Posts with the tag “jesus”

Prayer is one of those vital aspects of the Christian life that we all agree on; but we wrestle, not with its importance but with how to allow it to really get a foothold in our daily lives. It is the...  Read More

I was blessed and helped in our study Sunday as we walked through the end of this wonderful Gospel of John. Prominent in these final passages were familiar terms for us at Calvary. Our vision statemen...  Read More

After boasting in his commitment to Jesus (John 13) and then denying Hims (John 18), Peter finds himself sitting with Jesus around a fire with six other disciples. Jesus turns to Him and eventually re...  Read More

After the resurrection, Jesus manifested Himself to seven of His disciples. Several of them were expert fishermen, and they had followed Peter as we went fishing—something familiar, something they kne...  Read More

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”John 20:29 Believing is seeing, and seeing stimulates believing if you believ...  Read More

When you are being considered for a job, the last thing you want to hear is “unqualified.” It means you don’t have what it takes to do the job.In our message Sunday we saw Jesus begin to commission th...  Read More

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”1 Peter 5:5b–6 (ESV) I find it fascinating to study these accounts of the death and resurrection of Jesus found in John’s Gospel. The death and re...  Read More

I remember, years ago, a large denomination was removing songs and hymns that talked about blood. They felt these were antiquated and needed to be left behind, as they felt their culture had moved for...  Read More

In our “Road to the Cross” journey in the Gospel of John, Sunday we went through the civic trial before Pilate. In this passage, we see the complete failure of the civic authority (Pilate) to do what ...  Read More

“The nations rage and the people plot against the Lord and His anointed!”These words are from Psalm 2 and describe the age-old rebellion of mankind against the Lord, Who is creator of all things. This...  Read More

Our salvation, forgiveness, and spiritual blessings, are “not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit! says the Lord of Hosts” (Zephaniah 4:6 ESV).Last Sunday, at the darkest moment of Jesus arrest d...  Read More

His disciples asked Jesus a critical question, “How should we pray?” And His answer began with, “Pray this way, Our Father…” (Matthew 6:9 ESV).In the most important area of communication in our whole ...  Read More

As we behold the glory of Christ, we grow a distaste for all other glories. We are bornwith a heart that hates the glory of God and craves the praise of man (John 5:44). It isthe nature of our flesh t...  Read More

“We must not conceive of prayer as though it were an overcoming of God’s reluctance; when in fact it is a laying hold of His highest willingness.”—Richard Trench, 1807-1886 All believers have probably...  Read More

So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. John 16:22 Jesus continues to love and shepherd His followers right up to t...  Read More

The steadfast love of the Lord is better than life, but is it better than money? In the abundance of our worldly goods, sometimes it can seem that we value our money more than our lives: when the mark...  Read More

Our study last Sunday in John 15:12–17 introduced an old theme of “loving one another” along with a newer theme that Jesus calls us His friends. We saw that this word friend He uses means “an affectio...  Read More

"[E]very branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." John 15:2 (ESV) I find it fascinating and counterintuitive that Jesus teaches us here that, if we’re growing spiritually, ...  Read More

"Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it."John 14:13–14 (ESV) Jesus made these remarkable statements j...  Read More

Last Sunday’s study was on John 14:1–9 and is in the setting of the now eleven disciples and Jesus.He exhorted them to continue believing and trusting in God but to also trust in Him. But He also tell...  Read More

Peter's conversation with Jesus in John 13:36–38 is both touching and convicting—for Peter and for us.On one hand, Jesus takes time allowing Peter to interrupt Jesus' discourse on love to address Pete...  Read More

The total control of Jesus and His troubled spirit are two sides of the same mountain. It is hard for our minds to grasp. If He has total control, why would His spirit ever be troubled? Or, if His spi...  Read More

Last Sunday’s study on John 13 and Jesus washing the disciples' feet caused me troubles.The passage itself was clear enough, but I always try to have a grasp on the big picture as well, and this passa...  Read More

As Christians, we favor the statement that we are committed.In a general sense, this seems to be a very good thing. “Our world needs more commitment,” we hear often with an affirmative nod.But as we l...  Read More

In our passage Sunday we saw Jesus calling the people to believe in the Light while He was there (John 12:36).This is really the grand theme of the Gospel of John, as it states in John 20:31: "[B]ut t...  Read More

“Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” Romans 4:25 ESV The cross is there…It stands forever as a reminder of our great need and guilt. God knew all...  Read More

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (John 12:24, ESV) Upon His triumphant entry into Jerusalem on ...  Read More

Sunday’s study of Mary’s adoration of Jesus—the scene of anointing His feet with expensive ointment and wiping them with her hair—was so moving! We can’t make a direct application to it, as He is not ...  Read More

Years ago, Facebook took over the term friend. It became something you made or dropped with the click of your mouse.However, over the long haul, the word friend was a noble word which spoke of a relat...  Read More

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is ...  Read More

This is one of the most common of all spiritual challenges. If you answer yes, you will drift towards a defeated legalism, because no one can walk perfectly. If you answer no, you can drift towards a ...  Read More

As we follow the aftermath of the healing of the man born blind in John 9, we see the spiritual sight that develops as the man is asked over and over to testify to what he has personally experienced. ...  Read More

It can be a wearisome toil to figure out life. It has been in the heart of man since the beginning of time to determine why things happen, what we can do to make things better, who is to blame when th...  Read More

John 8 has taken us a few Sundays to get through and includes some high statements about who it is that’s talking to the group of Pharisees in the treasury of the temple.The one of highest worth (Jesu...  Read More

To the freed slave, their Savior is cherished, but the free man has always saved himself....  Read More

He had come down to reach them where they were. Everyone else stood at arm’s length, but Jesus drew near....  Read More