“But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.
— John 17:13
Jesus desires that His joy may be fulfilled in us. Are you experiencing His joy today? I pray that you are.
Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik
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My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers
Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
– John 16:33
The Gospel of John, like the other 26 books of the New Testament, was written in the Greek language, which is much more rich and expressive than English. Here in John 16:33 we see that richness as Jesus moves from the “subjunctive mood” to the “indicative mood” when He ways, “In Me you may (subjunctive) have peace. In the world you will (indicative) have tribulation.”
Every time I read this verse I find myself wishing Jesus would have said “In me you will have peace. In the world you might have tribulation.” But the fact is, tribulation in this fallen world is assured. Peace in Jesus is available and possible, but only as we trust in Him who overcame the world and all it’s tribulation.
Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik
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My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers
Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
– John 15:13
Clearly we’re on a theme of love this week.
According to Jesus, the greatest expression of human love is lay down one’s life in self-sacrifice for a friend. God’s love is greater. For His love is demonstrated toward us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik
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My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers
Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.
– John 14:15
Love, like faith, needs to be move toward action to be validated as authentic.
In what ways is your love for God being authenticated by action?
Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik
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My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers
Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon
“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
– John 13:35
The fruit of the Spirit is love. It’s the evidence that Christ dwells in us by His Holy Spirit. Which means, it is the principle way in which people will see God in us, and know that we are His disciples.
In what ways is love being manifested in your life?
Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik
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My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers
Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon
Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
– John 12:9-11
In Luke 16 Jesus tells a fascinating story about two men, one rich and the other poor. Both died, and the poor man (named Lazarus) was carried away to a place of comfort, while the rich man was brought to a place of torment. As the story went on the rich man cried out to Abraham—who was also in the place of comfort—hoping that Lazarus might be sent back from the dead to plead with the rich man’s five brothers that they not end up in the place of torment after their deaths one day.
Many people see the story of Luke 16 as just another Parable of Jesus. But I’m not convinced.
Interestingly, the rich man in Jesus’ story was “clothed in purple and fine linen” … the clothing of royal (or chief) priests. And, like the poor man in Jesus’ story, a poor man named Lazarus had just returned from the dead in John 11. But what was the response of the chief (royal) priests to Lazarus’ return from the dead? They plotted to kill him, “because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.”
“Nothing good can come if the will is wrong”
– Richard Weaver
Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik
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My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers
Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon
Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”
– John 11:21-22
Martha often gets a bad rap by Bible teachers and preachers. Whether it’s the soft rebuke given her by Jesus in Luke 10, or her words here in John 11, sometimes spun in a negative light, she doesn’t always come off the best. But in reality, Martha was a hospitable servant and a woman of faith. And here her faith is clearly seen.
Martha trusted Jesus. She trusted that had he been there four days prior, He could have and no doubt would have healed her ailing brother. But even more than that, she trusted that although Lazarus was now dead, Jesus had the power to overcome death too. And you now, she right.
Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik
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My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers
Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon
“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.
– John 10:10
Are you experiencing life more abundantly in Christ? If not, why not? He came to give life, and that to its fullest. What guilt; what bitterness; what unforgiveness; what sin is holding you back from apprehending that for which Christ came to bring?
Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik
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My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers
Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon
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.
– John 9:1-3
It must be something in our fallen nature that leads us to assume that infirmed, ill and disabled people have somehow brought such conditions upon themselves by their sin, or that of their parents. Fortunately Jesus corrects that wrongheadedness here in John 9, and in so doing reveals a glorious truth. God can (and often does) reveal the glories of his grace, power and nature in and through our disabilities, diseases and brokenness.
Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik
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My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers
Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
– John 8:12
There are several references in the Scriptures (in John especially) to Jesus being the light of the world. “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (John 1:4-5).
Because of sin, humanity is lost in utter darkness. But Jesus, the Light of the world, has come shining as a beacon of hope leading us on the path to life. Moreover, as His light shines upon our lives, that we might reflect the glory of His grace further until the whole world sees.
Let your light so shine today!
Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik
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My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers
Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon