Everyday Meaning and Encouragement From the Bible

What is worship? That's a very big question with multiple answers. In the first part of John 12, we see Mary in a very authentic act of worship. What she does sets an example for us today.

One of the most famous verses of the Bible is "Jesus Wept." But why does Jesus weep? Is sad or is He actually angry? The answer may surprise you. Link to Dealing with Disappointment.

Thomas gets a bad rap - often called "Doubting Thomas." In this passage, we see a different side of Thomas. Chapter 11 is the story of the raising of Lazarus and the first 16 verses sets up the rest of the chapter.

In this section, the Jews are questioning Jesus if He is the Messiah. He doesn't answer directly, He instead tells them to look at the evidence and forces them to choose.

There are many in Christendom that would teach that to follow the teachings of unity in the Bible, we must be the same. The same doctrine, the same liturgy. This is another view on that.

Jesus often taught by using a story or a situation from that current time, and would then give a spiritual meaning to the story. In another of the I AM statements, Jesus states He is the good shepherd. What did that mean to people of that day and what can we learn today?

The familiar story of the healing of the man born blind. In this passage, the disciples ask a theological question that often we deal with ourselves. Also, there are three distinct attitudes about Jesus displayed. Which one are you?

Jesus drops the bomb. No more subtleties. In this passage, He declares He is God incarnate.

Jesus continues His discussion with the religous leaders about what it takes to be saved. Notice the contrast between the two.

It sounds like something I would say to my cat. Jesus continues his dialogue with the religious leaders, and they continue to not understand what He is saying.

The woman caught in adultery is a story we all love because it speaks of the forgivness offered by Jesus. However, there are some issues with this story. Should it be included in our canon? In this episode we contrast the Pharisees and Jesus and take deeper look at this beloved story.

Could 2026 be an epic year for the Kingdom of God? I think it could be. Here's how.

Jesus walked on the Earth doing miracles, teaching with authority and showing compassion. Yet many - including the Pharisees - missed Him. Why? This passage sheds some light on that question. But the bigger questions is, "would I have missed Jesus?"

How often do we listen to sermon or a Bible teacher and just accept what they say? Jesus talks about this in this passage.

In this passage of John, we gain a little insight in to Jesus's family as we see His brothers did not believe in Him. We can only speculate as to why. Often familiarity does breed contempt - or numbness. Which prompts the question, do we become so familiar with the story of redemption that it becomes meaningless to us?

This is a great question we all must ask ourselves. In this passage, some of the disciples leave Jesus because of the difficulty of His teachings. Why do you follow Jesus, and what is the definition of following Jesus?

The story of Jesus walking on the water appears in all the gospels except for Luke. Jesus says, "It is I. Do not be afraid." This has lessons for us today.

The first of seven "I am" statements of Jesus in the book of John. Here makes a statement that confuses his audience. However, here He begins to make statements regarding His deity.

The story of the feeding of the 5000, we see Jesus take what appears to be insignificant and turn it into something amazing. How often do we think what we have to offer is insignificant?

Earlier in this chapter, Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath. The Pharisees come to Him and accuse Him of breaking the Law. This is Jesus's defense.

In John 5 we have the story of a paralytic beside the pool of Bethsesda. Jesus asks the man what appears to be an obvious question, "Do you want to be well?" However, the question may not be so obvious.

We continue to look at the story of the Woman at the Well. In this story we see the process of evangelism: introduction, experience and acceptance.

In the familar story of the woman at the well, we see Jesus cast aside social norms and customs to tell someone about the love of God. How do we let our preconcieved ideas and prejudices interfere with us sharing the gospel?

John the Baptist is a very interesting character. In his final appearance in the book of John, we continue to see the example he set. What can we learn from this enigmatic character?

John 3:16 has been called everyone's favorite verse. For many people, it was the first verse they memorized. It has also been called the "gospel in a nutshell." Is it? What other verses tell about the atoning sacrifice of Jesus?