In the second half of John Chapter 15 Jesus is speaking to His disciples but He’s also speaking to us as Christians today. In vs 18 He says the world is going to hate them. People are going to try to make them miserable. Why? Because they don’t like Jesus!
He’s telling the disciples to get ready for backlash. Get ready to be cancelled. And don’t take it personally because the world won’t be attacking them personally. It will happen because of their relationship with Him. Jesus and His godly standards are offensive to the world and people will take out their feelings on them.
Jesus understands what they’re going to experience because He has gone through it. And He knows the ultimate reason is because the world has really rejected God. Jesus says the world would love them and embrace them if they exercised worldly thinking and did the things worldly people do. But since Jesus has called them to be different, to think differently, and act differently, then they are going to experience hostility.
Jesus said this to the disciples over 2000 years ago but He could say it to us today. When the world calls you intolerant, bigoted, an extremist, a religious nut, or worse— don’t get upset and don’t take it personally. Understand they are attacking and rejecting Jesus.
In vs 26 though, Jesus gives them (and us) a promise—we won’t have to go through this by ourselves. We will always have the Holy Spirit with us to guide us and show us the truth. He will help us stay on course and continuing to follow Jesus, no matter how much opposition we get from the world.
You have to be faithful to share your testimony. This is one of the big areas that God is testing you to see if he can entrust you with more anointing.
May hope be your anchor in every storm, giving you the courage to face the unknown with confidence. In moments of doubt, may you hold onto the promises of God, trusting that He is working all things for your good. ⚓
Being stressed is a choice. You can actually choose to have perfect peace. When stressful situations arise, renew your mind immediately with the Word of God. Perfect peace is part of the inheritance Jesus has given you. (Isaiah 26:3)
If you choose not to serve Jesus, you are automatically forfeiting your spiritual authority to the enemy. In the spiritual realm, you are either being led, and therefore mastered, by Jesus or the devil.
When every door is kept shut and you are surrendered, God can still allow attacks for the purpose of refining you to be more like Jesus, and to promote you in the spiritual realm. Renew your mind to see that reward is coming.
John 9:26. A blind man has received his sight from Jesus. The Pharisees have asked him several times if this is actually true. They ask him more time to tell them how and the man says “You must want to become followers of Jesus?” The Pharisees are furious and state they are followers of Moses. This man Jesus is an unknown character with no religious pedigree. The man responds by asking how someone could perform a miracle such as restoring sight without being sent by God.
The Pharisees have had enough. They label the man a sinner and throw him out of the synagogue. But Jesus finds the man and asks him if he believes in the Son of Man? The man wants to believe but needs to know just who that is. In vs 37 Jesus tells him “I am He!” The man believed Him.
In vs 39 Jesus makes another powerful statement:
“Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.””
John 9:39 NLT
Jesus said He does judge. He doesn’t condemn but He does differentiate between right and wrong and He provides spiritual insight. The Pharisees couldn’t get it but anyone who is truly seeking God—just like that blind man, they will have their eyes opened.
Many Christians look at someone they disapprove of with judgment and desire the person to fail or be shamed. We need to have a heart like Jesus and desire to see people transformed and fulfill their purpose, just as Jesus saw Saul before he became Paul.
OTD in 1984, @walterpayton surpassed Jim Brown’s career rushing record of 12,312 yards & broke Brown’s mark for 100-yard rushing games (58), all during a 20-7 win over the #Saints. And yes, that’s me at the start of the video, sticking my tongue out at the camera! #Bears 🐻⬇️
When I played for legendary Steelers Coach Chuck Noll he always told us football was our job but it couldn’t be our life’s work. Here in Romans 15 Paul has talked of helping other people, encouraging them and building them up. He did a great job of that but in vs 15 he begins to describe his real purpose in life. He says he wanted to remind them of the things they knew about God & His Grace. He wanted to confirm that God is our source of hope who will bring us true joy and peace.
But then he tells us what has really been the driving force in his life. In Vs 20 he says he’s always wanted to tell people who had never heard about Jesus the Good News of Salvation. He wanted God to use him any way possible to help people find Christ and the way to heaven.
This is an awesome testimony and something we as Christians should emulate. If we really believe we are blessed and we have the key to eternal life we should want to share that Good News with everyone.
In the first section of Romans 10 Paul told us how to come back into fellowship with God & be saved-by confessing our belief in Jesus. Now in vs 11-17 he tells us 2 more important things. First this promise is for everyone. Nationality, social status, past history doesn’t matter.
Secondly, people need help understanding this and God uses those who have gotten the message to help others who need to get it. Vs 14 says we can’t be saved without believing in Jesus. And people won’t believe in Jesus if they’ve never heard the truth about Him. So when we do come to that saving knowledge of Jesus and our lives change for the better because of that relationship, we need to tell people. That’s how other people will find out.
But the question is how do we tell people? You’ve got good news and you want to share it. But you don’t want to come across as judgmental or a religious nut. However, if Jesus has changed your life for the better you surely want to share that with people you care about.
I think the best thing you can do is just be honest and tell your personal story. This is how I found Jesus, this is why I needed Him, and this is what the impact has been in my life. And then let people see if what you’re saying is reflected in how you’re living. We have to keep in mind that our goal is to HELP people by sharing the good news that we have received.
Romans Chapter 10 is one of the most awesome chapters in the Bible. Paul has documented how people have tried to re-establish connection with God by keeping the law but it hasn’t worked. In vs 4 he says Jesus fulfilled everything the law was supposed to do and believing in Him is the way we will be saved.
He also says that salvation is for everyone. Verse 9 gives the most clear, concise description you will find for the way to get to heaven and it all rests on faith.
If you openly declare that Jesus is in fact The Lord AND you believe He died as a sacrifice for our sins and was raised back to life YOU WILL BE SAVED.
Very simple. But notice it’s a two part process. Verse 10 says that first you must believe. That’s where the faith comes in. You have to truly believe this in your heart. Then you have to be willing to say it—to openly declare your faith in Jesus.
If you do that you are now justified in God’s eyes and heaven is your reward.
This is super-inclusive in that it’s available to everyone. But it’s restrictive because Paul will go on to tell us there is no other way to get to heaven.
I went a little longer than normal because this passage is so exciting to me. But all you have to know is those 24 words in verse 9–that’s the gospel in a nutshell🙏🏽