“No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God” (John 5:44 NLT). Jesus contrasted His motives with that of the Jewish leaders who questioned His authority. He boldly told them that their approval meant nothing to Him
‘So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does”‘ (John 5:17 NLT). Jesus described His activity as being inspired by and empowered by the Father. He did nothing by himself. He spoke
‘Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel.”‘ (Ruth 4:14 NLT). The little book of Ruth illustrates the use of the Levitical law which provided for a woman who had no male heir to retain
‘Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work”‘ (John 4:34 NLT). When the disciples returned from the town of Sychar with food for lunch, they found Jesus at Jacob’s well speaking with a Samaritan woman. They encouraged Jesus to eat something, but He
‘John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven”‘ (John 3:27 NLT). When John the Baptist’s followers worried that more people were beginning to follow Jesus than their leader, John rebuked them. He recognized that God determined spiritual results. And he also understood that his ministry was to prepare the way
“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18 NLT). All of Adam’s children are already judged and condemned because of sin and because of sin’s wage, which is death. Every
‘When he woke up, he thought, “I will do as before and shake myself free.” But he didn’t realize the Lord had left him’ (Judges 16:20 NLT). Samson took God’s presence and power for granted, but when Delilah shaved off his seven locks, the power of the LORD left him. Samson didn’t even notice, until
“When her son was born, she named him Samson. And the Lord blessed him as he grew up” (Judges 13:24 NLT). As one preacher described it, Samson was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. As chapter thirteen concludes, we have great hope in Samson’s future. Announced by an angel, the only child of
“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1 NLT). John began his gospel as Moses began the Torah, with the words, “In the beginning…” This signaled the lofty aspect of John’s gospel that clearly proclaimed Jesus as God’s Son. Using the Greek λόγος (logos
“Then the Israelites put aside their foreign gods and served the Lord. And he was grieved by their misery” (Judges 10:16 NLT). When the Israelites finally got rid of their idolatry, so that their deeds matched their words of repentance, God was moved to answer their cry. The description of the Lord’s response to Israel’s