“All the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them.” Nehemiah 8:12   Not too long ago it would’ve been hard to image a scenario in which American believers couldn’t[...]

“…he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5b   We live in a culture that likes to stay busy. Being busy, however, doesn’t always mean being productive. We can busy ourselves doing good things, yet[...]

“I am the vine, you are the branches…” John 15:5a   There’s a lot of talk these days about individual identity. We hear phrases such as “true self” and “authentic self.” People are trying to figure out who they are in order to find their purpose in life. Well, today’s[...]

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.” John 15:4   The purpose of a vine is to bear fruit through its branches. The quality and quantity of[...]

“…every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2   Scripture sets the clear expectation that we are to grow in our relationship with Christ. Maturing spiritually is a life-long process, not a one-time growth spurt. Consequently, we should see a steady progression as we[...]

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away;” John 15:1-2a   Today’s passage describes a sobering reality. Not every professing Christian is a genuine follower of Jesus Christ. Now, it’s not our job to determine who[...]

“Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?’ This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do.” John 6:5-6   Times of great need[...]

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” Ephesians 6:10   The command to “be strong” is found over and over in the Bible. Of course, human strength has limits. Our resolve can begin to fade as difficult circumstances linger. That’s why Paul didn’t put[...]

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.” Psalm 50:15   Praying in times of trouble involves a greater sense of urgency than our everyday prayers. Too often, though, we’re just looking for a quick rescue from our distress so we[...]