Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder

Often, a good way to first approach a reading of a passage of the Bible is to NOTICE stuff.  Today, we'll look at a final prayer of Jesus.  It is called the "High Priestly Prayer".  He first prays for Himself, and then turns His attention to the disciples.  That is the part we'll tackle today.  Here are 10 things you should know: He knows it is going to be tough and so PRAYS fo...

Be Encouraged today dear Podcast Listener.  Jesus is bringing His earthly ministry home with a prayer that helps answer these questions: Am I known? Am I seen? Am I heard? Am I loved? Am I included? Am I forever? Am I created? Am I prayed for? Frequently, we ask the question, Why is this page in the Bible?   If you have wondered about any of the previous questions, then this page is for you.  This...

What is our world like? It is full of trouble. What are people like? They can be the source of great pain. These aspects of life on this planet are not much of a mystery. Be enheartened.  (it is a real word).  We have peace with God.  We have peace IN God.  HE has overcome the world.  He has conquered more than we know.  The enemies are VANQUISHED.  Jesus came in first place. Here's the good...

The disciples comment that Jesus is finally speaking clearly to them.  We probably should listen to what Jesus says.  He is leaving them very soon either with the crucifixion or the ascension.  One is hours away.  The other is 40 days.  Either way, listen up! The Father Himself Loves us.  That is probably old news to most, but it is a main principle to go back to.  Trouble is coming, and we are go...

What happens when Jesus is separated from the disciples by death and burial?  Sorrow.  Weeping. Lament. and Anguish. What happens after they get back together?  That is the topic of this section of scripture. " You will see Me again," says Jesus.  That is, the disciples (and us by extension) see Jesus after His resurrection.  We are filled with joy that is un-takable.  He did it!  He con...

Before the Last supper's teaching, the Holy Spirit, didn't practically exist in the life or even in the KNOWLEDGE of these rookie believers.  My guess is that essentially for them, "the Helper was about 2 hours old".   But what an introduction!  What was really unknown to the disciples turns out to be absolutely ESSENTIAL in the life of the believer.  As we considered yesterday...

Somebody paid $4.6 million to have lunch with Warren Buffet.  How much would you give to have lunch with Jesus?  I think you'd give YOUR RIGHT ARM to have lunch with Jesus , I know I would. But here is the most surprising thing I have ever read in the entire Bible.  Jesus says that there is something BETTER, more ADVANTAGEOUS than having lunch with Him .  In fact, Jesus says He has to go away...

The Spirit is sourced fro the Father, Sought by Jesus, Sent to US to 'SSIST us. He is Called HELPER and also the Spirit of Truth.  The truths of the realities of Jesus are identified, explained and made much of.  This continues the "Trinity-Party" that we have tried to understand.  To the critics of Jesus, I agree that some of the doctrines of Christ are difficult to understand.  Yo...

Being associated with Jesus sometimes brings the wrath of people around you.  Relax.  It is not about you.  It is about the offense of Jesus.  You are just part of His family.   But what is it that is so very very offensive about Jesus?  Today, we get a real clue. When Jesus comes, He moves the sin that we have been cherishing in our "excusable sin" category to an "INEXCUSABLE Sin&q...

This Podcast has occasional critics.  Often, their protest is something like, "You guys just CANNOT know God.  You CANNOT be friends with God".  Today, I am appreciating their sentiments.  I suppose it should be just as amazing to me as it is to them.  Yup, sometimes I can hardly believe it either. Jesus reiterates a final commandment:  Love one another (that part is old) AS I HAVE LOVED...

Either being a Christ identified person is the absolutely GREATEST way to live, or it is NOT.  Either there should be unique, special, noteworthy LOVE, JOY, and OBEDIENCE coursing through our veins and life, or NOT. Maybe you aren't even connected to the pipeline.  That is a belief problem. Maybe you got a big clog. That is a sin problem that needs pruning. Maybe you got a LOW FRUIT issue.  A...

Abiding in the Vine of Jesus is a spiritual requirement, if you take some of Jesus' last words seriously.  But what does it MEAN? Maple syrup flows in the branches of every maple tree, just in a dilute form.  It is the life-blood of a tree:  active, alive, restorative, connected, communicating, nourishing, healing Xylum and Phloem.  How does a branch bear fruit and make flowers and seeds and...

We interrupt our regularly scheduled Podcast series of chronologicalness to bring you special news:  Jesus rose from the dead.  Crazy news. Critical news.  Without this message our faith would be in vain. Everybody gets their own moment with the resurrection.  We all get "Easter-Eyes".  Let's do the best we can with these EYES and our SOULS. We will look at the resurrection with the...

Spiritual MAPLE SYRUP. Yum! John 15:4 (S3- Episode #19) Last night, I had MAPLE SYRUP from land that I know, from hands that I know, and from a tree that I know.  It was delicious.  Plate-licking delicious.   What exactly is maple syrup?  It is the concentrated, alive, part of a tree that is just beneath the surface.  It is the internal river that runs from the branches to the main tree to the roo...

We are a messy people.  Troubled. Anxious.  At war without.  At war within.  Facing difficulties.  Mired by temptations.  HE KNOWS. With all of this in OUR minds, we should actually REJOICE that Jesus is going away.  WHAT? CRAZY podcaster?  No, CRAZY God! CRAZY Bible! Follow me here.  He goes through horrible betrayal, death, suffering, bloody covenant, conquering sin and death.  We rejoice.(!)  T...

Helen of Troy's face, and perhaps the rest of her, "launched a 1000 ships" said Marlowe.  Actually, it was 1186 ships.  She must have been SOMETHING!  But what about you?  Didn't your face launch the most expensive rescue mission in eternity?  Have you forgotten your beauty and your value to God? Have you FORGOTTEN WHO YOU ARE? Do you need to REMEMBER who you ARE?  Well, God ha...

Like the RONCO knife commercial tag line, "BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE...!" John 14 just piles on the benefits of this new Covenant that Jesus makes before His crucifixion.   Episode #15 talks a lot about the BENEFITS.  Today I was struck by the CONDITIONS. Except I think that is not the best word:  I think a better concept is not that those benefits are conditional, but they are more so...

In addition to what Jesus reveals about the mostly unknown Holy Spirit, He's got a whole revelation of what the Father and Himself are up to.   He will come to me I'll be loved by the Father I'll be loved by Jesus I will have Jesus Manifest Himself to me The Father and Jesus will come to me The Father and Jesus will make their home with me So let me get this straight:  the Holy Spir...

What is your greatest need?  What is your most NEEDFUL THING? if only I had a help if only I wasn't so alone if only I knew what was right and wrong if only I could fill this "God shaped hole in my heart" if only I could know and be known if only I could be attached by blood to some special people if only I had a God near and not far if only I had someone who would fight for me if o...

Our understanding about God COMPLETELY changes with what is in Jesus' teaching today.  It has been anticipated for THOUSANDS of years.  It changes EVERYTHING.  It affects every moment of our Christian experience from here on out.  It is an announcement of an eternity.  What is announced will never go away. Simply, it is the Holy Spirit.  It is the 3rd Person of the Godhead.   This is Jesus&ap...

If you could ask God for anything... Of course I am all about me and my interests and my people and my church in my prayers.  But wait, there's MORE!  In today's passage hints at the underlying key to our success in prayer.   Guess what?  It is not about me.  It is WAY above my pay grade. It is that God is a hearer. It is that God is an answerer. It is that God and Son and Spirit are hav...

Do you desire to see God?  It is an interesting question.  I think a legitimate answer can be NO. I DO NOT want to see God.  I could be afraid of what I might see.  Probably, this reveals our sinfulness and humanity and limitations.  Probably the "right" answer is YES, I do want to see God.  To know HIM is to LOVE Him.  What is there not to like abut God? Phillip asks Jesus to just &quot...

Welcome to a wonderful new section of scripture.  I wonder if it will withstand the rigors of sincere inquiry?  Probably, every other word does.   It is the LAST DISCOURSE, which initiates a new covenant of intimacy and fellowship that never ends.  It starts in a room, then goes to a way, and ends in the Garden of Gethsemane. Where I am, you will be also.  We get a little Be with me today. Look fo...

Covenants were often sealed with blood .  A sacrifice was often associated with covenants to commemorate their seriousness.  At the (His) Last Supper and (Our) First Supper, Jesus mentions the Blood of the Covenant .  1 Cor 11:23-27 calls it a NEW covenant.  Apparently, the temporary, imperfect, sin-represented covenant of Moses just didn't quite cut it. The NEW COVENANT is beautifully descri...

Bread and Cup never cost so much .  During a meal, Jesus carves out a " first Supper ".  It is His Last supper; it is everybody's last Passover, and it is our first time at the "Lord's Table" in this way.  It is the most EXPENSIVE meal-ette of all time. We start with Sin. It is the wrench that has been in the gears of our relationship with God since Adam .  Every sing...