The House You're Building

John Part 13:   Life and Death   Key Verse:   “Jesus said to [Martha], ‘I am the resurrection and the life.   The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.   Do you believe this?”   John 11:25-26     In John Chapter 11, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead and demonstrates His power over death.   He also portends His true purpose for coming to earth, which is to save us from death.   Not earthly death, but true death, which leads to permanent separation from God.   This week reflect on your understanding of death and whether you can answer “Yes” to Jesus’ question “Do you believe this?”     Read John 11:   ·          How did Jesus respond to the news of Lazarus’ death?   How did He respond when He met Mary outside the village?   What did He do when He arrived at the tomb?...

Key Verse: So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.”   John 10:24-30 ESV   Jesus loves to speak in analogies, giving us examples of things in this world we do understand to teach us about our faith.   In chapter 10 he uses the example of how sheep behave to show us we are like that in our relationship to God.   In his book A Shepard Looks at Psalm 23 , Phillip Keller gives us helpful things about s...

I'm a runner who hates to run.  I do it because it makes me feel good when I'm done but it's hard work for me.  Yet there are those rare times where I feel good and run with my hands spread wide and my eyes closed for a few seconds, to feel the freedom in trusting what I can't see.  It makes me feel so close to God to run blind. And daughter of God, there is so many things we can't see and know, yet sometimes He pours His special presence on us and everything makes sense despite the darkness all around.  That is what faith is and the best way  I could explain it to someone who doesn't know Him.  It's not rules, it's romance.  It is my hope for all who stumble accross my blog that they live a life fully alive.  Aren't you tired of the constant disatisfaction?  Disappointed of all that life is? Aren't you weary of the continual pain? This place is broken. All I know is Christ and Him crusified.  He did it all so we could have ab...

Key Verse:   “And Jesus said, ‘For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.’” John 9:39   In John chapter 9, Jesus opens the eyes of a man blind from birth and his life is changed forever.   He loses some things, but ultimately gains everything – just by seeing that Jesus is Lord.    On the other hand, others witnessed the same miracle and could not accept the truth.   They became blind because of it.   The key questions to ask yourself as you study this week are this: Have you accepted the truth?   Can you see?   Read John 9.   ·          Make a chart of the main characters of this chapter: Jesus, the Blind Man, His parents, and the Jews (Pharisees).   List everything you learn about each in this chapter.   How does each of the characters respond to Jesus’ miracle? What does it show about each of t...

Key Verse: Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”   (John 8:34-38 ESV)   When you ask people to give their testimony about how they got to know Christ, many people reference those who were examples in their life growing up.   Some people may even believe they are Christians because they went to church growing up or “it’s what my family believes.”   As we will discover this week, you don’t come to Christ by having a family history of church attendance.   You aren’t a demographic if you are a Christian—you are a new creation, humbled, repentant and covered in the blood of Jesus...