THE STORY OF JESUS: John 17:20-26 “I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity.” (John 17:23) It is not strange that one person serves as the unifying center. People through history have united the masses around a common vision. Sometimes that vision was worthy of joining, but often not. I…
Author: Norm
Sent on a mission
THE STORY OF JESUS: John 17:13-19 “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” (John 17:18) God sent Jesus into the world for a purpose: to seek and to save the lost. Jesus lived as a human in order to show the world what humans should be like. He lived WITH,…
United (in Christ) we stand!
THE STORY OF JESUS: John 17:6-12 “So that they may be one as we are one.” (John 17:11) Divide and conquer, this is Satan’s strategy for defeating us, and God. He succeeded in turning Adam and Eve on God, on each other, and Cain on Abel. It is our separation from God that makes our world is…
To love God like this!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 119:145-176 “Yet you are near, Lord, and all your commands are true.” (Psalm 119:151) There is no better place to be than close to God. God is with us always, wherever we are… but are we with Him? Not just in His presence, but with Him in practice too? ‘Are you with…
Empty religion?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Zechariah 4-7 “When you fasted and mourned, was it really for me that you fasted? (Zechariah 7:5) God’s people are in exile because they turned away from God (7:13). They still practiced their religion, but not from their hearts. They went through the motions, but not with the meaning. Zechariah is both comforting…
God wants us back!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Zechariah 1-3 “‘Return to me, and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 1:3) Zechariah is a prophet of hope to a people living under God’s judgment. God has not given up on us, He will pluck us out of the fire. He will stand up to Satan, forgive us,…
Glorious humility!
THE STORY OF JESUS: John 17:1-5 “Glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” (John 17:5) Jesus does not go around saying ‘I am God’, but He does give us hints. He is fully a human like us, and yet there is more to His story. Here Jesus suggests…
My never-failing ‘circle of friends’!
THE STORY OF JESUS: John 16:25-33 “You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.” (John 16:32) It is not good for us to be alone (Genesis 2:18). But sometimes in this sin-messed world we are left alone. Friends or family are not with us; away for a time, or…
The prayers God loves to answer!
THE STORY OF JESUS: John 16:17-24 “My Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” (John 16:23) The “name of the Lord” refers to more than the label we attach to God. His name represents His identity, His character and His purpose. For example read Exodus 34:5-7 where God proclaims His name to Moses. When Jesus…
Listening for His Voice!
THE STORY OF JESUS: John 16:5-15 “It is from me what he will make known to you.” (John 15:14) The purpose of the Spirit is to help us hear the Voice of Jesus. Jesus is not with us physically, but He is still with us. He is our Advocate, Counselor, Comforter (v.7), working with and for us….