, I realize that it’s the best thing I can do for the health of the […]
Peace to You
Read: John 14:22-31 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (v. 27) Many churches have a practice of “passing the peace,” a mutual greeting as they begin worship. I appreciate […]
One Within the Other
Read: John 14:8-21 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. (v. 20) When I was a young child, I was confused by the lyrics to the Sunday school song, “Into My Heart,” even as I sang along with “Come in today, come […]
Troubled or Trusting?
Read: John 13:33-14:7 Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. (v. 1) During the terrorist attack in 2001 on the World Trade Center, there was mass panic in the building. Building announcements told people to stay where they were. One department head told his staff to ignore those instructions […]
The Final Prayer
Read: John 17:20-26 . . . that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (v. 21) When loved ones are close to dying, people often notice what they […]
You Are Loved
Read: Ephesians 3:14-21 . . . how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. (v. 18 NIV) In our journey these past two weeks, we have read passages about how much we are loved. We talked about the difference between knowing we are loved in our heads and believing this […]
Jesus Knocks
Read: Revelation 3:14-22 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. (v. 20) I am a planner. I like to control things. I also confess that I often try to control others. If you are like me, giving up control is hard. But this is difficult when we are addicted to control. When we give […]
Jesus Obeys
Read: Philippians 2:1-11 . . . obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (v. 8) Extraordinary is defined as something very unusual or remarkable. For example, a protégé pianist is described as someone with extraordinary talent. Dietrich Bonhoeffer asks, “What is the ‘extraordinary’? It is the love of Jesus Christ himself, […]