Habakkuk 3:16–19 — The Faith that Endures

As we come to the end of the Book of Habakkuk find the Faith that Endures. This is a fitting ending to the Book that started with Habakkuk questioning God's justice and His methods. But, at the end of the Book, his faith has been strengthened.
What makes Habakkuk’s closing song so profoundly beautiful is its honesty. The prophet does not fake a stoic, emotionless spirituality. In verse 16, he admits that the impending Babylonian invasion terrifies him: his body trembles, his lips quiver, and decay enters his bones. Biblical faith does not require us to deny reality or suppress our natural fears when looking at a seemingly dark horizon. Rather, it requires us to look past that horizon to the God who rules over it.
This leads to one of the most magnificent confessions of faith in all of Scripture. Habakkuk envisions the absolute worst-case scenario for any society—complete economic collapse and agricultural devastation.

Habakkuk teaches us that the joy of enduring faith rest not on external circumstances. If our joy is tied to our health, our wealth, our national security, or our personal success, it is invariably fragile. But when our joy is anchored exclusively in the Person of Christ and the reality of His salvation, it is unshakeable. The world can take away the harvest, but it cannot take away the Savior.
The Book concludes not with a change in Habakkuk’s situation, but with a transformation of his heart. The Babylonians are still coming, but the prophet can now declare,

The Lord does not always remove the adversity in front of us, but He does provide the sure-footed grace we need to navigate the treacherous terrain.
Enduring faith is the quiet resolve to rest in His strength, knowing that the God who saves us will safely lead us home.
Do you have this kind of faith? 

Habakkuk 3:8–15 — A Reflection

There are moments in life when evil appears overwhelmingly powerful. We look at the world and see injustice thriving, corruption spreading, violence increasing, and the wicked prospering. Sometimes it feels like the forces of darkness are advancing, leaving us helpless to stop them.

The prophet Habakkuk knew exactly what this felt like. The Babylonian empire was like a dark storm on the horizon, and it looked as though evil would swallow everything in its path. But in Habakkuk 3:8–15, the prophet is given a breathtaking vision that completely changes his perspective. He is reminded—as we are reminded—that when evil appears powerful, we must remember that God is the Divine Warrior who rises to defeat darkness and save His people.

Habakkuk looked at Babylon and feared that evil was winning, but God reminded him of a much deeper reality: He has always been the Warrior who fights for the salvation of His people. The prophet looks back at the Exodus—the ultimate Old Testament pattern of God defeating enemies to deliver His people—as proof that He will do it again.

But the Exodus was merely a shadow of a much greater reality. This vision traces the story of salvation from the promise of the serpent-crusher in Genesis 3:15 all the way to the culmination of human history. The parallels are this amazing assurance of the Gospel message:

• The Slavery: Just as Israel was enslaved in Egypt, we were enslaved to sin.
• The Sacrifice: Just as Israel was saved by the Passover lamb, we are saved by Christ, our ultimate Lamb.
• The Deliverance: Just as God brought deliverance through the Red Sea, He brought our ultimate deliverance through the cross and resurrection.
• The Destination: Just as God led Israel toward the Promised Land, He is leading us to an eternal kingdom.

Habakkuk 3 is a reminder that we do not need to despair when we feel overwhelmed by the prevailing wickedness of our day. We can look back at the cross and remember that our God is a mighty Warrior has already won the decisive battle against sin, evil, and death.

Habakkuk 2:4b — The Just Shall Live By Faith

The foundational truth at the heart of the Gospel is that God desires a personal relationship with you. The Creator of the universe knows your name, Christ died for your sins, and His Holy Spirit dwells within you. He is a personal God, and your walk with Him is personal.
But over the past several decades, a subtle and dangerous shift has occurred in the Western church. We have taken the glorious truth that our faith is personal and twisted it to mean that our faith is private.

Let’s be clear on the difference. A "personal" faith means you have direct access to the Father through the Son. A "private" faith means you do the Christian live alone, isolated, hidden, and disconnected from God's people. A hand has a deeply personal connection to the brain that commands it, but if you sever that hand and keep it private, it dies. The New Testament knows absolutely nothing of this disconnected Christian.

So, how did we get here?

Part of it is cultural. We live in a time with a warped sense of individualism, where truth is treated as a subjective, internal feeling—a creeping influence of New Age philosophy that says spirituality is just "me and my truth." But the greatest enabler of this private Christianity is something much more common: technology.
With the rise of endless Bible apps, podcasts, and church livestreaming, many believers have bought into the illusion that they can have a true relationship with Christ from the comfort of their living room. They read the Bible on their own, have a personal devotion time, pick a flavor-of-the-month church livestream to watch on a Sunday morning, and call it for the day.

As a church, we are incredibly grateful for technology. We provide a livestream and post our teachings online specifically for the edification of those who are sick, homebound, or traveling. If you physically cannot make it into the assembly on Sunday or Wednesday, the livestream is a blessing.
But ... if you are watching church services from home simply because you do not want to get dressed and drive somewhere, you have stepped into a form of idolatry. It is the idolatry of convenience.

When we choose the couch over the congregation, we are not just showing lack of commitment to Christ; we are spiritually starving ourselves and robbing the Body of Christ. You cannot fulfill the "one anothers" of Scripture through a screen. You cannot weep with those who weep, bear someone else's burdens, or serve the body in the comment section of a video.

The writer of Hebrews makes this abundantly clear:
"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Notice the prerequisite for assembling together: considering one another to stir up love and good works. You cannot stir up a brother or sister in Christ from a distance. Proximity is required for discipleship.

Furthermore, the Apostle Paul tells us that we must be "walking worthy of the calling with which you were called" (Ephesians 4:1). What does a worthy walk look like? He explains it a few verses later, describing the church as a body "joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share..." (Ephesians 4:16).

If you are a Christian, you are a joint in the body of Christ. You have a specific supply—a spiritual gift, a word of encouragement, an act of service—that the rest of us desperately need. When you privatize your faith and stay home, the rest of the body limps because you are not there to do your share.
Your relationship with Jesus is wonderfully personal. But He saved you to be part of a family, a flock, and a body.

If you have fallen into the habit of "private" Christianity, let today be the day you step back into the light of fellowship. Find a Bible-believing Bible-teaching church. Be faithful to your God by attending, serving, giving, and witnessing.
The Church needs you, and you need the Church.

Habakkuk 2:4b — The Just Shall Live By Faith

In Chapter 1, the prophet Habakkuk wrestled deeply, questioning God's justice and His methods in dealing with Judea's apostasy. But instead of rejecting God, even in his confusion, Habakkuk makes a profound shift at the beginning of Chapter 2, transitioning from wondering and worrying to watching and waiting. He intentionally withdraws from the quicksand of the noise around him to station himself on the watchtower, to pray, meditate, and wait on the Lord. This was not a physical relocation, but a metaphorical shift in his spiritual posture. This watchtower becomes a sanctuary where sighing is turned into singing, providing a corrected focus as he waits for God's response to shape his thinking.
God honors this expectant faith, answering Habakkuk with three mighty assurances to strengthen him for the difficult days ahead:

1. “The just shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4)
2. The promise that “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD” (Habakkuk 2:14)
3. The comforting truth that “The LORD is in His holy temple” (Habakkuk 2:20).

The first of these assurances becomes the grounding verse of New Testament theology. It is the definitive answer to the self-reliant spirit of the proud and the unbreakable anchor for the believer's soul. This single phrase is so foundational to God's redemptive plan that the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to quote it in three different epistles, each unpacking a distinct aspect of how God's people are to navigate their Christian journey.

1. Romans 1:17 — Justification
   Romans is the Apostle Paul's most significant letter. He builds the entire epistle around this promise in Habakkuk, emphasizing the just. Quoting the prophet in Romans 1:17, Paul writes,
   “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” –Romans 1:17
   Here, the spotlight is entirely on Justification—our legal standing before a holy God. How does a guilty sinner become right before the Judge of the earth? We cannot earn our way into His favor; rather, we are declared just alone through faith in Christ's finished work on the cross. Our identity is secure not because of human effort, but because of His grace.
2. Galatians 3:11 — Liberty
   Second, Paul applies this same verse to defend our Liberty in the Christian life.
   Paul returns to this ancient promise in Galatians 3:11, but this time his emphasis shifts to the middle of the phrase to highlight that we shall live.
   “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for ‘the just shall live by faith.’” –Galatians 3:11
   The Galatian church had fallen into the trap of starting by faith but trying to finish by keeping rules. By emphasizing life, Paul defends our Liberty. Faith is not merely the door we walk through to get saved; it is the very atmosphere we breathe. After we are saved, we do not switch to striving under our own power; we are meant to truly live, grow, and walk daily in the freedom of trusting reliance on Him. Just like justification is by faith, sanctification is also by faith.
3. Hebrews 10:38 - Endurance
   Finally, Habakkuk's words are used in Hebrews to encourage a weary, persecuted church that was tempted to abandon her confession. In Hebrews 10:38, the emphasis lands on the final words: by faith.
   “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” –Hebrews 10:38
   Here, the message is Endurance. When the days grow dark, when the promised rescue seems delayed, and when the world feels chaotic, it is this persistent, steady walk by faith that keeps us moving forward.

Whether we need to secure our righteous standing before God, to live in the liberty afforded to us by Christ, or to endure the trials through His strength, God’s word remains our anchor, calling us to rest on His faithfulness.

Are you living by faith?

 

Habakkuk: Trusting God in Troubled Times

As you look at the brokenness of the world—or the struggles in your own life—does your faith and trust in God seems to be out of focus? If so, you are not alone. This Sunday, we are starting our verse-by-verse study in the Book of Habakkuk. Habakkuk is a unique prophet who not only spoke for God but also wrestled with God. Whereas other prophets declared the certainties of God to man, Habakkuk expresses the uncertainties of man to God. We will see a man who starts in the valley, in turmoil, wondering and worrying about why God seems silent when life is hard. Chapter 1 opens not with a sermon, but with the prophet’s cry—a heavy sigh that gives voice to the honest questions we are often too afraid to ask.

But the story does not end in the valley. As we journey through this book, we will watch Habakkuk move from wondering and worrying to watching and waiting. He climbs the watchtower to seek God's ways and learns that even when life is dark, God is still on the throne. We will see his faith have a corrected focus as he learns to trust God’s hand, even when he cannot see it. This is a book about the journey from fear to faith, teaching us that honest doubt, when brought with sincerity to God, can be the pathway to deeper intimacy.

Ultimately, we are ascending up the mountain where faith has 20/20 vision. By the end of our study, we will see how the prophet moves from crying in turmoil, to learning to trust, to singing in triumph, not because his circumstances changed, but because his perspective did. He moves from wondering and worrying to watching and waiting to worshipping and witnessing, trading his sigh for a song.

Are you ready to let the Lord take you on this powerful journey from the valley of silence to the heights of faith, trust, and intimacy with God?

John 20:18–31 — Believing is Seeing

In John 20, we see that faith is not "one-size-fits-all"; the Risen Lord meets His followers exactly where they are to strengthen their faith. For the Apostle John, faith was born of evidence; the observation of the undisturbed grave cloths was enough to convince him. For Mary Magdalene, faith was born of an encounter with the Lord; she needed the emotional connection of hearing the Shepherd call her by name. For Thomas, faith was born of examination; as a skeptic, he needed the empirical proof of touching the wounds. Jesus did not reject any of these approaches. He met John with logic, Mary with presence, and Thomas with proof, showing that He is the Savior of the thinker, the feeler, and the skeptic alike.

However, the climax of the chapter is reserved for us. After meeting Thomas’s need, Jesus pivots to the fourth and final group: us, whose faith is based on testimony. He declares, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." For John, Mary, and Thomas, seeing is believing; for us, believing is seeing. Today, we do not have the physical linen, the audible voice, or the touchable scars, but we have the record and reliable testimony of God's Word. When we trust this testimony, we have the same power that Thomas felt in the Upper Room. We discover that we do not need to see the physical body to experience the spiritual reality of "life in His name." We see with our spiritual eye.

Can you see?

John 20:1–17 — Love Turns Grief into a Mission

The resurrection of our Lord was not initially greeted with shouts of victory. It was met with FUD: fear, uncertainty, and doubts. In John 20:1–17, we encounter Mary Magdalene. Her story magnifies the resurrection as we see her confusion turns into faith. Through her encounter with Jesus, He transforms her paralyzing grief into a mission to witness to the disciples.

I. The Grief (vv. 1–13)
Mary arrives at the tomb "while it was still dark." This is not just a description of the event; it is the state of her soul. Her great love for Jesus compelled her to be near Him, even if it meant just being near His tomb. When she sees the stone removed, her intense grief confuses her about what is actually happening. She think, "They have taken away the Lord" (v. 2). Her sorrow is so blinding that when she looks into the tomb, even the sight of two angels cannot snap her out of her FUD. She is looking for a corpse to bury, not a Savior to worship. Her grief proves her love, but it also clouds her vision to the supernatural events taking place right in front of her.

II. The Revelation (vv. 14–16)
Desperate, Mary turns from the tomb and sees Jesus standing there, but through her tear-filled eyes, she mistakes Him for the gardener. She begs this stranger to tell her where the body was. Then, everything changed with a single word. Jesus does not offer a theological explanation; He simply speaks her name in a voice she knew better than her own: "Mary." In that instant, the fog of grief lifted. It was not just seeing His face that brought revelation; it was hearing the Good Shepherd call her by name. She instantly recognizes His voice, and she responded with total devotion: "Rabboni!" This revelation turns her grief into a mission.

III. The Commission (v. 17)
Mary’s natural reaction is to cling to the Jesus she knew, perhaps terrified of losing Him again. But Jesus gently stops her: "Do not cling to Me." He was not rejecting her affection; He was redirecting it. Jesus shows her that because of the cross, the relationship had changed forever. He was ascending, and now His Father was her Father. Jesus does not just comfort Mary and leave her there in happy tears. He gives her a task. He takes the most brokenhearted person in Jerusalem and makes her into a messenger to tell the disciples that the King was alive.

Jesus meets us in our darkest moments and calls us by name. But He loves us too much to leave us in our grief. He meets us in our sorrow to commission us for a purpose: to go and tell others that we have seen the Lord.

Has the reality of the resurrection of our Savior turned you into a witness? Why not?

John 17:20–26 — Jesus Prayer for All Believers

In John 17:20–26, the Lord Jesus, our great High Priest, continues His prayer before being arrested, falsely tried, beaten, mocked, and crucified. In these verses, Jesus shifts His focus to pray for the Church Universal—every believer, regardless of location or the time they live in.
In verses 21–23, Jesus prays for the unity of all believers. This is not a false, institutional ecumenism achieved by compromising the truth. Rather, it is primarily based on the knowledge of the Holy Father revealed through the glory that the Lord Jesus gives them (v. 22). This knowledge comes from being sanctified by the truth (v. 19), which is the Word of God (v. 17). This unity is also grounded in being indwelt by God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and receiving His love (v. 23). This prayer was answered at Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the church (Acts 2).
In verses 24–26, Jesus concludes His great intercessory prayer by requesting the glorification of all believers, expressing His desire that they be with Him to behold His glory. This glorification, which will begin at death or the Rapture, whichever comes first (cf. John 14:2-3; 2 Cor. 5:6-8), includes being with Jesus forever (cf. Col. 3:4; 1 Thess. 4:17). Ultimately, Jesus states that He will continue to declare the Father's name so that the Father's love may be in them and Christ Himself may abide in them, ensuring they fully experience God's love.
Did you know that Jesus prayed this for you and me—for us, and for all believers of all times?

John 17:1-26 — The High Priestly Prayer of Jesus

As the Upper Room Discourse concludes in John 16, the reminder of Jesus private ministry before the Cross in His high priestly prayer recorded in John 17. The similarities between this prayer and the Upper Room Discourse, in addition to the Apostle John's notation at its end (18:1), tells us that Jesus prayed this before He went to Gethsemane on His way there from the Upper Room. Although calling it "Jesus' high priestly prayer" is a bit misleading—since Jesus had not yet entered into His high priestly ministry which He began when He ascended into heaven (cf. Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:1), it is hard to describe it differently. Regardless, John 17 records the greatest prayer ever prayed on earth and the greatest prayer recorded anywhere in Scripture.

John 17 can be outlined as follows:

• Jesus Prays for Himself (17:1–5)
  The Son glorifies the Father by completing the mission.
• Jesus Prays for His Disciples (17:6–19)
  Protect them, sanctify them, and send them.
• Jesus Prays for Future Believers (17:20–26)
  Unity, love, and shared glory for all who will believe.

John 17 opens with Jesus lifting His eyes to the Father and praying first for Himself—not out of self-concern, but out of devotion to the mission. In 17:1–5, Jesus asks to be glorified through the Cross so that He might glorify the Father who sent Him. His finished work, soon to be accomplished in His death and resurrection, reveals the heart of eternal life: knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. Having completed the mission on earth, Jesus prays to return to the glory He shared with the Father before the foundation of the world.

From that place of eternal fellowship, Jesus turns His attention to the disciples who have walked with Him. In 17:6–19, He prays for those to whom He revealed the Father’s name—the men who received His words, believed His message, and now face a hostile world without His physical presence. Jesus intercedes for their protection, asking the Father to keep them in His name and guard them from the evil one. He also prays for their sanctification, that they would be shaped by the truth of God’s Word and set apart for the mission. As the Father sent the Son, so the Son now sends His disciples into the world with the same purpose and the same dependence on strength from God.

Finally, Jesus widens the scope of His prayer to embrace all future believers—all who will come to faith through the apostolic word (17:20–26). His great desire is unity: that every believer, across every generation, might share in the oneness of the Father and the Son. This unity is not merely organizational but spiritual, grounded in shared glory and sustained by God's love. Jesus prays that His people would be with Him where He is, beholding His glory and living in the love with which the Father has loved the Son. At the end, John 17 reveals the heart of Jesus for His church: glorify the Father, guard the disciples, gather the nations—and draw them all into the eternal love of God.

John 15:5 — "I AM the Vine"

In John 15:5, Jesus says, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." This declaration is the last of Jesus' "I AM" statements. Jesus, here, is asserting His identity as the one and only source of genuine life. In the Old Testament, Israel was often described as God's vine, as seen, for example, in Psalm 80:8, but especially in Isaiah 5:1-7. However, Israel was a vine that repeatedly failed to produce good fruit; instead, it brought forth "wild grapes" (Isaiah 5:4). By calling Himself the "true vine," Jesus announces that He is the fulfillment of all that Israel was meant to be—the new, perfect, and life-giving center of God's people. He is the source of all life and fruitfulness, and believers (the branches) must remain connected to Him to have eternal life, a life in communion with God. He is the trunk, the root system, and the very channel through which all of God's life, love, and sustenance flows to those who are in Him.

For us as believers, this metaphor illustrates our absolute dependence on Him. As branches, we have no independent source of life; our sole purpose is to remain connected to the vine. This connection, which Jesus calls "abiding," is not some mystical feeling of elation. Rather, it is a constant, active confidence in Him for everything. Just as a branch can only produce grapes by drawing sap from the vine, we can only produce the fruit of a godly life (love, joy, good works) by depending on and trusting in Christ. Jesus' statement is both a comfort and a warning, culminating in the quintessential fact of the Christian life: "without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

Are you abiding in Christ?

John 14:6 — The Way, the Truth, & the Life

In John 14:6, Jesus makes one of the most profound and exclusive claims in all of Scripture, declaring, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." He does not present Himself as one of many options or a guide who simply points to a path; He identifies Himself as the very path itself. By saying that He is the way, Jesus establishes Himself as the singular way to God. By claiming to be the truth, He presents Himself as the ultimate reality and the perfect revelation of God. And by declaring He is the life, He identifies Himself as the very source of eternal life, not just a teacher of it.

This absolute statement by Jesus is the foundation for the apostles' unwavering proclamation in the book of Acts. The Apostle Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, echoes Jesus's exclusive claim in Acts 4:12, stating about Jesus, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." The Apostle Peter's declaration is the logical and necessary consequence of Jesus's identity. If Jesus is the only way to the Father, then it is only in His name that salvation can be found, making both passages a clear and unified testimony to the exclusive role of Jesus Christ in the salvation of mankind.

Should we coexist with those from other beliefs in a pluralistic society? Of course.
Can we compromise the exclusive claims of our Lord so as not to offend others? Absolutely not!

John 13:1-30 — Love and Betrayal

The message from John 13:1-30 this Sunday will take us into the Upper Room for one of the most intimate and pivotal moments in Jesus's earthly ministry. On the night Jesus was betrayed, with the cross just hours away, Jesus gives His disciples a final but powerful lesson on the true meaning of greatness. Knowing He had all authority from the Father, He took off His outer garments, wrapped Himself with a towel, and washed His disciples' feet—a shocking act of love that ought to redefine our understanding of what it means to be "the greatest." Jesus' action meant to do two things: give us a picture of our need for spiritual cleansing in Christ and to give us a timeless command to humbly serve one another.

We then witness the heartbreaking contrast as Jesus, in His deep love and sorrowful sovereignty, exposes the betrayer who was sitting at the table with them. The example of Jesus, especially when contrasted with the treachery of Judas, presents the ultimate picture of servant-hearted love.

Are you willing to serve like Jesus did?

John 11:35 — The Shortest Verse, The Deepest Grief

It is the shortest verse in the English Bible, yet it holds an ocean of meaning: "Jesus wept" (John 11:35). Standing before the tomb of His friend Lazarus, the incarnate Son of God shed tears. But have you ever stopped to ask the profound question of why He was weeping? When we look closer, the simplest answers don't seem to fully capture the weight of the moment. He could not have been weeping simply over the loss of His friend, because He knew that in a few moments, He would command Lazarus to walk out of that very tomb. It is also unlikely that He was weeping in compassion for Mary and Martha, since He knew He was about to turn their sorrow into joy.

This was not a cry of helpless grief, but of holy sorrow. The original Greek word used here, dakryo, implies a quiet shedding of tears, suggesting a deep, internal anguish. Standing at the grave, Jesus was confronted by the full, ugly consequence of sin in the world—death itself. Death in Scripture does not point to annihilation but to separation from God, from the Source of all life, from experiencing the fullness of what we were meant to be, from our loved ones. As the prophet Isaiah wrote of Him, He was "a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3). His weeping was an outward expression of the sorrow His heart felt over the brokenness, pain, and separation that sin had unleashed upon God's perfect creation.

This divine grief is a pattern we see elsewhere in His life. Jesus wept over the spiritual blindness and coming judgment of Jerusalem (Luke 19:41), and He agonized with "vehement cries and tears" in Gethsemane as He faced the wrath that sin deserved (Hebrews 5:7). Ultimately, the tears of Jesus are a proof of His compassion for fallen mankind. They show us that our God is not distant or stoic, but a Savior who enters into our suffering, grieves over the sin that causes it, and was moved so deeply that He went to the cross to defeat death forever.

What do you mourn? What do you grieve?
Your comfort? Your desires? Your wants?
Or the sin that has ravaged creation since the Fall and necessitated the incarnation of our Savior and His brutal, bloody death on the cross?

John 9:13-34 — The Probing of Blindness

All throughout chapters 7-12 in the Gospel of John we see the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem oppose Jesus at every turn. In chapter 8, they took issue with Jesus calling Himself "the Light of the World" at the heel of the Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus was declaring that He is the fulfillment and the referent of all the symbolism in that Feast. However, they continued in their unbelief. John chapter 9 now tells us the reasons why they did not believe and points to a danger that we can all face in our Christian walk.

The Pharisees were further upset in chapter 9 because Jesus had given sight to the blind-from-birth man on a Sabbath. Some of the Pharisees were emphatic that Jesus "is not from God because He does not keep the Sabbath." Consequently, they interrogated the man and his parents hoping to get something by which they can repudiate Jesus and His miracle. If in John 9:1-12 we see the miracle of sight, in John 9:13-34, we ironically see the probing of blindness. The Pharisees, who saw themselves as the teachers of Israel, were blind to the truth of God, while the man who was born blind has received physical and spiritual sight as we will see in the rest of the chapter. But weren't the Pharisees the sect who was holding firmly to the Scripture? Weren't they just obeying the Law of Moses about observing the Sabbath? If you were in Jerusalem that day would you have recognized the error of the Pharisees and believed that Jesus is the Messiah? How do you recognize whether what a person is saying is from God today?

Here are seven tests to help do that:
1. The Test of Fulfilled Prophecy (The Accuracy Test)

• Deuteronomy 18:21-22

2. The Test of Allegiance to God (The Doctrinal Test)

• Deuteronomy 13:1-3  

3. The Test of Their "Fruit" (The Character Test)

• Matthew 7:15-20  

4. The Test of Their Motivation (The Greed Test)

• 2 Peter 2:3
• Titus 1:10-11  

5. The Test of Their Lifestyle (The Morality Test)

• 2 Peter 2:18-19
• Matthew 24:24  

6. The Test of Their Message About Jesus Christ (The Christological Test)

• 1 John 4:1-3
• 2 Peter 2:1  

7. The Test of Their Source of Authority (The Apostolic Test)

• 2 Peter 3:15-16
• Jude 1:3-4

8. The Test of Who is Being Glorified (The Doxological Test)

• John 8:50, 54
• John 16:13-14
• Acts 3:12-13

It is my prayer that you are living with discernment in the midst of a confused world. My exhortation to you is that of Ephesians 4:14 "that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,"

John 6:60-71 — The Fickle Followers

In John 6:22-40, we saw the carnal followers of Christ, who were merely after a free meal. In verses 41-59, we saw the skeptic followers, who were entrenched in their unbelief because of rebellion and pride. Now, in John 6:60-66, we see the fickle followers, those who will leave Jesus. When Jesus's teachings challenge the comfort and expectations of the crowd, many will stop following Him. Jesus's declaration about eating His flesh and drinking His blood proved to be a "hard saying" for many to accept. This leads to a mass departure, highlighting the difference between genuine faith and superficial attraction.

Following this departure, Jesus turns to His twelve disciples, asking them if they also want to leave. Peter, speaking for the group, makes a profound declaration of faith, acknowledging that Jesus has the words of eternal life and that they have come to believe and know that He is the Holy One of God. This highlights the difference between the faithful disciple, who has died to himself (Luke 14:27), and the fickle follower, who is only after what he can get out of Jesus. This passage is a reminder that true discipleship requires a deep commitment and a heart fully surrendered to Christ.

So, are you a disciple or a follower?
Have you stopped following Jesus? Why? Are you carnal or a skeptic?
Have you surrendered to Christ? Have you died to self? Are you carrying your cross daily?

I choose to be a disciple! Would you join me?

John 5:31-47 — The Fourfold Witness

In John 5:31-47, Jesus presents a fourfold witness to validate His claims about His divine nature and authority. In this passage, Jesus defends His actions and teachings against the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem. He acknowledges that His testimony alone is not sufficient and thus calls on other witnesses, per Jewish law, which requires at least two witnesses.

John the Baptist
Jesus points to John the Baptist, who had testified about Jesus being the Messiah (John 1:29-34). John was respected as a prophet, and his testimony held weight among the people. In Matthew 21:25, Jesus asked the chief priest and elders whether John's baptism was from God or man. They were afraid to answer because they knew that all the people believed John the Baptist.

Jesus' Works
Jesus points to His miracles and teachings as evidence of His divine origin. He argues that these works, empowered by God, testify to His relationship with the Father (John 5:36). These works, given to Him by the Father to accomplish, demonstrate Jesus' identity and attest to His divine nature. The miracles are not meant to be seen as ends in themselves but as signs pointing to the authenticity of His claims. Nicodemus, one of their own leaders, has confessed the same during his visit with Jesus (John 3:1-2).

God the Father
Jesus claims that God Himself bears witness to Him. This mainly refers to the voice from heaven at Jesus' baptism (Matthew 3:17) and to the underlying presence in all that Jesus did and said.

The Scriptures
Jesus argues that the Jewish leaders, who were experts in the law and the prophets, should have recognized Jesus as the fulfillment of the prophecies concerning the Messiah (John 5:39). They had diligently searched the scriptures, rightly thinking that they have eternal life in them. Still, they failed to see that all scripture pointed to Him, the giver of eternal life.

The significance of the fourfold witness lies in its legal context. In Jewish law, the testimony of two witnesses was sufficient to establish the truth of a matter. By presenting four distinct witnesses, Jesus emphasizes the strength of His claims and challenges the unbelief of His opponents. Additionally, the fourfold witness highlights the multifaceted nature of Jesus' identity and authority. It demonstrates that His claims are not based on His assertions alone but are supported by various sources of divine and human testimony.

Jesus argued that the evidence was sufficient, and the rejection of these witnesses was due to a lack of love for God.
Do you love God?
Then, are you accepting the claims that Jesus made regarding who He is?

John 5:16-30 — Equal with the Father

In John 5:13-21, Jesus makes several claims about Himself that highlight His deity. He calls God His Father, making Himself equal with God (v. 18). He claims to have the authority to give life (v. 21). He claims to have the authority to judge (v. 22). He claims to be worthy of the same honor as the Father (v. 23). Jesus is not just a man, He is God.

This is why the church spent the first 300 years battling heresies against the Personhood of Jesus Christ. Why was the Personhood of Jesus Christ the first thing that the church battled with? Did church leadership just want to stifle dissent? The church was fighting for a view of who Jesus is that preserved the Gospel. This is why heresies that attacked the Personhood of Jesus Christ like Ebionism, Arianism, Docetism, Nestorianism, and Eutychianism are not simply theological jargon that just do not matter anymore. Any other view than that Jesus is 1) true God, 2) true Man, 3) one Person, 4) with two natures (both divine and human) means that Jesus could not have taken our place on the cross.

Ebionism said that Jesus was not God. Arianism taught that Jesus was a created being, subordinate to God the Father, namely, He is not fully God. Nestorianism taught that Christ was two distinct persons, one divine and one human, loosely joined together. Docetism taught that Jesus only appeared to be human, denying the reality of His incarnation, namely, Jesus was not human. Eutychianism said that Jesus had one blended nature. The church battled these heresies because they had real implications on the heart of the Gospel, our justification, our sanctification, and the Christian Life.

Justification
Because our sin was against an infinite God, it required an infinite sacrifice to atoned for it. If Jesus is not fully God, His sacrifice on the cross would have been insufficient to atone for our sin. Only God can truly bridge the gap between God and man. If Jesus' humanity was not real, then His death on the cross could not have been a true sacrifice for sin. A phantom death cannot atone for real sins. The core of the Gospel—Christ's atoning death and resurrection—is nullified. If Christ is not one unified person, then which "person" died on the cross? It's difficult to see how His divine nature could have truly suffered for our sin. The atonement becomes fragmented and ineffective.

Sanctification
If Jesus is not fully God, the power available to believers for sanctification is diminished. A lesser Jesus means a lesser access to the Father and the divine power for transformation. Docetism separates Christ's divinity from His humanity, making Him an unattainable and irrelevant example for human life. How can we emulate a phantom? The call to be conformed to the image of Christ loses its meaning. Nestorianism creates a disconnect between the divine and human aspects of Christ, making it difficult to understand how His divine power can work in our human lives. The process of being transformed into Christlikeness is obscured.

Christian Living
Arianism can lead to a diminished view of Jesus' authority and a less compelling motivation for obedience. If Jesus is not truly God, why should we worship Him as such? Our model for perfect humanity is compromised. Docetism can lead to a disregard for the physical world and a denial of the importance of the incarnation. It can also foster a spiritual elitism, where true spirituality is seen as detached from the messiness of human existence. Nestorianism can lead to a confusing and compartmentalized view of the Christian life. How do we relate to the two Christs? Which one do we follow? This undermines a holistic understanding of what it means to follow Christ.

In John 5:16-30, the Lord Jesus clearly asserted that He is equal with the Father with the authority to give life. Has the reality that Jesus Christ is God the Son who became man fully taken hold in your life, heart, soul, mind, and strength?

Scripture: Galatians 4:4-5
⁴ But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Devotion: These verses from Galatians beautifully capture the essence of Christmas. The apostle Paul is reminding us of the divine plan behind the incarnation. Christmas is a celebration of God sending His Son into the world. Jesus Christ, God the Son and the eternal creator, humbled Himself to be born of a woman, entering our world, the world He created.

The law was not given so we can gain righteousness by obeying it. It was meant to show us that we all fall short of God's standard of righteousness. It was meant to show us our need for a Savior and to point us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). Only the Lord Jesus was able to fulfill the law. He was born under the law to fulfill the law on our behalf. His obedience to the law and ultimate sacrifice on the cross redeemed us from the curse of the law.

But more than that. Jesus' purpose in coming was to redeem those under the law so that we might receive adoption to sonship. Through Jesus Christ, we are not only forgiven and redeemed, but we are also adopted into the family of God. This is the true gift of Christmas – being brought into a loving relationship with God as His children.

This Christmas Day, before you open gift and enjoy the festivities with your family, would you remember the reason for the Season!  Would you consider how you can share the message of redemption and adoption with family and friends. May the joy of being part of God's family inspire you to show love and kindness to those around you, spreading the light of Christ in a world that is in desperate need for His hope and peace. Merry Christmas!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son at the perfect time to redeem us.
As we celebrate Christmas, help us to remember the immense love and grace behind His birth. Thank You for adopting us into Your family and giving us the privilege of being called Your children. Fill our hearts with gratitude and joy as we reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture: Romans 5:17
¹⁷ For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

Devotion: Romans 5:17 reminds us of the amazing gift that God has given us through the birth of Jesus Christ. This verse contrasts the consequences of Adam's sin with the abundant grace and gift of righteousness brought by Jesus. It's a powerful reminder of why we celebrate this season: the arrival of our Savior. Through Adam's trespass, sin and death entered the world. Adam's disobedience brought separation from God and ushered a reign of death over mankind. This grim reality highlights our need for a Savior. In contrast, God's redemptive grace through Jesus Christ is described as abundant. Jesus' birth marks the climax of God's redemptive plan, which was foretold all the way back in the Garden. This grace is not just sufficient; it overflows, reaching every corner of our lives. Because of this grace, we receive the gift of righteousness through Jesus. This righteousness is not earned but given freely to those who believe in Christ Jesus. It's a status that restores our relationship with Him and empowers us to live in accordance with His will.

This Christmas Eve, take a moment to reflect on the abundant grace and gift of righteousness that Jesus brings. Consider how His birth has transformed your life and how you can share this incredible gift with others. Let the joy of this season inspire you to live out your faith boldly and to let righteousness reign in your life as God intended.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to fully grasp the depth of Your grace and the significance of the righteousness we receive through our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. May we live in the freedom and victory that He brings, reflecting Your love and grace to the world around us. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture: John 3:16
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.

Devotion: The verse begins with this intense declaration: "For God so loved the world."  This love is not limited to a select few but extends to the entire world, encompassing all of mankind. The word "so" indicates the degree of God's love; it is an immeasurable and unconditional love that compelled Him to act on behalf of a world in need of redemption. God's love is the motivation behind the entire mission of Jesus. God's love is expressed through the giving of His most precious gift, His unique Son. The Greek word monogenē, translated as "one and only" or "only begotten" means "one of a kind" or "unique." No one is like the Lord Jesus in all Creation. He is the God-man. The giving of His Son demonstrates the depth of God's love for us. This gift is not something that can be earned; it is received through faith when someone "believes." The purpose of this divine gift is so “that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." The term "perish" does not refer to annihilation, but to an eternity apart from God, who is life. Eternal life is not merely life without end, but a life with God, which begins at the moment of belief.

As you celebrate Christmas this year, remember that the birth of Jesus is an expression of God’s love for us. God's love is not a sentimental feeling but an act of self-sacrifice that led Him to offer His Son for our salvation. Could you receive a more incredible gift than this?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your immeasurable love for the world, expressed through the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us to believe in Him and receive the gift of eternal life. May we share this love with others this Christmas and always. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Scripture: John 1:29
²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Devotion: John 1:29 is a relevant verse during the Christmas season because it points to the purpose of the incarnation. The term “Lamb of God", an reference to the Passover Lamb, combines innocence, voluntary sacrifice, substitutionary atonement, effective obedience, and redemptive power, like the Passover Lamb. John the Baptist acknowledges that Jesus is not just a prophet or teacher, but the sacrificial Lamb Whose death would be the means of salvation for all. Christ' First Coming is not just about the birth of a baby in Bethlehem, but the arrival of the One Who would make atonement for the sins of the world through His death on the cross. The mission of the Lord Jesus was global in its scope. He came to save not just a select few, but the entire world from the bondage of sin.

As we celebrate Christmas, we need to remember that the baby in the manger is the Lamb of God, sent to redeem us from our sins. John the Baptist's witness calls us to acknowledge Jesus' true identity and to accept the gift of salvation that He offers. Would you reflect on the profound sacrifice Christ made and the life He offers to all who believe. The apostle John wanted his readers to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that they may have life in His name.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, the Lamb of God, to take away the sin of the world. May we truly understand the meaning of His sacrifice and embrace the new life he offers. In His name, Amen.

Scripture: John 1:1-5
¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Devotion: The opening verses of the Gospel of John are a profound and awe-inspiring description of the Lord Jesus. These verses emphasize the divine nature of Christ and the significance of His incarnation. However, even the previous sentence may give the wrong idea. When the apostle John under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit affirm the divinity and eternality of Jesus, the Word (Logos), he is affirming that the Lord Jesus was not only with God but that He is God. Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second member of the Trinity.  I recently started using the phrase "God the Son" instead of the "Son of God" to describe the Lord Jesus because many misunderstand the latter phrase to mean the Father is big God and Jesus is the small God who is subordinate to the Father. This heretical understanding contradicts the two thousand years old Christian faith. Rather, Scripture is clear that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are coequal and coeternal.  They are one in essence and equal in glory even though they are distinct as Persons. All of this highlights the wonder and mystery of the incarnation.  The eternal God, who created all things, stepped out of eternity to take on flesh and be born as baby in Bethlehem and become one of us. The creator God condescended to bring light and life to a world in darkness. As the source of all life, both physical and spiritual, now His life reverses the curse from the Garden of Eden. As the light, He illuminates our minds and shines in the darkest of human hearts.

Would you let His light shine through you, illuminating the world around you with the love and grace of our Savior?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, the eternal Word, to bring light and life to our world. As we celebrate Christmas, help us to remember the incredible gift of His incarnation. May His light shine brightly in our hearts, dispelling darkness and filling us with hope, joy, and peace. In His name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture: Luke 2:25-32
²⁵ And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷ So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸ he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:
²⁹ “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
³⁰ For my eyes have seen Your salvation
³¹ Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
³² A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”

Devotion: Luke 2:25-32 introduces us to Simeon, a devout and righteous man who eagerly awaited the coming of the Messiah. Guided by the Holy Spirit, Simeon enters the temple at the precise moment Mary and Joseph bring baby Jesus for His dedication. When he sees the child, Simeon knows immediately that he is in the presence of the promised long-awaited Savior. His immediate reaction is to praise God with joy and gratitude. He does not keep this revelation to himself but shares it, glorifying God for His faithfulness.

Simeon demonstrates faith, willingness to yield to the Holy Spirit's prompting, and worship. He spends his life eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Messiah, trusting in God's promise. Are waiting with hope and trust in God's perfect timing for His promises in your life?
Are you yielding to the Holy Spirit's guidance, allowing Him to lead you in your daily walk with the Lord?
Have you recognized that you can only find joy in the salvation provided by Christ Jesus our Savior?

Why are you celebrating this Christmas?
For the gifts?
For the festivities?
Because of tradition?
I pray that you are celebrating because your eyes have seen God's salvation.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Like Simeon, help me to wait patiently and faithfully for Your promises. Guide me by Your Holy Spirit and increasingly fill me with joy as I increasingly devote my life to our Savior. Let me respond with praise and a willingness to share the good news of His birth with those around me. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture: Luke 2:36-38
³⁶ Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; ³⁷ and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. ³⁸ And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

Devotion: Anna is a beautiful example of faithfulness and devotion. Despite being a widow for many years, she dedicated her life to worship, prayer, and fasting in the temple. She spends her days and nights in the temple, praising God. She waits patiently for the redemption of Israel and rejoices when the Savior arrives. Her perseverance and faith are richly rewarded when she get the privilege of seeing the infant Jesus, the promised Messiah. Upon seeing Jesus, Anna immediately begins to share the good news with those around her. Her joy and gratitude were infectious.  This Christmas, we are reminded to make worship and prayer a central part of our lives. Like Anna, we too are called to spread the message of Jesus' birth. This passage reminds us that God is faithful to His promises. We can trust Him, even in times of waiting and uncertainty.

Are your words and actions testify to the hope and redemption found in Christ Jesus?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, as we celebrate the birth of Your Son, help us to worship You with all our hearts, to remain persistent in prayer, and to joyfully proclaim the good news of Jesus. Strengthen our faith and fill us with the hope that comes from knowing Your promises are true. May our lives reflect Your love and grace. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.