Scripture: John 14: 1

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

Scripture Commentary: “Let not” means to take all your cares to the One who can.

“Let not.” These two words are telling you to not be worried about things you can’t handle. Jesus Christ will take care of you if you believe in him and have accepted him. The next four words, “your heart be troubled” show that you get into trouble when you leave Christ outside of your life and go it alone. When you think you don’t need Christ, trouble happens and you invariably call on the Lord.

After “Let not your heart be troubled,” we read “you believe in God.”

Do you believe that Jesus Christ is God’s Only Begotten Son who died for your sins and rose on the third day, and now sits on God’s right hand? Do you believe Jesus is the door, the good shepherd?

He is the resurrection, the bread of life, the light of the world, the way, the truth and the life. Jesus Chris is the true vine.

Do you believe?

The final four words, “believe also in Me.” It’s not complicated. Jesus came to show us the way. Are you on his road?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

John 14

Read Other Commentary from the Book of John:

The Food of Spiritual Nourishment

Learn the Truth of Jesus

Scripture: John 17: 12-13

¹² During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me.^[c] I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold. ¹³ “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy.

Scripture Commentary:

Psalm 41:9 tells of Judas, the son of perdition. What Judas would do was foretold in the Old Testament. This had to happen for Jesus to be identified and then crucified. Judas played his part. The question is what part are you playing? Is it for God or for Satan?

Jesus prays for us.

John 17 is Jesus’s prayer for his disciples, and for our protection against Satan. Satan’s followers are motivated by hatred for God and His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus knows there is a war between good and evil and this war will continue until the end.

We can have a personal relationship with God through Jesus.

Jesus’s disciples had him in the flesh; we have him in the Word and in the Holy Spirit. We have a personal relationship with God in His Son Jesus Christ. When we confess our sins and accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, His Holy Spirit is awakened in us to give direction in this life here on earth.

Jesus’s mission on earth continues in us. Again, what part are your playing? Is it for God or for Satan?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

John 17

Psalm 41

Read Other Commentary from the Book of John:

Jesus Heals the Blind

I Once Was Blind But Now I See

Scripture: Luke 10: 30-32

³⁰ Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. ³¹ “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. ³² A Temple assistant^[d] walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

Scripture Commentary: What character do you play in the story?

When you see someone in need, do you ignore them or do you try to help? Most of us have heard the story of the priest, Levite, Samaritan, and victim. We don’t know the victim’s name or where he came from but we know his fate.

We pass by people everyday who are in need. They beg for money or food outside of stores, or they’re just trying to get out of the cold or heat. When you see them, do you cross the street or just walk by? How are we any different from the priest or Levite? We are not!

Think! The person in need could be you or someone you know or a family member. We are truly our brother’s keeper. Are you the Samaritan, who has love in his heart?

This parable teaches us to love our neighbor; love as God loves us. The Jews hated Samaritans. People today hate someone who is a different color skin or who speaks another language. But we are all God’s children and no one is more special than the other. Since God loves us all as we are, why can’t we love one another as God loves us?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Luke 10

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Luke:

Be a Reflection of the Light of Jesus

The Seed Is the Word of God

Scripture: John 1: 1-4

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He existed in the beginning with God. ³ God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.  The Word gave life to everything that was created,^[a] and his life brought light to everyone.

Scripture Commentary: God is the beginning of everything.

Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” There is nothing before God. He is first and everything else follows.

Genesis means origin. It is the starting point. The book of John starts by quoting Genesis in telling us Jesus’s origin. He was before everything because He was. It reveals the Creator, Sustainer, the Judge and Redeemer.

We see God’s love for man, and the entrance of sin. Fellowship with God was taken and Satan rose to take down man, God’s creation. John tells us Jesus is the Word, and the Word was God.

John was an eyewitness, one of the 12 disciples to see the miracles of Christ. He saw Jesus turn water to wine, heal the sick, feed the 5,000 plus with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, restore sight to the blind, and raise Lazarus from the grave. John saw the resurrected Jesus Christ.

The book of John is the new beginning for God’s life for us.

John reveals Christ’s deity for us to see. He tells us Jesus is the Light of the World, the door, the One and Only Lamb of God, the Son of God, the Bread of Life, the resurrection. He is the Good Shepherd, the Truth and the Life. Amen.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

John 1

Genesis 1

Read Other Commentary from the Book of John:

You Are the Branch In Need of a Vine

For God So Loved the World … That Means You!

Scripture: Romans 7: 5-6

⁵ When we were controlled by our old nature,^[b] sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. ⁶ But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.

Scripture Commentary:

Does this sound familiar: I’m trying my best but I seem to be getting nowhere? This will be a constant refrain if you are captive to the power of sin, haven’t accepted Jesus Christ and haven’t called on the Holy Spirit. You will remain confused and lost as long as you are living for yourself and continue in this worldly lifestyle.

As with Paul, you must be born again to God’s Holy Spirit. Without Christ, you are living a lifestyle of self gratification and determination. When you accept Christ and invite him into your life, he becomes your center. This is what Paul tells us in Romans 7: 5-6.

You cannot earn your way into the Kingdom of God by following the commandments and laws or even by attending church. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross opened the way to eternity with God. His Holy Spirit will show you what to do. Paul looked to Jesus for salvation because that’s the way to the Father.

The only one who can set you free is Jesus Christ. Thank God we are free at last!

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Romans 7

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Romans:

Jesus Freely Died For Your Sins

God Is the Root That Supports You

Scripture: Luke 6: 48-49

⁴⁸ It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. ⁴⁹ But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”

Scripture Commentary: The Bible is the foundation for life.

This parable references how we do things in life. Why do we still build structures so close to the water? We know that when the floods sweep down against it, the soil will wash away and the foundation will weaken.

Every year more properties are built in these locations and the beauty of being near the water is promoted, leaving out the hazards that come with living there. This is how Satan reaches us – with the beautiful scenery and no mention of the possible storms.

God has given us the blueprint, The Bible, on which to build our life. If we study the Good Book, we will build our life on solid rock, not on dirt or sand. When the storm comes – and it will come – God has placed protection around us. The hard winds and rains of life will not topple us.

This is a lifelong process, not a quick fix. The crises in our lives test our faith.

Is your faith in Jesus built on sand, dirt, or on solid rock? Can you withstand Satan’s storms? Trust in Jesus Christ, your Protector, your One God.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Luke 6

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Luke:

When He Saw Their Faith, He Answered Their Prayer

Lord, I Will Follow You

Scripture: 1 John 1: 5-9

⁵ This is the message we heard from Jesus^[c] and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. ⁶ So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. ⁷ But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. ⁹ But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 

Scripture Commentary: God sees a lying heart.

“Mirror on the wall, can I truly lie to you at all?” Yes, you can but you know you are lying. So, if you cannot lie to yourself, how can you lie to God? You can’t.

When God asks you a question, He already knows the answer. 1 John 1 is saying that if you are a Christian on the outside but are living a sinful life, you are not practicing the truth.

We aren’t perfect and never will be; however, we must try to follow Christ as best we can and not be hypocrites. Anything we do in the dark should we should also be able to do in the light.

Don’t deceive yourself into thinking that what you are doing is OK when the Holy Spirit says no. We can’t love God and court sin. Christ exposes and judges such deceit.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

1 John 1

Read Other Commentary from 1 John:

Do Not Believe Everything You Hear

Jesus Is the Christ, Born of God

Scripture: John 15: 1-2, 5

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. ⁵ “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 

Scripture Commentary: We are all branches that belong to the vine of Jesus.

Jesus is the vine; we are the branches. God is the gardener who cares for us. God sent Jesus to show us the way to His kingdom. You are a fruitful disciple of our Lord by following Christ and spreading the gospel.

Go into the world and take His message. Don’t just go to church and do nothing else. If you are the latter, you are unproductive. Don’t become the branch that is cut off from the vine and thrown away. Be the branch that is pruned so it can bear much fruit.

The harvest is great; the workers are few.

Those who won’t bear fruit for God or who try to block the growth of God’s followers will be cut off from His life-giving love, grace, mercy and forgiveness. The harvest is great; the workers are few.

Are you in God’s vineyard, harvesting for Him, or are you just there looking around with your hands in your pockets?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

John 15

Read Other Commentary from the Book of John:

Do You Know the Way to Heaven?

Jesus Is the Living Water