“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” (14:27). In the face of so many problems around the world and in our personal lives, who doesn’t need some peace today? But Jesus doesn’t just promise to make us feel better in the midst of our confusion. No,…

“Let not your hearts be troubled” (v. 1). In the face of widespread political turmoil and a worldwide pandemic, how is that possible? Well, when Jesus first spoke these words, the situation wasn’t so different. Unlike so many modern Americans who complain about “microaggressions,” the Jewish people were truly oppressed….

“He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me” (v. 18). In quoting Psalm 41:9, Jesus made it plain that He knew what was going to happen to Him that night. So, it’s no wonder that He could announce to His astonished disciples, “One of you will betray…

It’s easy to love those who respect us and who listen to us. It’s easy to serve those who are loyal to us and who stick with us through thick and thin. But in John chapter 13, we learn that Jesus loves in a completely different way. In verse 2,…

Who do you want to think well of you? I suppose we all desire the approval of our family and friends. We want our bosses to appreciate the job we do so we’ll get a promotion or raise. And it’s always nice to feel like we are respected in the…

The house I grew up in had been built in an old pecan grove, and we had seven mature trees in the yard. Every fall, we would gather up paper grocery sacks full of nuts, which mama would put into her pies, candies and cookies. It’s hard to beat the…

Bible Reading for February 1 – John 12:1-8 As a follower of Jesus, what do you think is your most important job? Christians from William Booth’s Salvation Army and Mother Teresa’s Sisters of Mercy would point to our call to help the poor and to serve the needy – after…

Jesus healed a man who had been born blind. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead after he had been in a tomb for four days. And yet the religious leaders of the day responded to His miraculous powers by plotting to put Him to death (v. 53). What was wrong…

Do you believe in Jesus? Many of us have the sort of faith that Martha had at the beginning of this passage. We are sure of His love for us, and we are confident in His power – up to a point. For notice the way Martha speaks in verse…

“If God really loved me, He wouldn’t let this happen to me.” Maybe that thought has crossed your mind, as you’ve wrestled with sickness or grief. But Jesus certainly loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus (11:5), and yet when He heard Lazarus was very sick, He made the conscious decision…