Tag Archives: The Holy Spirit

Greater Than

Posted on by

“Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.” Matthew 11:11 ESV1

Read Matthew 11:11-19 & Luke 7:28-35, 16:15-17

Why did Jesus declare, “’Truly, I say to you, … there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he’” (Matthew 11:11)? Similarly, what did Jesus mean when He said, “’Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in Me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father’” (John 14:12)? And why did Jesus comfort His disciples by saying, “’I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you’” (John 16:7)? It is because something magnificent happened when Jesus completed His mission on Earth and went back to His Father in Heaven. It is something even better than hanging out with Jesus on Earth. In fact, it is something that is grander than humans could have imagined.

Continue reading →

Taking Up Our Crosses

Posted on by

“If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” Mark 8:34 ESV1

Read Matthew 10:34-39, Mark 8:34-38 & Luke 14:25-33

Maybe it is because we have become accustomed to adorning ourselves with cross jewelry. Maybe it is because we find it fashionable to decorate our homes with cross accents. Maybe it is all of the gracious blessings we receive because of our association with Christ, but in this day and age, we have lost the horror of the Cross. Even when we speak of bearing a cross, we only mean that we are enduring some unpleasant circumstances. But when the first-century followers of Christ heard Jesus say they must take up their crosses to be His disciples, they would have been both confused and dismayed. Continue reading →

Hillside Hospitality

Posted on by

He called His disciples to Him and said to them, “I have compassion on the crowd …” Mark 8:1b-2a ESV1

Read Matthew 15:29-39 & Mark 7:31-8:10

Jesus may have been refreshed by pulling away from the busyness of His ministry, and encouraged by the faith of the Syrophoenician woman, but He wasn’t quite ready to head back to Israel just yet. Jesus had another stop to make first. When they realized where He was headed, His disciples probably wished they were going back to Israel, but God had plans for His Son to bring light to a very dark place.

Continue reading →

Life in the Name of Jesus, the Son of God

Posted on by

This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because … He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. John 5:18 ESV1

Read John 5:1-18

This next healing is an account only recorded in the Gospel of John. It is a story of desperation alleviated by power, belief distorted by condemnation, and reaction based on fear; it includes warnings, obedience, testing, teaching, truth, persecution, and revelation. It is one man’s story of suffering, healing, and the hope of sanctification. But it is also a story that can open the reader’s eyes to the identity and authority of Jesus, and it is an account filled with instruction on how to live a life of victory in His Name.

Continue reading →

The Bigger Picture

Posted on by

There was a priest named Zechariah … He had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.   Luke 1:5-7 ESV1

Read Luke 1:5-25 & 57-80

Zechariah was a priest. He had spent his life serving God. He was from a family of priests who had served the LORD for generations. His wife, Elizabeth, also came from a family of priests who honored God and ministered to His people. They “were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But (emphasis mine) they had no child” (Luke 1:6-7a). Though they were doing everything right, something was not right in their lives. Their prayers for the thing they wanted most weren’t being answered.

Continue reading →

So, This is What Blessed Feels Like

Posted on by

Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! … Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.  Luke 1:42, 45 ESV1

Read Luke 1:2-38

Those words were spoken to Mary by her relative, Elizabeth, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Mary had come to visit Elizabeth shortly after Mary became pregnant by the power of the same Holy Spirit. Mary had unquestionably accepted this strange happening with the words, “‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your [the angel, Gabriel’s] words’” (Luke 1:38). And Mary had excitedly agreed with Elizabeth’s announcement, saying, “‘From now on all generations will call me blessed’” (Luke 1:48). And Mary was blessed like no other woman on the face of this Earth has been blessed. But did Mary have any idea what that blessing would entail?

Continue reading →