Burunche’s Blog

John 10:1-21 Jesus the True Shepherd“

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

Jesus the Good Shepherd

“Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.”

“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. 20 And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?”

Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

I must confess that this chapter from the Gospel of John is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. There is so much assurance here for believers. Face it, folks, many of us have suffered rejection and repeated attacks in our lives. We have trusted people who have disappointed or even betrayed us. People have made promises, only to renege and even pretend that they never said anything to us. Now Jesus is speaking to all of us, assuring us of His watch care and His love.

The sheep folds in Jesus’ day might hold several different herds of sheep, depending on how large they were and their location. Sometimes there would be someone keeping the door while at other times, the shepherd might have to sleep in the gate hole to protect the sheep. But no matter what the arrangement, once the sheep were in the fold for the night, they were safe. And in the morning, the shepherd would lead his sheep out, calling to them. The sheep would follow because they knew the shepherd’s voice.

If the sheep were attacked by wild animals, the shepherd would fight off the animals, killing them if possible. David did not fear Goliath because he had been killing lions and bears with his slingshot for years. Goliath was simply a bigger target.

“And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” Jesus was speaking to Jews, but he already had the rest of the world in view. It was never God’s intent merely to be a God of the Jews, but for the Jews to demonstrate what could happen if a small nation would love God and serve Him completely. Most of us qualify as sheep “not of this fold.”

“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

Jesus speaks of laying down his life and taking it up again. When Jesus was crucified, he voluntarily went to the cross, and then his Heavenly Father raised him from the dead, giving him power over death and the grave.

Have you ever heard the Shepherd’s voice? You’ll know when you hear it, for Jesus’ voice is the voice of love, of acceptance, of peace, of joy, and of contentment. Many of us sheep have wandered into mudholes and our wool is dirty; Jesus isn’t worried because he can clean up any mess. Some of us have gotten into addictions; again, Jesus can heal and make anyone whole.

I had a friend whose son had been in the Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang, pushing drugs and pimping prostitutes. All the time this man was busy being bad, his mother was busy praying. One day, the man suddenly had an encounter with Jesus. As the motorcycle gang members were about to attack him, he holed up in a telephone booth and called his mother. She advised him to call the nearest church, which happened to be an Assemblies of God Church. The pastor who came to this man’s aid turned out to be a former Marine and lumber jack who was more than capable of helping him escape from the motorcycle gang. I first heard this man’s testimony in 1980 and then I met his mother in 1981, and she verified the whole story.

Want a new beginning? Trust the Shepherd! Jesus is more than able to meet any need and to handle any problem, no matter how difficult. Is it always easy to trust Jesus? Are you kidding? Sometimes, you feel as if you are walking across a yawning gulf on a narrow footbridge. But Jesus can guide your steps so that you will make it. May God help each of us to trust the Good Shepherd!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are battered and bruised and afraid to trust anybody or anything. Please speak to our hearts and give us Your peace and assurance. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

John 9:35-41  True Vision and True Blindness

“Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him “Do you believe in the Son of God?”

He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”

And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”

Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.

And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”

Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”

Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.”

“Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him “Do you believe in the Son of God?”

He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”

And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”

Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.

No matter what the Pharisees do, Ibrahim KNOWS that he has been healed and is certain that Jesus is a prophet. When Jesus informs Ibrahim that he is the Son of God, Ibrahim has no problem believing instantly. For the rest of Ibrahim’s life, he will never forget the moment Jesus touched his eyes.

“And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”

Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”

Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.”

While Ibrahim has received his healing, some Pharisees have followed him out of the temple as he has been expelled. Not satisfied with ostracizing this poor man who only has only desired to see clearly, now the Pharisees want to attack Jesus. But Jesus knows precisely what these men are up to and now he is about to confront them about their spiritual blindness.

Do any of the Pharisees become convicted and repent of their wretched treatment of this beggar who only desired to see? We hope so. But again, people who are bent on revenge or persecution are pretty single-minded. The adrenaline is flowing, and these guys are so PROUD of the fact that THEY ARE RIGHT!!!

When Jesus tries to point out their spiritual blindness, the Pharisees have no interest whatsoever in listening to him. Their minds are made up; don’t confuse them with the facts.

The problem for the Pharisees is that they have been listening to one another but not to God. They have formed cozy enclaves and study groups where they take turns expounding the Scriptures and reciting the petty regulations that have grown up around the Scriptures over the centuries. In short, these men have formed mutual admiration clubs with closed memberships and nobody should intrude, least of all the Holy Spirit.

When the Jesus Movement began in the 1970’s, it turned traditional churches on their heads. Although the Movement allegedly began on the West Coast of America, revivals broke out in many places. Coincidentally, the Charismatic Movement was already ongoing. Both movements drew young people to radical Christianity in droves. Revival broke out at Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, inspiring many of the students to enter missions. Youth With A Mission, YWAM began in 1970, exploding into an international faith-based mission movement with stories of miraculous provision, healings, etc.

While many mainline churches felt threatened by these movements, there were many who were drawn into the Kingdom of God for the first time. The new wine of revival had come and the old wineskins of traditional congregations were bursting.

In 2023 a morning prayer meeting at Asbury again mushroomed into a revival lasting several weeks and sparking other revivals in campuses across America.

The Holy Spirit cannot be contained or restrained. As long as we are willing to allow God to move, He will do as much as we will allow Him. Our chief job is to invite God to come and then to get out of the way, trusting that God will advise us on how to carry out His perfect Will. But when we begin to organize in mutual admiration societies, rest assured that the Holy Spirit will leave and go somewhere else!

May we always listen to God and allow Him to work in our lives so that when He is doing miracles, we will not be sitting in rooms muttering about minutiae that don’t matter and claiming we are doing this in His Name.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, please have Your way in our lives! Please send revival and let it begin with us! In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

John 9:1-34 A Man Born Blind Receives Sight

“Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”

Some said, “This is he.” Others said,  “He is like him.”

He said, “I am he.”

Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”

He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”

Then they said to him, “Where is He?”

He said, “I do not know.”

The Pharisees Excommunicate the Healed Man

They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.”

Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.

They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?”

He said, “He is a prophet.”

But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”

He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”

He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”

Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”

The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.”

Poor Ibrahim! That morning, he was sitting there begging as he had done for most of his life when Jesus walked by. The disciples were eager to assign spiritual blame; surely, this man or his parents must have committed horrible sins that he had been born blind. But Jesus wasn’t interested in such rubbish. Spitting on a little clay and anointing the man with the mud, Jesus ordered Ibrahim to go wash in the pool of Siloam. As the water from the pool touched Ibrahim’s eyes, suddenly he could see perfectly! But when Ibrahim rushed back to Jesus to thank him, the religious authorities pounced on him, dragging him to the Pharisees. The Pharisees were enraged! How dare this ignorant so and so dare to heal on the Sabbath, breaking the rules about working on the Sabbath?

Ibrahim’s parents were terrified when the Pharisees interrogated them. The last time Ibrahim’s parents had seen him, he was still blind. If Ibrahim’s parents were put out of the synagogue, his father’s business might fail, leaving the family to starve. So Ibrahim’s parents referred the Pharisees back to Ibrahim. Ibrahim could only testify to the truth: once he was blind but now he could see. Incensed, the Pharisees threw Ibrahim out of the synagogue, leaving him seeing but cut off from his religious community.

Did Jesus realize that when he healed Ibrahim, Ibrahim might suffer? Certainly. But Jesus knew that Ibrahim desired to see above everything else, and Jesus also knew that once he touched Ibrahim, Ibrahim would never be the same but would follow God whole-heartedly for the rest of his life. Even as the Pharisees were throwing Ibrahim out of the temple, common people outside the temple were already thrilling to the story and milling around, waiting to see this blind man who had been healed. As Ibrahim stumbled down the temple steps, people began cheering and congratulating him. The Pharisees were glaring at this sight! How dare these people refuse to realize that this was the Sabbath and nothing was supposed to happen on the Sabbath?

We read this story and marvel at the hard-heartedness of the Pharisees. We grimace at the idea that this poor man who had suffered his entire life was excommunicated through no fault of his own. Those Pharisees were really blind, but how blind are we?

The big mistake the Pharisees made was treasuring their prejudices above God’s Word. Throughout the Mosaic Law, God emphasized mercy and compassion; however, the Pharisees were neither merciful nor compassionate. Blinded by dedication to man-made laws, these self-styled disciples of Moses knew nothing of the spirit that moved Moses to write that Law. I like to think that when Ibrahim made it into heaven, Moses and Jesus were both waiting to embrace him and welcome him.

God is always doing new things and working in new ways. If we are to work the works of God, we must listen to Him and not to our preconceived ideas. We need to rely on God for our guidance and not to those around us who might have their own agendas. May God help us so that we will listen to Him and to nobody else!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we are blind in many areas, much worse than the blind man You healed. Lord, heal our minds and our hearts so that we will follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

John 8:30-59 The Truth Will Set You Free (2 John 1:4–6)

“As Jesus spoke these things, many believed in Him. So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

“We are Abraham’s descendants,” they answered. “We have never been slaves to anyone. How can You say we will be set free?”

Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

I know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you. I speak of what I have seen in the presence of the Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

“Abraham is our father,” they replied.

“If you were children of Abraham,” said Jesus, “you would do the works of Abraham. But now you are trying to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. You are doing the works of your father.”

“We are not illegitimate children,” they declared. “Our only Father is God Himself.”

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on My own, but He sent Me.

Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me!

Which of you can prove Me guilty of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me?  Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Before Abraham Was Born, I Am

The Jews answered Him, “Are we not right to say that You are a Samaritan and You have a demon?”

“I do not have a demon,” Jesus replied, “but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. I do not seek My own glory. There is One who seeks it, and He is the Judge. Truly, truly, I tell you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.”

“Now we know that You have a demon!” declared the Jews. “Abraham died, and so did the prophets, yet You say that anyone who keeps Your word will never taste death. Are You greater than our father Abraham? He died, as did the prophets. Who do You claim to be?”

Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory means nothing. The One who glorifies Me is My Father, of whom you say ‘He is our God.’ You do not know Him, but I know Him. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, and I keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day. He saw it and was glad.”

Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?”

“Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple area.”

“If you were children of Abraham,” said Jesus, “you would do the works of Abraham. But now you are trying to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. You are doing the works of your father.”

“We are not illegitimate children,” they declared. “Our only Father is God Himself.”

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on My own, but He sent Me.

Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me!”

“For great entertainment and quick enlightenment, try the teaching steps!” If there had been advertising in Jesus’ day, this could have been the advertising slogan. On those steps, there were all kinds of different teachers, each with his band of listeners, and one could move from one group to the next until one found something interesting. Generally, teachers of the Law would be explaining some minute parts of the regulations that had grown up long after Moses had given the original Law. In an effort to ensure proper compliance, scribes and teachers continued to argue and develop long lists of behavior necessary for believers to really fulfill the Law.

Jesus has been teaching on the teaching steps on the east side of the temple, trying to explain his origins and the reason he is teaching. We have previously discussed these teachings in detail; however, the point now is to look at the response of the religious authorities. Jesus is speaking truth about the Kingdom of God; however, these people have already become self-styled experts on ways to approach a God whom most of them have never known. Blinded by tradition and prejudice, these men refuse to believe that the Son of God is truly speaking to them. These men would rather listen to those reciting traditions than to open their hearts and minds to divine truth.

It’s very gratifying to sneer at the religious authorities of Jesus’ day, but are we any better? When we need information or enlightenment, do we pray before we Google or consult Wikipedia? Do we ask God for wisdom and truth, or do we select what fits our preconceived prejudices? And if someone pours poison into our ears about others, do we believe them? If we need to take a decision, do we really wait on God for advice, or do we chant “Dear God, I am about to take actions. Please approve and rubber stamp them!”

Currently, we are on the edge of a situation in which a good person has listened to wrong counsel, resulting in some bad decisions that may have tragic and long-reaching consequences. We are walking around this situation with prayer, remembering that at any time, we too might fall prey to vicious gossip and jump to unwarranted conclusions about someone we have previously trusted.

May God help each one of us, so that we only listen to Him and not to lies!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, guide us in the truth. Your Word is truth. Help us to look to You for Your Wisdom and not to rely solely on our own judgment. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

John 8:13-20 Jesus Defends His Self-Witness

“The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.”

Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”

Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?”

Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.” These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.”

Well, the Pharisees are at it again. Never mind that Jesus has been teaching wonderful truths, illuminating the Scriptures and enlightening all those who hear him. Never mind that Jesus has taken over John’s ministry, calling people to repentance even as he teaches about the Kingdom of God. Never mind that the common people are flocking to listen to Jesus because they instinctively KNOW that this man has been sent from God. Never mind that Nicodemus, one of the chief teachers, has personally met with Jesus and has become one of his followers. All the Pharisees can do is to resort to legal arguments, and here they are complaining that Jesus should not be able to bear witness of himself as if he were on trial and required two other independent witnesses  to verify his teaching.

“Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”

Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?”

Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”

Jesus confounds his accusers by indicating that he does have two witnesses: his testimony and that of his Heavenly Father. Sadly, Jesus’ statement is quite accurate: these sneering experts know nothing of either Jesus or his Father. Schooled in minutiae developed over the centuries, these men are legalists bent on pouncing on anyone committing an infraction of those laws. But tragically, these men have never really had an experience of God and know nothing about His true nature.

Luke 18:9-14 recounts a story Jesus told illustrating the hardness of heart of his accusers. “Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Many of the Pharisees despise the common people because they fail to observe all the picky laws that had grown up around the Mosaic Law; yet, these people are hungry for a real experience of God. While religious authorities continue to sneer, Jesus draws prostitutes and tax collectors into the Kingdom of God.

When William Booth began his career as an independent evangelist in some of the worst slums in London, traditional religious authorities deemed him mad. Booth persisted while urchins would throw stones and fireworks at him to try to halt his preaching, and many times he would return home with his head swathed in bloody bandages. Salvation Army workers would go into the lowest parts of the city, risking their lives to bring those living there to Christ. But while socially prominent people sneered, Booth and his workers persisted. Today the Salvation Army is an international ministry renowned for its relief work.

What can we learn from Jesus’ stance with his critics and from Booth’s example? When God calls you to do something, listen to Him and not to the nay-sayers. You may find yourself in a very lonely place where your only consolation comes from God. But never forget your calling! You are not copying your critics, but the Lord who has called you. Follow His example and not someone else’s.

May God help each of us so that we never forget Who has called us and why He has called us! May God help us to always keep our eyes on Him!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to avoid distractions and to look to You for guidance. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

John 8:1-11 “But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He

did not hear.

So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

The Pharisees are positively gloating! This time, they’re going to catch Jesus in a doctrinal with no means of escape. And what better place to stage this encounter than on the teaching steps on the east side of the temple, where thousands of people will witness Jesus’ humiliation?

For weeks, the Pharisees have had spies following Jacob, one of their own, to the house of Miriam, a gorgeous young woman married to a merchant who travels frequently. Even though Miriam has previously resisted all blandishments from several of the men in the group, this particular night she has finally given in to Jacob’s endearments out of sheer loneliness. As soon as Jacob has completed the act of intercourse, his colleagues rush in, pouncing on Miriam and dragging her down the street and up the temple mount to the teaching steps, where they throw her at Jesus’ feet.

In an oily voice, one of the senior Pharisees puts the question to Jesus. “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”  You can almost see all the other men in the group rubbing their hands in glee. Not only are they about to catch Jesus teaching false doctrine, but they’re also going to punish this ridiculous woman who has previously spurned all their advances. This is going to be VERY satisfying….or is it?

The Law these men are trying to refer to is in Deuteronomy 22:22“If a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then both of them shall die—the man that lay with the woman, and the woman; so you shall put away the evil from Israel.”  Notice that these self-styled teachers of the Law have made a major since Jacob has also committed adultery, leaving himself liable to the same fate of stoning as Miriam.

“But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He

did not hear.

So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last.”

The sheer hypocrisy of these men convicts them, and they slink away. Will any of them truly change their hearts and minds? Will they cease preying on vulnerable young women? Will they stop taking revenge? We don’t know. But this we do know: “And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

Jesus knows all the circumstances surrounding this incident. Now Jesus has given everyone involved the opportunity to start over and act differently.

We love this story because it humiliates those who would humiliate Jesus; however, how many times have we behaved like the Pharisees? How many times have we manipulated or misunderstood God’s Law? How many times have we accused others of the very sins we have committed, either physically or mentally? Those Pharisees slunk away because of their vivid memories of the times they too had lusted after Miriam. Now their consciences were screaming at them.

May God help us, so that we avoid hypocrisy and minister faithfully.

PRAYER:  Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to remain humble and true, refusing to accuse others, since You are the only Just Judge. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

John 7:32-53 “The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. Then Jesus said to them, “I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me. You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.”

Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What is this thing that He said, ‘You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come’?”

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Who Is He?

Therefore, many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.”

But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” So, there was a division among the people because of Him. Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

Rejected by the Authorities

Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?”

The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this Man!”

Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”

Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”

They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.” And everyone went to his own house.”

One of the tragedies surrounding the story of Jesus is the hard-hearted attitude of those who claimed to be waiting for the Messiah. These gentlemen had STUDIED THE SCRIPTURES AND THEY WERE SURE THEY KNEW EVERYTHING! Too bad, they really had terrible memories and didn’t know that much.

There are two arguments being used against Jesus here: Authorities don’t realize that Jesus was born in Bethlehem and is a direct descendant of David. They think Jesus is from wide spot in the road up in Galilee and assume he was born there.

Second argument: no prophet has ever come from Galilee. BRAAACK!!! LOUD BUZZER SOUNDS! Both Nahum and Jonah came from Galilee and their home towns are also closely associated with Jesus’ ministry.

“Nahum was from the small village of Elkosh (Nahum 1:1), a small fishing village at the northeast corner of the Sea of Galilee. However, his preaching ministry may well have been in the larger city some six miles to the east, a city which still bears his name, Capernaum, or Kfar Naum (“city of Nahum”).

Jonah was from another small village, Gath-Hepher (2 Kings 14:25). By the time of the first advent this village had disappeared and had been replaced by another one only three miles distant, Nazareth.

Thus we see the linkage between these three Galileans. Jonah was from the area of Jesus’ boyhood home and Nahum preached where Jesus preached, in Capernaum.

Both Jonah and Nahum have two other points in common. They were both prophets to the northern kingdom of Israel and are the only minor prophets to address their prophecies to Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria.”  https://www.heraldmag.org/1997/97mj_4.htm#:~:text=While%20no%20future%20prophet%20was%20predicted%20to%20arise,were%20closely%20connected%20to%20the%20life%20of%20Jesus

Shockingly, it is the pagan soldiers and the general public who realize Jesus is something special. When the soldiers are sent to arrest Jesus, they refuse, saying that nobody has spoken as this man does. These guys might not live perfect lives, but they know holiness when they see it. Many in the general crowds are also convinced that Jesus is the Messiah, for they have seen the miracles and have heard his teaching. And there’s another thing: the crowds and the soldiers have been with Jesus while the religious authorities are sitting safely in their offices. But Nicodemus HAS met Jesus personally and he is the only major religious leader to question these false assumptions. Nicodemus KNOWS that Jesus is the Christ but nobody’s listening to him.

What can we learn from these verses? God has a nasty way of turning our cherished notions on their heads and refusing to participate in our prejudices. There is a story told of a missionary in South America whom God called to work with members of another Chrisitan group. “But God,” the missionary argued, “I don’t believe the same things those people do.” “Well,” God replied, “I don’t believe everything you do either, but I still work with you.”

As servants of the One True Living God, we must make sure that we are listening to God and not to other people. We must continue to examine our beliefs, discarding anything that does not please God.

In the end, many of the common people will believe in Jesus, as will many of the soldiers. ^“When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” Matthew 27:54

We must listen to God and not to other people. Sometimes God will use others to guide us, but if their thoughts fail to line up with the Bible, trust the Bible. But get rid of your prejudices. God isn’t interested in them and won’t bless them.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to listen to You alone and to get rid of any beliefs that don’t line up with You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

John 7:25-31 Could this be the Christ?

“Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill? But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ? However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.”

Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, “You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.”

Therefore, they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. And many of the people believed in Him, and said, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?”

Well, Jesus is at it again, irritating the religious leaders beyond all endurance. Everywhere Jesus goes, there’s confusion because there are those who are certain that they really know the Messianic prophecies and they are equally certain that they know all the facts about Jesus. Of course, these people are completely wrong, but they are certainly vocal.

To make things even more exasperating, Jesus keeps referring to himself as having come from God and having been sent by God. Such assertions only infuriate the religious leaders, causing them to wrack their brains for ways to eliminate this pest before he gets them in trouble with the Romans. But despite the best efforts of those plotting against Jesus, they are failing to come up with a workable plan.

What is keeping Jesus’ enemies from eliminating him permanently? Simple. God is controlling Jesus’ ministry and Jesus has far more to teach and demonstrate before the time comes for him to be sacrificed.

One of the hallmarks of Jesus’ ministry is divine leisure. Jesus accomplishes a great deal, walking all over Galilee, Samaria, and much of Judea, riding in boats on the Sea of Galilee, and healing, teaching, and preaching. But Jesus continues to have time for people-time to heal a woman bleeding from the vagina for years, time to heal lepers and blind men and to deliver those possessed by demons.

How is it that Jesus can do so much and yet remain calm? Jesus is in constant contact with his Heavenly Father through the Holy Spirit. Jesus isn’t going off on tangents by himself but is taking orders from God, the same God who has designed times and seasons, who regulates the tides of oceans, and who has created everything in nature. Just as birds build nests and start families in the springtime, Jesus moves from place to place guided by the Holy Spirit.

“Jesus, you’re going to Capernaum. There’s a tax collector there named Matthew who’s ready to follow you and Me if you stop and chat with him. There are fishermen mending their nets who are hungry to know more of Me and who will become some of your staunchest disciples.”

“Jesus, there’s a widow here in Nain who’s about to bury her only son. Rebuke the spirit of death and raise that young man from the dead.” One thing we never see in any of the Gospels: we never see a time when Jesus is upset or surprised by the needs of those around him.

What can we learn about divine timing from these verses? God has more for Jesus to do, and Jesus knows this. Now, Jesus isn’t about to take foolish risks, and that’s why he goes up to Jerusalem by himself; however, when the Holy Spirit prompts Jesus to act, he does so.

How can we learn to work like Jesus? Copy Jesus’ habits of prayer. Jesus has special times where he goes off by himself to pray to his Heavenly Father, but Jesus is also in a constant dialogue with Him. If we want to work like Jesus, we must begin and end our days in prayer and pray throughout the day, asking for guidance. We don’t have to worry over every small decision for our training will dictate many of the decisions we must take. But we must be prepared for God to turn our days upside down.

As the only doctor in a bush hospital, I never knew what I would encounter when I went to work in the morning. I might make routine rounds and get home early, or I might find myself in the operating room until late at night. Both my husband and I had to learn to relax and allow God to work the way He wanted and not the way I had planned. At times, I would have to improvise instruments or techniques or even suture material to get things done. But if I would simply keep looking heavenward, there would always be some way through the problems.

May God help us to remain in contact with Him so that as we go through our days, we will enjoy the same divine leisure that marked Jesus’ ministry!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to remember that You are the One who calls us to our work and therefore You are the expert who knows how our schedules should unfold. Help us to trust You and not to stress out. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

“ohn 7:10-24 The Heavenly Scholar

“But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, “Where is He?” And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, “He is good;” others said, “No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.” However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”

Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?”

The people answered and said, “You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?”

Jesus answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel. Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

After Jesus’ family has left for Jerusalem, Jesus gets a release from his Heavenly Father to go as well. Jesus goes into the temple and begins teaching, probably on the teaching steps on the east side of the temple. The religious authorities are outraged! Here is this upstart from Galilee, of all places, teaching in the TEMPLE! Not only that, but this man teaches eloquently and with authority. How can this possibly be? The scribes and Pharisees have been studying all their lives, and they are certain that this ridiculous Galilean carpenter cannot possibly know more than they do….yet, he does. And those who actually love God know that the things Jesus is teaching are true because his teachings resonate with them.

“Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.”

The religious authorities delegate some of their underlings to interrogate Jesus as to the source of his teachings. Jesus, knowing that there are those who really do love God, answers, referring them back to their own hearts. Jesus then points out that he is not seeking his own glory, but God’s.

“Jesus answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel. Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

When Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, the religious authorities became incensed, feeling that this represented forbidden work. These men were far more concerned with the letter of the Law than with the Spirit, and they totally lacked compassion. Now Jesus is pointing out that the Sabbath has become the favorite day for circumcising, even though Moses never ordered any such thing. These men who claim to be following every tiny nuance of the Mosaic Law are actually breaking it; yet, they want to criticize others who are doing acts of compassion.

Yesterday, I spoke about Arthur Blessit, the man who carried a 12-foot cross with a wheel on the end throughout 323 countries for more than fifty years. Many people refused to understand Blessit’s passion for men and women to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Some of those most offended were in traditional churches. Years ago, a pastor friend gave his testimony. Our friend was about thirty years old, a highly successful businessman, and an elder in his Methodist church. But when people on fire for Jesus came to speak at a Lay Witness Mission, our friend realized that he had never committed his life to Christ. That commitment cost our friend his businesses, a nice home, and many other possessions. He and his family moved so he could attend Methodist seminary, and he began pastoring tiny churches in rural areas. Financially, things were tough, and our friend wondered if he had really heard God properly. But during the short time our friend was at the church we attended, at least eight different families entered the ministry or missions. Our friend’s sermons were so good that I still have the recordings and listen to them periodically. As with Blessit, only eternity will tell how many have come into the Kingdom through our friend’s willingness to sacrifice.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to obey You, even when we don’t understand, when others around us are criticizing, and when it’s uncomfortable or difficult. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

“After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” For even His brothers did not believe in Him.

Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.” When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.”

Few things are tougher than going against your family’s wishes. Parents and siblings are always certain that they know more about you than you do yourself. Add in a calling from God that leads you to do strange new things and you’re really in for problems.

Jesus has returned to Galilee, his home area, because Jewish religious leaders are trying to kill him. But there’s a problem: the Feast of Tabernacles, one of the major feasts, is approaching. As an observant Jewish male, Jesus should go to Jerusalem, but it’s too dangerous. Jesus’ brothers are absolutely no help, for they urge Jesus to go to Jerusalem and preach there. Obviously, Jesus’ brothers have no conception of who Jesus is, and in addition, they are likely embarrassed by Jesus recent teachings about being the bread of life. Then there’s Jesus’ statement about people eating his flesh and drinking his blood-too weird! Not only do Jesus’ brothers not understand who he is, but they fear that the religious authorities-and possibly also the Romans-are going to swoop down on Jesus, killing him and taking vengeance on his family as well. Far better for Jesus to go to Jerusalem and act out there rather than remaining in Galilee, attracting unwanted and deadly attention to his family.

“Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.” When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.”  Jesus always does things in his Heavenly Father’s time, not on a schedule dictated by those around him. So far, Jesus has not received a release from God the Father to go to Jerusalem, so he’s staying in Galilee.

It’s tough going against the advice and wishes of family and friends. The man in the picture who is carrying a cross and waving a Bible is Arthur Blessit. During the Jesus People movement, Blessit was running a Christian coffee house when God called him to take down the 12-foot cross from the wall of the coffee house, attached a wheel to the lower end, and begin carrying it on Christmas Day 1969. Until Blessit’s recent death on January 14, 2025, he carried that cross around the world through 323 countries and territories, logging 43,340 miles, or to about 86 million steps and shoes he had to re-sole or replace several times every year. During these travels, Blessit was shot at, chased by wild animals and snakes, and persecuted. In India men tried to set the cross on fire.

No matter where Blessit went, he preached salvation through Jesus Christ and moved other pastors to invite people to follow Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Sometimes, people would fall to their knees when they saw the cross. When Blessit went to Westminster Chapel in London in 1982, he turned the place upside down, encouraging all who heard him to go out and invite people to follow Jesus. Only eternity will tell us how many people were led into the Kingdom by Blessit or by someone whom he inspired.

Undoubtedly, when Blessit began carrying that cross, there were many who thought he was crazy, and many more who were offended that he would take such an action. But God had spoken to Blessit, and Blessit had such a passion for God and His Will that he picked up the cross and began walking. Blessit even had an aneurysm and had been warned that his health was failing; yet, the aneurysm never burst and Blessit kept walking.

It’s quite likely that God will never call you to do something as radical as carrying a 12-foot cross throughout the world. But God delights in forcing us out of our comfort zones. When I was a surgery resident, the hospitals where I was training had no hospital chaplain. One Sunday while in church, I felt God calling me to begin leading a Bible study in one hospital. I got permission to use a vacant conference room and advertised the weekly Bible study. Some days I was the only one attending the study. I would write out the main points of the Bible study on the blackboard in the room, figuring that someone would read it, even if it was only the janitor cleaning the blackboard! I also prayed for a chaplain and nine months later, God raised up a chaplain who sought me out to introduce himself. I hugged the man and wept, for God had answered my prayers and I was released from the Bible study.

Did I want to occupy an empty conference room and appear foolish? Absolutely not! Did people think I was crazy? Probably. But a hospital chaplaincy was born from that empty conference room. Who knows how much comfort and how many people have found their way to God because I was willing to appear crazy?

May God help all of us, so that when He calls us to do something radical, we will obey and not argue or listen to well-intentioned friends and relatives who would stifle the call of God!!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow You and not listen to those who would force us away from Your call on our lives. Help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.