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

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5: 1, 7

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ⁷ (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Scripture Commentary:

The earthly house that we call a body is only temporary; we will stay here for a limited time. This earthly world is only a stopping station for our trip to our permanent home, which is either God’s Kingdom or Satan’s hell.

We have a choice and a chance to choose which place we will spend eternity.

God gave us this earth of live on and to prepare ourselves. We are not here by accident or by a fluke of nature. God has a purpose for each of us.

Paul tells us that God has a place not made of human hands. Jesus says in part, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself…” (John 14: 2-3).

Paul clearly states that our present bodies make us groan but when we die, we will not be spirits without bodies. We will have new bodies that will be perfect, without sickness, disease and pain. The wicked will cease and the weary will be given a place of rest.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

2 Corinthians 5

John 14

Read Other Commentary from the Book of 2 Corinthians:

God’s Grace Is Sufficient For Your Needs

Are You Confirming Scripture or Conforming It?