Category: Uncategorized

So…..Who is Actually Right Anyway?

August 9th, 2025

John 3:22-25

22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized.

23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized.

24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison.

25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification.

So…..Who is Actually Right Anyway?

The discussion with Nicodemus is finished, and now Jesus and His disciples are baptizing people in Judea. John is also baptizing in Aenon which I’m assuming is not far from where Jesus and His disciples are baptizing. So, why are these verses significant? Well, there are debates all the time over whether baptism is essential for salvation or not. And let’s face it, someone has to be right. Let’s look at the essentiality of baptism based on these verses alone for just a moment. First of all, if baptism isn’t essential then why is it such the focus of both of these groups of people…..both John and his followers and Jesus and His disciples? Why are any of them baptizing people if it is not essential? Why was Jesus Himself baptized even though He had no sin? Also, I think the statement in verse 23 about there being much water at Aenon, and that being the reason that John was there baptizing, is significant. It shows that a significant amount of water is needed to immerse/baptize someone. This cancels out the pouring and sprinkling doctrines. If we could pour a handful of water on someone’s head, we would only need a shallow stream or even just a puddle of water. Then comes the dispute between John’s followers and the Jews. This dispute is significant because it is over which baptism purifies a person. Does John’s baptism purify? Or does Jesus and His disciples’ baptism purify? If baptism is nothing more than getting wet, then why would they be disputing over which baptism provides purification? Of course, it is John’s followers who are confused. And I can certainly see why they are confused. They have been following John as he baptized people, and now here are Jesus and His people baptizing. I’m sure they are thinking, “Wait a minute….look guys….they are baptizing! But John is the baptizer! Why are they baptizing?” I can just see the confusion. So…..who do we follow? Which one do we go to for purification? For true baptism? Well….no worries, because John is going to take care of the confusion very soon in the next few verses.

What spoke to me in these verses? The confusion…..can we see why so many are so confused today? With so many types of churches all preaching different doctrines, how can people help but be confused? I did a little research and found that there are at least 33,000 different denominations in the United States alone. First of all, the word denomination is not in the New Testament. Can you imagine going back in time, and asking Peter or one of the other apostles this question, “What denomination are you?”? They wouldn’t have any idea what you were talking about. Here is a definition of denomination: Denominations are different branches of the Christian church, born from historic schisms. What is a schism? A schism is a division or disunity within the Christian community, often stemming from disputes over doctrine, practices, or leadership. A denomination stems from a schism. Denominations formed when people were not happy with the original and broke away from the original so that they could do things their own way. This is why the church of Christ is not a denomination. It was formed in 33 AD on the day of Pentecost. It is the original New Testament church.

What does Jesus say about denominations/schisms? Jesus built/established only one church, and He did not want it to be divided into many different kinds of churches built by men. Here are some verses that back this statement up.

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:16-18). Key phrase…..”My church”. It shows that ownership belongs to Jesus, and that there is only one church…..singular.

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:20-23). Key phrase…..”that all of them may be one”. Key idea…..”complete unity”. Jesus prayed to His Father for ALL of us to have unity. How can we have unity if we are teaching different doctrines as truth?

“And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way” (Ephesians 1:22-23). Key phrase…..”head over everything for the church”. God made Jesus the head of the church…..not man, and again church is singular.

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4). Key word…..”one”…..body = church. The word ONE ties together body (church), Spirit, hope, Lord, faith, baptism, God and Father. If this isn’t calling for unity, then I don’t know what is.

How do I know that body = church? “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior” (Ephesians 5:23). The church is the body of Christ.

…..”that there should be no schism (division) in the body…..”(1 Corinthians 12:25)

“Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10). When groups of people broke away from the original New Testament church to form denominations, were they following this verse? Were they all speaking the same thing? Were they perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment?

It is so very hard to discern the truth these days. But isn’t that exactly how Satan wants it though? He wants finding the original church that belongs to Christ to be like finding a needle in a haystack …..because he wants everyone to remain in confusion. It is the Lord’s church’s mission to be a big shiny visible needle amongst that haystack of confusion….a light in a dark and confused world…..a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14). Are we being that big, shiny needle? Am I letting my light shine for the world to see? Am I doing my part to help the Lord’s church be seen?

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about how to be saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus, and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves…..and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to!

Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? If you aren’t, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are…..believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out.

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for humankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible.

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17)

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16)

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32)

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19)

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)
Are You Walking in the Light or Hiding in the Darkness?

July 19th, 2025

John 3:18-21

18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

Are You Walking in the Light or Hiding in the Darkness?

What does the word “believe” actually mean? Let’s do a quick word study on the word “believe” to lead into our study. I know that we have seen the word “believe” several times so far in John, but I would like to take a minute to expound on that word. I found something really interesting. In verse 18, the word “believes” in the Greek is pisteuo according to Strong’s concordance. It means “to have faith (in, upon or with respect to a person or thing) that is credit”. What does that mean, “faith that is credit”? Here goes….we believe, aka have faith in, Jesus. Our belief/faith leads us to obey His will by confessing, repenting, being baptized and then living faithful throughout all of our days. But…..we can never be truly righteous, can we? No….not on our own….not without Jesus anyway! So Jesus credits us with righteousness so that we can stand justified before God. We only get that “credit” if we hold up our end of the bargain and remain faithful until death (Revelation 2:10). So….if we believe and receive this “credit” from Jesus, which is His cleansing blood, we will not be condemned/judged. It all ties back to Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus…..to believe means to be born again spiritually, and lead a new life. Without “credit” (Jesus’ blood), we are lost.

Verse 19 sheds light on the condition of the world at that time, and today. The condition of the world will never change. We just have to try to help as many people as possible to come out of the world, while keeping ourselves out of the world. We are in the world, but we can’t be of the world. In this verse, it says that Jesus, the light, came down from heaven into our world, but we (humankind) chose darkness, because we loved it so much more than light. The people in Jesus’ day didn’t want to change their lifestyles or their way of thinking. It is no different today. We don’t want to change either. Change is difficult, and as humans, we want the easy road. Light cuts through darkness and exposes sin. As humans, we don’t want our sin exposed by the light. So we often close our eyes to the light. We might even pretend that we are in the light, when we actually aren’t in the light at all. What would have happened to the Israelites if they had closed their eyes, and refused to look at the bronze serpent? They would have died physically of course. What happens if we refuse to look to the light of Jesus today? What happens if we pretend we are ok when we are not? We stay in darkness. We stay in our sin, and we die spiritually.

I can never hide my sin from Jesus, because He is the light that exposes it all. I could live my entire life pretending to follow Jesus, and I could have everyone fooled, but I can never fool God. It might not be exposed here on earth, but it will be exposed eventually, and it will be too late to change at that point. We all sin. That is inevitable. We make mistakes. Just because we sin doesn’t mean we are in darkness. It just means we are human, and need our Savior. It is the willful sin that we continue in and even try to hide, that causes us to remain in darkness. I remember being in darkness. Looking back on that time….I can honestly say that it was a terrible feeling. I had so many friends, but felt completely alone. It seemed fun at the time, but in reality it was miserable. It is not worth it. Confess whatever it is, and get rid of it. Take it from me, it will be like a boulder being lifted off of your shoulders! Confessing the truth about our sins/problems brings us into the light where Jesus is. We may have a problem that we need help dealing with, but how can we get help if we are hiding it? We need to step into the light….and then through Him….we can begin to heal.

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about how to be saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus, and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves…..and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to!

Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? If you aren’t, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are…..believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out.

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for humankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible.

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17)

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16)

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32)

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19)

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)
The Serpent on the Pole > Jesus on the Cross

July 12th, 2025

John 3:14-17

The Serpent on the Pole Jesus on the Cross

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

The Serpent on the Pole Jesus on the Cross

The parallel between the serpent on the pole and Jesus on the cross is amazing! In the account found in Numbers 21, the people were to look at the bronze serpent that Moses made so that they could be healed from the poison of the snake-bites. God sent the serpents into the Israelite camp because of all the complaining they had done against God and Moses. Even though they had done wrong, God still showed them grace and mercy. In the same way, God has shown us mercy and grace by sending us Jesus. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross saves us from spiritual death. The people had to obey God and look at the bronze serpent in order to live physically. We have to obey God and look to Jesus, “the author and finisher of our faith” in order to live eternally (Hebrews 12:2). The bronze serpent cured the people from the venomous poison of the serpents. Jesus’ blood that He shed on the cross cures us from the poison of sin in our lives. We come into contact with Jesus’ blood through water baptism, and that blood washes away our sins (Acts 2:38, Romans 6:3-4) It is a beautiful comparison. Why does Jesus use this parallel with Nicodemus? Jesus, the master teacher, is building on knowledge that Nicodemus already has. This would have been a story that Nicodemus, being a teacher of the law, would have known. This was a perfect visual aid for him. Just like the people had to look at the bronze serpent to live, Nicodemus would need to look to Jesus to live and be “born again” spiritually. Verse 15 says that whoever believes in Christ after He is lifted up on the cross will have eternal life. Of course we know that belief alone is not enough. Action is required. So many take this one verse, and say that belief is enough. But Matthew 7:21 tells us that we must “do” the will of God, which means we have to obey Him. James 2:19 says that even the demons believe in Jesus. They just choose not to obey Him. If a person truly believes, then obedience will follow. I love how this discussion with Nicodemus leads up to one of most quoted and beloved verses in the Bible, John 3:16. I feel like this verse has been read, written, memorized, tattooed, cross-stitched, posted on billboards, etc. until its true meaning and importance has been stifled and blurred a little. It’s like “Oh yeah…..there’s John 3:16”. But does it really give me the gut punch or the chill bumps that it should? Sadly, the answer was “no, not really” until today. Studying and writing about this has brought this verse back to me, and given it new life in my heart. The first word that sticks out to me in this verse is “so”. The word “so” here is translated as the phrase “in this manner” or “in this way”. This gives us a clue that more is coming. God loved us “in this way or manner” that he……etc. God is not going to just say that He loves humankind, and then sit back and watch us destroy ourselves. He is going to prove it. How will He prove it? By sending His precious Son to suffer and die the most shameful death imaginable for all of us. For even me….a weak, pitiful, sinful human with no hope at all who can do absolutely nothing on her own. It is amazing that the God of the universe has this kind of love for people who let Him down constantly. Let’s remember this. He did not have to do anything for us. We could have been left here to live a miserable life without God, and then die a physical death, and it all be over. Or He could have just given up on humankind completely, and destroyed us a long time ago. But no…..not our God. He has not given up on any of us. I’m so thankful that He didn’t give up on me in my worst moments. The cause and effect here is a beautiful thing. What caused God to send His only begotten Son, aka one and only Son, to die for us? It was His great love for us! Agape love….the most unselfish, unconditional type of love that always wants what is best for others. It is a love that we can’t even fathom. Let’s put ourselves in God’s shoes for just a second, and think about these questions. Would we watch one of our precious children suffer and die the way that God watched Jesus suffer and die in order to save someone who has hurt us and rejected us over and over? Go and read Ephesians 2:1-3, and see just how terrible we (humans) were/are. We “walked according to the course of this world”……“conducted ourselves in the lusts of the flesh”…..fulfilled the desires of the flesh and the mind……were “sons (and daughters) of disobedience”, and…..were the “children of wrath”. Sounds terrible doesn’t it? But then comes the rest of the story! But GOD…. “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-7) Amazing! We were dead spiritually, and He made us alive through His only Son. God’s love is unconditional. God would still love me if I died in my sins today! But salvation is not unconditional. We have to commit to God and obey Him, because sin cannot be in the place where God resides. No sin can be in heaven. That is why Jesus has to continually wash our robes in His blood as we strive daily to walk in the light, so that we can stand before God justified on that great and terrible day. Verse 17 says God sent Jesus here to save us, not condemn us. It is up to us to accept the gift that God has offered us. So….like the verse says, if we believe in Jesus then we “should” be saved. We certainly should. Has your belief led you to true obedience to Him?

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about how to be saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus, and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves…..and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to!

Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? If you aren’t, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are…..believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out.

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for humankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible.

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17)

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16)

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32)

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19)

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)
How Can These Things Be? Final Answer…..Jesus

July 5th, 2025

John 3:9-13

9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?

11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.

12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

How Can These Things Be? Final Answer…..Jesus

“How can these things be?” This was Nicodemus’ reaction after Jesus spoke to Him about being “born of water and the Spirit” in the previous verses. He didn’t understand. Jesus challenged Nicodemus again with a question. Paraphrasing, “How are you a teacher of the law and you don’t understand the things I’m saying to you? You should know all this.” Of course, Jesus knew exactly why and how Nicodemus didn’t understand. This was just a challenge to Nicodemus to further study, and gain more understanding of the scriptures. This also tells us that Jesus isn’t teaching something new that is not found in Old Testament prophecy. It was there. The Jews had just not fully understood the scriptures. The Jews had missed the message. They knew the law, but they didn’t understand it the way that they thought they did. In verse 11, Jesus very plainly says, paraphrasing in my words, “Hey, WE are only telling you what WE know and have seen, and you (plural to mean all Jews) will not accept OUR message.” This is big, because when Jesus says “We” and “Our”, He is referring to He and God, His Father. Assuming that Nicodemus knew what Jesus meant by “We” and “Our”, that had to be a bombshell. “God and I are telling you (Jews) what to do, and you won’t accept it.” Doesn’t that sound like the world today? They can plainly be shown what God’s Word says, but they just won’t accept it. Example….baptism. You can show them all the examples in the Bible of people being baptized for the remission of sins. You can show them every verse that references baptism as the doorway into Christ and into the Lord’s church, but they are just blind to it in exactly the same way that the Jews were blind to what Jesus taught 2000ish years ago. It is so sad. Or…..like myself for many years, we can know it and be raised in it, and choose to put it on the back burner of our lives while we enjoy worldly pleasures…..while we put basically everything in front of God. Wow, am I ever ashamed of that period of my life! What can I say? I finally grew up, and put away childish things. Although I still fail daily, I pick myself up and press on.

Moving on, Jesus makes another challenging statement/question in verse 12. Paraphrasing, “How can you expect to believe spiritual things when you don’t even believe the physical things that you have seen?” Jesus had been performing all these miracles, and the people still didn’t truly believe in Him enough to actually change their hearts and lives (John 2:23-24). They only wanted to follow Jesus to get some kind of physical satisfaction from Him. What can Jesus do for me? Or what can I witness Jesus do so that I can have a story to tell my friends who missed it? It was a very shallow type of belief, not a true grounded belief in who Jesus was. Even with miracles, the majority didn’t truly believe, so they certainly weren’t going to believe His teachings on spiritual things. Now on to verse 13. I had a little trouble understanding this verse, but with some further study, I understand it better. My digging took me first to Proverbs 30:4 which could be the prophetic scripture that Jesus is referring to, “Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?……..What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, if you know?” Paraphrasing Jesus’ words, “no one else has descended from heaven to be able to bring you this message, only Me. Who else is there for you (Jews) to believe?” Then, my digging took me to Deuteronomy 30:1-3 where Moses says, paraphrasing, that obedience would bring them back into a relationship with God. Then in Deut. 30:6, Moses says that God will circumcise their hearts so that they will love the Lord with all their hearts and souls so that they may live. This is the transformed “born again” life that Jesus was speaking to Nicodemus about. Then, in Deut. 30:11, Moses says that the commands are not too hard for them to keep, but how? The answer comes in Deut. 30:12-14, “It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.” Paraphrasing, “you don’t have to go to heaven to retrieve the message, because Jesus is coming to earth to bring the message in person. He will put the words in your heart (mind)”. “You’ll understand someday” is basically what Moses is saying to them. Of course, we know that everyone did not understand until after His death. Then the Holy Spirit came and put the words in the “mouths” and in the “hearts” of the apostles on Pentecost. Then they wrote it all down for us, and it is in our hearts this very day. It should be in our mouths as well. We should be talking about God’s word more and worldly things less. I’m speaking to myself here. Sisters, we are the “mouths” today. God wants us to spread His message just as much as He wanted His apostles to spread it. He needs us to spread it. He doesn’t want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9). So…..as the world gets more corrupt and further away from God, what do we do? We continue to set the example…..no matter how much hate we get for it. We continue to stand up for the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ…..no matter what. I ask myself, am I doing all that I can? Is the love of Jesus showing forth within me? Sometimes the love of Jesus is what we call “tough love”, because no one wants to hear that they are lost. As human beings, we don’t like to be proven wrong, do we? But…..are we truly loving them if we don’t tell them? What if a person was walking towards a bottomless pit, and they couldn’t see it and didn’t know it was there, but we did? Wouldn’t we try to stop them from falling into it? Of course we would! Or…..let’s turn the tables…..would we want someone to stop us and our loved ones from falling into it? Same answer…..of course we would! I hope this gives you some encouragement today to keep pressing on in your Christian life, and keep trying to shine the light of Jesus to others. I hope it encourages you to never give up on anyone in this life. If we have done all we can to help a person understand the truth, but it seems as though he/she isn’t going to accept it, let’s never forget that we still have the avenue of prayer. We keep praying for the person…..always. The example of what Jesus prayed on the cross is so humbling. He prayed for the people who rejected Him, mocked Him, beat Him, scourged Him, nailed Him to a cross, and killed Him. He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Wow…..the love of Jesus is unmatched. How lucky we are to have Jesus for our Savior, and God for our Father.

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about how to be saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus, and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves…..and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to!

Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? If you aren’t, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are…..believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out.

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for humankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible.

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17)

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16)

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32)

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19)

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)
Born of Water and the Spirit

June 21st, 2025

John 3:6-8

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

“Born of Water and the Spirit”

Flesh is flesh and spirit is spirit. It seems simple to understand, right? To us who are Christians in today’s world, it probably is easier for us to understand the difference. It really depends on who is hearing those words. Understanding is not the same for everyone. The words of Jesus in these verses were not simple to Nicodemus, when He came to see Jesus one night. But think about it. Why would Nicodemus understand spiritual things? Everything Nicodemus had ever been taught about following the law had been fleshly or physical. Think about it…..circumcision, sacrificing animals, having a man as high priest, the physical temple, ceremonial washing (remember the washing pots at the wedding at Cana), and there are many more examples. Now they wouldn’t need any of this any more because of Jesus. No more physical circumcision…..only a circumcision or cutting of the heart. No more sacrificing animals….Jesus would be the only sacrifice anyone would ever need again. No more human high priests….Jesus is the High Priest for all of us. No more physical temple…..Jesus is the symbolic temple that we are in when we become a Christian (in Christ). No more ceremonial washing to cleanse oneself…..Jesus blood would cleanse everyone forever…..forwards and backwards. Also, with the Jews it was all about how they looked on the outside. Their religion was superficial. Remember the story Jesus told about the Pharisee praying and the tax collector praying (Luke 18:9:14)? Which one prayed with humility? It was also about all the works of merit they did, and all the money they gave. Remember the woman who gave the two mites (Luke 21:1-4)? Who gave of their means in humility, and who gave to show off? In verse 7, Jesus tells Nicodemus not to be surprised that they will have to be born again. I mean….like he said….”flesh is flesh”…..weak and frail. Flesh can’t do anything on its own without God. Flesh decays. Spirit remains forever.

In verse 8, He begins to talk about the wind. I didn’t understand this verse on the surface, but I did some research and I get it now. Wind is translated from Greek as “wind, breath, spirit”. The same word in Hebrew is found in Ezekiel 37:9 when God made the dry bones come to life with “breath” which is translated “wind, breath, spirit”. He put His Spirit in them to bring them to life. If we are “born of the Spirit” we understand this concept. But the world cannot see it, just like we physically can’t see the wind. We can’t tell where the wind comes from and where it is going. In the same way, the world does not understand how the Spirit of God works. Everything is physical to the world. They don’t comprehend the spiritual. The world does not know which way to go while here on earth, or where they are going after this life. But….as Christians, we do know these things, because we are truly “born of water and the Spirit”. The phrase “born of water” refers to baptism, but encompasses so much more. It is the beginning of a transformation of the heart…..a complete metamorphosis begins to happen when we are baptized, which then leads into the phrase “born of the Spirit”. Once we are born again in baptism, we allow the Holy Spirit to continually work on our transforming heart until we are truly born of that Spirit. The old man or woman of sin is gone, and the Spirit of Christ is within us, making us a brand new person. Will the transformation happen all at once as soon as we come up out of the water? No, it is only the beginning. We continue to learn, grow, and transform throughout our lives. Being “born of water and the Spirit” is obeying Jesus by repenting and being baptized for the remission of sins, and allowing the Holy Spirit, through God’s Word, to guide us as we live a faithful Christian life. It is a lifelong commitment. Once we are “born of water and the Spirit”, then we can know where the “wind” or Spirit comes from…..which is God. We can also make decisions, know which way to turn, and what path to be on while we are here on earth. We go where the Spirit leads us. And how do we access the Holy Spirit? That is ultimately up to us, because it is our free will to either study and grow in God’s Word or not. The more that we are in God’s Word, the more that we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us. If we don’t open His Word, and allow it to guide us, then we will not continue to grow and transform. And, if we are letting the Spirit guide us, then we can know where we are going when we leave this world, which is paradise or heaven depending on when Jesus returns. The world has no comprehension of spiritual things. Just like we can’t physically see the wind, the world cannot comprehend the Holy Spirit.

We aren’t saved by physical things that are seen. None of the works of merit that others see us do will matter. We cannot earn our salvation. It is the unseen things that God has done since the beginning of time through sending His Son, Jesus that will save us if we are truly “born of water and the Spirit”. This is why it was so hard for the Jews to understand this completely different concept that Jesus was speaking about, in regards to “Spirit”. Back to Ezekiel 37, God shows Ezekiel a vision of dead bones being brought to life. This is a visual image of what happens to us when we are born again in baptism. We are dead bones before we become Christians. In Ezekiel 37:14, God said, “I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live….” Isn’t this what Jesus has done for us? He has put His Spirit in us, and we will live for eternity! Keep the faith, Sisters! It will all be worth it someday!

Like I said at the beginning of this post, understanding is not the same for everyone, and that is perfectly ok. God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about how to be saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus, and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves…..and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to!

Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? If you aren’t, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are…..believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out.

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for humankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible.

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17)

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16)

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32)

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19)

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)
Nicodemus’ Humble Curiosity and Jesus’ Challenging Patience

June 15th, 2025

John 3:1-5

Nicodemus’ Humble Curiosity and Jesus’ Challenging Patience

Nicodemus’ Humble Curiosity and Jesus’ Challenging Patience

1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus has always been an interesting person to me personally. He was a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews. He had power in His position. He had status in the community. What interests and impresses me most about him is his humble curiosity about Jesus. Here is this high-ranking religious official who is curious about this carpenter’s son from Nazareth. Do you ever wonder why Nicodemus came to Jesus at night? I believe him coming at night shows a sincerity within him that I hadn’t thought about before. He sincerely wanted to know more about Jesus. He proclaimed his belief in Jesus by what he said in verse 2 beginning with “Rabbi”. Rabbi was used to address teachers, and was a term of honor and respect. He doesn’t ask Jesus a question, but simply makes a statement. He said “we know you are from God because only someone from God could do the things you are doing”. “We” know you are from God….as if he is speaking for the group. But I don’t think he actually is speaking for anyone but himself. The fact that he comes at night means that he is not trying to trap Jesus or trip him up in his words like the other Pharisees always did. Nicodemus did not want an audience at his discussion with Jesus. He wanted time alone with Jesus to form his own opinion, separate from his fellow Pharisees. His coming at night could have also been driven by fear. What would the other Pharisees and leaders think if they heard him say that he thought Jesus came from God? It could be dangerous for him if the others actually thought he believed in who Jesus was. Jesus saw into Nicodemus’ heart and challenged him. Paraphrasing, in my own words, He said, “if you aren’t born again, you won’t see the kingdom of God”. I’m sure this hit Nicodemus like a ton of bricks….mouth dropped open…..stunned. I can just imagine what Nicodemus is thinking….wait what?….I’m not going to be in the kingdom of God! I’m a Pharisee…..ruler of the Jews! I’ve followed the law all of my life! Do I have to start all over, and live my life again? He doesn’t understand what Jesus means by “born again”. He is thinking about physical birth. (vs 4) The phrase “be born again” in Greek means “born from above or from heaven/God”. The word “again” is used in John 3:31 and John 19:11 and is translated the same way as it is here in John 3:3. Jesus meant a spiritual rebirth. It’s cool how Jesus agrees with Nicodemus in verse 5 after he questions Jesus’ “born again” statement. Jesus calmly says, “most certainly” as if to say, “I get what you are saying, Nicodemus”. Then comes the part that Nicodemus would probably somewhat understand. Jesus then says that you have to be born of the water and the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God. Now this is something Nicodemus might have been familiar with from the Old Testament. Ezekiel 36:25-26 talks about a spiritual renewal where God will cleanse His people with water and a new spirit. I love this conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. We know that Nicodemus was sincere because of what we witness him do later in regards to Jesus’ burial (John 19:38-42). I love how Jesus was so patient with Nicodemus when he didn’t understand all the while gently challenging him at the same time. Now you see the reason for the title of the post. We can pattern after Jesus when we are trying to help someone understand the gospel. We are to be patient, kind, and compassionate with others who have not been taught, as we speak the truth in love. The truth always naturally challenges a person and makes a person think about what they have been taught. They begin to compare the truth to what they thought was truth. And when it doesn’t line up properly, they may, like Nicodemus, not understand. But, we stay patient. They may even become argumentative, and not want to accept it. But, we stay patient…..always.

Jesus did not mince His words or beat around the bush with Nicodemus. He plainly said, “If you aren’t born again, of water and the spirit, then you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.” This was just what Nicodemus needed to hear to get him thinking. Of course, we can’t read a person’s thoughts like Jesus could, so it makes us feel inadequate to share the gospel, doesn’t it? We feel like we don’t know enough to teach someone else. We don’t want to make anyone mad. It is a struggle. But, if we have obeyed the gospel of Christ according to the scriptures that I have listed below, then we know enough to show someone how to be saved, Sisters. And that is the most important information that we can give someone. The problem that I face a lot is this…..how do I bring the subject up to someone? How do I start the conversation? Well…..maybe I could invite them to come to church with me. Or if someone asks me how my weekend was, instead of talking about the movie or show I watched, why don’t I tell them about the wonderful sermon that I heard at worship on Sunday morning, or the interesting bible class that we had Sunday morning? And by the way, I’m asking myself “why” because I need to do this! I need to talk about spiritual things in my everyday life more often. This is me writing myself into a corner. Now I’ve gotta do it! I wasn’t expecting this post to take me here, but now…..new spiritual goals for me!

Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? If you aren’t, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are…..believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out.

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for humankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible.

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17)

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16)

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32)

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19)

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)
I Can’t Pretend with Jesus

May 31st, 2025

John 2:23-25

23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.

24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,

25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

I Can’t Pretend with Jesus

What is our reason for believing in Jesus? The people in this passage believed in Jesus only because of the miracles that He performed. The word “believed” here is translated as “trusted in”. They trusted in His abilities. They wanted to be around Him because of what He could do for them. It was a selfish belief more than a sincere belief. This makes me suddenly think of one of Jesus’ parables. The prodigal son had lots of friends until he ran out of money. They were not truly his friends. They only stayed around to get what they wanted from him (Luke 15:11-32). Likewise, these people did not have a real deep-rooted belief and trust in who Jesus was. This is why Jesus did not “commit” Himself to them. Another word for “commit” is “entrust”. Some of these same people would soon reject Him, and be consenting in His death. They were not going to stick with Jesus through thick and thin, and He knew that. Jesus was and still is a discerner of the thoughts of all of us. Hebrews 4:12 says that the Word of God “is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Jesus was the Word made flesh according to John 1:1, 14. He knows if our motives are pure in every situation. People who have a true belief and trust in Jesus are changed on the inside. It is a heart transplant. We allow Him to give us a new heart. Jesus saw nothing like this in these people. This reminds me of what Jesus says in Matthew 15:8 and Mark 7:6…. “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me”. This is a quote from His Father from Isaiah 29:13. This also reminds me of the stony ground in Jesus’ parable of the sower. The seed that fell among stones sprung up quickly, but had shallow roots which soon destroyed the plant. These people were that stony ground. They accepted Jesus quickly only because of the signs that He performed, but their roots were shallow. Their belief was shallow. When trials and persecutions came, their shallow roots would not allow them to remain faithful to Jesus (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23, Mark 4:1-9, 10-20, Luke 8:4-8, 11-15).

These three verses, John 2:23-25, have always seemed very cut and dry to me until now. That is the way this entire study of John has been for me. I have learned so much from passages that seemed very simple on the surface. I have read them several times before in the past, and not really thought about them. However, as I have dug in and studied each set of verses to get the true meaning behind them, my eyes have been opened to a whole new world…..a world of amazing and infinite teachings and truth. The lessons learned are endless. It is amazing how deep I can go with just one verse. Every word of the Bible is important, even parts that didn’t seem so important to me in the past. The verses that I have dug into today are very important, because they remind us that Jesus knows whether we are truly rooted and grounded in Him. We may be able to pretend with the people around us, but we can never pretend with Jesus. He knows if we are genuine or not. I strive to be genuine. I strive for my life to be rooted and grounded in Jesus. I don’t want to be like the people in these verses. I want nothing more than for Jesus to be able to “entrust” or “commit” Himself to me. I know this is a daily struggle for all of us. I know that I struggle with it, and I own the struggle. I know that I need to check my heart and my motives daily. I need to pray about this every day. I need to pray for help to be genuine in my Christian walk. Jesus should be my “reason why” in everything I do. I think of the song, “Is My Heart Right With God?”. I need to ask myself that question daily. Is there anything in my life that I need to make right? Is there anything amiss? I would venture to say that there is something that I need to make right every single day…..within myself anyway.

Verse 25 says that Jesus had no need for anyone to testify about any other human being, because He already knew what was in every human being’s heart. This is still the case today. No one will be there on the judgment day to testify on my behalf, because there will be no need for that. Jesus will already know if I have been loyal and true to Him or not. I will not be able to plead anyone else’s case for them on judgment day, even those that I love most, and feel like I know better than anyone else. You see…..compared to Jesus, I don’t know them at all. Every day, let’s all ask ourselves if we’re right with God. Every day, let’s all ask ourselves if Jesus is our “reason why”. Let’s keep a daily check on our motives behind the things that we do. Hope everyone is having a wonderful Saturday!

Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? If you aren’t, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are…..believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out.

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for humankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible.

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17)

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16)

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32)

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19)

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)
I Will Raise It Up

May 24th, 2025

John 2:19-22

19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

I Will Raise It Up

How many times was Jesus misunderstood when He was on earth? Jesus is misunderstood in John 2:19 which is not surprising. But here, He is not only misunderstood, but also misquoted! Two false witnesses testified against Jesus on the night that He was arrested. (Mark 19:58, Matt. 26:61) They repeated what Jesus had said in verse 19, but….they misquoted Him. They said that Jesus said that HE would destroy the temple and then rebuild it. And again in Matthew 27:39-40, He was mocked while hanging on the cross for that same statement, but once again…..He was misquoted! They mocked, paraphrasing in my own words, “Hey you! I heard you say you would destroy the temple and then rebuild it in three days! If you can do that, then save yourself!” Jesus actually meant….YOU (speaking to the Jews) will destroy this temple, and I will rebuild it in three days. Of course, we know that He spoke of his death and resurrection. Why did Jesus refer to His body as the temple? Well…the temple was very important to the Jews. It was where God actually dwelt. It held the ark of the covenant which held the stone tablets, which was their law. It held Aaron’s rod, which symbolized the miracles that God performed on their behalf. And it held a bowl of manna, which symbolized God’s blessings as He provided for their needs. Jesus was getting ready to take the place of the physical temple Himself. The high priest had to go into the most holy place to sprinkle blood and make atonement for the people’s sins once a year, only to have sins rolled forward with no actual forgiveness. But…..not anymore! Jesus would shed His blood on the cross one time for all time…..for all people…..past, present, and future. And…..this sacrifice would not just to roll sin forward, but it would actually forgive sin. Jesus would then be our High Priest forever. (Hebrew 6:20, 7:17, 24) At that point, we would all have access to Christ, who is our symbolic spiritual mercy seat….in the most holy place of the temple at any time, and from any place on earth, not just in Jerusalem. Christ is our symbolic temple. We can approach the throne of God through Jesus, which is parallel to the high priests of the old law approaching the throne of God in the most holy place of the temple. It is so amazing to belong to Christ, and have these blessings in Him! I also love verse 22 where John lets us know that the disciples remembered Jesus making this statement about the Jews destroying the temple and raising it up in three days, after He was resurrected. Jesus did say in John 14:26 that the Helper would come and help them remember everything that He had said to them while He was on earth. We have complete access to the “Helper” through His wonderful Word. Let’s make sure we aren’t neglecting it. The Word of God which is the Sword of the Holy Spirit is called our “Helper” for a reason. (Ephesians 6:17) But it can’t help us if we don’t open it up and utilize it. Are we letting the Word be our “Helper” daily?

Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? If you aren’t, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are…..believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out.

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for humankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible.

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17)

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16)

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32)

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19)

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)
The Lord’s Church is Not a House of Merchandise

May 11th, 2025

John 2:13-18

13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business.

15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables.

16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”

17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”

18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?”

Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover as He was commanded to do so in the old law. People were using the temple to make money for themselves. They were selling oxen, sheep, and doves to people for them to use for their sacrifice. It would have been hard for people traveling a long way to bring a lamb without blemish all the way to Jerusalem. Pigeons and doves were the sin offering for the poor, so they were being sold at the temple as well. They were also taking up the temple tax that every male 20 years and older was to pay (Exodus 30:13-14). People who came from far away could not pay their tax with foreign currency so there were money changers there to exchange the foreign money for the currency needed to pay the temple tax. In verse 15, we see that Jesus makes a whip of cords and drives the people selling doves and the money changers out of the temple. He also poured out the changers’ money and turned their tables over. Jesus definitely made His point!

This account is also found in Matt. 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-17, and Luke 19:45-46, but John’s account is significantly different. In the Matthew, Mark, and Luke accounts, the writer focuses on the dishonesty of the people who are conducting business in the temple. However, in John’s account, Jesus focuses on the people who are selling doves. He doesn’t say that they are dishonest. So….whether the entrepreneurs are honest or not, Jesus deems this activity that is happening in the temple as wrong. They should not be using the temple to run a business even if they are being honest and fair. Of course, we know that there was dishonesty going on because of the other gospel accounts where Jesus said, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”. Jesus quotes scripture from the old testament in the Matthew, Mark, and Luke accounts. He quotes from Isaiah 56:7 where it says, “For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” He quotes from Jeremiah 7:11 where it says, “Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes?” John does not record these quotes, but instead focuses on Jesus’ words to the people selling doves. He told them to take these things away, and that they should not be running their business out of His Father’s house. Maybe they were honest business owners, but Jesus let them know that this was not the place for that. It was interfering with the worship. The temple was a place to pray and give thanks. All of this activity was a distraction to the true purpose of the Passover event…..which was to worship and praise God for all that He had done for them.

Does this statement by Jesus carry over to us today? It absolutely does. What about coffee shops selling drinks and breakfast items in church buildings? I’m not talking about coffee and a muffin provided for free at the back of the classroom before the bible study class. Some may disagree with this, and it is up to the elders whether they think this is appropriate or not. Personally, I don’t think that is a big deal, but I’m not getting into that argument today. I’m talking about an actual Starbucks/coffee shop pulling in revenue during church services. This is exactly what Jesus was talking about in this account. “Don’t make my Father’s house a house of merchandise.” What about selling books, DVDs, CDs and other materials at the time of worship? The church should not be making money in this manner. The church gets its funds from the generosity and pure hearts of the members who come to worship in spirit and truth. That generosity is an act of worship. No one should have to buy study materials at the church building during worship. If study materials are out on display at the time of worship, then they should be free. We are trying to convert people to Christ. If a visitor came into our worship service, we would not want them to have to buy our materials in order to learn the truth. Now…..I’ve been to ladies’ days where a female author would be speaking, and after the service/program is over, she would have some of her books out on display for sale to anyone who was interested. This is not what I am referring to. A ladies day or a lectureship is a program for Christians to grow in their faith, and the speaker’s materials are sometimes out for sale after the program. It is not for the church to make money off of. It is for that individual to be compensated as they continue their work in the kingdom. I’m only referring to general study materials/tracts/DVDs laid out on Sunday morning before and during worship. Nothing should distract from our worship or take our mind away from focusing on God…..certainly not getting out our cash or debit card to buy a coffee or a book. Our church is not the temple of the Old Testament. God is not confined within the walls of our buildings, but we do go to the building to worship as God’s people, and we should worship Him in spirit and truth with no distractions.

In verse 17, the disciples quote a Psalm of David, Psalm 69:9, “Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up….”. The disciples are not speaking about Jesus’ anger at the situation. Zeal is not anger. This lets me know that Jesus was still in complete control of Himself. The disciples were speaking of His zeal for God’s house! It made them think of the zeal that David had for God’s house. Jesus receives some hostility from the Jews in verse 18. Paraphrasing in my own words, they said, “Who do you think you are?” Let’s think about us as members of the Lord’s church today. Don’t we receive hostility for our zeal to follow the scriptures today? Don’t we sometimes feel that same type of attitude thrown at us…..the “who do you think you are” attitude? I mean….Jesus said the world would hate us, but not to worry, because it hated Him first (John 15:18). But He also says in Matthew 10:22 that, “ we “will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.” We are to have a zeal for God’s house as well…..God’s house being the Lord’s church. Our zeal should drive us to want to help save lost souls. Souls make up God’s house. Our zeal for saving the lost should push us to respond to others in a kind way even towards those who are condescending and obstinate towards us. Zeal….pursuing, embracing, or defending the gospel of Christ. Zeal leads to growing God’s kingdom. Isn’t that what being a Christian is all about?

Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? If you aren’t, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are…..believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out.

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for humankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible.

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17)

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16)

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32)

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19)

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)
Do Whatever He Tells You To Do

May 3rd, 2025

John 2:1-12

1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” 6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” 11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him. 12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.

As chapter 2 begins, we find Jesus and His disciples invited to a wedding in the city of Cana. His mother is already there. Cana is about 9 miles north of Nazareth. In verse 3, we see a problem has arisen. The family hosting the wedding had run out of wine. At a Jewish wedding, not having wine would be like not having sweet tea in the south. And not only that, weddings were celebrated for an entire week, not just a few hours. People came from longer distances I’m sure, and the host family not being properly prepared for all the guests who came would have been a disaster and an embarrassment. Obviously, Mary was very concerned. She was probably close to the family or she wouldn’t have been invited. As women, don’t we want to fix the problem immediately? Mary is being a typical woman/mother. She goes to her son, whom she knows can help with the problem, and tells Him that they are out of wine. Now….when Jesus calls His mother, “woman”, how many of us thought He was being harsh and disrespectful towards her? In today’s world, if anyone addresses us as “woman”, we take it personal, don’t we? We feel disrespected, and it is usually meant that way today. I used to think He was being harsh, maybe even reprimanding her. But He wasn’t. Here are all the other times that Jesus addressed women as “woman”, Matt. 15:28 (woman with possessed daughter, Luke 13:12 (woman with the issue of blood), John 4:21 (woman at the well), John 8:10 (woman caught in adultery), John 19:26 (to His mother as He hung on the cross), and John 20:15 (to Mary Magdalene after His resurrection). In all of these instances, Jesus is showing honor in calling the person “woman”. It would be the equivalent of “miss” today. Why didn’t He address her as “mother” instead of “woman”? This could have been a reference back to Genesis 3:15 where God promised that a “woman” would bruise the serpent’s head. It also could be that Jesus wanted to separate Himself from her to let her know that He would take care of this problem without her help. I’m not sure. Anyway, Jesus says to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” Does this mean that Jesus was not concerned with the problem? No, not at all. We can see that He is concerned about it because of Mary’s response to Him. She took what He said to mean that He was going to take care of the problem. Here is what the commentaries that I have studied say that Jesus meant by His question to Mary. Jesus is saying, paraphrasing in today’s language, “Woman, do you think this is a problem for you to be concerned about with Me here. I have got this, but only on My Father’s timetable. It is not time for me to fully reveal myself.” Mary took this as her cue to step back and let her son work, as she simply said “do what He says”. Only the servants, the disciples, and Mary knew about this “sign” when it happened (John 2:11). Jesus did this specifically so His disciples would believe (John 2:11). The water pots were not filled with drinking water. The water was for the Jews’ ceremonial washing before eating.

Wine symbolizes God’s blessings in scripture. (Jer. 48:33, Prov. 3:10, Psalms 104:15) It also represents God dwelling with His people to bless and restore them one day. (Isa. 25:6, Joel 3:17-18, Amos 9:13-15) I found the coolest symbolic representation of this account on West Palm Beach coC’s website, and wanted to share it here. The wedding being out of wine symbolizes the Jews’ relationship with God….they were separated from Him. Jesus’ removal of the purification water pots represents the removal of the old law in the future. There would be no more ceremonial washing rituals. Jesus will be the spiritual cleansing that everyone needs. Jesus restores the “wine” or blessings to the people. Jesus is the wine. He provides the blessings. Also, the fact that the new “wine” was better than the original wine is a parallel to the new covenant being superior to the old law. Jesus brings better blessings, just like He brought better wine to the guests at the wedding. And….He brings those blessings in abundance, hence the sheer magnitude of wine that He provided which was more than the people could ever drink. I really loved this explanation when I ran across it. I had never thought about this account this way before.

This event is called a “sign”, instead of a miracle. Not that it wasn’t a miracle, but a sign has a deeper meaning. It reveals and represents something more than we see on the surface. Think about physical signs that we see everyday. They reveal directions, instructions, or information that help us understand our world. This “sign” revealed Jesus’ deity to His disciples. It revealed His glory and power to them. It helped them know that they could trust Him. This was what the “sign” was intended for. Jesus could read the disciples’ minds. He knew the exact right moment to reveal His power to them to have the desired effect….which was their belief in Him. And…..it was only the beginning! I find it interesting that His brothers were with the crew in verse 12 when they traveled from Cana to Capernaum. However, they were not a part of the “sign” at the wedding. I wonder if Mary told them about it. Later, in John 7:3-5, we are told that His brothers did not believe in Him. So even if Mary did tell them about the miracle at Cana, it is not likely that they would have believed her anyway.

Sidenote…..I have to mention this. This account is not recorded to give us permission or an excuse to drink alcohol as Christians. That is not John’s purpose for including it at all. Jesus would never have made intoxicating wine for this wedding. Let’s remember that everything Jesus did while He was here on earth was to bring glory to God. If Jesus had made intoxicating wine for people to get drunk on, would that have been glorifying God? Would that have been God’s will? If we drink alcohol, whether it’s one drink or ten drinks, are we glorifying God? And, don’t get me wrong, we can ask this question about anything we do…..things we watch on tv, language we use, gossiping, etc. I know I’m guilty of some of these things, namely tv shows and movies. I know I need to consider whether what I’m watching is something a Christian should be watching. I’m only pointing out alcohol use, because I’ve heard so many people use this account of Jesus turning the water to wine to justify drinking, and it is not about that. The word wine was used interchangeably for grape juice and the fermented beverage in the bible. Below, I have included two links to lessons on the subject of alcohol for you to consider. They are really good, so check them out.

Let’s go back to the title of this post and Mary’s words to the servants at the wedding, “Do whatever He tells you to do.” Everything in God’s Word is what “He tells us to do”. Let’s do it…..so we can be with Him for eternity.

https://www.northwestcofc.org/holiness–social-drinking.html

https://frontroyalchurchofchrist.com/what-does-the-bible-say-about-drinking/

Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? If you aren’t, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are…..believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out.

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for humankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible.

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17)

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16)

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32)

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19)

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)